METRO Police said the mobile unit is designed to bring officers, assistance and services directly to riders, employees and neighborhoods throughout the transit system. Moody Park is the unit’s first stop. They have plans to move it to other locations based on transit and community needs.

“The MOCC is currently stationed at Moody Park as part of our efforts to increase police visibility and keep officers closer to our customers and the surrounding community. It allows officers to monitor activity, respond to incidents and provide assistance when needed,” METRO spokeswoman Kaila Contreras-Aradillas told us.

KPRC 2 has received a number of calls and emails from residents about the police presence at Moody Park. One resident said they had voted at the community center for years but had never seen a similar police presence there. That resident also questioned why officers were visible at that location but not at a polling place near River Oaks.

The voter told us they were concerned that seeing police at a polling location could discourage voting in the predominantly Hispanic neighborhood.

We have learned from METRO that the MOCC is not connected at to the polling center or voting activity. On Monday, there was a drug-related arrest that brought additional police into the area, according to METRO. That happened around 1 p.m., which is also when shifts change, which means for a short period of time, you’re likely to see more police units in the parking lot due to the overlap in shifts -- additional officers coming on for the next shift before officers from the earlier shift leave.

The incident was the latest in an annual olive harvest that has been marked by violence between Israeli settlers and Palestinian villagers attempting to gather their crops.

The Israeli military said the farmers and volunteers had failed to seek prior approval for the harvest and were detained “due to the security risk posed by conducting an uncoordinated harvest near an Israeli community.” It later added that it viewed “the arrival of dozens of activists as an act intended solely to provoke, which undermines the harvesting process.”

Lander is running in the U.S. elections on Nov. 3 to represent a heavily Democratic New York district in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“The occupation is a crime under international law," Lander wrote on social media after he was detained. “Harvesting olives isn’t a crime under any law I know.”

“These detentions by the IDF are one more attempt to undermine Palestinians’ right to harvest their olive groves, travel on their roads, and live in their homes,” he added in a post after his release.

This year, Palestinians have been required to coordinate with the Israeli military to access more of their privately owned farmland than in previous years. The anti-settlement group Peace Now said last week that the army had expanded by nearly 30% the area of farmland that Palestinians cannot enter without prior approval, to 34 square miles (88 square kilometers). The Israeli military declined to comment on the exact figures but said Palestinian farmers must coordinate access to areas under Israeli security control.

The detained volunteers were taken to a police facility. Lander was among them but “released after it became known that he was a congressional candidate," the Israeli police said in a statement.

Israeli rights group Yesh Din and the Palestinian Farmers’ Union have said the 2026 harvest has been the most violent in recent history, with hundreds of reported thefts, clashes and arson attacks.

Much of the violence has unfolded on land outside Palestinian villages, where Palestinians have historically harvested olives and Israeli settlers have increasingly erected outposts without authorization from Israel’s government.

But there were no clashes before Israeli forces arrived Wednesday, according to Beck Strober, a spokesperson for Protect the Harvest, the advocacy group that organized the volunteers at the grove.

Jill Jacobs, one of a dozen American rabbis detained, condemned the Israeli government restricting the ability of Palestinians to harvest freely.

“The Israeli government is actively advancing the forced displacement of Palestinian communities across the West Bank, using its military to deny Palestinians access to their land and intimidate those who stand alongside them,” Jacobs, chief executive of T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, said in a statement.

Lander, who was endorsed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, defeated U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman in a primary for New York’s 10th congressional district. The race was viewed as a referendum on the Democratic party's support for Israel. Both candidates are Jewish and have criticized Israel, but only Lander called the war in Gaza a genocide.

Lander was not the first U.S. politician detained in the West Bank this year. U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, said Israeli forces detained him during a visit in July.

Meanwhile, Trump plans to visit South Carolina on Wednesday to boost U.S. Sen. Darline Graham, whose stumbles in her first campaign since replacing her late brother have Democratic voters hopeful — but not necessarily optimistic — that their candidate can break Republicans’ grip on the state.

Here's the latest:

Vance says he will never endorse a foreign candidate again

The vice president was asked by a reporter to explain his comments in a recent interview that he wouldn’t endorse Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for reelection by claiming, “I endorse American candidates,” even though he endorsed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in the spring and even campaigned for him in Hungary.

Vance said he has endorsed only one foreign candidate for election and it “didn’t go particularly well,” as Orban lost the election.

But Vance went on and said that was in April and now, “We’re in the middle of an American election cycle where I’m very focused on candidates getting elected in the United States of America.”

He said he wasn’t attacking Netanyahu by not endorsing him but said, “I’m not endorsing any more foreign candidates now or in the future.”

Vance defends Witkoff calling Putin ‘a humanitarian’

Despite backlash from some of their fellow Republicans for Trump’s envoy calling the Russian President Vladimir Putin a “humanitarian,” Vance said, “I agree with Steve Witkoff saying something nice to a person who just released an American hostage.”

Witkoff made the comments as he thanked Putin for releasing an American who had been jailed for more than four years.

The vice president called Witkoff “a diplomat” and said he was in Russia to get a job done.

“I care much less about what Steve said than about the fact that he is bringing an American hostage home to his family. We should all be celebrating that, not be complaining about what Steve Wikoff said in order to get it done.”

Vance says he’s ‘disgusted’ by GOP pushback to Acton ad, calls politics ‘a tough business’

Vice President JD Vance said it was “not really my concern” whether the ad was appropriate and said he’s focused on supporting Republican candidates in midterm races.

“I’m a little bit disgusted when I see Republicans across the country who are whining more about that advertisement than they are about what the congressional Democrats and other Democrats want to do to the United States of America,” Vance said in his first public comments on the ad.

He added: “Politics is a tough business. And my message to my fellow elected Republicans is: If you actually believe in the things you say you believe in, stop whining about an advertisement and go win the race in 13 days.”

Republican Vivek Ramaswamy’s team took credit for the ad featuring the estranged mother of featuring of Amy Acton in the Ohio governor’s race.

Collins calls for ad attacking Jackson’s family should be taken down

Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins on Wednesday said a new ad calling her Democratic opponent, Troy Jackson a “freak” and a “creep” because “he has two kids with his cousin” should be taken down.

The ad, which has attracted attention this week, is from the Senate Leadership Fund, which is backing Collins as she seeks reelection. Democrats are hoping Jackson will win the seat in their pursuit to take back control of the Senate.

Collins distanced herself from the ad on Wednesday, saying that the ad “should be taken down” and she “had nothing to do with that ad.”

In a Politico story earlier this year, Collins referenced Jackson having a relationship with his second cousin. Jackson’s longtime partner, Lana Pelletier, released an op-ed Wednesday criticizing Collins and her supporters’ attacks on her family, saying she never thought they “would stoop this low.”

Supreme Court rebuffs Trump administration restrictions on medical care for transgender inmates

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to allow the Trump administration to immediately enforce new medical restrictions for transgender people in prison.

The decision leaves in place a lower-court block on the policy. It was adopted after an executive order from President Trump, who’s taken several steps to roll back transgender rights during his second term.

Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas would have allowed the policy to be enforced.

The Supreme Court has previously allowed other policies for transgender people to move ahead for now, including restrictions on military service and passport sex markers.

Trump’s order called on the Bureau of Prisons to revise its medical care policies so federal funds aren’t spent “for the purpose of conforming an inmate’s appearance to that of the opposite sex.”

The new policy would halt surgeries, taper off hormones and end social accommodations like makeup and wigs. Prisons would continue to offer mental health services.

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Rubio pushes back on criticism of Trump administration’s support for Ukraine in war with Russia

Rubio said Ukraine would no longer exist if it wasn’t for U.S. support.

Rubio’s comments to reporters in Mumbai, India, came as the administration has been taken to task for curtailing intelligence sharing and the supply of weaponry for Ukraine. He said the administration would no longer take such criticism without a response.

“We’re no longer going to be defensive about this topic. If it were not for the assistance of the United States, including under the Trump administration, there would be no Ukraine right now,” Rubio said. “Ukraine as a sovereign state would not exist.”

Rubio insists Ukraine’s issues with Starlink and Starshield had nothing to do with Trump

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is insisting that President Trump and the U.S. government more broadly had nothing to do with interruptions to Ukraine’s access to crucial satellite data that Ukrainian officials say have compromised their ability to counter Russian attacks.

Speaking to reporters in India on Wednesday, Rubio said for the third time in four days that any throttling of network access to Ukraine was not directed or ordered by Trump or anyone else in his administration. He suggested, though, that the owner of the system, Elon Musk, may have been involved.

“What I can tell you with certainty is the president of the United States nor anyone in our system ever requested that any changes to that system be made, and that’s what we said repeatedly,” Rubio said. “The president has nothing to do with the decisions that are made by Starlink and Starshield and by Mr. Musk. That’s a private company. The president doesn’t run that company and can’t direct that company to do anything.”

Brother of former President George W. Bush endorses Democrat James Talarico in Texas US Senate race

That’s Neil Bush, the brother of one Republican president and the son of another, who authored a long Facebook post Tuesday night saying he voted early, and for Talarico over Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton.

Bush said his decision was two-pronged. Paxton’s past, particularly his spearheading of a failed lawsuit to challenge the 2020 election results, “was an affront to our democratic institutions,” Bush wrote. Those who have “enabled” Trump, he continued, “have done enormous damage to the Republican Party.”

Turning to Talarico, Bush noted that he’d never met the candidate, but that he’s been “enormously impressed” and has seen “integrity, civility, humility” and an openness to listen to those who disagree with him.

“I have been a Republican for most of my life, and I still believe deeply in many traditional Republican principles,” Bush wrote, “but character matters more than party affiliation.”

Lawmakers respond to Trump special envoy’s praise of Putin as a ‘humanitarian’

Some Republican lawmakers are reacting with dismay in response to Trump special envoy Steve Witkoff’s praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “humanitarian.”

“No. Putin is stone cold killer,” said Republican Sen. John Cornyn in a social media post on X.

“Another embarrassment,” said Republican Rep. Don Bacon, including a clip of Witkoff’s remarks, in his post.

“What an embarrassing and outrageous thing to say,” said Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina. “You should go back to Ukraine and ask the families of the children Putin has kidnapped and murdered whether they agree your friend Putin is a ‘humanitarian.’”

Witkoff’s description came as he thanked Putin for releasing an American who had been jailed for more than four years on charges of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine.

Sen. Susan Collins makes campaign appearance with former Democratic Sen. Manchin

Collins made the campaign stop at a hot dog restaurant in Maine on Wednesday morning with former Sen. Joe Manchin as she tries to win reelection to her seat.

Collins, a five-term Republican senator, is in a tough reelection fight with Democrat Troy Jackson. Manchin touted her as a longtime moderate voice during a brief appearance after the morning campaign event.

Manchin, a longtime Democrat who became an independent shortly before retiring from the Senate, called Collins “the soul of the Senate.”

The two are also scheduled to appear at a New Balance sneaker facility in Maine later Wednesday.

In struggling LA, Mayor Karen Bass fights for 2nd term against democratic socialist-backed Raman

To voter Roy Lyons, Los Angeles has been losing luster for years. A homeless crisis endures despite billions of dollars of spending. City Hall’s budget keeps swelling — as do the taxes needed to support it.

As the retired insurance broker from the Sherman Oaks neighborhood ponders his pick in the upcoming mayoral election, he’s leaning toward the unpopular incumbent, Mayor Karen Bass, over her fellow progressive Democrat Nithya Raman, a little-known city council member who’s backed by the Democratic Socialists of America. She endorsed Bass before changing her mind and entering the race.

Neither choice gives him confidence about the future.

“Is this the best we can do?” asked Lyons, a Democrat, who attended a recent candidate forum. “I don’t think either one shines.”

If Bass wins the Nov. 3 election, it will be because she was able to persuade voters like Lyons to give her a second chance after a rough first term that included the deadly Palisades Fire, which ignited when she was out of the country and caught the fire department unprepared.

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Putin agrees to resume trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the US next month

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov told reporters after a meeting between Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff that the Russian leader has agreed “in principle” to resume the trilateral talks after Nov. 10.

Witkoff held talks with Putin in St. Petersburg on Wednesday about Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as Trump pushes Kyiv to make a deal that stops the fighting.

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Justice Department watchdog declines to investigate handling of Reflecting Pool case, lawyers say

The Justice Department’s inspector general has declined to investigate the handling of the criminal case against a former Olympian cleared of accusations that he intentionally damaged the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, according to a letter Wednesday from the man’s lawyers.

The internal watchdog told David Hearn’s lawyers the allegations of professional misconduct they made fall outside its jurisdiction and are instead within the purview of the department’s Office of Professional Responsibility, according to the letter, which urges Inspector General Don R. Berthiaume to reconsider the decision.

“Given the substantial public attention devoted to this matter, and the significant questions raised concerning the conduct of federal officials, declining independent review would risk undermining public confidence in the Department’s ability to police its own conduct. Such a result would be inconsistent with the purposes for which Congress established the OIG and would be a betrayal of its mission,” the letter says.

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Trump to host White House roundtable discussion on cybercrime

The White House says the administration is using every tool available to stop foreign-based organized criminal organizations that exploit Americans online.

According to data supplied by the White House, federal authorities have seized more than 500 fraudulent cryptocurrency investment websites.

They’ve also interrupted millions of social media, email and internet accounts used by foreign criminal organizations to hunt victims in America, and have identified and warned nearly 9,000 people while they were in the process of being victimized, preventing an estimated $562 million in losses.

Trump brings a last-minute rally boost to Darline Graham in South Carolina’s US Senate race

President Trump will visit South Carolina on Wednesday to boost Sen. Darline Graham, whose stumbles in her first campaign since replacing her late brother have Democratic voters hopeful — but not necessarily optimistic — their candidate can break Republicans’ grip on the state.

Although South Carolina isn’t typically a midterm battleground, Trump has been deeply invested in Graham. He supported her appointment to replace Lindsey Graham after his death in July, and he backed her in a special primary when she faced several more experienced Republican opponents.

Now the party wants to make sure Annie Andrews, the Democratic nominee and a pediatrician, doesn’t pull off an upset victory. More than $34 million has flowed into the race, and Republicans have hammered Andrews as a “radical liberal” and accused her of supporting surgeries for transgender minors, which she denies.

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Russia frees American Stephen Hubbard after over 4 years in prison, during a visit by US envoy

Russia on Wednesday freed an American who’d been jailed for more than four years on charges of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine, in a deal completed during a visit by a top U.S. envoy and at a time when President Trump has taken a series of actions meant to benefit Moscow.

Trump said in a Truth Social post that he had asked Russian President Vladimir Putin during a phone call last week to free Stephen Hubbard, and that, unlike previous releases, his had not required the U.S. to give up anyone in return.

“Welcome home, Stephen, it’s great to have you back,” Trump said.

Hubbard, a 74-year-old former teacher from Michigan, was on his way home following a visit to St. Petersburg by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, who also held talks with Putin about Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as Trump pushes Kyiv to make a deal that stops the fighting.

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Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he wants a ceasefire and permanent peace talks

The Ukrainian president told Fox News on Wednesday that he would agree to a ceasefire with Russia, freezing control of land as it currently stands more than four years since Russia invaded Ukraine, provided the U.S. provides security guarantees as a permanent peace deal is negotiated.

“Freeze and talks and security guarantees,” Zelenskyy said.

Still, Zelenskyy said during the interview that Ukraine does not want to yield any land permanently.

“They are not winning on the battlefield,” he said of Putin’s forces. That’s why Putin is trying to “push us from our land” at the negotiating table, Zelenskyy said. “It’s not fair.”

Ramaswamy takes responsibility for ad with Amy Acton’s mother and will spend millions to promote it

Republican Vivek Ramaswamy ’s team confirmed late Tuesday that it produced a controversial advertisement featuring the estranged mother of Amy Acton, and the campaign said it will spend $4 million to promote it despite facing bipartisan rebuke for dredging up the painful childhood of his Democratic opponent in Ohio’s governor’s race.

The decision exacerbates a deeply personal element in one of the country’s most closely watched and expensive campaigns for state office. Questions about the video will likely shadow Ramaswamy, a biotech billionaire who previously ran for president but has never before held public office, in the final two weeks of the contest. Democrats said he was growing desperate at a moment when more than 676,000 people have already cast ballots in Ohio.

The advertisement features Acton’s birth mother, Donna Arthur, calling her “a liar” and insinuating she has mental health issues. Acton, Ohio’s former public health director, has made no secret of facing homelessness and abuse as a child. Arthur lost custody of her children after their stepfather was indicted for raping Acton.

Acton spent Tuesday condemning Ramaswamy for the ad even before his campaign confirmed its provenance.

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Trump and Vance announce $25M whistleblower program to encourage public to report alleged fraud

President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday announced a $25 million program to encourage the public to blow the whistle on suspected fraud in the U.S. government as they ramp up efforts to end the abuse of federal programs and dollars.

The White House said that under the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program, anyone who submits a tip that leads to a fraud conviction or a significant federal enforcement action is eligible to receive up to $30,000, and that the Justice Department will administer the program.

During the announcement, Trump said payments will amount to a 1% commission on the amount of fraud the tip helps uncover. Trump also said he will decide who gets reward money in cases where more than one person claims to have provided the tip.

“I will be the arbitrator of all of these decisions,” Trump said in the Oval Office with Vance and other administration officials standing behind him. “It’ll be a binding arbitration.”

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Franklin denied the allegation in a message posted on his Instagram account, saying he's “not a dirty player."

He said he was defending himself without resorting to spitting at anyone. His social media post included a video showing Las Vegas offensive lineman Delmar Glaze appearing to strike Franklin in a sensitive area below the waist during the Raiders' successful extra-point attempt in Buffalo’s 33-30 win at Las Vegas on Sunday.

Franklin intends to appeal the suspension, a person with knowledge of discussions about the punishment told The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the discussions were to remain private.

Without providing details or video evidence, the NFL said it disciplined Franklin for violating its sportsmanship rules after determining he spit at an opponent following the extra-point attempt with 1:32 remaining.

Franklin is a special teams ace and joins Bills starting safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson in getting a one-game suspension for spitting in the direction of Raiders players.

Gardner-Johnson was ejected for his action during the second quarter, which was captured by TV cameras and replayed during the broadcast. Following the game, Gardner-Johnson apologized to his teammates. He also told reporters, “I’ll take my consequences,” while adding that he has to be better at controlling his emotions.

With Buffalo (5-1) entering its bye weekend off, the suspensions will begin on Oct. 26 and run through Nov. 2, a day after the Bills host the Baltimore Ravens. Franklin has the right to appeal the suspension, and he was not initially penalized following the play.

A video posted on social media by an NFL Network reporter shows a scuffle occurring following the successful PAT, with Glaze blocking Bills linebacker Michael Hoecht while at the same time pulling Franklin’s undershirt. Franklin responded by shoving Glaze from the side. Glaze then turned to Franklin and appeared to shove the Bills player’s helmet.

It’s not clear whether Franklin spit at anyone. And the 14-second clip the player posted did not show the scuffle that followed.

Under the collective bargaining agreement, appeals will be heard by one of four people — former players Derrick Brooks, Jordy Nelson and James Thrash, or former coach Ron Rivera — who were jointly appointed by the NFL and NFLPA.

With the team off, coach Joe Brady was not immediately made available to reporters for comment.

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See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Goodell said in his news conference at the end of the NFL’s annual fall meeting that Dr. Allen Sills, the league's chief medical officer, has gone through the steps that were followed and added that the union had a right to call for a review.

Sills on Tuesday offered a passionate defense of the Eagles medical staff, and executive vice president Jeff Miller said officials had a good sense of the course of events.

Hurts is on injured reserve and expected to miss the rest of the season after a blood clot in his left calf traveled to his lungs. The Eagles and agent Nicole Lynn said Monday that Hurts has deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary embolisms.

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See AP’s full NFL coverage here

A British naval maritime security organization said a projectile ignited a fire aboard a tanker off Oman, but that its crew was safe.

Here is the latest news from the Middle East on Wednesday. Read our full coverage here.

Riyadh airport partially reopens

A limited number of Saudi airlines took off and landed at the country’s main airport on Wednesday, two days after authorities notified airlines that they could resume operations with prior permission.

Saudia and FlyNas were operating flights Wednesday, according to flight-tracking data published by FlightAware. Major carriers, including Lufthansa and Air France, have canceled flights through mid-November.

Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport has been hit multiple times this month by Yemen’s Houthi rebels and shut down on Oct. 10.

The Houthis have acknowledged attacking the airport, claiming without evidence that Saudi Arabia provided military equipment to government forces through the facility.

Tankers hit by projectiles in Persian Gulf

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organization said Wednesday unknown projectiles ignited a fire aboard a tanker in the Persian Gulf off Oman and struck another tanker off Iraq in separate incidents.

The first attack occurred 12.6 miles west of the coastal town of Bukha in the Omani province of Musandam, it said.

The UKMTO said the fire was extinguished and the tanker was at anchor, with its crew safe.

The second attack occurred 34.5 miles southeast of Al Faw, Iraq. The tanker's crew is safe, while no damage to the tanker or environmental impact has been reported.

The attack was the latest against vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz without coordinating with Iran amid its conflict with the United States.

Houthi drones targeting Saudi Arabia destroyed

Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki, a spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition fighting against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, said in a social media post Wednesday that five drones fired toward Saudi Arabia were intercepted and destroyed over the holy city of Medina.

The attack was the latest on Saudi Arabia since the resurgence of fighting with the Houthis in mid-July. The Yemeni rebels repeatedly struck targets in the kingdom, including oil facilities and airports, and engaged in fierce clashes with Saudi-backed Yemeni forces in Yemen.

The coalition, in turn, hit the rebel-held areas in Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa, and provided air cover to a major offensive the Yemeni government launched earlier this month.

Houthi missile hits army camp next to Yemeni airport

Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said a ballistic missile struck a military camp adjacent to Yemen's Aden airport in Khor Maksar district.

The Houthis claim the military camp houses a command center for the Saudi-led forces fighting the rebels.

A transportation ministry official in Aden said a civilian airplane had taken off from the airport before the strike, while the departure hall was evacuated.

He said operations in the airport were temporarily suspended and there was no damage to the tarmac. The official was speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media.

This is the second time the Houthis claim to have targeted the military camp inside the airport complex in five days and the third this month.

— By Sara El Deeb in Beirut and Samy Magdy in Cairo

France’s Macron makes surprise Saudi Arabia visit

French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday arrived in Saudi Arabia for an unannounced visit as part of a regional tour.

Macron is expected to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Macron’s office said he is there to show solidarity and to “continue ongoing efforts to secure oil and gas supplies” from the region.

Iran willing to ‘give diplomacy another chance’

Iran is willing to “give diplomacy another chance” but is fully prepared to defend itself if full-scale war resumes, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote in the Financial Times.

Araghchi gave no details of talks with Washington through mediators on Iran’s recent seven-day proposal to end the war and fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

He said there was “little reason to expect progress now,” citing what he described as Washington’s unwillingness to advance the talks while threatening further violence. He warned against renewed U.S. military action, saying it would “result in an even greater strategic failure.”

US congressional candidate detained in West Bank

Brad Lander, a Democrat running for a New York seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, was briefly detained by Israeli police on Wednesday as he joined rabbis and other volunteers accompanying Palestinian farmers during the annual olive harvest in the occupied West Bank.

Police gave no reason for Lander’s release, and dozens of other volunteers remained detained, according to Beck Strober, a spokesperson for Protect the Harvest, the group that organized the visit.

Neither Israeli police nor the military responded to requests for comment.

The Israeli foreign ministry said in a post on X that Lander was “harvesting headlines” and entered a restricted area without authorization in “a calculated political provocation.”

The detentions are the latest incident during this year’s Palestinian olive harvest, which Israeli rights group Yesh Din and the Palestinian Farmers’ Union described as the most violent in recent history.

Egypt rejects Turkey-Libya maritime jurisdiction deal

Egypt on Wednesday rejected the Libyan parliament’s approval of a contested 2019 maritime deal with Turkey, saying the agreement infringes on Egypt’s sovereign rights in the Mediterranean.

Libya’s eastern-based House of Representatives unanimously approved the memorandum on Tuesday, reversing its 2020 rejection of the deal, which delineates maritime jurisdiction between Libya and Turkey. Greece and Cyprus also condemned the vote.

Egypt’s Foreign Ministry called the memorandum “null and void” and said it violates the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea. Egypt “reserves its right to protect its interests,” the ministry said.

The statement puts Cairo publicly at odds with Libya’s eastern parliament, which is aligned with military commander Khalifa Hifter, a longtime Egyptian ally.

Israel also condemned the vote, saying the deal infringes on the sovereign rights of “our close allies in the region” and accusing Turkey of seeking to destabilize the eastern Mediterranean.

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This report will be updated throughout the day as new developments emerge.

The funds will come from the Water and Sewer System Consolidated Construction Fund and go toward the city’s existing contract with Sensus USA, Inc. for the installation of an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system. The additional appropriation brings the total contract value to $43.5 million dollars.

A long road of billing problems

For years, Houston water customers have dealt with a string of billing problems — and Houston Public Works (HPW) Director Randy Macchi told KPRC 2 reporter Sandy Torres a big part of that comes down to the equipment in the ground.

“A big point of sensitivity for us has been water bills and our water bills have had problems related to the equipment in the ground,” Macchi said. “We have an item on the agenda for this week for City Council to consider, another five and a half million dollars for Sensus remote reading devices primarily. These are the devices attached to meters that allow the meter to transmit how much water has been used so that we can make sure customers are billed accurately and fairly.”

Council Member Twila Carter, At-Large Position 3, said the investment is long overdue, pointing to a broader water billing crisis facing Houston residents.

“We have all heard about the $30M in unpaid water bills and of course the hundreds of Houstonians reporting outrageous water bills due to faulty meters,” Carter said. “Seems like the chicken and egg question...so I am in favor of the additional $5.5M needed to solve what has been a long-term issue. We need to address the situation and save the taxpayers their hard-earned dollars.”

We have previously reported, approximately 15,000 customers collectively owe the city around $30 million in unpaid water bills — a figure Carter said underscores the urgency of fixing the city’s metering infrastructure.

Where things stand now

There are 500,000 meters in the ground across Houston, and Macchi said they continue to fail at an accelerated rate. Water meters have a lifespan of about 20 years, and the city is playing catch-up on a massive scale.

Since 2024, the city has replaced 30,000 water meters — but still needs to replace at least 300,000 more. On the sensor side, about 230,000 have already been replaced or installed, with work currently underway on 10,000 more.

The stakes are significant. Public Works reports that 32 billion gallons of water go unaccounted for every year — a staggering figure that Macchi said new equipment is designed to help address.

Customers who receive a new meter or sensor will be notified, and the city will monitor the new equipment for a period of time after installation.

“It’s a fair way to make sure that customers aren’t continually surprised by high bills,” Macchi said. “Now, it still happens. We still deal with high bills today. And a lot of times, it’s because we haven’t been getting good data in there.”

Contract history and what’s next

The original contract with Sensus USA, Inc. was awarded Nov. 24, 2020, for a 10-year term with a maximum contract amount of $38 million dollars.

This is not the first amendment to the contract. In October 2024, city council approved an additional $16 million — though that amendment did not increase the maximum contract amount.

HPW said the additional $5.5 million is needed due to increased material costs, higher equipment pricing and rising operating expenses — cost escalations that were not anticipated in the original contract scope. The funding is expected to sustain operations through the end of 2027, with the overarching contract running through 2030.

And this may not be the last ask. Macchi has indicated additional funding could be requested in 2027.

Dr. Stuart Fraser, a pediatric vascular neurologist with Memorial Hermann and UTHealth Houston, told KPRC 2 News that the rate of stroke among children ages 1 to 15 is about one in 20,000.

Doctors say strokes in children can happen for several reasons, including infections that may trigger inflammation or affect blood vessels in the brain.

“The pediatric neurologic community has figured out over the past twenty years that there is an association between having some kind of infection, like the flu or chickenpox, for a few weeks to a month and then having a stroke after that,” says Dr. Stuart Fraser.

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Fraser said research over the past two decades has found an association between certain infections, including the flu and chickenpox, and strokes occurring weeks to about a month later.

In some cases, a sinus infection can also spread and cause inflammation that affects the brain.

What are the warning signs of a stroke in children?

Fraser said parents should take symptoms seriously, including:

• Weakness on one side of the body
• Trouble speaking
• Vision loss
• Problems with balance

If a child develops these symptoms, parents should seek emergency medical care. Sudden neurological symptoms can have several causes, but doctors say it’s important to act quickly rather than wait to see whether they improve.

“Time is brain,” Fraser said, emphasizing that early detection can help doctors provide treatment sooner.

Fraser said children can recover in remarkable ways, but the long-term effects vary.

• Where to find free or low-cost heart screening testing for teens, young adults in the Houston area

According to Fraser, long-term studies show about half of children who experience a stroke regain a level of independence that allows them to function on their own.

Others may experience lasting effects ranging from mild limitations to severe disabilities that could require a wheelchair.

Although the possibility of a stroke can be frightening for parents, Fraser said it’s important to remain calm while taking potential warning signs seriously.

If you are concerned about your child’s symptoms, talk to a doctor. If symptoms appear suddenly, call 911 for emergency help.

The S&P 500 rose 0.4% and was on track for a third straight modest gain. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 127 points, or 0.2%, as of 11:30 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 1% higher.

SpaceX helped lead the market and climbed 9.9% after reporting a stronger profit for the summer than analysts expected. Elon Musk, who runs the company that makes money from artificial-intelligence technology, rockets and other businesses, also said that SpaceX took a step to consider a possible merger with Tesla, his electric-vehicle company.

Tesla, which will report its latest quarterly results late Wednesday, rose 3.5% and was one of the strongest forces lifting the S&P 500.

Other stocks rallying on profit reports that topped analysts’ expectations included Capital One Financial, which rose 4.4%, and Winnebago Industries, which climbed 7.6%.

Expectations are high for profit growth during the summer, and companies will need to meet them to justify the big runs their stock prices have made toward records despite worries about high inflation, higher interest rates and other challenges weighing on Wall Street.

Winnebago was able to report a more resilient profit than analysts expected even as high fuel prices and frustration among U.S. shoppers restrain interest in recreational vehicles, for example. CEO Michael Happe said its more expensive towable RVs are a tougher sell, but customers are interested in its “more accessible” offerings.

On the losing side of Wall Street was Netflix, which fell 4.9% even though the streaming service reported a stronger profit than analysts expected. Investors focused instead on worries that Netflix’s momentum may be slowing. The company’s forecast for revenue growth in the final three months of the year fell short of analysts’ expectations.

AT&T fell 6.3% even though it likewise delivered a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It gave a forecast for growth this year in an underlying measure of earnings before income taxes and some other things that fell short of some analysts’ expectations.

Among AI stocks, which have been at the center of the market’s action in recent weeks, the movements remained unsettled.

After leading the rest of the market for years because of the frenzy around AI, stocks in the industry have become shaky on worries that the build out of data centers may slow because of how much more expensive it’s become to borrow money.

CoreWeave, which has borrowed money to buy AI chips that it rents out to customers over the cloud, has been particularly volatile. It bounced between an early gain of nearly 4% and a drop of 4.5% Wednesday morning before moderating to a dip of 0.5%. A day earlier, it had careened between similarly wide gains and losses.

Other AI-linked stocks were more resilient. Nvidia's rise of 1.7% was the strongest force lifting the S&P 500.

Besides SpaceX’s profit report showing strength for AI spending, another encouraging signal for the industry came from Super Micro Computer, which sells AI servers and services. It said it expects to report stronger revenue for the summer than it had earlier forecast because of “increased demand for AI platforms,” and its stock rallied 8.8%.

Another potential boost for the AI industry came from an easing of Treasury yields, which help dictate how expensive loans are for the U.S. government, companies and regular Americans.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 5.10% from 5.12% late Tuesday, though it remains far above its 3.97% level from before the war with Iran sent oil prices and worries about inflation higher.

Oil prices remained unsteady on Wednesday following big recent swings on uncertainty about when the energy industry can return to normal. The price for a barrel of Brent crude added 0.3% to $109.12 after flipping up and down through the morning. It’s been yo-yoing between $97 and $112 in October.

In stock markets abroad, indexes rose in Europe following a mixed finish in Asia. South Korea’s Kospi jumped 3.3% for one of the world’s biggest moves as AI stocks regained strength.

___

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

The decision leaves in place a lower-court block on the policy. It was adopted after an executive order from President Donald Trump, a Republican who has taken several steps to roll back transgender rights during his second term.

The brief order did not detail its legal reasoning. Justice Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas would have allowed the policy to be enforced as the lawsuit played out in lower courts.

The Supreme Court has previously allowed other policies for transgender people to move ahead for now, including restrictions on military service and passport sex markers.

Trump's order called on the Bureau of Prisons to revise its medical care policies so that federal funds aren’t spent “for the purpose of conforming an inmate’s appearance to that of the opposite sex.”

The new policy would halt surgeries, taper off hormones and end social accommodations like makeup and wigs. Prisons would continue to offer mental health services.

Attorneys for transgender inmates challenged the policy in court and U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth ordered treatments to continue. Lamberth, who was nominated to the bench by Republican President Ronald Reagan, pointed out that untreated gender dysphoria can cause severe side effects like depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts.

The Trump administration appealed, arguing that treatments raised security concerns and “could no longer be justified.” A divided appeals court panel left the order in place.

About 600 inmates were receiving hormone therapy in 2025, the agency said in court records. Withdrawing care would have significant effects on their bodies and mental health, their lawyers said. The government has not detailed evidence of security problems linked to hormone therapy for transgender inmates over the 30 years it has been provided, they wrote.

The conservative-majority Supreme Court has previously upheld state laws banning certain medical treatments for transgender youth, and restricting sports participation by transgender athletes in women’s sports.

Over the past decade, school districts across Texas have sought to make classrooms safer by swelling the number of police officers on campuses and taking a tougher stance on misbehavior. But the crackdown has had an unexpected consequence: sweeping tens of thousands of elementary students and middle schoolers into the justice system.

Children ages 10 to 13 were referred for prosecution after incidents in schools more than 47,000 times since 2014, an analysis by The New York Times and The San Antonio Express-News found. About 4,800 students in that age group were referred during the 2024-25 academic year alone, the most recent school year for which data is available. That is a third more than the number a decade before.

Most of the students were accused of minor offenses, like making threats, using cannabis vapes or lashing out at classmates or teachers, the analysis found. Few caused serious physical harm.

Outside Austin, an 11-year-old bumped into a school counselor. In Victoria, a 10-year-old said he saw someone on campus with a weapon, but later admitted he had made up the story. In El Paso, a 10-year-old kicked an assistant principal after his cellphone was taken away.

All three found themselves in the justice system.

While the case against the boy in El Paso was dropped two months after the incident, court records show, the consequences for his family were immense. His mother, Grace Lee-Vazquez, said she shouldered thousands of dollars in legal bills. The boy, who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and still struggles to double-knot his shoelaces, became anxious about school. His grades tumbled.

School district officials would not answer questions about the incident, but wrote in a statement that they were “committed to maintaining safe and inclusive learning environments for all students.”

The ordeal, Ms. Lee-Vazquez said, “broke us.” She moved the family out of state in June for a fresh start.

Meridith Kohut for The New York Times

In rare instances, children 13 and under have been accused of serious offenses. Last year, for example, an 11-year-old boy at Harris Middle School in San Antonio was charged with carrying a weapon in a prohibited place after school officials found a gun in his backpack.

But William Shaw, a juvenile judge in San Antonio, said that many of the cases that came before him could have been handled by a school principal.

“Kids are sometimes not going to get along,” he said in an interview. “They may end up pushing each other, maybe even fighting. That can be considered adolescent behavior. It isn’t necessary to arrest.”

The Times and The Express-News reported this year that Texas’ multi-billion-dollar investment in school policing had transformed discipline, subjecting thousands of students to physical force, at times over seemingly minor misconduct. Some were tackled, blinded with pepper spray or shocked with Tasers.

For the new analysis, our journalists examined data collected by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, identifying tens of thousands of instances since the 2014-15 academic year in which minors were referred into the justice system after an incident at school. Such referrals, as they are called, typically occur after an officer takes a child into custody. The youngest a child in Texas can be referred is 10; students 17 and older are considered adults.

Some of the children who were referred were required to appear before a judge and assigned community service, counseling or court supervision. In the most serious cases, they were committed to state juvenile justice facilities.

But even when children were released with just a warning, they were often taken from school in handcuffs, separated from their parents for hours and processed into the juvenile system — all of which, research shows, can hurt academic performance and is linked to future contact with law enforcement, feeding the so called school-to-prison pipeline.

Encounters between police officers and schoolchildren have not gone unnoticed. In July, The Texas Observer used law enforcement records to document thousands of arrests and criminal citations involving preteens in about 200 of Texas’ 1,200 school districts over a four-year period.

The analysis by The Times and The Express-News examined referrals statewide. It found that referrals of children 10 to 13 had increased by a greater percentage than referrals of older students. They rose for young children of every race, though Black children were referred at about twice the rate of white and Hispanic children.

After the Covid-19 pandemic, when students returned to in-person instruction, schools reported more fights, state data shows. But referrals of children 10 to 13 grew far faster.

The growth outpaced that of the student population, undoing years of work by advocacy groups and policymakers to end the school-to-prison pipeline.

Some of the state’s largest school districts, including Houston and Dallas, have decreased the number of referrals in recent years, data shows. The statewide increase was driven by roughly 60 districts, which account for about a quarter of Texas’ students. Many added officers to their elementary and middle schools during the period we examined, records show, or had taken a more aggressive approach to policing students.

Officials in some of those districts said they believed the referrals represented progress toward safer campuses, a top priority since the 2022 school shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde.

Representative Joe Moody, an El Paso Democrat, cosponsored a 2023 state law requiring a police officer at every public school. When shown our analysis, he said that the increase in referrals among young children was alarming, and that he would push for stricter limits on policing in schools when the state legislature convenes in January.

“No one should want that as a result of what we did,” he said.

‘She just gave up’

Laquital Thompson knew that her daughter’s transition to Central Middle School in Galveston might be difficult.

Like many 12-year-olds, the girl enjoyed filming videos for TikTok and trying different hairstyles. She liked school, too, especially math and science. But she had been acting out in class, Ms. Thompson said, and the school district had identified a behavioral disorder that led her to challenge authority. (The Times and The Express-News are not naming the children in this article to protect their privacy.)

Within a week of starting classes in August 2024, records show, the girl was sent to the principal’s office for being “disruptive.” School officials suspended her and told her to wait for her mother in the lobby. But the girl refused to go there.

Eventually, a school police officer, Vincent Ramirez, was summoned. When he arrived, several school employees were hovering nearby.

In an exchange captured by the officer’s body camera footage, one school administrator said that the girl’s mother had consented to the use of handcuffs on her daughter. Another warned that the girl could be arrested if she did not go where she was told.

Officer Ramirez turned to the girl. “You’ve got four seconds to walk over there,” he said. “Otherwise, I’m going to put you in handcuffs, and we’re going to give you a ride.”

She did not budge.

“OK, I’m done,” Officer Ramirez said. He slid off the girl’s pink backpack and handcuffed her wrists behind her back.

His body camera footage shows the sequence.

The girl is in the lower right corner above, facing a glass display case.

The officer confronts her, telling her she has four seconds to comply.

Ninety seconds later, he handcuffs her and leads her down the hall.In a recent interview, the girl told our reporters that she was confused when the officer detained her. “I didn’t really know why it was happening,” she said. “Why would they put me in handcuffs?”

The officer drove her to the school police headquarters at a nearby campus, where she continued to ignore instructions. When she would not put her hand on a fingerprint machine, officers twisted her opposite arm behind her back until she screamed and complied, according to body camera footage.

Later, as she sobbed and yelled profanities, the school district police chief, Josette Rivas, held up a cellphone and apparently began recording her, body camera footage shows. She told the girl it was for Facebook.

“You all see how she’s acting?” Chief Rivas said as she held the phone.

Chief Rivas and Officer Ramirez declined to comment for this article. The Galveston school district’s superintendent, Matthew Neighbors, wrote in an email that the officers had “remained calm and respectful.” Asked if cellphone video of the girl had been posted online, he said no.

Records show the girl was charged with trespassing. Two former school district police chiefs who reviewed the case at our request said that the arrest and referral were unnecessary.

Threatening to post video of the girl was particularly concerning, added Bryon G. Gustafson, who was previously the police chief for the Stockton, Calif., school district and now teaches at the University of Virginia. “A police chief doing that is just unfathomable to me,” he said.

Laquital Thompson and her daughter questioned why the girl was arrested at her middle school in Galveston in 2024. Meridith Kohut for The New York

The girl pleaded guilty and was put on probation for a year, Ms. Thompson said. After that, she had even more trouble paying attention in class.

“She just gave up,” her mother added.

Ms. Thompson said that she had agreed to the handcuffs because in that moment, she did not want to question the administrator’s judgment. But after learning what had happened, she wondered why the school officer had been called to handle the situation at all.

“Why couldn’t they just let her stand in the hallway and be quiet and wait on me?” she said.

‘Cops are going to do what cops do’

In the past, principals and teachers typically handled minor misbehavior themselves. Now, as more schools like Central Middle station officers in their hallways, educators can turn to law enforcement when students are disobedient, even if the children are young or pose minimal threat.

Under state law, school officers are supposed to stay out of “routine student discipline.” But the law does not define the term or detail repercussions for violations.

“The cops are supposed to be there to protect the children from shooters,” said Phillip Lyons, the dean of the College of Criminal Justice at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville and a former police detective who handled juvenile cases. “If there aren’t any shooters, the cops are going to do what cops do, and that is arrest.”

At Walsh Middle in the Round Rock district, near Austin, an assistant principal directed a mother to school police officers when her daughter, a sixth grader, said that three boys had hit her in the head with their fists and a cellphone. The boys, ages 11 and 12, gave different accounts of what happened that afternoon, records show; two said that they had been playing a game and another said he had accidentally hit the girl with a stuffed monkey.

All three were charged with misdemeanor assault, the records show.

“I thought we would sit down and apologize and he would serve lunch detentions,” said Kimmy Lueders, the mother of one of the boys.

The district superintendent, Hafedh Azaiez, said in an interview that the school administrator should have tried to handle the situation before involving law enforcement. “It’s not something we’re proud of,” he said.

A student in Round Rock sits behind the stuffed monkey he was throwing at Walsh Middle School in 2024 that hit a girl. The boy was charged with misdemeanor assault. Meridith Kohut for The New York Times

In some districts, the expansion of policing has been accompanied by a more hard-line approach to violent behavior. Officers have taken more students into custody for suggesting they might hurt someone. Over the past decade, the count of students 10 to 13 referred for making a “terroristic threat” tripled statewide, to more than 600 annually.

At times, officers’ efforts have thwarted potential school shootings. Last year, officers arrested a 13-year-old who they said was plotting an attack on his San Antonio middle school.

But threats made seemingly in jest or as playground bluster can also attract police attention. In the Wylie school district, near Dallas, district officials told teachers to warn third and fourth graders that once they turned 10, they could be charged with a crime for making a threat they did not mean. In the Hays school district, outside Austin, officials circulated a poster with a row of boys in orange jumpsuits urging students not to have “threat regret.”

A poster circulated in the Hays school district warned students that threats could get them arrested and booked. Hays Consolidated Independent School District

The threats did not always involve mass violence. In February 2025, a 12-year-old with an intellectual disability and autism had a meltdown after an aide at his Lubbock middle school unplugged a classroom phone that he wanted to use, records show. “Respect me or you’re dead,” the boy told the aide.

A school police officer came to arrest him. When the boy did not comply with the officer’s orders, a second officer showed up. The two pulled the boy to the ground by his sweatshirt and handcuffed him, police records show. Afterward, the boy was terrified of the police, said his mother, Colette James. He avoided his family’s church because it had hired officers for extra security. For a time, he slept in his parents’ bed.

Lubbock-Cooper school district officials declined to comment, citing student privacy laws. The aide, Jennifer Huckabee, told a reporter she had felt threatened because the boy was bigger than she was.

Meridith Kohut for The New York Times

Meridith Kohut for The New York Times

Top: Minors at the juvenile detention center in Corpus Christi put their heads down on tables. Middle: A 13-year-old accused of making a threat in his cell. Below: The center uses the same restraint procedures for young children and older teens. Meridith Kohut for The New York Times

In another case, in Corpus Christi, a 13-year-old was referred after shouting “I’m going to kill you” at classmates who had beaten him up, his mother said. He was held at a county juvenile detention center for nearly two weeks. The county’s juvenile judge, Timothy J. McCoy, sometimes holds children who make threats for counseling and to ensure they do not follow through, he said.

In an interview in his cell, the boy said he had not meant the threat literally. “I was angry,” he said. “I shouldn’t have said it.”

Of the dozens of children in the facility that day, the youngest was 11. Some of them sat at tables of four in a common area, reading, working on laptops or resting their heads. When a reporter asked how many of them were there because of incidents at school, about half raised their hands.

‘A teaching moment’

In some districts where referrals went up, the increases reflect what officials consider a tough love approach.

In an interview last year, Kirby Warnke, the chief of the Corpus Christi school district department and president of the Texas School District Police Chiefs’ Association, said he believed the state’s juvenile justice system gave children a chance to learn from their mistakes.

“It’s a teaching moment for them,” Mr. Warnke said.

Referrals of young children in his district more than doubled over the past decade, state data shows. They reached a record high, of 171, in the 2022-23 school year, more than in the Houston and Dallas districts, each of which have more than four times as many students as Corpus Christi.

The Forney school district, east of Dallas, cracked down on violent behavior and threats when it created its own police department in 2020, said Joseph Sanders, who was then the department’s chief. The following school year, 42 students 10 to 13 were referred by the school police — more than had been referred in the previous six years combined.

“We just set the tone and set the tone early,” said Mr. Sanders, who left the district in 2024 and now trains law enforcement leaders.

Donny Lee, a superintendent in North Texas, said the number of arrests in his 12,000-student district had been “staggering” before he came on. He overhauled its police department after he was hired in 2022. Desiree Rios for The New York Times

But elsewhere, officials who were troubled by the uptick took steps to reverse it.

Donny Lee, the superintendent of the Wichita Falls school district in North Texas, said that before he was hired in 2022, school officers would “arrest kids first and ask questions later.”

“We were having charges put on our elementary kids,” he said.

He hired a new chief who agreed with him that arrests should be a last resort, and they replaced most of the officers. Mr. Lee also convened regular meetings to review law enforcement data.

Referrals dropped for students of all ages, data shows. For children 13 and under, the annual number was cut by more than half, to 44 from about 100.

Mr. Lee said that the district had achieved those results without being “soft” on discipline. Students who broke the rules were assigned in-school suspensions or community service and offered counseling.

“We’re not in the crime and punishment business,” he said. “We’re in the education business.”

Disclosure: The New York Times has been a major financial supporter of The Texas Tribune. Philip Lyons has been a financial supporter within the past five years. The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in our journalism. Find a complete list of them and more information about our financial and disclosure policies here.

Justin Mayo contributed reporting. Kitty Bennett, Alain Delaquérière, Georgia Gee, Sheelagh McNeill and Kirsten Noyes contributed research. This article was reported in partnership with Big Local News at Stanford University, and with support from the Fund for Investigative Journalism.

Produced by Rumsey Taylor.

The Russian leader has agreed “in principle” to resume the talks after Nov. 10, Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov told reporters following a meeting in St. Petersburg between Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff.

The talks will focus on “building a security system for Russia and Ukraine after the conflict ends,” Ushakov said.

Witkoff's talks with Putin about Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine took place as Trump pushed Kyiv to make a deal that stops the fighting.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has insisted that only a summit of leaders can break the impasse. The two armies remain locked on the battlefield, and the two countries pummel each other with daily long-range strikes.

Representatives of the three countries held three rounds of negotiations early this year, meeting twice in Abu Dhabi in January and February, followed by further talks in Geneva in February.

However, little progress was reported beyond exchanges of prisoners of war as Moscow and Kyiv stuck to their basic demands.

Latest proposals to end the war have little of value, Kremlin says

The discussion in St. Petersburg lasted about three hours, the Kremlin said, and came a day after Witkoff met with Zelenskyy and some European leaders in Norway's capital, Oslo.

The proposals from the Oslo meeting “contained little of real value in the context of resolving the Ukrainian crisis,” Ushakov said.

However, he later told Russian state TV that while Moscow isn’t “fully satisfied” with the Oslo proposals, they are a step in the right direction.

Witkoff’s meetings suggested leaders are keen to bring new momentum to U.S.-led peace efforts, more than 4½ years after the war began. Efforts by the Trump administration since early last year to end the war have made no significant progress.

Zelenskyy said freezing the conflict in Ukraine was the “minimum” required from Russia to bring about an end to the war.

“Right now, we have to freeze, and I think this is (the) real way to end this war,” Zelenskyy said in an interview broadcast Wednesday on Fox News.

Witkoff sees ‘some degree of momentum’ in peace efforts

Witkoff and Putin met at St. Petersburg’s Constantine Palace, with Ushakov and Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev also at the table. Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, joined the discussion via a video link, Ushakov said.

Before the meeting, Witkoff said that “there is some degree of momentum” in talks.

He thanked Putin for agreeing to send diesel to the U.S., after Trump lifted a ban despite anger from some U.S. lawmakers, adding that the fuel would help reduce prices for American farmers and truckers.

Putin said he was ready to consider prospects for the restoration of U.S.-Russia economic ties, adding that he was also prepared to discuss the U.S.-led conflict with Iran. Moscow stands ready to use its relationship with Tehran to help bring peace, he said.

Ushakov said that “large-scale joint economic projects that offer significant prospects for cooperation” between Russia and the U.S. were discussed in detail with Witkoff.

“Some of these are, in fact, nearing the implementation stage,” he said.

In other developments, Russia on Wednesday released a retired American teacher who had been imprisoned on charges of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine. Witkoff said it appeared to be a goodwill gesture by the Kremlin after Trump asked Putin to free Stephen Hubbard.

Putin also met Wednesday with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, who was in St. Petersburg for talks with other Russian officials, the Kremlin said.

Russia has cultivated its ties with China, and the two countries last month vetoed a U.S. proposal for U.N. experts to keep monitoring sanctions on Iran.

Putin and Witkoff also discussed a possible meeting next month between the Russian, Chinese and U.S. leaders at an economic summit in China, Ushakov said, adding that Beijing is already preparing for it.

Norway's prime minister sees a possible ‘new phase’ in talks

Witkoff planned to return to Oslo for more consultations after his trip to Russia, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said.

“I think we may have entered a phase now where the Russians are also looking for opportunities for diplomacy,” Støre told Norwegian broadcaster NRK on Wednesday.

Zelenskyy was still in Oslo early Wednesday, where he visited Norway's parliament and met with lawmakers.

Zelenskyy said the talks in Oslo and St. Petersburg included discussion of future security guarantees for Ukraine, the fate of occupied territories, postwar reconstruction and the possibility of a ceasefire.

Trump presses Zelenskyy to compromise

At the White House on Tuesday, Trump increased the pressure on Zelenskyy to come to an agreement with Russia as relations between the two leaders have soured again.

“We want Zelenskyy to make a deal,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “We’ve given a lot to Ukraine. We’ve gotten absolutely nothing back except grief, death, tremendous monetary loss.”

If that doesn’t happen, “I think it’s going to be a very bad thing,” Trump said.

Amid fears that Washington was turning its back on Ukraine, Zelenskyy said Kyiv is once again receiving early warnings from its partners about incoming Russian missiles, after recent strikes that he said occurred without enough notice from allies.

Russian attacks kill 5 people and wound at least 23 others, Ukraine says

Overnight Russian attacks in Kyiv left three people dead and 12 wounded, while 10 residential buildings were damaged, the city’s military administration said.

Energy facilities were targeted in Kyiv and three other cities in Russian attacks early Wednesday, Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi said. Outside the eastern city of Kharkiv, two people died and 11 others were wounded when drones exploded in a residential area, he said.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that overnight its forces struck a warehouse, an electrical substation and a bulk carrier at sea that was headed to the Ukrainian port of Odesa.

The Russian Defense Ministry reported Wednesday that its air defenses intercepted 373 Ukrainian drones over multiple Russian regions overnight, as well as the illegally annexed Crimean Peninsula and the Black Sea.

___

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

Although South Carolina is not typically a midterm battleground, Trump has been deeply invested in Graham. He supported her appointment to replace Lindsey Graham after his death in July, and he backed her in a special primary when she faced several more experienced Republican opponents. But some distance emerged between the Republican president and the senator over the weekend over his decision to waive Ukraine war sanctions on Russia that were set to be imposed under a law named after Lindsey Graham.

Republicans want to make sure Annie Andrews, the Democratic nominee and a pediatrician, doesn't pull off an upset victory. More than $34 million has flowed into the race, and Republicans have hammered Andrews as a “radical liberal” and accused her of supporting surgeries for transgender minors, which she denies.

Trump this week is rallying every day for candidates across the country, even in conservative areas, and imploring voters to “pretend I'm on the ballot” in hopes of averting a lackluster midterm turnout for Republicans.

“Darline Graham knows that our campaign’s momentum is so strong she called Donald Trump to come campaign for her in South Carolina," Andrews said in a fundraising appeal email.

Darline Graham rushed to define herself — and clung close to Trump

Lindsey Graham had been on a glide path to a fifth term when he died of an aortic tear. Darline Graham, former director of the state agency for the blind, received bipartisan support when she was appointed to serve out her brother's term. But her decision to run for the seat in the midterms prompted skepticism that the political neophyte was up for the job.

Darline Graham had the endorsement of Trump, who campaigned for her before the runoff with U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman. A stumble over a question related to U.S. policy in Taiwan, in which Graham admitted she was “not that informed on national security,” prompted questions over her readiness.

Waiting for her at a weekend event in Mount Pleasant, Nanette Tumbleston said she felt strongly Graham should win, shuddering to think of what might happen if the seat fell to Democrats.

“I hope that everybody’s eyes will be open and we’ll have a Republican win," Tumbleston said, adding that she feared progressives' influence in the Democratic Party. “I just can’t see how they can see that the world’s going to be a better place with those policies.”

Andrews pivoted from Lindsey Graham to Darline Graham

Andrews launched her campaign more than a year before Lindsey Graham's death. She pivoted to criticizing Darline Graham as “Trump-endorsed and unqualified.”

Andrews argues that Republican policies have weakened not only the broader U.S. economy but also the financial situations of children and families, centering her message on “building a South Carolina that we can all afford,” as she said last week in Columbia.

As the pediatrician seemed to gain steam this fall, Republican groups infused millions of dollars into the race, characterizing the spending as an insurance policy for Graham. Trump attacked Andrews on social media, saying the Democrat doesn’t represent “the Values of the Great People of South Carolina.”

Some Andrews supporters acknowledge that while Democrats might ultimately break through in South Carolina, it might take more time.

Paul Davis, of Aiken, said “people are really angry and fed up, and they can’t afford things.” However, he said a Democratic victory “may be a cycle or two away.”

The candidates accuse each other of being unqualified

At their only debate, Graham and Andrews disagreed on issues including healthcare but primarily accused each other of inexperience.

“It is nothing personal, but she has shown time and time again that she is not up for the job,” Andrews said, calling Graham's interim appointment “a nice gesture."

Graham said serving while processing her brother's death showed “just how strong I am,” adding that ”I’m just as qualified as you are.”

At the Columbia rally, some of Andrews' supporters said they were hopeful, despite Democrats' years of Senate losses in the state. When Lindsey Graham last ran in 2020, he defeated Democrat Jaime Harrison by 10 percentage points in a contest that turned into South Carolina’s most expensive ever.

“It’s definitely frustrating," said Emily Glenham, a Columbia copywriter. "It’s definitely been disappointing, but you can’t not have hope.”

Sandra Martin, of West Columbia, agreed Andrews had “a good chance” but looked more toward the future.

“Georgia did it,” she said. “If Georgia can do it, there’s no reason we can’t, someday.”

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

Houston Independent School District and Houston Christian University have formalized an agreement that guarantees HISD students admission to HCU — along with merit scholarships tied directly to their GPA. The higher the grades, the more money a student receives.

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The bar to qualify is intentionally within reach.

“All they have to do is apply, and we help them do that,” said Jill Quinn, HISD’s Deputy Chief of College, Career and Military Readiness. “Their GPA earns them access to admissions if they’re over a 3.0, and if they have three years of math.”

For families worried about the cost of college, the scholarship component is designed to make a real difference.

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“For our students, when they work hard at our high schools, they’ll be able to have access to money to make their college journey more affordable,” Quinn said. “We’ll help them get a great education at a lower cost.”

HISD Chief Academic Officer Alyssa Rocha said the partnership is especially meaningful for students who may not know where to start.

“This partnership makes that connection much more concrete and affordable, especially for our students who work so, so hard every day but might sometimes not be sure where to begin or what their options look like,” Rocha said.

HCU’s acting president Sandy Mooney said the message to every HISD student is simple: your hard work has not gone unnoticed.

“Your efforts matter,” Mooney said. “There is a future and your achievements will be recognized.”

The program also addresses something Quinn hears from students regularly — many simply want to stay close to home.

“A lot of our kids really want to stay home, and so having access to a great school in your home city is something that we’re really excited about,” Quinn said.

High school counselors will play a key role in connecting students to the program, with both organizations urging them to help students understand their eligibility before applying.

HCU’s Guaranteed Admission Program has served Houston-area students for several years, but Tuesday’s signing marks its expansion to the largest school district in Texas — opening the door for a significantly larger pool of students to take advantage of it.

Gas from the Jackdaw field east of Aberdeen, which was stalled by a court ruling in 2024, is expected to start flowing into the U.K. gas distribution network later this year. The government said that it will reduce reliance on foreign energy threatened by the Iran war and the Russia-Ukraine war.

Authorities have yet to rule on the Rosebank project west of the Shetland Islands, which is expected to produce mainly crude oil.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said that the decision would “protect hundreds of jobs and help keep millions of homes warm this winter.”

Burnham said that the government wanted to maximize the existing energy reserves in the United Kingdom at a time when people are struggling, but that it also remained “committed to moving towards renewable energy” and reaching net zero emissions by 2050.

Jackdaw and Rosebank have been the subject of intense debate in the U.K. and beyond, with U.S. President Donald Trump among those who have piled pressure on Burnham to grant permissions for them.

On Wednesday, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that the approval for the Jackdaw field was “great news.”

“The U.K. has started drilling in the North Sea, one of the greatest and most prosperous areas of OIL in the World. They should go FULL BLAST,” he wrote.

Supporters say that the U.K. will continue to need oil and gas to power industry and heat homes while the country moves toward using more renewable energy, such as wind and nuclear power, and that it's better to use local sources than rely on foreign supplies.

The government said that Jackdaw would make a “small but meaningful” contribution to the nation’s energy security, accounting for about 5% of U.K. gas production during the 11-year life of the project. But it acknowledged that the project wouldn’t eliminate Britain’s need for imported gas or reduce prices, which are set by international markets.

Environmental activists and some members of the governing Labour Party argue that the projects are at odds with efforts to reduce the use of fossil fuels and combat climate change.

They warn that approving the project would breach the United Kingdom’s national and international climate commitments and generate more carbon emissions while bringing little benefit to the public.

“The truth is that this decision will only support a tiny number of jobs, do nothing to lower prices, barely move the needle on growth, and undermine the U.K.’s climate leadership,” said Kate Norgrove, chief impact officer of the nonprofit group WWF-UK.

While Jackdaw was approved by a previous Conservative-led government in 2022, the decision was stalled by legal challenges. The Court of Session in Edinburgh, Scotland, ruled last year that both Jackdaw and Rosebank had been unlawfully approved, because the government had failed to consider the carbon emissions generated by burning gas from the projects when it assessed their environmental impact.

After further review, Energy Minister Miatta Fahnbulleh approved the project on Wednesday.

“This decision will support the country’s energy security with homegrown gas this winter and help minimize the U.K.’s use of imported higher emission fuels as we continue our transition to renewables and nuclear,” Fahnbulleh said in a statement.

Fahnbulleh said that the government remains committed to eliminating net carbon emissions by 2050 and ending the approval of new oil and gas licenses.

Both Jackdaw and Rosebank are being developed by Adura, a joint venture of U.K.-based energy company Shell and Norwegian firm Equinor.

Neil McCulloch, Adura’s chief executive, said the decision on Jackdaw was a matter of urgency, because the project was ready to come on line this winter. Government officials have more time to rule on Rosebank, because it won’t be ready to begin production until next year.

“We anticipate that the decision will be made positively, and we continue with development of the field,” he told the BBC.

___

Sylvia Hui contributed to this report.

___

A previous version of this story was corrected to show that the name of the Norwegian firm is Equinor, not Equinox.

The agency announced the changes Tuesday, Oct. 20, saying the effort is intended to improve the accuracy of its records, prevent fraud and help ensure government benefits are administered properly.

Since the beginning of the Trump administration, the SSA says it has corrected nearly 15% of active Social Security numbers across a database containing nearly 390 million total records.

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Here’s what changed and what it could mean for Social Security recipients and other Americans.

According to the SSA, the cleanup focused on missing or inaccurate information in its Social Security number database.

The agency reported three major updates:

• 17 million dates of death added: The SSA added dates of death to records that previously did not contain that information, using its internal systems and data from the State Department.
• 25 million citizenship records updated: The agency updated approximately 25 million records that were missing citizenship information using data from the Department of Homeland Security’s Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements service.
• Another 8.5 million records being corrected: The SSA says it is still working to correct records with inaccurate citizenship status.

The agency also said it has strengthened internal controls to help prevent future errors caused by manual data entry.

Why is the Social Security Administration doing this?

The SSA says accurate records help federal and state agencies verify identities, prevent fraud and reduce improper payments across government programs.

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Social Security records are used in administering benefits and other government services. Missing or incorrect information can create problems when agencies attempt to verify a person’s identity or determine eligibility.

SSA Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano said accurate records are essential to maintaining the integrity of government services and ensuring benefits are properly administered.

The agency described the effort as the first record-integrity initiative of this scale in its history.

The announcement focuses on correcting information in the Social Security number database. The SSA did not announce any changes to benefit eligibility rules or payment amounts as part of the cleanup.

The agency also did not say in its announcement that the corrections would result in benefit changes for individual recipients.

However, accurate records are important to the administration of programs such as retirement, disability and survivor benefits. For example, death records can help agencies determine when benefits should stop or whether eligible family members may qualify for survivor benefits.

If you receive Social Security benefits, the announcement alone does not mean your payments are changing.

The SSA’s announcement does not instruct people to submit new documents or take specific action because of the database cleanup.

If you want to review your Social Security information, you can sign in to your online my Social Security account to check available information, including your earnings history and benefit details, if applicable.

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If you discover an error in your records or experience an unexpected interruption in your benefits, contact the Social Security Administration directly for help.

The SSA says it is continuing to correct approximately 8.5 million records with inaccurate citizenship information. It also plans to use stronger internal controls to help prevent future data-entry errors.

The agency says the broader effort is intended to strengthen the accuracy of the Social Security number database and improve the administration of government programs.

The company announced plans to hire more than 300,000 seasonal, part-time and full-time employees across its U.S. operations network, including 26,500 positions in Texas.

Amazon said it will continue posting new job opportunities weekly from October through December. Many seasonal employees will have the opportunity to transition into full-time positions.

Amazon expands health care benefits for seasonal workers

Starting Jan. 1, 2027, seasonal employees who work at least 30 hours per week will become eligible for health care coverage, a benefit already available to Amazon’s regular full-time employees.

Employees hired on or after Jan. 1 will have access to the coverage starting on their first day. Seasonal workers already in qualifying roles will become eligible on the same date.

Amazon said health care plan options start at $5 per week, with $5 copays.

How much do Amazon holiday jobs pay?

Amazon said full-time operations employees start at a minimum of $20 per hour, with average hourly pay reaching nearly $24.

When benefits are included, average total compensation for full-time employees exceeds $32 per hour.

Seasonal employees earn an average of $20 per hour and may have opportunities to move into full-time roles.

How to apply for Amazon jobs in Houston

People interested in seasonal, part-time or full-time opportunities can find openings and apply through Amazon’s official hiring website.

Applicants can visit Amazon’s jobs website to search available positions and explore opportunities in the Houston area.

Amazon said additional openings will be posted weekly through December.

The mailer is addressed to children in the household, claims to be from something called the “Texas Transgender Student Union” and includes resource information that some parents say crosses a line. It repeatedly references the Transgender Education Network of Texas — known as TENT — and includes links to the organization’s resources.

But TENT says it had absolutely nothing to do with it.

Dalton Lyle says the moment he opened the brochure, he knew something was off.

“What to do if your parents don’t support you. What if I want to be emancipated?” Lyle said. “This is slimy, slimy stuff — very manipulative.”

His bigger question? Why him — and how did whoever sent this get his address?

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“This is a very bad faith approach to scare people over a topic that’s not going to affect most people,” Lyle said. “And again, it victimizes an already marginalized, vulnerable minority community.”

The brochure is now making the rounds across the state and generating strong reactions on social media. The Cypress Republicans Facebook page posted: “CFISD parents, did your child get one of these in the mail too? Vote red.”

KPRC 2 reached out to TENT, which was quick to distance itself from the materials entirely.

The organization says it did not author, authorize, approve or distribute the brochure — and that the “Texas Transgender Student Union” is in no way affiliated with their organization. TENT also says this isn’t the first time it has been impersonated. Two fraudulent text messages were sent out in the days before the brochures appeared, also falsely claiming to represent the organization.

In the wake of the impersonations, TENT says its organization has been met with what it describes as an onslaught of hate and threats of violence.

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As for who is behind the texts and brochures — TENT says it still doesn’t know. But it says it is pursuing legal action.

Lyle hopes the exposure leads to real consequences.

“This is sociopathic behavior and whoever did it is not going to feel shame,” Lyle said. “The most important thing to do is expose this behavior. If there’s some policy that can be made to prevent it in the future, that would be ideal.”

KPRC 2 reached out to the Cypress Republicans about their social media post but had not received a response at the time of publication. KPRC 2 is continuing to work to identify who sent the brochures and why.

Social media posts began circulating Monday and Tuesday, the opening days of early voting for the Nov. 3 midterm election, that showed a pamphlet marketed as a resource guide for LGBTQ+ students from the Texas Transgender Student Union.

The mailers, addressed to the “student” of the household, include sections encouraging youth to speak with a “safe adult” or one of several advocacy groups if their parents don’t support their identity. The mailers say parents’ don’t need to be involved with a student’s transgender identity and include a section about emancipation, when a minor becomes legally recognized as an adult.

A Texas Tribune review of online records shows a limited liability company, the Texas Transgender Student Union, was formed in early September in Wyoming, according to the state’s business records. The address listed on the mailers for the student union is a Houston-area post office box. The Wyoming LLC was first reported by Texas Observer reporter Steven Monacelli.

All of the online resources listed in the pamphlet link to the Transgender Education Network of Texas, an advocacy group referred to as TENT, including a page encouraging students to contact the group. The organization has denied involvement in the mailers and said in a statement posted on its website that the pamphlets “do not represent the official position” of the organization.

TENT’s online materials do not promote or offer guidance to LGBTQ+ youth on seeking emancipation. The group’s resources primarily provide information on how to interact with state laws restricting bathroom use based on sex assigned at birth and prohibitions on certain school groups, as well as guidance on how parents of transgender children should interact with Child Protective Services.

While the group has denied any involvement with the mailers or similar texts that were sent last week, backlash against the group has been harsh, including threats of violence, the organization said. TENT recently locked its website to a single page with a statement about the mailers and texts.

“These instances will not shake our commitment to the dignity and humanity of trans youth, trans Texans, their families, and their loved ones,” the statement said. “Trans Texans belong here in Texas, this is our home and we’re not going anywhere.”

TENT said it still does not know who sent the texts. The organization last week sent a cease and desist letter demanding two digital messaging companies stop sending the texts, which offered to answer questions about gender-affirming care in Texas and guides on bathroom use for “trans kids at school.”

Conservative political commentators have shared the mailers online and linked it to the organization, including one that shared images of TENT’s board alongside the mailer.

Jon Bonck, Republican candidate for Texas’ 38th Congressional District, called the mailer “disgusting and evil” in a social media post Sunday and posted Tuesday that those accusing the mailer of being fake did not address its contents.

“The radical left is trying to brainwash Texan children and unravel the basic framework of our society,” Bonck said.

Democrats and others took to social media to criticize the pamphlets as an obvious ploy to rally conservative voters in a midterm election that has Texas Democratic candidates polling stronger than they have in decades. Republicans have focused on support for transgender Texans as a sign that Democrats are out of touch with most Texas voters and described the information in the pamphlet as predatory.

A mailer ID for two of the pamphlets received by Tribune employees was associated with Maryland-based mail tracking company SnailWorks, according to a U.S. Postal Service employee who searched the IDs provided by the Tribune. SnailWorks’ services include political mail tracking to help coordinate campaign material disbursement, according to its website.

The National Republican Congressional Committee has paid Snailworks a total of $57,300 for “list rental” over the past two years, according to a Federal Election Commission search of campaign finance reports.

Snailworks did not respond to a request for comment.

The texts from last week prompted Texas Rep. Jeff Leach to ask the state attorney general’s office to investigate TENT for “circumventing and violating” state law. When asked about TENT’s lack of involvement in the texts, the Plano Republican said he was still “very interested to see what that investigation uncovers.”

On Monday, Leach sent a follow-up letter to the office saying new information raised “the possibility that the communications … may not originate from the group whose name it was sent under.”

Leach’s letter, which he provided to the Tribune, clarified he wants an investigation to determine who sent the mailers and texts.

“To be clear, these new developments raise additional and serious concerns about the identity and motives of those responsible, the potential dissemination of misleading information, and the acquisition and use of thousands — if not millions — of Texans’ personal contact information,” he wrote.

“The rule of law cannot be applied selectively, and no organization should receive a pass because its political objectives align with those of a particular party or constituency,”  Leach added.

TENT was not the only group to receive backlash over the texts and mailers. Preservation Austin, a nonprofit focused on historic preservation, received more than a dozen phone calls after its number was labeled as TENT’s on social media, an employee said. The nonprofit said the two groups are not connected, and employees were confused when calls began coming in about mailers they hadn’t seen.

In an upbeat speech Wednesday at a company conference for developers and investors in Berlin, Huang also laid out tools to keep AI applications from running amok by confining them in a digital “sandbox.”

“Europe's AI economy is starting, and it's accelerating, and it's great to see,” Huang, striding across the stage in his trademark leather jacket and sneakers, said in front of some 3,000 developers, analysts and journalists at Berlin's Tempodrom auditorium.

Huang, whose company designs the computer chips and software used by AI developers like Anthropic and OpenAI, frequently name-checked European partner companies such as Siemens, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen's Audi.

“Europe is building its AI economy" as the technology moves from language models to so-called physical AI in manufacturing, Huang said. “Every company in the future will be an AI company.”

Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Kallenius, whose company is working on developing autonomous driving technology with Nvidia, said that the technology could reduce the number of auto fatalities caused by human error “down to zero... we will have safer streets once we have full autonomy.”

Huang said Nvidia's design for the Vera Rubin DSK Pod, a ready-made modular computing center made by partners and delivered in a shipping container-like box, can serve reduce the time needed to set up an AI data center at a prepared site from months to days. The pod “will change the way people build AI centers,” Huang told attendees of the Nvidia GTC conference.

He said Nvidia had invested $10 billion in European startups and partners in the past year.

Building out data centers is key for Europe, which has only about 5% of the world's AI computing capacity, compared to 75% in the U.S. Lack of the massive computing power, or “compute” in digital jargon, needed to train AI applications is a key obstacle for European developers.

“The big bottleneck is compute,” said Jeannette zu Fürstenberg, president and managing director of General Catalyst, ahead of the speech. General Catalyst invests in AI companies.

Huang was briefly interrupted by protesters who stood up with a banner urging him to “clean up" his business. Huang promised “to talk to you later” and urged security to avoid rough handling as they removed the protesters.

Huang also addressed concerns about safety by talking about the company's OpenShell open-source software designed to exert external control over what AI applications are doing and block them if they violate company policy.

Trump said in a Truth Social post that he had asked Russian President Vladimir Putin during a phone call last week to free Stephen Hubbard, and that, unlike previous releases, the U.S. did not have to give up anyone in return.

“Welcome home, Stephen, it’s great to have you back,” Trump said.

Hubbard, a 74-year-old former teacher from Michigan, was on his way home following a visit to St. Petersburg by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, who also held talks with Putin about Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as Trump pushes Kyiv to make a deal that stops the fighting.

Hubbard was sentenced in 2024 to nearly seven years in prison following a closed trial. Prosecutors said he had signed a contract with the Ukrainian military after Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, and that he fought alongside Kyiv's forces until being captured two months later. The U.S. government under the Biden administration designated Hubbard as wrongfully detained.

US envoy calls Putin a ‘humanitarian’

Witkoff, a key Trump administration figure who has tried without success to steer Russia and Ukraine toward a settlement to end a war that will hit the five-year mark in February 2027, thanked Putin for releasing Hubbard, telling him, “Because of you, he's going home to his family.”

“You talk so much about my president, President Trump, being a humanitarian. You are a humanitarian also, sir,” Witkoff said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian media on Wednesday that Hubbard’s release was “raised by the American side for a certain time,” and Putin decided to free the man out of “humanitarian considerations.”

He added that general contacts "continue on a regular basis between the intelligence services.”

Speaking to reporters after the talks, Putin aide Yuri Ushakov said the Kremlin leader had pardoned Hubbard, who upon his release was taken to the St. Petersburg airport, Pulkovo, for Witkoff to bring him home to the United States.

Video showed Witkoff and Hubbard shaking hands, with the newly released American thanking the envoy.

Witkoff introduced Putin’s envoy Kirill Dmitriev to Hubbard and described him as someone “who had a lot to do with this happening.”

“We just met President Putin, he sends you blessings and wishes you good things,” Witkoff added.

The release occurred at a dynamic moment in relations between the United States, Ukraine and Russia, with the Washington-Kyiv relationship being roiled by fresh tensions at the same time that the Trump administration has advanced policies that aid Putin.

Those include Trump's move last week to waive sanctions on Russia imposed by a bill that Congress overwhelmingly passed to support Ukraine. Named after the late South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, the legislation targeted the flow of financial resources fueling Moscow’s war. That decision followed Trump’s announcement of a deal to import Russian diesel fuel in a long-shot effort to curb high gas prices ahead of next month's U.S. midterm elections.

Witkoff met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Norway on Tuesday. He was expected to exchange ideas from that meeting, as well as proposals from European and American colleagues, in his talks Wednesday with Russian leaders in St. Petersburg.

Other Americans remain jailed in Russia

Hubbard is the second American freed by Russia in roughly two months, following the release in August of Marine veteran Robert Gilman, who had been gravely ill and was imprisoned on disputed charges of assaulting a police officer.

Other Americans, including some with serious illnesses, remain jailed in Russia. Hubbard was the last remaining American designated as wrongfully detained, although advocates say that label should be applied to other prisoners.

Global Reach, an advocacy group that works to free Americans detained abroad and currently represents five Americans held in Russia, praised the release but called for the other prisoners to come home as well.

“We are grateful to the Trump Administration for reuniting Stephen Hubbard with his family, but at the same time, we know that there are five other families of Americans held in Russia who are going to have a hard time understanding why their loved one was not included in the deal,” Eric Lebson, the group's chief strategy officer, said in a statement.

Hubbard had been imprisoned since 2022 on charges that Hostage Aid Worldwide, a hostage advocacy group, has called bogus.

The organization earlier this year posted a letter to Trump that it said was written by Patricia Hubbard Fox, Hubbard’s sister, in which she offered praise for Trump but also said her brother had been subjected to “constant beatings, torture and starvation” while in custody.

“Even so, everything that you’re doing isn’t going to matter to my kidnapped, American Veteran brother, Stephen James Hubbard (soon to be 74) if Putin won’t cave and let him come home and he dies up there in a Nazi prison (crying),” the letter said.

Russia reported more arrests of foreigners in recent days. The FSB security service said Wednesday it detained a German national suspected of mercenary activities and last week announced arrests of a Swedish national suspected of sabotage and a Japanese journalist accused of espionage.

___

Tucker reported from Washington; Litvinova reported from Tallinn, Estonia.

Protests over soaring living costs have led to widespread rioting and looting that have drawn worldwide attention and shocked many French citizens. U.S. President Donald Trump has used the violence to rally his political supporters, making unsubstantiated claims that Muslim migrants are responsible for the unrest, and urging Macron to “close your borders and take control before it is too late!”

Macron responded by saying there “has been foreign manipulation of information in the aftermath” of the looting in Paris and other French cities last weekend. “And that has led to comments that are as unacceptable as they are stupid, from many people, including foreign leaders,” he said.

Asked by a reporter if he was referring to Trump, Macron replied: “Among others.” He added that there have been “AI-generated images depicting scenes that never actually happened in France. We’ve had people claiming that we were invaded by hordes of migrants and Islamists, which is completely false.”

Macron did not specify which AI-generated images he was referring to, nor how he knew the content was false.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said his office can provide the countries concerned with the necessary clarification, “to help them avoid spreading or amplifying false information and making baseless claims on social media.”

Macron and Trump once enjoyed a good relationship but Trump regularly mocks the French president in his public speeches.

“The fact is, all the people who are speaking ill of our country right now are people who don’t love our country,” Macron said. “So those people really bother me.”

“When I see leaders who are in the middle of election campaigns, whether in the region or on the other side of the Atlantic — who sometimes naively repeat AI-generated content or spread narratives that certain circles are clearly trying to promote about what happened in France — they’re using our country for their own political campaigns,” said Macron. “And we don’t need that.”

Macron secures diesel supplies

Macron was speaking in Qatar at the end of a tour of key energy suppliers in Gulf Arab states, where he secured an additional 100,000 metric tons of diesel per month from the United Arab Emirates, with a further 100,000 tons to be confirmed in Bahrain.

Macron's office said he traveled to the Middle East to find solutions to the energy crisis and rising energy prices, and to secure supplies of oil, gas, diesel and jet fuel.

The Élysée said nearly 295,000 additional tons of diesel per month could be secured, including supplies from Saudi Arabia — equivalent to more than 10% of France’s monthly diesel consumption. Macron later traveled to Saudi Arabia to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman “to continue efforts to secure and diversify oil and gas supplies,” according to his office.

Earlier this month, the Group of Seven wealthy democracies agreed to release 100 million barrels of oil and fuel products, beginning with substantial quantities of diesel after the fuel’s price hit a record high in the United States.

“I would remind you that France initiated the G7 meeting that led to the release of strategic reserves, which, through implementation at the national level, will help bring down prices starting in early November,” Macron said.

New protests planned in France on Thursday and Saturday

Petrol, energy and food prices have surged in recent months, and it remains to be seen whether Macron’s announcement will ease protesters’ anger. He said the additional diesel supplies addressed “some of the anxieties.”

“I also hear the concerns of our high school and university students. Those concerns stem from other factors, but in any case, I think things are moving in the right direction,” he added.

High school students have raised concerns about underfunded schools, dilapidated facilities and staff shortages, particularly in lower-income neighbourhoods. Some also say school days, which often run from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., are exhausting and the university admissions system is complex and unfair.

France has had two consecutive quiet nights since the weekend’s unrest. Curfews have been imposed in parts of several major cities, including small areas of Paris.

Further protests are planned for Thursday and Saturday following calls from student unions and groups within the “ yellow vest ” movement, whose demonstrations over fuel prices shook France in 2018 and 2019.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, who met union representatives on Wednesday, said a “massive” security operation was planned for Saturday to prevent a repeat of the violence by small groups of rioters that had exposed shortcomings in security measures.

“We are using the legal means at our disposal to prevent further incidents of this kind,” Macron said. “Those who intend to cause disturbances in city centers next Saturday will be prevented from doing so. Tomorrow, we will also have a very detailed update on the implementation of these measures, including anticipation, intelligence gathering, and security, not just for Saturday, but also for the coming weeks.”

Trump is hoping that $5,000 checks can boost GOP turnout in the elections — but even some of his devoted fans are doubting those government payouts would arrive. This most recent offer could reveal how much voters still trust him as they decide control of Congress on Nov. 3.

Earlier Tuesday, Trump and Vice President JD Vance announced a $25 million program to encourage the public to blow the whistle on suspected fraud in the U.S. government as they ramp up efforts to end the abuse of federal programs and dollars. The White House said that under the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program, or WHIP, anyone who submits a tip to fraud.gov that leads to a fraud conviction or a significant federal enforcement action is eligible to receive up to $30,000.

Relations between the U.S. and Ukraine, meanwhile, appear to be at a new low, with Moscow strengthened by Trump’s recent rejection of new Russia sanctions and Kyiv undermined by disruptions in satellite support for its drones during the war.

Here's the latest:

Trump singles out 2 GOP House contenders in tough races

Trump brought up Laurie Buckhout and Jennifer Balkcom to the stage, who he said were expected to have “close races.”

“We have to get them in. We have to vote for them,” Trump told the crowd.

Buckhout is challenging incumbent Democratic Rep. Don Davis, who narrowly beat her in 2024. Balkcom is the Republican nominee in a western North Carolina district currently represented by Rep. Chuck Edwards, who dropped his reelection bid after an ethics investigation into improper conduct with female staff. Balkcom faces Democrat Jamie Ager, a farmer who has run on a platform partly focused on the continuing recovery from Hurricane Helene.

Trump said House Speaker Mike Johnson asked him to give the two “a special callout tonight because they’re going to have close races.”

Trump also called up the same two candidates to the stage when he campaigned in the state last month.

North Carolina Trump rally ends with return trip planned

The rally ended after the president headlined the event for just under two hours.

Trump said he planned to come back to the hotly contested state ahead of the Nov. 3 midterms.

Whatley contrasts himself with Cooper standing alongside Trump

North Carolina Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley, speaking alongside Trump, contrasted his campaign with Democratic rival Roy Cooper rather than heaping praise on Trump.

Whatley is locked in a tough race in the battleground state, where Republicans have recently pulled back money in an increasingly defensive fight ahead of the Nov. 3 midterms.

Whatley attacked Cooper, a former two-term governor, over his handling of crime.

“Who is Roy Cooper going to stand with? Who is he going to fight for?” Whatley said.

Ramaswamy takes responsibility for ad with Amy Acton’s mother

Republican Vivek Ramaswamy ’s team confirmed late Tuesday that it produced a controversial advertisement featuring the estranged mother of his Democratic opponent in the Ohio governor’s race, Amy Acton.

The campaign also said it will spend $4 million to broadcast the ad despite facing bipartisan rebuke for dredging up Acton’s painful childhood.

Acton, who has said she faced homelessness and sexual abuse as a child, had spent the day pushing back forcefully against the content of the video, the origins of which were initially murky. In it, her birth mother, Donna Arthur, calls her “a liar” and insinuates she has mental health issues.

The ad began circulating overnight, just two weeks before Election Day. Acton, Ohio’s former public health director, is in a tight race against Ramaswamy, a Trump-backed biotech billionaire and 2024 presidential candidate.

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Protesters interrupt Trump’s rally

A series of protesters disrupted Trump’s rally in Greenville, North Carolina. The fifth one said: “Gas is too expensive.”

Rally attendees frequently shouted “USA, USA” during the interruptions.

Trump largely focused on crime during his rally speech rather than the economy.

AP data shows more than 13 million early votes cast ahead of midterms

In statistics collected from 44 states, the more than 13.3-million figure now also includes early vote totals from Alaska, Arkansas, South Carolina and Texas.

The total is equal to almost a quarter of all early votes cast ahead of the previous midterm elections in 2022, and roughly 14% of the early votes received for the 2024 presidential election.

California, not surprisingly, led with 1.7 million ballots, with Florida next at 1.1 million. At roughly 1 million votes each, next were Georgia and Texas, both states with pivotal U.S. Senate races on Nov. 3.

Bill Clinton campaigns for Jolly as Democrats send $1 million

Former President Bill Clinton was in Florida encouraging voters to make David Jolly the state’s first Democratic governor in decades.

“I think we ought to give David Jolly a chance,” Clinton said at an event in Hollywood, Florida, casting the Republican in the race, Rep. Byron Donalds, as a reliable ally of Trump.

Clinton was in the state as the Democratic Governors Association gave $1 million to Jolly’s campaign. Jolly, who has waged an unexpectedly competitive campaign against Donalds, pressed the national party for financial support over the summer, arguing he could return Florida to its longtime swing state status.

DGA spokesperson Kevin Donohoe said Jolly has “run an aggressive, grassroots campaign that has given him a clear path to victory.”

A Democrat hasn’t been elected Florida governor since 1994.

Trump says he’s the reason Whatley is running for North Carolina Senate seat

Trump said at a North Carolina rally that it was his encouragement that led Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley to run in the battleground state.

“I’m the one that got him into this,” Trump said.

The rally comes after the Senate Republicans’ top campaign spending group pulled back in North Carolina.

Whatley, a former Republican National Committee chairman, faces former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.

The Senate seat is open because Republican incumbent Thom Tillis decided not to seek reelection after clashing with Trump over his tax breaks and spending cuts legislation.

NASCAR driver Richard Petty accompanies Trump at North Carolina rally

Trump traveled to his rally Tuesday with NASCAR legend and North Carolina native Richard Petty.

Petty, a NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, is the latest sports figure to accompany the president at one of his rallies. Among those attending his rallies were Danica Patrick and Ted Nugent last night in Park City, Kansas; Floyd Mayweather Jr. in Bullhead City, Arizona; and Jake Paul and Jon Gruden in Youngstown, Ohio.

Trump arrives at North Carolina campaign rally site

The president is set to speak at the rally with Republican candidates in Greenville, North Carolina.

Air Force One did a flyover above the crowd gathered at the Pitt-Greenville Airport before it landed just before 7 p.m.

Before Trump’s arrival, several candidates addressed the crowd, including Michael Whatley, the GOP nominee for U.S. Senate. Whatley faces Democratic former Gov. Roy Cooper.

Ruben Gallego says high gas prices have voters worried

Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego says Americans are feeling palpable fear over gas prices and predicts they will punish Republicans at the ballot box.

The Arizona senator and potential 2028 presidential candidate held a news conference at a Phoenix gas station Tuesday to highlight the rise of gas and diesel prices since the Iran war started.

A lot of voters are at gas stations anxiously watching the numbers tick up, waiting for the click that signals the tank is full, he said.

“The idea that they’re not going to bring that to the voting booth, I think it would be very naive on both sides,” Gallego said, adding that voters felt the same anxiety during Democrat Joe Biden’s presidency.

Arizona has two battleground House districts, and the state’s Democratic governor, secretary of state and attorney general are looking to hold onto offices they narrowly won four years ago.

Trump signs bill creating Chiricahua National Park

The nation’s 64th national park features towering rock spires formed from an ancient volcanic eruption in what is now southeastern Arizona. It’s part of the historical territory of the Chiricahua Apache Tribes and covers 19 square miles (49 square kilometers).

Native Americans referred to the site as the Land of Standing-Up Rocks, and early settlers called it Wonderland of Rocks. The name Chiricahua comes from the surrounding mountains.

President Calvin Coolidge named the site a national monument in 1924 under the federal Antiquities Act. President Franklin D. Roosevelt expanded it in 1938.

Its redesignation Tuesday as a national park comes amid deep cuts to the National Park Service workforce under Trump. Maintenance projects at many sites — including Chiricahua — have been ranked “low priority” by officials who have instead focused on projects wanted by the White House, including repairs to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

The legislation creating Chiricahua National Park was sponsored by Arizona Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani and garnered broad bipartisan support.

Elizabeth Warren and Gretchen Whitmer campaign for Democrats in Nevada

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer joined Nevada Democratic candidates Tuesday for a get-out-the-vote event at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, campus.

They encouraged attendees to support Democrats on the ballot, and to support Ballot Question 6, which would codify abortion rights in the Nevada Constitution.

Whitmer told the crowd that UNLV students could make the difference in the competitive governor’s race between Democratic candidate Aaron Ford and Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo.

“It’s up to you how you’re going to spend the next 14 days, but I implore you: don’t let any day go to waste. Don’t let any moment go to waste,” she said.

Other potential 2028 presidential candidates are flocking to the key battleground state ahead of the midterms. Former Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., will also be in Nevada this week.

Judge rejects Trump administration bid to dismiss air pollution lawsuit against xAI data center

A civil rights lawsuit alleges that Elon Musk’s xAI company is illegally running dozens of natural gas turbines to power a $20 billion AI data center in Mississippi.

The NAACP and other groups say xAI failed to get a permit for the turbines, which are located near homes, schools and churches in the Memphis area, violating the federal Clean Air Act.

The Justice Department moved to dismiss the case, saying the plant is needed to power an artificial intelligence data center that is “critical” to the U.S. economy and military.

U.S. District Judge Debra Brown denied the motion, but granted a separate request allowing the Justice Department to remain in the case.

A Justice Department spokesperson said late Tuesday that “the executive branch, in coordination with states (not the NAACP of Mississippi), retains ultimate control over enforcement of the Clean Air Act.”

Democratic candidate for Wisconsin governor rallies college students as early voting starts

David Crowley was joined by U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin for the rally on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus on the first day of early voting in the battleground state.

Crowley and his Republican challenger, U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, urged supporters to cast their absentee ballots in person during the two-week early voting period. About 96,000 fewer absentee ballots have been requested by mail this year compared with 2022.

Crowley blames the drop on attacks against the U.S. Postal Service made by the Trump administration.

“A lot of people are reluctant to actually mail in their ballot,” he says.

Gavin Denning, a 19-year-old sophomore at UW, voted on Tuesday before attending the Crowley event. He says the chance to vote in person before Election Day is a “great opportunity” that he was glad to take advantage of.

Trump won’t say why Hegseth met with Netanyahu

Trump says he can’t discuss what Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke about at their meeting on Monday.

“I can’t do that now,” Trump said when asked about the meeting on Tuesday.

While the Pentagon wouldn’t confirm the meeting, Doron Spielman, a spokesperson for Netanyahu’s office, told the AP the meeting was warm and that Hegseth thanked Israel on behalf of Americans for hosting U.S. troops.

Spielman also said they discussed offensive and defensive capabilities regarding threats in the region.

The meeting comes as Trump has signaled a willingness to resume hostilities with Iran following the U.S. midterm elections.

Republican Wisconsin Rep. Derrick Van Orden says Iran war making it harder for GOP to win

Van Orden said in a debate Tuesday that the war, which he supports, is “making it exponentially harder for Republicans to keep the House and Senate.”

Van Orden is a retired Navy SEAL who spent 26 years on active duty before being elected to Congress in 2022. Democrats are targeting his western Wisconsin swing district this year with political activist Rebecca Cooke, repeating the 2024 election Cooke narrowly lost.

Van Orden says, given his military background, “I know about war,” and he believes the U.S.’s stated intention of stopping Iran from developing a nuclear weapon is justified. He says Cooke is unwilling to ever go to war, even when it’s necessary.

Cooke, a part-time server and former small business owner, says she believes in diplomacy and economic sanctions first.

But Van Orden says diplomacy and sanctions didn’t work in Iran.

“They only respond to this horrible thing that is war,” he said.

Trump says it’s too early to think about endorsing his successor

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump was asked whether he would endorse Vice President JD Vance if Vance runs to succeed him.

“I don’t think we’ve ever talked about it. You know, who would believe that?” Trump said of Vance, who was standing behind him.

He called Vance “a very talented person” and “a very good person,” but said it was too soon to talk about the future.

“It’s early, very early right now. We have to get through the midterms. We’ll see how it goes,” he said.

Vance told journalist Mark Halperin in an interview that he still hasn’t decided about running, but if he does, he expects Trump would back him.

Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate condemns uncredited ad featuring estranged mother

Dr. Amy Acton, the Democratic candidate for governor in Ohio, is pushing back against an unattributed ad circulating online that features her long-estranged mother calling her “a liar” and insinuating she has mental health issues.

The ad began circulating overnight Tuesday, two weeks before Election Day.

Ohio’s former public health director is in a tight race with Republican billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy. His campaign did not address whether it knew who produced and paid for the spot, but said Acton has “some serious problems with the truth.”

Acton and her brother blamed the ad on the Ramaswamy campaign, accusing them of “a despicable low” by turning sexual abuse she endured as a child into a political talking point.

Trump says ‘it’s time’ for Ukraine to agree to a deal with Russia

The U.S. president is upping the pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to make a deal with his country’s Russian invaders after relations between the two men soured again.

“We want Zelenskyy to make a deal,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “We’ve given a lot to Ukraine. We’ve gotten absolutely nothing back except grief, death, tremendous monetary loss.”

He says if that doesn’t happen, “I think it’s going to be a very bad thing.”

He also claimed Europe is growing weary of the conflict, though European countries have been trying to offset any scaling back of U.S. supplies.

Trump says ‘just stick with me’ on potential Hubbard freedom

The president says he has spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin about Stephen Hubbard, who is the first American known to be convicted of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine.

“Just stick with me … I don’t want to talk about it,” Trump said about a potential deal to free Hubbard, who was sentenced in Russia to nearly seven years in prison in 2024.

He confirmed the administration has been “focused” on Hubbard, saying, “It’s time to have Mr. Hubbard back.”

Trump on Le Pen: ‘She’s the conservative voice’

The U.S. president left the door open to backing far-right French leader Marine Le Pen, a potential front-runner in next spring’s presidential election.

“Well, I don’t know her. I haven’t met her,” Trump said Tuesday when asked about a potential endorsement.

Still, he said he believed she was badly treated and said she was the victim of weaponization. Trump didn’t elaborate, but Le Pen was found guilty twice of embezzling public funds in France.

“She’s the conservative voice,” Trump added.

Trump ultimate decider for fraud rewards, Trump says

The president says he’ll be the “arbitrator” of who deserves the reward money for his new anti-fraud initiatives.

“I am going to do something which I think people will like,” Trump said. “I will be the arbitrator of all these decisions.”

The White House earlier Tuesday said the Justice Department will administer the program. Successful whistleblowers can receive up to $30,000, and Trump insisted they will get their money “immediately.”

Rubio accuses Iran of using Nazi tactics in the Strait of Hormuz by targeting commercial shipping

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is accusing Iran of using Nazi tactics in the Strait of Hormuz by targeting commercial shipping, which he says is a throwback to World War II.

In an interview with the Indian outlet Network18, Rubio said Tuesday that people should pay more attention to what Iran is doing and trying to do to close the strait.

“We have a nation-state that is openly saying, ‘We are targeting commercial vessels; we are trying to kill sailors who have nothing to do with the war; we are trying to sink commercial ships,’” Rubio said. “You haven’t seen that since the second world war. They are doing Nazi U-boat tactics. And that’s what the world should be rallying around and condemning.”

By contrast, he said that U.S. forces in the region are defending commercial shipping and the vast majority of attempted Iranian attacks have been thwarted.

___

This story was first published on Oct. 20, 2026. It was updated on Oct. 21, 2026, to correct the name of an outlet to which U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave an interview in India. The outlet is Network18, not News1.

Marvel: The Exhibition – Universe of Super Heroes opens to the public Dec. 19. Museum members can visit beginning Dec. 18. The exhibit will feature more than 150 artifacts, including items that have never before been displayed publicly.

Visitors can get a close look at concept sketches, props and costumes from Marvel Studios films, along with original art from notable comics. The experience also includes interactive installations and life-size representations of characters such as Black Panther and the Hulk, as well as an immersive soundscape created by composer Lorne Balfe.

• Lay’s is launching 5 new holiday chip flavors, including chocolate-covered potato chips

The exhibition traces Marvel’s history and its influence on visual culture, from the company’s origins to work by contemporary creators. It spotlights characters including Captain America, Spider-Man, Black Panther and Ms. Marvel, and recognizes the work of influential creators Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko.

“Our show begins with the origins of the Marvel Universe and moves through to the present day,” curator Ben Saunders said, describing a collection that includes rare objects from more than 85 years of popular culture.

The exhibit also explores how Marvel’s stories have reflected the world around them. Brian Crosby, head of Marvel Themed Entertainment, said the company helped reshape superhero comics through “visual spectacle, emotional dynamism and philosophical sophistication.” He added that one of Marvel’s enduring messages is “that anyone—regardless of race, religion or gender—can be a Super Hero.”

The curatorial team includes comics scholars Saunders, Matthew J. Smith and Randy Duncan, along with writers and editors Ann Nocenti and Danny Fingeroth. The exhibition was produced by Semmel Exhibitions and Marvel Entertainment.

“We’re beyond thrilled to bring this extraordinary exhibition to Houston,” said Harry Hogeland, the museum’s spokesperson for the exhibit. He said visitors can expect “a pure surge of nostalgia, wonder, and imagination.”

Ticket prices and additional information will be available at hmns.org or by calling 713-639-4629.

The Houston Museum of Natural Science is at 5555 Hermann Park Drive in the Museum District.

If all the countries do what they promise to reduce heat-trapping emissions, Earth will likely still warm another 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit (1.2 degrees Celsius) above current temperatures, according to Wednesday's update of climate calculations by the United Nations Environment Programme. That's about two-tenths of a degree Fahrenheit (0.1 degrees Celsius) more than last year's projections by the same science team.

“This is a worse outcome than expected last year, as a result of the formal withdrawal of the United States of America from the Paris Agreement and revised estimates of historical emissions,” the report said. The report also blames the United States for increased emissions last year, saying all the other top 20 major economies reduced their carbon pollution or at least slowed the growth in how much carbon dioxide was spewed from the burning of coal, oil and gas.

“In terms of magnitude, the increase in the United States of America (133 megatons of CO2 equivalent) far exceeded that of all other countries and was driven by increased electricity demand and a rebound of coal power generation,” the report said. The 124 countries that increased emissions — not counting the 63 that decreased like most European nations — added 189 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2025, and 70% of that increase came from the U.S., according to the report.

The United States is going “hell-for-leather trying to block renewables while actively promoting and subsidizing dirty coal — and its diplomacy is trying to make other countries also pull back on action. It is looking at the fire, denying there is a fire, and then pouring more petrol on it,” said Australian climate scientist Bill Hare, CEO of Climate Analytics that measures countries' climate fighting plans. He wasn't part of the U.N. report but, like several other outside scientists, said it was scientifically sound.

Shooting far past Paris climate goal

The new calculations say that if countries do all they promise in the climate fighting plans they submitted to the United Nations, by 2100 the globe will be 2.6 degrees Celsius (4.7 degrees Fahrenheit) hotter than pre-industrial times. If the world continues on its current path — without national promises — it will be 2.8 degrees Celsius (5 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than the last half of the 19th century, the same as last year's projection.

Both of those temperatures blow far past the goal of less than 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) and preferably 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) adopted by the 2015 Paris climate pact. The world is now at about 1.4 degrees Celsius (2.5 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times and earlier this year — and again in this report — United Nations officials conceded that there is no way of limiting warming to the 1.5-degree goal that they had embraced. Instead, officials are pinning their hopes of limiting warming to about 1.8 degrees Celsius (3.2 degrees Fahrenheit) and then somehow pulling enough carbon dioxide out of the air to lower temperatures back down to 1.5 degrees.

The world is falling “dangerously short” of even those goals, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said, “but we have the tools to change course and pull back from the brink.”

Drastically cutting global carbon emissions — by 18% by 2030 and 69% by 2040 — “is the only way that we can get back to a semblance of a reality that is still largely manageable without major impacts and therefore that makes every sense,” said UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen.

“The report's message is clear,” said climate scientist Adelle Thomas, vice chair of a United Nations scientific assessment on climate impacts. She wasn't part of this study. “We know what needs to be done. We have the tools to do it. And delay only makes the challenge more dangerous and more expensive for all.”

An added tenth of a degree of danger

Report lead author Anne Olhoff, director of UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre, said the U.S. policy change will likely add one-tenth of a degree Celsius (nearly two-tenths of a degree Fahrenheit) to global temperatures by the end of the century.

“This report shows that America’s retreat isn’t just a political embarrassment. It has real consequences for the planet and for millions of people around the world,” said Mohamed Adow, director of Power Shift Africa, a climate organization. “An extra tenth of a degree might sound insignificant, but in climate terms it is enormous. It means more dangerous heat waves, more destructive floods, more failed harvests and more lives lost. For vulnerable communities in Africa, already living on the front lines of the climate crisis, every fraction of a degree matters. These are not abstract numbers. They are human lives.”

Hare said that extra one-tenth of a degree pushes an additional 140 million people “into dangerously hot conditions” and increases the odds of the collapse of the Amazon rain forest or ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica. It also would cost the world and shave about $1.2 trillion from the global economy, said University of Pennsylvania climate scientist Michael Mann.

And the U.S. effect is probably even bigger than what the United Nations calculates because if the world's largest historical climate polluter doesn't do much to fight global warming other nations ease off in their efforts too, said Johan Rockstrom, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impacts Research in Germany.

“The rest of the world is exhausted when it comes to counting the damage that the U.S. is willingly doing to allies, multilateral structures, economic cooperation, disaster relief,” Australian climate scientist Malte Meinshausen said. “The rest of the world should probably continue to focus even less on the U.S.”

___

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.

Public Affairs, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, announced Wednesday that Kara-Murza's “One Day Free” will be published May 18.

Kara-Murza said in a statement released through Public Affairs that his book examines Putin's rule and takes an “honest look at those people, both in Russia and in the West, who strengthened and enabled it — and at those who fought it, sometimes at the price of their own lives.”

Kara-Murza, 45, is an activist, journalist and filmmaker who was arrested in 2022 after publicly opposing Russia's invasion of Ukraine and sentenced to 25 years. He was released in 2024 as part of a prisoner exchange and now lives in the United States, where he serves as vice president of the Free Russia Foundation, a pro-democracy NGO.

While in prison, he won a Pulitzer for commentary for the columns he contributed to The Washington Post. He also survived 11 months of solitary confinement in Siberia and two poisonings that he blamed on Russian officials.

“In spite of everything, I am optimistic about Russia and its future,” Kara-Murza said. “History knows many examples of once-terrifying tyrannies becoming peaceful civilized democracies — and no nation in the world is ever ‘destined’ to unfreedom.”

___

The story has been updated to correct that Kara-Murza is vice president of the Free Russia Foundation, not vice-chairman of Open Russia.

Wednesday, October 21

• Kroger
• • KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for your chance to win a $250 Kroger gift card!
• Harris Votes
• TUTS “Mr

Tuesday, October 20

• KPRC 2 Insiders, here’s your chance to win a $250 Kroger gift card! (October 2026 - February 2027)
• Grow it, make it, use it | Using fresh herbs in your skincare routine
• • Annual Herb Fair
• Novatio School
• Plot-twist trips, paranormal adventures and AI-powered vacations, where will 2027 take you?
• • Your Bucket List Guide
  • Booking.com
• Premier Legal Group
• Join UT MD Anderson’s 11th annual Boot Walk to End Cancer® at Helix Park Nov. 14
• • UT MD Anderson’s Boot Walk to End Cancer^®

Monday, October 19

• Fort Bend Women’s Center shares resources for domestic violence survivors
• • Fort Bend County Women’s Center
• Día de los Muertos: Simple ideas for a meaningful ofrenda honoring a loved one
• • Walmart (visit your local stores for Día de los Muertos items; Selection varies by store)
• Fortis College
• Great Wolf Lodge Halloween Fun: Trick-or-Treat Trails & Family Activities
• • The Travel Mom
  • Great Wolf Lodge
• 3 years after getting full mouth dental implants, this Houston man’s smile is still sparkling
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, October 16

• Houston Life celebrates 10 years on the air with epic lookback of the broadcast

Thursday, October 15

• BOO! HL visits Houston Zoo to preview their annual Zoo Boo and all the month-long creepy crawly fun
• • Houston Zoo
  • Zoo Boo

Wednesday, October 14

• Monster Jam returns to Houston with The Amazing Spider-Man Truck
• • Monster Jam
• The Woodlands Christian Academy takes learning beyond the classroom
• • The Woodlands Christian Academy
• Fortis College prepares Houston students for careers in Sterile Processing
• • Fortis College
• Landry’s Chef Series: Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse celebrates 45 Years with new Fall menu
• • DelFrisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse
• Meet Gonzo247, the man behind some of Houston’s most iconic street art
• • Gonzo247

Tuesday, October 13

• 3rd annual Buffalo Bayou Mural Festival celebrates 105 murals in Houston’s East End
• • Buffalo Bayou Mural Festival
• Smart home upgrades to refresh your space from floor to garage
• • Home Improvement Expert, Kathryn Emery | Be The Best Home
• Conjure up two bewitching Halloween drinks with Cursed Cauldron
• • The Cursed Cauldron
• Is Hotel Galvez really haunted? Houston Life explores one of Galveston’s spookiest hotels
• • Grand Galvez Ghost Tours

Monday, October 12

• Join UT MD Anderson’s 11th annual Boot Walk to End Cancer® at Helix Park Nov. 14
• • UT MD Anderson’s Boot Walk to End Cancer^®
• Houston Filipino Street Festival brings food, music and fireworks to Sugar Land
• • Houston Filipino Street Festival
• Houston Dynamo Legends Brian Ching & Wade Barrett celebrate Ching’s legacy ahead of big honors
• • Houston Dynamo FC Texas Derby Game
  • Brian Ching to be inducted into Houston Dynamo FS Ring of Honor
  • Brian Ching to be inducted into Houston Sports Hall of Fame
• The Perfect Pumpkins brings picture-perfect fall porches straight to your door
• • The Perfect Pumpkins

Friday, October 9

• Walt Disney Elementary teacher Jo Meek named KPRC 2 Teacher of the Month
• • KPRC 2 and Houston Life launch Teacher of the Month Contest to celebrate outstanding K-12 educators across Houston
• Thing 1 and Thing 3 stir up trouble ahead of Cat in the Hat’s return to the big screen
• • The Cat in the Hat | Official Movie Site | Warner Bros. Pictures
  • Houston Pumpkin Festival at Discovery Green
• Plan a fall day in Pearland: From haunted tours and seasonal dining to boutique shopping and more
• • Visit Pearland
• From “Ghost” to “Scandal” to “Law & Order”: Tony Goldwyn chats latest chapter
• • NBC’s “Law & Order”
• KPRC 2 Insiders, here’s your chance to win a $250 Kroger gift card! (October 2026 - February 2027)

Thursday, October 8

• Landry’s Chef Series: Fall flavors land at Morton’s The Steakhouse
• • Morton’s The Steakhouse
  • KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for a chance to win a $200 in Landry’s gift cards!
• Huzzah! The 52nd annual Texas Renaissance Festival opens this weekend
• • Texas Renaissance Festival
• The classic American road trip is back! Why you should head west to Nevada’s Reno-Tahoe Territory
• • Your Bucket List Guide
  • Reno-Tahoe Territory
• Kid‑tested spooky‑season toy guide: slime, heroes, zombies and more
• • Mr. Dylan Emery | Kid-Trepreneur, Entertainer & Spokesperson
• Join UT MD Anderson’s 11th annual Boot Walk to End Cancer® at Helix Park Nov. 14
• • UT MD Anderson’s Boot Walk to End Cancer^®

Wednesday, October 7

• Dr. Ian Smith shares nutrition tips for navigating Menopause in his 30th book
• • Dr. Ian Smith’s new book ‘The New Menopause Kitchen’
  • ‘The New Menopause Kitchen’ Facebook group
• Texas Oncology Breast Care
• 7th annual ‘In a Pickle Festival’ bringing a whole lot of dill to Kingwood
• • In a Pickle Festival
• Walt Disney Elementary teacher Jo Meek named KPRC 2 Teacher of the Month
• • KPRC 2 and Houston Life launch Teacher of the Month Contest to celebrate outstanding K-12 educators across Houston

Tuesday, October 6

• Houston Attorney featured on new season of NBC’s The Traitors
• • NBC’s “The Traitors: New Blood”
• Veg ER
• “Gloria: A Life” brings Gloria Steinem’s story to the stage at Cypress Stage
• • “Gloria: A Life” at Cypress Stage
• Michael Douglas looks back on 60 years in Hollywood with new memoir ‘One Helluva Ride’
• • ‘One Helluva Ride’ by Michael Douglas

Monday, October 5

• Ventriloquist, singer and comedian Terry Fator chats new tour, new book and new music
• • Terry Fator
• Ready to hoop? The H-Town Classic is coming to the Academy in Katy this weekend
• • Academy Sports + Outdoors
• Best-selling author Brad Meltzer inspires readers with 40th book in his children’s series
• • Follow Brad Meltzer on Instagram
• Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, October 2

• Houston Bluesfest brings generations of blues to POST Houston
• • Houston Bluesfest (10% off tickets with code HL10)
• Join UT MD Anderson’s 11th annual Boot Walk to End Cancer® at Helix Park Nov. 14
• • UT MD Anderson’s Boot Walk to End Cancer^®
• Meet Gonzo247, the man behind some of Houston’s most iconic street art
• • Gonzo247
• One of the most famous love stories of all time: ‘Romeo and Juliet’ now on stage at Alley Theatre
• • “Romeo and Juliet” at Alley Theatre

Thursday, October 1

• Houston Cinema Arts Festival opens with Mahershala Ali’s new film, “Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother”
• • Houston Cinema Arts Festival
• What is a “poop root”? How tree roots can cause plumbing problems
• • Mission AC & Plumbing
• Call Me Mother exhibition spotlights Black maternal health
• • “The Call Me Mother Experience” at The Health Museum
  • Deborah D.E.E.P Mouton
• Pack your skis! Why Austria’s Skiwelt should be on your winter bucket list
• • Your Bucket List Guide
• Houston Christian University

Monday, September 28

• Oktoberfest 101: 4 beers, fun facts, food, and stein hoisting
• • What’s on Tap Radio
  • Equal Parts Brewing
• Matthew McConaughey & Woody Harrelson chat new Apple TV comedy “Brothers”
• • Apple TV’s “Brothers”
• 3 simple design tips to make your space feel more stylish with Benjamin Johnston
• • Ben Johnston Design

Friday, September 25

• Tokyo X brings Japanese culture, sumo wrestling and 10-yen cheese coins to Houston
• • Tokyo X
  • Shōgeki Sumo
• Inside the AI-powered Novatio School, rethinking what a school day can look like
• • Novatio School
• What to know before bringing home a puppy plsu spotting puppy mill red flags
• • Houston Humane Society
  • Texas Humane Legislation Network

Thursday, September 24

• Join UT MD Anderson’s 11th annual Boot Walk to End Cancer® at Helix Park Nov. 14
• • UT MD Anderson’s Boot Walk to End Cancer^®
• Grab your boots and get ready for some serious fair fun at the 90th annual Fort Bend County Fair
• • Fort Bend County Fair and Rodeo
• Dessert Gallery celebrates 31 years of keeping Houston sweet
• • Dessert Gallery
• Making magical memories: The Travel Mom takes her 3-year-old grandson on a Disney Cruise
• • The Travel Mom
  • Disney Cruise Line
  • Vacation Giveaways

Wednesday, September 23

• BOO! HL visits Houston Zoo to preview their annual Zoo Boo and all the month-long creepy crawly fun
• • Houston Zoo
  • Zoo Boo

Tuesday, September 22

• A book lovers dream returns to POST Houston this weekend at Readers Fest
• • Readers Fest at Post Houston
• A double knee replacement didn’t stop this Houstonian from skiing, golfing, and playing tennis
• • Dr. Berger Outpatient Hip and Knee
• Cheers to Fall: Pumpkin drinks, dishes and desserts to try this season
• • Goodtaste TV with Tanji Patton
• How Allied Outdoor Solutions can completely transform your space
• • Allied Outdoor Solutions
• From Gotham to H-Town: Who’s behind the wheel of Houston’s Batmobile?

Monday, September 21

• Kindness and community returns to Houston with award-winning ‘Come from Away’ at Stages Houston
• • ‘Come from Away’ at Stages Houston
• A Look Inside Surgical Tech Training
• • Fortis College
• How the City of Houston is keeping older adults in mind during Falls Prevention Awareness Week
• • Falls Prevention Awareness Week
• Full-arch implants in Houston: rebuild your smile with lasting stability
• • Texas Dental Implant Center
• ROCO, Houston’s Chamber Orchestra, kicks off season 22 with packed lineup for opening weekend
• • ROCO Houston Chamber Orchestra

Friday, September 18

• Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Salvador Dalí’s rare art comes to Houston thanks to Madame Christine Argillet, the last living link to the iconic artist
• • The Argillet Collection
  • “Salvador Dalí: The Argillet Collection”
• KPRC 2 Community: Standing with Houston families facing childhood cancer
• • Candlelighters
• The wait is over! Houston hot spot Burger Bodega has landed in Katy
• • Burger Bodega
• What’s in your water? Water purification company NECOA shows how Houston’s water measures up
• • NECOA
• Look Up: Discover Astrotourism in Australia’s Northern Territory
• • Australia’s Northern Territory
  • Your Bucket List Guide

Thursday, September 17

• Ben Chavez brings his “Golden Era” to the stage with “Last Day, County Fair”
• • Tickets to “Last Day, County Fair”
  • Follow Ben on Instagram
• Hands-On Training for High-Demand Jobs
• • Fortis College
• Lauren Kelly visits Jimmy Fallon at Rockefeller Center to chat Rodeo, Beyoncé and his fall season
• • NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”
• Breathtaking destinations for the fall travel season
• • Travel Expert, Jeanenne Tornatore | The Outside Insider

Wednesday, September 16

• Get Growing: What to Plant in Your Houston Fall Garden
• • Urban Harvest Planting Guide
• ‘The Music Man’ brings Broadway charm to the Hobby Center
• • Theatre Under The Stars “The Music Man”
• Meet Fariha Nasir the interior designer crafting spaces that tell stories
• • Fariha Nasir Pennies for a Fortune

Tuesday, September 15

• What’s the beef with beef? Good Ranchers talks imported meats and what to look out for
• • Good Ranchers
• The art and beauty of Ballet Folklórico with Instituto de Arte Nokali
• • Instituto de Arte Nokali
• Comfort Foodies serves up love, culture and big flavor for Latin Restaurant Weeks
• • Comfort Foodies
  • Latin Restaurant Weeks
• KPRC 2’s “Enough”

Monday, September 14

• A cello concert in the great outdoors? Free shows coming to two Texas state parks
• • Wild Notes Foundation
• Houston native Armani Greer steps into the spotlight in Tyler Perry’s ‘Why Did I Get Married Again?’
• • Armani Greer
• Ready for Recess? Inside the new River Oaks spot built for the whole family
• • Recess River Oaks
• Filling the vital need for non-emergency medical transport
• • CarlMichaels Transportation & NEMT

Friday, September 11

• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo “Mission Rodeo” podcast
• Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Celebrate Rosh Hashanah with traditional favorites at The New York Deli & Bagel Shop Bakery
• • The Bagel Shop Bakery
• 25 years after 9/11, Todd Hill’s story lives on through faith, purpose and hope
• • 9/11: Reflections of the Past 25 Years
  • Todd Hill 9/11 Memorial Scholarship Fund
• Kefita coffee bringing authentic Ethiopian coffee and culture to Houston
• • Kefita Coffee
• Owen Wilson, Rodrigo Santoro & Scott Waugh chat high-stakes action thriller ‘Runner’
• • ‘Runner’ (2026) in theaters now

Thursday, September 10

• Veteran’s fishing wish granted by nonprofit
• • Twilight Wish Foundation
• Quality roofs, easy process: Why Adams Roofing treats roofs as a complete system
• • Adams Roofing
• The Travel Mom
• • Beaches
  • Trafalgar
  • National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions
• Two veterans, two comebacks: Why they’re saying “you’re not done yet”
• • Fenix Shepard
  • Loved Unconditionally: A Spiritual Memoir of Trauma, Addiction Recovery, and Finding God Beyond Religion

Wednesday, September 9

• The signs and symptoms of prostate cancer
• • Texas Oncology
• 5 tips to avoid plumbing disasters
• • Village Plumbing & Air
• Việt Cultural Fest brings student robotics to Houston
• • Việt Cultural Fest
• The Perfect Pumpkins brings picture-perfect fall porches straight to your door
• • The Perfect Pumpkins

Tuesday, September 8

• The Travel Mom
• • Universal Kids Resort
• KPRC 2 Community: Standing with Houston families facing childhood cancer
• • Candlelighters Fun Walk
• Texas Dental Implant Center

Monday, September 7

• With love, from Fredericksburg! How the visitor bureau can help plan your stay
• • Visit Fredericksburg
• History, wine and Texas Charm at Das Peach Haus in Fredericksburg
• • Das Peach Haus
  • Dietz Distillery
  • Fischer & Wieser
• Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
• Step inside history at Fredericksburg’s National Museum of the Pacific War
• • National Museum of the Pacific War
• Make the most of your trip to Texas Hill Country with the Fredericksburg Food & Wine Fest
• • Fredericksburg Food & Wine Festival
  • K Estate Winery & Vineyards
• Dot’s Bakery
• Albert Hotel

Friday, September 4

• Netflix’s “A Different World”
• • Stars from ‘A Different World’ reboot on Netflix chat about why the new series is a must-watch
• Dr. Rosie Thomas
• • Dr. Rosie Thomas explains the tax strategies small business owners need to know
• Rhythm Energy Question of the Week

Thursday, September 3

• Hank Schwaeble
• Hank Schwaeble’s “Normal for the Spider”
• Preemo’s Bakeshop
• “Miss Dee’s Kitchen” at The Hobby Center
• Jurassic Quest
• The Day Savers: A National Tradesmen Day Contest

Wednesday, September 2

• Southern Smoke Festival
• Houston Texans new Rivalries uniform is love letter to H-Town
• • Houston Texans Apparel
• 3 simple design tips to make your space feel more stylish with Benjamin Johnston
• • Ben Johnston Design

Monday, August 31

• National Matchmaker Day: Expert tips for setting up friends like a pro
• • Jenn Pinkerton
• Is your home Wi-Fi ready for back to school? Here’s what parents should know
• • Ezee Fiber
• Transform your existing patio into an outdoor retreat
• • Allied Outdoor Solutions
• The hidden reason you’re struggling to lose weight after 40
• • Optimal Body

Friday, August 28

• Houston Life celebrates 10 years on the air with epic lookback of the broadcast

Thursday, August 27

• Bar Moon brings cocktails, live music and a night out to Post Oak
• • Bar Moon
• Happy 190th birthday, Houston! Celebrate with FREE family-friendly activities at The Heritage Society
• • The Heritage Society at Sam Houston Park
• Companion Energy volunteers pamper pets at Houston Humane Society ahead of Clear The Shelters
• • Companion Energy
• Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
• Harris County Public Library
• George Observatory

Wednesday, August 26

• Next Level Urgent Care
• Woodlands Christian Academy
• Happy National Dog Day! How dogs bring us together plus easy homemade treats for your furry friend
• • National Dog Day: Small Treats. Big Wags: The Neighborhood Edition
  • 6 free dog treat recipes
• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Derrick Shore and Cathy Hernandez take on the the ‘Minute-To-Win-It Oreo Challenge’

Tuesday, August 25

• Kam Franklin steps into the spotlight with her first solo album, ‘Land of the Neon Sun’
• • Kam Franklin’s Website
  • Preorder “Land of the Neon Sun” and receive a priority wristband to her album release party
• Singing, dancing, and a little murder, Night Court returns for another year of musical mayhem
• • Night Court at the Hobby Center
• Time Mission lands in Houston, bringing a new kind of social gaming adventure
• • Time Mission Houston

Monday, August 24

• 5 years of STEM magic: Crystal Lister shares 2 fun chemistry experiments
• • Mommy and Me The Listers
• From one restaurant to 6 locations, Local Table has been serving Houston for a decade
• • Local Table
• Next Level Urgent Care

Friday, August 21

• Antico Casa from Antico Pizza brings frozen Neapolitan-style pies to Houston (Aug. 20–23)
• • Antico Fine Food
• Donald and Lisa Pliner share their love story, fashion journey and legacy
• • The Selling of One’s Sole
• Kandi Burruss brings one-woman show “I Do, I Did, I’m Done,” to Houston
• • “I Do, I Did, I’m Done” Tickets
• Houston’s Starduster Lounge puts its spin on the viral martini trend
• • Starduster Lounge
• Next Level Urgent Care

Thursday, August 20

• Houston author Mariah Kingsley brings a fresh perspective to romance stories
• • “Fractured” on Amazon
• Labor Day Getaways: Vail Peaks, Coastal Sun in Corpus Christi and Tennessee’s Real-Deal Travel
• • Visit Corpus Christi
  • Discover Vail
  • Tennessee Vacation Instagram
  • Travel Expert, Jeanenne Tornatore | The Outside Insider
• Easy Back-to-School Lunches Kids Will Actually Eat, Recipes & Packing Tips
• • My Diary of Us Lunchbox Guide

Wednesday, August 19

• Houston humidity, meet your match: Simple tips for frizz-free hair
• • Frequency Salon
• Mambo Seafood
• Meet Fariha Nasir the interior designer crafting spaces that tell stories
• • Fariha Nasir Pennies for a Fortune
• Actors Jeff Daniels and Jared Harris take us inside ‘The Brink of War’
• • The Brink of War

Tuesday, August 18

• What do school accountability ratings really tell us? Local non-profit Good Reason Houston breaks it down
• • Good Reason Houston
• How the UH Mariachi Pumas continue to bring Mariachi to a new generation
• • Follow UH Mariachi Pumas on Instagram
  • Houston Theater Week Presented by Huntington Bank
• How 80s supermodel Kim Alexis is living her best life after 55
• • Kim Alexis
• Clear the Shelters is back: Houston pets are ready for homes
• Next Level Urgent Care

Monday, August 17

• For one Katy grandfather, an 11,000-mile motorcycle ride is about more than the road
• • Do What You Love to End ALZ program
  • Follow Scott “Sugar Bear” Brown on YouTube
• Houston hip-hop legend Willie D is inviting everyone to his big 60th birthday party
• • The Roast of Willie D: Cooked by Legends Tickets
• Personalized Dental Implants: Dr. Michel Azer on restoring smiles in Houston
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, August 14

• Enter to win a getaway for two from The Fredericksburg Convention and Visitor Bureau
• With love, from Fredericksburg! How the visitor bureau can help plan your stay
• • Visit Fredericksburg
• History, wine and Texas Charm at Das Peach Haus in Fredericksburg
• • Das Peach Haus
  • Dietz Distillery
  • Fischer & Wieser
• Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
• Step inside history at Fredericksburg’s National Museum of the Pacific War
• • National Museum of the Pacific War
• Make the most of your trip to Texas Hill Country with the Fredericksburg Food & Wine Fest
• • Fredericksburg Food & Wine Festival
  • K Estate Winery & Vineyards
• Dot’s Bakery
• Albert Hotel

Thursday, August 13

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Disco, roller skates and 1980s fun: The Garden Theatre brings the musical world of ‘Xanadu’ to the stage
• • The Garden Theatre’s “Xanadu”
• Melanie Lynskey chats new Netflix film ‘Don’t Say Good Luck’
• • Netflix’s Don’t Say Good Luck
• Houston Dynamo FC celebrates 20 years of its 2006 MLS Cup Championship
• • Houston Dynamo FC
• Next Level Urgent Care

Wednesday, August 12

• Get ready for mystery: ‘The Girl on the Train’ now on stage at Alley Theatre
• • Alley Theatre’s “The Girl on the Train” tickets
• Water heater warning signs Houston homeowners shouldn’t ignore
• • Mission AC & Plumbing
• Humble’s Cris Sosa advances to AGT live shows after hilarious cereal comedy set
• • Comedian Cris Sosa
  • NBC’s “America’s Got Talent”
• Kenny and Ziggy’s owner Ziggy Gruber whips up traditional Jewish kugel for National Deli Month
• • Kenny & Ziggy’s

Tuesday, August 11

• Houston Theater Week is almost here! Here’s how to snag BOGO tickets to 400+ shows
• • Houston Theater Week Presented by Huntington Bank
• Back-to-School Anxiety: What Parents Need to Know
• • Houston Christian University
• How the DiIorio family is celebrating 70 years of family, farming and community
• • DiIorio Farms
• Josh Duhamel and Minka Kelly talk love, loyalty and drama of ‘Ransom Canyon’ Season 2
• • Ransom Canyon on Netflix

Monday, August 10

• Clear the Shelters is back: Houston pets are ready for homes
• Eclipse cruises take off: The Travel Mom on why astro‑tourism is booming with Princess Cruises
• • The Travel Mom
  • Princess Cruises
• Bear Grylls takes the cast of ‘The Chosen’ Into the Wild in new Prime Video series
• • Prime Video’s “The Chosen in the Wild with Bear Grylls”
• Next Level Urgent Care
• These women athletes from Afghanistan escaped Taliban rule. Now the players of Houston Shine FC find joy in soccer again
• • Houston Shine FC

Friday, August 7

• Houston’s Pink Phurree dragon boat team heads to France to celebrate breast cancer survivorship
• • Pink Phurree Dragon Boat Team
• Now playing: Queensbury Theatre’s brand new production of Mean Girls The Musical
• • Queensbury Theatre’s ‘Mean Girls The Musical’
• 12-year-old Houston golfer Alaina Villarreal makes her debut on Stephen Curry’s UNDERRATED Golf Tour
• • UNDERRATED Golf Tour
  • Alaina Villareal
• Protein-packed rice for easy weeknight meals with SunRice Protein+
• • SunRice

Thursday, August 6

• Kenny and Ziggy’s owner Ziggy Gruber whips up traditional Jewish kugel for National Deli Month
• • Kenny & Ziggy’s
• Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey brings ‘The Greatest Show On Earth’ to Houston
• • Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents The Greatest Show On Earth
• Houston City College Is Where Art Meets Innovation
• • Houston City College
• Find Calm at the Coast: Travel Mom Emily Kaufman Celebrates ‘Spa Weekend’ at Terranea Resort
• • The Travel Mom
  • Travel Guard’s Spa Weekend Getaway Sweepstakes

Wednesday, August 5

• It’s National Sandwich Month: Husband-wife duo behind Yuma brings Brazilian flavor to a Cuban classic
• • Yuma
• WWE Superstar Trick Williams previews Survivor Series: WarGames coming to Houston
• • WWE Survivor Series: Wargames
• Ready to dance? Houston Rockets Clutch City Dancers to hold open auditions
• • Clutch City Dancers open Auditions
• Next Level Urgent Care

Tuesday, August 4

• Josh Duhamel and Minka Kelly talk love, loyalty and drama of ‘Ransom Canyon’ Season 2
• • Ransom Canyon on Netflix
• Houston’s own Cris Sosa competes on NBC’s ‘America’s Got Talent’ Season 21
• • Comedian Cris Sosa
  • NBC’s “America’s Got Talent”
• Gexa Energy marks 25 Years by volunteering with Meals on Wheels, The Beacon and Houston Habitat for Humanity ReStore
• • Gexa Energy
• Brassica Shares the vegan secret behind its signature chocolate chip cookie
• • Brassica
• Master P Brings Hip-Hop History to Houston With Cash Money and No Limit Reunion Tour
• • Cash Money & No Limit Tour

Monday, August 3

• Houston students and teachers share their work beyond the classroom in new exhibition “The Sequence Is Yours”
• • Contemporary Arts Museum Houston‘s ‘The Sequence Is Yours’ Exhibition
• Sip, savor and celebrate Labor Day Weekend at the Galveston Island Wine Festival
• • Celebrity Chef Brian Duffy serves up a preview of the Galveston Island Wine Festival
  • Moody Gardens Galveston Island Wine Festival
• Modern dental implants give Houston patients natural, comfortable smiles
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, July 31

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• ‘Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live: Glow-N-Fire’ brings high-octane family fun to Houston
• • Hot Wheels Monster Truck Live Glow-N-Fire at Toyota Center
• There’s a story behind every building: Take a tour of Downtown Houston with Preservation Houston
• • Preservation Houston

Thursday, July 30

• Meet the twin sisters who turned their cheesecake passion into a successful business
• • KK Cheesecakes
• How HCU’s high-tech simulation lab is preparing nursing students for in-demand jobs
• • Houston Christian University Linda R. Dunham School of Nursing
• Gexa Energy marks 25 Years by volunteering with Meals on Wheels and The Beacon
• • Gexa Energy
• Garbage Girlfriend

Wednesday, July 29

• Houston Shakespeare Festival is back at Miller Outdoor Theatre with a reimagined lead in “The Tempest”
• • Houston Shakespeare Festival
• In the CLASSROOM with Kroger: How they’re helping parents and kids start the school year happy, healthy, and prepared
• • KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for your chance to win a $250 Kroger gift card!
  • Kroger
• Happy National Lipstick Day! Here’s the lowdown on choosing a matte, glossy, or satin pigment 💄
• • Makeup Artist Darcie Teasley
• Tony Danza is coming to Houston this week, here is where to see him
• • Doc’s Houston Presents Tony Danza - “Standards and Stories”

Monday, July 27

• Back-to-school safety: What kids should know and what parents should watch for in case of a school emergency
• • CPR and Safety Lady Gail Gould
  • Back to School Safety Webinar with CPR and Safety Lady Gail Gould
• Anaheim: The Urban Basecamp You Didn’t Know You Needed In Southern California
• • Gabe Saglie The Travel Guy
• Houston students turn thousands of plastic bags into an award-winning business
• • Plastic Free July
  • Next Use
• Allied Outdoor Solutions

Friday, July 24

• Houston celebrates Art House Theater Day with a “Car Wash” screening and preshow party
• • Houston Art House Theater Day
• The best tacos in Texas arrive in Houston this weekend + Texas Monthly Taco Editor‘s spicy gig getting paid to eat tacos
• • 2026 Texas Monthly Taco Fest South
  • Huncho’s Tacos
• BISSELL Pet Foundation Empty the Shelters
• Rosenberg Animal Control and Shelter

Thursday, July 23

• Meet the Houston Rig Hands: The city’s pro 3-on-3 basketball team 🏀🏀
• • Follow Houston Rig Hands on Instagram
  • BIG3 Playing at Toyota Center Tickets
• Houston City College’s Coleman Campus: Training the next generation of health care workers
• • Houston City College
• Vic Mignogna on Anime Matsuri, Star Trek & life with Dominique Sachse
• • Follow Vic Mignogna on Instagram
  • Anime Matsuri

Wednesday, July 22

• 16th annual Mayor’s Back 2 School & Health Fair brings free supplies, screenings to Houston families
• • Mayor’s Back to School & Health Fair
• Tips for Planning the Perfect Summer Getaway
• • Travel Expert, Jeanenne Tornatore | The Outside Insider
  • Marriott Bonvoy
  • Official Guide to Breckenridge
• Celebrate National Tequila Day at Zanti Cucina Italiana in River Oaks
• • Zanti Cucina Italiana
• Academy Award-winner Morgan Freeman heading to Houston for blues experience
• • Performing Arts Houston Presents “Morgan Freeman’s Symphonic Blues Experience”

Tuesday, July 21

• How CenterPoint Energy says they’re building a stronger, more resilient electric grid
• • CenterPoint Energy Action Center
• NBC’s “American Ninja Warrior”
• Ox St. Kitchen
• Ivan Chavez Chavos BBQ
• The world’s fragrance community comes together at FRAGCON in Houston
• • Global Fragrance Convention

Monday, July 20

• Houston’s Girl Gone Grilling shares her buffalo chicken stuffed garlic bread
• • Katherine Salom “Girl Gone Grilling”
• Powerhouse performer Christina Wells, now in a wheelchair, is still lighting up Houston stages
• • Christina Wells
• When a smile needs more than veneers: one Houston patient’s transformation
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, July 17

• Hidden Omakase serves up a Summer favorite while continuing its comeback story
• • Hidden Omakase
• East Houston Medical Center works to improve access to health care in the community
• • East Houston Medical Center
• “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” at The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts
• 13th Annual Ohana Surf Dogs Competition

Thursday, July 16

• 93Q’s Cowboys & Angels Concert Brings Country Stars to Houston
• • 93Q’s Cowboys & Angels
• Here’s Blue Willow Bookshop’s summer reading picks you need to add to your TBR
• • Blue Willow Bookshop
• UniverSoul Circus brings big top thrills to Houston Life
• • UniverSoul Circus

Wednesday, July 15

• Llamas, haunted houses, and mermaids?! Houston realtor Noel Collier talks HGTV’S ‘Extreme Buyers Club’
• • HGTV’s ‘Extreme Buyers Club’
  • Noel Collier Group
• Protect Yourself After a Crash: What to Do If You’re Illegally Solicited
• • The Miller Law Firm, home of The Texas Bulldog
• Skip the oven and beat the summer heat with this no-bake chocolate raspberry tart
• • Florence Jackson
• Raising Cane’s and the Norris family to honor Chuck Norris’ legacy on National Chicken Finger Day
• • Raising Canes

Tuesday, July 14

• Casa de Cultura turns a Houston gallery into a living archive one family story at a time
• • Photographer Violeta Álvarez
  • FreshArts
• The late Chuck Norris continues to empower kids through Kickstart Kids martial arts program
• • Kickstart Kids
  • Raising Canes
• Protein-Packed Plates: Casa do Brasil, Los Tios and a High Protein Bowl with Tanji Patton of Goodtaste TV
• • Goodtaste for the Soul with Tanji Patton

Monday, July 13

• Remembering the iconic artist David Adickes on his 99th birthday and his lasting legacy in Houston
• • David Adickes Art
• Spend the Summer at Moody Gardens: Animal encounters, weekly themes, and how to register
• • Moody Gardens
• There’s a story behind every building: Take a tour of Downtown Houston with Preservation Houston
• • Preservation Houston
• Celebrate 713 Day with Houston Rap Legend Lil’ Keke
• • Follow Lil Keke on Instagram
• Best places and deals around Houston to celebrate 713 Day

Friday, July 10

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Houston Hula Academy brings the spirit of Polynesia to Houston Life
• • Houston Hula Academy
  • Drums of the Pacific
• A car lover’s dream! Where to see life-size Hot Wheels cars in the Houston area
• • Hot Wheels Legends Tour
• Fire Up The Grill: Easy Grilling for a Crowd
• • III Catering
• Sleep in Heavenly Peace

Thursday, July 9

• Meet the Houston 6-year-old golfer makes national tournament history
• • Ascend Golf Academy
• Fort Bend County Fair Celebrates 90 Years with Pat Green, Sawyer Brown and a Star-Studded 2026 Lineup
• • Fort Bend County Fair
• Houston City College: College that fits your schedule
• • Houston City College
• Goode Company Seafood celebrates 40 years
• Goode Company Seafood x Texas Parks and Wildlife

Wednesday, July 8

• Fort Bend County Fair
• Fung’s Kitchen
• East Houston Medical Center hosts free FIFA World Cup 2026™ watch parties and a chance to win a free trip to the final
• • East Houston Medical Center
• Houston’s Ensemble Theatre marks 50th anniversary with premieres, revivals and, honoring the past
• • The Ensemble Theatre
• Stars of Netflix’s ‘Little House on the Prairie’ chat reimagining the iconic story
• • Netflix’s Little House on the Prairie

Tuesday, July 7

• KPRC 2 Insider
• Inside the New Era of Fitness: How 24 Hour Fitness Is Rethinking the Modern Gym
• • 24 Hour Fitness
• Cosmic Ice Cream and Trill Burgers teaming up for National Ice Cream day
• • Cosmic Ice Cream
  • Trill Burgers
• Houston Ballet’s Dance 2 Thrive program brings movement, music and wellness to the Community
• • Houston Ballet
  • Dance 2 Thrive registration form

Monday, July 6

• Why Trae Tha Truth Keeps Turning His Birthday Into Houston’s Biggest Give-Back
• • Traeday 2026
• PopUp Bagels lands in Houston — grip, rip and dip your way to a viral bagel
• • PopUp Bagels
• When a smile needs more than veneers: one Houston patient’s transformation
• • Texas Dental Implant Center
• Your Bucket List Guide
• Flora Houston
• Make this at home! The Two-Ingredient Cocktail Popping Up Around Houston During the FIFA World Cup 26™
• • Bucanita by Buchanan’s

Thursday, July 2

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• These women athletes from Afghanistan escaped Taliban rule. Now the players of Houston Shine FC find joy in soccer again
• • Houston Shine FC
• ‘Read With Jenna’ debuts cozy Book Nook aboard MSC Seascape sailing from Galveston
• • ‘Read with Jenna’
• Keep Kids Safe Around Water: Expert Guidance on Supervision and Drowning Prevention
• • Bivona Law Firm
• New Sprouts in Kingwood Is Here | And Yes, You Can Sample Just About Anything
• • Sprouts Farmers Market

Wednesday, July 1

• Celebrate America’s 250th with Houston Life’s special Fourth of July Show
• • Houston Christian University’s Independence Hall
  • Baytown’s Fourth of July Festivities
  • PBS’s Annual A Capitol Fourth celebration
  • Houston Zoo
  • Blue Bell Creameries
• LIST: Fourth of July fireworks, parades, celebrations across Greater Houston

Tuesday, June 30

• This Thai-inspired hot dog brings new flavor to your Fourth of July cookout
• • MaKiin Concepts Hospitality Group
• Firework Safety | Cy-Fair Fire Department, TX
• United Against Human Trafficking
• Houston native shares how being stranded at sea during COVID inspired a documentary, memoir and mission to help others
• • Angela Harger Productions
• 5 Things Houston Homeowners Should Know Before the Next Power Outage
• • GenPro.com

Monday, June 29

• Meet the cast of ‘Young Washington’ ahead of the film’s July 3rd release
• • ‘Young Washington’
• From Houston to American homes: Good Ranchers celebrates America’s 250th with homegrown meat
• • Good Ranchers
• New Zealand by train: Scenic journeys, culture and food
• • Gabe Saglie The Travel Guy
• Gexa Energy gives back: Make-A-Wish reveal brings joy to local child
• • Gexa Energy
• Hands-on training at Houston City College prepares students for high-demand careers
• • Houston City College

Friday, June 26

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Best Friends Animal Society hosts a free pet adoption event this Saturday
• • RSVP to Best Friends “Bring Love Home” Adoption Event
• Houston’s own Tyce Green stars in Disney’s ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’
• • Houston Broadway Theatre’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”
• Stay connected with reliable internet during hurricane season
• • Ezee Fiber
• Better STAAR scores, bigger goals: Here’s why Good Reason Houston focuses on a path to a living wage
• • Good Reason Houston
• Baytown Is Going Big for the Fourth of July
• • Visit Baytown
• Rodney Atkins

Thursday, June 25

• Best Friends Animal Society hosts a free pet adoption event this Saturday
• • RSVP to Best Friends “Bring Love Home” Adoption Event
  • Best Friends Houston
• A New Sprouts Farmers Market Has Opened in Webster—Here’s What You’ll Find Inside
• • Sprouts Farmers Market
• Why this financial expert says small business success starts with financial organization
• • Aragon Tax Return Services
• Mattress expert links poor sleep to serious health risks
• • Texas Mattress Makers

Wednesday, June 24

• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo announces historic agriculture complex benefitting Texas youth
• • Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• Vegan recipes to add to your summer cookout menu
• • Dr. Chinwe Orabuchi
• Could your roof be hiding storm damage: What Houston homeowners should know
• • Adams Roofing
• Companion Energy brings ‘Energy that Cares’ to the Houston Humane Society
• • Companion Energy
• Travel Mom Emily Kaufman says now’s the time to book Australia
• • Travel Mom
  • Visit Sydney
  • Visit South Wales

Tuesday, June 23

• Houston Life goes LIVE from new IKEA Webster ahead of Grand Opening
• • KPRC 2 Insiders, Enter for a chance to win IKEA gift cards!
  • IKEA
  • IKEA Webster: Friends and Family Shopping Event

Monday, June 22

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Family-owned restaurant Foreign Grill shares Uzbek flavors ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ match
• • Follow Foreign Grill on Instagram
• Prime Day Picks to upgrade your home
• • Home Improvement Expert, Kathryn Emery | Be The Best Home
• Meet the Houston skincare brand embracing beef tallow with no frills and all the beneficial ingredients
• • NutréLux Beauty
• Future-Proof Careers: Celebrating the HVAC Technicians Who Keep Houston Cool
• • Fortis College
• Why cruises are the hottest ticket this summer - expert tips & where to go
• • Carnival Cruises
  • Travel Expert, Jeanenne Tornatore | The Outside Insider

Thursday, June 18

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for your chance to win a $250 Kroger gift card!
• • Kroger
• The South Dakota Road Trip You Didn’t Know You Needed
• • Your Bucket List Guide
  • Travel South Dakota
• Hands-on training at Houston City College Southeast prepares students for high-demand careers
• • Houston City College
• Stay connected with reliable internet during hurricane season
• • Ezee Fiber

Wednesday, June 17

• WANTED: An audience ready to laugh at the Texas Outlaw Comics tonight at Houston Improv
• • Texas Outlaw Comics
• The cast of Netflix’s ‘I Will Find You’ talks bringing the bestselling thriller to life
• • Netflix’s Harlan Coben’s “I Will Find You”
• Saunawelt opens Houston’s first public European sauna house
• • Saunawelt
• Village Plumbing, Air & Electric shares summer safety tips as company celebrates 80 Years of servicing Houston
• • Village Plumbing

Tuesday, June 16

• ‘Heart & Hustle: Houston’ Star Muneera Page opens up about fame, friendship and season two
• • OWN’s “Heart & Hustle: Houston”
• Looking for a Father’s Day activity? See more than 100 exotic cars at Velocité in Houston
• • Velocité – A Father’s Day Tradition in Motion
• AEW Star Thunder Rosa balances two wrestling worlds while inspiring fans to chase their dreams
• • All Elite Wrestling at Smart Financial Centre
  • Follow Thunder Rosa on Instagram
• Transform your outdoor space with Carvestone - Plus, a chance to win $5,000 in outdoor furniture
• • Allied Outdoor Solutions

Monday, June 15

• Local 17-year-old filmmaker makes her mark with movie focusing on men’s mental health
• • “Used to Be” tickets
• WWE star Braun Strowman chats season 2 of ‘Everything On The Menu’
• • USA Network’s “Everything on the Menu With Braun Strowman”
• How Houston Habitat for Humanity is helping families build generational wealth
• • KPRC 2 Habitat for Humanity
  • Houston Habitat for Humanity
• Houston’s own Cris Sosa competes on NBC’s ‘America’s Got Talent’ Season 21
• • Comedian Cris Sosa
  • NBC’s “America’s Got Talent”

Friday, June 12

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Why the Rothko Chapel may be Houston’s most transformative space
• • Rothko Chapel
• Keep your home cool and save on energy with these tips from Champion & Nash
• • Champion and Nash
• Marco’s Pizza brings New York-style pizza to your neighborhood
• • Marco’s Pizza
• Meet Yassine Cheuko, personal bodyguard to soccer superstar Lionel Messi

Thursday, June 11

• FIFA Fan Festival™ Houston

Wednesday, June 10

• Houston physician and educator Dr. Tim Garson makes history approachable and relatable to modern life in new book
• • Dr. Arthur “Tim” Garson
  • Book: “Five Thousand Years of Controversies: A Family’s Journey Through World History”
• Ishida Dance Company presents ‘Waiting/Rex’ at Asia Society Texas
• • Ishida Dance Company Tickets
• Father’s Day finds and summer-ready home upgrades
• • Kathryn Emery
• Peptides and functional health: How Antiage Institute helps Houstonians age better
• • Antiage Institute

Tuesday, June 9

• How a community effort saved Houston’s printmaking legacy
• How custom coasters are made by hand at Red Bird Press studio
• • Red Bird Press
• A 34-Day soccer watch party in Houston with Diplo, wagyu burgers and VIP lounges?
• • The Ranch Presents Pitch Live
• Find the right mattress with expert help in Texas
• • Texas Mattress Makers

Monday, June 8

• Meet Saxboy Billy, the man behind the viral “Puerto Rico Song”
• • Follow Saxboy Billy on Instagram
• Celebrate Culture through music and movement with Tx2 Dance Company
• • T2 Dance Company
• NBC’s ‘American Ninja Warrior’ Season 18: What Lauren Kelly learned from the Hosts
• • NBC’s “American Ninja Warrior”
• Replace an entire arch, not just a tooth: How ONEARCH changes lives
• • Texas Dental Implant Center
• Visit San Antonio

Friday, June 5

• The music collective behind the Houston remix for FIFA World Cup 2026™
• • Bombón
  • Official FIFA World Cup 26™ Houston Sonic ID
• Why Alley Theatre’s “Misery” is leaving Houston audiences gasping
• • Misery at Alley Theatre
• Young Houstonians will learn how to train like a pro at the Simple Truth Will Anderson Jr. ProCamp
• • Will Anderson Jr. Football ProCamp

Thursday, June 4

• Magician Michael Carbonaro is ready to wow fans in Houston with his new show ‘WONDERBOY’
• • Michael Carbonaro at Houston of Blues
• HCC Southwest ramps up hands-on training in AI, robotics and cybersecurity
• • Houston City College
• The Travel Mom’s tips for planning and booking a breathtaking Alaskan cruise
• • The Travel Mom
  • Holland America Cruises
• Spice Routes: Cardamom Challenge a culinary passport awaits at Houston’s stunning Ismaili Center
• • Ismaili Center

Wednesday, June 3

• Celebrate Freedom Festival returns to Emancipation Park this Saturday
• • Juneteenth Houston
• Why this red velvet cornbread recipe belongs on your Juneteenth table
• • Chef Cassi
• Houston Rockets Skills Camp returns to various locations this summer
• • Houston Rockets Youth Skills Camp
• KPRC 2’s 2026 Hurricane & Flood Survival Guide
• IMDB “Masters of the Universe”

Tuesday, June 2

• CPR and AED basics: Simple skills that can help save a life
• • Register for FREE CPR webinar on June 3
  • Gail Gould
• Meet the local break dancers uplifting women and youth through hip-hop, culture, and the arts
• • BGirl City Worldwide
• Cool Treats in the Heights: Where to find Hawaiian shaved ice and frozen cocktails
• • Happy Go Lucky

Monday, June 1

• Houston Author Jenny Block drops new book about finding authenticity, success and joy in life
• • Follow Jenny Block on Instagram
• The laughs keep coming in season 2 of Netflix’s ‘The Four Seasons’
• • Netflix’s “The Four Seasons”
• Discovery Green celebrating summer with free family fun and soccer-inspired events
• • Discovery Green
• Why natural looking dental implants are the new luxury in facial rejuvenation
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, May 29

• Texas Teen Pageant Queens use their platforms to empower foster kids, fight bullying, and inspire future farmers
• • Kyleigh’s Kidz
• Immersive Gamebox is launching ‘Soccer Arcade,’ the world’s first immersive soccer experience
• • Immersive Gamebox
• Tanji Patton reveals what’s next after 11 seasons of Goodtaste TV
• Sweet, Savory & Spicy: Creative cantaloupe recipes worth trying this Summer
• • Goodtaste with Tanji Patton

Thursday, May 28

• Game day skin care tips for FIFA World Cup 2026™ watch parties and summer heat
• • Board-Certified Dermatologist Dr. Sherry Ingraham
• A Quick Drive From Houston, This Louisiana Resort Delivers Vegas-Style Luxury Without the Flight
• • Coushatta Casino Resort
• Licasa Treatment Center Opens in Conroe to expand compassionate mental health and addiction care
• • Licasa Treatment Center

Wednesday, May 27

•  Powering Houston’s future: Electrical apprentices showcase skills at annual Wire-Off Competition 
• • IEC Texas Gulf Coast
• Los Souldees is the local band bringing the sounds you love from the past with a fresh Houston twist
• • Los Souldees

Tuesday, May 26

• Lone Star College
• A Houston little boy’s toughest battle led to a monster surprise!
• • Gexa Energy
• Captain MC’s Seafood
• The Window Source Houston

Friday, May 22

• Get your bike ready for summer rides with these simple safety tips
• • Sun & Ski Sports
• This easy road trip from Houston comes with luxury suites, gaming, and a powerful legacy
• • Coushatta Powwow
  • Coushatta Casino Resort
• Hear the hits - ‘Beautiful: The Carole King Musical’ in Houston
• • “The Carole King Musical” at Theatre Under the Stars
• Support local veterans while having fun at the Patriots Charity Classic
• • Patriots Charity Classic Event

Thursday, May 21

• The World comes to Houston! Here’s what to expect ahead of the FIFA Fan Festival™ kicking off in EaDo
• • FIFA Fan Festival™
• This easy road trip from Houston comes with luxury suites, gaming, and a powerful legacy
• • Coushatta Casino Resort - New Legacy Tower
• SUMMER SWEEPSTAKES: Enter to win 3 weeks of free airport parking from The Parking Spot
• • The Parking Spot
• Train for Houston’s in demand jobs at HCC Northeast - Public Safety, Automotive, & more
• • HCC Northeast
• Schlotzsky’s Deli launches new stacked subs in Houston - Try three bold flavors
• • Schlotzsky’s Deli

Wednesday, May 20

• Schlotzsky’s Deli launches new stacked subs in Houston - Try three bold flavors
• • Schlotzsky’s Deli
• Swap, shop, sustain: Houston’s eco-friendly clothing event returns this Sunday
• • The Houston Clothing Shop
• A Houston little boy’s toughest battle led to a monster surprise!
• • Gexa Energy
• Early detection, AI tools, personalized care redefine preventive health
• • Fountain Life Houston Clinic
• Get your backyard summer ready with pest control, pool upgrades, trampolines and whole home backup power
• • Kathryn Emery
• Need summer plans? This easy Galveston getaway has dinosaurs, beaches & lazy rivers
• • Moody Gardens

Tuesday, May 19

• In the Kitchen with Kroger: Memorial Day hosting doesn’t have to start from scratch
• • KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for your chance to win a $250 Kroger gift card!
  • Kroger
• Moody Gardens
• Houston Ballet closes 2025-2026 season with two standout productions
• • Houston Ballet
• From award-winning tv to action-packed films, Bob Odenkirk chats ‘Normal’
• • Follow Bob Odenkirk on Instagram

Monday, May 18

• Celebrate World Ocean Day in Galveston with art, music & ocean fun for free 🌊 🌊
• • Artist Boat
• A collector’s dream: U.S. Coins & Jewelry opens brand new showroom for buying and selling
• • U.S. Coins and Jewelry
• Mental Health Awareness Month: How to spot the signs when stress becomes something more
• • The Harris Center for Mental Health and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD)
• Spring couple transforms builder-grade patio into beautiful backyard with Allied Outdoor Solutions
• • Allied Outdoor Solutions
• Why natural looking dental implants are the new luxury in facial rejuvenation
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, May 15

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• At Houston’s Alley Theatre, “Dear Alien” explores the beautiful weirdness of being human
• • “Dear Alien at Alley Theatre
• Gear up inside the newly renovated and relocated Sun & Ski Sports Memorial City
• • Sun & Ski Sports Memorial City
• The Travel Mom on the perks of RV life on the road
• • The Travel Mom
  • Go RVing

Thursday, May 14

• Musaafer Houston Beekeeper cocktail program highlights honey from local neighborhoods
• • Musaafer
• Help us save lives at the KPRC 2 Community Blood Drive with Gulf Coast Blood
• • Schedule an appointment
• Port Aransas
• Children’s Museum Houston

Wednesday, May 13

• Why one Fulshear homeowner calls his generator “The Easy Button”
• • GenPro.com
• Family fun meets coastal charm in Port Aransas, Texas’ premier Gulf Coast getaway
• • Port Aransas
  • Red Dragon Pirate Cruises
• Local chef turns pandemic setback into a thriving Filipino food pop-up business
• • Aleng Nina’s
  • Chef Nina’s Pop-up Event at Third Place

Tuesday, May 12

• Rob Riggle among authors featured in ‘A Celebration of Reading’ 2026
• • Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation
• Texas’ legendary 1877 tall ship ELISSA joins Sail250 voyage to New York Harbor
• • The Official Official Tall Ship of Texas
  • Galveston 250 Kickoff Party Tickets
• The Future of noninvasive wellness is in Sugar Land
• • Oasis Aesthetics & Wellness and Oasis Dry Eye Center
• Chef Jose Hernandez on his roots, restaurants, and fresh pasta
• • Savoir Restaurant
  • Patton

Monday, May 11

• Texas breweries shine at World Beer Cup as American Craft Beer Week kicks off
• • What’s on Tap Radio
• Could Retirement Living Actually Feel Like a Resort? Inside Life at Eagle’s Trace
• • Eagles’ Trace by Erickson Senior Living
• Empty Bowls Houston returns for its 20th anniversary
• • Empty Bowls Houston
  • Houston Food Bank

Friday, May 8

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Children’s Museum Houston and Houston Life present a first look inside the ‘Gallery of Wonder’ on KPRC 2
• Easy at-home kitchen STEM activities to spark curiosity with Children’s Museum Houston
• • Children’s Museum Houston
• Rung Film Festival returns to Houston, highlighting Pakistani storytellers on the big screen
• • Rung Film Festival
• Scammed out of $90,000: Houston woman shares warning for seniors
• • AARP Houston
• KPRC 2’s “Eat Like a Local”

Thursday, May 7

• Celebrate National Hamburger Month with OMG! Burger
• • OMG! Burger
• How Houston City College Is Building the City’s Workforce
• • Houston City College
• The Insperity Invitational presented by United Healthcare happening in The Woodlands this weekend
• • Insperity Invitational
• Bridge the Gaps

Wednesday, May 6

• From local finds to feel-good vibes, ‘Shop Fulshear First’ family-friendly night market
• • “Shop Fulshear First”
• Why you keep repeating the same unhealthy relationship patterns and how to change them
• • Jenn Pinkerton
• Houston Grand Opera

Tuesday, May 5

• Bun B announces “UGK Been Ridin’ Dirty,” Celebrating 30 Years of a Southern Hip-Hop Classic
• • Bun B Presents “Been Ridin’ Dirty” Tickets
• From classroom to center stage: The Tommy Tune Awards showcase Houston’s rising theatre talent
• • Tommy Tune Awards Finalists List
• Houston Life co-hosts learn calligraphy with live event artist Jenny Blaschke
• • Jenny Blaschke

Monday, May 4

• “Houston’s Enchilada Queen” Sylvia Casares serving up big flavor & family tradition
• • Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen
• This Houston program uses comedy to build confidence and change lives
• • Comedy Unlocked
  • The Opportunity Center
• Hot products: Summer grillin’ and chillin’ with Lifestyle and Home Improvement expert Kathryn Emery
• • Kathryn Emery
• New Smile: AI-driven design at Texas Dental Implant Center
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, May 1

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Teatro Indigo
• Teatro Indigo at Hobby Center for the Performing Arts
• Mahjong for a Cause
• Sam Houston Race Park

Thursday, April 30

• St‑Germain Elderflower Liqueur
• National Pet Month is here! Houston SPCA offers tips for responsible pet ownership
• • Houston SPCA
• From Knee Replacement to the Boston Marathon: A Story of Movement, Medicine, and Meaning
• • Dr. Richard A. Berger Outpatient Hip and Knee Surgery
• Tyler Henry “The Hollywood Medium” heading to Houston for unforgettable live show
• • Tyler Henry Live at Smart Financial Center
  • Connect with Tyler Henry

Wednesday, April 29

• In the Kitchen with Kroger: Celebrate Mother’s Day with Kroger, the world’s largest florist
• • KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for your chance to win a $250 Kroger gift card!
• Sail into Alaska with Princess Cruises - tips from The Travel Mom, Emily Kaufman
• • The Travel Mom
  • Princess Cruises
• How wearing denim became an international symbol of supporting assault survivors and victims
• • National Denim Day
  • Fort Bend Women’s Center
• Country superstar Parker McCollum surprises nurses ahead of National Nurses Week

Tuesday, April 28

• Inside Golden Roastery: A popular Middle Eastern shop serving traditional desserts and coffee
• How to make a popular Arab dessert Kunafa
• • Golden Roastery (Walk-in offer only; get 20% off Kunafa items from now to May 10)
• Help us save lives at the KPRC 2 Community Blood Drive with Gulf Coast Blood
• • Community Blood Drive at KPRC 2
• Cedric The Entertainer brings the laughs in new Netflix animated film ‘Swapped’
• • Netflix’s ‘Swapped’

Monday, April 27

• Summer safety for kids: what parents need to know
• • Bivona Law Firm
• From Blueprint to Backyard Oasis: A Missouri City Transformation Designed for Real Life
• • Allied Outdoor Solutions
• First annual AAPI Fest coming to Alief
• • AAPI Fest
  • Kaminari Taiko of Houston,
• The story behind Agnes and Sherman where Asian flavors meet American comfort food
• • Agnes and Sherman
  • AAPI Restaurant Weeks
• Hosts Mike “The Miz” Mizanin and Rocsi Diaz chat reboot of ‘American Gladiators’
• • American Gladiators

Friday, April 24

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Step inside August Wilson’s “Fences” at Houston’s Alley Theatre - A timeless story of love, legacy, and second chances
• • August Wilson’s “Fences” at Alley Theatre
• Prime Video’s ‘Cocaine Quarterback’ Owen Hanson visits Houston, shares incredible comeback story
• • “Cocaine Quarterback” on Prime Video
• National Bucket List Day: A Trafalgar River Cruise with The Travel Mom
• • The Travel Mom
  • Trafalgar

Thursday, April 23

• Silambam Houston highlights the beauty of Indian classical dance at the Hobby Center
• • Silambam Houston
• A preview of Great Age on the Green, Houston’s new festival celebrating aging boldly
• • Great Age on the Green
• Kids learn money the fun way with Financial Fortunes card game
• • Financial Fortunes Card Game
• Teeing off for the LPGA’s first major of the season - The Chevron Championship
• • The Chevron Championship

Wednesday, April 22

• Houston is driving the Biotech future - starting with students
• • Texas Medical Center BioPath Program
• From ‘Dance Moms’ to the stage and page: Nia Sioux’s next act
• • Follow Nia Sioux on Instagram
• From ‘Dance Moms’ to the stage and page: Nia Sioux’s next act
• • Nia Sioux’s Memoir “Bottom of the Pyramid”
• Wildflowers, western heritage, and a Mother’s Day to remember at The George Ranch
• The George Ranch

Tuesday, April 21

• Orchid care 101: Simple tricks to keep your orchids blooming longer
• • Ace Berry
  • Flora & More
• Affordable luxury: New upholstered bed collection unveiled at Texas Mattress Makers
• • Texas Mattress Makers
• Music, food and rodeo fun for all at the Galveston County Fair & Rodeo
• • Galveston County Fair & Rodeo
• Texas Dental Implant Center

Monday, April 20

• Robins Landing Neighborhood Floor Plans - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• Homeownership Process - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• Volunteering - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• ReStore - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• Third Ward - Houston Habitat for Humanity

Friday, April 17

• ‘Houston Life’ is live today at the Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market Spring
• • Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market® SPRING
  • Dog Collar World
  • Linked by Stevi
  • The Hive
  • Big Creek Farms
  • EK The Boutique
  • House of Cottonwood
  • ParkerJoe

Thursday, April 16

• TUTS presents ‘Monty Python’s Spamalot’ rides into the Hobby Center
• • Monty Python’s Spamalot at TUTS Tickets
• One ticket, endless fun at the Galveston County Fair and Rodeo
• • Galveston County Fair and Rodeo
• Carpet Giant celebrates 50 years of proudly serving generations of Houstonians
• • Carpet Giant Website (mention Houston Life to get $150 off your purchase of $1,000)
• Faith ‘One Arm Wonder’ Malton and Zack ‘Pitbull’ Ruhl rappel 30 stories for non-profit Camp For All
• • Camp For All
  • Faith Malton

Wednesday, April 15

• Brush up on your makeup routine at Blushington River Oaks
• • Houston Life Deals (Get 20% off beauty services at Blushington River Oaks)
  • Blushington River Oaks
• The King himself shares how to save 20% on tickets to the Texas Renaissance Festival
• • Texas Renaissance Festival
• Ethan’s Ohana
• Cube Against Cancer 2026 Houston
• Cube Against Cancer
• Fortis College

Tuesday, April 14

• Former Texans WR Steven Sims Jr. to host FREE youth football camp
• • Must See Foundation
• Why it’s not just the generator - it’s the company behind it
• • Gen Pro
• How the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce helps local companies grow
• • Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
• Step Onward Foundation uses music to fight homelessness in Texas
• • Step Onward Foundation
  • Sunday Funday Community Celebration

Monday, April 13

• Robins Landing Neighborhood Floor Plans - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• Homeownership Process - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• Volunteering - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• ReStore - Houston Habitat for Humanity
• Third Ward - Houston Habitat for Humanity

Friday, April 10

• Your guide to the Houston Barbecue Festival this weekend: Top pitmasters, unlimited BBQ samples, and more
• • Houston BBQ Festival
• Texas CASA’s partner agencies train volunteers to be a voice and a lifeline for children in the foster care system
• • Become a CASA
• ‘Grow the Game’ Initiative expands soccer access in Houston ahead of the World Cup with Guinness World Records attempt
• • Airbnb GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™
• Houston’s Garden Theatre celebrates 5 years with Stephen Sondheim’s “Company”
• • The Garden Theatre
• Father daughter duo Steve Zahn and Audrey Zahn chat new film ‘She Dances’

Thursday, April 9

• The Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary kicks off 22nd annual ‘Chic Boutique’
• • Chic Boutique
• Aramie Payton brings Broadway pedigree to Alley Theatre’s revival of “Fences”
• • Alley Theatre
• Layoff leads Houston creator to viral small business mission
• • Follow David on Instagram
• At just 19, Jalyn Hall is stepping into his moment
• • NBC’s “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins”
• KPRC 2’s “Eat Like a Local”

Wednesday, April 8

• Houston Underwater Film Festival returns this weekend with stunning ocean films 🌊🌊
• • School, college and scuba students: claim a free ticket by emailing huff@hups.org
  • Houston Underwater Film Festival Tickets
• Celebrate Earth Month by sipping sustainably!
• • Wine and Travel Contributor Daniela Garrido
• Shred Day Houston: Safely destroy documents and fight hunger on April 18
• • Comerica Shred Day Houston
• Trade-show-tested home picks: Coffee, Water, Bidets and Moving Gear
• • Kathryn Emery Home Improvement & Lifestyle Expert
• A kid’s guide to top play picks to cut screen time and spark creativity
• • Kid-trepreneur Dylan Emery

Tuesday, April 7

• Grand Marshals Kam Franklin & Brian Ching preview the 39th annual Art Car Parade
• • Houston Art Car Parade
• This Texas artist is turning Titanic artifacts into art
• • Souls of the Titanic
• In Houston, Your Windows May Not Last as Long—Here’s What to Know (and What to Do About It)
• • Pella Windows and Doors
• Houston’s Trillest Chef bringing bold flavors of H-Town the national stage
• • Follow Chef Machete on Instagram
• Texas Dental Implant Center

Monday, April 6

• Houston’s Garden Theatre celebrates 5 years with Stephen Sondheim’s “Company”
• • The Garden Theatre
• Sysco’s World Cup-themed food show is a preview of how Houston plans to feed the world
• • Sysco World Cup-themed food show
• The Houston Art Car Parade

Friday, April 3

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• WWE Wrestler Je’Von Evans
• WWE Monday Night Raw at Toyota Center Tickets
• IBEW Local 66
• KPRC 2’s “Eat Like a Local”

Thursday, April 2

• Disney on Ice
• The Chevron Championship
• Maxine Sharf brings ‘Maxi’s Kitchen’ to Houston Life with her mom
• • Follow Maxine Sharf on Instagram
  • “Maxi’s Kitchen: Easy Go-To Recipes to Make Again and Again”
• Father daughter duo Steve Zahn and Audrey Zahn chat new film ‘She Dances’

Wednesday, April 1

• Spring gets sweeter with two easy recipes: Carrot cupcake and blueberry crumble bun
• • Follow Cookbook Author Florence Jackson on Instagram
• This Houston Restaurant Hasn’t Raised Prices Since Its Food Truck Days
• • Black Restaurant Week
  • Chitalian Pizzeria
• Tarot, the Fool card and finding meaning on Derrick’s birthday (April Fool’s Day)
• • Tarot Card Reader Amber Ambrose
• Theatre Under the Stars presents ‘Back to the Future: The Musical’ through April 5th
• • TUTS “Back to the Future: The Musical”

Tuesday, March 31

• Send Well Wishes to Tessa on her last day
• • Tessa Barrera announces she’s leaving ‘Houston Life’
• Calling all book lovers: Houston indie bookstore crawl returns for its third year of literary adventure
• • 2026 Houston Bookstore Crawl
• Preview the 13th annual Insperity Invitational presented by United Healthcare
• • Insperity Invitational
• Texas roots and coastal growth, how the Oyster Bros in Palacios are redefining the gulf oyster
• • Oyster Bros
• Goodtaste with Tanji Patton

Monday, March 30

• How Autism Moms of Houston became a lifeline for families raising children who are neurodivergent
• • Autism Moms of Houston
  • Autism Awareness Festival
• An offer fit for a new you! Grab the Alloy Personal Training Houston Life Deal
• • Alloy Personal Training Houston
  • Houston Life Deals
• Who’s responsible when a child is hurt at daycare?
• • Bivona Law
• At just 19, Jalyn Hall is stepping into his moment
• • NBC’s “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins”

Friday, March 27

• Family fun, charity, & of course golf shine at Texas Children’s Houston Open ⛳
• • Texas Children’s Houston Open
  • TCHO Cleats for Kids

Wednesday, March 25

• Tessa Barrera announces she’s leaving ‘Houston Life’
• Plan aims to turn Garden Oaks Theater into an arts hub before it’s too late
• • Save the Garden Oaks Theater
• Fore! Preview the 2026 Texas Children’s Houston Open
• • Texas Children’s Houston Open
• Women, Wealth, and breaking ‘The Success Lie’
• • Chantell Preston
  • “The Success Lie” by Chantell Preston
• McGovern Allergy & Asthma Clinic
• Gexa Energy

Tuesday, March 24

• From puppy playtime to pesky nipping, helpful springtime tips for dog owners
• • Stephanie Bennett’s Believe in Dog Training
• How one Houston program is helping kids discover confidence—and their future
• • Sam Houston Area Council Boy Scouts of America
• Houston Ballet’s Busy Spring: Nutcracker Market, Sons de L’âme & YAGP Finals
• • Houston Ballet
• Breaking barriers and popping corks with CEO and Master Sommelier June Rodil
• • Master Sommelier June Rodil
  • Goodnight Hospitality

Monday, March 23

• Blooming Wonders at ARTECHOUSE
• • Spring arrives at ARTECHOUSE Houston with ‘Blooming Wonders’
• Texas Dental Implant Center
• • Trusted Dental Implant Care in Houston — Board-Certified Periodontist Helps Complex Cases
• Disability Attorney Marc Whitehead
• • Expert tax advice: Are your Social Security and Disability benefits taxable?
• Allied Outdoor Solutions
• • From basic to beautiful: See this stunning backyard transformation in Weston Lakes

Thursday, March 19

• Springtime fun at the Houston Zoo
• • Zoo Bloom
  • All you can Zoo
  • Saving the Galápagos Islands

Wednesday, March 18

• Houston Latino Film Festival celebrates 10 Years with Cheech Marin
• • Houston Latino Film Festival
• Find the good vibes every weekend for Jazzy Sundays in the Parks
• • Jazzy Sundays in the Parks
• Get to know Dash rising star, Avery Patterson
• • Houston Dash
• Kevin Williamson makes fans SCREAM all over again in latest franchise installation
• • Kevin Williamson
• Self Employed? Tax Filing Moves That Help You Qualify for a Mortgage
• • Habayit Home Loans
  • Mortgage Expert Rich Bonn’s Upcoming Webinar

Tuesday, March 17

• Houston’s Mezclada Dance Company blends hip hop, Latin and contemporary dance forms into high-energy performances
• • Performing Arts Houston New/Now featuring Mezclada Dance Company
• METRO rolls out systemwide changes: A first look at the new technology to help streamline your ride
• • Metro Houston
• Houston Life Deals: Fun & savings for the entire family
• • HoustonLifeDeals.com
• Frontier Utilities teams with Kids’ Meals Houston to pack thousands of meals
• • Frontier Utilities

Monday, March 16

• Affordable rodeo-ready outfits you can find at Target this season
• • Target.com
• Houston’s growing need for linemen: Why the trade pays and how to start
• • IBEW Local 66
• ET hosts Nischelle Turner and Kevin Frazier share highlights from the 98th Academy Awards
• • Entertainment Tonight Oscars Coverage
• Houston Ballet principal dancer Karina González brings Frida Kahlo to life in Broken Wings
• • “Broken Wings” at Houston Ballet Tickets
• The Largest Indoor Waterpark in the U.S.? It’s Just a Road Trip from Houston
• • Kalahari Resorts and Conventions

Friday, March 13

• HL Rhythm Energy Question of the Week
• Houston Life Deals: Fun & savings for the entire family
• Outriding the Devil: Angela Ganter’s incredible rodeo comeback
• • Outriding the Devil premieres at River Oaks Theatre
• ‘Aliens’ 40th anniversary cast reunion and more at Pop Culture Con 2026
• • Pop Culture Con
• Alley Theatre brings Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” to Houston with a fresh twist
• • “The Importance of Being Earnest” at Alley Theatre Tickets
• Bounce your way to better fitness: trampoline workouts in West U
• • Motiv Fitness at West University
• Moon 2 Mars Festival returns to Space Center Houston with out-of-this-world fun and concerts this spring break
• • Space Center Houston

Thursday, March 12

• KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for your chance to see Tim McGraw at RODEOHOUSTON
• The Birthday Joy Program helps kids in foster care, shelters and group homes celebrate their special day
• • the Birthday Joy Program Website
• Inside “The Feminine Universe” Houston’s new all-women immersive art experience
• • The Feminine Universe Art Show Tickets
• Bring the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo home with these sips and bites
• • Entertaining Expert Paul Zahn
• Spring is in full swing at CITYCENTRE Houston
• • CITYCENTRE
• Kalahari Resorts and Conventions

Tuesday, March 10

• Enjoy Spring Break at the Houston Museum of Natural Science
• • Houston Museum of Natural Science
• Honoring the fallen & recognizing community heroes
• • Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
  • BP America
• Houston author Margie Seaman proves it is never too late to chase a dream
• • Margie Seaman
  • “Someday Is Our Horizon” by Margie Seaman on Amazon

Monday, March 9

• NestFest beach cleanup invites volunteers to protect nesting sea turtles on the Galveston Coast
• From bumper boats to STEAM activities, enjoy a FUNonmenal spring break at Discovery Green
• • FUNomenal Spring Break at Discovery Green
• This veteran-owned business is helping Houstonians keep the heat the out and the savings in with new windows
• • The Window Source
• You’ve been diagnosed with cancer, now what? Non-profit CanCare pairs you with survivors who can help
• • CanCare
• Spring Break Staycation: Why The Travel Mom says Houston families love Great Wolf Lodge
• • The Travel Mom
  • Great Wolf Lodge

Friday, March 6

• Houston Life Deals
• Pickle vs. anime: Largest pickle festival in Texas comes to Rosenberg with anime-inspired food
• • In A Pickle Festival
• Expedia’s 2026 Air Hacks: Best days to book, when to fly and top savings
• • Expedia Air Hacks Report
• The Parking Spot making airport parking a breeze
• • The Parking Spot
• A rustic dream venue just outside Houston
• • Country Oaks Venue
• Rare Texas artifacts step out ‘From the Vault’ at The Bryan Museum
• • The Bryan Museum
• Rhythm Energy Question of the Week

Thursday, March 5

• Gold Buckle Foodie Awards at Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• Houston Life Deals
• Avoiding vacation headaches: New Vrbo survey on group travel reveals common pet peeves
• • Vrbo
• Houston wellness trend: A local body sculpting technique focused on lymphatic health
• • The Tox
• Catching up with Russell Dickerson ahead of debut RODEOHOUSTON performance
• • RODEOHOUSTON

Wednesday, March 4

• Houston Life Deals
• Moon 2 Mars Festival returns to Space Center Houston with out-of-this-world fun and concerts this spring break
• • Space Center Houston
• What to Wear to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo: Your Ultimate Style Guide 
• • Boot Barn
• Destin-Fort Walton Beach, more than beaches: reefs, fishing, little adventures
• • Visit Destin-Fort Walton Beach
• Baz Luhrmann’s ‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert’ gives fans a front-row seat to The King
• • “EPiC: Elvis Presley In Concert” Film

Tuesday, March 3

• Diana Ross coming to Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land
• Learn about the untold history of Black baseball
• • Houston Freedmen’s Town Conservancy
• Houston Life Deals
• Modern dental implants give Houston patients natural, comfortable smiles
• • Texas Dental Implant Center
• Houston native Kyrie McAlpin Talks ‘The Burbs’, Keke Palmer & a very Seth MacFarlane Christmas party

Monday, March 2

• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• • Houston Life kicks off opening day at 2026 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• Suits & Boot Injury Lawyers

Friday, February 27

• Gabriel Basso takes us behind the scenes of Netflix’s ‘The Night Agent’
• • Netflix’s “The Night Agent”
• Mudbug Mania: Tanji Patton celebrates crawfish season in Houston
• • Goodtaste with Tanji Patton
  • Crawfish Shack
  • Crawfish Hideaway
• Theatre Under The Stars reveals 2026-27 season with Broadway tours & local shows
• • Theatre Under the Stars
• Boot Barn
• What to see and do in Malta — beaches, history and booking tips from The Travel Mom
• • The Travel Mom

Thursday, February 26

• Diana Ross at The Sugar Land Smart Financial Center
• KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for a chance to see Creed perform at RodeoHouston
• Get a peek inside RodeoHouston’s World Championship BBQ Cookoff
• • Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• Soulful river cruises that connect Black travelers to heritage and culture
• • AmaWaterways Soulful Experience River Cruise
• Houston Life Deals
• Allied Outdoor Solutions
• HCC Southeast College

Wednesday, February 25

• Behind the scenes of TUTS’ ‘Million Dollar Quartet’
• • Tickets to ‘Million Dollar Quartet’ at Theatre Under the Stars
• Houston influencers share their best thrifting tips for Rodeo
• • Find your nearest Goodwill store
• Plan the ultimate spring break getaway for everyone at Moody Gardens
• • Moody Gardens
• Ride along: METRO Police Chief explains new safety measures for Houston transit
• • Metro Houston

Tuesday, February 24

• Spring Break, but make it San Antonio
• • Visit San Antonio
• Alley Theatre’s ‘English’ explores identity, belonging, and the weight of learning a new language
• • Tickets to ‘English’ at Alley Theatre
• Looking for a Career Change? Here’s How You Could Be Job-Ready in 10 Months
• • Learn more about programs at United Education Institute Houston

Monday, February 23 (WE ARE BACK!!!)

• Indian Film Festival of Houston celebrates France with film, food and culture
• • Indian Film Festival of Houston Website
• KPRC 2 INSIDERS: Enter for a chance to see Riley Green perform at RodeoHouston
• • Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
• Chris Hemsworth will keep you on the edge of your seat in ‘Crime 101’
• • “Crime 101” Movie Times
• Modern dental implants give Houston patients natural, comfortable smiles
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

February 6 - 20

• Houston is off air due to the Winter Olympics, but that doesn’t mean we’ll stop entertaining you. Be sure to follow us on social media to see all the HL fun. We’ll be back Feb. 23.
• • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Thursday, February 5

• Papa Johns Pizza
• The Cody Stephens Foundation saves lives with free heart screenings for young athletes
• • Cody Stephens Foundation
• Get ready for the return of the one and only Monster Jam in Houston
• • Tickets to Monster Jam at NRG Stadium
• Getting your best night’s sleep: How the latest materials and technology can help you sleep better
• • Texas Mattress Makers
• What is an “Orphan Generator”? And why it could put Houston homes at risk during an outage
• • GenPro.com
• Follow Mersha the Mini Panther on Instagram (Use MERSHA20 to get a discount at PrettyLitter)

Wednesday, February 4

• Simon & Garfunkel Story at The Sugar Land Smart Financial Center
• Behind the scenes of ‘Real Women Have Curves’ on stage at Alley Theatre
• • Tickets to ‘Real Women Have Curves’ at Alley Theatre
• Decoding body language: How to spot liars, read subtle signals, and communicate with confidence
• • Jan Hargrave
• In the Kitchen with Kroger: Why they are your one stop shop for the Big Game and Valentine’s Day
• • Kroger

Tuesday, February 3

• MFAH’s new exhibit explores Frida Kahlo’s lasting legacy
• • ‘Frida: The Making of an Icon’ at MFAH
• United Way of Greater Houston’s 211: Help is one call away
• • United Way of Greater Houston’s 211 Helpline
• After the freeze - now what? How to care for perennials and shrubs in Houston
• • Gardening with Skip
  • Houston Home and Garden Show
• Go back in time at Popfancy Dessert Bar’s new retro 80’s sci-fi arcade cafe
• • Popfancy Fan Cafe

Monday, February 2

• Kenny G at The Sugar Land Smart Financial Center
• The relationship advice that helps couples feel closer — even during hard conversations
• • Connection Expert Jenn Pinkerton
  • Connectin Cards Couples Edition on Amazon
• Paris Hilton’s “Infinite Icon”
• Arandas Bakery
• Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, January 30

• Monster Energy Supercross heads into Houston featuring the world’s fastest racers
• • Monster Energy Supercross at NRG Stadium This Weekend
• From Trinidad and Tobago to Top Chef: Tristen Epps’ journey is rooted in culture
• • Chef Tristen Epps
  • A Classically Black Dinner - Vibrant + Modern + African
• Few physicians leave a legacy like this: Houston honors cancer pioneer Dr. Philip Salem
• • Salem Oncology Center
• The Travel Mom: Family-Friendly Wave-Season Deals from Princess
• • The Travel Mom
  • Princess Cruises

Thursday, January 29

• The Simon & Garfunkel Story at The Sugar Land Smart Financial Center
• Former KPRC 2 reporter shares ‘With Love From Harlem’: The story behind America’s First Black power couple
• • ReShonda Tate’s new book ‘With Love from Harlem’
• American Home Buyer
• How personalized aesthetics - Botox, fillers & lasers - can help you age better
• • Anti Age Institute
• The cast of ‘Bridgerton’ takes us behind-the-scenes of the ton for season 4
• • Netflix’s Bridgerton Season 4

Wednesday, January 28

• KPRC 2’s new evening anchor Stephania Jimenez makes her Houston debut with passion and purpose
• • Follow Stephania on her KPRC 2 Instagram Account
• Cars, boats and more: What to know about this year’s Houston AutoBoative Show 2026
• • Houston Autoboative Show (Save $20 with Family Four Pack Option)
• Get a taste of Old Town Katy with Tanji Patton of Goodtaste TV
• • Goodtaste with Tanji Patton
  • Peanut Butter Pie from Southern Dough
  • Southern Dough Baking Co.
  • Humble Grounds Coffeehouse
  • Harvest Kitchen & Bakery
• A Family Business Built on Trust: Luke’s Plumbing & Air Conditioning Serves Houston for Over 30 Years
• • Luke’s Plumbing & Air Conditioning

Tuesday, January 27

• Remembering the iconic artist David Adickes on his 99th birthday and his lasting legacy in Houston
• • David Adickes Art Website
  • Follow ‘Adickes Art’ on Instagram
• Plan a Vacation Day: Experts share 2026 travel trends and how to protect your trip
• • The Travel Mom
  • Follow The Travel Mom Emily Kaufman on Instagram
  • Travel Guard Insurance
• Texans Serving Texans: Gexa Energy gives back
• • Gexa Energy
• Bill Skarsgård steps beyond horror roots in new film, ‘Dead Man’s Wire’

Monday, January 26

• Houston relationship and intimacy expert dishes on the small relationship habits that make love last
• • Houston Relationship Therapy
  • VIVID Relationships app
• Crawfish & Noodles gearing up for a busy crawfish season
• • Crawfish & Noodles
• Traveling smarter in 2026: What travel experts say to book now
• • Travel Expert Jeanenne Tornatore
  • Follow the Outside Insider on Instagram

Friday, January 23

• Discover why Sam Houston Race Park is a top spot for family outings with “Houston Life”
• • Sam Houston Race Park
  • Corgi Races
  • Shannon Jewelers Presents Diamond Dig
  • Wiener Dog Races

Thursday, January 22

• WEIGH IN: What are your must have products during a freeze?
• Cars, boats and more: What to know about this year’s Houston AutoBoative Show 2026
• • Houston Autoboative Show (Save $20 with Family Four Pack Option)
• Honoring Dr. Philip A. Salem for innovations in cancer care and research
• • Salem Oncology Center
• Bert Kreischer talks fatherhood, fame, and his new scripted comedy series, “Free Bert”
• • Netflix’s “Free Bert”
• Last chance to enjoy the Green Mountain Energy Ice at Discovery Green
• • Ice at Discovery Green

Wednesday, January 21

• Seth Rogen, Ike Barinholtz & Chase Sui Wonders chat comedy series ‘The Studio’
• • Apple Tv+’s ‘The Studio’
• Allied Outdoor Solutions
• Living Designs Furniture
• The Women’s Resource empowers women and girls through free financial and career coaching services
• • The Women’s Resource
• Houston woman helps bring Black cowboy history to PBS
• • Alma’s Way on PBS Kids
  • Black Cowboy Coalition

Friday, January 16

• School Makes You Super: KPRC-TV reporter and mom Haley Hernandez debuts first children’s book to ease school anxiety
• • Buy ‘School Makes You Super" here
• Children’s Museum Houston celebrates the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
• • MLK Day Celebration at Children’s Museum Houston
• Two experts explain why Key Largo, Florida should be on your 2026 travel list
• • The Travel Mom
• The man known as “the human lie detector” works to keep serial killers behind bars
• • Killer Confessions

Thursday, January 15

• Young voices, lasting legacy: Houston students honor Dr. King in 30th Annual Oratory Competition
• • Foley MLK Jr. Oratory Competition
• Breaking through the plateau with Dr. Ian Smith’s ‘The Last 15′
• • Follow Dr. Ian Smith on Instagram
  • Purchase “The Last 15″ on Amazon
• Mindful eating tips and a pesto vinaigrette recipe to kickstart a healthier new year
• • Leaf & Grain
• Stay powered and protected with GenPro.com, Houston’s premier generator specialists
• • Call or log on to book an estimate and receive a functional mini generator worth $50 for FREE

Wednesday, January 14

• Check out the fun, food and giveaways for Houston Rockets fans this week
• • Houston Rockets Game Day Tickets
• A Kroger pharmacist’s guide to everyday wellness in 2026
• • Enter for a chance to win a Kroger gift card
  • Kroger
• Mix-MATCH Festival returns with over 20 performances celebrating Houston’s creative spirit
• • Tickets to 3rd Annual Mix-MATCH Festival
  • Daisies & Pancakes

Tuesday, January 13

• Kick off the new year with magic: Magician Curt Miller returns with his show “The Conjurer”
• • Curt Miller
  • Tickets to The Conjurer: An Intimate Magical Experience with Curt Miller
• Brad Meltzer Book Signing
• • Follow Brad Meltzer on Instagram
• Innovative Lasers of Houston

Monday, January 12

• Turn to tea this year to slow down, reset, and satisfy without regrets
• • Tea Please
• The Travel Mom: Family fun at Knott’s Berry Farm - a California getaway everyone will love
• • The Travel Mom
  • Visit Buena Park
  • Knott’s Berry Farm
• Pet adoption events for the new year at Fort Bend County Animal Services
• • Fort Bend County Animal Services
• New Year, New Smile: AI-driven smile design at Texas Dental Implant Center
• • Texas Dental Implant Center

Friday, January 9

• Shop The Sale Houston with proceeds benefitting childhood cancer research
• • The Sale Houston
• A new chapter begins: Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones chat about their new pairing
• • TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle
• Former radio personality, Sarah Pepper returns to Texas to emcee 2026 Chevron Houston Marathon
• • Follow Sarah Pepper on Instagram

Thursday, January 8

• Belle comes to Houston - Kyra Belle Johnson stars in Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’ now at the Hobby Center
• • Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” Tickets at Hobby Center
• Mathew Knowles launches new Destiny’s Child nationwide tribute tour; Houston is first stop
• • Destiny’s Child: Iconic Reimagined Tribute Tickets
• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

Wednesday, January 7

• The story behind Luke’s Plumbing and Air Conditioning serving Houstonians since 1991
• • Luke’s Plumbing & Air Conditioning
• Where karaoke meets claw machines: Welcome to Klaw‑Oke Kingdom in Pearland
• • Klaw-Oke Kingdom
• Brace yourself, the 1993 Oilers vs. Bills game is featured in new docuseries ‘Don’t Call it a Comeback’
• • VICE TV’s “Don’t Call It A Comeback”
• New Year, Strong Start: EōS Fitness Experts Share Tips to Crush 2026 Goals
• • EōS Fitness

Tuesday, January 6

• Houston bagel pros talk schmear, slices and specials ahead of National Bagel Day
• • Bagel Shop Bakery
• Comedian Chinedu Ogu takes H-Town-rooted comedy on a national tour
• • Chinedu at Punch Line Houston
• Start your new year weight loss journey at Health Solutions and Weightloss
• • Health Solutions and Weightloss
• Enroll Now: Key deadlines and tips for 2026 Marketplace coverage
• • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas

Monday, January 5

• Rosca de Reyes Season is here - and this Houston bakery is busy
• • Arandas Bakery
• Damp or Dry January? These non-alcoholic wines actually taste like wine
• • Daniela Garrido | Wine and Travel Expert
• New Year, New Smile: AI-driven smile design at Texas Dental Implant Center
• • Texas Dental Implant Center
• Freeze Miser

Friday, January 2

• Tough but fair: NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Llamas visits Houston Life
• • NBC Nightly News
  • Tom Llamas
• Tarot Card Reader Amber Ambrose
• Opening weekend kicks off at Sam Houston Race Park TODAY!
• • Sam Houston Race Park

Thursday, January 1

• New Year’s fitness made simple: Tips and a low-impact workout for beginners
• • Hoodfit
• Chantell Preston
• HiFi at The Finn

SEEN ON HL 2025 ARCHIVE

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The incident happened at 10:15 p.m. on a Route 44 bus near West Montgomery Road and Dolley Wright Street.

• Guatemalan man gets 30 years for role in smuggling tragedy that killed 53 people in Texas

METRO said two people were transported to a local hospital. Their injuries were described as non-life-threatening.

METRO Police were called from the bus and responded to the scene, where they took the suspect into custody.

The incident remains under investigation. Additional details about what led to the stabbing were not immediately available.

It happened near Shady Lane and Bantum Street at about 10 p.m. Tuesday.

According to rescuers, an estimated 30 to 40 dogs were found roaming the area.

A concerned resident initially contacted Grizzy’s Hood News after spotting the large number of animals. Word quickly spread online and several community members arrived to help.

Volunteers used traps and caught some dogs by hand, working for hours.

Rescuers described finding male and female dogs of various ages, including puppies and dogs of breeding age.

“It’s madness, and this is an absolute horrible scene. Whoever did this is just a horrible, horrible person,” said rescuer Rhonda Butler.

Danna Fullen, another rescuer who responded to the scene, said the dogs were understandably frightened, making it challenging to catch them.

“It’s never a happy situation when you have to catch a dog on the streets regardless of how happy that dog is or how beat up they are; it’s not a happy situation ever,” Fullen said.

Fullen suspects the animals may have been abandoned by a breeder because of the large number of dogs found together.

“It’s a possibility that a breeder is dumping them. To have dumped this many dogs, at one time, that’s the only conclusion I can have,” Fullen said.

However, that theory has not been confirmed, and it remains unclear who abandoned the animals.

Rescuers also said the area is already known for animal dumping, with dogs, cats and even dead animals reportedly left in the area in the past.

Houston police responded to the scene and confirmed that BARC, the City of Houston’s animal shelter and adoption facility, was handling the situation.

BARC was expected to respond Wednesday morning to help collect any dogs remaining in the area.

As of early Wednesday morning, the exact number of dogs recovered was not confirmed.

What should you do if you find an abandoned dog?

Rescuers are urging residents who encounter stray or abandoned animals to report them rather than ignore the situation.

Houston residents can call 311 to report stray or abandoned dogs and request assistance from the city’s animal control services.

“They hit me with affordability, and that’s the first time I ever heard the word used,” he complained in Nebraska earlier this month.

The White House leaves Vice President JD Vance to use a softer touch. Last month in Texas, he admitted “there are people out there who are frustrated by the pace of progress." And during a CBS News town hall on Saturday, Vance said, “I recognize that gas prices are too high right now" and "we’re working on it.”

Depending on which Republican is speaking, Americans are getting a different perspective on how bad things are with the economy. Trump says “the golden age of America is upon us.” Vance walks a tightrope to show that he knows voters are feeling an economic pinch while still selling them on Trump's agenda.

The disconnect comes as Americans’ confidence in the economy sank to the lowest level in more than a decade this month, the average long-term U.S. mortgage rate jumped this month to its highest level in nearly three years and the unemployment rate ticked up last month.

Recent economic data released this month shows that high gasoline prices are intensifying inflation and more expensive oil and gas have begun to push prices up in other parts of the economy.

While most of Trump's supporters don't hold him at fault, some acknowledge that the president's penchant for salesmanship may not hit the mark.

"I think he talks it up,” said Conda Little, a 76-year-old retiree who went to see Trump in Dalton, Georgia, on Friday. “I think Vance is more real.”

Little takes the president at his word that he will achieve a victory over Iran in a way that benefits U.S. consumers back home. But she said it’s impossible to deny the fallout from the conflict.

“Everybody’s real upset about the gas” and “groceries are out of sight,” she said. “It’s hard. It’s really hard,” she said, adding that, “I think that people need to hear the truth.”

‘We need to do more’

Trump is loath to acknowledge concerns. He told reporters earlier this month that he gives himself “an A+ on the government, on economics, on everything.” He has dismissed concerns about high costs, arguing that concerns about affordability are a “hoax.”

“We’re in the golden age of America. So our nation is doing better now than ever before,” he told a crowd in Kentucky on Saturday while campaigning for Republican candidates.

Trump has occasionally acknowledged that gas prices are high, but has called it “a small price to pay” for keeping the country and the world safe with the Iran war.

Trump’s discordant message with one of the top concerns voters are voicing ahead of the midterm elections has seemed heightened by his fixation on beautifying Washington and building a large ballroom at the White House.

During a visit this month to an economically struggling corner of Arizona, he regaled the crowd with the story about how he ended up with a luxury jet gifted by Qatar to use as Air Force One.

Vance, as he crisscrosses the country, is quick to say that the administration has more work to do.

To cast blame, the vice president often says that his administration’s Democratic predecessors put the country in such a deep hole that they need more time to climb out.

To show empathy, he often references his own experience growing up in a working-class family in a Rust Belt town. That's far different from Trump, who comes from a wealthy family, is a billionaire and even joked during his speeches on Friday and Saturday that if people have lunch at his Mar-a-Lago club, "for $5,000, you’ll get one hamburger and a small dessert.”

Vance, during a CBS News town hall that aired on Saturday, said: “I grew up in a working-class family. When gas prices were high, I know that it made my grandmother suffer, and I’m sure that you’re struggling with it in a variety of ways."

When asked by the moderator about the mixed message he and Trump are giving on the economy, Vance said Trump was speaking about new investments coming into the country, but said the changes take time.

“We need to do more, and we can certainly do better,” he acknowledged.

Many Trump supporters trust his pitch

Some voters said Trump’s rosy view on the economy turns them away, like Santiago Rodriguez, a 19-year-old Texas college student who will be voting for the first time this year.

Rodriguez, who attended a campaign rally last week for Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico, said he would consider voting for a Republican but not while Trump is in charge because he doesn’t grasp the high cost of living for Americans.

“I think he’s out of touch, I think he’s never seen what a true day as a Texan or anybody in general who is in the working class,” Rodriguez said.

Trump's most loyal supporters aren’t interested in blaming high prices on anything the president has done.

Cindy Massengill, a 67-year-old who came to see Trump in Dalton, Georgia, said she felt he’s doing the best he can.

“I’m positive that he’s got done more than any other president after the mess we were left with Obama and Biden,” she said.

Mary Bunker, a 67-year-old Republican who attended Trump’s Monday rally near Wichita, Kansas, said she works multiple jobs, including as a waitress and DoorDash driver.

She feels the pressure of high gas prices, but she likes the tax breaks that Trump signed into law last year and she doesn’t fault the way he speaks about economic concerns.

“I think he’s a very good businessman,” Bunker said. “He’s been in business a long time, so I think he knows what he’s talking about.”

___

Associated Press writers Bill Barrow in Dalton, Georgia, Jesse Bedayn in San Marcos, Texas, and Nicholas Ingram in Park City, Kansas, contributed to this report.

The economy is neither as strong as Trump has claimed nor as weak as consumer sentiment surveys suggest. But with its mix of inflation, inequality and stock market gains, the economy is unsatisfying to most of the public, and its performance has not lived up to Trump's promises.

Here’s a closer look at the numbers that matter.

Inflation at 3.7% annually has risen under Trump

Voters expected Trump to quash inflation. In his inaugural address last year, the Republican pledged: “I will direct all members of my Cabinet to marshal the vast powers at their disposal to defeat what was record inflation and rapidly bring down costs and prices.”

And at an Oct. 3 campaign appearance in Vandalia, Ohio, he told the crowd: “We have almost no inflation." But Labor Department reports don't bear that out.

The consumer price index had been rising at an annual clip of 3% in January 2025, when Trump returned to the White House. Inflation continued to slow until April 2025, when Trump announced a sweeping set of tariffs and prices began to climb again. The inflationary pressures were compounded this year with the start of the Iran war.

Inflation has not returned to peaks seen during President Joe Biden’s term. But the data tells a clear story of inflation on a downward trend that moved jaggedly upward under Trump. The last CPI report before Election Day showed inflation was 3.7% over the past 12 months.

GDP growth has been averaging a little over 2%

A University of Michigan survey of consumer sentiment shows that people are less confident about the U.S. economy now than during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 or the 2008 financial crisis. Unlike those periods, America is not in a recession. The broadest measure of economic growth, gross domestic product, has been expanding at a bit more than 2% annually under Trump. That is a solid figure but not as fast as economic growth had been under Biden, Trump’s Democratic predecessor.

But Trump keeps telling voters that growth has never been more propulsive. The Republican president claims historic levels of foreign investment that are a mix of exaggerations and wishful thinking. “We have growth the likes of which -- and we’re going to have growth the likes of which — we’ve never seen before,” Trump said last week at a rally in Arizona.

The unemployment rate is low, but job growth has slowed

The 4.2% unemployment rate has been a sign of the economy's health. Trump inherited a low rate that has continued under his presidency in an environment that many economists have described as “low hire, low fire.”

Trump likes to say there have never been so many jobs in U.S. history, but that's largely because of population growth rather than his policies. Employers are adding on average almost 39,000 jobs a month during Trump's second term. Monthly hiring gains were three times larger — topping 121,000 on average — in the year before Trump returned to the White House.

One factor in slower job growth is Trump's crackdown on immigration, which means fewer people are looking for jobs. The unemployment rate for people born in the U.S. has largely held steady, which would suggest that Americans are not taking the jobs formerly held by immigrants.

Borrowing costs have risen

With an increasing national debt, persistently high inflation and the energy price spikes tied to the Iran war, it's getting more expensive to borrow money for a home, auto or other basic needs. Interest on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note is above 5%, having hit its highest levels since 2002. That makes it costlier for people to borrow and harder for the U.S. government to repay its bonds.

Stocks have kept setting records

Trump likes to brag about how stock markets continue to set record highs under his presidency, although Biden could have made similar claims. The S&P 500 index is up about 12% this year. It rose by about 16.4% last year.

But the increase in 2024 — before Trump became president — was 23.3%. The stock market is a function of more than presidential politics, as growth in tech stocks has sustained the broader market. Trump's tax cuts may have helped corporate earnings, as federal revenues from business taxes fell 16% last year, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Inequality is widening

Since Trump returned to the White House, the wealth of the top 0.1% of households has increased by $5.5 trillion in just 18 months, according to Federal Reserve data. The bottom 50% of households have seen their wealth increase by $380 billion.

That means the bottom half of households on average saw their net worth improve by $5,600 under Trump's presidency. The richest 0.1% saw their net worth increase on average by $40.8 million, a sum more than 7,000 times greater than the average gain for a household in the bottom half.

___

Find AP Fact Checks at https://apnews.com/APFactCheck.

Each day, morning and afternoon temperatures will rise by a couple of degrees. Gone are the mornings in the 40s and afternoons in the 70s. It won’t be hot, but we’re losing that crisp fall feel the rest of the week. There is good news with humidity. It will stay low through the weekend.

Warm and dry through the weekend:

We are in a weather pattern called an omega block. Looking below you can see the Greek Symbol for Omega. This blocking pattern occurs when two areas of low pressure “block” high pressure from moving. Because we’re under the high, we’ll experience dry weather with warm temperatures. This pattern won’t change until early next week.

Tracking the tropics:

There is an area off the east coast that has a 40% chance of becoming our next tropical system. It is currently a noreaster but may become tropical. It will bring strong winds and coastal flooding from Delaware to the Outer Banks. There is already 8-12′ waves. It will not make direct hit on the United States.

Extended forecast:

I know you are all wanting to know when the next cold front will move through. It could move through Tuesday October 27th. Temperatures may fall back to the 50s in the morning and 70s in the afternoon. This would bring a cool fall feel on Halloween night. Of course we’ll keep you posted.

Two videos circulating on social media show adults confronting students in the stands. In one, a woman uses profanity toward students. In another, a woman can be heard threatening to call U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on students’ parents.

• Houston groups declare ‘State of Emergency’ over ICE actions, two girls left alone after mother detained

KPRC 2 News reporter Ricky Muñoz tracked down one of the women seen in the footage, sitting beside the woman making the ICE threat. She provided a detailed explanation of what she says happened before the confrontation.

Muñoz also interviewed a mother and her teenage daughter, an Austin volleyball player, who witnessed the exchange. Their accounts challenge several of the woman’s claims.

Meanwhile, Austin High School Principal Jonathan Guzman has told families that administrators from both campuses intervened. The mother and daughter acknowledge that the principal responded, but question why the students were moved while the adults were not removed.

KPRC 2 has sent HISD five separate emails seeking answers about what action was taken and whether the district believes its administrators handled the incident appropriately.

Those specific questions have not received direct answers.

What happened before the videos were recorded?

According to the mother interviewed by KPRC 2, the atmosphere inside the gym became increasingly tense as the two schools competed.

She described cheering from both sides, including students shouting “loser” toward the opposing team. She said that kind of back-and-forth cheering was not unusual at volleyball games.

But she said the situation changed when adults began responding directly to the students.

• Harris County shatters early voting record on Day 1 with at least 104,000 ballots cast

The mother, who said she was seated about four rows above the women involved, said she heard an adult remark about the students’ nationality.

“Whenever the boys started walking that way, the lady told the boys, ‘Y’all need to go back to Mexico.’”

That remark is an eyewitness allegation; KPRC 2 has not independently established it through the viral recordings.

The mother said she was concerned that confronting the woman herself could turn the argument physical.

Her daughter, who was participating in the volleyball game, also recalled hearing the ICE threat while she was on the bench.

She said another student then asked the woman to repeat what she had said.

The confrontation was captured on video and subsequently spread across social media.

“`I’m going to loop tobacco at the fair,’” the seventh grader told them. “And they’re, like, `What?’ They don’t have a clue.”

To be fair, most people don’t.

At 12, Sophie was the youngest contestant in the North Carolina State Fair’s annual tobacco stringing contest, which pays homage to a way of life that was already largely past when her parents were kids.

Traditionally, tobacco was harvested by hand, hung in a log barn and cured to a golden-brown with a wood fire that had to be stoked day and night. But before it could go into the barn, the green tobacco had to be strung on long wooden sticks.

What you called this practice depended on what part of the state you lived in. Because the fairgrounds are in the capital, Raleigh, they call it a stringing contest.

“Where I grew up, in the middle of the state, we call it stringing,” said Pat Short, superintendent of the fair’s Heritage Circle. “But down east, in the eastern part of the state, they call it looping tobacco.”

Today, North Carolina’s flue-cured tobacco crop is harvested mostly by machine and packed tightly into natural gas-heated metal bulk barns that look more like shipping containers.

It’s a different world from when 97-year-old Ruth Coats, the oldest contestant, worked her family’s tobacco near the Virginia border. Once the state’s largest cash crop, tobacco was the beating heart of many family farms. Tobacco “allotments” — the rights to grow it — were hereditary.

“It was good, hard work, but it made you much stronger,” she said with a giggle. “A lot of memories of my family and friends.”

Teams like The Tie Masters and Mule Stringers compete

Although North Carolina remains the nation’s No. 1 tobacco producer, the leaf has fallen to the state’s third most valuable cash crop, behind corn and soybeans. Growers produced more than 248 million pounds (112 million kilograms) last year, valued at nearly $546 million, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Most tobacco ends up in smoking products.

“When we were growing up, if people had anywhere from 6 to 10 acres of tobacco, they could actually raise enough money to raise their family,” said Ken Jones, Sophie's grandfather. “But now, most of the guys contract (with tobacco companies) 400 to 600 acres (162 to 243 hectares) of tobacco at one time.”

On Friday, teams with names like The Tie Masters, the Mule Stringers and 89 & Twine battled it out in a white tent as temperatures reached 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius).

With a “ready set and go” from Short, a pair of “handers” gathered clumps of yellow-green leaves from a table and passed them to the stringer, who wrapped twine around the stems of the leaves, then the stick.

When they’d strung at least 36 bundles, they wrapped the twine around the stick’s end and tore it off.

The fastest teams can tie a stick in under a minute.

Three generations of one family vied for first place

Peggy Medlin remembers being so fast as a teenager that her boss let the other two loopers go.

“And I made $6 for looping 600 sticks,” the 89-year-old recalled with a grin.

But it’s not just about speed. Before presenting a stick to the judges, a worker gave each a couple of good shakes to make sure no leaves fell out.

“Because in the curing process, that would be a bad thing if it caused it to catch on fire,” explained Andrea Ashby, director of public affairs for the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

A dozen teams competed this year. Sophie was one of three generations of her family vying for the $250 first prize.

Sandy Jones grew up on a southeastern North Carolina farm and learned to loop from her mother. She taught her own daughter, Annie, when she was about 5, and her granddaughter when she was about the same age.

Jones’ squad, the defending champion Maple Hill Loopers, included her husband, Ken, and son-in-law Mike Sunday. Sophie, mom Annie and her great-aunt comprised The 3 Suckers — a play on the small side shoots that can stunt the growth of healthy leaves.

The Maple Hill Loopers were edged out by The Benson Nites, which finished with a time of just under one minute and four seconds.

The Suckers didn’t place, but that didn’t matter to Sophie.

“I think of it as tradition,” she said.

Short said the tobacco strung at the fair — which was grown at the nearby Oxford Tobacco Research Station — will be sold to a contractor and likely go into cigarettes. Sophie confessed to being a bit conflicted about tobacco, a plant that has killed untold humans, but is also showing promise in vaccine production and other pharmaceutical research.

“Every single year I go, I’m like, `Why do we do this? It’s, like, bad for people,’” she said. “But the leaves can also get used for, like, different things, not just smoking.”

And when she has kids of her own, she’s going to teach them how to loop.

“It makes my heart smile,” her grandmother said.

In his first interview with a global news organization since taking office, Magyar, 45, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that efforts to recover assets that were allegedly misused under his predecessor were underway, but that the push for accountability must follow the rule of law that Orbán's government often flouted.

“The Hungarian people obviously want to see results in holding those responsible accountable, punishing them and recovering stolen property,” Magyar said from his central Budapest office.

During Orbán's rule, he said, Hungarians "experienced that this wonderful country, which was a high achiever when we joined the European Union in 2004, became one of the poorest and most corrupt member states in Europe.”

Magyar’s center-right, pro-European Tisza party defeated Orbán’s far-right Fidesz in April, ending 16 years of rule admired by the global nationalist right for its antagonistic approach to the EU and strong stance against immigration and the “liberal mainstream.”

Orbán’s self-described “illiberal democracy” dismantled checks and balances and enriched allied business figures, largely through awarding them lucrative EU-financed state contracts. Concerns over corruption and democratic backsliding prompted the bloc to begin withholding billions in funding to Hungary in 2021.

New government pursues asset recovery

Before the election, Magyar promised to bring those responsible for past abuses to justice and to recover public assets misused under Orbán. Recent polls show a large majority of voters expect him to fulfill that pledge.

Magyar's government established the National Asset Recovery and Protection Office, which holds investigative and prosecutorial powers to pursue cases of misused public funds. Magyar called the office a “superauthority” that can enlist police, prosecutors and the national tax authority “so that it doesn’t take years to uncover a complicated corruption case.”

Magyar has also applied to join the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, which investigates crimes involving EU funds, reversing Orbán’s longstanding refusal to participate.

On Wednesday, Orbán-era Central Bank governor György Matolcsy was arrested on suspicion of fraud and other abuses, the highest-ranking official implicated in criminal proceedings so far. While several other former officials have also been detained on suspicion of corruption-related offenses, Magyar acknowledged there is pressure for quicker results.

“I feel the impatience,” he said. “But everyone must understand that we want to build a rule of law state, a democratic country, a country that complies with EU and fundamental rights, and that takes time.”

“I try to tell people that it’s not the first 10 minutes of mafia movies and crime films that are the most exciting, but the middle and the end,” he said.

Holding firm on migration

Rapid reforms targeting corruption and bolstering judicial independence helped secure the EU’s announcement in May that it would unlock 16.4 billion euros (around $18.4 billion) for Hungary that it had frozen under Orbán.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will visit Budapest on Friday for the 70th anniversary of Hungary’s 1956 anti-Soviet revolution in another sign that the bumpy relationship with the EU is turning a corner.

But the rapprochement has not erased differences over migration.

Magyar said his administration would retain Orbán-era immigration and asylum policies, including escorting migrants who entered irregularly back across the southern border into Serbia. The fences with razor wire along the border, erected by Orbán in 2015 to keep out migrants and asylum seekers, will also stay in place.

In 2024, the European Court of Justice fined Hungary 200 million euros ($225 million) plus 1 million euros ($1.1 million) daily for failing to comply with a 2020 ruling on its asylum and removal practices.

Magyar said that since that ruling, “there is a completely new political environment" in the EU concerning immigration, and that Hungary had “already lost one billion euros because of this punishment, and I don’t think that’s right.”

He expects an agreement ending the fines by the end of the year, and linked the dispute to negotiations on the EU’s next seven-year budget, which requires unanimous approval from member states.

“I don’t believe that there can be a common EU budget until this problem is solved,” he said.

Rebuilding ties with Ukraine

Magyar has also sought to repair relations with neighboring Ukraine after Orbán repeatedly blocked aid to Kyiv and held up EU sanctions against Russia, all while maintaining cordial ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In a turnabout from Orbán's hostile approach to Kyiv, Magyar's government has expressed solidarity with Ukraine and designated Russia a national security threat. But he has maintained Hungary's demand that Ukraine protect its ethnic Hungarian minority’s right to education in its mother tongue.

While Orbán's government had failed to secure such a change, Ukraine’s parliament last week expanded minority-language education rights alongside Ukrainian following weeks of bilateral consultations.

Magyar called the passage of the law “a chance to open a new chapter in Ukrainian-Hungarian relations," which he said for many years have been "very frosty.”

He welcomed other Ukrainian gestures, including acknowledging Soviet Ukraine’s responsibility for the deportation and torture of Hungarians between 1944 and 1946, which he said was “an important step toward reconciliation.”

Still, Magyar opposes accelerated EU membership for Ukraine — advocated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and numerous EU leaders — saying accession must be merit based and that he does not believe a country at war can join the bloc.

“It undermines the credibility of the European Union if you put some (prospective) member countries on a fast track,” he said.

Taxing wealth, raising benefits

At home, Magyar’s proposed 2027 budget combines tax cuts for lower earners with a new wealth tax, reflecting his criticism that Orbán’s economic policies divided Hungary into two groups: “Well-to-do, wealthy people, oligarchs and their circles, and then all the rest.”

The government expects an annual 1% tax on net wealth above 1 billion forints ($3.1 million) to affect about 15,000 people and raise 200 billion forints ($617 million), helping finance tax cuts for around 2 million lower earners. The rate would rise to 1.5% on wealth above 100 billion forints ($308 million).

The government also plans to double child allowances, whose basic rate is around $37 monthly for a one-child family and has been unchanged since 2008. It will also more than quadruple the monthly minimum pension from around $88 — which Magyar called “inhumane” — to around $370.

“That doesn’t make me a socialist. That doesn’t make me a leftist. This is called humanity. This is called social justice,” Magyar said.

“There will be a lot more coming,” Huffines said as he held up a jumbo printed version of the order in front of tax industry members, associations and consultants. “This puts tens of millions of dollars annually back in the pocket of Texas families and small businesses.”

Huffines made good on his promise in the weeks that followed, as he issued three more executive orders. The orders target a tax for medical records, funding for Flock surveillance cameras and ensuring no state dollars support diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.

Except they might be executive orders in name only. The orders themselves direct comptroller’s office staff to start the formal process of changing agency rules, something the comptroller can largely do on his own already.

It is not clear why Huffines is calling the directives executive orders, a unilateral authority that typically rests in the hands of the chief executive at each level of government, whether it is a county judge, Gov. Greg Abbott or President Donald Trump. Huffines’ office did not respond to a list of questions or an interview request.

“They don’t supersede any kind of policymaking from the [Legislature] or orders from the governor — so this is really internal housekeeping more than anything,” said Brandon Rottinghaus, a University of Houston political science professor who likened Huffines’ orders to agency memoranda or directives. “He’s trying to amplify the nature of these orders.”

Coming less than five weeks before Election Day, the executive orders are the latest moves from Huffines to garner attention from inside and out of one of the state’s most important agencies, yet one whose charges typically fly below the radar of headlines. Among the office’s tasks are the collection of state taxes, implementation of a new $1 billion private school voucher program and calculation of the state’s revenue, which instructs the Legislature’s budget drafting every two years.

But in the recent orders critics see an attempt by Huffines to reinvent that conventional understanding of the office as the state’s chief financial officer into a more powerful state agency that pushes the limits of its authority, from accounting to setting policy. Since being appointed by the governor to the post in August, the comptroller has fired dozens of people, upended the agency’s structure and embarked on his campaign promises to DOGE the state — all before winning a general election.

Huffines will face Democratic nominee Sarah Eckhardt, a state senator from Austin, for the right to a four-year term in November. In an interview, Eckhardt said Huffines — who unsuccessfully challenged Abbott in 2022 — is “cosplaying” as governor.

“We don’t have two governors. We have one,” Eckhardt said, listing off the comptroller’s responsibilities — like ensuring the state’s contract procurement processes remain above board. “These are important jobs of the comptroller but he doesn’t seem interested in those jobs. He’s fixated on having governor-like powers.”

Huffines’ first order directed agency staff to propose a rule change that would stop applying the state’s data processing tax to fees charged by online marketplaces like eBay and Amazon. Sellers on those platforms pay the tax, from restaurants selling food on DoorDash to vendors selling crafts on Etsy. The comptroller’s office said the customer also paid the tax.

During last year’s legislative session, Rep. Angie Chen Button, R-Garland, introduced a bill that would have similarly excluded certain services from the tax. The bill received a committee hearing, where it was praised by small business owners and representatives from major online retailers like Expedia alike.

But the proposed legislation never advanced out of committee.

Huffines is taking another approach: agency rulemaking.

“Thank you,” Button wrote in a social media post after the comptroller unveiled his directive. “Glad to see momentum behind this effort to make Texas taxes fairer.”

Button’s proposed legislation, House Bill 1681, would have cost the state millions of dollars in revenue, according to the Legislative Budget Board. At the conclusion of the Texas House panel’s hearing on the bill last April, Button told her peers that calculation was “misinformation” and that the state was unfairly taxing people.

The comptroller’s office published the proposed rule change in the latest issue of the Texas Register, the state’s weekly publication of new, amended and withdrawn agency rules. In it, the agency acknowledged the change would cost the state general revenue but argued it would benefit the public “by reducing costs and uncertainty for businesses.”

Huffines made a similar argument in announcing it. “Ending this tax isn’t a cost to government because this money never belonged to the government. You cannot lose what was never yours,” he said.

Huffines’ other orders follow the same approach.

The second, announced Oct. 6, aims to end a tax charged when someone requests medical records, whether the request comes from a patient or doctor. Like with the first order, Huffines told agency staff to begin the agency rule-changing process.

“The proposed amendment shall proceed through the rulemaking process required by

Chapter 2001, Government Code, and this order shall be implemented consistent with that process,” the order states.

The third executive order appears to coincide with an executive order from Abbott. In late August, the governor directed all state agencies to stop funding Flock cameras amid scrutiny over the surveillance technology. The Tribune reported one state agency had devoted some $30 million to bolstering the state’s Flock surveillance network, by giving grants to local police departments.

On Oct. 13, Huffines ordered up a rule change to ban the use of state grant money for the technology. “This Order directs internal agency action. It is not a rule, and it does not impose any obligation on any Grantee, Contractor, or other person or alter the terms of any Grant solicitation, agreement, or award, unless and until rules are adopted in accordance” with the rulemaking process, according to the order.

The fourth order, issued last week, will require state contractors and grantees to assure the state no part of their work involves DEI. The actual order has not yet been posted online. In a press release, Huffines teased more to come and suggested his directives are part of a new day at the comptroller’s office.

“It is the latest in a series of new standard terms Huffines is writing into Comptroller contracts and grants to protect taxpayers and enforce Texas law,” the office said in a news release.

Huffines is not the first comptroller to try scrambling the expectations of the role he is filling, said Rottinghaus, the UH professor. Bob Bullock, perhaps the office’s best-known former occupant, similarly leveraged administrative rules to control, for example, how businesses calculated taxes and how franchise taxes were reported.

It also helps Huffines establish a record, Rottinghaus said, as he tries to pitch himself to voters as an incumbent despite being placed in the role by the governor.

A recent statewide poll from the University of Texas at Austin’s Texas Politics Project placed Huffines one point ahead of Eckhardt, well within the margin of error.

Early voting is underway and runs through Oct. 30. Election Day is Nov. 3.

Disclosure: The University of Texas at Austin has been a major financial supporter of The Texas Tribune. University of Houston has been a financial supporter within the past five years. The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in our journalism. Find a complete list of them and more information about our financial and disclosure policies here.

The 65-year-old independent politician is receiving treatment in a Melbourne hospital where she was flown by helicopter.

Phil Haines, her husband, gave the family’s first public comments on her condition since she was hit by a Toyota Land Cruiser SUV in her hometown of Wangaratta on Monday, speaking hours after a man accused of running her over made an initial appearance in court.

Husband says Haines has lost both her legs

Haines' husband said her left leg was amputated on Monday and her right leg was amputated on Wednesday after doctors abandoned hope of saving it.

“The good news in all this is that Helen is alive and she’s stable. That is the most important thing for our family,” the husband told reporters in Melbourne.

“We are grateful and thankful that at this stage, both her heart and her mind are in good shape,” he said.

He added that their 40th wedding anniversary will be in November.

Man accused of attack makes first appearance in court

Earlier Wednesday, Brendan Nugent, a 43-year-old man from nearby Tarrawingee, appeared in the Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court charged with intentionally causing serious injury, dangerous driving causing serious injury and causing harm to a federal official.

Nugent didn’t apply for bail or enter a plea. He will remain in custody until his next court appearance in February. Police have yet to determine a motive.

Nugent's lawyer Chirag Patel told Magistrate Allison Vaughan that his client was suffering from potential mental health issues but had never been diagnosed with any mental health problem.

Patel said Nugent suffered from a neurological condition, idiopathic transverse myelitis, and a concussion. The lawyer did not explain how Nugent had been concussed.

The rare condition damages the spinal cord’s protective myelin sheath and disrupts nerve signals between the brain and body. This leads to rapid muscle weakness, sensory loss, pain, and bladder and bowel dysfunction, according to the Cleveland Clinic medical center.

Witnesses say the driver rammed his victim, pinning her against her own car before reversing and ramming her a second time.

Australia worries about balancing security with keeping politicians accessible

The well-regarded lawmaker's plight has shocked Australians, as political violence is uncommon in the country and politicians are highly accessible to the public. Most lawmakers are not accompanied by security details and go about their work and personal lives on their own.

Senior opposition lawmaker James Paterson on Wednesday called for a review of lawmakers’ personal security in response to the alleged crime.

“The reality is that Australian parliamentarians by global standards are uniquely accessible to the public and that’s a good thing,” Paterson told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

“But we … can’t have a situation where shocking attacks like this take place because that will fundamentally change our democracy forever if it becomes a serious risk to your life to be a member of parliament,” Paterson added.

But Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged lawmakers to continue to engage openly with the public despite worsening animosity within the community.

“We want to make sure that people can feel as much comfort as possible that everything’s being done to maximize security,” Albanese told News24.

“I think parliamentarians across the board are determined to make sure that we can continue to engage as we need to in this great democracy of ours,” Albanese added. “That interaction is really important in our democracy.”

Security agencies brief lawmakers on personal security

Lawmakers began online meetings with Australia’s security agencies on Wednesday to discuss their safety. Such briefings are a regular occurrence.

Albanese described the briefings as an “opportunity for people who feel anxious to be able to ask questions” of security agencies.

Australian Federal Police provide personal security only to those lawmakers who are assessed as higher risk, usually because they have attracted the attention of dangerous people. Prime ministers always have personal protection and immigration ministers often do because they anger people with visa decisions.

Paterson said providing police protection to all 226 federal lawmakers would not be practical. But he suggested increased security at electorate offices, such as Haines’ office where she was hit. Paterson said lawmakers were “most identifiable” at their offices. Coming and going could be a “risky moment.”

Federal Police Commissioner Kissy Barrett told reporters providing police protection to all parliamentarians would take an “incredible amount of resourcing.”

Police received 1,067 reports of threatening, harassing, nuisance and offensive communications against high officeholders including federal lawmakers and their office staff in the last fiscal year — a 12% increase on the previous year. Barrett said almost one suspect a week was charged over such threats.

Australia hasn’t recorded the political violence seen in other countries

Elsewhere in the world, authorities have warned of growing threats to lawmakers. The United States has seen a rise in political violence over the past decade.

That includes the 2022 hammer assault on the husband of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi; the 2024 assassination attempt on Donald Trump during his presidential campaign, as well as another on the president at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in April; and the assassinations in 2025 of a Democratic Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband, and of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.

In Britain, killings of politicians have also led to tighter security. Labour lawmaker Jo Cox was shot and stabbed in 2016 by a far-right extremist, while Conservative David Amess was stabbed in 2021 by an attacker inspired by the militant Islamic State group.

In July, the former British politician and reality TV contestant Ann Widdecombe was found beaten to death with a hammer at her home. A man has been charged with murder and terrorism-related offenses.

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Graham-McLay reported from Wellington, New Zealand.

When the French fight high fuel taxes, they don yellow vests and march. When angry farmers want better pay, hundreds of them drive tractors down the Champs-Élysées. And when museum workers want better tourist management, they strike and shut down the Louvre.

Passionate public protest is as French as “La Marseillaise,” the 1792 anthem that enshrines the collective duty to fight tyranny in the country's national identity. But this month, the most violent demonstrations in years — and tough policing — have raised concern about riots overshadowing hundreds of thousands of peaceful demonstrators marching against rising living costs and poor conditions in schools.

On Saturday alone, at least 2,400 people were arrested after rioters in cities across France clashed with police, set cars on fire, stormed public buildings, looted stores and engulfed a historic city hall in flames. More protests could be in store.

"How can French people do this to France?" outgoing President Emmanuel Macron asked on Sunday. Nothing justifies the destruction, he added. “We all feel anger and shame.”

But any student of French history would know that the nation's proud, loud and colorful protest culture has sometimes turned violent — starting with the beheadings of King Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette during the revolution that overthrew the monarchy in 1789.

A protest culture is born

Historians say the revolution was where the modern-day French tradition of civic engagement as a duty was born. The idea is that voting is not the only way to drive change; demonstration is considered a bedrock value, a way to make elites hear the populace and to defend freedoms. The moment a child becomes an activist is seen as a generations-old rite of passage. The right to protest is even constitutionally protected.

“It’s a way to build collective identity and political community,” said Magali Della Sudda, research director in political science at the French National Center for Scientific Research in Bordeaux.

France's post-revolution history is not a solid story of protests and reforms, but of cycles of popular uprisings, repression, mobilization and political concessions. The tradition has turned tragic; in 1871, government troops cracked down on the new “Paris Commune,” or municipal government, reportedly killing thousands.

In some ways, collective action won — as in 1968, when student demonstrations and a general strike forced the government to grant concessions like an increase in the minimum wage.

In more recent history, the “yellow vests” — “gilets jaunes” in French — demonstrated against a proposed fuel tax increase, and that broadened into protests over other issues like living costs and inequality. Some demonstrations in 2018 and 2019 featured burning cars, looting and confrontations with police. It's not uncommon for French violence on the fringes to mar otherwise peaceful marches.

Likewise, the student protests over the weekend expanded from education to other grievances — and featured dramatic scenes of looting and clashes with police. It’s not clear how many of those who were ransacking shops had turned out to join the day's protest, which drew tens of thousands, or were mere opportunists. Authorities have responded with nightly curfews; there were calls for more protests later in the week.

It happened during a political season, less than two weeks before the U.S. midterm elections on Nov. 3 that will also amount to a referendum on President Donald Trump’s troubled second term in office. Trump and leading Republicans are trying to leverage the widespread riots in France by making unsubstantiated claims that the social unrest in Europe is caused by Muslim migrants.

Authorities and police have not linked immigrants to the rioting in France.

Police violence blamed for mistrust

Some of the forces driving protests for the last month are owed to more recent French tradition, according to political scientist Fabien Jobard, who has studied the history of protest and policing.

Since the 1990s, the country has seen recurring waves of what the French call “violences urbaines” and Americans would call riots, Jobard said. They are often sparked by police violence: nationwide unrest erupted in 2005 after two teenagers died while fleeing police, and again in 2023 after an officer fatally shot a 17-year-old during a traffic stop outside Paris.

“For young people from the suburbs, the riot is one of the traditional forms of collective expression,” he said.

Government critics and human rights campaigners have alleged that police tactics in the last month have been unnecessarily violent. Much of the criticism focuses on rubber-bullet launchers, known in France as LBDs, and stun grenades, which critics blame for serious injuries to protesters.

And Della Sudda noted that the nearly 8,000 arrests in the weeks leading up to Oct. 17 dwarf the few dozen detained during a 1998 protest of 500,000 students against teacher shortages and dilapidated schools.

The feeling of not being heard also is part of it, she says. Rather than listen to protesters and negotiate, Della Sudda noted, the government, for example, tried to appease “yellow vest” grievances through a digital platform, which translates to “the great national debate.” Anti-government protesters panned Macron’s plan.

“As a result," Della Sudda wrote, “mistrust is growing.”

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Kellman reported from London.

William Reaves, 77, was pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m. following a three-drug injection at Florida State Prison near Starke. He was convicted of first-degree murder in the September 1986 shooting death of Indian River County sheriff's deputy Richard Raczkoski.

The death chamber curtain went up promptly at the 6 p.m. execution time with Reaves already strapped to a gurney with an IV in his arm. Asked if he had any last words, he replied ”No, I do not.”

The injection began immediately after that. About 30 seconds later, Reaves took several big breaths and then stopped moving. After a few minutes, the team warden shook Reaves’ shoulders and shouted his name, but there was no response. A medic was called in a short time later to check for a heartbeat or any other signs of life, and Reaves was pronounced dead about a minute later.

Reaves was the eighth Florida prisoner over age 70 put to death this year, highlighting the nation’s aging death-row population as Florida continues to far outpace the rest of country in total executions. Last year, Florida set a state record with 19 executions in a year, and it's poised to tie that mark if another execution is carried out next month as scheduled.

DeSantis, who leaves office in January after two terms, has said he wants justice to be delivered to victims’ families who have often waited decades for death sentences to be imposed.

Marc Raczkoski, the deputy’s brother, briefly told reporters after witnessing the execution that his brother finally got justice.

But Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers, who was also on hand, said at a post-execution briefing that he saw the execution as closure, not justice.

“Would we all be so lucky to be 77 years old and to die so peacefully,” Flowers said. “That’s not justice in any way in my opinion.”

Reaves struggled with the deputy after dropping a gun

Raczkoski responded to a 911 call at a Vero Beach convenience store on Sept. 23, 1986, according to court records. Reaves later acknowledged he had placed the call from a payphone outside the store.

While the two men talked, a gun fell out of Reaves’ shorts, officials said. They then struggled over the weapon, and Reaves eventually regained control of it. Investigators said the deputy was trying to run away when Reaves shot him four times. Raczkoski died later that day from his wounds.

Reaves was convicted and sentenced to death about a year after the shooting. But the Florida Supreme Court overturned the conviction because of a conflict of interest with the prosecutor and ordered a new trial. Reaves was convicted again and newly sentenced to death in 1992. Subsequent appeals were unsuccessful.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday afternoon rejected Reaves’ 11th-hour appeal without comment.

Lawyers challenged lethal injection procedure

The Florida Supreme Court last week also rejected Reaves’ appeals seeking to spare his life.

His attorneys challenged Florida’s three-drug lethal injection protocol. All Florida executions are carried out via injection of a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart, according to the Department of Corrections.

The court has previously upheld the protocol against similar challenges. Florida's method differs from the single-drug injection used in states such as Tennessee, where condemned inmate Christa Pike was rushed to a hospital last month after surviving two doses of pentobarbital.

Reaves' attorneys also argued that jurors who recommended the death penalty were never told the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs had rated the Army veteran as 100% disabled because of post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from his service in the Vietnam War.

More than 100 military veterans appealed to DeSantis to halt the execution in a letter Monday, citing those factors.

Florida close to tying its 2025 record of 19 executions

A total of 47 people were executed in the United States in 2025. Florida led the nation that year with 19 executions and has accounted for more than half of the 32 U.S. executions — Reaves included — carried out thus far in 2026.

In July, Florida executed two prisoners in one day, becoming the first state in nearly a decade to do so.

On Nov. 5, Jesse Guardado, 64, is scheduled to receive a lethal injection in the same Florida death chamber. Guardado was convicted of robbing and killing a 75-year-old woman while stealing items on a crack cocaine binge in 2004.

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The story has been updated to correct the spelling of the deputy's last name to Raczkoski, not Raczkowski, throughout.

The Finance Ministry’s preliminary data showed that Japan’s exports for the April-September period grew 18.4% from the same period the previous year to 63.5 trillion yen, while imports soared to 66.3 trillion yen, up 20.4% year-over-year.

Both were record highs for Japan. The soaring price of oil affects a wide range of sectors, including plastic goods and shipping costs.

Resource-poor Japan imports virtually all its oil and has relied on access to the Strait of Hormuz in the Middle East for its oil shipments. That’s now basically blocked, and Japan has had to pay more to get shipments from other routes.

Brent crude, the international standard, has soared from $70 a barrel in February to around $110 a barrel. Analysts say prices are unlikely to ease soon.

For the month of September, Japan’s trade deficit totaled 536.6 billion yen, marking the fifth month of deficits, down from 1.1 trillion yen in August.

Japan’s September imports grew 18.9% from the previous year, while exports rose 16.7%.

One sore point is the weakening yen, which drives up the cost of imports. The U.S. dollar is lately trading at 150-yen levels.

The central bank, which kept borrowing costs at below or near zero for years to help keep a shaky economy going, has been gradually raising interest rates, in part to prop up the yen.

Last month, the Bank of Japan raised the benchmark interest rate to 1.25% from 1.0%, a 31-year high. Its monetary policy board meets again next week. The bank has an inflation target of about 2%.

The Japanese government has repeatedly stressed it’s working closely with the Bank of Japan. The government of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is promising a tax cut on food to 1% from 8% to help lower-income families cope with soaring prices. That bill is now being debated in Parliament.

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Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@yurikageyama

As he stepped to the free-throw line for the Philadelphia 76ers early in Tuesday night's season opener, Knicks fans erupted toward James with chants of “We don’t want you! We don’t want you!”

Such a rude reception from New Yorkers to one of the city’s newest residents.

The shouts of rejection came in part because there was a plausible scenario under which James would have opened the season at Madison Square Garden in a Knicks uniform.

James and his agent, Rich Paul, had said the Knicks would have been James’ first choice in free agency had New York not won its first NBA championship since 1973 last season.

Knicks fans said, we’re good.

The 41-year-old James got the final word as the Sixers won 106-100.

James talked smack with fans in the lower level. Yes, that was Spike Lee trying to play peacemaker.

James finished with 14 points and nine rebounds and had plenty of help in getting the W from new Sixers and holdovers. Tyrese Maxey scored 28 points, Jaylen Brown had 19, Joel Embiid had 13 points and 11 rebounds, and the Sixers ruined the Knicks’ championship party.

A good night in New York totally spoiled? Not quite, according to James.

“I wouldn't say that,” James said. “It was a great night for New York fans. Fifty-plus years. I was a part of that at one point where we hadn't won a major championship in Cleveland in over 50 years. The fans will never forget this moment.”

James' first basket for the Sixers was not nearly as memorable. He took a feed from Embiid in the paint and went up strong for an uncontested right-handed layup.

Just two points. Just one bucket of what the Sixers expect to be many, many more over the next two seasons as the NBA's career scoring leader opened his record 24th season.

Embiid appeared to wonder during the national anthem where the Knicks' championship banner was hanging in the rafters as James sat nearby on the bench with his head bowed and hands clasped.

The banner was indeed raised in a pregame ceremony.

It's the same kind of celebration the 76ers expect James, Embiid and the rest of a stout starting lineup to deliver on opening night next season.

It's the thrill of the chase, to end a championship drought — much like he did to break that drought in Cleveland — that in part drives James to keep playing after racking up a list of accomplishments unrivaled by his peers.

Sixers hope new starting five can jell and make title run

The Sixers got a first look at the potent lineup they put together this summer in hopes of winning their first title since 1983. James and a fellow All-Star in Brown started alongside holdovers Embiid, Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.

There are some questions about how that All-Star starting four plus Edgecombe will coexist when all have been the primary ballhandlers on their respective teams in the past. Who gets the ball in crunch time? Who has to sacrifice the most? Who has the most to gain?

Watching the answers unfold in real time will be fascinating for the Sixers and their fans.

The chemistry looked strong throughout the night. James hit Brown cutting to the basket to earn the assist on the former Celtics star's first points with the Sixers. The Sixers closed the third quarter with an 11-0 run, capped by Brown’s second straight 3-pointer that came at the buzzer and gave Philadelphia an 83-76 lead.

“We did that on the fly,” James said.

The offseason all the way through the countdown to the Sixers' home opener Thursday against Cleveland has been a swirl of excitement in Philadelphia. James jerseys are flying off the racks. Murals of him have popped up all over the city. He drew more than 10,000 fans to a public scrimmage and preseason games were sold out. There's a fascination with his helicopter rides from the Sixers' facility in New Jersey to New York.

Even his younger teammates admitted to being a bit awestruck when they first met James.

The Sixers entered the Garden almost unrecognizable from when they played there in early May in a second-round playoff series. They lost twice in New York and the Knicks finished the sweep in Philadelphia.

The Sixers loaded up with talent and pushed the payroll so they could challenge the Knicks.

“It's certainly been fun these first few weeks,” coach Nick Nurse said. “These guys have been really great.”

There's not much left for James to accomplish, except win that fifth ring.

Philadelphia is waiting.

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See AP’s full NBA coverage here

Protesters blocked the loading and unloading of fresh food and other goods at supermarket distribution warehouses near Naples on Monday, Sky TG24 reported. The truckers are adding their voices to demonstrations that have spread across Europe as the war disrupts economies.

One supermarket in the city posted a note on empty shelves apologizing that “some products may be temporarily unavailable or available in a reduced range" due to the truckers' strike.

Shortages of fresh pasta, packaged cheeses and meats as well as produce have been reported in Sicily, partly due to stockpiling by shoppers. Partially empty supermarket shelves were also reported in the southern regions of Calabria and Puglia.

Transport Minister Matteo Salvini met Tuesday with national trucking associations to help the truckers cope, promising tax credits to offset soaring diesel prices and funds to modernize trucking fees.

Diesel prices are roughly a third higher than before the Iran war, despite government-backed efforts to curb pump prices. A temporary diesel tax discount expired earlier this month.

The president of the Unatras group of trucking associations, Paolo Uggè, said Salvini promised that payments would begin Wednesday and pledged legislation to address operating costs, the news agency LaPresse reported. Another meeting was set for next week.

And just like that night four months ago, it felt as if fans would never stop cheering.

The Knicks celebrated their championship Tuesday with a banner night — two of them — before losing 106-100 to the Philadelphia 76ers in their season opener.

Wearing white uniforms with gold trim for the occasion — with gold sneakers as well for NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson — the Knicks received their championship rings from Hall of Famer Walt Frazier and then watched as the blue banner reading “2025-26 World Champions” rose to the rafters.

“Really special. Happy we got it out of the way and we can move on for now, but it was a really cool thing,” Brunson said after the game.

Outside of their preseason exhibition games, it was the first time the Knicks played at home since Game 4 of the NBA Finals, when Anunoby's tip-in with 1.2 seconds remaining capped off a record-setting comeback from a 29-point deficit. The highlight of the play during a montage that was shown on the overhead videoboard set off some of the loudest roars of the night.

Brunson began his remarks to fans Tuesday by referencing that game, thanking them for not leaving the arena early.

The Knicks finished off the San Antonio Spurs in the next game, setting off “Knicks in 5! Knicks in 5!” chants around New York that resumed Tuesday night.

Brunson told fans that the Knicks were seeking to turn the page after the team's first championship since 1973.

“But one thing I would like to say,” he added. “The joy that this city had this summer, we would love to replicate that again.”

Brunson had talked about trying to move on from last season since the Knicks arrived at training camp, but acknowledged Tuesday night the difficulty in doing that until after they'd had one last celebration.

“You have everyone praising guys, praising us about what we’ve done a couple months ago,” he said. “And it’s just human nature and it’s difficult, but just to hold each other accountable we've been trying to do that, just to make sure that we’re on the same page and trying to get better.

“Obviously we’re very thankful for what we did, but there’s still a lot left for us to prove.”

Before raising the title banner, the NBA champions hung one at Madison Square Garden to celebrate the NBA Cup title they won last season.

The Knicks broke with tradition last December when they became the first team to win the in-season tournament and then not commemorate it with a banner. They said at the time they were looking ahead to bigger things.

They ended up getting the biggest thing possible in the rematch with the Spurs. The Knicks also defeated San Antonio in the NBA Cup final.

The NBA Cup banner went up sometime after the Sixers held their morning shootaround at the arena. Coach Mike Brown said before the game it was a recognition of the Knicks' journey last season.

“There were a lot of, obviously, ups and downs throughout the course of the year, and our guys rallied and figured out a way to win the NBA Cup,” Brown said, “and then you go ahead and win the regular season final, or excuse me, the end of season final, and it’s just a recognition to not just to our guys, but to the fans out there.”

The two banners were the first hung at Madison Square Garden by the Knicks since they won the Atlantic Division title in 2012-13.

But things move quickly in New York. After struggling through their opener, the Knicks know there's work ahead to stay at the top.

“Like, we shouldn’t sit there and think that we’re champions, because we're not,” forward Josh Hart said. “Right now we’re 0-1. We're the worst team in the NBA, as of right now.”

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See AP’s full NBA coverage here

The Austin based University Interscholastic League (UIL) has approved girls flag football as an official pilot program for the 2028-2029 school year. Led by Chief Community Officer and Vice President of the Houston Texans Foundation Hannah McNair, the Texans have championed the sport since the inception of its Girls Flag Football Program in 2023.

“While an official pilot program is a step forward in our mission to sanction girls flag football, I’m disappointed that official sanctioning will be delayed another three years,” McNair said. “I appreciate the continued progress made in expanding opportunities for deserving female student-athletes and the recognition of this sport’s positive impact on and off the field. At the Texans, we will continue to provide access to flag football for thousands of girls across our state as we look forward to the day we Make Texas Next.”

Over the last several years, McNair, who also serves as Co-Chair of the NFL’s Flag Football Committee, has led a statewide effort with Charlotte Jones and the Dallas Cowboys to advocate, engage and collaborate with leaders across Texas to sanction the sport.

Since 2023, the Texans’ Girls Flag Program has grown more than 1,525 percent, further cementing girls’ interest in the fastest growing sport in the U.S. By 2027, more than 270 Texas schools and nearly 6,000 female student-athletes are committed to participate in girls flag programs, representing more than 18% of Texas high schools.

To learn more about the Texans’ Girls Flag Program, visit www.houstontexans.com/girlsflag.

The fire happened in the 5400 block of Braesvalley Drive.

Flames can be seen in photos taken by KPRC 2 reporter Sandy Torres.

Deputy Chief of HFD Station 37 Patrick Davis says firefighters were called at approximately 6:24 p.m. and arrived to smoke and fire coming from one of the buildings. The fire would ultimately spread to three different buildings before it was brought under control at 7:33 p.m.

Approximately 100 firefighters responded to the scene. No apartment residents were injured, but a firefighter was transported to Memorial Herman Hospital after receiving a minor injury.

Davis says the affected units were all vacant and had no power. Eight to 10 units have fire damage while another 8-10 have smoke and water damage.

Arson investigators are currently looking to determine the cause of the fire.

The decision exacerbates a deeply personal element in one of the country's most closely watched and expensive campaigns for state office. Questions about the video will likely shadow Ramaswamy, a biotech billionaire who previously ran for president but has never before held public office, in the final two weeks of the contest. Democrats said he was growing desperate at a moment when more than 676,000 people have already cast ballots in Ohio.

The advertisement features Acton's birth mother, Donna Arthur, calling her “a liar” and insinuating she has mental health issues. Acton, Ohio's former public health director, has made no secret of facing homelessness and abuse as a child. Arthur lost custody of her children after their stepfather was indicted for raping Acton.

The video's origins were initially murky when it started circulating online. It first surfaced in a post by an Ohio political blogger, then spread across social media. It did not include the “paid for” tag that is legally required to air on television so viewers can know who produced and paid for it. D.J. Brynes, who blogs as “The Rooster,” told CNN he got the video from a voter who viewed it as part of a poll and recorded it.

Connie Luck, a spokesperson for Ramaswamy's campaign, said Acton's mother was not paid for the one-minute video, which she said will stream online and air on television.

Acton spent Tuesday condemning Ramaswamy for the ad even before his campaign confirmed its provenance.

“I won’t normalize somebody who has said that my childhood is just something I’m complaining about, who today just released an ad using my birth mother, who I was removed from at the age of 12 for severe abuse and neglect, and sexual abuse," she told Spectrum News, a cable news outlet in Ohio.

She said Ramaswamy made similar personal attacks during his run for the Republican presidential nomination two years ago, calling it “a lifelong pattern.”

Ramaswamy’s campaign initially issued a statement that did not address whether he was responsible for the ad or knew who produced it. In the earlier statement, Luck said Acton “has some serious problems with the truth that the public needs to be aware of.”

Democrats and Republicans condemn the ad

Casey Putsch, a car designer and YouTube provocateur who competed against Ramaswamy for the Republican nomination for governor, said on social media that he would be voting for Acton in the wake of the ad's release. He called the video “pretty damn low.”

Acton's campaign released a statement from her brother, Philip Stearns, who said the two were removed from their mother Donna Arthur's custody as children after their stepfather, Arthur's husband, was indicted for raping Acton as a child. Acton has not seen Arthur, whose last known address was in Pennsylvania, since they were in a courtroom together in 1978.

Later Tuesday, the Acton campaign released a video featuring Stearns, who recalls his older sister taking “the worst” of the abuse they faced as children in order to protect him and disparages Ramaswamy and his allies for exploiting the situation.

According to police and court documents obtained by The Associated Press, Cledith Arthur was arrested and charged with the rape of his stepdaughter, then 12, in July 1978, after Acton's biological father reported him to authorities. The abuse allegedly happened from December 1976 to April 1978.

Cledith Arthur pleaded not guilty. He was indicted by a grand jury that September, but failed to show at a court hearing and remained a fugitive until at least 1981. He has since died.

High-profile Republicans who back Ramaswamy — including Donald Trump Jr. and influencer Laura Loomer — elevated the video in online posts.

But others joined Democrats in condemning the ad. Meghan McCain called it “dastardly” and Dan Hauser, a strategist for Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, said he deleted his post sharing the video once he realized “the very serious accusations that caused their issues.”

The Democrat running for U.S. Senate in Ohio, Sherrod Brown, described the spot as “disgusting” and said everyone — including his opponent, Sen. Jon Husted — should be willing to condemn it. Husted's campaign didn't respond to a request for comment.

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Associated Press writer Ali Swenson in New York contributed to this report.

About 91 prospective jurors were brought into the ceremonial courtroom in the Harris County Civil Courthouse Tuesday morning for the voir dire process, which lasted all day.

The child custody trial is beginning although no resolution has been reached in Gilley’s criminal case. He’s accused of strangling his pregnant wife, Bauer, inside the family’s home in the Heights in Oct. 2024.

Earlier this year, Gilley cut off his ankle monitor and fled to Italy weeks before the capital murder trial was scheduled to begin. An Italian court ruled this week he could be extradited to the U.S., but only on a lesser charge of murder, in which he would face a lesser punishment than death or life without parole.

• RELATED: Italian court partially grants extradition for Harris County capital murder defendant Lee Gilley

In the family case, the jury will have to decide whether the soon-to-be 4-year-old and 6-year-old surviving children will live with their maternal grandparents or their paternal uncle and aunt, the brother and sister-in-law of Gilley.

Judge Angela Lancelin has made it clear the murder case will not be tried in her courtroom, as attorneys now do a delicate dance with words surrounding the criminal allegations.

Line of questioning from Lee Gilley’s attorney

Although Lee Gilley is not seeking custody of the children, his civil attorney Matt Mahoney is still representing him in the case and asked questions of the prospective jurors.

Mahoney focused on prospective jurors’ prior knowledge of the highly publicized murder case and their ability to set aside media coverage, online information, and personal opinions when evaluating the evidence.

Most prospective jurors said they didn’t recognize the name Lee Gilley, but about a quarter of the potential jurors raised their cards when asked if they knew about a guy who cut off his ankle monitor and went to Italy. A few of the potential jurors admitted to Googling Gilley’s name during the lunch break, just a day after an Italian court’s extradition ruling made headlines.

• Only On 2: Lee Gilley left the US on a private jet while fleeing capital murder trial in Harris County

Mahoney questioned jurors about potential biases stemming from allegations against the children’s father, whether sympathy for the maternal grandparents could influence their decision-making, and whether they had preconceived views about who should receive custody.

Throughout the questioning, he emphasized that the case was ultimately about deciding what outcome would be in the best interests of the two children rather than judging the conduct of absent parents or other family members.

Line of questioning from Matthew and Cristin Gilley’s attorney

Attorney Dennis Slate, representing the brother and sister-in-law of Lee Gilley seeking custody, sought to identify jurors who may have entered the case with a preference for the maternal grandparents or who might be influenced by sympathy over the loss of the children’s mother. His questioning focused on whether jurors could evaluate both families solely on their ability to provide for the children’s long-term needs and best interests.

Slate questioned whether jurors could could separate Matthew and Cristin Gilley from allegations and publicity involving Lee Gilley. He probed whether prospective jurors would hold negative views of the North Carolina couple because of their relationship to Lee Gilley or concerns arising from events outside the custody case.

Line of questioning from Christa Bauer’s parents’ attorney

Attorney Angela Stout, representing the maternal grandparents Chris and Sharon Bauer, questioned prospective jurors on their beliefs about family caregiving, the role of grandparents and extended family in raising children, parental fitness, domestic violence, grief and family support systems, child protection, loyalty to family members accused of wrongdoing, and the standards jurors would use when deciding what arrangement is in the best interests of young children.

Stout asked about jurors’ views and experiences involving family caregiving, domestic violence, grief and custody disputes—and how those might affect their assessment of the children’s best interests.

Stout also explored jurors’ personal experiences with crime, custody disputes, loss, and domestic violence to determine whether those experiences might influence their evaluation of the evidence.

Line of questioning from amicus attorney

An amicus attorney, Amy Carlin, has been appointed in the case to represent the best interest of the children.

Slate asked whether jurors might view Carlin as more neutral because she was court-appointed. Carlin briefly discussed stability and explained that she advocates for the children’s best interests, not either side.

Jury seated

The parties agreed to strike only seven prospective jurors before battling it out over dozens more over perceived biases attorneys interpreted during questioning.

Many jurors got dismissed after getting another round of questions about their previously shared biases toward Bauer’s parents and feeling that they should automatically be able to care for the children after suffering the loss of their daughter.

Some grew frustrated with the additional questioning from attorneys as the process dragged past 6:30 p.m.

Jurors started being selected around 7:30 p.m. after the sun had set.

Ultimately, eight men and six women were picked. The jury is made up of 12 people and two alternates.

Judge Lancelin reminded the jurors not to discuss the case or look the case up online.

Opening statements are scheduled for Wednesday morning at 9:30 a.m.

U.S. and Guatemalan prosecutors called Rigoberto Ramon Miranda Orozco's sentencing another step toward justice in one of the deadliest smuggling attempts along the U.S.-Mexico border. Miranda Orozco, 50, was sentenced to 30 years in prison after admitting to arranging travel and accommodations for two people who died and another who was seriously injured.

Nearly 20 people in the U.S. and Guatemala have been convicted since the discovery of the abandoned trailer full of bodies horrified communities accustomed to seeing their young people leave, trying to flee poverty or violence in Central America and Mexico.

“It was clear that they suffered tremendously in their last few hours on this earth,” U.S. Attorney Justin Simmons told reporters at a news conference following the sentencing.

People tried to ‘claw their way out’ of a trailer with no air conditioning

The trailer’s air conditioning malfunctioned and would not blow cool air to the people trapped inside during the sweltering, three-hour ride in June 2022 from the border city of Laredo to San Antonio, authorities said. Prosecutors have said migrants paid up to $15,000 each to be taken across the U.S. border.

When the abandoned trailer was opened on a remote San Antonio back road, 48 migrants were dead. Another 16 were taken to hospitals, where five more died.

Simmons said investigators found clothing passengers had shed to cool off and claw marks on the trailer’s walls.

“They were literally trying to claw their way out,” he said.

Twenty-one of those who died were from Guatemala, Simmons said.

Miranda Orozco’s attorney, Alfonso Cabanas Jr., called the sentence “very tough.” He said his client was in Guatemala at the time and had no control over the type of transportation the migrants would take to San Antonio nor did he know the air conditioning was malfunctioning.

Cabanas said he doesn’t think harsh punishments will “make a dent” in such operations.

“What we do need is comprehensive immigration reform,” Cabanas said.

Other defendants still await sentencing

U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia sentenced Miranda Orozco, who was arrested in Guatemala in 2024 and extradited to the U.S. the following year.

He pleaded guilty in July to conspiracy to bring a migrant into the U.S. resulting in death, aiding and abetting bringing a migrant into the U.S. resulting in death, as well as aiding and abetting bringing a migrant into the U.S. resulting in serious bodily injury, prosecutors said.

Simmons said prosecutors in Guatemala were integral in securing convictions for Miranda Orozco and others. Simmons was joined by Guatemalan Attorney General Gabriel García Luna, who reflected on the suffering the migrants inside the tractor-trailer endured.

“They paid for a promise, and those who cashed in on that promise abandoned them to their fate,” García Luna said.

Last year, Felipe Orduna-Torres, described by prosecutors as the leader of the smuggling operations inside the U.S., was sentenced to life in prison in the U.S. Armando Gonzales-Ortega, his top assistant, was sentenced to 83 years.

Sentencing dates have been set for more people, including the truck’s driver.

The tragedy is the deadliest among those that have claimed thousands of lives in recent decades as people attempt to cross the U.S. border from Mexico. Ten migrants died in 2017 after they were trapped inside a truck parked at a Walmart in San Antonio.

In 2003, the bodies of 19 migrants were found in a sweltering truck southeast of San Antonio.

___ This story has been updated to correct the name and age of the man sentenced Tuesday. He is Rigoberto Ramon Miranda Orozco, not Rigoberto Román Miranda-Orozco. And he is 50, not 39.

___

Associated Press writer Laura Turbay contributed to this story.

Tyrese Maxey scored 28 points and Brown had 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists in his first game since being acquired from Boston. James began his NBA-record 24th season by finishing with 14 points, nine rebounds and six assists.

The 76ers got three 3-pointers from Anfernee Simons and two from fellow newcomer Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, as the reserves took advantage of the open looks they got when the Knicks were caught focusing too much on the bigger names.

Jalen Brunson scored 21 points but the NBA Finals MVP shot just 6 for 19 from the field.

Brunson told fans inside Madison Square Garden in a pregame ceremony when the Knicks raised their NBA championship banner and received their rings that: “The joy that this city had this summer, we would love to replicate that again.”

Maybe they can, but they will have to play a lot better than they did Tuesday in shooting 37% overall and 33.3% on 3s. Karl-Anthony Towns had 19 points and 12 rebounds.

The Knicks dominated the 76ers in a second-round sweep, early on during their streak of 13 straight victories as part of a 16-3 finish with the highest point differential in NBA postseason history.

Philadelphia then went out and traded for Brown and signed James after the NBA’s career scoring leader decided to leave the Los Angeles Lakers, setting the 76ers up with the potential to be one of the best teams in the league.

They certainly didn’t have a smooth start but played better as the game went on. The Sixers closed the third quarter with an 11-0 run, capped by Brown’s second straight 3-pointer that came at the buzzer and gave Philadelphia an 83-76 lead.

Maxey’s three-point play early in the fourth made it 87-78. The Knicks cut it to 96-95 when Towns made a 3-pointer, but Joel Embiid answered with one and the Sixers stayed ahead.

Embiid finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.

Brunson, wearing gold sneakers for the occasion, couldn’t help the Knicks recover by hitting the type of big shots he did when they repeatedly came back to beat San Antonio in five games for their first championship since 1973.

The festive pregame party gave way to a first half filled with long stretches of fouls and missed shots, not leaving much reason for the cheers to continue. The Knicks went ahead by 10 with one good flurry but it was down to 58-54 at halftime.

Up next

76ers: Host Cleveland on Thursday night.

Knicks: Visit Boston on Friday night.

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See AP’s full NBA coverage here

“I think the remedial orders gave important direction,” said Audrey O’Neill, commissioner of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, referring to the 2018 injunction that spelled out the areas where DFPS and its sister agency, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission which regulates foster care facilities, should drastically overhaul. ”I believe these reforms are substantial and permanent.”

Both she and HHSC Commissioner Stephanie Muth spent hours testifying before U.S. District Judge Randy Crane, who held a hearing on the state’s request that it should be released from the seven years of federal monitoring for “substantial” compliance with the injunction.

Of that $320 million spent since 2019, a total of $66 million has been spent by the two agencies on federal court monitors who oversee everything from the number of children going into foster care each day to how quickly child abuse investigators reach a child victim of abuse and complete an interview with them. The other $254 million appeared to include enhancements to worker training, recruitment, retention, staffing increases, including a separate team of 60 state employees charged with compiling all the data sent to the federal monitors.

But attorneys for about 6,800 Texas children in long-term foster care, who filed the original 2011 lawsuit that resulted in the court monitoring, tried to prove with the state’s own star witnesses that the system is far from stable.

When asked by lead plaintiff lawyer Paul Yetter if moving the legacy state foster care to private contractors, an effort that began when Texas lawmakers approved sweeping reforms in 2017, was “rocky,” O’Neill responded: “There have been challenges.” To date, about 61% of Texas foster care children are in the care of private companies.

Specifically, Yetter had O’Neill recount how in July she terminated the agency’s largest private foster care contractor, EMPOWER, after it failed to improve managing the foster care cases of children in its care in Dallas and seven other counties. The agency first noticed EMPOWER was having persistent problems with retention of former state staff caseworkers in 2024. The caseworkers had been told by the state they would have to hire on with EMPOWER because their job was being eliminated or leave the agency. But many of those quickly quit the new contractor, forcing DFPS to shore up EMPOWER’s staffing with “master caseworkers” sent to help out.

But within months after those master caseworkers went back to their own jobs in late 2025, EMPOWER’s staffing problems persisted. After the second of two EMPOWER-managed children died in its care in March, DFPS moved to take over its operation through a court receivership. When EMPOWER failed to improve sufficiently by July, O’Neill fired EMPOWER.

Still the state legal team, led by private attorney Allyson Ho, argued: “It’s time for the Texas foster care system to be returned to Texas.”

Ho’s team has been moving aggressively to bring the ongoing and costly litigation to a close. She has helped the state overturn previous contempt sanctions against the state for its failure to investigate abuse and neglect at foster care facilities. She also successfully convinced a panel of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals to remove U.S. District Janis Jack from overseeing the case for what the panel termed “antagonistic demeanor” toward state officials. Crane was appointed to take over the case.

She and her team questioned Muth and O’Neill on the witness stand about the work their agencies have done since federal monitors have been reviewing the foster care system’s progress.

Muth pointed to how the state’s new $35 million Terrell Center for Youth, a psychiatric hospital for traumatized foster care youth, is one of the lasting reforms the state has launched as a result of the lawsuit. While fewer children now come into foster care because the state has made a considerable effort today to avoid removing abused children from their homes, she and O’Neill noted how the children coming into state care have more behavior and mental health issues than previous generations.

“We are seeing a number of children coming in with higher needs than in the past,” Muth said. “This center was designed for that treatment.”

The hearing is expected to last for most of the week. Afterwards, Crane, the judge overseeing the case, will decide whether to release the state for monitoring or perhaps set a modified timeline for the case.

The case is the latest example of courts intervening to fix platform imbalances impacting politics and elections.

The suit was triggered by Lula’s campaign on Oct. 15, when it accused the tech company that owns Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp of using biased algorithms and AI restrictions to favor Bolsonaro. On Monday, hundreds of people protested in front of the company’s office in metropolis Sao Paulo.

Meta said it had “completed the implementation of measures to comply with the directive from the electoral court.” It added the restrictions ordered by the court “do not affect organic posts.”

Bolsonaro won the most votes in the first round of the elections on Oct. 4, with 47% to Lula's 45%, with polls and analysts suggesting they will be in a tight race for victory until the last minute.

Meta said it has enforced comprehensive measures to enforce compliance with electoral advertisement regulations and safeguard the integrity of the nation’s democratic process. It also said it implemented a dedicated human review system, under which any automatic blocks or limitations placed on presidential campaign ad accounts must undergo manual evaluation within two hours.

Meta insisted its recent operational incidents come from technical limitations rather than any partiality. It once again denied any allegations of political bias, manipulation or intentional interference in Brazil's elections.

Tatiana Cochlar, a spokesperson for Brazil’s electoral court, confirmed Meta’s response was received and added that later Tuesday representatives of the company and the two presidential campaigns are expected to meet with a judge in capital Brasilia to discuss the situation.

The case in Brazil mirrors precedents in Europe where the state apparatus also intervened. In Germany, a 2019 court ruling forced Facebook to restore a blocked political page to protect political equality. Five years later, Romania annulled its presidential election after hidden TikTok bot networks boosted a pro-Russia candidate. The European nation later passed legislation mandating tracking codes on political social media messaging.

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Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

The 65-year-old independent politician's condition hadn't changed since the day before, according to an update Wednesday morning from a Melbourne hospital where she was being treated. No further details have been officially supplied about the injuries she sustained when she was struck by a Toyota Land Cruiser SUV outside her office in the city of Wangaratta, in Victoria state, on Monday.

Police allege it was a “targeted” incident. Brendan Nugent, a 43-year-old man from nearby Tarrawingee, was charged Tuesday with intentionally causing serious injury, dangerous driving causing serious injury and causing harm to a federal official.

Court documents show Nugent also faces charges of cultivating and possessing cannabis.

When Nugent appeared in Wangaratta Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, he didn't apply for bail or enter a plea.

He will remain in custody until his next court appearance in February.

Nugent remained quiet in the dock as his lawyer Chirag Patel told Magistrate Allison Vaughan that his client was suffering from potential mental health issues and a concussion. The lawyer did not explain how Nugent had been concussed.

Patel said Nugent suffered from a neurological condition, idiopathic transverse myelitis, but had not been diagnosed with any mental health problems.

The rare condition damages the spinal cord’s protective myelin sheath and disrupts nerve signals between the brain and body. This leads to rapid muscle weakness, sensory loss, pain, and bladder and bowel dysfunction, according to the Cleveland Clinic medical center.

Investigators haven't ruled out “further serious charges,” Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush told reporters in Melbourne on Wednesday. Bush wouldn't elaborate on the suspect's believed motivations but said the question would form the “centerpiece” of the police inquiry.

“There was nothing known to us that would have arisen or piqued our interest or given any indication that he was an immediate threat,” Bush said.

The suspect's parents said the injured lawmaker is their friend

According to eyewitnesses cited by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and other officials, the suspect drove past Haines as she stood at the trunk of her parked car, before turning and driving back to ram into her. The driver then reversed and struck Haines again, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said.

The suspect was subdued by a crowd of bystanders, one of whom removed a knife from the driver's pocket. Others rushed to help Haines, who was pinned between vehicles.

The lawmaker's family released a statement expressing thanks for the “swift assistance of bystanders” as well as health workers and police.

Haines, who was first elected to Parliament in 2019 and had been reelected twice since, was initially taken to a hospital in Wangaratta, a city of 30,000 people. She was airlifted later on Monday to a hospital in the state capital, Melbourne, 236 kilometers (147 miles) away.

Australian news outlets are widely reporting that Haines has had a leg amputated. The Alfred Hospital didn’t respond to a request for comment on the reports.

The suspect's father, Rod Nugent, released a statement Tuesday describing Haines as a “deeply respected, valued and much-loved member of our local community.”

“Helen has been our friend for more than 20 years and what happened to her yesterday is devastating and unfathomable,” the father said, adding that he would cooperate with police.

The incident shocked Australians, as political violence is uncommon in the country and politicians are highly accessible to the public. Most lawmakers are not accompanied by security details and go about their work and personal lives on their own.

The incident highlighted growing fears about officials' safety

The incident has provoked an outcry in Australia, partly because recent data shows that threats of political violence in the country have grown. Police reported in 2025 that threats against parliamentarians had doubled over the past three years, with more than 1,000 such threats against politicians in the 2025-2026 fiscal year.

Australia's Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett told reporters Wednesday that the apparent attack was “what many had been dreading for some time."

Lawmakers were due to meet with Australia’s security agencies on Wednesday to discuss their safety. Such briefings are a regular occurrence but the latest meetings carried added weight after the week's events, some politicians said.

Albanese and lawmakers have this week urged their colleagues, reporters and the public to turn down the heat in increasingly fractious political debates. Many also said they hoped Australia’s easygoing culture of approachable politicians wouldn’t change.

Haines was not known for polarizing views. The daughter of dairy farmers and mother of three was a nurse, midwife and academic before entering politics, where she has advocated for health equity, rural prosperity and climate action.

Australia hasn't recorded the political violence seen in other countries

Elsewhere in the world, authorities have warned of growing threats to lawmakers. The United States has seen a rise in political violence over the past decade.

That includes the 2022 hammer assault on the husband of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi; the 2024 assassination attempt on Donald Trump during his presidential campaign, as well as another on the president at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in April; and the assassinations in 2025 of a Democratic Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband, and of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.

In Britain, killings of politicians have also prompted bolstered security. Labour lawmaker Jo Cox was shot and stabbed in 2016 by a far-right extremist, while Conservative David Amess was stabbed in 2021 by an attacker inspired by the militant Islamic State group.

In July, the former British politician and reality TV contestant Ann Widdecombe was found beaten to death with a hammer at her home. A man has been charged with murder and terrorism-related offenses.

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Graham-McLay reported from Wellington, New Zealand.

With more than 1.9 million votes counted and results reported from 90% of voting areas and locations, 75% of voters supported remaining in Canada, while 25% backed beginning a process toward separation, according to unofficial results from Elections Alberta.

The referendum was not a direct vote on independence. Approval would have set Alberta on a path toward a future vote on separation from Canada.

“It’s a great result for Canada that Albertans have chosen unity,” Carney told reporters Tuesday before a Cabinet meeting in Ottawa.

Carney said the roughly one-quarter of voters who backed beginning the separation process did not necessarily want independence, suggesting only a smaller “hard core” favored leaving Canada. Some voters said they wanted to send Ottawa a message rather than separate.

Separatists confront defeat, Smith rules out another vote

Alberta separatist organizer David Parker acknowledged the scale of the defeat.

“Independence feels far away and we should not pretend this was not a defeat,” he wrote on social media.

In a televised address Tuesday night, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith welcomed the result and pledged not to hold another referendum on separation while she remains in office.

“Yesterday, Albertans voted overwhelmingly in favor of remaining a province of Canada,” Smith said. “The voter turnout was historic and a powerful testimony of the passion Albertans feel for our country and our province.”

Smith said Alberta would continue pressing Ottawa for greater provincial autonomy, but disputes would be settled within Canada’s political and legal institutions rather than through separation.

Carney said he spoke with Smith on Tuesday morning about the results and greater federal-provincial cooperation, including immigration.

“Don’t mess with Canada. President Trump is watching this,” Thomas Lukaszuk, a former Alberta deputy premier who led the Forever Canadian campaign against separation, told supporters.

A fringe cause has become a movement that won’t disappear

Alberta, home to the world’s fourth-largest proven oil reserves, is cowboy country and a conservative stronghold whose political culture has long had more in common with the American West than much of Canada. Resentment toward Canada's federal government in Ottawa runs deep, but hasn't traditionally translated into widespread support for independence.

Despite the overwhelming rejection, separatist leaders vowed to continue pressing for independence.

Separatist parties traditionally attracted only 1% or 2% of the vote, former Premier Jason Kenney said. Anger over COVID-19 restrictions helped mobilize activists who later embraced the separatist movement, he said.

Trump’s trade war and threats to make Canada the 51st U.S. state have helped Carney rally support in Alberta, where Liberal prime ministers have historically been unpopular.

At a separatist referendum night gathering at an Edmonton restaurant, the crowd fell quiet as results rolled in.

“We’re not going anywhere,” said Jeff Rath of the Alberta Prosperity Project. “We’ve dominated the conversation in the last year. We’ve been educating Albertans on the benefits of independence, and we’re going to continue moving forward.”

Rath said before the vote that he would be thrilled with 30% support. He also said he wanted Smith ousted as UCP leader and believed the party could splinter, potentially creating a new pro-independence party.

Ian Brodie, a University of Calgary political scientist and former chief of staff to Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper, dismissed Rath and fellow separatist organizer Mitch Sylvestre as “nobodies,” saying they failed to gain traction even in a district that elected a separatist to Alberta’s legislature in 1982.

“Even on a very soft question — whether to hold a referendum on separation — they couldn’t gain real traction," Brodie said.

A referendum on a referendum

Edmonton voter Shawn Campbell said he voted to begin the separation process even though he doesn’t want Alberta to leave Canada.

“It sends a message to Ottawa that Albertans are not happy,” he said.

Dave Malka, 59, of Edmonton, criticized spending money on a “referendum on a referendum” rather than healthcare.

With Trump threatening Canada, Malka said, “It seems to be happening at the absolute worst time when we should be united. Instead we’re fighting among ourselves.”

Edmonton resident Ali Khowaja, who immigrated to Canada six years ago, welcomed the result, saying he was glad Alberta had chosen unity rather than experiencing a Brexit-style rupture.

“Over the years, you’ve seen the consequences and what that meant,” he said. “I was concerned, especially as someone who is an immigrant to Canada.”

___

Ty ONeil contributed to this report from Wainwright, Alberta.

Each day, morning and afternoon temperatures will rise by a couple of degrees. Gone are the mornings in the 40s and afternoons in the 70s. It won’t be hot, but we’re losing that crisp fall feel the rest of the week. There is good news with humidity. It will stay low through the weekend.

Warm and dry through the weekend:

We are in a weather pattern called an omega block. Looking below you can see the Greek Symbol for Omega. This blocking pattern occurs when two areas of low pressure “block” high pressure from moving. Because we’re under the high, we’ll experience dry weather with warm temperatures. This pattern won’t change until early next week.

Tracking the tropics:

There is an area off the east coast that has a 40% chance of becoming our next tropical system. It is currently a noreaster but may become tropical. It will bring strong winds and coastal flooding from Delaware to the Outer Banks. There is already 8-12′ waves. It will not make direct hit on the United States.

Extended forecast:

I know you are all wanting to know when the next cold front will move through. It could move through Tuesday October 27th. Temperatures may fall back to the 50s in the morning and 70s in the afternoon. This would bring a cool fall feel on Halloween night. Of course we’ll keep you posted.

The market was made available on Sept. 30 and was slated to close on Jan. 31. It had more than $450,000 in volume before it was taken off Polymarket's international platform. The company's U.S. exchange is regulated by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which bans trading related to “activity that is unlawful under Federal or State law.”

“Our primary goal at Polymarket is to bring objective, data-driven insight to the most important questions of our time,” a Polymarket spokesperson said Tuesday. “This market addressed whether the government would take action — a process that deserves scrutiny, particularly in a case of such serious concern. That said, we believe in the wisdom of crowds, have heard them loud and clear, and removed the market.”

Front Office Sports was the first to report on the contract.

Some outcry over the Polymarket contract has been aimed at its celebrity promoters. Philadelphia 76ers star LeBron James has an endorsement deal with Polymarket, and he recently appeared in a star-studded commercial that also included cameos by Derek Jeter, Eli Manning, Sue Bird and several celebrities.

Messages were left by the AP on Tuesday with representatives for James, Jeter, Manning and Bird.

Polymarket also has partnership agreements with the NHL, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the UFC and ATP Tour. Messages were left by the AP seeking comment from each organization.

A spokesman for Spike Lee, who also appeared in the Polymarket commercial with James, said the director had no comment. Messages also were left with representatives for actors Craig Robinson, John Leguizamo and Alexandra Daddario — who were also part of the commercial with James.

A woman identified in court documents by the pseudonym Jane Doe filed a lawsuit last month alleging that seven fraternity members sexually assaulted or exploited her in October 2024 and that Cornell mishandled her complaints. All of those men have denied her allegations, saying either that their interactions were consensual or that they weren’t involved.

Online critics characterized the Polymarket contract as degrading and questioned why celebrity ambassadors would associate themselves with the company. An online petition launched by UltraViolet, a women-led national advocacy organization, singled out James, Manning, Daddario and model Emily Ratajkowski while calling on other famous endorsers to cut ties with the company.

A message was left seeking comment from a representative for Ratajkowski, who also appears in the celebrity-filled commercial with James.

Prediction markets provide an opportunity to trade on the result of future events. Sports account for a major portion of the volume generated by the array of typically yes-or-no question, depending on the platform.

When a U.S. Army sergeant was indicted earlier this year over bets on the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, he was trading on Polymarket’s international platform. The Associated Press reported in April that 50 brand new accounts on Polymarket’s international platform placed substantial bets on a U.S.-Iran ceasefire in the hours, even minutes, before President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire on social media, raising concerns of insider trading.

Polymarket had an active market on its international platform on Tuesday that allowed customers to trade on whether Cornell president Michael Kotlikoff will be out by Oct. 31. It had more than $10,700 in volume.

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See AP’s full sports coverage here

A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed to The Associated Press that the Eagles were not being disciplined for their actions with Hurts. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because conversations between the league and team were to remain private.

Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL’s chief medical officer, offered a passionate defense of how the Eagles treated Hurts, following a statement from the league that said officials had been in contact with Philadelphia’s medical personnel and the Cleveland Clinic in London throughout the process.

“I have complete confidence in the Eagles’ medical staff and their handling of this situation, and I would characterize their work as very conservative, very patient-focused and appropriately guarded at every step,” Sills said at the league’s annual fall meeting. “I don’t think you can take that outcome and say there was something flawed about the process. Sometimes in medicine, we do all the right things and diseases progress and other things develop. ...

“In this case, everyone was incredibly conservative and incredibly vigilant and was very quick to make diagnoses of these conditions that might not have been diagnosed in a nonathlete.”

The NFL Players Association in a statement said it was told by the league that a review was not planned.

“Before conclusions are drawn about how this situation was handled, there must be a full investigation into what occurred,” the union said. “Determining the facts is essential to ensuring players receive the highest level of care and protection going forward.”

Hurts is on injured reserve and expected to miss the rest of the season after a blood clot in his left calf traveled to his lungs. The Eagles and agent Nicole Lynn said Monday that Hurts has deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary embolisms.

NFL executive vice president Jeff Miller took issue with “uninformed speculation” in reports Monday that Hurts went more than 30 hours without sleep last weekend before playing.

“Jalen Hurts returned to the hotel, slept for a period of time and went to the stadium,” Miller said, estimating that Hurts slept for around seven or eight hours. “Both talking to the Eagles’ staff and making sure from people on the ground, tracking the case, talking to the independent hospital and doctors involved that we have, I think, a complete understanding of the course of events.”

Sills said the league and the players' union study and track blood clots annually. He declined to go into specifics about Hurts' condition, citing patient privacy, and reiterated multiple times that treating a blood clot involves looking at multiple factors.

Dr. Caron Rockman, a vascular surgeon for roughly 30 years, said based on what she has read, there's no evidence the Eagles acted improperly while dealing with what she called not a textbook issue.

“It’s a judgment call,” said Rockman, who is currently a chair at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey and did not treat Hurts. “I think it’s really a case-by-case basis. In my personal opinion, superficial vein thrombosis is not a (disqualification) to fly.”

Hurts' treatment moving forward involves blood thinners, and he will not be allowed to participate in any football activities until he is off them.

Hurts played in London against Jacksonville on Oct. 11, three days after informing medical staff of the injury after practice. He was initially diagnosed by specialists in London with a left calf superficial vein thrombosis.

“I think there was incredible vigilance, there was conservative care, state-of-the-art imaging that was done in London,” Sills said. “And, as far as the timing and the decision-making, I have great confidence in that and believe that everyone acted with an abundance of caution.”

Sills in his opening statement that lasted more than five minutes said all decisions are made with medicine over football.

“The notion that there are external factors or that any of our physicians would put a player in harm’s way — that’s nonsense,” Sills said.

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AP Sports Writer David Brandt in Phoenix and AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi in Tampa, Florida, contributed to this report.

___

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Matthew Atwater, who has been in the Harris County Jail on a murder charge since the July fire at the Cypresswood Apartments off Cypresswood Drive, has been indicted on two new arson charges tied to the injuries suffered by the young child and his father.

KPRC 2 News reporter Corley Peel obtained surveillance video at the time of the fire showing Atwater in the area moments before the apartment building went up in flames.

• RELATED: Man charged with felony murder, arson in Cypresswood apartment fire that killed brother, injured 13

According to prosecutors, Atwater initially told investigators he was cooking chicken, became upset and threw a gas can against a wall. He later gave a different account, admitting he poured kerosene on the floor and furniture before using a lighter to ignite the fire.

The two new indictments allege arson connected to the serious injuries suffered by the 3-year-old boy, identified as Atlas, and his father Eian. Both new charges also include an allegation that Atwater used or exhibited a firearm during the crime.

• RELATED: Surveillance shows man minutes before allegedly setting Cypresswood apartment on fire that killed his brother

Atlas remains hospitalized at Shriners Hospital, where he has a breathing tube and may face additional surgeries, according to his family’s GoFundMe page. According to court records, Atwater received a mental competency evaluation on September 26th.

Atwater is being held in the Harris County Jail on a $2.5 million bond, according to court records.

The woman’s secondhand account of Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff’s remark, which the university disputes, comes as faculty prepare for a potential vote of no confidence in the Ivy League school’s leadership. The Associated Press on Tuesday obtained a letter she sent to faculty leaders last week. Her lawyer confirmed its authenticity.

The former student’s rape allegations, detailed in a lawsuit last month that identified her only as Jane Doe, have sparked campus protests, renewed scrutiny of Cornell’s disciplinary system and led to the reopening of a criminal investigation of the alleged October 2024 assault.

“The letter was sent for informational purposes only,” the woman's lawyer, Thomas Giuffra, said. “Jane Doe thought it important that the Faculty Senate have this information as it deliberates and considers the resolutions or motions before it. Jane Doe would ask the Faculty Senate to give her letter whatever weight or credibility it deems appropriate.”

Dispute over president's remarks

In the letter, Jane Doe said her sorority president told her that Kotlikoff questioned why she waited until the following month to report being assaulted. The sorority leader, who spoke with Kotlikoff in November 2024, interpreted his remark as casting doubt on her story.

“President Kotlikoff’s initial response was along the lines of, ‘Why did she wait so long to report it?’ ” Jane Doe wrote in the letter. She said the conversation made her less confident that the administration could handle what happened with the sensitivity and fairness she expected.

Cornell’s dean of faculty, however, offered a different account of the conversation. In an email Tuesday to faculty senators and verified by the AP, professor Chris Schaffer said another official who was present for the conversation recalled Kotlikoff asking why bystanders had not reported the alleged assault sooner through the school’s anonymous tip line, especially because the allegations were already circulating on social media.

Schaffer said he waited to share Jane Doe’s letter with faculty senators until he could get another account of the conversation. He said he forwarded the letter to university lawyers, who passed it on to an independent team investigating Cornell’s response.

Schaffer said at a meeting last week that he was against the proposed no-confidence resolution, saying it identified no specific failures or fixes, but acknowledged faculty frustration. “The anger in our community is justified and I share it.”

Kotlikoff did not respond Tuesday to an email inquiry about Jane Doe’s letter. A statement from a university spokesperson also disputed her account of the conversation, saying Kotlikoff was asking about bystanders' actions rather than Jane Doe.

Faculty debate no-confidence resolution

Jane Doe’s letter, transmitted to the Faculty Senate through her lawyers and first reported by The New York Times, comes as Cornell faculty consider a resolution declaring no confidence in the university administration’s ability to address what some faculty members have described as an “ongoing crisis” of sexual assault on campus.

Faculty members began debating the resolution at a meeting last Wednesday, where Kotlikoff faced pointed questions about the school's response to sexual assault allegations and its oversight of fraternities. The Faculty Senate is expected to resume debate on Oct. 28 before holding an electronic vote.

In her letter, Jane Doe said she wanted faculty members to have information that might be relevant to their deliberations. She emphasized that she was not trying to tell them how to vote.

“My intention is not to prescribe how the Senate should interpret this account, but rather to provide information that its members may wish to consider or investigate further,” she wrote.

Noah Tamarkin, an anthropology professor and co-sponsor of the no-confidence resolution, said Tuesday he was still processing Jane Doe’s letter, but that it reinforced his belief that Cornell needs fundamental changes to rebuild trust.

“I continue to feel that the current administration hasn’t yet shown the capacity to do this,” Tamarkin wrote in a text message.

He said what stood out was Jane Doe’s account of how the conversation affected her and the apparent lack of a clear way for her to be heard or receive support.

“We need leadership that understands how much that matters," Tamarkin wrote.

Also Tuesday, the former Justice Department official leading Cornell’s independent investigation, Sally Yates, sent a letter to the university community outlining the scope of her review, which she said is expansive.

In addition to conducting a detailed examination of Cornell’s response to Jane Doe’s allegations, Yates wrote that her team is reviewing the university's sexual harassment and assault prevention and discipline practices, the role of campus police and other law enforcement agencies, the supervision of fraternities and sororities, and oversight by university leadership, including its board of trustees.

“We understand that some may be skeptical of our independence — I assure you that our independence is not a formality,” Yates wrote. The university, she said, has pledged complete autonomy and the resources “an independent review of this significance needs and deserves.”

“We will follow the facts wherever they lead with unwavering candor and principled judgment so that this community — and the public — can have confidence in the integrity of our findings," Yates, the former deputy attorney general, added.

The woman began showing symptoms on Oct. 7 and was admitted to a private hospital in Abuja on Oct. 11, where she was later diagnosed with Ebola. It is unclear when she arrived in Nigeria.

Health Minister Muhammad Pate said authorities had begun tracing 44 people identified as contacts of the patient. “We are doing everything possible to contain this case by tracing all the contacts the individual may have had,” he said.

Uganda had previously reported Ebola cases, but it later declared itself free of the virus.

Uganda's Ministry of Health said the patient had only transited through Uganda and that she is a Nigerian woman who had been on a business trip to Congo's eastern region. The Nigerian authorities have not disclosed her nationality.

“Travel through Uganda does not establish that infection occurred here. The location of exposure remains under investigation,” the ministry said in a statement. The ministry insisted Uganda has “no confirmed active Ebola cases."

Nigeria is the latest country to report an Ebola case as the latest outbreak spreads across the region. Kenya confirmed its first case earlier this month and has since recorded nine infections.

Dr. Jean Kaseya, director general of the Africa Centers for Disease Control, said on X that “we are facing an extremely serious threat,” with a fatality rate of nearly 50% of cases.

“This Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak has already become the most geographically extensive in history, affecting several countries spread across three regions of Africa,” he said.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control said two weeks ago it was stepping up surveillance following the detection of Ebola in Kenya and strengthening the country’s preparedness for a potential outbreak.

“These efforts have focused on early detection, isolation and referral, laboratory diagnosis, infection prevention and control, contact tracing, risk communication and protection of health care workers,” the agency said.

Nigeria established an Ebola task force in June following the outbreak in Congo in mid-May.

“We do not want a repeat of what happened during the last outbreak when a carrier entered the country, and everyone was scrambling to respond," Femi Gbajabiamila, chief of staff to President Bola Tinubu, said when the task force was announced. “We have covered a lot of ground and established structures to address any potential threat.”

The spread of Ebola beyond Congo has heightened longstanding fears among health authorities about the rapid transmission of the rare Bundibugyo virus, which has infected more than 9,500 people and killed more than 4,600 people.

The latest outbreak is the fastest-spreading Ebola outbreak on record and is on track to exceed the deadliest on record, West Africa’s regional outbreak between 2014 and 2016, which killed 11,000 people, WHO has said. Nigeria was one of the countries affected, recording 20 cases before the outbreak was declared over in the country after three months.

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AP’s Africa coverage at: https://apnews.com/hub/africa

TYLER — The Texas Attorney General’s office has finally weighed in on an ongoing fight over public access to an East Texas historic waterway that was fenced off by a wealthy rancher and businessman, siding with the locals.

The Attorney General’s office wants the courts to determine Creslenn Lake, which connects to the Cutoff, is a public waterway. They issued this opinion in the days leading up to oral arguments before the 12th Court of Appeals.

This opinion marks the first time the agency has offered a public opinion on the dispute, which began in 2022, and could bolster residents’ legal fight after a judge ruled the waterway was not navigable – meaning accessible by the public.

“The trial court ignored the historic use of Creslenn Lake and erred in its conclusion that neither the Cutoff nor the old Cedar Creek are navigable,” the agency’s office wrote.

Lawyers representing each side told the court whether they agreed with the opinion and defended their own arguments regarding public access on Tuesday. Now, the court will read through all the filings and issue an opinion. This could be done in a matter of days, or it could take months to years.

The Cutoff is a portion of the Trinity River in Henderson County that was dissected from the main river to make it easier for ships to transport goods from the Gulf to Dallas. Residents of southern Henderson County fished and camped on the river’s banks for more than a century.

When the land surrounding it was sold to wealthy businessman Phillip Surls, he fenced off the single remaining boat ramp.

Critics of Surls say if he is permitted to do this with no consequences, it establishes a precedent for other wealthy landowners to overtake Texas’ public waterways in the future. Surls’ legal team says he is well within his rights to block access as the waterway is not public.

Eric Allmon, who represents the nonprofit Save the Cutoff, which was formed by the community in southern Henderson County, said he agrees with the Attorney General’s arguments. Save the Cutoff has lost nearly every court battle for the Cutoff, but has continued to push for its return to public use as it was prior to 2022. The attorney general’s opinion could present enough support to overturn those losses — which it seeks to do.

“They only strengthen what we feel like was already a compelling case that the waters at issue should be considered navigable,” Allmon said.

However, Blake L. Beckham with the firm of Beckham Portela, representing Surls’ company Iron River Ranch II LLC, disagrees. He said the Attorney General’s arguments weren’t based on cases that match this situation and they focused on a law that was eventually repealed. Furthermore, the water in Creslenn Lake has nothing to do with the Trinity River or any other navigable stream, he argues.

“There’s no evidence in the record at all, up, down and sideways of impounding a navigable stream,” he said.

The 737 Max 10’s certification represents another milestone in Boeing’s efforts to restore its reputation and financial footing after years of safety, quality and production challenges. With production approved, the aircraft can now be sold to domestic and foreign carriers.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the certification followed “extensive safety reviews,” including thousands of hours of test flights, and called it a major win for American manufacturing.

“To think that it took us almost 10 years to get here. We all probably had a little less gray hair 10 years ago," Duffy said during a visit to Boeing's manufacturing plant Tuesday in Everett, Washington.

The Max 10 is an important piece of the company's effort to regain ground in the narrow-body market. For airlines, the larger plane offers a way to carry more passengers on a single flight, potentially lowering costs per seat. For travelers, it could eventually mean more seats on popular routes, though the impact on fares will depend on how airlines deploy the planes and how much competition they face.

Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said during Duffy's visit that the certification "clears the path to deliver an airplane that will set a new standard in commercial aviation." The Max 10 will typically seat 185-210 passengers, according to Boeing, compared with 175-195 on the Max 9 and 160-180 on the Max 8.

“Today is a very, very special day. It caps years of hard work and dedication by many," Pope said. "It marks another major milestone in our recovery, and it unlocks a key to our future growth.”

The company expects to begin deliveries in 2027.

The single-aisle jet was introduced at the Paris air show in 2017 to help Boeing compete with rival Airbus. But technical and regulatory hurdles repeatedly delayed certification.

Boeing’s struggles have been particularly acute since two deadly crashes involving the smaller Max 8 killed 346 people in 2018 and 2019 off the coast of Indonesia and in Ethiopia. In 2024, a panel flew off of an Alaska Airlines Max 9 in midair, renewing scrutiny of Boeing’s manufacturing and safety practices.

The delays have held up a key part of Boeing's business. More than 30 customers worldwide have ordered 1,555 Max 10s that Boeing has yet to deliver, accounting for more than 30% of its total 737 Max backlog.

Major customers include United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and Ryanair. Alaska Airlines joined that list in January, ordering 105 Max 10s, with options for 35 more.

The Max 10 is intended to compete with Airbus’s A321neo model family, which entered service in 2017. The largest A321neo can carry more passengers and fly farther without refueling than the Max 10.

Still, Boeing designed the Max 10 to carry more passengers while burning less fuel than older aircraft — a potentially attractive combination for airlines facing soaring jet fuel costs amid the U.S. war with Iran. Those rising costs have put added pressure on airlines to control expenses.

Certification means the FAA has determined that the Max 10’s design meets safety standards, following engineering reviews and flight testing. But Boeing must continue to show it can consistently build the aircraft to the approved design, and each plane must be cleared before it can fly passengers.

The Max 10’s certification completes the lineup of four 737 Max models. The FAA cleared the Max 7 for airline operations in August.

Pope on Tuesday described the certification of both the Max 7 and Max 10 in the same year as a sign of the company’s resilience.

In the wake of the fatal Max 8 crashes, the FAA overhauled how it certifies Boeing aircraft. But over the past 18 months, the agency has gradually eased some of its restrictions on the company, increasing the limit on how many planes Boeing can produce. In July, the FAA also said Boeing could once again issue airworthiness certificates for its 737 Max and 787 planes at the end of production, allowing the company to take back some responsibility for determining whether finished aircraft are ready to fly.

The funds would come from the Water and Sewer System Consolidated Construction Fund and go toward the city’s contract with Sensus USA, Inc., which has been managing the installation of the AMI network since 2020.

Contract background

The original contract was awarded Nov. 24, 2020, under Ordinance No. 2020-0992, for a 10-year term with a maximum contract amount of $38 million. An initial funding amount of $18.5 million was allocated at the time.

• Harris County shatters early voting record on Day 1 with at least 104,000 ballots cast

This is not the first time the contract has been amended. In October 2024, city council approved an additional $16,054,610 appropriation under Ordinance No. 2024-0768 — though that amendment did not increase the maximum contract amount.

To date, the city has spent $34,322,180.55 on the project.

Why more money is needed

According to Houston Public Works (HPW), the additional funding is necessary due to increased material costs, higher equipment pricing and rising operating expenses — cost escalations that were not anticipated in the original contract scope.

The additional $5.5 million is expected to sustain the department’s AMI operations through the end of 2027.

What AMI means for Houston

Public works said the AMI system is more than just a meter upgrade. Both the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) require the service, which is designed to minimize the risk of loss of life and property due to flooding during extreme weather events.

• Morton Ranch High School football family embraces health journey with youngest child

Under the contract, Sensus USA, Inc. provides all tools, materials, equipment, labor, training and supervision necessary for the AMI network and its Software as a Service (SaaS) platform. Software maintenance and upgrades are covered under the SaaS agreement, while installation of individual meter reading devices and infrastructure is handled by HPW field personnel and/or contractors.

Netflix said Tuesday it earned $3.66 billion, or 87 cents per share, for the July-September period. That's up 44% from $2.55 billion, or 59 cents per share, a year earlier.

Revenue rose 12% to $12.87 billion from $11.51 billion.

Analysts surveyed by FactSet predicted earnings of 82 cents per share on revenue of $12.87 billion.

“With Netflix under pressure to find alternative lines of revenue beyond subscriptions, it’s concerning that the company lowered its estimate for its ad business,” said Emarketer senior analyst Ross Benes. “Revamping content strategy is not enough to fix this challenge but it is a worthwhile start. Guidance is not as aggressive as investors have grown accustomed to.”

Last week, the Los Gatos, California-based company announced that it plans to lay off about 6% of its workforce, amounting to nearly 1,000 positions, as the company makes wider “organizational changes.” At the end of 2025, per regulatory filings, Netflix had about 16,000 full-time employees worldwide. The most recent layoff announcement marks the biggest round of cuts that the company has rolled out in years.

Netflix also announced last week that Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria will be replaced by Peter Rice. Bajaria was with Netflix for nearly a decade. Rice will lead Netflix’s global content organization, overseeing scripted and unscripted series, film, live events and more across all regions. He takes over the post on Oct. 26.

While Netflix has benefited from membership sign-ups and price increases, the company is dealing with intense competition in the streaming sector from companies such as Amazon’s Prime Video and Disney+. There's also Skydance, after Paramount’s $81 billion buyout of Warner Bros. Discovery put HBO Max and Paramount+ under the same roof. Netflix walked away from its offer to buy Warner Bros. Discovery’s studio and streaming business in February.

The company is also competing for people's attention with YouTube and TikTok, where short videos are extremely popular.

For the current quarter, Netflix is forecasting revenue of $13.4 billion, slightly below analysts' expectations of $13.5 billion. New shows and movies coming this quarter include “East of Eden” and season four of “The Diplomat” as well as the sixth and final season of “Emily in Paris.”

Netflix also released “La Bola Negra,” a Spanish film about the interconnected lives of three gay men across a history that spans the early 20th century, the Spanish Civil War and the modern day. “La Bola Negra” — which cost $15 million to make — is expected to challenge “The Odyssey” for best picture. Netflix disclosed box office numbers for the movie, for the first time in its history. It made $313,391 over the weekend through Monday with a release in just four theaters.

Shares of Netflix fell $2.79, or 4.1%, to $65.90 in after-hours trading after the results came out.

As of Tuesday's close, Netflix's stock is down about 25% for the year to date. Analysts see several factors contributing to its difficulties.

“Investors are concerned about soft engagement trends, decelerating revenue growth, a slower margin expansion outlook, and most recently content executive leadership changes,” said John Belton, portfolio manager at Gabelli Funds.

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AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr contributed to this story.

The NBA picked the matinee matchup to tip off the season and it delivered plenty of entertainment.

Paul George scored 38 points, the most by a Celtic in his debut. The nine-time All-Star, in his 17th season, showed he's still got it in his first game with Boston since it acquired him from Philadelphia in exchange for 2024 NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown.

Jayson Tatum, though, was off his game.

He missed 17 of 23 shots had 13 points and 11 assists. His lack of hustle on defense allowed Green to take his time for a fifth 3-pointer that gave the Pistons a 13-point lead with 3:33 left.

Tatum, a six-time All-Star, is set to play his first full season since tearing his Achilles tendon in May 2025.

Boston took its biggest lead early in the third quarter at 72-50 after George made three 3-pointers in less than a minute.

Detroit cut its deficit to six points after three quarters and surged ahead in the fourth. Green made a go-ahead 3, Duren added a three-point play and Robinson connected on a 3 to put the Pistons ahead 107-99 with 5:10 to go.

Jalen Duren had 22 points and nine rebounds, Duncan Robinson scored 21 points — making 5 of 9 3-pointers — and Ausar Thompson added 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Pistons.

Boston's Derrick White and Payton Pritchard scored 17 points apiece.

Up next

Celtics: Host the New York Knicks on Friday.

Pistons: At Miami on Friday.

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See AP’s full NBA coverage here

• RELATED: Texas election guide 2026: Dates, voting requirements and Houston-area contacts

Food prices nationwide increased about 27% between December 2020 and December 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index. That means groceries that cost $100 at the end of 2020 would cost about $127 by the end of 2025, on average. Actual increases vary by product. (Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Charles Kuffner, a local political blogger, says rising food costs create difficult choices for families trying to cover everyday expenses.

“It’s a big pressure point on everybody,” Kuffner said.

What is driving food prices?

Kuffner points to several factors he believes contribute to higher grocery costs, including tariffs on imported goods and the cost of transporting food.

Tariffs can increase the cost of imported products, including some fruits and vegetables. Transportation costs also matter because groceries must be moved from farms and processing facilities to stores.

Many of these factors are influenced by federal policies, leaving local officials with limited direct control over grocery prices.

But Kuffner says county leaders can still make decisions that help families manage the cost of living.

Two things voters should look for

1. Find out which candidates support assistance programs

Kuffner encourages voters to look closely at candidates’ plans for helping residents who are struggling to afford basic needs.

“Listen very carefully to what the candidates have to say about the things that our local government does to provide assistance to people who need it,” Kuffner said.

For voters, that means asking candidates which assistance programs they support, who would qualify for help and how those programs would be funded.

2. Look at plans to lower other household expenses

Grocery prices are only one part of a family’s budget. Housing, health care, transportation and utility bills can also leave families with less money for food.

Kuffner said county government can help in areas such as health care and other essential services.

“Where the county can make a difference is by providing health services, and making household costs more affordable. Like, electricity and providing transportation assistance. Even lowering the price of housing, itself” Kuffner said.

Voters can ask candidates whether they would invest in services that help residents manage those costs, what they would prioritize and how they would pay for those programs.

County leaders cannot control every factor that affects grocery prices. But their budget decisions can influence the services and assistance available to residents.

Where do the candidates stand?