Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said Friday, two days after Messi's 39th birthday, that the team's captain will begin the match on the bench, but also indicated through an interpreter that he “will come in a little bit later.”

Scaloni didn't say when Messi might substitute in to the game, or what his lineup would be against first-time World Cup participant Jordan, which lost its first two matches.

Messi scored all five goals for Argentina in the first two group matches, and now has 18 goals overall in his six World Cups. He had his first-ever hat trick in the tournament in a 3-0 win over Algeria to tie the career scoring record at 16 goals that had been held by Miroslav Klose of Germany. He broke that mark with the goals in a 2-0 win over Austria on Monday at the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys — where the group finale will be played.

Klose played in 24 World Cup matches for Germany, which wrapped up his fourth tournament by winning the 2014 final 1-0 in extra time over Messi and Argentina. Kylian Mbappé matched Klose at 16 with two goals in France’s 3-0 win over Iraq later Monday. Mbappé, who has four goals in the tournament, didn't score in a 4-1 win over Norway on Friday in his final group match.

Considered by many to be the greatest player of all time, Messi has made 201 international appearances for Argentina, including a FIFA-record 28 World Cup matches. He has scored in six consecutive World Cup games, joining France striker Just Fontaine and Brazil great Jairzinho as only players to do that.

Messi had been dealing with a minor hamstring injury with Inter Miami of Major League Soccer that slowed him in the lead-up to the World Cup.

While there have been no indications of any issues since, Argentina has a lot of games left if it is going to get to another World Cup final. The knockout round for La Albiceleste begins next Friday in South Florida, and in this expanded 48-team tournament that would be the first of five matches in 17 days if they make it to the final on July 19.

Even with Argentina trying to go undefeated in group play for the fifth time, and first since 2014, Messi isn't the only starter expected to get a break.

Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez could be the only regular starter in a lineup that could feature several new faces. Nicolás Paz, who made his World Cup debut subbing in for Messi late in the opener against Algeria, is now expected to start in his place.

“The hope is that the team will play the same way. That’s what we’re going to try to do,” Scaloni said. “Jordan is a good opponent, and we’re not taking anything for granted. We’ll try to tweak some aspects of the last match, but with the same intention of controlling the ball and dominating the opponent.”

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Associated Press writer Débora Rey contributed to this report.

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See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

Citizens digging through the rubble of their homes said they have seen few state rescue teams in the areas hit hardest by the devastating 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes that struck late Wednesday, despite authorities projecting an image of a robust government response.

The lack of help compounded families' desperation as the pressure to find buried survivors increased with each passing hour. The South American nation on Friday marked nearly two days since the disaster. Aid agencies consider the first 48 to 72 hours to be a crucial time frame to retrieve people alive, though that period can be extended if they have access to food and water.

On Friday night, Venezuelan authorities announced they would block off access to La Guaira, the epicenter of the destruction, as chaos and and traffic began to affect search efforts. Government officials said that those who wanted to enter would now have to seek official permits, but provided few details of who would be allowed to enter.

Meanwhile, a broad international aid effort accelerated, with dozens of rescue teams from around the globe arriving in Venezuela or due to arrive there soon.

“Each person saved is a miracle,” said Jorge Rodríguez, the president of the country’s National Assembly. “We are not going to hide absolutely anything about the magnitude of this tragedy."

Anxious families wait to see if their relatives survived

Families across northern Venezuela searched in the ruins of buildings for relatives and whatever remained of their lives.

Nazareth Jimenez sobbed into the shoulder of a loved one as she watched neighbors try to cut through slabs of concrete with hammers and power tools in a building reduced to a mountain of debris. “My God, how are we going to get them out of there?" she murmured.

She was in the northern state of La Guaira, just north of the capital of Caracas, where some of the worst destruction unfolded. Jimenez was wracked with anxiety as she waited to see if her siblings, nephews, nieces and friends would emerge from the debris alive.

“We're making a call for help to the government and countries across the world,” she said, pleading for machines that would be capable of moving collapsed structures. "There are still people alive in there.”

Government forces distributed food and water to survivors in La Guaira as acting President Delcy Rodríguez said her government was mounting a full response during these “critical hours for rescuing people alive.” She welcomed the arrival of rescuers and humanitarian aid from all over the world. She said La Guaira had been militarized and that more help was on the way, even as residents said it was just a fraction of the aid they needed.

The disaster poses a huge challenge for Rodríguez, the former vice president who took office in January after the capture and removal of then-President Nicolás Maduro by the United States. Venezuela has been facing economic disarray for more than a decade, and many people reject the legitimacy of the political movement Rodríguez represents.

The number of dead was expected to climb, and civilians reported tens of thousands of people missing on independent digital databases. The number of missing likely includes those who have been incommunicado due to the lack of cellphone signals in disaster zones. Some reports may be duplicates created when multiple loved ones are searching for the same person.

The number of injured climbed to more than 3,300 as of midday Friday, and authorities said they had rescued 243 people.

Quakes leave millions of people reeling

The International Organization for Migration said that up to 6.76 million people in Venezuela could be affected by the quakes, some 2 million of them in Caracas alone. Destruction was amplified by the one-two punch of the successive shallow quakes, experts said. Loyce Pace, the International Red Cross’ regional director for the Americas, said “people are still terrified to reenter what were their homes.”

Desperation started to sink in Friday as many families still had not found missing loved ones, continued to sleep on the street or grieved relatives killed in the disaster.

“I’ve been left alone in this life,” said Omar Reyes, who walked through the rubble where two of his children were buried. He said around 20 family members died in the disaster.

In the city of Maiquetía, people lined up outside convenience and grocery stores and pharmacies as the businesses served customers one by one behind closed doors. At one point, a woman in a crowd desperate to keep a package of diapers threw herself to the ground to protect the package with her body.

Traffic and throngs of motorcyclists at times also disrupted search efforts. Mexican soldiers and volunteers repeatedly had to ask for silence to try to hear signs of life under the ruble, but bikers — civilian and uniformed — often ignored the requests honking horns and revved their engines to the frustration of first responders.

In Catia La Mar, a community adjacent to the country's main airport, throngs of people began to loot basic goods such as toilet paper and food from stores. Others swarmed a civilian pickup truck that was giving out loaves of bread and water, until a soldier intervened. People turned the parking lot of a pharmacy into makeshift shelter by setting up tarps, hammocks and tents.

A few miles away, Yuleidy Cadenas stood across the street from a collapsed public housing building watching fellow Venezuelans and recently arrived foreign and local emergency crews work on the rubble. She hoped her son, mother and brother would be pulled out alive.

She fled, barefoot, from a collapsing nearby building Wednesday and found her mother’s 12th-floor apartment tower had pancaked. Cadenas, 28, sobbed as she recalled that Friday was her son’s 12th birthday.

“I got on top of the rubble and told them to yell back, and nobody did, not my brother, nor my son or my mother,” Cadenas said. “I’m just here waiting for them.”

A few minutes later, a body was pulled from the rubble. It was not her mother’s.

International aid is on the way

Venezuela authorities said Friday that 861 international volunteers from Mexico, the U.S., El Salvador, Switzerland, Colombia and beyond were working in Venezuela. Many more from other countries were expected in the coming hours and days. The U.N. said 1,000 emergency responders in 25 search-and-rescue teams from across the globe were on their way.

Acting president Rodríguez said she spoke to U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday afternoon, and that they reaffirmed their commitment to sending rescue teams and aid equipment.

On the country’s main highway, caravans of state forces, emergency personnel, dump trucks and heavy machinery moved in the direction of the tragedy. A civilian pickup truck carrying thin mattresses had its windows marked with “Help from Trujillo.”

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Janetsky reported from Mexico City. Associated Press journalists Clara Preve in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Julie Watson in San Diego; Dánica Coto in San Juan, Puerto Rico; Geir Moulson in Berlin; Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey; and Teresa Medrano in Madrid contributed to this report.

Whether Brazilian or Japanese, or simply looking for a place to celebrate at places that feel like home with fans who share your vibe, Houston is bringing it.

Here’s a list of the top places to watch.

Brazil

Empório Brazilian Grill & Green

12288 Westheimer Rd. #210A, Houston, TX 77077

Hours: Monday 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Tuesday-Saturday 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Empório is one of the longtime favorite spots for Brazilians to find community in H-Town, and this place is going all out for the World Cup. The venue will feature fresh, made-from-scratch Brazilian dishes, drink specials, appetizers and live music. Menu items represent cuisine from every part of Brazil. It will be a hot spot, and reservations are required with a 170-person capacity limit.

Fabian’s Latin Flavors

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301 Main St., Houston, TX 77002

Hours: 11 a.m.-2 a.m. every match day.

Fans can expect this place to get pumping very quickly. The live match screenings, Brazilian dancers, music, vendors and an energetic after-party make it a destination spot to have some fun. The venue has multiple viewing areas, including some indoor and outdoor spaces featuring a large courtyard. Food specials for FIFA will be available, as well as bottle service specials.

Tourão Brazilian Churrascaria

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4412 Montrose Blvd., Houston, TX 77006

Hours: Mon.-Thu.: 11 a.m.-3 p.m., 5 p.m.-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat.: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sun.: 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

At this spot, you can fill up like a balloon while watching these games, as Tourão is offering a $44.95 all-you-can-eat World Cup special during Monday’s matches. The food comes fresh off the fire with a variety of great Brazilian meats.

Japan

Damn Good Game

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1919 N. Shepherd Dr., Houston, TX 77008

Hours: Sunday-Thursday 11:30 a.m.-midnight; Friday-Saturday 11:30 a.m.-1 a.m.

This retro-inspired sports bar is teaming up with TokyoX to bring the biggest Japanese party to Houston. The bar brings the flavor to life with endless special options from the West and East, with flavors like Japanese curry flatbread and edamame. Fans can also enjoy the matches with drink specials that include Japanese whisky and other alcoholic beverages.

Know of another World Cup Japan vs. Brazil watch party?

Let us know, and we will add it to this continuously updated list of all the FIFA fun happening in Houston

The Republican-led board passed the mandated Christian stories in public school lessons on a 9-4 vote along party lines, with two members not present for the vote. The revamped social studies lessons, which required separate votes for each grade, also passed. The board postponed changes to four high school courses, which members will vote on at a future meeting. 

This week’s meetings ran as late as 2 a.m., with the members meticulously parsing through changes to lessons in each grade.

Some of the nearly 500 speakers who addressed the board exchanged heated words about Christianity’s role in the development of the country, and at least one person with a Confederate flag was deemed out of order by the board chair and escorted from the room for verbally interrupting the meeting. 

The statewide reading list requires, among other literary works, that schools teach Bible material to children as young as 6 years old up to young adults preparing to receive their diplomas. That includes Christian stories about Adam and Eve, the eight Beatitudes and the Parable of the Prodigal Son.

Students, educators and progressive activists spoke out in opposition to the lack of racial, ethnic and gender inclusion in the debated books and lessons, as well as the state’s Christian focus over other religions. 

Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, criticized the reading list adoption in a statement Friday, saying Texas should not force public schools to learn the Bible. 

“This policy is part of a broader movement,” Laser said, “to misuse public schools to impose one narrow set of religious beliefs and indoctrinate a new generation of Americans in the lie that America is a Christian country.” 

English teachers stressed during the meeting that many of the books on the proposed reading list do not align with what Texas requires them to teach, despite taking up most of roughly 36 weeks of instructional time in an academic year.   

The reading lists will take effect during the 2030-31 school year. The board voted Friday to phase in the reading and social studies changes over multiple years rather than introduce them at once. 

“When we teach classical literature and social studies with biblical foundations, we are not simply preserving great books,” said Dawn Hatley, a Lubbock resident who testified earlier in the week. “We’re helping raise young men and women who love truth, pursue wisdom and recognize God’s hand throughout history and human experience.”

Texas parents can opt their children out of any instruction, but state education officials acknowledged earlier this year that those students could still be tested on it.

During the week, the board members — led by Republican Tom Maynard — debated whether they should prohibit teachers from assigning non-state-mandated books without the educators first posting them online for parental review. However, some expressed concerns about micromanaging teachers, while others noted that state law already imposes strict requirements on reading material in schools. 

The members considered whether to grant charter schools flexibility in which grades they introduce the required readings, an attempt to appease charter leaders who said they wanted to assign more rigorous books to children in lower grades. But some members said doing so might create the opposite effect, allowing lower-performing campuses to lessen rigor for students in higher grades. 

Neither of those passed.

Reframing history

Along with mandatory Bible stories in reading, the social studies proposal features a dramatic transformation in how Texas schools have long administered lessons on history, geography, economics and government. It eliminates the current sixth-grade world cultures course, deemphasizes world history outside of European tradition and dedicates more focus to Texas and the United States.

Democrats suggested changes they hoped would make lessons more accurate and inclusive of historically underserved groups — most notably people of color — even if they ultimately did not favor the overall plan. 

The board approved changes to K-8 and some high school courses but it postponed rewrites to U.S. history, world history, geography and government. 

Republicans blamed cherry-picking over what students should learn for the delay. 

“We wasted many hours late into the morning,” Republican board member Brandon Hall said. “We have worn out and exhausted our staff on trifling amendments coming from people who had no intention of ever working with us or ever actually approving something they wanted to pass.” 

Conservative leaders and activists champion the new lessons, which they view as “the final battle” in a push to rid Texas schools of instruction they say paints America in a negative light and trains students to hate the country. 

Sociology classes, for example, currently require students to understand “the impact of race and ethnicity on society” and “analyze the varying treatment patterns of minority groups.” But that standard was eliminated in the newly proposed social studies plan. 

For months, educators, Democrats and public education advocates criticized Texas’ social studies revamp as rushed. Conservative advocates and Republican board members insisted on pushing the process forward. But board chair Aaron Kinsey expressed doubts Thursday about having enough time to cut down the number of lessons packed into each course. That led to the group delaying changes to the four high school classes.

“This is a conundrum we’ve created of our own doing,” Democratic member Marisa B. Pérez-Díaz said. “And I’m very frustrated by it.”

Kinsey rejected an assertion from Pérez-Díaz that he rushed the process and said he was willing to continue working. But he also said board members made mistakes when they pushed through changes during late hours. For example, they eliminated a requirement that students learn about the American Revolution in high school U.S. history before reinserting it Thursday.

Educators criticized how the social studies proposal prioritizes memorization over critical thinking and simplification over accuracy. Historians called attention to factual errors, saying the new standards would set children up for failure post-graduation. 

One lesson, for example, had described the forced relocation and imprisonment of Japanese families during World War II as one of the “contributions” to America’s military effort. Another proposal noted that high school students should know the significance of leaders in the Civil Rights Movement, specifying Thurgood Marshall, Barbara Jordan and Hector P. Garcia — but not Martin Luther King Jr. 

The standards initially approved this week reflect slightly different suggestions, instead describing Japanese incarceration as one of the “changes” during the war and adding King to the list of Civil Rights leaders. 

But Democratic board members said the minor tweaks will not fix what they see as a whitewashed social studies plan and a politically influenced approval process. 

A panel of nine advisers guided the social studies overhaul, almost all of whom hold no Texas K-12 classroom experience and several of whom are either conservative activists or closely affiliated with them. Educators have described it as a major reversal of previous years when teachers led the way, while Democrats have said they do not feel fairly included in decision-making. 

“Our voices are being left off constantly,” Democratic board member Tiffany Clark said. 

Republicans clarified that advisers only provide recommendations. Elected members maintain final say in the social studies overhaul, they noted. The GOP members argued that it is Democrats’ own responsibility to ensure they are included in the rewrite. 

“I, as well as several of my colleagues, have been in direct contact with our content advisers,” Republican member Audrey Young said. “I have been communicating through my content adviser this entire time.”

But some of the appointed experts also expressed frustrations. Yolanda Chávez Leyva, a historian at the University of Texas at El Paso helping guide the board, said she “didn’t feel that every adviser’s input was treated equally.” 

Kate Rogers, a social studies adviser who previously led the Alamo Trust before publicly clashing with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, said the group remained professional but its recommendations did not represent all participants. 

For instance, the advisory panel proposed changing a lesson that originally called on students to “identify domestic challenges for the United States following World War I related to racial violence and intolerance, including the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan and the Tulsa Race Massacre.”

They instead suggested that students learn about the Klan’s “intolerance” of Catholics, Jews and immigrants but did not specify Black Americans. They also changed the “Tulsa Race Massacre” to the “Tulsa Race Riots.” During the 1921 massacre in Oklahoma, a white mob killed Black residents, destroyed their homes and looted their businesses after a Black teenager was falsely accused of trying to assault a white girl in an elevator.   

The appointed group also removed standards that defined racial segregation as “keeping people apart based on the color of their skin” and specified that Africans endured slavery in the U.S. because of their race. 

“I want to make it clear to the board members that we did not discuss every item on this document,” Rogers said. “Some of the changes were not reviewed by all of the content advisers.”

Board members adopted many changes proposed by the advisory group but reinserted several others, including how Nat Turner’s Rebellion “heightened sectional tensions and deepened disagreements over slavery” and how the expansion of slavery was the central cause of the Civil War. They also clarified that the Klan sought to intimidate and “limit the rights of African Americans in Texas during Reconstruction.” 

Some members initiated changes that would expose students to more positive aspects of Black history, including Republican Keven Ellis’ suggestion that schools teach about Bessie Coleman, a Texan who became the first African American and Native American woman to obtain an international pilot’s license. 

On the contrary, Republicans eliminated a standard specifying that students should consider “the perspectives of groups whose voices are less represented in traditional historical accounts.” They removed a mandate that students learn about Henry O. Flipper, the first Black graduate of West Point. 

They added another requirement that introduces the biblical story of Moses alongside the Underground Railroad and Harriet Tubman — who was nicknamed “Moses” because, similar to the biblical prophet, she helped people escape slavery. 

Republican leaders across the state, meanwhile, often depict Islam as a violent religion they view as incompatible with their conservative Christian American values. During the board’s April meetings, the board eliminated a social studies standard that would have required students to learn about Muslim contributions to algebra and astronomy.

They approved a lesson this week that requires students to learn about the Prophet Muhammad in the context of “brutal military campaigns against Jewish and Christian tribes, the normalization of slavery, and the taking of female captives as harem slaves.” 

“These proposed standards actually defy the Constitution and highlight only one group of Americans as the founders who built this country to the exclusion of others — both in the past and in the present,” Ruth Nasrullah, a Muslim speaker, told the board members this week.

“Let me be very clear: Islam is not a religion,” state Sen. Bob Hall, R-Edgewood, testified before the education board Monday. “It is a totalitarian theocracy, not unlike totalitarian systems of communism, Nazism and globalism.”

Asked if he had ever visited a Muslim-majority country, the senator responded no. 

Elizabeth Jensen, who identified herself as a Texas school board trustee but did not specify the district, told the education panel that she believes “slavery was and still is fundamental to Sharia,” referring to the set of moral codes and principles that Muslims follow. Sharia does not have a uniform meaning, as Muslims interpret and act upon it differently. 

Muslims have spent months denouncing such Islamophobia at State Board of Education meetings, calling it misinformation and harmful to the hundreds of thousands of Texans who practice the faith. 

Prior to debating high school social studies, a handful of Republicans on the elected board unsuccessfully attempted to block amendments from members who did not meet an earlier deadline to submit proposed changes. 

If successful, the move effectively would have stopped Democrats from proposing on-the-spot tweaks, which was notable because the rule had not been enforced when the board discussed elementary and middle school lessons.

Members could take up the remaining high school courses at its next scheduled meeting in September, or the chair could schedule a special meeting before then.

Disclosure: The University of Texas at El Paso has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

Yoon, who shot a record 63 in the first round at Hazeltine National Golf Club, had two bogeys with one birdie on the back nine to reach 12 under. The 23-year-old is seeking her first LPGA Tour victory.

“The remaining two days will obviously be nerve-racking, but being nervous is human nature, and I think I want to embrace that and focus on what I can in my shots,” said Yoon, who missed the cut at the U.S. Women's Open this month after tying for fourth at the first major of the season at The Chevron Championship.

Nasa Hataoka, Brooke Henderson, A Lin Kim and Hae Ran Ryu were tied for second. Ryu shot a 64 for the best score of the day, three strokes better than Hataoka. Henderson finished with three straight birdies for a 68. Kim shot a 70. They all left the course in good spirits, yet trying to figure out how to make up five strokes.

“It’s halfway done. She had a great first half, so hopefully I can just have a great second half to try to make up the difference,” said Henderson, the Canadian who won the Women's PGA Championship at age 18 in 2016 at Sahalee Country Club in Washington. “I feel like overall the way I’ve been playing the course has been really solid, so just hopefully I make a few more birdies and climb the board.”

LPGA Tour leader Nelly Korda, who opened her bid for a third straight major title this year with a quiet 70, had a 68 to climb into a tie for sixth place with Dongeun Lee at 6 under.

After rallying from a slow start to win the U.S. Women's Open at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, Korda put herself in a viable position.

“It is hard to have a big lead going into the weekend. I was there at Chevron and you do feel a little bit more pressure, like everyone is hunting you down. I’m just going to focus on, as boring as it is, one shot at a time and see where that takes me,” Korda said. “I know the wind will be higher this weekend so it’s going to play probably a little bit more difficult, and I’m sure that the pins will be tricked up.”

Yoon, Kim, Ryu and Lee gave South Korean four of the top seven at the midpoint of a tournament that has so far enjoyed calm, dry and comfortable conditions with high temperatures in the mid-70s. The 36-hole average score is the lowest for this event since 2008 at Bulle Rock in Maryland.

“I think I like this kind of grass, and the course fit my eye as well," Yoon said. “Yeah, I think I like this course.”

Yoon became the fourth player in the history of the Women's PGA Championship, which dates to 1955, to lead by five or more strokes through 36 holes, following Mickey Wright (eight, 1958), In Gee Chun (six, 2022) and Cristie Kerr (five, 2010).

Korda again had hundreds of fans following her every shot, streaming from hole to hole as she traversed the lengthy 6,700-yard course in suburban Minneapolis.

After birdies on four of her first nine holes, Korda faded a bit down the stretch and finished with six straight pars as she fought a hook with her tee shots. She hit into the rough along the treeline to begin her back nine before two-putting for bogey on the first hole.

Projecting confidence and humility as the sport's most dominant and popular player at the moment, Korda couldn't help but laugh with caddie Jason McDede at the difference in layouts from the last major to this one.

“At Riv it’s a dead right and now it’s left,” Korda said. “I would’ve killed for this shot at Riv. But, yeah, it’s just golf. It’s funny, right? It always kind of humbles you, and you’re always kind of scratching your head a little bit in some ways.”

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AP GLF: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

The Rangers acquired Dorofeyev's rights from Vegas for the Nos. 26 and 92 picks this year, plus a conditional first-rounder in 2028. They will need to sign him to a contract since the 25-year-old is a restricted free agent, coming off scoring 12 goals on the Golden Knights' run to the Stanley Cup Final.

On their way there, they defeated the Utah Mammoth, who also made a big subtraction by sending a winger to the Eastern Conference. JJ Peterka is going to the Boston Bruins for the No. 23 pick and Florida's top-10-protected '28 first-rounder.

Peterka is changing places for a second consecutive offseason following his move from Buffalo just over a year to the day ago. The 24-year-old from Germany now gets to play for the league's only German coach, Marco Sturm.

“I would like to thank JJ for his commitment to our organization,” Utah general manager Bill Armstrong said. “JJ is a great person and will be a dynamic player for Boston.”

Midway through the first round, the St. Louis Blues acquired forward Mason McTavish from Anaheim for the Nos. 15 and 29 picks, getting a player entering his prime at 23 who's signed through 2031 at a salary cap hit of $7 million.

Pre-draft trades aplenty

Getting Dorofeyev was New York GM Chris Drury 's second move of the day after sending forward Brett Berard to Montreal for defenseman William Trudeau, who has been in the minors and is still awaiting his NHL debut.

Also Friday, Buffalo got defenseman Olen Zellweger, who also needs a new contract, from Anaheim for the 45th pick and forward prospect Anton Wahlberg. Zellweger, who turns 23 in September, replenishes depth for the Sabres after they traded Bowen Byram to Chicago earlier in the week.

Chicago sent winger Andre Burakovsky to Ottawa for a 2027 sixth-round pick. Burakovsky joins the Senators more than three decades since his dad, Robert, played 23 games for them in the 1993-94 season.

The Blackhawks clear his $5.5 million salary cap hit off the books for next season, while the Senators get a 31-year-old winger who has twice won the Stanley Cup.

General manager Steve Staios said the Senators were happy to add a player of Burakovsky’s pedigree because he “adds skill and playmaking ability to our forward group.”

Staios was busy in the hours before adding Burakovsky, acquiring the rights to goaltender Samuel Ersson and re-signing another pending restricted free agent, defenseman Jordan Spence. Ottawa sent a 2027 fifth-rounder to rival Toronto for Ersson, whom the Maple Leafs got along with Emil Andrae in a cap space-clearing trade with Philadelphia for Joseph Woll and Simon Benoit.

Spence, 25, signed a four-year, $20 million contract. He was a big part of the team enduring injuries at the position and still making the playoffs, scoring a career-high seven goals and finishing with 31 points while skating an average of nearly 19 minutes over 73 games.

“Jordan was an excellent addition to our hockey club and proved to be a valuable asset on our blue line and stepped up when it counted last season,” Staios said. “We’re excited to have him as part of our core group.”

Teams take care of in-house business

Colorado re-signed defensemen Brent Burns and Brett Kulak, fresh off winning the Presidents’ Trophy and losing in the conference final to Vegas.

Burns, 41, signed for next season, his 23rd in the league, at the veteran minimum of $850,000 and can make up to $3 million in incentives, according to a person familiar with the deal. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because financial terms were not disclosed.

Burns has skated in 1,007 consecutive regular-season games and is 58 away from passing Phil Kessel for the longest ironman streak in NHL history.

Kulak got a five-year contract from the Avalanche worth a reported $22.5 million. President of hockey operations and franchise great Joe Sakic is reshaping the roster after reclaiming GM duties when Chris MacFarland left for Nashville.

Los Angeles re-signed defenseman Brandt Clarke for $37 million over the next five years.

The Islanders re-signed defenseman Tony DeAngelo to a two-year contract worth $9 million. He will count $4.5 million against the salary cap through the 2027-28 season.

DeAngelo, 30, is returning to the Islanders for a second full season after joining them upon returning to the NHL from a stint in the Russia-based KHL in January 2025.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL

U.S. President Donald Trump said the drone attack violated the ceasefire. The strikes came shortly after Trump told reporters, “You’ll find out,” whether the U.S. would respond.

U.S. Central Command said the military struck missile and drone locations and coastal radar sites in Iran.

“I don’t like the fact that they took a shot yesterday, actually four of them,” Trump said at the White House shortly before the U.S. struck back. When asked why there would be strikes when Trump has insisted talks with Tehran are going well, Trump said of Iran: “They’re a little bit different.”

He then abruptly cut off questions and reporters were ushered out of his office.

Ebrahim Azizi, who heads the Iranian parliament’s national security commission, responded to Trump on social media earlier Friday, saying, “the Strait of Hormuz is governed by Iran, so: Respect the rules” and to “not mistake control for escalation.”

“This is not a violation of the ceasefire; it is ceasefire management,” Azizi wrote.

Friday evening, Vice President JD Vance said on social media that Iran should “pick up the phone” if there are disagreements about the ceasefire agreement.

“But violence will be met with violence,” Vance said.

Strikes conclude an hour later

The U.S. strikes on Iran concluded about an hour after U.S. Central Command announced the military action on social media, a U.S. official with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing military operation.

The British military said on Thursday that a container ship was hit by a projectile off the coast of Oman, coming hours after Iran threatened vessels to stop using the route. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said no injuries were reported.

The development came during a fragile time for the U.S. and Iran as they work to negotiate a permanent end to the war. Iran has increasingly challenged the region and the U.S. over its control of the Strait of Hormuz, even with the current interim deal it reached with the U.S. last week.

The attack on the cargo ship happened while a United Nations maritime agency was beginning an operation to move stranded ships out of the strait this week, using an alternative route, hugging the shores of Oman rather than sailing through the central part of the strait.

The International Maritime Organization halted the evacuations after the attack and said on Friday they won’t resume until there are guarantees that the other ships won’t be attacked.

About 115 ships were able to move out of the strait in recent days, leaving about 500 still in the area, said Arsenio Dominguez, the agency’s secretary-general.

The opening of the alternative passage through the strait was expected to relieve pressure on the world economy and remove Iran’s main source of leverage in ongoing peace talks with the U.S.

The U.S. and Iran are still negotiating terms of the deal, including issues such as getting ships through the key strait and addressing the future of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Under the interim deal, the two sides have 60 days to work out the details.

Cargo ship attack poses a test for shipping

Shipping analysts said the drone strike cast a shadow over what had been a growing stream of trapped vessels finally leaving the Gulf and an increasing flow of tankers carrying crude oil.

“A week of widening commercial confidence in the Strait of Hormuz has hit its first significant test,” said marine data company Windward on X. It said that while the strait remains operationally open with 43 transits recorded after the incident, “the pace of normalization has slowed.”

On Wednesday before Thursday’s drone strike, 78 vessels transited the strait, the highest since the war began, although below the prewar averages of 130 or more per day.

At least two tankers reversed course while attempting to transit the strait on the U.N.-backed route near Oman after Iran insisted vessels use only the Teheran-approved routes, according to marine data and analytic firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence.

More than two dozen ships were still transiting the strait's southern route after the attack, Lloyd's said Friday.

Lebanon and Israel make a step toward peace

Ambassadors from Israel and Lebanon announced an agreement Friday described as a step toward peace following months of conflict between Israeli troops and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

Nada Hamadeh, Lebanon's ambassador to the U.S., called the framework a move toward "enabling our people to go back to their land and allowing all Lebanese to live in peace, security, and prosperity.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the plan was a “great achievement” for Israel.

“The most important thing, first and foremost, is that Israel will remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon,” he said, adding that they will stay until Hezbollah is disarmed and no longer poses a threat to Israel.

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Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writers Ben Finley, Michelle L. Price and Josh Boak in Washington, David McHugh in Frankfurt, Germany, and John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, contributed to this report.

Its chief rival, Anthropic, announced hours later that the Trump administration has approved a limited release of its strongest cybersecurity model, two weeks after the U.S. Commerce Department effectively banned it.

Both companies said their newest models would be available to small groups of trusted partners. OpenAI said its new AI product, called GPT-5.6 Sol, would be accessible only to customers approved by the Trump administration.

“We don’t believe this kind of government access process should become the long-term default,” OpenAI said in a statement. The company said it viewed the testing period as a temporary step on the “path to broader availability in the coming weeks.”

OpenAI's staggered release of a powerful new AI system follows actions the government took earlier this month against Anthropic, maker of the Claude chatbot. Anthropic took offline two new AI models, known as Fable 5 and Mythos 5, just days after unveiling them to comply with a Trump directive blocking their use by foreign nationals. The government on Friday lifted restrictions on one of those models, Mythos 5, enabling it to be “redeployed to a small group of cyber defenders and infrastructure providers,” Anthropic said.

The White House said Friday it continues to collaborate with frontier AI labs on addressing the challenges of scaling the fast-growing technology.

Officials have grown increasingly concerned since Anthropic warned earlier this year that its Mythos model was adept at finding software flaws in a way that could be weaponized by malicious hackers and threaten critical computer networks around the world.

New, powerful AI models have drawn White House scrutiny

Trump earlier in June signed an executive order on AI oversight that established a framework for the federal government to vet the national security risks of the most advanced AI systems for up to 30 days before their public release. The order described participation by AI developers as voluntary but the framework has not yet been fully developed.

Some of Trump’s allies have laid blame on San Francisco-based Anthropic and CEO Dario Amodei for the need for heightened government scrutiny.

“Dario came to Washington a few months ago, back in April, and basically said that he had created a cyber weapon called Mythos,” said investor David Sacks, who co-leads Trump’s council of technology and science advisers, on a recent podcast. “And he spiked the cortisol level, got everyone really worried. And there was some truth to it in terms of the sense that this model had advanced cyber capabilities.”

OpenAI, also based in San Francisco, said its new Sol model (pronounced ‘SOHL’ like the Spanish word for sun) “is better at helping people find and fix vulnerabilities” than it is at carrying out cyberattacks and does not cross the company’s own risk threshold. But it acknowledged there could be unforeseen risks especially if its model is combined with other tools.

“That uncertainty, along with the model’s broader step change in capabilities, is why we are pairing the model’s increased capabilities with stronger safeguards and a phased release,” the company said Friday.

OpenAI hasn't named any of the roughly 20 customers that have been approved to use the new model so far.

Critics warn that unpredictable government intervention can hold back US companies

U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, a Massachusetts Democrat and co-author of a bipartisan bill that would regulate AI, said in a statement that she is concerned “the Trump administration is deciding company by company who gets access to the newest AI model. No law. No process. No oversight. Just appointees in Washington deciding who’s in and who’s out.”

A broad group of technology experts has also criticized the government's actions that led Anthropic to shut down Fable, which the company had pitched as a safer version of Mythos. It's now been unavailable for two weeks, even after the government lifted restrictions Friday on the more powerful Mythos.

“I just want to say that pretty much nobody in the cybersecurity industry believes that there’s any factual basis for this action,” Stanford University cybersecurity expert Alex Stamos said on a call with reporters earlier this week.

Stamos, the chief product officer at AI security company Corridor and a former chief security officer at Facebook parent Meta, said he reviewed an analysis of research on Fable by Anthropic's primary cloud computing backer, Amazon, and didn't find any risks that aren't present with other publicly available AI models, including those made in China.

"If the administration is honest about wanting the United States to beat China in this race, then this is about the dumbest thing they could possibly do,” Stamos said.

Oversight ramps up as the AI companies move toward IPOs

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman spoke with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick about the model release Wednesday, part of a series of negotiations in recent weeks between AI industry executives and Trump officials.

Anthropic has also been part of those talks, but Amodei has had a more contentious relationship with the Trump administration. The Pentagon designated Anthropic as a national security risk for raising ethical and safety concerns about AI usage in war, and Trump himself ordered federal agencies to stop using Claude. Anthropic responded with a lawsuit that is still working its way through federal courts.

Anthropic said Friday it was “pleased” by the partial release of Mythos late Friday and will “continue to work with the government to expand access” and make Fable available again to general users. Lutnick told Anthropic in a letter dated Friday that its work to address the government's concerns “yielded significant progress.”

The government's heightened AI oversight adds another complication to exploratory moves by OpenAI as well as Anthropic to take their companies public on Wall Street, following SpaceX’s record-setting June 12 initial public offering.

Trump has floated the possibility of the U.S. government owning a stake in leading AI companies, describing a concept where “pieces could be given to the American public, where the American public essentially becomes a partner with the companies.”

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Associated Press writer Jonathan J. Cooper contributed to this report.

It was just a coincidence that the city’s “Pride Match” ended up as a high-stakes matchup between Iran and Egypt — with advancement from Group G still up in the air — and the move has come with plenty of pushback from both countries. But Seattle officials and its soccer community say this distinctive pairing is an opportunity to showcase the city’s inclusivity as well as the common ground that can be found at the World Cup.

“I don’t think there is a sport that has a global event that creates unity and diversity and a bringing together of so many cultures quite like the World Cup,” Jess Fishlock, captain of the National Women’s Soccer League club Seattle Reign, told The Associated Press on Thursday. “I think we get to see that firsthand at the Pride Match.”

Same-sex relations are illegal in Iran, where gay men have been executed on sodomy charges, while Egypt has prosecuted gay and lesbian people and suppressed outward expressions of gay pride, including rainbow flags. The countries complained to FIFA in December about the “Pride Match” and have asked that the celebrations be canceled. In a statement Friday, Iran's federation said it had made its position clear to FIFA in multiple letters and meetings and was assured “that no ceremonies or promotional activities related to this issue will take place inside the stadium or as part of the official match programme.”

“Iran and Egypt are two Muslim countries with deep cultural and religious commonalities, and the views expressed by both federations reflect the shared values and beliefs of the people of the two nations,” Iran's federation said in the Friday statement.

FIFA treats the rainbow flag as a statement of human rights and will allow fans to wave it inside the stadium, according to Hana Tadesse, a spokesperson for Seattle’s World Cup organizing committee.

Anthony Vega, 50, stood outside the stadium more than three hours before kickoff, waving a large rainbow flag. At his first World Cup match after winning the ticket lottery, he said he thought more people would be outside with Pride flags.

“If one or two kids in Iran or Egypt see who we really are as Americans and how we are accepting, especially here in my home, that could change the lives for a lot of people, or them,” said Vega, who celebrated his first Pride in 1991.

People milled about clutching small rainbow flags from the human rights organization Outright International. “This flag stands with LGBTIQ people facing violence, criminalization, and erasure around the world,” it read in part.

When asked Thursday about the pride celebration, Egypt coach Hossam Hassan said the team was focused on soccer.

“We are concerned with football on the pitch,” he said in Arabic. “We respect fair play and rules for everybody to abide by.”

Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei made similar remarks during a news conference Thursday when asked about what will happen at the stadium.

“We are only going to speak about football, what a beautiful game it is, and how enjoyable it’s going to be,” Ghalenoei said in response to a reporter’s question in Farsi.

The match on Friday coincides with Seattle’s annual celebration of the LGBTQ+ community and Pride watch parties are planned in some neighborhoods. Over the weekend, the city will hold its popular Pride parade.

Stacy Harbour, 53, works for an LGBTQ+ nonprofit that was invited by the local organizing committee and brought 20 young people to the match, handing them “goody bags” filled with Pride face paint, flags and headbands. Harbour, who lives in Seattle, said she’s glad these two countries are the ones competing.

“If we’re going to have any game on Seattle Pride weekend, lets have this one,” she said. “There are groups of folks that live here in Seattle that are of Egyptian, Iranian descent. This is their opportunity to represent their intersectional identities. This is an opportunity to show the world what Seattle is. And Seattle is an inclusive city. We always have been, we always will be.”

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See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

Someone alerted authorities about the trailer in August 2022 after seeing small fingers reaching through gaps in the doors. Police stopped Samuel Bateman's vehicle as he was driving through Flagstaff and found three girls inside, who were ages 11 to 14 at the time. The trailer was enclosed with a makeshift toilet, a sofa and camping chairs.

In the federal case, Bateman was convicted of coercing girls as young as 9 to submit to sex acts with him and other young adults, and for scheming to kidnap girls from protective custody, the story of which is the focus of a Netflix series, “Trust Me: The False Prophet.”

Bateman previously claimed to have more than 20 "spiritual wives," including 10 girls under the age of 18. He testified in his own defense in the state case, telling jurors he would never harm the people he loves. He acknowledged during cross-examination that he knew the girls were in a hot trailer for hours and the ventilation wasn't good, but downplayed the conditions.

“I just trusted myself as a driver,” he said. “I asked God to bless me every time we hopped in that vehicle.”

He claimed he thought the girls had gotten out when they stopped. He said he was as “shocked as could possibly be” when he learned that they were still inside when he was pulled over.

During closing arguments, prosecutor Eric Ruchensky told jurors, “It’s common sense that you don’t carry people in a trailer designed for cargo on a hot day with no ventilation."

Jurors in the state case weren't supposed to hear about Bateman's conviction in federal court. The judge barred the evidence from being introduced. But Bateman brought it up several times as he represented himself, leading the judge to strike the comments from the record.

The jury delivered the verdict Friday in about 40 minutes, convicting him on all three counts of child abuse. . Each count carries a mandatory sentence, between four and eight years. The judge has discretion to run the counts consecutively or concurrently. A sentencing hearing is scheduled Aug. 25.

The Associated Press left a voice mail and email messages Friday for Bateman’s appointed advisory counsel.

Federal authorities said Bateman, a self-proclaimed prophet, traveled extensively between Arizona, Utah, Colorado and Nebraska as he built an offshoot network of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which historically has been based in the neighboring communities of Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah.

He and his followers practiced polygamy, a legacy of the early teachings of the mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which abandoned the practice in 1890 and now strictly prohibits it.

Bateman was one of the trusted followers of Warren Jeffs, who previously led the sect and is serving a life sentence in Texas for sexual assault of children.

The influence of the polygamous sect has waned significantly over time in the towns where the sect has historically been based. In 2017, a court order placed the towns under supervision, excising the church from their governments and shared police department.

But the area has since transformed so quickly that they were released from court-ordered supervision last summer, almost two years earlier than expected. Practicing sect members are now believed to account for only a small percentage of the towns’ populations.

The National Weather Service issued a rare “Particularly Dangerous Situation” warning as dry, windy conditions provided fuel for more fires across the western U.S.

The Cottonwood Fire in a sparsely populated area of southern Utah started Monday. It ballooned to more than 112 square miles (290 square kilometers) by Friday, burning unchecked as strong winds grounded air support, forestry officials said. One of six large wildfires burning in Utah, it severely damaged the Eagle Point ski resort in Beaver County, forcing mandatory evacuations.

“We have the 35 miles-per-hour (56 km/h) sustained winds that they predicted, and we definitely have the 45 miles-per-hour (72 km/h) gusts,” said Alyssa Mason, a spokesperson assigned to the fire. “So there has been a great increase in the fire activity. We are seeing extreme fire behavior out there with some crown runs and definitely some spotting.”

The smoke has been pushing to the east and northeast, meaning air quality at popular vacation spots like Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks — located far south of the flames — hasn’t been significantly affected beyond some haze in the Bryce area. Still, visitors to Bryce have posted videos on social media showing the giant plume in the distance.

The smoke could be seen for hundreds of miles, all the way to Colorado, as authorities put roughly 1,300 residents in the towns of Marysvale, Junction and Circleville on notice that they should be prepared to leave if conditions worsen and the fire pushes further. In Marysvale, ash fell from the sky and thick smoke blocked the sun on Friday, making the sky dark as night.

State forester Jamie Barnes had said Thursday that it's like nothing seen in recent memory. She said fires are spreading farther and faster “under conditions that defy historical expectations.”

Bruce Brown, 76, accompanied the sheriff on Thursday to find that his cabin and others in the area were gone. He found a burned out moonscape with power poles tipped over along the canyon.

Alyssa Olsen, 27, said her family’s cabin also burned. It was the last place they gathered for family photos with her grandmother before she died of cancer. Her brother was planning to get married there in two months.

“That stuff you can’t just build back,” Olsen said.

Fireworks will be limited in Utah through July 5

Gov. Spencer Cox set the temporary fireworks restrictions through July 5 as the nation prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, saying “this year is different.”

The weather service in Salt Lake City, for the first time in the office's history, issued a “ Particularly Dangerous Situation ” warning for five Utah counties, including the area of the Cottonwood Fire. The rare alert was first used to warn of tornado conditions. A red flag warning also was issued for most of the state.

“Prepare now for rapid fire growth,” it said.

A similar “dangerous situation” warning had been issued for the 2025 Palisades Fire in Los Angeles. A federal judge declared a mistrial Friday in the arson case against Jonathan Rinderknecht, the man accused of sparking that fire. The jury said it couldn't agree on a verdict.

While the Cottonwood Fire's cause was unknown, Cox’s order noted that humans have been the cause of most fires in the state so far this year.

The governor’s order gives Barnes power to restrict or prohibit fireworks displays in Utah’s cities and towns, instead of leaving those decisions to the communities.

With extreme fire conditions persisting, Rocky Mountain Power issued a public safety power shut-off watch/warning for areas of central, southern and eastern Utah through the weekend.

Crews also were battling the Iron Fire southwest of Salt Lake City. The flames on Thursday forced the temporary evacuation of Eureka, population 1,000.

Wildfire danger prompts concern throughout the West

Red flag warnings, which mean conditions such as low humidity, warm temperatures and strong winds can create an extreme wildfire risk, were in effect Friday and stretched from Idaho to southern Arizona and New Mexico.

The warnings extended into Saturday, with forecasters predicting winds of 25 to 35 miles an hour (40 km/h to 56 km/h) and very low humidity levels. The worst conditions were expected from northern Arizona into central and southern Utah.

Much of Utah already is experiencing severe to extreme drought, while parts of Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico are experiencing severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Tim Brown, a research professor and director of the Western Regional Climate Center, said the potential for extreme fire behavior will remain as long as it's hot, dry and windy.

“I would not be surprised to see a lot of restrictions come out as we get closer to the July Fourth weekend,” he said. “People really need to be aware of their surroundings if they’re going to be out in the forested campground areas and grassland areas.”

Even in Florida, where there have been multiple brush fires, authorities are urging people to skip the personal fireworks and instead leave the pyrotechnics to professionals putting on carefully planned shows.

In Utah, federal land managers have closed public lands near the Cottonwood Fire as a precaution, and in New Mexico, forest officials closed campgrounds and trails near a wildfire burning in the Jemez Mountains.

Nationally, nearly 3 million acres have burned since the start of the year, pushing the U.S. ahead of the 10-year average. The National Interagency Fire Center said firefighters are making progress on containing fires from Alaska to Florida.

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Associated Press reporter Sudhin Thanawala contributed to this story.

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This story has been corrected; the state forester's first name is spelled Jamie, not Jaime.

Thousands of people have been reported missing. Some of the heaviest damage and casualties were in La Guaira, a coastal region north of the capital, Caracas.

Here’s what to know about the earthquakes and the search for survivors:

2 earthquakes in less than one minute

The powerful 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes struck 39 seconds apart along the San Sebastian fault on Venezuela’s northern coast, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

They were among the strongest in the South American nation in more than a century.

The first earthquake, a 7.2-magnitude foreshock, hit west of Morón on the Caribbean coast, about 170 kilometers (105 miles) west of Caracas, with a depth of 22 kilometers (about 14 miles).

The second, a 7.5-magnitude mainshock, was centered 16 kilometers (10 miles) southwest of Morón, with a depth of 10 kilometers (about 6 miles).

The back-to-back earthquakes — known as a doublet because of their similarities in magnitude, time and proximity — resulted from shallow strike-slip faulting near the complex plate boundary between the Caribbean and South American tectonic plates, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

Many people are dead, injured, homeless or missing

The death toll in Venezuela is likely to climb as rescue crews comb through buildings toppled by the earthquakes. Thousands of Venezuelans left suddenly homeless have since poured into parks, plazas and even along the shoulders of blocked highways, looking for a place to sleep.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez said authorities have deployed rescue teams from other parts of the country to La Guaira, where dozens of buildings have collapsed.

The city, about 165 kilometers (103 miles) east of the 7.5-magnitude quake’s epicenter, is a “disaster zone,” she said.

Civilians and authorities pulled survivors out of concrete rubble, some of them covered in dust and blood. Families sobbed in front of destroyed homes.

Families began posting missing-person flyers with photos of loved ones, while others shared handwritten lists of names as they searched for those still unaccounted for.

Photos show rescue efforts across earthquake-ravaged Venezuela.

Significant damage in Caracas and beyond

Images shared by relatives in Venezuela and abroad showed desperate searches for missing loved ones following the earthquakes.

The earthquakes destroyed buildings in Caracas and led to evacuations as far away as Brazil’s Amazon, about 1,700 kilometers (1,050 miles) away.

In downtown Caracas, hundreds of people spent the night huddled in parks, parking lots and other open spaces.

Parts of the city lost power and cellphone service. Venezuela’s main airport in Caracas was damaged and closed, subway service was suspended and natural gas was shut off.

Classes will also be canceled for several days as schools are used as shelters and donation centers.

In Guaira — the hardest hit state just north of Caracas — families placed sheets on a dusty baseball field to claim their space, their belongings stuffed into plastic bags. Others sought shelter under palm trees.

Rodríguez said the government was creating a $200 million reconstruction fund for hospitals and homes damaged by the earthquakes.

International aid pours into Venezuela

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, IFRC, has launched an Emergency Appeal for 50 million Swiss francs ($61 million) to assist its operations in Venezuela. The first 17 metric tons of humanitarian supplies left the IFRC’s regional humanitarian hub in Panama for Venezuela on Friday.

The Red Cross is also providing mental health and psychosocial support, safe water and sanitation services, the distribution of essential relief items and cash assistance, and family reunification and protection services. National Red Cross Societies in 10 Latin American countries have activated family links services to help locate missing relatives or obtain information about them.

The United States is sending $150 million in aid moving through the United Nations and nonprofit partners on the ground. It is also deploying two urban search-and-rescue teams with dozens of people, search dogs and search equipment. Military airlift, logistics and lifesaving support will also be sent.

The European Union said Friday that Czechia, Spain, Italy, France, Luxembourg, Germany, Portugal and the Netherlands are sending 520 responders to support Venezuela through the bloc’s civil protection mechanism. The EU also activated its Copernicus satellite service to provide Venezuelans with satellite imagery and other geospatial data.

Caritas, a global confederation of over 160 Roman Catholic organizations, said on Friday it is setting up a collection center at the headquarters of the Venezuelan Bishops’ Conference in the city of Montalbán, where donations of drinking water, nonperishable food and essential medicines will be accepted. Caritas also said more collection centers will be organized nationwide in partnership with the national private sector.

British Prime-Minister Keir Starmer said Friday evening his government has sent 2 million pounds ($2.6 million) in humanitarian aid to Venezuela, along with a search-and-rescue team with 68 members, including six specialist search dogs. Britain also sent an Air Force Voyager aircraft as well as drones to help assess structural collapses safely, identify hazards and direct rescue teams.

A spokesperson of China’s Foreign Ministry said Friday that the Chinese government and the Red Cross Society of China will provide emergency humanitarian aid to Venezuela. Guo Jiakun added that the government will provide further support to Venezuela whenever requested.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said that he was sending his defense minister to Venezuela to assist needs on the ground. Earlier Friday, a KC-390 plane departed from Sao Paulo’s international airport with dozens of firefighters and other support personnel, chiefly telecommunications specialists. A second plane is scheduled to depart Saturday with equipment to assemble an open hospital, 100 solar-powered water purifiers, medicines and medical supplies.

India’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that two Indian Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircrafts departed Friday morning for Venezuela, carrying humanitarian relief supplies and a 41-member search-and-rescue team. The deployment includes a medical task force, an army field hospital unit, 30 tons of relief supplies, 6 tons of medicines and medical equipment and two portable hospitals.

Italy said Friday that an Air Force aircraft would depart later that day carrying medical personnel and members of the national fire service. The government said it was also preparing a package of humanitarian assistance, including possible support through Italian civil society organizations already operating in Venezuela.

Turkey is sending two military A400M transport aircraft to Venezuela on Friday. One will carry a 38-member search-and-rescue team and equipment, while the other will transport a 22-member humanitarian aid team.

Venezuelans in the U.S. are rushing to organize donation drives. More than 770,000 Venezuelans live in the U.S., with large communities in Florida, Texas and Utah.

Another challenge for Venezuela’s leader

The earthquakes are yet another crisis for Rodríguez, the former vice president who took office in January after the U.S. captured former President Nicolás Maduro.

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are jailed in New York City while awaiting trial on drug trafficking charges.

Rodríguez inherited a country that has been in economic turmoil for more than a decade.

Many Venezuelans reject the legitimacy of her political movement, while some loyalists have criticized her leadership and warming relationship with the U.S.

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Follow AP’s Latin America coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

And on Friday, manager Carlos Mendoza took the fall.

Halfway through a wretched season, Mendoza was fired as skipper of the underperforming Mets and replaced by former San Diego Padres manager Andy Green, who was already working in the organization.

New York was 34-47 at the season's midpoint following a six-game losing streak, 15 games behind NL East-leading Atlanta and 9 1/2 back of the NL’s last wild-card berth.

Mets owner Steve Cohen had high expectations for a team without a World Series title since 1986. New York opened the season with baseball’s highest payroll at $358 million and was projected to pay an additional $124 million in luxury tax.

“There is no sugar-coating it: This season has been a disappointment and our fans deserve better than what we’ve delivered,” Cohen said in a statement.

Although in some ways Mendoza had been on the hot seat for months, in others it was a stunningly swift decline for a skipper viewed as a rising star in 2024, when he earned high praise and was a Manager of the Year finalist after taking the Mets on a surprising playoff run in his debut season.

At a Citi Field news conference before Friday night's series opener against the Philadelphia Phillies, president of baseball operations David Stearns thanked Mendoza for his contributions and called it “a very difficult day.”

“Despite all of our effors, Mendy’s included, we haven’t been able to get this going this year. And I take responsibility for that," Stearns said. "I also have a responsibility to push us forward, to look for solutions and to make difficult decisions and change when I think it's needed."

Slowed by injuries to Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Clay Holmes, Francisco Alvarez, Luis Robert Jr. and Jorge Polanco, the Mets began the day a season-worst 13 games under .500. Friday night marked only the 10th time all year — and first since April 22 — that Lindor and Soto were both in the starting lineup. On two of those occasions, one left early because of a calf strain.

New York traded pitcher David Peterson, who had been the team's longest-tenured player, to the Chicago Cubs on Thursday and could pivot to a selloff this summer and retooling for the future.

“I understand we have an uphill battle ahead of us this year, but we're not turning the page,” Stearns said. “I think sometimes a new voice, a new perspective, a new view, helps. And sometimes it's really difficult to explain why or how. But at this point, it was time to try.”

Stearns said he informed Mendoza of the decision when they met Friday morning, and the Mets held a team meeting Friday afternoon.

“At the end of the day, this is not on him. It’s more on us, the players, that we didn’t perform to our capabilities,” Lindor said.

The 46-year-old Mendoza spent 15 seasons working for the New York Yankees, the last four as bench coach, before the Mets hired him to replace Buck Showalter after the 2023 season. They reached the National League Championship Series in 2024 but missed the playoffs last year and are among baseball's biggest disappointments this season.

“If we were playing better, he’d still be here. It’s just unfortunate he had to take the fall,” infielder Bo Bichette said.

Since starting 2025 a major league-best 45-24 through June 12, the Mets are 72-102. That left the team with a 206-199 record under Mendoza, who was in the final guaranteed season of a three-year contract. He was hired by the Mets a month after Stearns arrived.

After signing Soto to a record $765 million, 15-year contract before the 2025 season, Stearns made major changes last offseason. He overhauled Mendoza's coaching staff and allowed fan favorites Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz to leave as free agents. Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil were traded, and Stearns brought in Bichette, Polanco, Robert, Freddy Peralta and Marcus Semien.

None of it has worked.

New York had a 12-game losing streak in April, its longest since 2002, and made six errors in the nightcap of Wednesday's doubleheader loss to the Chicago Cubs, the team's most in a game since 2014.

The 48-year-old Green, a former major league infielder, joined the Mets in 2023 as senior vice president of baseball development and had been running their farm system. He was given the title of interim manager for the rest of the season and will wear uniform No. 70.

“Tough. I don't think anybody dreams of sitting in this seat this way,” Green said.

Green managed San Diego to a 274-366 record from 2016-19, finishing with losing records in all four seasons.

Stearns said Green will return to a front-office role after this season and the Mets will conduct a full search for a new manager. Green said he loves the player-development job he had and chose it largely to be able to spend more time with his three daughters.

“This wasn't something I was running to,” Green said. “This felt more like a responsibility than an opportunity.”

Green played four games for the Mets in 2009, his final big league appearances as a player. He became the team's fourth manager since Cohen bought the club from the Wilpon and Katz families after the 2020 season, following Luis Rojas, Showalter and Mendoza.

Mendoza is the third major league manager to lose his job since the season started. Boston's Alex Cora was replaced by Chad Tracy and Philadelphia's Rob Thomson by Don Mattingly, with both of those changes coming in late April.

Roster shuffle

In other moves, the Mets reinstated outfielder Tyrone Taylor (right hip flexor strain) from the 10-day injured list and recalled left-hander Zach Thornton from Triple-A Syracuse to make his second big league start Friday night against Philadelphia. The club optioned outfielder MJ Melendez and right-hander Daniel Duarte to Syracuse following Thursday night's 10-inning loss to the Cubs.

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AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum and AP freelancer Jerry Beach contributed to this report.

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

The 18-year-old McKenna is from Yukon’s capital of Whitehorse and has been a prolific scorer on both sides of the border, with his selection validating the projections of the left winger being his age group’s top prospect more than two years ago.

McKenna’s selection was announced by longtime Leafs fan and Canadian-born international pop icon Justin Bieber.

"I got no words right now," McKenna said. “This is nuts. Obviously I want to start by thanking my family. I love you guys. I wouldn’t be here without you guys.”

As in 2016, there was a large contingent of blue and white jersey-wearing Leafs fans, with a “Go Leafs, go!” chant erupting once Toronto was placed on the clock. Saying “the child in me is ecstatic,” Bieber joined NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman on stage and, after a short pause, looked over to McKenna and declared him being a member of the Maple Leafs.

Bieber teed up a video welcome message from Leafs captain Auston Matthews, who was their No. 1 pick a decade ago, when the draft was also in Buffalo.

“I know how exciting this is for you and your family and what an incredible honor it is,” Matthews said. “We’re just as excited to have you join the Maple Leafs and cannot wait to get started. You’re coming to a franchise with an amazing history and base, and we’re all working to write the next great chapter together. And you’re going to be a very important part of that.”

The draft opened with Bettman getting booed — a draft-day tradition — as he took the stage, and was joined by Sabres forward Josh Doan and NFL Bills tackle Dion Dawkins.

Dawkins referred to Bettman as his “new dawg,” acknowledged both the Sabres and Maple Leafs fans in attendance in leading a cheer of “Let’s go, Buffalo.”

For Toronto, McKenna represents a major plank in the rebuilding process of a team suddenly in transition under new general manager John Chayka. Toronto finished last in the Atlantic Division last season and missed the playoffs for the first time since Matthews’ arrival.

The San Jose Sharks took Swedish winger Ivar Stenberg with the No. 2 pick. Vancouver picks third, Buffalo fourth and the New York Rangers fifth.

The top of the draft class is considered light on forwards and deep in defensemen.

McKenna is accustomed to the spotlight, splashing on the scene by combining for 79 goals and 244 points in 133 games with the WHL's Medicine Hat. He then made the jump to the NCAA last summer in a bid to challenge himself against older and more physical competition.

McKenna finished his freshman season with a flourish, scoring 32 points in his final 17 outings. His 51 points finished tied for fourth in the nation.

He became just the fifth NCAA player to go first, and third in six years, since Michigan defenseman Owen Power went No. 1 to Buffalo in 2021.

Though accustomed to the spotlight, McKenna now heads to a metropolis that is nearly 100 times larger than Whitehorse’s population of about 39,000. He became the fifth Yukon-born player to be selected in the draft, and the highest pick after Ottawa’s Dylan Cozens went No. 7 to Buffalo in 2019.

A day earlier, without revealing who he was picking, Chayka said the team’s staff was unanimous on their choice. Chayka even traveled to Whitehorse last month to spend time with McKenna and his family.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL

A three-judge panel from California's 2nd District Court of Appeal unanimously issued the decision, saying his trial judge did not violate the former movie magnate's constitutional rights.

“We reject his attempts to disturb the jury’s guilty verdicts,” the judges wrote in their opinion.

Weinstein spokesperson Juda Engelmayer said in an email that “We are disappointed by today’s decision and respectfully disagree with the Court of Appeal’s conclusions regarding the fairness of Mr. Weinstein’s trial. At the same time, the court correctly recognized that his sentence cannot stand.”

The decision came a day after prosecutors in New York decided Weinstein would not face a fourth trial there, dropping the #MeToo-era case after the accuser said she could not bear to testify again.

The California panel said that resentencing was necessary because the judge that sentenced him considered New York convictions that were later thrown out as an aggravating factor. California's attorney general agreed.

Weinstein, 74, still stands convicted of another sexual felony in New York, and he remains behind bars awaiting a September sentencing there. Prosecutors there are seeking a 20-year prison term.

In California, Weinstein was convicted in December 2022 of one count of rape and two counts of sexual assault against an Italian model and actor known during the trial as Jane Doe 1. He would serve his new sentence there only after his New York term is complete.

After the trial, Jane Doe 1 came forward under her name, Evgeniya Chernyshova, when she sued Weinstein in civil court.

The Associated Press does not typically name people who say they have been sexually abused unless they come forward publicly as Chernyshova did. Her attorney also said she consented to being named.

Chernyshova testified that Weinstein arrived uninvited to her hotel room during the 2013 LA Italia Film Festival and assaulted her.

Weinstein’s defense argued that Weinstein deserved a new trial because Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lisa B. Lench wrongly prevented his trial lawyers from asking about Facebook messages between Chernyshova and festival head Pascal Vicedomini that would have shown they had a sexual relationship.

The questioning would have demonstrated that she perjured herself when she said she and Vicedomini were just friends and colleagues, the defense said. And the lawyers argued it would have bolstered their assertion that she was not even in her room on the night of the alleged assault.

“The lower court all but gutted Mr. Weinstein’s defense,” attorney Jennifer Bonjean told the appeals judges at April 23 oral arguments.

But the appeals court said in its ruling that Weinstein did make the arguments he wanted during the trial based on other evidence, including another set of Facebook messages that Lench allowed.

“Thus, there was no denial of Weinstein’s constitutional right to present a defense,” the panel wrote in its opinion.

The three judges also found that Weinstein's lawyers failed to adhere to California's rape shield law prohibiting evidence of an accuser's sexual history when they tried to introduce the messages. Weinstein's lawyers had argued that the shield law was not pertinent because they wanted to use the messages only to impeach the witness's credibility.

And the appeals judges said testimony from accusers describing sexual assaults Weinstein was not charged with was appropriate, and allowed under state law.

Before his sentencing, Weinstein told the judge that this was a “made-up story” from a woman he had never met.

The Los Angeles jury acquitted Weinstein of the sexual battery of a massage therapist and failed to reach verdicts on counts involving two other women.

“This is not the end of the appellate process,” Engelmayer said in his email Friday. “We intend to seek review in the California Supreme Court because we continue to believe significant legal errors affected the proceedings and warrant further review.”

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said it would not have comment on the decision until the office reviewed it.

An email seeking comment from Chernyshova’s attorney was not immediately answered.

Paigelynne Gonyea said the confrontation happened Tuesday while she was working at a polling place in Syracuse. Two officers gave Gonyea a written notice stating that she might be in violation of federal laws that prevent publicly posting personal information about federal officers, she said.

Gonyea said the warning stemmed from a post she made on social media in January in which she posted a picture of Jonathan Ross, an ICE officer who shot and killed Good in Minneapolis during anti-ICE demonstrations that month. In the post, Gonyea wrote: “I think today is a great day for Jonathan to be indicted.”

Gonyea's post — which she made after Ross had already been identified by the news media — is still up. She said she has no intention of taking it down.

“I plan on using this experience to defend and support our First Amendment right,” Gonyea said. “Our first amendment rights definitely need to be protected now more than ever.”

Homeland Security considered post ‘doxxing’

Gonyea “committed a federal crime by posting the address of an ICE law enforcement officer online” and “if you doxx our officers, we will investigate you, and you will be brought to justice," said Lauren Bis, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland security, in a statement.

Bis shared a different social media post from the same one of Gonyea's accounts in which she said Gonyea shared Ross's address. Part of the post was redacted.

“Doxxing federal law enforcement officers is a federal crime that puts their lives and their families in serious danger,” the statement said. “This danger is not hypothetical. Our law enforcement officers are on the frontlines arresting terrorists, gang members, murderers, pedophiles, and rapists.”

Fellow poll worker recorded encounter

Another worker at the polls Tuesday recorded the encounter on her phone. The video shows two uniformed people coming into the polling place and talking briefly with Gonyea, who refuses to sign a warning letter.

Gonyea later posted the letter on social media. The unsigned letter states that it's from ICE's Office of Professional Responsibility, whose primary mission is investigating allegations of misconduct by ICE personnel and contractors.

The poll worker who shot the video, Sheilia Milledge, said workers were shaken by the incident. No voters were present at the time of the confrontation, Gonyea said.

“I felt like it was a scare tactic that they were using,” Milledge said.

Attorney General's Office is reviewing

A representative for the New York Attorney General's Office said the office is aware of the situation and is reviewing it, while a representative for the governor's office said the office had not heard of other similar incidents in the state.

The incident “did not disrupt voting and was not related to the election process,” said Kathleen McGrath, a spokesperson for the New York State Board of Elections. Onondaga County Democratic Elections Commissioner Dustin Czarny said he responded to the polling place shortly after the incident, spoke with poll workers, made sure voting wasn't disrupted and "connected Paige to resources."

Gonyea said she initially missed a call from officials with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the parent agency of ICE, who wanted to meet with her.

A DHS agent left a voicemail saying they were calling “in reference to a post that we believe you made on Instagram where you doxxed an ICE agent back in January,” according a recording of the message she shared on social media.

"We just wanted to talk to you about it. You’re not in any type of trouble,” the agent said, according to a recording provided by Gonyea.

Gonyea said she returned the call to ask the officers to come into the polling place because she felt it would be safer to meet with them inside.

Advocates consider encounter intimidating

It appears to be incidental that the federal officers served Gonyea with the warning while she was working at the polling place, but their presence could still be intimidating to voters and poll workers, said Sean Morales-Doyle, director of the voting rights and elections program at Brennan Center for Justice, a left-leaning public policy institute.

Adam Steinbaugh, an attorney with the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, said if officers are giving residents "a formal complaint about their protected speech, we’re in trouble.”

Rep. John Mannion, a Democrat who represents the area in Congress, also sent a letter to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin calling for the department to review the incident and “put a stop to any ICE activities that target protected speech."

“ICE should not be broadly targeting online speech or actively monitoring social media accounts without cause and without proper judicial protections,” Mannion's letter stated.

___

This story has been corrected to say that the Homeland Security official used the word agent, not officer, in the voicemail to Gonyea.

___

Whittle reported from Portland, Maine. Associated Press writers Anthony Izaguirre in New York City and Rebecca Santana in Washington contributed to this report.

The company said Friday that the new entity will be called Exemplar Luxury Group, and with an improved balance sheet, including a nearly 75% debt reduction and $500 million in extra financing. Its CEO, Geoffroy van Raemdonck, said the New York-based company is ready for its next chapter after navigating several tumultuous years.

“Today is really a brand new day for the organization and a new day where these three iconic banners have the right funding, the right equity and a bright future ahead of them,” van Raemdonck told The Associated Press on Friday during a phone interview.

Van Raemdonck said that the new name signifies the company's focus on having an exemplary shopping experience — the best merchandise, and better personalized service with customers, with help from its sales associates and the treasure trove of data it has on its customers. The company employs more than 1,500 sales associates who have sold more than $1 million of goods each, he said.

Saks Global had filed for bankruptcy protection in January of this year, buffeted by rising competition and the massive debt it took on to buy its rival in the luxury sector, Neiman Marcus, in July 2024.

Before the bankruptcy, there were 33 Saks stores and 36 Neiman Marcus locations, according to the company, as well as its Bergdorf Goodman store on Fifth Avenue and roughly 70 Saks Off 5th discount stores.

Now, there are a total of 49 stores — 15 Saks Fifth Avenue stores, 33 Neiman Marcus stores and its Bergdorf Goodman store. The company shuttered most of its Saks Off Fifth discount stores, and it now has 12 outlets, the company said.

Exemplar Luxury Group said it has been teaming up with Pentwater Capital Management and Bracebridge Capital throughout its restructuring process. Both firms will have two representatives on the seven-person board. In addition, van Raemdonck as well as former Ulta Beauty CEO Dave Kimbell and Philippe Schaus, who most recently served as Global CEO of Moët Hennessy, will serve on the board, the company said.

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Roughly 50 pallets packed with food, clothing and water are staged and ready to ship to Venezuela after two devastating earthquakes — a 7.2 and a 7.5 magnitude — struck the country late Wednesday, killing hundreds of people and leaving thousands more injured, authorities said.

Community steps up

Metabox Cargo, located at 19308 Morton Road, Suite 106, in Katy, has become a hub for relief efforts, with volunteers sorting through a steady stream of donations pouring in from the community.

Mercedes Perez, a representative with Metabox Cargo, says the need in Venezuela goes far beyond the earthquakes.

• RELATED: Venezuelans take search for the missing into their own hands as earthquake death toll climbs

“In our daily life, without any catastrophic disaster, we have issues — electricity, lack of food — we have a difficult life there,” Perez said. “Can you imagine how hard it could be in that life with two earthquakes, back to back?”

What’s needed now

Organizers say the location is currently accepting the following items:

• Non-perishable food items
• Baby formula
• Sterile gloves
• Sterile gauze
• Sterile syringes
• Thermometers
• Blood pressure monitors

Note: The location is not accepting water, Powerade or clothing until Saturday.

Dr. Cristina Perez Viso, a general surgeon, is urging those in the medical community to get involved.

“Anything that sounds basic to you, we probably don’t have it,” Perez Viso said. “If you are within the medical field, you can help us by maybe contacting your organizations and seeing if any of these supplies can be brought here.”

How to help

Metabox Cargo, at 19308 Morton Road, Suite 106, Katy, TX 77449, is open today until 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The first shipment to Venezuela is set to go out Monday.

The sixth-grade teacher from Toronto and her cousin had planned a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Houston to watch their homeland, Cabo Verde, compete in the FIFA Club World Cup.

Then, only days before Cabo Verde’s match with Saudi Arabia, everything unraveled.

After purchasing tickets through StubHub, Lisa received a demoralizing email informing her the order had been canceled and directing her to find replacement tickets through its platform.

“They said they had to cancel our tickets and to find replacement tickets,” Lisa recalled. “But when you clicked the replacement button, there were none available.”

StubHub advertises “Every order is 100% guaranteed” that promises replacement tickets or a refund if something goes wrong. In Lisa’s case, replacement seats simply weren’t available.

The company offered a refund, “No, I don’t want a refund. I want to go to this game,” said Lisa.

Determined not to give up, Lisa spent hours trying to resolve the issue.

• Texas family says World Cup dream was crushed after StubHub tickets fell through hours before match

She estimates she spoke with a dozen or so different customer service representatives, escalating the issue again and again without success.

Eventually, she emailed StubHub’s executive team and copied numerous media outlets in hopes someone would listen.

One journalist did, “I have to give credit because you were the only one who responded to my story,” Lisa said to 2 Helps You.

After learning of Lisa’s situation, I reached out to StubHub on her behalf, asking the company to review her case.

The effort didn’t produce immediate results, but it did get the company’s attention. I also provided her order number and contact information in a follow-up email.

“It took a while and some pushing,” Lisa said. “Within about an hour, StubHub called me and said they were going to get us new tickets.”

Game on!

On Friday morning, less than 24 hours after emailing StubHub, Lisa and I enjoyed an emotional introduction at George Bush Intercontinental Airport after landing from Toronto.

She greeted me with a hug, watery eyes and a heart full of gratitude.

• World Cup ticket buyers are left stranded as resale purchases fall through

Her cousin Maria also weighed in on what the tickets meant to them, “Thank you. I mean it from the bottom of my heart. God bless you.”

Lisa then reflected on the entire experience, “If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be here,” she said. “It’s your passion, your heart, your thoughtfulness. That’s why my cousin and I are here.”

A few hours later, Lisa walked into NRG Stadium with her Canadian flag, took to her seats in Section 130 and started making memories of a lifetime by cheering on Cabo Verde.

A goal scored.

What to do if your event tickets are canceled

Now what should you do if you have problems with a third-party ticket vendor?

• Document with a paper trail, save every email and receipt connected to your purchase.
• Contact the company immediately and ask for replacement tickets if they’re part of the seller’s guarantee and take a screenshot of your call.
• Escalate the issue if standard support isn’t resolving the problem.
• If the company fails to deliver, file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office for the State of Texas as they have consumer protection office and hotline. They also have the power to legally hold companies doing business accountable.

Statement from StubHub to 2 Helps You

“The issues fans have experienced at this World Cup are largely transfer problems, not ticket problems. The event organizer’s own ticketing infrastructure, including a new app launched right before the tournament began, has had significant performance issues that have affected transfers across all resale platforms. We’ve responded by standing up a dedicated World Cup support team and expanding our capacity to source replacement tickets for affected customers. Every order is backed by our FanProtect Guarantee, and getting fans to their matches remains our top priority for the rest of this tournament.”

The curriculum, developed by the Texas Education Agency, includes references to stories and figures from the Bible as part of lessons designed to teach students about literature, history and culture. State officials have said the curriculum is intended to teach about the Bible’s historical and cultural influence—not religion.

During Thursday night’s board meeting, several parents urged trustees to reject the curriculum, arguing the district had not provided enough transparency or opportunities for public input before the vote.

One parent told trustees:

“Forcing Bluebonnet on the district without transparency, clarity or community involvement is unacceptable. It is too soon and the stakes are too high.”

Another parent argued public schools should remain focused on secular education.

“Public education should unite our community by focusing on shared secular knowledge and civic values, not by disproportionately highlighting one religion or religious textbook.”

Why HISD says it adopted Bluebonnet

District leaders said three factors drove this year’s recommendation:

• The State Board of Education’s approved reading list and vocabulary, which are expected to be reflected on future state assessments.
• State law requiring instruction about religious literature and its impact on history and literature.
• Approximately $3.3 million in additional state funding available to districts that adopt the curriculum.

In a statement to KPRC 2, HISD said:

“The adoption for the 2026-27 school year ensures Houston ISD remains aligned with Texas state standards while maintaining the District’s evidence-based approach to literacy instruction. Houston ISD remains focused on ensuring students receive high-quality literacy instruction that aligns with state requirements, prepares them for future assessments, and helps more students read on grade level.”

What will change in classrooms?

District leaders emphasized that Bluebonnet will not replace HISD’s instructional model.

Instead, the district plans to replace some of its reading texts and vocabulary with the state-approved Bluebonnet materials while continuing to use HISD-developed lesson plans and classroom activities already in place through Superintendent Mike Miles’ New Education System (NES).

Deputy Superintendent Kristen Hole told trustees teachers will continue receiving lesson plans in the same format they already use and said replacing reading texts is something teachers have routinely done over the years.

Superintendent Mike Miles also sought to reassure parents that the change would not dramatically alter classroom instruction.

“While it sounds like a massive change, it isn’t. It’s a significant change. There’s no question some of the text will be different, but a lot of it will be the same. Our estimate is about 40% is different. Sixty percent is the same.”

District leaders also told trustees they wanted the board to vote before the school year begins so teachers would have enough time to prepare instructional materials ahead of the first day of class.

Questions remain about parent options

KPRC 2 asked HISD what options parents have if they do not want their children participating in the Bluebonnet curriculum.

The district said it is working to provide a response.

KPRC 2 also contacted TEA, about the funding. The agency directed us to the Bluebonnet Learning FAQs resource page on the website.

https://tea.texas.gov/curriculum-and-instruction/instructional-materials/house-bill-1605/oer-imra-faqs-6.pdf

The curriculum is expected to be implemented during the upcoming school year.

The state-mandated list of assigned reading — which includes Charles Dickens’ “Great Expectations” and excerpts from the New Testament — appeared to be among the first of its kind of the nation and will take effect starting in 2030.

The State Board of Education, which is controlled by Republicans, approved the list on a 9-5 vote following weeks of contentious debate that again put Texas at the center of wrangling over the role of religion in public schools. Last year, Texas became the largest state to require teachers to hang the Ten Commandments in every classroom.

The board this week was also considering new social studies curriculum that draws lines between Bible stories and American history.

Beyond objections over Bible readings, the mandate drew backlash from teachers who criticized losing the ability to decide what their students will read, although they are still allowed to assign additional books during the school year.

“I don’t have a problem reading about David and Goliath because I believe in those stories,” said Alyse Dent, a high school English teacher in the Dallas area. "But if I’m reading to one of my students — they’re Muslim or they’re atheist — I can say all day long, ‘Well, we’re teaching a theme, we’re teaching symbolism,’ but they’re hearing, ‘This is a Bible story. We’re talking about God.’”

Supporters of the changes have argued that Judeo-Christian traditions were fundamental to the nation’s founding and that should be reflected in the public school curriculum.

“These timeless works, including biblical passages, have shaped American culture and history, and have influenced generations of thinkers, leaders, and citizens, and they continue to offer valuable lessons about human nature, virtue, liberty, and civic responsibility," said Mandy Drogin, a senior fellow at Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank.

Texas has brought more religion into classrooms

Texas, which educates roughly 1 in 10 of the nation’s public school students, has been at the forefront of a charge by conservatives to incorporate more religion into classrooms. The state also allows public schools to hire chaplains to counsel students and has approved an optional Bible-infused curriculum.

Brooke Mazel, a retiree from Lubbock, was among a large crowd that packed a meeting of the education board this week in Austin, saying her children and grandchildren grew up with “strong faith and family values” and backed the required titles.

“America should celebrate our 250 years that started as a nation of unwavering Christian values,” Mazel said.

A state law passed in 2023 required a mandatory list of at least one literary work be taught in each grade level. The new list contains around 200 texts, including Bible passages, essays and books, far in excess of that requirement.

Antero Garcia, president of the National Council of Teachers of English and a Stanford University professor, said he doesn’t know of any other state with a mandatory reading list that includes religious texts. Educators at the district and school level usually choose the texts their students will read, Garcia said.

Kasey Meehan, director of PEN America’s Freedom to Read program, agreed the move was “unique” to Texas.

Popular literary works are also on Texas' required list

Picture-book stories for elementary students including “David and Goliath” and “Daniel and the Lion’s Den” are on the required reading list. By fourth grade, students will encounter passages about Jesus in the New Testament. E.B. White's “Charlotte's Web” would be assigned to third-graders.

In middle school, students will be expected to read passages about Jesus, including his most famous sermon and another where he instructs people to cast aside earthly anxiety and seek the kingdom of God.

For high schoolers, the list requires the reading of specific Bible passages as supportive materials for literary works, including works by Dickens and Jane Austen's “Pride and Prejudice."

Texas law does let parents remove a child from a class or activity that conflicts with their religious or moral beliefs.

Critics say list isn't diverse enough

The list mandates that students reading Shakespeare's “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar" also read a eulogy for President Ronald Reagan written by former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, a staunch conservative.

Chanea Bond, who teaches college and advanced high school English courses in Fort Worth, said having a state reading list can close the gap between what students learn in different areas. Although the list for high schoolers is “pretty solid” for a study of classics, she said, the list is “very old and very white.”

“It is very narrow and does not represent what classrooms in Texas look like,” she said. “Going through most of high school without ever having much value put into voices that sound like yours kind of sends a message that your voices aren’t valuable.”

___

Hanna reported from Topeka, Kansas. Associated Press reporter Jim Vertuno contributed to this report from Austin, Texas.

Our weekend’s forecast:

Afternoon highs will generally range from 92 to 96 degrees through much of the week, with overnight lows falling into the upper 70s and lower 80s.

While this won’t be an extreme heat wave by Houston standards, the lack of rainfall combined with several consecutive days of triple-digit heat indices will make for a prolonged stretch of summer heat. Most afternoons will feature heat index values between 102 and 106 degrees, and there may be isolated spots that briefly exceed those numbers.

Staying safe in the heat:

Wear loose-fitting, light-colored clothing if you do head outside, seek shade when possible, and check on elderly neighbors, young children, and pets. And never, under any circumstances, leave a person or animal alone in a closed car.

Plus, as our temperatures hit the 90s, it’s a good reminder of how hot it gets inside your car - reaching life-threatening temperatures quickly. According to Stanford researchers, on a 90-degree day a parked car’s interior can reach 109 in just 10 minutes and 133 in 60 minutes. Cracking the windows make no significant difference in the rate of temperature rise, it can still be life-threatening.

10 Day Forecast:

Looking ahead, the forecast remains remarkably consistent. High temperatures stay in the low-to-mid 90s through the beginning of July, while overnight lows remain in the upper 70s. Rain chances remain very limited for most locations through the weekend and into next week.

A few isolated showers may return around the middle of next week, but widespread rainfall is not expected at this time.

For now, Houston’s weather pattern is firmly locked into summer mode: hot afternoons, warm nights, plenty of humidity, and very few opportunities for cooling rain.

The British military said Thursday that a vessel was hit by a projectile off Oman. This comes at a fragile time for the U.S. and Iranian negotiations over interim peace deal.

Trump also threatened a 100% tariff on imports from any nation that taxes digital services from U.S. companies, specifically singling out Europe. His post on social media said those nations are considering “imminent” taxes, and that the tariff would override any previously negotiated trade agreements.

Here's the latest:

Vance warns Iran ‘violence will be met with violence’

The vice president said on social media that Iran should “pick up the phone” if there are disagreements about the ceasefire agreement.

“But violence will be met with violence,” Vance said on X after the U.S. strikes.

US retaliatory strikes in Iran have concluded, official says

The U.S. strikes on Iran in response to a drone attack on a cargo ship have concluded, a U.S. official with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press.

The confirmation comes about an hour after U.S. Central Command announced the military action on social media.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss an ongoing military operation.

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By Konstantin Toropin

US strikes against Iran are ongoing, official says

The American strikes in response to a drone attack on a cargo ship are still ongoing, even as U.S. Central Command released a statement confirming the action, a U.S. official with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss an ongoing military operation.

___ By Konstantin Toropin

Soot pollution rule stays in effect as court blocks Trump EPA effort to scrap it

A federal appeals court has rejected the Environmental Protection Agency’s attempt to abandon a Biden-era rule that sets tough standards for deadly soot pollution.

The unanimous ruling Friday by a three-judge panel is a setback for Trump’s deregulatory agenda.

The decision by the Washington-based U.S. Court of Appeals leaves intact a tighter standard set in 2024 on pollution from coal-fired power plants, factories and other industrial sources.

The EPA had asked the appeals court to invalidate the 2024 rule, arguing that the agency under previous leaders had exceeded its statutory authority and did not consider costs to businesses.

The appeals court denied the request, saying the EPA’s arguments “lack merit.”

▶ Read more

Trump won’t say whether Iran will face consequences for attacks

Asked if Iran would face consequences for a recent drone attack on a ship, Trump said: “Well, you’ll find out.”

The president did not lay out options on how he could respond, or the status of technical talks between the United States and Iran on trying to end the war.

“I don’t like the fact that they took a shot yesterday,” Trump said.

The president did not answer a direct question about whether he thought the ceasefire was still in place.

Bible stories are approved as required reading in Texas public schools

The required reading list approved Friday by the Texas State Board of Education widens conservative efforts to bring more Christian teachings into U.S. classrooms.

The push in Texas has been closely followed by education observers, who say the required reading list appears to be the first of its kind in the nation.

The mandate required more than 5 million public school students in Texas must read traditional literary works such as E.B. White’s “Charlotte’s Web.” Also on the list are Bible stories, including passages from the New Testament and excerpts from the Book of Job.

The Texas State Board of Education, which is controlled by Republicans, approved the list of over critics who argued the titles lacked diversity and and blurs the separation of church and state.

Supporters say Judeo-Christian traditions were fundamental to the nation’s founding and that should be reflected in the public school curriculum.

Trump panel calls for bridges, not a wall, between church and state

The assertion — challenging a longstanding concept in American law — comes amid a raft of recommendations in a draft report of the Religious Liberty Commission, released Friday afternoon.

The advisory body was created by Trump last year and was filled almost entirely by conservative Christians. The report recommends a stronger role for religion in government, schools and the public square.

The report calls for eliminating the “ Johnson Amendment,” which forbids political activities by tax-exempt religious groups. It calls for compensating military service members who were discharged for refusing COVID-19 vaccines on religious grounds.

Trump says Venezuelans are now ‘dancing in the streets’

The president celebrated the U.S. military mission he ordered to capture Venezuelan leaderNicolás Maduro.

He brought up the South American nation happily before interrupting himself to reference the back-to-back earthquakes that have devastated Caracas.

“By the way, we’re helping Venezuela” after the “tremendous” natural disaster, Trump said, before resuming his original thought on U.S. actions there.

“We’ve had a great relationship” since the mission to depose Maduro, he said. “Was a one-day war.”

He said oil processed since the action has “paid for the war many times over” and boosted Venezuela’s economy.

Trump said the earthquake “was terrible” but that, otherwise, “the people are happy; they’re dancing in the streets.”

Trump says ‘nobody saw’ drone that hit cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz

Describing the U.S. response to a drone strike that Trump blamed on Iran, the president said one got through unnoticed and struck a ship on Thursday.

“We knocked down three of them. One of them, I guess — we didn’t miss it. Nobody saw it coming,” Trump said on Friday.

He made the comment after remarking that Iran still has “some capability, not much.”

“You can’t do that stuff,” he added. Earlier on Friday he called the strike a violation of the ceasefire agreement between Iran and the United States.

Trump says Zohran Mamdani’s housing efforts will tank New York City

The New York City mayor “seems like a nice guy” but his push to make rent more affordable will backfire, the president insists.

“These buildings will soon turn into ghettos and slums,” Trump says, suggesting landlords won’t get enough revenue to take care of their properties. Trump argued, “It will be third world.”

Trump was referring to the city’s Rent Guidelines Board approving a citywide rent freeze for certain lease renewals beginning this fall. It affects nearly a million rent-stabilized apartments and helps fulfill one of Mamdani’s signature campaign promises to make housing more affordable.

Trump warns that the left’s election victories is a movement that ‘isn’t stopping with New York’

The president said the election results this week show that “the Democrat Party is in big trouble.”

He also described the winners as not “social democrats” but “hardcore, godless communists.”

Trump bashes Alaska Sen. Murkowski for opposing his bill to create stricter ID standards for voters

The president used his speech to the Faith & Freedom Coalition to attack a Republican lawmaker who has opposed his SAVE America Act.

“We have a few Republicans that are fighting it — Lisa Murkowski of Alaska,” Trump said. “You should call her and tell her to get on the ball. She’ll never win another election. I can tell you.”

The crowd, in support of Trump, booed the mention of Murkowski’s name.

Murkowski has said that the bill being championed by Trump could undermine state oversight of elections. She said the required proof of U.S. citizenship could deny legitimate voters the chance to cast their ballots or mandate states to change their driver’s licenses to conform to Trump’s interests.

Trump credits his presidencies with returning God to America

The president claimed that “religion is back in our country, bigger and stronger than it has been in many, many years.”

He referred generally to “all of these reports” he’s read suggesting religious practice is “going up.”

He ticked through steps his administration has taken, including establishing a White House Faith Office and ending what he described as persecution of Christians by the government. He also took credit for restoring Christmas.

And he insisted none of that would have happened if the 2016 and 2024 elections were won by Democrats. He described Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration as “so bad” and “so evil.”

Biden is a practicing Catholic who regular attended Mass while in office. Trump does not regularly attended services.

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Secretary of State Marco Rubio along with ambassadors from Israel and Lebanon announced a framework agreement Friday that was described as a first step toward peace following months of conflict between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

The officials did not share details on the agreement that was signed by Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, and Nada Hamadeh, ambassador of Lebanon to the United States.

Evangelical group founder touts Trump’s conservative record

In introducing Trump at the Faith and Freedom Coalition conference, founder Ralph Reed sought to remind the audience of the president’s conservative track record.

“This is a man who, alone among all the leaders that we have had, gave us the most conservative Supreme Court in over a century,” Reed said.

He also noted Trump’s efforts to lower taxes and move the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

Evangelicals are a crucial part of Trump’s political coalition. Reed noted that the president has spoken to the group 10 times.

“I want to thank Ralph for the introduction,” Trump said as he took the stage. “Thank you to all of the true American patriots of Faith and Freedom Coalition. You’ve been with me from the beginning.”

Trump returns to hotel where correspondents’ dinner was held

The president on Friday appeared at an event at the Washington Hilton, where two months earlier he was rushed from the hotel when a gunman charged at the ballroom during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.

Trump was speaking on Friday to a gathering of Christian conservatives at the Faith & Freedom Coalition’s annual conference, where he’s made previous appearances.

Security at the event was tighter than in the past, including officers in tactical gear stationed right outside the ballroom doors.

Trump says communism is ‘the most serious threat to our Country since its existence’ but says ‘I’d be the Greatest Communist in History’

The president wrote in a post on social media that his speech Friday afternoon to conservative Christians would include a warning about communism.

Trump and Republicans have been seizing on election wins by candidates endorsed by New York City’s democratic socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

“Communism is very easy to sell. I’d be the Greatest Communist in History. I’d give free rent, free houses, free food, everything is free,” Trump wrote in his lengthy post.

But, he said, after a few years, the country “would fail.”

Man is charged with obstruction of justice in connection with White House UFC attack plot

An eighth person has been arrested in connection with what authorities say was a planned attack on Trump’s UFC cage-fighting show at the White House earlier this month.

Law enforcement disrupted the plan a few days before the June 14 event, officials say.

Authorities say Alexander Iniguez Mercado of Chicago was an administrator of Signal messaging groups with members who are accused of plotting the attack. When an FBI agent called Mercado on June 13 and asked whether he planned to travel to Washington D.C. to help with an attack, Mercado denied it, the indictment says. He then deleted the Signal app from his phone, prosecutors allege.

Mercado, 20, is charged with obstruction of justice. It was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney who could comment on his behalf and phone numbers for relatives could not immediately be located.

Trump threatens a 100% tax on European imports if countries tax digital services

Trump took aim at European countries that he said are discussing “imminent” implementation of taxes on American companies.

“Please let this statement serve to represent that any Country that imposes such a Tax will immediately be met with a 100% TARIFF on any and all Goods sent to the United States of America,” Trump wrote in a post Friday on social media.

He added that the new tax would supersede any previously negotiated trade deals. Trump said the penalty would apply to any country that moves forward with such a tax, but he singled out European nations in his post.

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Trump blames Iran for a drone strike on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz

The president called the alleged strike a “foolish violation” of the ceasefire agreement with the U.S.

Trump said one drone hit the upper deck of the ship and “damage was done,” but the ship was able to proceed. He added that the U.S. shot down three other drones.

His post on social media did not identify the ship or the time of the strike, but on Thursday the British military said a vessel was hit by a projectile off the coast of Oman.

It comes during a fragile time for the U.S. and Iran as they work to negotiate a permanent end to the war.

Bolton also agreed to pay a fine of $2.25 million

He can withdraw his guilty plea if the judge imposes a longer prison sentence or a larger fine.

Bolton must pay half of the fine within five days of his plea and the balance within 90 days. He agreed to forfeit his retirement pay for his federal service. The plea deal also requires him to submit to a debriefing with federal intelligence officials and perform up to 100 hours of community service.

After a prosecutor read aloud a summary of his offenses, Bolton agreed it was accurate.

“I’m sorry for it,” he told the judge.

Defense attorney Abbe Lowell said Bolton “did what real leaders do” by pleading guilty.

Other Trump adversaries have been charged with federal crimes during his second term

While some of those cases have collapsed under judicial scrutiny and amid claims of political retribution, Bolton didn’t mount a vigorous defense against his charges before cutting a deal.

FBI agents searched Bolton’s Maryland home and Washington, D.C., office last August, but the investigation began before Trump returned to the White House in January 2025.

Bolton was charged with 18 counts of either retaining or disseminating classified information

That included diary-like notes he shared with relatives as he wrote a memoir about his career in government.

Bolton served for more than a year in Trump’s first administration before getting pushed out in 2019. He later published a book called “The Room Where It Happened” that presented an unflattering portrait of Trump’s leadership.

The Trump administration fought unsuccessfully to block the book’s release, claiming it contained classified information that could jeopardize national security. Trump derided Bolton as a “crazy” warmonger who would have led the country into “World War Six.”

Bolton’s indictment focused on notes he shared with his wife and daughter rather than the contents of his book. After sending one document, Bolton wrote in a message to his relatives, “None of which we talk about!!!” In response, one of his relatives wrote, “Shhhhh,” prosecutors said.

Ex-national security adviser John Bolton pleads guilty to illegally retaining classified information

Former Trump administration national security adviser John Bolton pleaded guilty Friday to illegally retaining classified information, sealing a deal with federal prosecutors that could allow him to avoid a prison term.

Bolton, who became an outspoken critic of Trump after serving in the Republican’s first administration, is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 28 by U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang in Greenbelt, Maryland.

Bolton pleaded guilty to a single count of illegally retaining classified information. His plea agreement with the Justice Department may enable him to avoid time behind bars, but the judge ultimately will decide his punishment.

The plea agreement recommends capping any prison sentence at five years but the judge isn’t bound by that part of the deal.

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DNC plans weekend of events to focus on affordability concerns

The Democratic National Committee is organizing hundreds of community events across the country this weekend in hopes of harnessing the same concerns about affordability that Trump capitalized on to return to the White House.

The events include school supply giveaways, food bank drives, neighborhood door knockings and organizer trainings.

“Everything costs too damn much under Donald Trump and the Republicans,” Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said in a statement.

Martin said party members planned “to reach, engage, register, and mobilize voters who will make the difference in races up and down the ballot.”

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Touring Trump’s Washington: How the president is putting his imprint on the nation’s capital

The United States is celebrating its 250th year. And what better way to mark that anniversary than with an American summer staple — a trip to the nation’s capital.

But visitors to Washington will find that the city is undergoing tremendous change, courtesy of Trump’s takeover makeover.

Since returning to office 17 months ago, Trump has demonstrated a continuing fixation with the District of Columbia. The Republican president has slapped his image and name on buildings, torn down storied structures, altered others, started massive construction projects and deployed armed military personnel.

The traditional tourist sights remain. But with slight detours, an open mind and a critical eye, the ambitious walker can see all the ways the president has pushed to remake the capital.

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988’s LGBTQ+ hotline to relaunch this year. But the group that helped start it might be excluded

The Trump administration is moving to restart the specialized LGBTQ+ option for youth who contact the 988 crisis intervention hotline, but the group that helped pioneer the idea is being shut out.

The Trevor Project, the leading nonprofit for suicide prevention in LGBTQ+ young people, may not be allowed to offer the service it had helped develop for the 988 Lifeline just a few years ago.

The 988 hotline, which has been dubbed the 911 for mental health emergencies, is credited with reducing teen and young adult suicide deaths. It offers specialized options for certain groups, such as veterans and Spanish speakers, but in July the Trump administration stopped offering the “press 3” option for LGBTQ+ youth with a month’s notice.

The administration said it ended the service because the funding ran out. It’s now working to bring it back by the end of the year because Congress directed officials to allocate $33 million toward LGBTQ+-specific interventions for youth.

However, The Trevor Project might not be allowed to offer the services it developed and specializes in.

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Supreme Court’s ruling to end protections for Haitian, Syrian immigrants could have broader impact

The reach of the Supreme Court’s decision allowing Trump’s administration to end temporary legal protections for Haitian and Syrian immigrants may extend to many other countries.

Thursday´s decision directly applies to about 350,000 Haitians and 6,000 Syrians, but may be a sign of what´s in store for nearly 1.3 million people from 17 countries on Temporary Protected Status. Many have lived and worked in the United States for decades and have American children.

The decision exposes TPS holders from Haiti and Syria to potential detention and deportation. It could also pave the way for hundreds of thousands of other beneficiaries with pending asylum claims or other immigration relief to be forced to leave the country.

People of all nationalities whose TPS was ended by the Trump administration have filed dozens of lawsuits. Many of these cases are still ongoing, and judges will closely examine the Supreme Court’s decision.

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Reflecting Pool liner was cut with a sharp knife or razor, National Park Service says

A liner along the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was cut with a sharp knife or razor this month, causing damage to the foam sealant installed as part of a $16 million rehabilitation project, a top official at the National Park Service says.

The U.S. Park Police responded June 9 to a complaint by the park service, said Frank Lands, deputy director of operations for the park service. Lands made the statement in a court document filed late Wednesday as part of a lawsuit filed by a nonprofit organization to halt the Trump administration’s work on the project.

His statement does not say when exactly the damage occurred or whether it was a suspected case of vandalism and does not identify anyone who might have been involved.

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Vance, an admirer of Richard Nixon, says Watergate would be ‘a 12-hour news story’ today

Vice President JD Vance on Thursday said the Watergate scandal that brought down President Richard Nixon would have been a blip in today’s news cycle, and he drew parallels between Nixon and President Donald Trump — arguing that both were targeted by “deep state” forces.

Vance described his admiration for Nixon during a conversation at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, California. Widely expected to be a presidential contender in 2028, Vance spoke at the library while promoting his new book, “Communion.”

After talking about the book and his faith journey, Vance shifted to Nixon, saying the legacy of the 37th president is “enjoying a bit of a renaissance.”

“If Watergate happened tomorrow, it would be like a 12-hour news story. The idea that it would have taken down a presidency is crazy,” Vance said.

He went on: “If you look at the story of how the deep state took down Richard Nixon, it’s not all that different from what the same groups of people, the same institutions tried to do to Donald Trump in the first Trump administration.”

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Federal judge halts Trump’s election executive order seeking to create a federal voter list

A federal judge on Thursday halted President Donald Trump’s executive order that sought to create a federal voter list and limit who can receive a mail ballot.

U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani sided with a coalition of nearly two dozen states that challenged the Republican president’s order in granting a summary judgment. Her ruling applies to this year’s midterm election cycle.

Plaintiffs argued in two lawsuits, both filed in federal court in Boston, that Trump’s order should be found unconstitutional because the states and Congress, not the president, have the power to set election rules.

It was the second ruling in as many days against executive orders Trump has signed seeking oversight of the nation’s elections. A separate ruling Wednesday prohibited an executive order he had signed last year that would have required people to show documents proving their citizenship when registering to vote.

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It’s who finishes third.

Teams that are first and second in their groups move on automatically to the Round of 32. The United States, Canada and Mexico, co-hosts of the tournament, have all advanced, along with France, Germany, Brazil, Norway and others.

The U.S. will face Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday in Santa Clara, California, while Canada heads to Southern California to face South Africa on Sunday. Other marquee matchups are set, including Morocco versus the Netherlands, Japan versus Brazil and Norway versus Ivory Coast.

Third place is no guarantee. The eight best third-place teams also get in, with ties broken by goal differential and goals scored, if necessary.

Teams with four points — a win, a draw and a loss — almost certainly will make the Round of 32. Bosnia-Herzegovina, Sweden and Ecuador already advanced that way, and Paraguay is poised to join that group, which would mean four qualifiers left.

That leaves eight other third-place teams for the final four spots, including Senegal, which routed Iraq 5-0. Others with three points are also hoping for the best.

“I personally didn’t want to end up in this kind of situation, where we have to wait and see if we will reach the knockouts,” South Korea forward Son Heung-min said. “It’s disappointing that we didn’t get the outcome we deserved, considering the amount of hard work we’ve done, but it’s out of our hands now and we will have to accept our fate, whatever it will be.”

Some matches to watch closely Friday night on the third-place front:

Group G

Egypt (four points) vs. Iran (two points): Egypt would likely be a third-place qualifier even with a loss, provided that loss isn’t by a ton of goals. Iran would be heavily favored to advance as a third-place team with a draw. (Belgium and New Zealand each has a mathematically possible chance of finishing third in Group G.)

Group H

Cape Verde (two points) vs. Saudi Arabia (one point): Cape Verde will advance (as a first- or second-place team) with a win. The Saudis need a win to advance, as well.

Uruguay (two points) vs. Spain (four points): Uruguay would likely qualify as a third-place team with a draw. If it loses, it goes home.

Here are the Round of 32 matchups already set:

US vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina, July 1

The Americans had their powerful momentum from two consecutive victories stalled in the loss to Turkey. But in the knockout round, they’ll face a Bosnia-Herzegovina team that is 62nd in the FIFA rankings — the lowest-ranked World Cup qualifier from Europe. Bosnia finished third in Group B with four points. U.S. star Christian Pulisic entered as a substitute in the second half against Turkey. He had not played since leaving an opening win over Paraguay at halftime with a calf injury. “We play every game like a knockout game,” said U.S. midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, who scored against Turkey. “You saw that in our intensity and the way we worked. For us, it’s keep doing what we’ve been doing.”

South Africa vs. Canada, June 28

These nations have already made history. It'll be the first time both are in the knockout stage of the World Cup. Co-host Canada advanced as runner-up in Group B with four points — one win, one draw and one loss. South Africa was runner-up in Group A, also with four points, including a surprising win over South Korea.

Brazil vs. Japan, June 29

Japan advanced as Group F runner-up with a hard fought 1-1 draw against Sweden and the Samurai Blue's reward is a knockout match against five-time World Cup champion Brazil. It'll be a full-circle moment for Japan, which welcomed Brazilian soccer legend Zico in 1991. He was brought in to professionalize the country's new domestic league and support Japan's successful bid to co-host the World Cup in 2002. Now, the Japanese have a chance to show how far they've come against a country that has set the standard.

Netherlands vs. Morocco, June 29

The Netherlands won Group F after a draw with Japan and outscoring Sweden and Tunisia by a combined 8-2. Morocco went unbeaten to finish second in Group C in pursuit of becoming the first African winner of the World Cup. Morocco reached the semifinals four years ago in Qatar.

Norway vs. Ivory Coast, June 30

It would have taken beating favored France for Norway to win Group I. Instead, coach Ståle Solbakken opted to rest Erling Haaland and all but one starter. That sets up a matchup against the Ivory Coast at the Dallas Cowboys' stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday.

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See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here.

Scheffler had to settle for a 10-under 60 on the soft TPC River Highlands course, setting an early target atop the scoreboard on a day of extreme low scoring at the final signature event of the regular season.

“Going out yesterday in the afternoon, when the greens get firm out here and the wind starts to blow, it can get tricky pretty quickly,” Scheffler said. “Going out this morning, you definitely had a feeling the conditions were going to be easier, so you need to go out there and try and take advantage of it.”

Scheffler was at 16-under 124, two shots ahead of Viktor Hovland.

“At the end of the day, I was very focused on just my execution out there,” Scheffler said. “Who knows what the lead is going to be after today. I’ve put myself in position now this week. Go home, get some rest, and get ready for tomorrow.”

Playing three groups in front of Scheffler, Hovland needed to birdie the final two holes for a 59. He settled for a pair of pars and a 61, matching his career best on tour.

“Certainly it was more gettable today than it was even yesterday,” Hovland said.

Akshay Bhatia had a 62 to match first-round leader Eric Cole at 12 under.

“I know how this golf course can play,” Bhatia said. “You got to kind of keep making birdies and try and limit mistakes.”

Cole parred the final eight holes in a 65.

“Maybe just being tired or something and making some tired swings,” Cole said.

Matt Fitzpatrick, Bud Cauley and Ben Griffin were tied for fifth at 10 under, each shooting 66.

Scheffler shot 59 in his rookie season in 2020 in the second round of The Northern Trust at the TPC Boston, another rain-softened course that featured low scoring. Dustin Johnson was 11 under through 11 holes that day and had to settle for a 60.

“Some days they’re kind of hanging on the edge and not quite going in, and then other days they’re finding the bottom of the cup,” Scheffler said. “Today was a day definitely in which most of them were finding the bottom of the cup.”

Furyk shot his first sub-60 round in the second round of the 2013 BMW Championship at Conway Farms outside Chicago, a 59 that included a bogey on his card. Three years later, he set the PGA Tour record at the Travelers Championship with a 58 in the final round.

Furyk did not win either tournament.

“It was like, `It would be cool to shoot 59, but somebody has already shot 58 here, so it’s not even the course record,’” Scheffler said.

Scheffler, who won the Travelers Championship two years ago, is coming off a tie for fourth in the U.S. Open when he played in the final round. His last victory was The American Express in the California desert, his first start of the year.

Scheffler bogeyed the par-4 second, leaving a wedge from the fairway well short and missing an 8-foot par try.

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

But visitors to Washington will find that the city is undergoing tremendous change, courtesy of President Donald Trump’s takeover makeover.

Since returning to office 17 months ago, Trump has demonstrated a continuing fixation with the District of Columbia. The Republican president has slapped his image and name on buildings, torn down storied structures, altered others, started massive construction projects and deployed armed military personnel.

The traditional tourist sights remain. But with slight detours, an open mind and a critical eye, the ambitious walker can see all the ways the president has pushed to remake the capital.

On the eve of the United States' birthday, take a trip with The Associated Press across a changing Washington.

First stop: An indefinite National Guard deployment

We start our tour at Union Station and Metro Center, the city’s main transit hubs. Notice the Greco-Roman architecture of the former, the Brutalist design of the latter. Now see the ongoing, indefinite deployment of armed National Guard troops there and in many other parts of the city.

National Guard members from the district and several states have been in the city since August 2025, deployed under an emergency order issued by Trump in what he called a bid to fight crime. Trump has portrayed the deployment as a lifeline for the city. They will be here for most, if not all, of 2026 and are expected to number 5,000 this summer.

It's not the first time the military has deployed to the capital. Troops were in Washington throughout the Civil War, to quell riots after Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1968 assassination and, famously, hours into the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

But in Trump's Washington, Guardsmen at street corners and metro stations have become an increasingly normal part of the city’s scenery.

And no one knows when they will leave.

Second stop: Scars left by DOGE

Exit Union Station, take in the view of the Capitol and turn right down Pennsylvania Avenue. There sits a building now synonymous with the Department of Government Efficiency, the Trump administration's effort to shrink the federal government.

The U.S. Agency for International Development was the first major federal agency targeted by then-DOGE leader Elon Musk in the remake of the federal government, when cost-cutting measures prompted the terminations of tens of thousands of workers. USAID spent billions on humanitarian aid worldwide and was credited with saving millions of lives over time.

By eliminating 90% of foreign aid contracts, the Trump administration effectively cut some $60 billion in funding.

After workers cleared their desks in February 2025, the USAID offices on Pennsylvania Avenue were repurposed for other government uses.

The shuttering of the agency also contributed to a massive increase in unemployment in the region where about one-fifth of the workforce lives.

Many workers still ask: When their lives were upended, what was saved?

Third stop: Trump's image staring down

Walking south along any of the numbered streets leads to Constitution Avenue and the National Mall. Banners bearing Trump's image have adorned the facades of several government buildings over the past 17 months — an uncommon practice for a sitting American president and a highly literal sign of his imprint upon the city.

At the Department of the Interior, his image has equal billing with George Washington on similar banners proclaiming “America's First” and “America First.”

A mile away, Trump's face glowers from the storied Department of Justice building, a physical display of Trump's efforts to exert power over the law enforcement agency that once investigated him. It's also a striking symbol of the erosion of the department’s tradition of independence from White House control, as the president pushes to prosecute his political adversaries.

Next up: The Reflecting Pool painted ‘American flag blue’

Westward toward the Lincoln Memorial sits the recently repainted Reflecting Pool.

The site has always been a must-see on any tourist's checklist. But the Reflecting Pool, the scene of historic marches and protests, today also symbolizes Trump's drive to change Washington.

Trump called the area “filthy” and had workers paint it in a color he has called “American flag blue.” A Washington-based nonprofit that tried to block the move said it undermined the somber tone of the area, which sits near the memorials to Lincoln and to the Vietnam and Korean wars.

Since the makeover, the pool has been fraught with problems, from runaway algae growth to dead ducks and a torn lining. Authorities say vandals have been responsible for some of the problems and arrests have been made. The National Park Service said the liner was intentionally cut with a sharp razor or knife.

A walk over the Memorial Bridge across the Potomac River leads directly to the proposed future site of Trump's 20-story, gold-adorned triumphal arch. Although embroiled in a court battle, like a number of his projects, the arch has been approved by a key federal agency and survey work has begun at the site.

In a city meticulously planned and rich with the symbolism that defines the nation, new construction can unsettle the carefully crafted balance.

The arch, when built, will break up the intentionally designed symbolic sightline between Arlington House, once the home of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, and the Lincoln Memorial, which symbolized the reunification of a divided nation following the Civil War.

Just ahead: The Trump-Kennedy Center

Visible from the site is the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts — known for much of this year as the Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center.

Congress named the performing arts venue as a living memorial to Kennedy in 1964, the year after he was assassinated. A law explicitly prohibits its board of trustees from making the center into a memorial to anyone else, and from putting another person’s name on the building’s exterior.

A court decision eventually stripped the center of Trump's name, but a tarp remains there, obscuring the change.

Trump also added his name to the U.S. Institute of Peace, part of a broader series of tributes that has been largely unprecedented for a sitting, living president.

In the middle of it all: A significantly changed White House

No tour would be complete without 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. — the White House. There, gazers can look at the construction site formerly known as the East Wing. It's now the president's ballroom-in-waiting as the courts and Congress battle over whether to build it.

The White House has said the $400 million cost would be paid by private donors, but public money — around $1 billion for the entire White House complex, including the ballroom — would be used for security measures. The proposed building has also expanded to a size larger than the rest of the White House. Trump argues the ballroom is necessary for security reasons, and amplified that assertion after the attack on the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in April.

Not viewable on the tour: the area formerly known as the Rose Garden. Planted by then-first lady Jackie Kennedy, it has been paved over into a patio.

Last stop: Black Lives Matter Plaza no more

Directly north, across Pennsylvania Avenue, is the area of town formerly known as Black Lives Matter Plaza. During Trump's first term, a more defiant Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser ordered the painting and naming of the area as a remembrance of the death of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis police.

BLM Plaza became a magnet point for years of political activism. Hundreds of protests started, ended or rallied there.

The plaza came down in March 2025 at Bowser’s direction, spurred by threats from Congress to hold the city’s funding. The decision served as an acknowledgment of a major shift in tone under Trump.

That's the tour, folks. Please enjoy your stay.

The CFL said Friday it won’t allow the 22-year-old to sign with any of its teams or be placed on their negotiation lists.

Sorsby admitted to placing thousands of bets totaling nearly $90,000 over his collegiate career, including at least 40 on Indiana football while he was a freshman there in 2022, although none was on games in which he played for the Hoosiers that year.

After being ruled permanently ineligible by the NCAA, Sorsby attempted to join the NFL’s supplemental draft, but the league told him on Tuesday it wouldn’t hold one this year.

Instead, the NFL told Sorsby to focus on preparing for possible entry into the league via its regular draft in 2027, according to a letter from the league telling Sorsby of its decision that was obtained by The Associated Press.

The NFL hasn’t held a supplemental draft since 2023.

“Upholding the integrity of the league and ensuring fair competition are paramount to the CFL,” the CFL said in a statement. “The allegations involving Brendan Sorsby are serious and concerning.

“At this time, the CFL will not register a contract for him, and no team will be permitted to add him to its negotiation list.”

Sorsby had planned to work out for NFL teams on July 10. He was banished from competition by the NCAA for the gambling activity after transferring earlier this year from Cincinnati to Texas Tech.

After spending a month in a residential treatment program for a diagnosed addiction that led to thousands of bets, Sorsby sued the NCAA and gained a court-ordered reinstatement that prompted nationwide backlash toward Texas Tech. The controversy led Sorsby to try to play professional football instead.

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Newsom also said the U.S. government should own a stake in artificial intelligence companies. His proposals, outlined in a Substack post, aligns him with the Democratic Party's populist left, and he argued that urgent changes are needed to prevent the elite concentration of wealth and power from undermining democracy.

“It’s time for an economic reset for America,” Newsom wrote.

The governor announced his agenda a day after an influential health care union in California pledged to go forward with a ballot measure that would impose a one-time 5% tax on the assets of billionaires living in the state as of Jan. 1, 2026.

Newsom opposes that measure, as do many of the liberal interest groups that typically favor higher taxes. They fear it would drive billionaires out of California, eroding the state’s tax base over the long term for a one-time influx of cash. A technology mecca, California has more billionaires than any other state — a few hundred, by some estimates.

“You may not be able to pick up and move to Texas or Florida to shelter your income from taxation, but I promise you that billionaires can, and do,” Newsom wrote. “Wealth is movable, and it shops for the state with the lowest taxes. The fight belongs at the federal level, where this broken system was created in the first place.”

A minimum tax on large net worths

Newsom said the solution is a new national tax policy, rather than a state-by-state system. He proposed a minimum tax on anyone with a net worth above $100 million. He also wants to make it illegal for the wealthy to borrow against their stock portfolios to fund their luxury lifestyles tax free.

Newsom said there should be new rules for inheritance taxes, warning that “the transfer of wealth among the ultra-wealthy will lock in a permanent American aristocracy of inherited wealth.” And he wants to raise corporate tax rates to where they were before President Donald Trump’s first-term tax cut.

The need is especially urgent as artificial intelligence threatens to displace workers and further concentrate wealth, he wrote.

“We need to ensure every American owns a stake in the future being built by AI through a national public equity fund that takes a major stake in the new economy,” he wrote. "Simply, as artificial intelligence reshapes the country, every American should own a piece of the future it builds."

Revenue generated by his proposals could be used to retrain workers, fund universal child care, make college free and increase funding for health care.

‘Money buys influence’

Newsom, who has drawn attention as one of Trump's most high-profile political antagonists, is getting an early start on laying out a policy framework for his potential White House bid months before the midterm elections, which have typically marked the informal start of overt presidential campaigning.

The embrace of a wealth tax by Newsom, a moderate on tax policy despite his liberal reputation, signals a notable shift in the political landscape since Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren struggled to get traction in her 2020 campaign, which she largely centered around a 2% wealth tax.

Newsom portrayed the nation's tax code as a corrupt system built to help an elite few.

“Money buys influence, and influence rewrites the rules,” he wrote. “Those rewritten rules funnel even more wealth to the few. Under this weight, democracy itself starts to buckle.”

U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, a Democrat from Silicon Valley who is also considering running for president, said Newsom is trying to duck the California fight with a national proposal that goes too easy on billionaires. He supports the California ballot measure.

“It’s not going to pass muster to say, ‘Well, when we were fighting to have a billionaire tax to save healthcare for 3 million Californians, I sided with the billionaires, but in the future, I want to tax these billionaires,'” Khanna told reporters.

The comedian and filmmaker has been awaiting the milestone. Earlier this year, Judd Apatow titled his retrospective documentary on him: “Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!”

“I was born to make people laugh,” Brooks says in the film. “So, I do that.”

Brooks was born Melvin Kaminsky in Brooklyn, New York, on June 28, 1926. After serving in the Army during World War II and performing in the Borscht Belt, Sid Caesar hired him as a writer. On his “Show of Shows,” Brooks met Carl Reiner, who'd remain a lifelong friend and with whom he created the “2000 Year Old Man” sketches.

Reiner would pepper Brooks' ancient man with questions about what Jesus was like. “Jesus … yes, yes,” Brooks would answer. “Thin lad. Wore sandals. Always walked around with 12 other guys.”

Brooks went to make classic comedies like “The Producers,” “Blazing Saddles,” “Young Frankenstein” and “High Anxiety.” It all started, Brooks told The Associated Press in 2021, with his childhood in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

“I wanted to keep the party going. I wanted to keep the happiness and joy and explosions of laughter going into a dour part of our lives, not our childhood anymore,” Brooks recalled. “I was once interviewed and the guy said, ‘What was the happiest part of your life? Was it winning the Academy Award? Was it marrying Anne Bancroft?’ I said no, not at all. It was my childhood. From about 4 or 5 to 9, it was the most exciting, happiest, joyous life that anyone could experience.

“The guy said, 'What happened at 9?’ I said, 'Homework.'”

Even now, Brooks hasn't retired. In April, Brooks submitted a video message to Eddie Murphy to honor him for his AFI life achievement award. In May, he announced that he was donating thousands of his documents and photographs to the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York.

“I’ve always been proud to say that I make people laugh for a living,” Brooks said then in a statement. “So, knowing that my work will have a home at comedy’s national archive and continue making people laugh leaves me with a deep sense of pride.”

To mark the occasion of Brooks' centennial, the American Film Institute on Friday named 1974's “Blazing Saddles” the funniest film of all time. It has previously ranked sixth on its list of 100 greatest movies. Brooks' film displaced “Some Like It Hot” — which Brooks had long held wasn't as funny as his movies — from the top spot.

“He’s right!,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and chief executive. “We’re happy to right this wrong as Mel celebrates his centennial. It’s good to be the king, and may he live to be a 2,000 year old man. Happy birthday, Mel!”

Brooks has sometimes made mortality a joke, too. In a 1980s sketch, he created a coin-operated gravestone for himself that played a videotaped message. It began: “I was Mel Brooks, one of the funniest little Jews to walk the Earth.”

When asked in that AP 2021 interview if he thought much about death, Brooks said no.

“I gave up after 60 thinking about it because if I did, I’d be thinking about it all the time. So I don’t think about it much. When and if it happens it’s going to be a sad day — for everybody but me,” Brooks said, laughing.

“I enjoy living,” he added. “I’d like to do it as long as I can.”

Dembélé scored a first-half hat trick, including one off a feed from Mbappé, to help France beat Norway 4-1 at the World Cup on Friday.

Dembélé's goals came in the seventh, 20th and 32nd minutes. It was the first first-half hat trick at the World Cup since Russia forward Oleg Salenko scored three of his five goals in the opening 45 minutes against Cameroon at the 1994 World Cup in the United States.

“It is a unique moment,” Dembélé said. “But the most important was to finish first of the group in the group stage, and we are focused on the round of 32, which is the most important.”

France, which won the World Cup in 2018 and lost in the final four years ago, had already secured its place in the knockout round before Friday’s match. Norway was also assured of a spot in the round of 32 and ended up in second place in the group.

Désiré Doué scored France's final goal in second-half injury time.

Dembélé said changing their approach in the final group match was never a consideration. France has 10 goals through three games.

“We want to win all our matches, but we remain focused,” Dembélé said.

The fastest World Cup hat trick took only 7 minutes, 42 seconds. Hungary striker Laszlo Kiss, who had come on as a substitute, managed that feat late in the match against El Salvador at the 1982 World Cup in Spain.

The quickest World Cup hat trick from the start of the match occurred at the 1954 tournament in Switzerland when Austria striker Erich Probst scored his three goals in the opening 24 minutes against Czechoslovakia.

Dembélé, who won Ballon d’Or as Europe’s top player in 2025 and has now scored four goals at this year's World Cup, left the game in the 65th minute. He was replaced by Bradley Barcola.

Thelo Aasgaard got Norway on the scoreboard after Dembélé’s second goal, finding the back of the net only 14 seconds after the restart. But Dembélé added his third goal less than nine minutes later to push the lead back to two.

Dembélé increased his international goal total to eight while Mbappe now has 16 goals and four assists in 17 World Cup matches. He scored two goals in each of France’s wins over Senegal and Iraq.

Erling Haaland was among 10 regular starters absent from Norway’s starting lineup, presumably to rest. The wholesale changes included Egil Selvik starting in goal in place of Orjan Nyland.

Norway coach Ståle Solbakken said resting so many players was an easy decision for him.

“The break that we had from the last game to this game was the shortest of any team. ... So it's a no-brainer,” he said. “The fans around Norway and also in the arena would have like to see Erling. But that is not really the issue. We want to proceed as long as we can in the tournament.”

The Norwegians will next face Ivory Coast in the round of 32 on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas. France will play the same day against one of the eight best third-place finishers in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Mbappé nearly got France on the scoreboard only 21 seconds into the game. He sprinted up the right side and sent a hard shot that hit the crossbar beyond the outstretched arm of Selvik.

Dembélé was operating in space for his first goal when he took took a pass from Mbappé and blasted a right-footed shot across Selvik.

On the Paris Saint-Germain player’s second goal, Dembélé found space between three defenders at the top of the box and fired in a left-footer beyond Selvik’s diving save attempt.

Norway had a chance to close the gap back to one goal in the 49th when France defender Theo Hernandez was whistled for tripping Oscar Bobb in the box. But Jorgen Strand Larsen’s penalty shot toward the right corner was batted away by France goalkeeper Mike Maignan.

Before the game, French fans in attendance displayed a banner reading “AVEC TOI DIDIER” (With you Didier), acknowledging France coach Didier Deschamps' mother, Ginette Deschamps, who died this week. The coach missed the match against Norway on Friday because he was in France with family, leaving assistant Guy Stéphan in charge.

Stéphan said Deschamps would rejoin the team for its next training session on Saturday.

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See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

This year, the city is pulling out all the stops as America celebrates its 250th birthday, transforming Bicentennial Park into an all-day celebration packed with entertainment, family activities and one of the biggest fireworks displays in the Houston area.

Country music fans can catch the Eli Young Band live, while families can spend the day enjoying festival games, a kids’ wagon parade, pie baking contests, photos with a live bald eagle and plenty of classic summertime fun. Looking for a challenge? Lace up your running shoes for the America Mile, where participants can run as many miles as they can for a chance to win a share of $999 in prize money.

Make It a Staycation

Instead of rushing home after the fireworks, why not turn the holiday into a mini getaway?

Just five minutes from Bicentennial Park, the Hyatt Regency Baytown–Houston offers a waterfront escape overlooking Tabbs Bay. Whether you’re sipping coffee as boats drift by in the morning or winding down after an evening under the fireworks, the hotel makes a convenient home base for the festivities while adding a little vacation feel to your holiday weekend.

With its walkable waterfront, scenic views and easy access to all the action, it’s an ideal place to stretch your Fourth of July celebration into an overnight stay.

A Classic Fourth of July With a Texas Twist

There’s something timeless about celebrating Independence Day in a community that embraces small-town traditions while delivering big-event energy.

From live music and family-friendly fun to a fireworks spectacular lighting up the night sky, Baytown offers a festive way to celebrate the holiday just a short drive from Houston.

For a full schedule of events and more information, visit baytown.org/july4 or visitbaytown.com.

“Me, personally, I don’t agree,” said Chambliss, who was coached by Kiffin last season. “I don’t think that what he said was truthful. ... The Oxford community is nothing but love and they care about their people no matter what they look like: brown, black, purple, yellow — you know what I mean?”

Kiffin, who is white, coached at Ole Miss from 2020 to 2025. He oversaw the Rebels' 11-1 regular season in 2025 but left for LSU before the College Football Playoff in a move that has since brought much scrutiny to college football’s recruiting calendar.

In May, Kiffin was featured in a Vanity Fair magazine article in which he described prospective Ole Miss recruits telling him: "Hey, coach, we really like you. But my grandparents aren’t letting me move to Oxford, Mississippi.”

“That doesn’t come up when you say Baton Rouge, Louisiana," Kiffin added in his comments to Vanity Fair.

Kiffin wanted to coach the Rebels in the CFP, but Ole Miss wouldn’t allow it because Kiffin also would have been simultaneously recruiting for LSU. Without Kiffin at the helm, Chambliss nonetheless led the Rebels into the national finals with a scintillating CFP quarterfinal performance against Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

Chambliss, who is participating this weekend in the Manning Passing Academy as a counselor, said he still thinks highly of Kiffin, will always appreciate the opportunity Kiffin gave him at Ole Miss and does not harbor hard feelings about the way Kiffin left the program.

However, Chambliss sounded eager to point out that his experience in Oxford did not match Kiffin's comments to the magazine.

“The people in Mississippi and Oxford showed me nothing but love,” Chambless said of a visit he made before deciding to transfer to Ole Miss from Ferris State.

“One thing that I can really take away from my visit and the reason why I did commit to Ole Miss is I asked my family what they genuinely thought about the visit, what they thought about the people, if they trusted what they were actually saying, if they’re gonna be true to their word,” Chambliss added.

“They said, ‘I feel like this is the right place.' And my mom’s super religious, too, and she just had a good feeling,” Chambliss said. “We prayed on it, and that was the main thing. ... So, I felt like Oxford is home and it’s a great place.”

Kiffin will be back in Ole Miss' Vaught-Hemingway Stadium — but on the visitor's sideline — on Sept. 19 when LSU visits the Rebels. Pete Golding, who had been a defensive coordinator on Kiffin’s staff, took over at Ole Miss.

___

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

Ten of the 12 jurors insisted Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, is innocent. Judge Anne Hwang quickly set an Oct. 19 retrial date and ordered him jailed until then.

Rinderknecht has pleaded not guilty to starting one of the most destructive wildfires in California history, and feels encouraged that so many of the jurors “resoundingly found that the government’s case was not strong, and they did not have enough evidence to convict him,” defense attorney Steve Haney said.

But First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said they have strong evidence and will seek a guilty verdict in a new trial.

Prosecutors said Rinderknecht used a barbecue lighter on Jan. 1, 2025 to spark a blaze that burned undetected deep in root systems before flaring back up Jan. 7 and killing 12 people as it incinerated entire neighborhoods in Los Angeles and Malibu. Only 17 rebuilt homes in Pacific Palisades have been certified for occupancy since then.

Prosecutors never provided direct evidence that Rinderknecht started the earlier blaze. They showed jurors he was in the area when it began and presented a digital trail to indicate he was motivated by a desire to take revenge on society.

His defense said fireworks were the likely cause and that investigators had zeroed in too quickly on Rinderknecht without clear proof.

“This is a big victory, and it feels so unfair that, given the circumstances, the government maintains my son in jail,” said his father, Joel Rinderknecht.

The new trial will begin as voters decide whether to re-elect Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who has faced criticism over the city's preparation and response. Meanwhile, the aftermath of the Palisades Fire and another wildfire that ravaged the community of Altadena continues to reshape the metropolitan area, with thousands of uprooted fire victims seeking insurance payouts and court judgments.

“The state and the city have tried for the past year and a half to distract from their own shortcomings in their own liability,” civil attorney Alexander Robertson said.

Digital records revealed Rinderknecht’s state of mind

The trial featured a trove of digital records and eight days of testimony from investigators, experts and witnesses.

Security camera recordings helped determine where the Jan. 1 fire is believed to have started: a mountainside spot off a trail in a neighborhood familiar to Rinderknecht. He dropped off his last Uber passenger in the same neighborhood, shortly before midnight, and later called 911 more than a dozen times. His phone’s geolocation data showed him at the clearing and walking down the trail as he reported the fire.

Jurors saw records from his phone, email, Uber, social media accounts and OpenAI. Thousands of comments showed he regularly consulted ChatGPT.

“Why am I so angry all the time?” he said in one exchange.

He vented over wealth inequality and global warming

Rinderknecht inquired about Luigi Mangione, who was charged with the murder of United Healthcare’s CEO, and on Reddit he searched “lets kill all the billionaires.”

He also vented about being rejected by a woman he contacted to see if she had New Year’s Eve plans, and sent her angry and vile messages from another phone.

Rinderknecht also recorded videos of firefighters battling the blaze, pausing to ask ChatGPT if someone would be responsible for a fire accidentally started by a cigarette. And he screen-recorded both the 911 calls and his ChatGPT prompt, which prosecutors said showed he was trying to mislead investigators.

On Jan. 6, a day before powerful Santa Ana winds rekindled smoldering roots into a conflagration, he recorded a selfie video saying he was having a mental breakdown.

Investigators interviewed him weeks after fire

Rinderknecht also spoke for roughly eight hours with a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent in late January, before he was a suspect.

ATF agent Matthew Beals drove with him to the site, so that Rinderknecht could identify his movements as the fire started — an account that conflicted with the place and time of his 911 calls, the agent testified.

Rinderknecht became “agitated” when asked for details and speculated that someone frustrated by inequality might hypothetically target the wealthy neighborhood, the agent said.

All such behavior is consistent with that of a “societal revenge motivated” arsonist, testified Kevin Kelm, an expert in arsonist behavior.

His defense suggested a rush to judgment

Haney said investigators never found any searches about arson, the best way to start a fire, or purchases of fire-starting materials. And while his DNA was found on a barbecue lighter in his car, they couldn’t prove a lighter sparked the blaze — only that it began with an “open flame,” he said.

Fireworks were the most likely cause that New Year’s Eve, the defense argued. One firefighter recalled hearing fireworks in the area shortly before and after midnight. And two residents and a security guard testified they either saw flashes of light or heard fireworks. Two saw a group of teenagers running down the trail afterward.

Former LA fire investigator Ed Nordskog accused the investigators of confirmation bias, noting that he often responded to dozens of fires on New Year’s Eve, most of them started by fireworks.

“They’re choosing to look at information in a very sinister way when they should be a little more open about it,” Nordskog said.

Defense witnesses also noted that the fire scene could have been compromised because access was not closed off until Jan. 14, nearly two weeks after the first blaze started.

“Can you convict a man based on a crime scene that was destroyed? Stripped of all evidence? Evidence that could’ve proved his innocence?” Haney asked jurors during closing arguments.

Juror explains why she voted against conviction

Juror No. 4, who identified herself as Syrena and wouldn’t share her last name, said she voted not-guilty.

“There’s just not enough proof,” she said. And even if he did start the Jan. 1 fire, she said he shouldn’t be considered responsible for the entire disaster given the negligence of other parties.

“Shouldn’t the firemen, shouldn’t they have known?” she said.

Rinderknecht’s attorney wanted to argue that the Los Angeles Fire Department had been negligent, but the judge ruled he couldn’t make that case in court.

Juror No. 4 said there wasn’t enough evidence to make her believe the prosecution’s assertion that Rinderknecht was alone in the area before it started.

As for his use of ChatGPT, she said he was “just being human” that she talks to ChatGPT frequently as well.

“It made me angry that they were putting his character down,” she said.

___

Associated Press reporter Safiyah Riddle contributed to this report.

Homes are being rebuilt. Businesses are reopening. Communities are finding ways to move forward.

But for many who lived through the disaster, the memories remain as vivid as ever.

On July 1, KPRC 2 premieres After the Storm: The flood that changed the Hill Country, a documentary exploring the flood, the rescue efforts, the recovery, and the people whose lives were forever changed.

Over the past year, KPRC 2 traveled across Kerr County, interviewing first responders, survivors, business owners, meteorologists, and community leaders to better understand not only what happened, but what has happened since.

Among those voices are John and Vikki Dunn, owners of the iconic Hunt Store.

The heart of a community

For nearly 80 years, the Hunt Store has served as far more than a convenience store.

“It’s really the only year-round, consistent food, fuel and community gathering space,” John Dunn said.

The store has long functioned as the social center of Hunt — a place for family reunions, community meetings, birthday parties, Bible studies, and generations of campers returning summer after summer.

“The store became the anchor of the Hunt community,” Dunn said.

When floodwaters tore through Hunt, the store suffered catastrophic damage. Walls were ripped away. Parts of the structure were destroyed.

Yet somehow, some of its most recognizable features survived.

“The two main doors that everybody associates with the Hunt Store have been here forever,” Vikki Dunn said. “They survived.”

The iconic fireplace survived, along with several of the historic cypress tables.

Even portions of the distinctive stone walls remain standing.

“Those walls are what identify the Hunt Store,” Vikki said. “The Hunt Store is what is most identifiable to Hunt.”

More than a business

The Dunns say the flood reinforced what the Hunt Store has always meant to the community.

When recovery efforts began, the property became a gathering place for volunteers, fuel deliveries, emergency equipment, and disaster response operations.

“This was really the command center for flood recovery,” John Dunn said.

The recovery effort also inspired a phrase that has become synonymous with the community’s resilience:

“Hunt Strong.”

Community members salvaged letters from the damaged Hunt Store sign and rearranged them into a message that reflected their determination to rebuild.

“We adopted ‘Hunt Strong’ because we knew we would come back,” Vikki Dunn said.

The slogan remains a symbol of recovery throughout the community today.

Stories of survival and recovery

The documentary also includes firsthand accounts from a first responder who arrived as floodwaters surged through the region.

Sgt. Tyler Cottonware, one of the first law enforcement officers on scene, recalls realizing the magnitude of the disaster.

“There was nobody out here,” he said. “It was me.”

His account details rooftop rescues, survivors clinging to safety, and the challenges first responders faced during the chaotic first hours of the flood.

The documentary also explores the weather conditions that created the disaster, the questions that emerged afterward, and the long road to recovery that continues today.

Looking ahead

While rebuilding remains ongoing, both John and Vikki Dunn believe the future of Hunt remains strong.

“We will rebuild,” Vikki said. “There’s no question. This is the heart and soul of Hunt.”

For John Dunn, the recovery of the community and the recovery of the Hunt Store are deeply connected.

“Hunt will not get back to normal until the Hunt Store is back,” he said.

One year later, the scars remain visible across the Hill Country.

So does the resilience.

Through powerful interviews, personal stories, and months of reporting, After the Storm: The flood that changed the Hill Country examines the disaster that changed a community — and the people working every day to ensure it is never defined by tragedy alone.

Watch After the Storm: The flood that changed the Hill Country on July 1 on KPRC 2’s YouTube.

John Alexander Meza, 26, La Porte; Jordan Lee Zale, 38, Richmond; and Huu An Nguyen Dinh, 30, Pearland, are all expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard W. Bennett on July 7. Patrick Phillip Heer, 34, Katy, is scheduled for July 8.

#BREAKING Three individuals now face federal charges for allegedly flying drones in #FIFAWorldCup No Drone Zones:

1) Huu An Nguyen Dinh - received a warning from police just days earlier
2) John Alexander Meza
3) Jordan Lee Zale

Since the start of @FWC26Houston, the FBI and our… pic.twitter.com/BURhuNzdlh

— FBI Houston (@FBIHouston) June 26, 2026

According to one complaint, on or about June 13, law enforcement observed Heer operating a drone in restricted airspace in the vicinity of Polk and Chartres Streets in Houston. The charges allege it was specifically within the boundaries of the Temporary Flight Restriction zone established near the FIFA World Cup Fan Zone just east of downtown Houston. Heer was operating the drone, according to the complaint.

• RELATED: FBI previews World Cup security hub in Houston: Drones, cyber threats and real-time intel sharing

In a separate, but similar case, on or about June 11, law enforcement allegedly observed a small drone flying in the TFR zone near 612 Live Oak Street in Houston. The charges allege Meza was the pilot of that drone.

On that same date, another complaint indicates that a small drone was flying near 633 Middle Street in Houston, also within the TFR zone. Law enforcement determined Zale was operating the drone, according to the allegations. 

• Gracie, the missing giraffe from the Texas Hill County, has been found

In the 4^th matter, Dinh was charged with also violating national defense airspace by flying a small drone June 18 in the vicinity of 3305 Jefferson Street in Houston. This area is also within the TFR zone, according to the charges.  

The U.S. Attorney’s Office says to ensure a safe environment for all players, attendees and staff, Federal Aviation Administration and law enforcement have officially designated all FIFA World Cup stadiums and surrounding event spaces, to include Houston’s Fan Zone, as strict “No Drone Zones.” This means that unauthorized drone flights are strictly prohibited in the designated airspace and surrounding grounds. During such major sporting events FAA implements temporary flight restrictions to limit air travel and secure the airspace. Taking off, landing or flying a drone within these restricted areas is a serious violation of federal and local regulations.

The extraordinary inquiry comes less than a week after The Associated Press reported that DEA agents repeatedly monitored — but did not seize — shipments of the synthetic opioid in a bid to build bigger criminal cases between 2023 and 2025.

Current and former DEA agents, including whistleblower David Howell, told AP the strategy amounted to a gamble with public safety and may have violated U.S. Justice Department rules intended to safeguard the public.

The fentanyl went unseized amid the deadliest drug epidemic in U.S. history and as the DEA led a public awareness campaign — “One Pill Can Kill" — emphasizing that even a few milligrams of the substance can be lethal.

The criminal investigation turns a debate over enforcement tactics into a question of whether federal agents crossed legal lines while pursuing larger trafficking organizations.

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, a Democrat, said federal agents “are not above the law,” but they enjoy substantial legal protections when carrying out official duties.

Still, Torrez said he would start “demanding documents and information about the DEA's conduct, in New Mexico and nationally, to determine whether what occurred here reflects a broader pattern of reckless or unlawful behavior.”

“If those allegations are accurate, the consequences for New Mexicans were not abstract. They were fatal,” Torrez wrote in a letter to Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who earlier this week called for the inquiry.

“New Mexico already ranks among the states hardest hit by fentanyl overdose deaths," he added, "and the families who have lost children, siblings and parents to this crisis deserve a full accounting of what the federal government knew, what it did and what it failed to do."

The DEA initially denied Howell's allegations in a statement to AP. But the agency later called upon the Justice Department's independent watchdog to conduct its own investigation.

“Should that review identify areas of improvement, the DEA will of course implement changes to better their practices,” the Justice Department said in a statement. “We welcome a partnership with Governor Lujan Grisham, as well as New Mexico state and local leaders, to fight the scourge of fentanyl and keep her constituents safe.”

A growing number of local and state leaders in New Mexico have expressed outrage in the wake of Howell's allegations. But those sentiments are not widely held by family members of overdose victims, said Paul E. Martin, founder of United Against Fentanyl, a nonprofit organization fighting the epidemic that represents 5,000 family members of victims.

“Law enforcement makes mistakes," Martin said. “But the DEA are the men and women putting their lives on the line. Their entire business is the removal of illegal and toxic drugs from our streets.”

The agreement does not include Hezbollah and prompted one of the group's officials in Lebanon to warn of civil war. The U.S. State Department said the framework establishes a process for dismantling Hezbollah and for Lebanon to regain territory that was taken by Israeli forces as they battled the militant group.

The U.S. will facilitate a newly created “Military Coordination Group for Lebanon” to implement the framework, the State Department said, while committing $100 million in humanitarian assistance.

“For Lebanon, this Framework provides a genuine pathway out of a long crisis,” the State Department said. “For Israel, it creates a verifiable path to removing the persistent threat on its northern border.”

Friday's agreement was signed in front of Rubio in Washington by Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, and Nada Hamadeh Moawad, the Lebanese ambassador to the United States.

Leiter said the final destination of the framework is peace between the two countries.

“Our language is we want to embrace Lebanon," he said. "Our language is we want to get in our car in Tel Aviv and take a drive up to Beirut, and we want Beirut to come down and take a drive to Tel Aviv. That’s where we’re going. That’s where we want to go.”

Leiter said that will depend on Hezbollah being disarmed and dismantled, which will allow Israel to withdraw and Lebanon to “regain its full sovereignty.”

“So it really depends on the Lebanese army,” Leiter said. “It depends on the support the Lebanese army gets from the U.S. And we think it’s going to be solid.”

Moawad said the framework “is a first step on the road to restoring Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity, securing a permanent and final cessation of hostilities, enabling our people to go back to their land and allowing all Lebanese to live in peace, security and prosperity.”

Hezbollah official says group won't give up weapons

The latest conflict began when Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel days after Israel and the U.S. launched their war on Iran on Feb. 28. Israel invaded Lebanon and has expanded its control.

More than 4,000 people in Lebanon have been killed in Israeli strikes since March. At least 37 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Lebanon or northern Israel during the fighting.

Lebanese officials have said that securing a withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon is a top priority for them in the negotiations, while Israeli officials have prioritized the disarmament of the Iran-backed Hezbollah.

The talks between Israel and Lebanon were separate from the interim deal that was signed last week by the leaders of the U.S. and Iran to end the fighting in the Islamic Republic. That agreement set a 60-day period for negotiations on key issues, including the future of Tehran’s nuclear program amid concerns that Iran wants to use it for military purposes, a claim the country denies.

The Lebanese government had been wary of having Iran negotiate on its behalf, and Lebanon launched its own direct negotiations with Israel after the outbreak of the latest Israel-Hezbollah war. Hezbollah was not part of the talks, which resulted in several ceasefire agreements that were never implemented on the ground.

Hezbollah is unlikely to agree to any plan that would include its disarmament throughout the country. The group has maintained that it is only required by previous agreements and U.N. resolutions to disarm in the area south of the Litani River, near Lebanon’s border with Israel.

Hassan Fadlallah, a member of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, reiterated the group’s stance on Beirut-based pan-Arab Al-Mayadeen TV that it rejects Lebanon’s direct negotiations with Israel and that it will not give up its weapons.

Fadlallah said Lebanese authorities “will not be able to enforce the agreement signed in Washington unless they go, with American support, to civil war.” He also called the agreement in Washington “an attempt to derail the Islamabad process,” referring to the U.S.-Iran negotiations.

Israel establishes 'pilot zones' for Lebanon

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said in a statement that the agreement “aims to achieve an Israeli withdrawal from all Lebanese territory, restore state sovereignty over it, and facilitate the return of its citizens” and that under it Lebanon is obligated to “extend the authority of the Lebanese state, through its armed forces, over all its territory.”

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun had told a visiting British parliamentary delegation on Wednesday that a proposal for “pilot zones” where the Lebanese army is supposed to take exclusive control of the territory as Israeli troops will withdraw was “under discussion pending approval from the Israeli side.”

Israel’s direct negotiations with Lebanon include discussions about the redeployment of Israeli forces after southern Lebanon is cleared of Hezbollah infrastructure and Hezbollah has disarmed, said an Israeli official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video on Friday that the framework is a “great achievement” for Israel.

“The most important thing, first and foremost, is that Israel will remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon,” he said. “This is a major achievement, and we will maintain it as long as Hezbollah has not been disarmed and as long as it continues to pose a threat to the State of Israel.”

Netanyahu said that Israel is allowing the Lebanese army to begin preparing to take control of territory, while the Israeli military is establishing two pilot zones.

“A small part of it is within the expanded security zone that we secured over the past two weeks and which, the IDF has made absolutely clear, it does not need,” Netanyahu said. “In other words, we are maintaining the original security zone at all times, outside the range of anti-tank missiles."

___

This story has been corrected to include Nada Hamadeh Moawad's full name. It's Nada Hamadeh Moawad, not Nada Hamadeh.

___

Sewell reported from Beirut. Lidman reported from Tel Aviv. Associated Press writers Koral Saeed in Herzliya, Israel, and John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, contributed to this report.

She felt like she needed to prepare for death — in case she gets deported back to Haiti, a country she fled at 9 years old.

After the Supreme Court decided Thursday to allow the Trump administration to end legal protections for migrants fleeing violence and natural disasters in Haiti and Syria, fear ricocheted through those communities across the United States. Hundreds of thousands of people now face the prospect of deportation.

“I have been living with this internal fear, it’s like preparing for a funeral, just in case I die when going to another country,” said the nurse, who asked not to be identified for fear of being targeted for deportation.

She is among about 350,000 Haitians granted Temporary Protected Status, many of whom have legally lived and worked in the U.S. for decades and have children who are U.S. citizens. Thursday’s decision, which is expected to take effect July 27, also applied to around 6,000 Syrians. It could also open the door to the administration unwinding protections for 1.3 million people from 17 countries.

Temporary Protected Status allows people to live and work in the US

Congress created Temporary Protected Status in 1990 to prevent deportations to countries deemed dangerous, because of disasters, civil war or other violence or instability. It permits people to work legally in the U.S. but does not provide a path to citizenship. It can be renewed in increments of up to 18 months if the homeland security secretary deems conditions unsafe for return.

The Biden administration roughly doubled the number of people covered by TPS. The Trump administration ended those protections, insisting it was meant to be temporary, the countries are now safe and that President Joe Biden’s administration expanded the destination and poorly vetted its recipients.

TPS beneficiaries have, by definition, been living in limbo and their futures have been especially precarious under President Donald Trump, but the Supreme Court ruling delivered what could be a crushing blow to living and working legally in the United States.

Haitians in Ohio have been in the spotlight before

The Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio, became a particular target of the administration during the 2024 campaign, when Trump spread fictional rumors that Haitians there were eating people’s cats and dogs. There is no evidence to support those claims.

Still, the community has been under intense pressure ever since, said Viles Dorsainvil, the executive director of the Haitian Community Help and Support Center in Springfield.

Thursday’s ruling added to the panic and chaos. People don’t know if they should withdraw all their money from the bank, Dorsainvil said. They don’t know if they can work, if their kids can go to school. Many are making preparations to leave their children who are U.S. citizens behind if they are sent away.

“As a Haitian, I always say that life has not been easy for us, nothing has been easy for us and this is another chapter in our life. And we’ve been in that type of situation since after the presidential campaign when they came up with that type of conspiracy theory of us eating cats and dogs,” he said. “We’ve been targeted. We’ve been in the spotlight for their political agenda.”

Dorsainvil said he’s focused on trying to keep people calm, telling them not to panic, not to feel hopeless or make desperate decisions that could further jeopardize them and their children.

Many TPS holders work in caregiving roles

On Thursday morning, a Haitian mother of a 17-month-old baby boy who lives in Florida woke up to the news.

“I was reading it and I just for a moment there I just felt like I couldn’t breathe, like as if something was just sitting on my chest, like my lungs couldn’t extend,” the 37-year-old said, her voice breaking.

She asked not to be identified for fears of being detained and deported.

“I did not expect this. It is so hard to accept. Maybe I am in denial but I think this can’t be real,” she said. “I had so much hope.”

She arrived in the U.S. in 1995 when she was 7 years old and graduated from high school here. But she could not go to college because she did not have legal status.

But in 2010 everything changed, when the U.S. granted Haitians protection after a catastrophic earthquake. The U.S. repeatedly extended that amid the gang violence that has consumed the country and displaced more than a million people.

The Florida woman applied, and she was able to go to school and become a nurse.

She was supposed to begin a new job in two weeks. Now she doesn’t know if she’s authorized to work.

TPS holders are overrepresented in caregiving roles, and the long-term care industry, like nursing homes and facilities for disabled people, industry groups said, could be hit particularly hard as fear and uncertainty ripples across America.

The nurse in Kentucky said she’s trying to focus on her work taking care of disabled people. But it’s hard to not think of the worst-case scenario, imagining being separated from her children, who are ages 13, 12, 8, and 2, and being sent to her home country that she left more than two decades ago. She reads in the news that there are gang wars, kidnappings, killings.

“I don’t want to go there. I am very Americanized,” she said. “It’s like someone saying, hey, do you want to go live in a horror movie? Like, you know, no, I don’t.”

—-

Aftoora-Orsagos reported from Springfield, Ohio, and Galofaro contributed from Louisville, Kentucky.

According to Buttigieg, a Michigan State Police officer and a child protective services worker came to his home in Traverse City after they received an anonymous report alleging he posed a danger to his children. Authorities arranged forensic interviews for his twins and instructed him not to be alone with them until the interviews were complete.

Buttigieg described the 24-hour ordeal in a Substack post as "among the darkest hours of my life.”

Michigan State Police said in a statement to The Associated Press they received an “anonymous report” and that they and child protective services “responded and determined the report was false.”

Buttigieg said investigators told him the anonymous caller claimed he had confessed years earlier to violent crimes during a chance meeting in Alabama. Buttigieg said he had never been to the town where the meeting allegedly occurred.

He said police told him the allegation would not be referred to prosecutors and that they believed it to be politically motivated, while Child Protective Services found nothing to substantiate the report.

“I cannot describe the mix of rage and sadness that I feel at the idea that someone brought our children into this," writes Buttigieg. “They are four years old. Four. They do not know or care what a Democrat or a Republican is.”

Buttigieg, who is widely viewed as a potential Democratic presidential candidate in 2028, has long been the target of anti-LGBTQ attacks.

In recent years, conservative activists and some Republican officials have opposed efforts to portray same-sex parents as ordinary families in schools and public life. June — widely recognized as Pride Month — is Strong Families Month in Alabama, intended to coincide with Father’s Day. Gov. Kay Ivey’s proclamation says fathers are “the head of the household” and “homes led by a father and mother provide children with the structure and discipline necessary to succeed throughout life.”

Buttigieg wrote that the incident occurred soon after he shared photos of his family online for Father’s Day.

Buttigieg drew criticism from some Republicans for taking paternity leave after he and his husband, Chasten, adopted their twins while he was serving in the Biden administration. Buttigieg also wrote that he has faced death threats during his career.

“But this is the ugliest thing that has happened to me since my career in service began,” he wrote.

Public officials from across the political spectrum have increasingly been targeted by swatting, which is the act of making a false call to emergency services to prompt a response at a particular address. The goal is to get authorities, particularly a SWAT team, to show up. Law enforcement agencies have warned that the incidents divert resources from other pressing tasks and pose risks to both law enforcement and the victims.

Buttigieg said the incident reflected a broader escalation in political attacks.

“Everyone knows politics is ugly these days,” he wrote. “It’s always been ugly, but now it feels more and more like bloodsport."

“Even so, this is different.”

The resident diagnosed with the virus is a woman in her 50s and lives in the 77355 zip code, the agency said.

Mosquito season started in May and typically lasts until the end of October. According to the CDC, the most effective way to avoid West Nile Virus is to prevent mosquito bites. Avoid bites by using insect repellants registered with the Environmental Protection Agency, wearing protective clothing when outdoors and removing standing water outside of your home.

• Gracie, the missing giraffe from the Texas Hill County, has been found

The agency says standing water creates breeding grounds for mosquitos, where they can lay their eggs and reproduce.

Reading scores have reached new regional highs, math achievement continues to recover, and local districts are making meaningful progress following years of pandemic-related learning loss. Still, education leaders say the latest data is both a reason to celebrate and a reminder that significant challenges remain.

On Houston Life, Thomas Pich, Director of District Partnerships for Good Reason Houston, and Spring ISD Superintendent Dr. Kregg Cuellar discussed what the new scores reveal and why they’re focused on turning academic gains into long-term success.

“There is a lot to celebrate right now in the Houston region,” Pich said, pointing to record-high performance in Algebra I and English I, along with continued improvement among elementary and middle school students.

Dr. Cuellar credits much of that success to an increased focus on early literacy and high expectations.

“When you raise the bar higher, kids will absolutely reach it,” he said. “We’ve invested heavily in making sure students are reading at or above grade level, especially in the early grades, and now we’re seeing those efforts pay off.”

Spring ISD has been one of the region’s top-performing districts for year-over-year academic growth. Dr. Cuellar said the district has expanded resources for families by making curriculum available online, offering Saturday school, and creating family learning hubs that give students extra academic support outside the traditional school week.

While the latest scores are encouraging, both leaders stressed that progress and urgency can exist at the same time.

One statistic in particular highlights why continued improvement is so important. According to research from Good Reason Houston, only one in five Houston students currently goes on to earn a living wage as an adult.

“This data is a really good push in that direction, but four out of five students are still not earning a living wage. There’s a ton of work left to do.” Pich said.

Education leaders say stronger reading and math skills help prepare students for college, career training, and high-paying jobs, making academic success an investment in Houston’s future workforce.

The latest STAAR results also mark another important milestone. For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, Houston students have returned to pre-pandemic baseline performance in math after years of recovery.

Looking ahead, Dr. Cuellar says improving student outcomes will require everyone working together, including educators, parents, community organizations, faith leaders, universities, and local businesses.

“We’re always monitoring progress,” he said. “Our goal is ensuring every child is reading at or above grade level, and until we reach that goal, we’re never going to stop working toward it.”

To learn more about Houston’s public education data and initiatives, visit GoodReasonHouston.org.

The production brings familiar, Oscar-nominated songs from the film plus new material to the stage in a story centered on Quasimodo, the bell-ringer of Notre Dame. Audiences will follow his yearning “out there,” the fearless Esmeralda, and the dark forces that threaten Paris. Houston Broadway Theatre’s staging emphasizes the emotional core of the tale while showcasing large-scale choral moments and bold design — ideal for families and longtime theatre-goers alike.

Inside the role — Tyce Green’s path to Quasimodo

Tony®-nominated performer Tyce Green takes on Quasimodo, bringing a diverse career of Broadway, opera and rock touring to the role. Green’s resume includes performances in Jesus Christ Superstar (including a recent Swiss production), Total Eclipse at the London Coliseum, a solo album produced with Jim Steinman, and appearances on TV competitions and runway television. Locally, his presence adds a strong musical and theatrical pedigree to the Houston run.

Playing Quasimodo on stage requires both vocal power and physical endurance. Green described preparing for the role with focused vocal and physical work to sustain the character’s posture and emotional arc through each performance. The role demands maintaining a consistent physicality while also delivering emotionally vulnerable singing — a combination audiences respond to with standing ovations and enthusiastic post-show feedback.

What local audiences can expect

Expect a production that balances spectacle with intimacy: large choral set pieces contrast with quiet, character-driven moments. Early responses from Houston audiences have praised Green’s performance and the company’s commitment to storytelling. Whether you’re a Broadway regular or a first-time theatergoer, Houston Broadway Theatre’s Hunchback promises a moving night at the Wortham Center.

Tickets on sale now at houstonbroadwaytheatre.org.

The S&P 500 finished nearly flat and slipped less than 0.1% to close out just its second losing week in the last 13. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 44 points, or 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.2%.

Stocks got a boost as the price of Brent crude oil, the international standard, dropped 3.8% to $72.60. That’s lower than it was the day before the United States and Israel attacked Iran, which eventually led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the curtailment of oil shipments worldwide.

The easier oil prices helped stocks of companies with big fuel bills, and American Airlines Group climbed 1.7%.

Health care stocks, meanwhile, were some of the strongest forces pushing upward on the market after a committee of the European Medicines Agency recommended several medicines for approval and the extension for another dozen of their therapeutic indications. That included one for Eli Lilly, whose stock jumped 7.1%.

Besides Lilly, nearly two out of every three stocks within the S&P 500 rose. But more drops for AI stocks helped to overshadow them.

After soaring to tremendous heights and leading the market for years, AI stocks have been under pressure recently because of worries their profits can’t possibly keep pace with the tremendous rallies for their stock prices. And those drops have an outsized effect because AI stocks have become Wall Street’s largest and most influential, giving movements for their stock prices more weight on indexes than others.

Micron Technology’s drop of 6.7% was the heaviest weight on the market, for example. The maker of memory for computers has been a big winner this year, with its stock roughly quadrupling, because the AI boom has created a surge of demand for its products.

But investors saw the downside of that surge Thursday, when Apple said it had to raise prices on laptops and other products by significant percentages to make up for the increases in memory prices. The worry is that such higher prices could ultimately lead to lower demand.

Highlighting the roller-coaster ride that AI stocks have been on, SpaceX briefly dropped 2.9% in the morning and fell below $149. It then erased the loss to swing to a gain of 3.5% before finishing with a modest rise of 0.2%.

After initially selling its stock at $135 apiece in its ballyhooed initial public offering earlier this month, SpaceX’s price briefly soared above $225 within its first few days of trading. Besides rockets, Elon Musk’s company also owns the xAI artificial-intelligence business.

The day’s largest loss in the S&P 500 was a 23.7% drop for ON Semiconductor, which said it agreed to buy Synaptics in an all-stock deal valued at roughly $7 billion.

All told, the S&P 500 slipped 3.47 points to 7,354.02. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 44.51 to 51,876.11, and the Nasdaq composite fell 60.99 to 25,297.62.

In the bond market, Treasury yields eased with oil prices. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.37% from 4.40% late Thursday.

It fell after a report showed expectations for inflation in the coming year inched down among U.S. consumers to 4.6% from 4.8% in May. That’s still high, but moves downward mean less chance of a vicious cycle where expectations for higher inflation drive changes in behavior that create higher inflation.

High yields in bond markets worldwide caused by worries about inflation have been threatening to slow economies, and they have already sent rates higher for mortgages and other kinds of loans. High yields also hurt prices for investments, particularly those seen as the most expensive. That raises the pressure on AI winners.

Asian stock markets began Friday with sharp drops because of losses for AI winners.

In Japan, a 12.5% plunge for Softbank Group Corp. helped pull the Nikkei 225 index down by 4.2%. The company is a major investor in OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, and a report in The New York Times suggested OpenAI is considering delaying an initial public offering of its stock to next year from the second half of this year.

Such an IPO would give OpenAI the chance to raise more cash to spend on data centers, as well as the opportunity for early investors like Softbank to cash out some of their holdings. But the recent stumbles for SpaceX’s stock and for AI stocks broadly may be a signal of less appetite for big AI stocks among investors.

In South Korea, SK Hynix fell 8.4%, and Samsung Electronics sank 5.3%. That helped pull the Kospi 5.8% lower and trim its gain for the year so far to 99.6%.

___

AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.

The assertion — challenging a longstanding concept in American law — comes amid a raft of recommendations in a draft report of the Religious Liberty Commission, released Friday afternoon.

The advisory body was created by President Donald Trump last year and filled almost entirely by conservative Christians. The 224-page draft report — part policy document, part philosophical argument — echoes members' support for a stronger role for religion and religious expression in government, schools and the public square.

The report applauds recent Supreme Court decisions expanding rights to religious expression in public settings, such as creating opt-outs for religious objections to school lessons.

The report recommends eliminating the “ Johnson Amendment ” that forbids political activities by tax-exempt religious groups — a longstanding goal of Trump. It calls for compensating military service members who were discharged for refusing COVID-19 vaccines.

It calls in general for allowing more religious expression in the public square, greater access to public money for faith-based agencies and broader exemptions for those claiming conscientious objections to policies ranging from vaccine mandates to pronoun usage to classroom lessons.

It recommends that federal agencies publish “Know Your Rights” posters for various settings and establish hotlines to receive complaints about religious liberty violations.

The draft report also calls for the creation of new honors — a Presidential Medal of Religious Liberty and First Freedom Hero Awards. And it calls for exhibits and markers at historic sites paying tribute to the role of religion in American history.

It calls for combatting antisemitism through various legal tools. It also recommends requiring any public official who says an employee engaged in improper religious expression to provide a written explanation.

At a news conference in the Oval Office, commissioners said witnesses who appeared at their hearings had suffered “persecution” at work and elsewhere.

The draft report is now available for public comment over the next 15 days. It is sure to draw opposition.

Some other groups defend the separation of church and state

Critics have said the commission has failed adequately to address issues like anti-Muslim efforts in some states and that, while its hearings spotlighted left-wing antisemitism, it gave less attention to similar right-wing movements.

Some groups, including the progressive Interfaith Alliance, have a pending lawsuit saying the commission lacks ideological diversity as required of federal advisory panels.

The Rev. Paul Raushenbush, president of Interfaith Alliance, said the report represents “a wishlist of divisive, unpopular ideas far-right religious groups have pushed for years,” such as expanding vouchers for religious schools and repealing the Johnson amendment.

At the same time, Raushenbush said in a statement, the commission “couldn’t bring itself to acknowledge the growing threat of Islamophobia” nor Trump’s own criticisms of Pope Leo XIV, Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde, and other religious critics of “his administration’s inhumane policies.”

The report comes as conservative states such as Texas have worked to incorporate more religion into public spaces such as classrooms, including Bible lessons and Ten Commandments displays.

Trump, speaking to supporters at a Faith & Freedom Coalition gathering in Washington on Friday, touted the newly released report.

“We saved religion, it was going down,” he boasted.

Trump contended that the administration of his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden, had carried out a “reign of persecution.”

While the commission report downplays the separation of church and state, the commission didn't go so far as to call it a “lie,” as the commission chairman, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, did in April.

But it largely took the stance that the idea is misapplied.

“To be clear, this does not involve or require advocating ‘theocracy’ or even the total elimination of any separation between church and state,” the report says. Rather, it calls for honoring a “tension between the relevant clauses of the First Amendment” that guarantee religious freedom but forbid any government-established church.

Still, Patrick pressed the issue at the news conference, saying the phrase separation of church and state was used to “batter and hammer people of faith” for decades.

Americans "cannot be attacked by that phrase any longer,” Patrick said.

Supreme Court rulings on church/state issues have evolved

The phrase, “a wall of separation between church and state” does not appear in the Constitution, but it’s embodied in Supreme Court precedent. Thomas Jefferson used that expression in a letter to Baptists, supporting them in opposing official churches in U.S. states, a practice that soon ended.

Twentieth-century decisions by the high court invoked the “separation” phrase to extend the First Amendment’s prohibition on federal church establishment to state and local governments, citing the 14th Amendment’s ban on states denying citizens’ rights.

That led to bans on official prayers and Ten Commandments displays in public schools. The Supreme Court in recent years has steered a different course, permitting such things as a public school coach's on-field prayers and a religious opt-out for parents objecting to a lesson on transgender issues.

The draft report contends that even Jefferson didn’t believe in completely banishing religion from public life, but rather in keeping church and state in a kind of balance.

“In reality, the church and state strengthen and support one another,” it says.

The report touts the value of religion to society in terms of providing humanitarian work, anchoring families and acting as “conscience” monitoring government.

“In many cases the law protects the religious expression of Americans, but government officials and employers often use fear tactics to silence individuals into believing that they don’t have the right to publicly express their faith,” it argues.

It argues — citing one of its own members, Catholic media figure Bishop Robert Barron — that notions of strict church-state separation can be traced to a “God is dead” ideology that originated in Europe and saw traditional religion as an opponent to individual autonomy.

“This way of thinking made its way … into the American culture and courtroom,” the report said.

Little recognition for non-religious Americans

The report, while touting the value of religion, appears to give little emphasis on the large population of Americans with no religious affiliation. A key argument of many atheists and secular humanists is that one can be “good without God” — that religion doesn't have a monopoly on virtue and can do harm as well as good.

The lawsuit challenging the commission alleges that commissioners have asserted that America is specifically a Judeo-Christian or Christian nation, showing a lack of ideological diversity.

The Republican administration is asking a federal court to dismiss the lawsuit.

This draft report comes two months after another entity created by Trump — the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias — issued its own report. It claimed that Christians faced discrimination under the Biden administration. Progressive critics said that the report amounted to advocacy rather than an investigation.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Judge Tony Graf said the comments violated his restrictions on what the two sides can say about the case outside of court.

But Graf denied a defense request to take the death penalty off the table as a sanction for the violation. He said the problem could instead be resolved through the screening and questioning process for potential jurors, which is intended to weed out people who could be biased about the case.

Robinson has not yet entered a plea. The 23-year-old from southwestern Utah is charged with aggravated murder in the Sept. 10 assassination of Kirk, an ally of President Donald Trump who was shot in the neck while addressing a crowd of thousands at Utah Valley University.

Defense attorneys had accused Deputy Utah County Attorney Christopher Ballard of trying to influence potential jurors by going on a “media tour” to talk about ballistics evidence in the case. Ballard also said prosecutors had enough evidence to show Robinson murdered Kirk.

Legal experts had said blocking the death penalty would have been an extreme remedy. Graf said it would have been “grossly disproportionate" to the misconduct.

Ballard argued that he had a right to speak to the press to correct misinformation about a preliminary finding by ballistics experts.

Those experts’ initial tests did not match the bullet fragment with a gun that investigators believe was used to kill Kirk. That spurred stories by some publications raising questions about the prosecution’s case: A March 30 headline in the U.K.-based Daily Mail reported that the bullet that killed Kirk “did NOT match” the rifle investigators say was used to kill Kirk.

Ballard said he was trying to “set the record straight,” when he told media organizations the ballistics tests were inconclusive to determine whether the bullet was fired from the suspected murder weapon.

Conjecture over that evidence fueled unsubstantiated conspiracy theories that there might have been a second shooter, or that Kirk's death was staged. Attorneys on both sides have raised concerns that the misinformation and extensive media attention could taint the potential jury pool.

Graf said the comments about the bullet did not violate the court's rules, but that Ballard went too far when he went on to say that prosecutors had "ample evidence to demonstrate beyond a reasonable doubt that Tyler Robinson committed this murder.”

The judge said those additional public statements possessed a “substantial likelihood” of prejudicing the case.

The judge added that the comments were not made out of any malicious desire by prosecutors to taint the jury pool, and that his ruling had nothing to do with the charges against Robinson.

“Its sole purpose is enforcement of a narrowly tailored publicity order governing attorney conduct,” Graf said.

Authorities have said DNA consistent with Robinson’s was found on the trigger of the rifle, the fired cartridge casing, two unfired cartridges and a towel used to wrap the rifle.

The Associated Press left telephone and email messages seeking comment from prosecutors and Robinson's lawyers.

Late Morning and Sunset Hour:

Along the Gulf Coast, the East Coast and much of the Southeast, ample heat and humidity may spark pop-up storms during the afternoon and evening.

Remember to head indoors if you hear thunder! Lightning will be a possibility as the storms pass by.

• Understanding lightning types, why Houston is seeing more isolated thunderstorms in the summer

The bigger concern is heat from the East Coast to the Gulf Coast I’m tracking feels-like temperatures in the triple digits! Even with the typical summer pattern, people making outdoor plans should prepare for both heat and quick-hitting storms by packing sunscreen, water and rain gear.

Stay connected, I’ll continue to monitor trends for your holiday weekend.

A court filing late Thursday says the plaintiff, Sam O'Hara, will drop his lawsuit's claims against the district and four Metropolitan Police Department officers within three business days of receiving the settlement payment. The filing doesn't specify a dollar amount for the deal between the district and O'Hara, who is represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of the District of Columbia.

In an email on Friday, an ACLU spokesperson referred to the settlement's financial terms as “a significant amount" that O’Hara "is pleased with” but said they aren't disclosing the dollar figure to protect his privacy. A spokesperson for D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb's office declined to comment on the settlement.

O'Hara's agreement with the district doesn't resolve his related claims against an Ohio National Guard member. Attorneys for the Guard member, Sgt. Devon Beck, has asked a judge to dismiss O’Hara’s claims against him.

“He was there because that was his assigned duty,” Beck’s lawyers wrote. “This was not an accidental encounter or a one-time disagreement on a public sidewalk.”

An earlier court filing, in February, said O'Hara had reached a settlement agreement “in principle” with the district. In response, a judge agreed to suspend the case while they negotiated terms.

“The government’s efforts to silence me ultimately backfired and brought more attention to the unjust deployment of the National Guard in Washington, D.C.,” O’Hara said in a statement. “This settlement serves as a reminder that constitutional freedoms are worth defending, especially when those in power would prefer we stay quiet.”

O'Hara sued the district last October, claiming police officers violated his First Amendment rights to free speech and his Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable seizures and excessive force.

The ominous orchestral music of “The Imperial March” from the Star Wars movies was the soundtrack for O'Hara's peaceful protests against President Donald Trump’s ongoing deployment of Guard members in Washington. Millions of TikTok users have viewed O’Hara’s videos of his interactions with troops, according to his lawsuit.

O’Hara, an artist who works in the hospitality industry, says he didn’t interfere with the Guard troops during their Sept. 11, 2025, encounter on a public street. One of the troops summoned Metropolitan Police Department officers, who stopped O’Hara and kept him handcuffed for 15 to 20 minutes before releasing him without charges, according to the lawsuit.

“The law might have tolerated government conduct of this sort a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. But in the here and now, the First Amendment bars government officials from shutting down peaceful protests,” the suit says.

Trump, a Republican, issued an executive order declaring a crime emergency in Washington last August. Within weeks, hundreds of Guard troops and federal agents were helping police patrol the city. The surge inflamed tensions with residents of the heavily Democratic district. Hundreds of Guard members remain deployed in the district nearly a year later, with no clear end in sight.

Jerry James Svatek Jr. pleaded guilty Dec. 5, 2025.

U.S. District Judge Ewing Werlein Jr. has now sentenced Svatek to 480 months, or approximately 40 years, for the production and possession of child pornography convictions, respectively. The sentences will run concurrently.

At the hearing, the court heard Svatek previously served as president of the Boling Independent School District Board of Trustees and had joined an underground online community where he continued distributing images of a minor victim.

• RELATED: President of Boling ISD board faces federal child porn charge

The court also considered information from the impact statements from the parents of the minor which detailed the harm Svatek caused to the family.

Svatek was further ordered to pay $78,500 in restitution to the victims and will serve the rest of his life on supervised release following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

Authorities identified Svatek in 2025 when conducting undercover investigations into an online forum known as FetLife – a social networking platform designed for people interested in alternative sexual lifestyles. It revealed Svatek was sharing child sexual abuse material online.

• Convicted sex offender arrested again for allegedly possessing child pornography, Harris County Pct. 1 deputies say

During undercover conversations with Svatek, he exchanged multiple images taken from videos of himself with the victim, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

On June 17, 2025, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on his vehicle where they seized a cellular phone.

Forensic examination of the device revealed more than approximately 150 videos depicting child sexual abuse material.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office says Svatek admitted to creating videos and distributing still images over the messaging platform.

He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, an estimated 50 to 70 million Americans have chronic, or ongoing, sleep disorders. Whether it’s problems falling asleep or staying asleep, the long-term health effects can be serious. From reduced memory function to weight gain to an increased risk of diseases, a lack of sleep can also lead to irritability, anxiety and depression. Another sobering statistic: lack of sleep drastically elevates the risk of motor vehicle accidents.

Houston-based mattress expert and founder of Texas Mattress Makers Youval Meicler has been studying the science of sleep -- and developing his mattresses accordingly -- for nearly 50 years.

Watch the full interview with Houston Life to find out what we should watch out for and why his company’s approach to helping you sleep better is totally different than what you’ll find anywhere else.

If it’s time to replace your mattress, take the mattress quiz online or visit one of Texas Mattress Makers’ 14 Houston-area locations. Plus, shop their 4th of July sale for deep discounts on a mattress you’ll love.

The unanimous ruling by a three-judge panel is a setback for the Trump administration's deregulatory agenda and its repeated efforts to boost coal, a reliable but polluting energy source.

The decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit leaves intact, for now, a tighter standard set in 2024 on pollution from coal-fired power plants, factories and other industrial sources.

The EPA under President Donald Trump asked the appeals court last year to invalidate the Biden-era rule, arguing that the agency under previous leaders had exceeded its statutory authority and acted unreasonably by failing to consider costs to businesses affected by the rule.

The court denied the Trump administration's request, saying in a decision written by Senior Judge Douglas Ginsburg that the agency's arguments “lack merit."

The ruling leaves in place an annual ⁠limit of 9 micrograms of fine particle pollution — often called soot — per cubic meter of air, down from 12 micrograms established more than a decade ago. The EPA rule sets an air quality level that states and counties must achieve in the coming years to reduce particle pollution from power plants, vehicles, industrial sites and wildfires.

The EPA's bid to walk away from the Biden-era rule came in response to a lawsuit by 25 Republican-led states and a host of business groups that attempted to block the 2024 rule in court. A suit led by attorneys general from Kentucky and West Virginia argued the EPA rule would raise costs for manufacturers, utilities and families and could block new manufacturing plants.

The EPA under Biden had said the tighter limits would avoid more than 800,000 ‌cases ⁠of asthma symptoms, 2,000 hospital visits and 4,500 premature deaths.

An EPA spokeswoman said in November that the 2024 rule would cost “hundreds of millions, if not billions of dollars to American citizens" and ​was not based on ​a full ⁠review of available science.

The EPA said Friday it was reviewing the court decision.

Environmental groups hailed the ruling as a victory for public health and a rebuke of EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.

“Clean air is not a luxury. The 2024 soot standard is a critical advancement for public health, projected to save thousands of lives every year,'' said Patrice Simms, vice president of healthy communities at Earthjustice, an environmental law firm. “Lee Zeldin’s EPA must stop catering to polluters and must instead fulfill its mission to protect public health," Simms added.

The ⁠Natural Resources Defense Council, another environmental group, said the delay in implementing the 2024 rule has meant millions of Americans continue to breathe unhealthy levels of soot.

"The science has long been clear, and now the law is too. The EPA must stop stalling and deliver the clean air the Clean Air Act requires,'' said Vijay Limaye, a climate and health scientist for the NRDC.

Black is the co-founder and former chief executive of the private equity firm Apollo Global Management who stepped down in 2021 amid fallout over his ties to Epstein. He became the 16th person to appear before the committee as part of their broader investigation into the web of wealth and influence around Epstein.

Lawmakers emerged from the closed-door voluntary interview with Black saying he refused to answer questions about non-disclosure agreements, prompting the committee to issue a subpoena about the NDAs. A second subpoena was issued for Black to testify under oath on July 16.

“This is a result of refusing to answer specific questions,” Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., the committee chairman, told reporters after Black's interview.

Susan Estrich, the lawyer representing Black, said the decision to serve the subpoenas was a “premeditated political decision.” She called it a “planned political stunt.”

Democrats emerged from their hour of questioning Black saying he had not answered questions, and they praised Comer's decision to subpoena him.

Rep. Robert Garcia, the top ranking Democrat on the committee, told reporters that “it was clear from the moment this interview started that Leon Black was not going was not going to answer critical questions.”

Black was featured prominently in the Epstein files

Black is mentioned repeatedly in files that the Department of Justice has released related to the Epstein investigation. He also appears in a collection of birthday messages sent to Epstein that were released by the House committee last year, including a poem attributed to him that refers to “Blond, Red or Brunette, spread out geographically.”

Black maintained Friday that he was not aware of Epstein’s “nefarious activity” until 2019 and that he paid Epstein for legitimate purposes, in part due to his “unrivaled network of relationships” with influential figures.

“I knew Jekyll. I didn’t know Hyde,” said Black.

A 2021 review commissioned by Apollo found that Black paid Epstein $158 million from 2012 to 2017, after Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting prostitution from a minor. The review said the payments were for “bona fide tax, estate planning and other related services.”

“I gave Epstein a second chance, as did many others. I wish I had not,” Black said.

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

Comer said earlier this year that Epstein’s former accountant, Richard Kahn, told lawmakers in his testimony that Epstein received significant sums of money from a number of high-profile individuals, including Black.

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., this month referred findings from a nearly four-year investigation into Black to the House committee. In a statement, Wyden said, “Epstein even appears to have acted as a middleman for Black to pay women on Black’s behalf.”

Black broadly denied the allegations in his opening statement, calling them “rank speculation.”

“I have never abused a woman. I have never been with an underage woman. I have never engaged in sex trafficking. I have never paid Epstein for access to women. I was never blackmailed by Epstein.”

Many high-profile figures have been summoned to testify about Epstein

Other figures to have appeared for the investigation include former Democratic President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, former Attorney General Pam Bondi and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.

Gates testified earlier this month and said he had made a “grave error in judgment” by meeting with Epstein.

Black said Epstein's network included SpaceX founder Elon Musk, Google co-founder Sergey Brin and Peter Thiel, the co-founder of PayPal and Palantir.

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

Comer has said he has been in touch with the Justice Department about acting Attorney General Todd Blanche coming in for questioning soon.

Bondi, in her testimony, stressed that Blanche had overseen the chaotic release of the federal Epstein files, which included the unintentional release of victim information.

Elevated Living at The Hawthorne

The journey begins in Tanglewood at The Hawthorne, one of Houston’s premier luxury high-rise communities.

Guided by luxury real estate experts Chris and Liz Sansone of The Agency Houston Sugar Land, viewers tour beautifully designed residences featuring open-concept floor plans, floor-to-ceiling windows, expansive entertaining spaces, and panoramic views of Houston’s tree-lined neighborhoods.

One standout residence offers more than 2,200 square feet with three bedrooms, each featuring its own private ensuite bath—a rarity in high-rise living.

Residents also enjoy resort-style amenities including 24-hour concierge service, valet parking, elegant resident lounges, and a true “lock-and-leave” lifestyle.

The tour reaches new heights inside one of the building’s spectacular penthouses, where more than 3,000 square feet of interior living space is complemented by a 700-square-foot private terrace overlooking Houston’s skyline. From designer finishes and chef-inspired kitchens to breathtaking unobstructed views, it’s a home built for entertaining.

Sophisticated Urban Living at Westmore

Chris and Lizz also take us on a tour of the Westmore, an upscale mid-rise community in Houston’s desirable Upper Kirby neighborhood.

Designed for buyers seeking convenience without sacrificing style, Westmore features spacious residences with Bosch appliances, Italian cabinetry, porcelain countertops, wine refrigerators, hardwood flooring, and expansive outdoor terraces overlooking the city.

Residents enjoy amenities including 24-hour concierge service, a fitness center, resident lounge, pet facilities and climate-controlled storage. The community offers the convenience of lock-and-leave living just minutes from Houston’s premier shopping and dining destinations.

Discovering Bridgeland

Heading outside the city, the team lands in Bridgeland, a celebrated master-planned community in Cypress.

With thousands of acres of parks, lakes, trails, and recreational amenities, Bridgeland has become a destination for families seeking an active lifestyle while remaining connected to Houston.

Viewers tour stunning model homes from Tri Pointe Homes and Highland Homes, showcasing today’s most desirable design trends. Highlights include smart home technology, gourmet kitchens, spacious outdoor living areas, family-focused floor plans, and luxury primary suites. The community continues to grow with exciting additions including the future Houston Texans Toro District, bringing new entertainment, dining, and recreation to residents.

The Faces Behind Houston Luxury Real Estate

Chris and Liz Sansone have built one of Houston’s most respected real estate teams. After decades with one brokerage, the couple launched Houston’s office of The Agency, the internationally recognized luxury real estate brand founded by broker Mauricio Umansky. Today, they’ve surpassed $700 million in career sales with their client-first philosophy and mindset that luxury isn’t about price—it’s about creating exceptional experiences for every client.

An Evening at Drake’s Hollywood

No luxury lifestyle is complete without exceptional dining. At Drake’s Hollywood, one of Houston’s most talked-about restaurants, classic Hollywood glamour meets modern culinary excellence. Designed to evoke old Hollywood sophistication, the restaurant combines white-tablecloth service with an energetic atmosphere and its “World’s Coldest Martini”.

The experience is elevated even further with a look inside Maître D’, Drake’s exclusive private members club. Designed as an intimate gathering place for Houston’s leaders, the club offers exclusive cocktails, premium dining experiences, caviar service, and a sophisticated atmosphere ideal for networking or simply unwinding.

King Steak: A Fresh Take on the Classic Steakhouse

Luxury dining meets fresh, clean ingredients at King Steak, one of Houston’s newest upscale dining destinations near the Galleria. Co-owners Johnny Vassallo and Chef Eric Aldis have created a modern steakhouse where every dish is prepared without seed oils or artificial chemicals, allowing premium ingredients to take center stage.

The menu offers more than exceptional steaks, with favorites including house-made meatballs, vegetable charcuterie, Ora King salmon, and free-range chicken parmesan. Signature steaks are aged, seared at 1,800 degrees, and finished with beef tallow for bold, rich flavor, while popular sides like jalapeño hash browns and beef tallow fries have quickly become guest favorites.

End the meal with the restaurant’s signature whiskey butter cake or a warm chocolate chip cookie topped with ice cream, and it’s easy to see why King Steak is earning a reputation as one of Houston’s must-visit dining experiences.

Luxury Meets Innovation on the Road

Luxury extends beyond the home, and the special shifts gears with a visit to Genesis of Clear Lake, part of the Demontrond Automotive family, which has served Houston drivers since 1953. Viewers get an up-close look at the stunning 2026 Genesis GV80 Prestige, an SUV packed with premium craftsmanship and advanced technology including 27-inch OLED display, Bang & Olufsen premium audio system, heads-up display with navigation and safety alert, smart park automated parking and complimentary maintenance and concierge service

Combined with Genesis’ signature tranquil dealership experience, the GV80 demonstrates how modern luxury is becoming smarter, safer, and more effortless than ever before.

More Than Luxury—It’s a Lifestyle

From soaring penthouses and beautifully designed family homes to top restaurants, luxury vehicles, and exclusive social clubs, it’s easy to see how Houston is becoming one of America’s premier luxury destinations.

A misunderstanding led to a highly unusual exchange for the restrained and traditional atmosphere after the nation’s highest court took the bench Thursday to hand down their decisions. Those rulings included two major immigration wins for President Donald Trump.

After conservative Justice Samuel Alito finished his reading of the majority’s ruling limiting how people can seek asylum at the southern border, liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor spoke up to read from her biting dissent.

She traced the difficult journey many asylum seekers face and outlined a painful chapter in the country’s history: When the U.S. and other countries turned back a ship full of Jewish refugees attempting to flee persecution in Nazi Germany in 1939. About 250 of those passengers later died in the Holocaust.

Sotomayor, the first Latina justice, said the majority’s opinion would allow the Trump administration to block people from applying for asylum at the border, which would result in more deaths. The decision “regrettably and tragically extinguishes the light of the torch of the Statue of Liberty.”

Justice Brett Kavanaugh watched her intently as she spoke, while Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson looked straight ahead.

Majority opinions are always read from the bench and dissenters can speak up as well to underscore their objections, which typically happens in few cases every term. Additional rulings are expected on Monday.

Sotomayor’s spoken dissent, however, appeared to be a surprise for Alito. In a very rare move, he spoke off the cuff. He sounded surprised and frustrated, saying he would have added more detail to his summary if he'd known about plans to speak.

The confusion turned out to be a misunderstanding on Alito's part; Sotomayor's chambers had passed along word of her plan.

For the conservative majority, the case was about whether the law allows border officials can delay asylum seekers’ entry into the U.S. “until they can be processed in a safe and orderly way," not about the wisdom of the policy itself.

Out loud, Alito defended his opinion by noting that the policy at the center of the case had been used under both the Obama and Trump administrations. “I won’t add anything more to that,” he said.

The exchange comes during the court's busiest time of the year, as the justices prepare to release opinions next week on some of the biggest issues of the term, and Trump’s presidency so far. Those include his push to restrict birthright citizenship and expand the president’s power to fire board members at independent agencies.

Supreme Court justices have spoken publicly about their cordial working relationships and regular lunches as a group where they set aside cases to talk and share each other's company. And while there are ideological splits between the court's conservative majority and its liberal wing, they also decide many cases unanimously, including one this month about the Second Amendment rights of marijuana users.

Still, it isn’t the first time unusual tensions have surfaced this term. Sotomayor issued a rare public apology in April to another justice, Brett Kavanaugh, for what she termed “hurtful comments.” She had said during a law school talk that a colleague “probably doesn’t really know any person who works by the hour.”

In another public appearance in March, Kavanaugh and Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson sparred over the many emergency orders the court had issued allowing Trump to move ahead with key parts of his agenda.

They are among the images posted by relatives within Venezuela and abroad desperately searching for their missing loved ones following two powerful, back-to-back earthquakes on Wednesday evening.

Hundreds have been killed and thousands injured. The number of casualties is expected to climb after the 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude quakes that caused widespread damage and were among the strongest to strike Venezuela in more than a century.

With communication patchy, social media and online registries have become a crucial tool for many Venezuelans seeking information and resources beyond sparse government statistics. One independent online registry documented 51,000 people missing, while another listed 24,000 people unaccounted for, reflecting the lack of official data or information on those missing.

While some rushed to search beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings, others created digital flyers on WhatsApp, Facebook and X with their relatives’ details.

Searching for relatives

Among them was Vanesa Marcano, 31, who posted photos from Madrid of her uncle and aunt, who live in La Guaira state, north of the capital Caracas, which suffered some of the heaviest damage and casualties.

Marcano posted the images in the hopes that they were only unreachable due to damaged communication lines. Her uncle’s daughter and his 7-year-old grandson were visiting from the United States and also are missing.

“It’s a feeling of impotence and uncertainty,” Marcano said by phone. “I know you must stay calm and focus on the actions you can take. But it’s very easy to fall into despair.”

Jhoyser Concalves, a Venezuelan from the northern coastal city of Catia La Mar, was talking to his partner and her daughter just minutes before the shaking. It was the last he heard from them.

When the earthquake stopped, Concalves ran out of his house to their apartment building, where they lived on the sixth floor. There was only debris and people desperately trying to rescue neighbors from the rubble.

Concalves posted a flyer reading “MISSING” on X and Facebook in a desperate attempt to find them.

“They are pulling people out of the building alive. So I still have hope that they are in there alive,” he said.

United Nations calls for restored social media access

The search was complicated by the country's restrictions on social media and messaging platforms.

On Thursday, the U.N. human rights mission in Venezuela issued a statement calling on the government to lift local restrictions on social media and saying timely access to reliable information can save lives.

Sites including X and messaging app Signal were blocked in August 2024 by then-President Nicolás Maduro in an attempt to suppress communication among those who rejected his claim of victory in the presidential election. Former Vice President Delcy Rodríguez became the acting president in January after the U.S. captured and removed Maduro from power.

Shortly after the U.N.’s request Thursday, Venezuelans in the country were able to access X.

Search from abroad

Outside the country, such sites have become even more important for many of the 8 million people who have migrated from Venezuela in recent years and were unable to check on their loved ones.

Elibel Tovar's 70-year-old father moved to Brazil more than 20 years ago but was in La Guaira for business. Félix Ramón Tovar Hernández was planning to travel Friday to Chile for his first reunion with his son in more than a decade. But Tovar, 38, said he hasn't heard from his father.

“I feel powerless because I don’t know how this is affecting him: the shock, the decisions he’s having to make, whether he is physically okay, or even whether he is still alive,” said Tovar, who registered his father on the website for the missing.

“Being in Chile makes it very difficult to get information, and everything we see feels confusing,” he said via WhatsApp.

In Madrid, Marcano said she was trying to stay calm for the sake of her 1-year-old daughter.

“You keep hoping someone will organize a fundraiser or some kind of initiative where you can help,” Marcano said. “But the truth is, from far away, there is very little you can do.”

___

Hughes reported from Rio de Janeiro.

___

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Meteorologist will be an essential member of our weather team, responsible for providing accurate, compelling, and understandable weather forecasts across multiple platforms, including TV, digital, streaming, mobile, and social media. This position involves detailed weather analysis, live reporting, and active community engagement.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Deliver accurate and compelling weather forecasts, paying special attention to severe and inconvenient weather that impacts our consumers’ lives.
• Develop and maintain close ties to the community by engaging with local individuals, venues, and participating in community events.
• Produce creative and engaging weather reports using state-of-the-art graphics and pre-production elements, adding value across all platforms.
• Utilize process language to explain the “why” behind your forecasts, stories, and the relevance to the audience.
• Demonstrate trustworthiness, authenticity, and empathy both on-air and within the community.
• Actively contribute content to station platforms online and on social media, establishing a strong feedback/engagement loop with the audience.
• Provide urgent, immediate weather information from the studio and in the field.

KEY QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Meteorology.
• Prior years on-air experience, including severe weather coverage experience.
• Proficient in WSI and Barons weather systems.
• Proven track record of accuracy in weather forecasting.
• Strong on-air presence with an engaging personality and conversational weather presentation.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment and willingness to work flexible hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Knowledge of newsroom computer systems, smartphone technology, and social media platforms.
• Excellent leadership, interpersonal, and communication skills, with the ability to represent the station positively in the community.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree in Meteorology.
• CBM seal
• Bilingual abilities, especially in Spanish, are considered a strong asset.

Location: KPRC 2

8181 Southwest Freeway, Houston, Texas 77074

To apply: Please submit your updated resume and application to:

Ana Lastra at alastra@kprc.com

Click HERE to download and complete employment application.

Any offer of employment is conditional upon the successful completion of a pre-employment drug screening, investigative background check, employment/education verifications and reference checks. You must hold a valid driver’s license and be insurable under Texas Law.

No Phone Calls Please

KPRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In addition to complying with the requirements of federal law, KPRC will comply with applicable state and local laws prohibiting employment discrimination.

In a post on social media, Trump took aim at European countries that he said are discussing “imminent” implementation of taxes on American companies. The U.S. president has repeatedly sought to use tariffs as way to deter such taxes, but many countries are looking for revenues as their economies increasingly operate in digital realms that are dominated by American companies.

“Please let this statement serve to represent that any Country that imposes such a Tax will immediately be met with a 100% TARIFF on any and all Goods sent to the United States of America,” Trump wrote.

He added that the new tax would supersede any previously negotiated trade deals. Trump said the penalty would apply to any country that moves forward with such a tax, but he singled out European nations in his post.

The move could lead to a larger showdown that could increase prices and hinder economic growth, possibly setting off a larger trade war if the 27-member European Union was compelled to retaliate.

“Unilateral measures targeting such legitimate policies are unjustified. If pursued, the EU will respond swiftly and decisively to defend its rights and regulatory autonomy,” said Olof Gill, a spokesperson for the European Commission on Friday.

He defended taxation on technology companies as “non-discriminatory” and applied equally to “all large companies, regardless of their origin.”

Trump has repeatedly pushed against foreign efforts to tax or regulate American tech giants. Last year, he threatened new tariffs on any country that moved to do so. A post from last August said that digital taxes and regulation “are all designed to harm, or discriminate against, American Technology.”

The threat comes ahead of Trump's July 4 deadline for the European Union and the United States to start implementing a tariff deal that caps tariffs on most EU exports at 15%.

The European Union in May finalized a trade deal with the United States that caps most tariffs on EU exports at 15%. The deal followed months of debate within the EU after European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen tentatively struck the deal last year while visiting Trump’s golf course in Scotland.

Digital taxes were not part of the agreement and have remained a sticking point between the U.S. and the European bloc.

The U.S. government has previously conducted tariff investigations into digital services taxes under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. But it was unclear how Trump would carry out his threat and whether he would apply the tariffs broadly or initially target certain nations.

Britain, which is no longer part of the EU, has since 2020 levied a 2% digital services tax on revenues earned by search engines, social media sites and online marketplaces that “derive value” from U.K. users.

The British government said in a policy document at the time that corporate tax rules for digital businesses had “led to a misalignment between the place where profits are taxed and the place where value is created.”

The U.K. tax includes thresholds, so mainly large international companies will pay it. The tax was designed to “ensure the large multinational businesses in-scope make a fair contribution to supporting vital public services,” the document said.

___

AP reporters Sam McNeil in Brussels and Kelvin Chan in London contributed to this report.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Investigative Producer will play a crucial role in raising the bar for investigative journalism within our coverage area. This individual will lead the charge in discovering, analyzing, and presenting high-impact stories that resonate with our diverse audience. By leveraging advanced data journalism and computer-assisted reporting (CAR) techniques, the Investigative Producer will produce compelling stories that not only inform but also drive change within the community. You’ll be expected to dig deeper, providing context and perspective to uncover the truth and make a meaningful impact.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Identify and develop investigative and consumer stories, from initial idea generation to production.
• Utilize strong visual and creative storytelling skills, enhancing stories with graphics, animations, and data visualization.
• Deliver comprehensive digital content across all platforms, including our website, social media, podcasting, and livestreaming channels.
• Collaborate closely on editorial, legal, and ethical discussions to refine and enhance story quality.
• Contribute actively to daily editorial meetings, infusing regular coverage with investigative depth and context.
• Train and mentor other team members and newsroom staff in CAR techniques.
• Ensure all relevant stakeholders are kept informed about story developments and progress.
• Maintain high journalistic standards, adhering to legal and FCC regulations.
• Other related duties as assigned.

KEY QUALIFICATIONS

• Prior years of experience in newscast producing, with prior investigative producing.
• Innately curious.
• Strong news judgment.
• Proven mastery of computer-assisted reporting (CAR) techniques and multimedia storytelling tools.
• Proficient in legal research methods, including familiarity with public databases, TPIA, and FOIA procedures.
• A track record of producing high-impact, visual stories for multiple platforms.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and communication skills.
• Flexibility to work varying hours, including weekends and holidays as needed.
• Valid driver’s license with acceptable driving record and ability to travel.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Communications, or a related field.
• Bilingual abilities.
• Experience with Adobe Premier for shooting and editing content.
• Knowledge of electronic gear for surveillance and undercover work.

Location: KPRC 2

8181 Southwest Freeway, Houston, Texas 77074

To Apply: Please submit your updated resume and application to Sonia Dasgupta at Sdasgupta@kprc.com

Click HERE to download and complete employment application.

Any offer of employment is conditional upon the successful completion of a pre-employment drug screening, investigative background check, employment/education verifications and reference checks. You must hold a valid driver’s license and be insurable under Texas Law.

No Phone Calls Please

KPRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In addition to complying with the requirements of federal law, KPRC will comply with applicable state and local laws prohibiting employment discrimination.

Parker Roll was swimming with his older brother, Jack Roll, during a family excursion when the attack happened.

The family had spent the day visiting several islands, including stops where they swam with pigs, fed iguanas and interacted with nurse sharks. Their final stop was a secluded beach with crystal-clear water.

Jack said he and Parker swam across a shallow bay to explore another part of the island while the rest of their family followed behind.

“We see this big beautiful crystal bay,” Jack recalled. “So we start swimming.”

The brothers eventually reached a canal lined with mangroves.

Parker said he noticed what looked like a large shark in the water moments before the attack.

“I called out to him. I said, ‘Look at this rock. It looks like a humongous shark,’” Parker said.

Jack initially believed the shark was harmless.

“It gets two or three feet away from me,” he said. “I was like, ‘Oh, it’s just a nurse shark.’”

Seconds later, everything changed.

“I just hear this ear-piercing scream, and the clearest blue water turned to the murkiest red.”

Parker said adrenaline helped him make it toward shore before the pain set in.

“After that it started to hit in,” he said. “I looked down and I could see my bone. It just felt like a knife stabbing over and over, then twisting.”

Jack immediately sprang into action.

He picked up his younger brother, removed his swimsuit and tied it tightly around Parker’s badly injured leg to slow the bleeding while shouting for everyone else to get out of the water.

“It was maybe four feet on either side of just murky red water,” Jack said. “It was very horrifying.”

Another member of the excursion group helped scare the shark away while the boat crew rushed over with a first aid kit.

Getting Parker back to the boat proved difficult. The brothers had explored to the far side of the island, forcing rescuers to carry him around the shoreline while keeping his injured leg above the water.

The group then faced another challenge.

They were about 60 miles offshore with no cell phone or radio service.

According to the family, it took roughly 45 minutes before the crew regained cell service and was able to contact emergency responders. An ambulance was waiting when they reached the dock.

Parker was taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors treated extensive injuries to his leg and foot.

He said doctors told him the bleeding could have been fatal had it not been stopped quickly.

“I didn’t lose my leg,” Parker said, “but there was a high possibility if I kept bleeding and it wasn’t stopped.”

The injury required approximately 1,000 stitches, according to the family.

Although doctors expect Parker to make a full recovery, he remains unable to walk without assistance and is still recovering from the painful injuries.

Jack believes quick thinking made all the difference.

“We were 60 miles offshore, our phones don’t work, and we’re on an island with nobody around us,” he said. “It’s either we help him or nobody can really help him.”

Looking back, both brothers know the outcome could have been much worse.

“I’m also glad I didn’t just bleed out there,” Parker said. “Especially when you’re that far offshore.”

The brothers believe the shark may have been either a reef shark or a lemon shark measuring between 8 and 10 feet long, though the species has not been officially confirmed.

Despite the frightening ordeal, the family says they are grateful Parker survived and credit Jack’s quick response, along with the actions of the excursion crew, with saving the 12-year-old’s life.

After entering as a substitute for Germany, Undav scored three goals and set up two more, putting him just behind top-scoring superstars such as Argentina’s Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé of France and Vinicius Jr. of Brazil on the leaderboard.

Undav, who identifies as a Kurdish Yazidi, is the son of Yazidi refugees. His success is being celebrated by a small, insular community that has endured decades of oppression and violence, notably a 2014 onslaught in which thousands of Yazidis in Iraq's Sinjar region were killed or abducted by militants from the Islamic State group who considered them to be heretics.

Responding to a question at a news conference Wednesday, the German-born Undav said he hoped his performance would inspire fans everywhere, especially within the Yazidi community.

“I always get the news from my parents how they view me, how they see me and it’s making me proud, you know, that we finally have somebody,” he said.

Undav has fans across Syria, Germany and Iraq

In the village of Khirbet al-Ghazal in northeastern Syria, a small group of Yazidis gathered Thursday night to watch the Germany-Ecuador match at the home of community leader Ismail Dalaf. Many residents are related to Undav’s mother, who is from a now-deserted nearby village whose residents left for economic reasons or fled during Syria’s long civil war that began in 2011.

Dalaf said Undav’s World Cup performance has made him “a symbol that shows Yazidis can reach a higher position and be seen with respect.”

“When people see a Yazidi entering the field, scoring goals and changing the result of matches, it changes public perception,” he said. “It tells the world that Yazidis have a role in the world.”

The Kurds are among the largest stateless ethnic groups in the world, with roughly 30 million living as minorities in Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria. Yazidis are a Kurdish-speaking religious minority mostly found in Syria, Iraq and Turkey. There are around 235,000 Yazidis living in Germany today, according to Irfan Ortac, chair of the Central Council of Yazidis in Germany. Many arrived after the 2014 onslaught.

“Until now, we have mostly been known as victims of violence,” Ortac said. “Whenever we spoke about Yazidis, we always had to talk about genocide, discrimination, and displacement. It makes us very proud and happy to be able to talk about something positive.”

In Iraq — home to the largest concentration of Yazidis in the world and the location of their most holy site, the Lalish temple — members of the community also have embraced Undav's success.

“It makes me very happy to see a Yazidi bringing our name to the World Cup and playing in front of the whole world,” said Luqman Sleiman, spokesperson for the temple.

Diyar Bakir, 29, a Yazidi from Sinjar, hopes to travel to Germany one day to see Undav play.

His family "came from a place where his ethnicity and religion were not appreciated, yet he is now recognized and valued by a great team like Germany,” Bakir said. “He emerged from the womb of suffering, and we wish him every success.”

Undav has faced abuse for his heritage, but his popularity surges

At times, Undav has faced abuse over his heritage from spectators and on social media.

When his club team Stuttgart played in Turkey at Fenerbahce last year, German media reported the outbreak of obscene chants about his mother. Two Kurdish anti-discrimination groups said social media insults were part of a growing campaign of “racist and ethnically motivated hostility.”

Undav’s decision to represent Germany and not Turkey, as other eligible German-born players have done in the past, also resulted in some online hostility from Turkish fans. But now, his popularity is surging.

Düzen Tekkal, a German documentary filmmaker and author of Kurdish Yazidi heritage, is from northwestern Germany, like Undav. She is the co-founder of Scoring Girls(asterisk), a nonprofit offering free soccer classes for girls from diverse backgrounds.

“There definitely is a Deniz Undav effect and it’s very important,” she said, referencing children who can celebrate their heritage and feel they belong in Germany at a time when migration is often treated as a political problem.

“It is no coincidence that he plays with this lightness and freedom,” Tekkal added. “People are asking how come he’s so good under pressure or he can cope with so much pressure? Because he doesn’t know it any other way. That is the DNA, that is the resilience. ... That’s how he scores these goals because what is that pressure compared to being Kurdish or Yazidi?”

When Undav scored one of those goals, against Curacao, he broke into a Yazidi-inspired jig with his hands clasped behind his back. He was joined by Antonio Rüdiger, a Black German soccer star who has faced racist and anti-Muslim abuse during his career, in what Tekkal called “one of the highlights, no matter how this World Cup goes from here.”

“Dancing is a form of expressing resistance for us,” Tekkal emphasized. “We dance on the graves of our dead. Our mantra is that resistance is life. He’s dancing there for his forefathers who were oppressed.”

Mahmoud Kanabi, a Kurd from Irbil, moved to Berlin in 2020 and works in a Kurdish restaurant. Because of Undav, he purchased a Germany jersey.

“Unfortunately, for us Kurds, we don’t have a team because we don’t have a country,” he said. “Now, when a Kurdish player is in a team, we have to be fans of it. It doesn’t matter what team it is.”

___

Martany reported from Irbil, Iraq; Fahey from Berlin and Ellingworth from Duesseldorf, Germany. AP Sports Writer Ron Blum in East Rutherford, New Jersey, contributed reporting.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

___

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

The ruling marks a new chapter in the lawsuit Attorney General Ken Paxton filed in November 2025 to prevent Harris County from funding nonprofit organizations that help immigrants fighting deportation cases. The court said in its two-page opinion that the decision is temporary but argued there’s “serious doubt about the constitutionality” of the program.

Paxton claimed in November that the program was an improper gift of public funds to a private entity, arguing it was unconstitutional and “wicked.” He also filed a similar lawsuit against Bexar County earlier that same month.

Both lawsuits were rejected by district judges. Paxton appealed the Harris County ruling to the all-Republican 15th Court of Appeals, which was created in 2023 to hear appeals of cases involving state government. The 15th Court also ruled against Paxton’s attempts to shut down the legal aid.

“Texas has long recognized that ‘procuring counsel’ for indigent persons in civil cases ‘is the performance of a needed public service,’” the appellate judges wrote in November, citing previous rulings. “The State has not explained why providing counsel to indigents facing federal deportation is unconnected to these programs and concerns.”

Gov. Greg Abbott hailed the Texas Supreme Court’s decision on June 26 saying “it’s just another example of wasteful spending by local governments that must end.” The program will stay paused “until further order”, the Texas Supreme Court said. The state’s highest civil court did not decide the merits of the case, which is still before a state appeals court.

The background: Harris County started the Immigrant Legal Services Fund in 2020, initially allocating $2.5 million to helping people navigate immigration proceedings.  Bexar County followed suit in May 2024, giving $1 million to two nonprofits that help people facing deportations get lawyers.

“When you have a family at a deportation hearing and they don’t have an attorney, they’re deported at a much higher rate, like 90 percent of the time, compared to like 5 percent of the time when they do have an attorney,” Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said at the time, according to the Houston Chronicle. 

Harris County’s program sends county dollars to five organizations: BakerRipley, the Galveston-Houston Immigrant Representation Project, Justice for All Immigrants, KIND, Inc. and the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Service.

It has helped 373 people over the last five years. Most closed cases have been resolved through removal or voluntary departure from the U.S., the court found.

The Harris County Jail leads the nation in ICE detainers — a request from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to hold a person for deportation — as federal and state immigration enforcement has kicked into high gear under President Donald Trump.

Home to San Antonio, Bexar County allocated more than $566,000 to its Immigration Legal Services program in mid-December. Paxton sued the county on Feb. 4 in a bid to shutter what he called a “criminal-loving agenda,” but District Judge Mary Lou Alvarez ruled that no attorneys with Paxton’s office could try the case, and that the suit would be dismissed in a week unless authorized counsel took their place.

Why Texas is suing: Paxton argued in both lawsuits that these programs “serve no public purpose and instead constitute unconstitutional grants of public funds to private entities to subsidize individual deportation defenses.”

He has asked the court to stop officials in Harris and Bexar counties from disbursing funds to these organizations immediately, and bar them from doing so in the future. 

But the appeals court had found no evidence that these grants, which are provided in exchange for specific legal services, qualify as an unconstitutional gift. The appellate judges noted that Harris County has strict requirements on who can utilize these services and require the entities that receive the grants to document the services they provide. The county can stop providing these grants if a service provider doesn’t comply, which they’ve done twice, the court notes.

While many programs are “favored by one faction or political party but not another,” the judiciary should not second-guess those policy choices unless they can show that a program is clearly unconstitutional, the judges wrote in November.

Paxton has filed similar lawsuits against the cities of Austin and San Antonio over their support of nonprofit organizations that help Texans access abortions. In June 2025, the 15th Court of Appeals ruled in his favor, blocking San Antonio from using the funds the city had allocated to potentially help people who needed to travel out of the state for abortions. 

What local officials say: Harris County Attorney Jonathan Fombonne said in November the previous appellate ruling made it clear that Paxton’s “claims don’t match the facts.”

“This program has operated responsibly for years and continues to serve a legitimate public purpose,” Fombonne said in a statement. “We clearly have the authority to serve residents in this manner, and my office will continue to defend this program.”

Harris County commissioner Adrian Garcia said in a statement that this program had operated responsibly and without issue for years.

“That is, until Ken Paxton decided to run for higher office,” he said. Paxton is challenging Sen. John Cornyn in a contentious GOP primary.

In November’s ruling, the appeals court echoed Garcia, saying the program “has been operating since 2021 without apparent objection or controversy.”

“The State has yet to produce proof that despite several years in operation, the program has resulted in any actual harm to residents of Harris County or the state,” the judges wrote.

Ayden Runnels and Alejandro Santos Cid contributed to this story.

The events include school supply giveaways, food bank drives, neighborhood door knockings and organizer trainings.

“Everything costs too damn much under Donald Trump and the Republicans,” Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said in a statement.

Martin said party members planned “to reach, engage, register, and mobilize voters who will make the difference in races up and down the ballot.”

Two years ago, Democrats were the ones accused of being indifferent to Americans’ anger about rising prices. Now they're pointing the finger at Trump, who has downplayed the impact of lingering inflation.

He has described affordability concerns as a “hoax” and recently said, “I love the inflation” because he expects costs to drop as he tries to resolve his war with Iran.

About one-third of U.S. adults approve of how Trump is handling the economy, according to an AP-NORC poll from June. That’s down from the start of his second term, when 40% approved.

About 7 in 10 U.S. adults say the country’s economy is “poor,” according to an AP-NORC poll from June. That’s up from 65% in March, and underscores Americans’ ongoing unhappiness with the cost of living, which is being compounded by high gas prices due to the war in Iran.

Slightly more U.S. adults say the Democratic Party would do a better job than the Republican Party in handling inflation and the cost of living, according to a Marquette Law School/SSRS poll from May. Roughly one-third of U.S. adults — 35% — said the Democrats would do a better job, while 28% believe the Republicans would. Roughly one-third say the parties would be the same, or neither would be good.

This weekend's events vary by region.

In New Mexico, Gov. Michelle Luján Grisham will convene a training for 150 potential campaign staffers. Nevada’s statewide campaigns will knock on doors in rural and working class neighborhoods. Others will call voters in swing districts with competitive U.S. House races to talk about the rising price of gas.

Some events are geared toward directly helping voters to persuade them that Democrats are concerned about affordability.

For instance, the local party in Kenosha County, Wisconsin, plans to collect and distribute school supplies to poor families. And canvassers will fan out to discuss affordability issues in Arizona, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

The Republican National Committee dismissed the weekend's events.

“Despite being millions of dollars in debt, the DNC is choosing to throw pitiful pep rallies to distract from the fact they created the inflation crisis," said Delanie Bomar, an RNC spokeswoman. "Meanwhile, Republicans are hard at work fixing the economic mess Joe Biden and the Democrats created.”

Democrats hope that the events will show that their time in the political wilderness has made it more serious and effective at tackling kitchen table issues. But some fear their agenda may not be heard by voters in an increasingly fractured media environment.

“One of Donald Trump’s greatest strengths is that he’s so loud,” said Brian Derrick, a Democratic strategist. He said that events like the weekend’s itinerary help Democrats focus on an “Achilles’ heel” issue for Trump, “which right now is his lack of interest in addressing everyday costs for people.”

In a social media post, Flightradar24 posted the flight path of the plane, a Sunward SA 60L Aurora, which took off from an airport about 50 kilometers (30 miles) east of Beijing. It headed westward and ended just east of the East Third Ring Road shortly before 6 p.m. in local time. The flight data provider said the plane crashed into the CITIC Tower, also known as China Zun, which rises more than 1,700 feet (528 meters), just east of a major ring road in a cluster of skyscrapers.

The 108-story CITIC tower, shaped like an ancient Chinese wine vessel, is one of the most recognizable skyscrapers in Beijing.

It wasn't immediately known what caused the crash in a city with strict airspace controls, including a recent ban on drones. Information on the pilot also was not immediately available. There was no immediate information on whether there were any on-ground casualties.

Chinese authorities have not issued a statement, nor has the crash been reported by state media. Social media posts about the crash have been scrubbed from China's walled-off internet, though footage has made its way outside of China's firewall and is circulating on overseas sites such as X.com.

Images and videos shared on social media appeared to show debris from a small aircraft near the skyscraper. While the images were consistent with the location, it was not possible to independently confirm their authenticity. One image of the wreckage shows a partial registration number of “B-12." The full registration number of the aircraft is B-12PP.

Photos by The Associated Press show what appears to be a hole in the glass facade on one side of the CITIC Tower.

A person working in the building told AP that an aircraft crashed into the skyscraper, and a fire alarm was triggered. The person spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation. Incidents such as crashes are considered sensitive by Chinese authorities.

A heavy police presence, as well as fire engines and ambulances were seen outside the building. Onlookers gathered to observe and take pictures, but police asked them to stop photographing and leave the area.

Last month, Beijing authorities enacted new curbs on its already tightly regulated airspace, effectively banning the sale and operation of consumer drones within the capital.

___

Associated Press writers Didi Tang in Washington and Josh Funk in Omaha, Neb. contributed.

Kroger has the quality produce, meats, bakery items, and pantry staples you’ll need to stock your kitchen -- all at a value that’s hard to beat.

To help you make the most of your money, “Houston Life” is bringing you an “In the Kitchen with Kroger” series through August.

“In the Kitchen with Kroger” kicked off on April 29 on “Houston Life” at 1 p.m. with ways you can celebrate the special moms in your life this Mother’s Day.

Kroger is also offering KPRC 2 Insiders a chance to win $250 gift cards!

• Scroll down to enter now!

Insiders can enter the In the Kitchen with Kroger gift card sweepstakes daily during each round through Aug. 28 at 12 p.m. The first gift card winner will be announced on May 29, the day the second round begins. There will be four rounds with a new winner chosen at the end of each round.

Entries reset at the start of each of the four sweepstakes rounds, so make sure to bookmark this article and enter daily!

The schedule of rounds is as follows (all times CDT):

• ROUND ONE: April 29, 2026 at 12 p.m. to May 29, 2026 at 12 p.m. (Winner announced May 29 at 1 p.m. on Houston Life)
• ROUND TWO: May 29, 2026 at 12 p.m. to June 26, 2026 at 12 p.m. (Winner announced June 26 at 1 p.m. on Houston Life)
• ROUND THREE: June 26, 2026 at 12 p.m. to July 31, 2026 at 12 p.m. (Winner announced July 31 at 1 p.m. on Houston Life)
• ROUND FOUR: July 31, 2026 at 12 p.m. to August 28, 2026 at 12 p.m. (Winner announced August 28 at 1 p.m. on Houston Life)

OFFICIAL SWEEPSTAKES RULES

You can save on your groceries starting today with the free Kroger app which is available through the Google Play store and the Apple App Store. Use the app to download digital coupons, make your shopping list, and see weekly ad specials for the best prices.

Governments, nonprofits and members of the Venezuelan diaspora around the world are mobilizing to respond after the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 quakes. Help is needed for search and rescue efforts, emergency shelter for displaced families and emergency health care, followed by safe water and sanitation, according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Humanitarian organizations will face many challenges, including airport closures and the need for fast-tracked visas for aid workers, said Michael Capponi, president of Global Empowerment Mission (GEM).

“No single organization can meet all the needs alone,” he said. “Collaboration across governments and NGOs is critical to ensuring we cover all ground efficiently and swiftly.”

Here are some of the responding organizations you can support. The nonprofit evaluator Charity Navigator recommends donors avoid fraudulent fundraising campaigns by assessing whether an organization has a history of working on the specific type of disaster and in the affected region, and if it is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

How to help those affected by the Venezuela earthquakes

Global Empowerment Mission: The Doral, Florida-based humanitarian relief organization is collaborating with its long-term partner We Love Foundation, which supports Venezuelans. GEM immediately began packing emergency supplies for shipment Thursday to Caracas, where it has set up a distribution hub. GEM has responded in Venezuela before, including in 2018 and 2019.

CORE: The humanitarian nonprofit is deploying personnel and partnering with The Wayuu Taya Foundation, a nonprofit that supports Indigenous Wayuu communities in Venezuela and Colombia and who has staff on the ground in Caracas. They aim to support impacted families with food, drinking water, hygiene kits and other critical resources. CORE was founded after the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

Direct Relief: The California-based medical humanitarian organization is funding the deployment of a team from Spanish Bomberos Unidos Sin Fronteras (BUSF) to assist search-and-rescue efforts, and is poised to send medical supplies to local healthcare partners as needed. Direct Relief has responded to multiple earthquakes, including the 2023 disaster in Syria and Turkey.

International Red Cross: Despite experiencing damage to its own headquarters, the Venezuelan Red Cross' nationwide network of hospitals and clinics remains active and continues to deliver care. Rescue teams are supporting evacuation and search efforts as well as mobilizing prepositioned relief supplies. Red Cross Societies in Ecuador, Colombia, Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras and Argentina — countries home to large Venezuelan communities — have activated services to restore family links and help people find news of their loved ones.

Children's Bereavement Center/Lift from Loss: The Miami-based group offers free bereavement counseling to children and adults. It is offering free online support in Spanish and English to those impacted in Venezuela and in the diaspora. Those seeking support can sign up online.

Airlink: The global humanitarian organization helps facilitate transport and logistics for other nonprofits needing to send relief and personnel to disasters worldwide. It will mobilize airlines and logistics companies to send search-and-rescue teams, medical responders and supplies to Venezuela.

World Central Kitchen: The nonprofit founded by Chef José Andrés is mobilizing to serve hot meals to affected families and first responders as quickly as possible. WCK has led multiple responses in Venezuela, most recently in 2024 when families in the state of Sucre were displaced by Hurricane Beryl.

Catholic Relief Services: The international aid agency of the U.S. Catholic Church is working with local partner Caritas Venezuela to deliver emergency shelter, food, water and medical care to impacted families.

Global Impact: The philanthropy adviser and intermediary has set up a Venezuela Earthquakes Response fund that will funnel aid to multiple vetted organizations, including UNICEF USA and Save the Children, which has had a team in Venezuela since 2019.

——

Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.

The incident happened after Montgomery County ESD 1 responded to a reported commercial vehicle fire involving a garbage truck.

When Engine 91 arrived, the garbage truck’s driver had already extinguished the fire using an onboard fire extinguisher, officials said.

As firefighters conducted a post-fire assessment and used a thermal imaging camera to check for lingering hot spots, one of the truck’s inside front dual tires suddenly blew out.

According to the department, the blowout sent debris flying from beneath the vehicle, striking one firefighter in the left leg and midsection.

The firefighter was evaluated at the scene before being transported to HCA Houston Healthcare Conroe in stable condition for further evaluation.

Officials said the firefighter remains in stable condition, is in good spirits and is already up and walking.

“We are extremely grateful that our firefighter’s injuries were not more serious and that they are doing well,” Fire Chief Jason Oliphant said in a statement. “Incidents like this remind us that even after a fire has been extinguished, unexpected hazards can still exist.”

Oliphant said firefighters train for situations like these every day, but acknowledged the inherent risks that come with serving the community.

“We are proud of the professionalism displayed by our crews and thankful for the quick actions of everyone involved in providing immediate medical care,” Oliphant said. “We appreciate the outpouring of support from our community and ask that you continue to keep our firefighter and his family in your thoughts as he recovers.”

The department said no additional information about the firefighter will be released out of respect for their privacy.

Officials also reminded the public that hazards can remain even after a fire has been extinguished, making post-fire operations an important and sometimes dangerous part of the job.

The defendant, Sam Gary Martin, 65, was taken into custody Friday in High Island by detectives assigned to Precinct 1’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, Rosen’s office said.

• PREVIOUS REPORT: Owner of Needville newspaper arrested, accused of sending explicit messages to undercover officer

“We will keep doing all we can to protect children,” Rosen said in a statement announcing the arrest.

Investigators said Martin’s latest case is being prosecuted in Fort Bend County after Precinct 1 detectives shared additional evidence tied to the earlier Harris County investigation with Fort Bend County prosecutors.

Court records show Martin pleaded guilty in Harris County in 2024 to a second-degree felony count of online solicitation of a minor. He was sentenced to five years of probation and was required to register as a sex offender.

Martin previously served as the publisher of a newspaper in Needville.

Detectives are asking anyone who may have information about Martin’s interactions with minors to contact the Constable Precinct 1 Internet Crimes Against Children Unit at 713-722-4929.

Blyth died Wednesday of “natural causes” at her home in Rancho Santa Fe, California, according to her daughter, Eileen McNulty. Blyth's family was at her side.

One of the last surviving actors from the Hollywood studio system, Blyth appeared in youth movies as well as dramas such as "Another Part of the Forest," and her co-stars included Bing Crosby, Power, Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum. Blyth had stopped appearing in films by the end of the 1950s when she chose to spend more time with her children. But she would work in TV musicals and dramas and tour in concerts and musicals from "Show Boat" to "The Sound of Music."

She was acting and singing from an early age and her first big break came at 13 when she was cast as Paul Lukas's daughter in Lillian Hellman's anti-Nazi play, "Watch on the Rhine," which also starred Bette Davis. She stayed with the play for almost a year on Broadway and a year on the road.

When "Watch on the Rhine" appeared in Los Angeles, Universal Studio signed her to a term contract starting at $175 a week. A dark-haired actor with a melodic singing voice, she appeared with a young Donald O'Connor in low-budget musicals such as "Chip Off the Old Block" and "Bowery to Broadway." The loan-out to Warner Bros. for "Mildred Pierce" elevated Blyth's career and led to grown-up roles.

Good at being bad

Like "Double Indemnity," adapted for the screen by Billy Wilder in 1944, "Mildred Pierce" was a James M. Cain thriller about vengeance and calculation. Crawford won the 1945 Oscar as a waitress who rises to own a string of Los Angeles restaurants. Blyth was nominated in the supporting role as Mildred's spoiled daughter, Veda, who seduces her mother's second husband (Zachary Scott), then riddles him with bullets in a jealous rage.

Directed by Michael Curtiz of “Casablanca” fame, "Mildred Pierce" was a memorable piece of film noir that took place mostly at night. For Blyth it was a major change from the cheery musicals she had been known for. It was also a stretch for an actor who was the subject of magazine articles entitled "Incorruptible!", "Angelic Annie" and "Ann Blyth: Success Without an Enemy."

In 1946, Blyth broke her back in a toboggan accident, and it appeared her career might be over. She spent seven months in a body cast and another seven months in a wheelchair, relying on her Roman Catholic faith for courage.

"The busy, exciting world I had known faded away, and my life slowed down to little things," she later told The Associated Press. "But even here I found myself blessed, for a new sense of prayer began to unfold to me."

Once recovered, she appeared as the love interest for Sonny Tufts in "Swell Guy," Howard Duff in "Brute Force" and Mickey Rooney in a prizefight movie, "Killer McCoy." She displayed her dramatic skill as the young woman in love with a suspected wife-killer, Charles Boyer, in "A Woman's Vengeance."

Her strongest role after "Mildred Pierce" came with "Another Part of the Forest," Hellman's prequel to her stage and film drama "The Little Foxes." Blythe appeared as the young Regina Hubbard, created as an adult on Broadway by Tallulah Bankhead and in the film by Bette Davis.

Add a little music

Blyth's career made a turn in 1951 when she starred with Mario Lanza in "The Great Caruso." Her lilting soprano made an ideal match for his tenor, and they were cast in "The Student Prince." But the temperamental Lanza dropped out after recording his songs, and British actor Edmund Purdom acted his role and mouthed the songs. Blyth co-starred with Howard Keel in "Rose Marie" and "Kismet."

Her other films included "Top o' the Morning" with Crosby, "The World in His Arms" (Peck) and a reunion with O'Connor, "The Buster Keaton Story." Her last film was in 1957, “The Helen Morgan Story,” which co-starred Paul Newman.

Born in 1928 in Mount Kisco, New York, to an Irish mother and English valet father, she grew up in New York City. After the father left the family, Nan Blyth supported herself and two daughters by washing clothes and working in beauty parlors.

She had high hopes for daughter Ann's future as an actress, and at 5 the girl began appearing on a New York radio show. She continued as a radio performer and spent three years studying and performing with the San Carlo Opera Company.

After becoming a movie star, Blyth admitted of her early career: "I'd become blue and despondent when I failed to get a job, and my mother's encouraging words made me want to try again." Before the actress's breakout performance in "Mildred Pierce," her mother died of cancer.

In 1953, Blyth married Dr. James McNulty, brother of tenor-comedian Dennis Day. They had five children and remained married until McNulty’s death, in 2007. A few weeks before son Timothy was born in 1954, she made television history of a sort performing the song "Secret Love" at the Oscars — visibly pregnant as she sang, "Once I had a secret love ... and my secret love's no secret anymore."

_____

Thomas, a former Associated Press Hollywood correspondent who died in 2014, was the primary writer of this obituary.

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 Broadway Theatre’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”
• Stay connected with reliable internet during hurricane season
• • Ezee Fiber
• Good Reason Houston
• 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

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The incident happened around 3:30 p.m. in the 2400 block of South Gessner Road.

According to HPD Lt. Crowson, a three-person moving crew arrived at an apartment complex for a scheduled moving job.

Police said a man and woman on the crew, who were also in a dating relationship, got into a heated argument. Investigators said the man then got into the box truck, intentionally drove over the woman and fled the scene.

The woman died at the scene.

South Gessner officers are at a homicide scene 2400 S. Gessner. Adult female deceased at the scene. Suspect in custody. 202 pic.twitter.com/nBnB0A2toM

— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) June 25, 2026

Officers later located the moving truck and detained the suspect, police said.

The suspect, Keith Bembry Sims, 33, has been charged with manslaughter and failure to stop and render aid in an accident involving death.

The identity of the 31-year-old victim is being withheld pending notification of family members by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Gracie the giraffe has been found, according to the Real County Animal Rescue-Shelter.

The Real County Sheriff’s Office says Gracie was located around 7:30 a.m. Friday during an aerial search about 4 miles south of Cedar Hollow Ranch. Officials say her owner has contacted a veterinarian and is assembling a team to safely capture Gracie and bring her home.

Gracie’s disappearance sparked a wave of attention across Texas and the nation as people reported sightings and shared memes and messages online while she was missing in the Texas Hill Country.

Even agencies and schools joined in with social media posts reacting to the unusual search and rooting for her safe return.

ORIGINAL REPORT

REAL COUNTY, Texas - A missing giraffe in the Texas Hill Country has inspired a flood of humorous social media posts from local agencies and organizations across the state.

• Houston Weather: Summer Heat Settles In Through The End Of June

Gracie the Giraffe was reported missing from Cedar Hollow Ranch in Real County earlier this week after she was last spotted on a game camera west of Leakey. Ranch officials are offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to her safe return.

As news of the unusual missing animal spread online, agencies began joining in with playful posts imagining where Gracie may have ended up.

One of the most popular came from the Uvalde Fire Department, which jokingly announced that Gracie had been hired as its newest probationary firefighter.

“The Uvalde Fire Department would like to welcome our newest probationary firefighter, Gracie the Giraffe!” the department wrote on social media, adding that her height made her uniquely qualified for roof inspections, aerial observations and reaching places “no ladder can.”

Other organizations have also shared tongue-in-cheek updates, claiming Gracie was spotted in their communities or helping with local operations.

The posts have generated thousands of likes, shares and comments as Texans follow the giraffe’s story online.

While the agencies are clearly having fun with the situation, the posts have also helped bring additional attention to the search for Gracie and introduced many people to the original missing giraffe alert.

For now, Gracie remains missing, but her unexpected social media fame has turned a local animal search into a statewide conversation.

Officers responded around 3 p.m. Thursday to a welfare concern in the 7200 block of Mallard Drive. When officers arrived, they found 42-year-old Angela Gray with an apparent gunshot wound to the chest.

Gray was pronounced dead at the scene.

Following an investigation, police filed a murder charge against 73-year-old Lee Sims.

Authorities said Sims’ bond has been set at $250,000. He has been booked into the Texas City Jail.

The investigation remains active and ongoing.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Detective Charles at 409-643-5763 or Detective Stinson at 409-643-5200. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 409-763-TIPS (8477).

The restraining order was issued Wednesday at the request of three Nashville doctors who treat some of those children and who sued after state officials sent letters to providers and immigrant families saying a new law required them to share identifying information for those on the program after the end of June.

The law was part of a group of bills that Tennessee Republicans introduced this year to support President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

A spokesperson for the state attorney general's office said Thursday that it had no comment on the lawsuit and the complaint was under review. State officials have not replied to the complaint in court documents.

“This is an impossible choice for mothers, and it risks the lives and the dignity of these children,” said Michele Johnson, executive director of the Tennessee Justice Center, which filed the lawsuit on the doctors' behalf.

Johnson also said the center has been advising families that they should stay on the program while the issue is before the court. A hearing is set for July 2 in Nashville.

The Children's Special Services program, which is partially funded by federal funds and has been around for decades, covers medical costs for children in need who have serious medical conditions such as cancer, cerebral palsy, seizure diseases and diabetes.

The letters sent by the state told families that, based on their immigration status, they would be reported to the immigration division of the Tennessee Department of Safety if they continued to stay on the program.

The new law required government agencies to check the legal status of all residents before they can obtain public benefits and was among a slate of bills in recent years targeting immigrants' ability to work, get licenses and access free public education and other services.

“We’re going to do what we can to make sure that if you’re here illegally, we will have the data, we’ll have the transparency, and we’re not spending taxpayer dollars on you unless you’re in jail,” House Speaker Cameron Sexton said in January.

The doctors behind the lawsuit, all of whom work for Siloam Health clinics that serve uninsured and underserved patients, said in affidavits that some of their patients were afraid they be unable to get important medical care for their children.

One said some patients who received a letter are not in the country illegally but merely lived with families with “mixed status,” and they left the program or planned to to because of the threat to inform immigration officials.

The lawsuit argues that implementing the rule would prevent the doctors from caring for their patients.

“The harm will be irreparable if the court didn’t intervene,” Johnson said.

MLB's plan would eliminate deals such as Juan Soto's $765 million, 15-year contract with the New York Mets. The league said just seven players this year exceed the proposed maximum and 98% of free agent contracts would not have been impacted.

"There’s no question that we’re very far apart,” union head Bruce Meyer said during an online news conference.

During a bargaining session Thursday at the union's office, MLB said it would accept the union's proposal granting free agency a year early for players who have reached age 30 if the union accepted the league's salary cap system. MLB proposed boosting the minimum salary from $780,000 to $1 million for those with two years of big league service.

MLB also proposed increasing the pre-arbitration bonus pool from $50 million to $65 million next year and $75 million by 2032, the sixth season of MLB's proposed seven-year deal.

Meyer said “the debate got a little more vigorous today.”

“The league has done us a favor because their proposals are in fact so obviously and extremely bad for players at all levels that it’s actually been a benefit for our unity,” Meyer said. “Anybody’s who’s banking on Major League Baseball players cracking, it’s never happened. It’s not going to happen. That’s why we’re the only ones who don’t have a salary cap.”

MLB also said it would agree to eliminate the qualifying offer for free agents that since its inception in 2012 has restricted the market for some players.

Bargaining started May 13 for a contract to replace the five-year deal that expires Dec. 1, and owners proposed a salary cap for the first time since the union fought off the system during a 7 1/2-month strike in 1994-95. MLB is expected to impose a lockout in December, halting free agent signings and trades.

After the prior agreement expired in December 2021, intensive bargaining did not start until late February as the threat approached of losing regular-season games — along with revenue and salary. The sides reached an agreement on March 10, the 99th day of the lockout, preserving the 162-game schedule.

In the league's cornerstone proposal, made last month, team spending would be capped next year at $245.3 million, using figures for luxury tax payrolls that include $20.1 million for benefits and the pre-arbitration bonus pool. It also would establish a payroll floor of $171.2 million, forcing several teams to spend more. The two-time World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, baseball’s biggest spenders, had a $415.2 million payroll on opening day this year — around $170 million over the proposed cap.

“The biggest issue baseball fans want solved to strengthen the game is fixing the payroll disparity that leaves too many fans without hope of their team competing for a World Series title," MLB spokesman Glen Caplin said in a statement. “Every other major U.S. sport has tackled this problem, and every year more small market teams in those leagues have a chance to win. The salary cap and floor proposal levels the playing field.”

Meyer took issue with that.

“It’s appalling that the stewards of the game, the people whose job it is to grow the game primarily and promote the game, have for whatever period of time now in the last couple of years been saying nothing but the game’s broken,” he said.

As part of the plan, MLB would establish a “cornerstone player” similar to the NBA's Bird Rule, which would allow a team to re-sign a player at 16% of the cap. A free agent switching clubs would be limited to a $36.8 million salary next year and a re-signing player to $39.2 million.

Salaries for free agents in additional seasons of a multiyear contract would be limited to 5% increases, as would salaries for younger players in multiyear deals that cover potential free agent seasons.

Contracts would be capped by service time: at $500 million and 12 years for those yet to make major league debuts, $461 million and 11 seasons for those with 0-1 years of service, $421 million and 10 years for 1-2, $382 million and nine seasons for 2-3, $343 million and eight years for 3-4, $304 million and seven years for 4-5, and $265 million and six years for free agent eligible players.

Agent Scott Boras claimed the then-record $252 million, 10-year contract he negotiated for Alex Rodriguez in December 2000 would not have been allowed.

"It’s like offering a few pieces of furniture if you agree to live in a house with a 4-foot ceiling," he said, "an attempt to move player contract values back to the 1990s.”

Banning deferred compensation would eliminate a business practice used most prominently by the Dodgers, who owe $1.107 billion to 12 players from 2028-47. The 30 teams owe $2.382 billion to 82 players through 2051.

MLB said it would accept the union's proposal to drop free agent eligibility to five seasons of service from six for those turning 30 by the Nov. 1 of the offseason. MLB said 354 players on big league rosters as of Thursday would reach free agency a year earlier. MLB would start the change in the 2027-28 offseason.

As part of the minimum salary proposal, MLB said players with less than two years of service would have a $900,000 minimum and if earning a full year of service would get an additional $100,000 from the pre-arbitration bonus pool. Minor league minimums for players with major league contracts would increase from $63,600 to $73,400 for initial big league deals and $127,100 to $146,700 for additional contracts.

The union proposed to jointly lobby with MLB for the prohibition on prop bets; to allow player endorsement and sponsorship of legal betting entities, including sportsbooks and prediction markets; to have players under MLB betting investigations to be placed on administrative leave, similar to the domestic violence policy; and to allow players near the end of suspensions for betting to have unpaid 15-day minor league assignments, similar to the drug policy.

In addition, players asked for increases for in-season meal and tip allowances; housing benefits for players with major league contracts who are assigned to the minors; and increased moving expenses, including for assignments from one minor league affiliate to another.

Meyer expects at least one more bargaining session before the All-Star break.

___

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

The seven-time Wimbledon singles champion, who is 44, accepted a wild-card entry to the grass-court Grand Slam, where she’ll also compete in doubles with her older sister Venus, who turned 46 last week.

It's all part of a tennis comeback that started with two doubles warmup matches but kicked into high gear Sunday when the All England Club announced Serena would play singles. Brackets were set in Friday's draw.

Joint was born in Michigan — as was Williams — but represents Australia through her father. She is ranked No. 53 and made her Wimbledon debut last year, losing in the first round to Liudmila Samsonova 6-3, 6-2.

“It’s an honor. I always dreamed about playing Serena Williams,” Joint said. "If you told me 10 years ago that I’d be playing her first round at Wimbledon, that’s just crazy.

“I hope it's on Centre Court, that would be pretty cool. You just have to play the ball. You can't really think about who you are playing because I’ll just get too nervous. I’ll just take it one ball at a time.”

Joint won the grass-court Eastbourne Open last year for one of her two WTA tour-level singles titles, but she was slowed by a back injury earlier in 2026.

Williams hasn't played a singles match since a third-round loss to Ajla Tomljanovic at the 2022 U.S. Open. At the time, she said she didn’t want to use the word “retiring” and instead declared she was “evolving” away from tennis. Her second daughter was born in 2023.

Tomljanovic said she hopes Joint “enjoys the moment."

“Especially after (Serena) officially retired four years ago, no one thought that they’d get another chance to play her,” Tomljanovic, an Australian, said Friday at Wimbledon.

Williams is “here to win," Tomljanovic added.

“You never lose that champion mentality. Her coming into the draw means that she thinks she can win,” she said.

Williams' most-recent appearance at Wimbledon was in 2022 when she lost in the opening round to then-115th-ranked Harmony Tan.

If Williams beats Joint on Tuesday, she may face rising Filipino star Alexandra Eala, who is seeded 29th, in the second round. She could meet defending champion Iga Swiatek in the third round.

Swiatek opens against Taylor Townsend of the U.S. on Centre Court on Tuesday.

In a projected quarterfinals by seedings, No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka would meet French Open champion Mirra Andreeva; No. 2 Elena Rybakina, the 2022 champion, would face 2025 runner-up Amanda Anisimova; Swiatek, the No. 3 seed, would play Elina Svitolina; and No. 4 Jessica Pegula would meet Coco Gauff.

Sinner could meet Djokovic in semifinals

On the men's side, No. 1 Jannik Sinner will begin his Wimbledon title defense against Miomir Kecmanovic on Centre Court on Monday.

Sinner and Novak Djokovic, the No. 7 seed, are in the same half of the draw and could meet in the semifinals.

Sinner underwent checks following his French Open meltdown — losing in the second round amid a heat wave in Paris — and said he felt physically good after an exhibition match this week in London, which also experienced high temperatures.

Djokovic, a seven-time champion at the All England Club, will play Wu Yibing of China. Djokovic could meet third-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime in the quarterfinals.

Two-time champion Carlos Alcaraz, who lost to Sinner in the 2025 final, will miss this year’s tournament because of a wrist injury.

Wimbledon starts on Monday.

Serena and Venus in doubles

The Williams sisters are wild-card entries in the women's doubles and will play their first-round match against Colombia's Camila Osorio and Solana Sierra of Argentina.

Serena and Venus have won 14 Grand Slam titles together in doubles, including six at Wimbledon — the first in 2000 and the last in 2016. Their first two doubles titles at the All England Club, in 2000 and 2002, came as wild cards.

___

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

The annual commemoration is observed on the 10th day of the month of Muharram in the lunar-based Islamic calendar. Ashoura is the culmination of a 10-day mourning period and marks the day Hussein was killed alongside members of his family and companions as he fought against the army of Caliph Yazid, to whom Hussein had refused to pledge allegiance.

Hussein’s killing cemented the schism between Sunni and Shiite Islam and remains a powerful symbol of resistance against oppression and injustice.

Ashoura this year comes after a war between predominantly Shiite Iran and the United States and Israel, who launched strikes on the country on Feb. 28, killing senior officials including Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The 86-year-old Khamenei was not just Iran’s top political leader but also had a final say on all religious matters and was revered by millions of Shiites worldwide.

A funeral procession for Khamenei is scheduled to take place in early July.

On Friday, large crowds of people gathered in the Iraqi Shiite holy city of Karbala to mark Ashoura. Hussein is buried in the city where he was killed in the battle that took place in 680, and his shrine is visited by millions of Shiites from around the world every year.

In Baghdad, thousands marched through the streets, including some who slashed their heads with razors and performed other forms of self-flagellation in a show of grief to mark the occasion.

In Lebanon, where a fragile ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah is in place, thousands of black-clad mourners gathered in Beirut’s southern suburbs at a shrine to Hezbollah’s former longtime leader, Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in a series of massive Israeli strikes in 2024.

Women clutched photographs of sons and brothers killed in the war — many of them fighting for Hezbollah — while others held photographs of Nasrallah or Iran’s Khamenei, who was killed in February in an attack by the U.S. and Israel.

Many of them sobbed. Expressions of grief for the death of the Imam Hussein are traditional during Ashoura, but many of the mourners were also grieving more personal losses.

Nagham Jaber said her fiance was killed in the war.

“This war was truly harsh on all of us, and now we are feeling the meaning of Ashoura more than usual,” she said.

In the southern Lebanese city of Nabatiyeh, that is usually a major center to commemorate Ashoura, dozens of people gathered near the main square, much of which was destroyed by Israeli airstrikes over the past weeks, with some of them inflicting head injuries on themselves to express their mourning. The practice is widely opposed by many Shiites, including Hezbollah.

Earlier on Friday, state media and Associated Press journalists on the ground reported two Israeli airstrikes on the nearby village of Nabatiyeh al-Fawqa. It was not immediately clear if the strike inflicted any casualties.

“Despite all the hardships, everything happening to the Shiite Muslim community, and the wars we are facing, we came to reaffirm our loyalty, our love and our unwavering passion for Imam Hussein,” said Khader Kamal.

To Shiites, who make up the second-largest branch of Islam after the Sunni majority, the killing of Hussein holds deep religious and historical resonance and plays a key role in shaping identity.

Hezbollah’s leader, Naim Kassem, said in a speech Friday that Ashoura is being repeated again by the U.S. and Israel, adding that his group and its supporters were subjected to a “war of elimination.”

“America and Israel also wanted to eliminate Iran by removing the regime and controlling the country,” Kassem said. “The memorandum of understanding is a declaration of defeat for America and Israel,” Kassem said of the deal reached this month between Washington and Tehran.

___

Sewell reported from Beirut. Associated Press writer Bassem Mroue in Beirut contributed to this report.

Miller, 48, was arrested June 6 in Fremont County, which borders Montana and Wyoming, and charged with possessing psilocybin mushrooms. He pleaded not guilty last week and said his friend who was with him had a small amount of drugs he didn't know about.

County Prosecutor Lindsey Blake said in a statement provided to The Associated Press on Friday that her office will be dismissing the drug possession and drug paraphernalia charges against Miller.

“Although the deputy had sufficient probable cause to arrest Mr. Miller at the beginning of June, we recently received information which resulted in our office determining it is in the interest of justice to dismiss Mr. Miller’s misdemeanor charges,” she said. "I will not be discussing the specifics of this recent information due to it being related to another active case.”

Blake did not provide details on the other active case. Online court records related to Miller's case list another man who was charged with the same crimes.

Miller's lawyer, Jeromy Stafford, did not immediately return phone and email messages Friday. He told media outlets earlier this week that Miller did not have any drugs on his person when he was arrested.

In an Instagram post on Wednesday, Miller said he was pulled over after accelerating to pass a vehicle on a highway. He said his friend had a small amount of cannabis and a cannabis pipe, which Miller said he didn't know about.

“We fully cooperated with the officer,” he said. "I am hopeful the misdemeanor charges will be dropped once the facts are reviewed.”

In a probable cause statement, Fremont County Sheriff's Deputy Jacob Hurt wrote that he found Miller with a white dispensary bag containing 4.1 grams of the psychedelic mushrooms.

The 48-year-old Miller took a gambler’s approach to ski racing. His high-risk, high-reward style resulted in six Olympic medals, including gold in the super-combined at the 2010 Vancouver Games, and numerous crashes.

His last major race was at the 2015 world championships in Beaver Creek, Colorado, when a bad wipeout knocked him out of the super-G. He later underwent surgery to fix a torn right hamstring tendon caused when his ski sliced him. He said in late 2017 that he was retired for good.

Miller won 33 World Cup races and a pair of World Cup overall titles. He also captured four gold medals at world championships.

The 51-year-old Calvelli replaces Giorgio Furlani, who was fired by U.S. owner, RedBird Capital Partners, last month as it cleaned house after what it deemed “an unequivocal failure” of a season.

“The mandate is clear — we will play to win, instead of playing not to lose — in everything that AC Milan touches, but most importantly on the field,” RedBird managing partner Gerry Cardinale said in a statement.

“The entire organization at AC Milan will now benefit tremendously from his full time appointment and sense of urgency to bring a winning culture and results back to the club.”

Calvelli will continue to serve as CEO International at RedBird Development Group and Operating Partner at RedBird Capital Partners. A former professional tennis player, he was previously ATP CEO from 2020-25.

“Since joining RedBird last year, Massimo has distinguished himself as a leader and driver of organizational design that brings people together and establishes a culture of collaboration and professionalism,” Cardinale added.

“Our model at RedBird often requires our senior leadership to go “in house” in our most important investments to ensure best in class execution, especially in situations requiring change and innovation.”

Milan spent much of last season in the top two positions and fighting for the Serie A title. But a run of only two wins in its last eight matches dropped it to fifth on the last day of the campaign and saw it miss out on Champions League qualification.

That led to a number of dismissals, including coach Massimiliano Allegri. He was replaced by Rúben Amorim earlier this month.

“The opportunity to lead AC Milan as it navigates this critical moment in its football trajectory, as well as within the overall state of Italian football, is something I take very seriously and with a profound sense of urgency,” Calvelli said.

“The mandate from Gerry is to bring a culture of winning and results both on and off the field back to AC Milan … I’ve had a full year working collaboratively with the senior leadership of the club across all functions and have a hands-on sense of what needs to be fixed and innovated.”

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

As a historic heat wave gripped the French capital, fashion houses fought to keep guests cool with mist machines, chilled towels, parasols and iced Evian on silver platters.

It wasn’t enough. Historic venues sweltered, guests were packed in tight, air conditioning was absent or inadequate and water ran short — at one house, organizers weighed serving none at all, having found only plastic bottles to hand out.

That mattered because Paris Fashion Week is not a minor cultural event.

It is one of France’s most visible export machines: six fashion seasons a year, global luxury houses, celebrities, editors, buyers and clients moving through an industry worth billions, often inside aging venues built for a cooler age.

This week raised a harder question: whether Paris should keep staging menswear and haute couture in the height of summer at all if climate change keeps bringing more frequent and intense heat waves.

“I honestly thought I was going to pass out,” said Ben Freeman, a London-based fashion critic from Australia.

Paris neared 41 degrees Celsius (106 Fahrenheit) during a heat wave that pushed France into emergency mode. Large parts of the country were under red alert, and hospitals were told to prepare for more heat-related cases.

Like the dusty Louvre, which cut hours and said its historic building “remains vulnerable and is not sufficiently adapted to climate change,” fashion week exposed a Paris problem as much as a fashion one: how to keep prestige institutions running when the weather no longer fits the building, the calendar or the crowd.

“Paris Fashion Week is the canary in the mine,” Freeman said.

The deeper contradiction was on the runway.

At a Paris Fashion Week Men’s where the industry paid to imagine next summer could barely survive this one, houses cooled the people watching the shows, then dressed their models in unseasonable leather, neoprene, wool and fur.

“The calendar does not make any sense,” acknowledged Dior’s Jonathan Anderson, blaming fractured delivery cycles and a business that bears no relation to the season outside.

Some in the front row suggested that fashion week in the hottest months be scrapped.

“In Paris we don’t have AC everywhere, it’s quite rare,” said Thomas Levy, 24, a fashion student outside one show. “I don’t know how the models did it this week in some of the leather and knit coats."

The venues couldn’t cope

Pascal Morand, who heads France’s fashion federation, said organizers were following the government’s heat-wave plan.

“We are conscious of the challenges and very attentive to preserving the Fashion Week experience in this context of structural change,” he told The Associated Press.

The cause ran deeper — an industry whose fixed parts, from the buildings to the clothes, were designed for a cooler world and a customer who lives somewhere else.

The response included earlier shows, more water, more mist, more shade.

Fashion had already been warned about heat management. In March, Celine built an okoumé-wood pavilion in the courtyard of the Institut de France for a winter show, packed guests inside and still saw some leave because of the temperature.

Dior shifted its show to 9 a.m. from mid-afternoon, and Rick Owens moved his forward too. Yet inside Dior’s half-renovated mansion, water was scarce, there was no air conditioning, and some guests looked ready pass out.

The strain had already shown at Milan Fashion Week last week. At Thom Browne’s first show there, giant misting fans ran and black umbrellas went out as guests waited out the midday sun.

Runways out of season

The clothes were made not for summer in Paris but for global markets and customers who pass the hottest months in refrigerated air — the malls of the Gulf, the towers of New York and Shanghai. For them, a wool coat in June is not a contradiction. It is just a purchase.

Louis Vuitton presented wetsuits in neoprene, as well as coats in cashmere and fur.

At Saint Laurent, Anthony Vaccarello sent models through cooling clouds of vapor from a Fujiko Nakaya fog sculpture, then ran hot and cold at once: featherweight, unlined tailoring stripped down for the heat, against leather briefs, choker scarves and transparent shoes fogging with the wearer’s sweat.

Issey Miyake’s IM Men gave the clearest practical answer, handing out ice packs at the door, then bamboo-thread fabrics and shadowy prints that moved with the air rather than against it.

Rick Owens made the anxiety literal, sending models through mist in garments with fans whirring inside. One critic called it metaphor for climate catastrophe.

France’s uneasy cooling debate

Air conditioning remains culturally suspect in France — blamed for sore throats, dismissed as wasteful or bad for the planet — even as heat waves turn cooling into a question of public safety.

President Emmanuel Macron’s government leans toward shade, insulation and trees; environmentalists warn that mass cooling would only deepen the emissions driving the heat.

Europe is the fastest-warming continent, but its old cities are short on the cooling a hotter climate demands. From sport to tourism to construction, industries built around fixed calendars and outdoor crowds are being forced to adapt to heat that comes earlier, lasts longer and climbs higher.

The question is how much longer an aging 19th century Paris can host a summer spectacle where guests need ice packs to reach the finale.

___

Colleen Barry in Milan contributed to this report.

The incident happened around 11 p.m. in the 12500 block of Baldwin Springs.

According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, the girl told dispatchers her mother was unresponsive. When deputies and EMS arrived, they found the child unharmed outside the home.

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Investigators said they then located a woman dead inside the residence and found a man dead in a separate room.

Authorities believe the man was the girl’s stepfather, while the woman was her biological mother. Officials said all three had lived at the home for some time.

“This is looking more like it is a murder-suicide,” HCSO Homicide Sgt. Michael Ritchie said during a Friday morning briefing.

Investigators said there were no signs of forced entry or evidence that anyone else was involved. One weapon was recovered from the scene, though authorities have not released what type of weapon it was or how either victim died.

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The sheriff’s office has not identified the victims, and their causes of death remain under investigation.

Deputies are reviewing surveillance video, speaking with neighbors and working to establish a timeline of what happened. Officials said they are also trying to determine whether there had been any previous domestic violence incidents involving the family.

Neighbors who spoke with KPRC 2 off camera said they had previously seen the woman injured during an apparent domestic disturbance outside the home. They claimed deputies responded at the time, but said the woman declined to press charges. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said it has not yet confirmed whether there were any prior calls for service at the residence.

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A friend of the family, who also spoke off camera, said the girl’s older sister is currently in Venezuela and contacted friends after learning what happened. The friend said the 12-year-old had been asleep before discovering her mother and later finding her stepfather in another room.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Vance described his admiration for Nixon during a conversation at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, California. Widely expected to be a presidential contender in 2028, Vance spoke at the library while promoting his new book, “Communion.”

After talking about the book and his faith journey, Vance shifted to Nixon, saying the legacy of the 37th president is “enjoying a bit of a renaissance.”

“If Watergate happened tomorrow, it would be like a 12-hour news story. The idea that it would have taken down a presidency is crazy,” Vance said.

He went on: “If you look at the story of how the deep state took down Richard Nixon, it’s not all that different from what the same groups of people, the same institutions tried to do to Donald Trump in the first Trump administration.”

Vance then noted his own similarities with Nixon.

“Young senator, vice president, writes some bestselling books, is hated by the media,” he said. “It kind of sounds like JD Vance. I've always liked Richard Nixon."

Nixon was in his second term when he resigned over the Watergate scandal in 1974.

Hours after Paris police authorities said they wanted the event canceled, the French athletics federation (FFA) confirmed that it would take place on Sunday at Charlety Stadium, in agreement with the police prefecture.

Citing the exceptional heat that has affected Paris since June 21, the police prefecture had asked organizers of the meet, and other events scheduled this weekend including a music festival and a Pride march, to cancel.

The prefecture said it would be forced to comply with the order if they didn’t agree voluntarily as emergency services needed to concentrate their efforts on protecting the most vulnerable people.

Noah Lyle, Femke Bol and Mondo Duplantis are among the athletes expected to compete in Paris.

The FFA, which organizes the meet, said it would be staged in “an adapted format designed to ensure the safety of all participants.”

Only competitions involving professional athletes will be held, with all other activities cancelled.

“Since the beginning of this extreme weather event, the French Athletics Federation has been closely monitoring the situation in constant coordination with government authorities. The safety of athletes, coaches, volunteers, officials, spectators and all staff involved remains our highest priority,” the FFA said.

Among the measures put in place to mitigate the effects of the heat, the FFA cited delaying the opening of the stadium gates to the public, reinforcing medical and emergency services and providing additional drinking water stations and shaded areas.

The average temperature recorded at 30 weather stations by the Meteo France weather agency on Thursday reached 30 degrees C (86F) again, matching the record for the hottest day nationwide set the previous day.

More than three-quarters of France has been placed under a red weather alert for the first time.

___

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Russian air defenses intercepted 660 Ukrainian drones, Russia’s Defense Ministry said. The previous biggest Ukrainian attack over the past year, as Ukraine has accelerated its drone development, involved 556 drones on May 17.

In an effort to turn the tables on Russia’s grinding war of attrition, Ukrainian long-range drones have been battering oil production and energy facilities behind the front line and deep inside Russia.

The campaign has choked Russian fuel supplies and military deliveries, stalling Moscow's efforts on the battlefield, Western officials and analysts say, and has heaped pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.

A Russian chemical plant is reportedly hit

Initial damage reports from Russia after the overnight attack provided scant information. Russia’s Defense Ministry usually doesn't say what was targeted in Ukraine’s drone attacks, nor does it detail any damage.

Russian independent online outlet Astra reported that a chemical plant and a hydroelectric plant in Novomoskovsk were attacked and caught fire. The Associated Press couldn’t independently verify the report, and there was no official confirmation.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that 47 Ukrainian drones were downed as they flew toward the Russian capital. He did not report any casualties or damage.

Ukraine’s Security Service said it used drones to strike Russian navy ships and air defense radars in Kerch, an important port city in Crimea.

The targets were two reconnaissance and minelaying ships, the Volga and the Vyatka, and the cargo-passenger ferry Petropavlovsk, the agency said, claiming that the strikes started a large fire. The claim could not be independently verified.

Zelenskyy hints at a 40-day blitz of Russia

The major attack came hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on X that he had ordered “a 40-day influence operation,” believed to mean an escalation of attacks, aimed at “compelling (Russia) to end the war” after U.S. peace efforts over the past year yielded no breakthrough.

Still, as they have occasionally in the past, Russia and Ukraine exchanged prisoners of war, with 160 from each side returning home on Friday, officials said.

Ukraine has racked up a list of successful strikes, including hitting targets in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Zelenskyy said he got further promises of foreign support when he attended a recent summit of G7 leaders, including from U.S. President Donald Trump, and that the promised aid will help Ukraine step up its effort to force Putin to the negotiating table.

A NATO summit next month could be another key moment in beefing up Ukraine's military.

Russian attacks killed 3 civilians and wounded 29, Ukraine says

Two people were killed and seven were wounded in Russian attacks on the northeastern Kharkiv region over the previous 24 hours, regional head Oleh Syniehubov said Friday.

Russian forces struck the city of Kharkiv and 16 other settlements across the region, Syniehubov added.

On Friday morning, another Russian drone attack on downtown Izium, a city in the Kharkiv region, killed a woman and wounded three other people, emergency services said.

Attacks in the capital, Kyiv, the southern Odesa and Zaporizhzhia regions, and Sumy in the northeast, also left at least 19 people wounded, including a 9-year-old, according to authorities. Some of the Russian attacks used powerful glide bombs and also targeted gas stations.

Ukraine’s defenses overnight stopped 174 of 189 Russian drones, the Ukrainian air force said. However, four of seven Iskander-M ballistic missiles that were fired got through air defenses and struck various locations, it said.

No Russian military buildup seen on border with Belarus, Ukraine says

Russia is expanding several of its military sites deep inside Belarus, but there is no buildup of forces near the Ukrainian border, a State Border Guard Service spokesman said Friday.

Russia launched its 2022 invasion of Ukraine from Belarus, which borders both countries, and Kyiv has kept a close watch on developments there during the war.

Ukrainian intelligence units have detected no grouping or reinforcement of Russian units, equipment or personnel close to the border, spokesman Andrii Demchenko said in remarks to Ukrainian television.

However, Russia has a growing number of training grounds, bases and other sites deeper inside the country, according to intelligence units.

___

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

Air Chief Marshal John Stringer, NATO Deputy Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, spoke to AP in London less than two weeks before the crucial Ankara summit on July 7-8 tests the cohesion of the 77-year-old alliance.

U.S. President Donald Trump has sent conflicting signals over America's force posture in Europe and has threatened to leave the alliance. He has also unnerved European leaders with his push to annex Greenland and his flattery of NATO adversary Russian President Vladimir Putin. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth lambasted NATO allies last week for not allowing use of their bases to attack Iran, as he announced a surprise six-month review of American forces in Europe.

Meanwhile, in the U.K. — the country which holds the position of NATO deputy supreme allied commander — government ministers quit recently over what they said were military spending plans that fail to keep Britain safe.

Summits are “highly political events and they are a demonstration of any organization’s unity,” said Stringer, a senior British air force officer. It would be strange if there weren't moments of turbulence over decades of NATO expanding, he said.

“Are we in one of those moments at the moment? Yes, we are,” Stringer said during a military conference in London where AP also interviewed other senior European military officials about their hopes — and fears — for the summit.

NATO's European members step up on defense

Trump has long urged European allies to take more responsibility for their own defense, and with the notable exception of Spain they have largely heeded with an unprecedented effort to spend more on their armed forces.

Russia is increasingly threatening Europe, so allies should boost their own militaries while helping Ukraine degrade Russia's fighting power, said Maj. Gen. Indrek Sirel, a commander in Estonia's armed forces.

“Europe as a whole has a lot to do in order to be credible against Russia,” said Brig. Gen. Jyri Raitasalo of Finland, which shares NATO's longest border with Russia.

Stringer said European nations are investing to generate a “really credible force,” citing as an example how some countries are quadrupling production of 155 mm artillery shells. The summit will discuss ramping up production in ways the alliance has not had to do in decades, Stringer said.

European military chiefs wait for clarity on US plans

The outcome of Hegseth's six-month review of forces will determine how fast Europeans must take responsibility for their own security. The U.S. military in Europe had said earlier in June that Washington would be withdrawing some capabilities from Europe and expecting other allies to fill the gaps.

The Trump administration says that troop reductions in Europe have long been planned and coordinated with allies, but Sirel said it's still not clear how U.S. forces will be positioned in the Baltic states. That includes some U.S.-led deterrence of Russia on NATO's eastern flank.

Sirel said he was “confident” he could rely on a U.S. presence, though the Estonian military is finding ways to react to sudden changes.

Stringer said it would be difficult to replace U.S. long-range strike and surveillance capabilities, but he was confident allies could bridge the gap — not always with the same equipment, but by mixing a “cocktail” of capabilities.

Only the U.S. operates B1 and B52 bomber aircraft, but Stringer said that, in theory, a loss of their capabilities might be offset by firing missiles from a variety of other systems including from the ground, sea and smaller aircraft.

Changing plans suddenly is not good for defense

NATO allies were bewildered in May when Trump said he would send 5,000 U.S. troops to Poland just weeks after ordering the same number pulled from Europe.

Such sudden changes are challenging because military planning requires long-term strategy, said Raitasalo, the Finnish military's logistics chief. “If you change your mind, or change your plan, every week or every month or even every year, you will not get very good results,” he said.

Raitasalo said the allies need to make clear pledges of capabilities, rather than just promise spending.

Sweden's army chief, Maj. Gen. Jonny Lindfors, said a good outcome from the summit would be “a common picture of how to realign when it comes to deterrence and defense."

Lindfors said he would like at least an outline — if not a “clear vision” — on how defense burdens should shift so that he knows what “NATO 3.0 is starting to look like.”

Britain needs to commit to defense

British Defense Secretary John Healey resigned earlier this month, along with another minister, saying the government was unable and unwilling to commit the resources Britain needs to “defend the country at this time of rising threats.”

At last year’s NATO summit, members agreed to spend 3.5% of their gross domestic product on core defense. The U.K. committed to meeting that target by 2035, but Healey said the proposed defense investment plan would see spending rise to just 2.68% of GDP in 2030.

The new defense secretary, Dan Jarvis, has said Britain will keep its commitments, and the British government has committed to publishing the spending plan.

By the summit, NATO expects nations to have a “credible path” to 3.5%, and the U.K. is “as beholden to that as anybody else," Stringer said.

He said the U.K. cannot presume that “thought leadership” in NATO is enough, and that it must match its “forces and resources."

NATO's credibility is at stake

At last year's summit, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte kept Trump on board by telling him he would achieve “BIG” success at getting allies to spend more on defense.

“It’s a tricky question,” said Lindfors, the Swedish commander, when asked if a key goal for this summit is to avoid a situation where the U.S. president slams his allies.

Stringer said that at this year’s summit it’s important to display “cohesion and unity” among the alliance’s 32 members but also to have “honest” conversations and deliver “credible” plans.

Raitasalo of Finland said the meeting must go beyond traditional “communiques, road maps and action plans" and demonstrate deterrence through deeds. He said if NATO members don't step up and translate promises into action, the “credibility” of the alliance is at stake.

Observers said on Friday the government was responding to evidence that the ban on young children holding accounts on platforms including Facebook, Instagram and YouTube had failed since it came into force on Dec. 10 last year. Australia was the first country in the world to pass legislation keeping youth off social media, but others have since followed.

Albanese told Parliament on Thursday this government was considering options to strengthen the ban.

“We’re working on that as a priority because this is something that other generations didn’t have to deal with, which is why it’s complex,” Albanese told Parliament.

He told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. on Friday the government was asking “are the laws as strong as possible?” and did eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, Australia’s online safety watchdog, “have every power at her disposal?”

Britain announced last week plans to ban children under 16 from a range of platforms to protect them from harmful content and excessive screen time.

Canada, Brazil and Indonesia have introduced legislation or announced age-based restrictions or requirements for children’s access to social media. France, Spain, Denmark, Thailand and South Korea are among others studying or developing similar approaches.

Inman Grant said in April she was considering court action against Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube, alleging they were not doing enough to keep young Australian children off their platforms.

These platforms, as well as X, Kick, Reddit, Threads and Twitch, face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars ($34 million) if they fail to take reasonable steps to remove the accounts of young children.

Melbourne’s RMIT University expert on information sciences Lisa Given said the government’s proposed reform was a response to evidence that the ban was failing. The evidence included eSafety's own data released in March that showed seven in 10 underage children continued to hold accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok since December.

Given also pointed to a study published in the British Medical Journal on Wednesday that found 85% of a group of Australian 12 to 17-year-olds were using restricted platforms.

“I do think it’s failing,” Given said. “Many kids in the media have reported that they also think that this is really a failed exercise.”

The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reported Inman Grant saying in an interview in early June: “I don’t have potent powers.”

“What I would say is a regulator is only as good as the tools and the resources that they’re given,” she is quoted as saying.

The Associated Press asked Inman Grant’s office on Friday to comment on the accuracy of that reporting, but her office did not immediately reply.

Given said Inman Grant faced a challenge in enforcing legislation that platforms were resisting.

“Either the eSafety Commissioner needs more powers or we’ve got to have some other approach to enforcement,” Given said.

Given expected the courts would need to decide what constituted “reasonable steps” required by the law to be taken to keep children off platforms.

Albanese said as part of increased efforts to enforce the social media ban, his government would proceed with digital duty of care legislation which would hold platforms accountable for foreseeable harms caused by content and algorithms.

During a Houston Community Media news briefing focused on challenges facing children and teenagers, Wu said the state’s education system is one of the biggest issues facing young Texans.

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“I would say one of the biggest issues right now, bar none, is our education system,” Wu said.

Wu said Texas schools are not equipped to serve students who come from troubled homes, experience poverty or struggle with mental health and behavioral issues. He also criticized lawmakers for failing to fully fund public education.

“Every year we defund our schools more and more,” Wu said.

According to Wu, lawmakers were told during the 2025 legislative session that Texas public schools faced a $16 billion funding shortfall but only allocated about half that amount. He said the result has been school closures, larger class sizes and increasing pressure on teachers across the state.

“Classroom sizes are getting bigger and bigger. Teachers are getting more and more frustrated,” Wu said.

Wu also criticized the state’s emphasis on standardized testing, arguing that schools are financially incentivized to move students through the system rather than ensure they are learning.

“The system right now is only geared toward testing,” Wu said. “It does not actually care whether students learn or not.”

Wu said the lack of educational resources has also changed how schools respond to student behavior, with law enforcement increasingly becoming involved in situations that were once handled by administrators.

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“Back when I was in school, there were no cops in school,” Wu said. “If you got into a fight, you went to the principal’s office.”

Today, Wu said, students are more likely to be arrested for behavior that previously resulted in disciplinary action, creating what he described as a pipeline into the juvenile justice system.

He argued that placing more police officers on campuses or arming teachers does not address the underlying causes of school violence.

“When we deal with things like school shootings, our response is not to provide mental health care, our response is not to provide social services,” Wu said. “Instead, what we say is, ‘Let’s just put cops in every classroom. Let’s give teachers guns.’ Those don’t actually solve anything.”

Wu, who represents Texas House District 137 and serves as vice chair of the House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence, said his work on juvenile justice began while serving as a prosecutor in the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.

He said that experience taught him the importance of addressing why children enter the justice system rather than focusing solely on punishment.

“A lot of the problems that we see in society, that we see in the criminal justice system, that we see in delinquent children, are problems that we created,” Wu said. “And we put no resources into fixing these problems.”

Wu said Texas has made progress in juvenile justice reform but warned against returning to a “tough on crime” approach.

“What we’ve discovered is simply beating kids harder doesn’t actually change bad behavior,” he said. “It makes kids more violent.”

Wu said improving education, expanding mental health resources and investing in children before they enter the justice system are essential to reducing youth crime and creating better outcomes for families across Texas.

During a news briefing focused on public education, artificial intelligence and social media, the Houston Democrat said she believes students are becoming increasingly reliant on AI instead of learning how to think independently.

“I’m not a fan of AI at all, especially in public education,” Jones said. “Kids are not using their brains.”

Jones, a former Houston ISD trustee, said the rise of AI has made it easier for students to avoid problem-solving, writing and other foundational skills that she believes are essential to learning.

“The one thing before AI, you literally had to use your own brain to figure things out,” she said. “With the advent of AI, kids don’t have to problem solve. They don’t have to spell check. They don’t have to do anything.”

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She said she would require students to handwrite assignments if she were teaching, arguing that writing by hand forces students to think critically and better retain information.

Jones also expressed concerns that AI is affecting higher education and even professional fields such as law, where she practices as an attorney. She pointed to reports of attorneys relying on AI-generated legal citations that turned out to be fabricated.

“I think AI has literally debilitated the human brain,” Jones said.

Jones said she believes children should not be allowed to use AI throughout elementary and middle school and suggested restrictions continue into the first years of high school.

“I don’t know what the magic age is, but it definitely needs to be through elementary, middle school, and probably the first two years of high school,” she said.

She also questioned whether lawmakers are willing to regulate artificial intelligence, saying she believes Texas has not adopted adequate safeguards for students.

“I don’t think there are proper protections for students to be taught to actually use their brains,” Jones said.

Beyond artificial intelligence, Jones said social media is contributing to declining self-esteem among young people by creating unrealistic standards through filters and curated online content.

She said many users compare themselves to edited versions of others’ lives, leading to unhealthy expectations.

“I think social media is really destroying the self-esteem of people,” Jones said.

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Jones also raised concerns about people increasingly turning to AI chatbots instead of licensed mental health professionals.

“I know people who literally talk to ChatGPT like it’s a real person,” she said. “These AI tools are programmed to tell you what you want to hear.”

Jones encouraged news organizations, particularly community and ethnic media outlets, to continue educating families about the risks associated with AI and social media.

She said she is also considering hosting a town hall to discuss the future of education and how parents can help children develop critical thinking skills in an increasingly technology-driven world.

“I actually think people need to talk about it,” Jones said. “Write articles about it. If I do a town hall, come to it.”

Down in the valley, a living museum honoring the Swiss national dog's history — and its future — is marking its first year.

More than 130,000 people have visited Barryland, the world's only space dedicated to St. Bernards, since it opened last summer in Martigny, Switzerland, after outgrowing a much smaller space. Tourists can watch live grooming and physiotherapy sessions, explore the mountain pass with augmented reality technology and learn more about the dogs.

“We have a lot of demand and interest for this breed and this whole history and patrimony,” said Barryland director Mélanie Glassey-Roth. “So we decided to create a new park, a big one.”

At 2,469 meters (8,100 feet) above sea level on the Swiss-Italian border, the Great St. Bernard Pass is one of the country’s highest and most treacherous.

Since the mid-17th century, large mountain dogs have been kept on the pass. They arrived as guard dogs, became companions, and gradually evolved into something the Alpine world had never seen before: Animals with an extraordinary instinct for locating hikers lost in snow and fog.

The breed's name stems from the Great St. Bernard Hospice, which was founded in 1050 by Bernard de Montjoux, the archdeacon of Aosta and future saint, to provide refuge for pilgrims and merchants crossing the dangerous pass. The dogs became central to that mission, and by the early 19th century they had a reputation that was carried across Europe by soldiers of Napoleon Bonaparte following his army's own crossing of the route.

Barry the First, the most celebrated dog, is traditionally credited with saving more than 40 lives when he was at the hospice between 1800 and 1812. At the Barry Foundation, the steward for the breeding program, there is always a male dog called Barry.

Currently, the foundation's 21 keepers care for 32 dogs. Roughly 20 pedigree puppies are born annually. These dogs, as well as other St. Bernards, no longer do mountain rescues because they’re too big to be transported by helicopter. Smaller breeds like Australian shepherds are used instead, though a number of St. Bernards are kept on the pass to keep the tradition alive.

The foundation's dogs typically eat about 10 metric tons (22,046 pounds) of dry food each year and spend their summers gamboling in the remnants of snow in the mountains before heading 40 kilometers (25 miles) down winding roads back to the kennel in Barryland.

“We get to see them born, and we get to see them grow up, and then become mothers, and we get to accompany them through all those different challenges in life,” keeper Alexandra Piatti said. “We are their guide, so we can help them with socialization and educate them, and really be by their side for their whole lives.”

In 2025 alone, the foundation says its dogs completed 609 jobs by visiting hospitals, care homes, schools and prisons across Switzerland.

Keeper Déborah Dini balances the weight of the breed's history with affection for the dogs in her charge.

“We perpetuate the tradition,” she said. “We take care of them. We love them.”

Happy Friday! Hope you’re easing into the day (and the heat) with an extra sip of coffee, or tea, or milk, or whatever you’re drinking this morning.

We’re in Austin again today. The Texas State Board of Education is expected to make a decision on proposed changes to the state’s K-12 curriculum guidelines — including an overhaul of social studies standards and a new statewide reading list that includes biblical verses and stories. The outcome could shape what students learn in the years ahead. You’ll find more of today’s top local stories below, too.

As always, follow us with the latest on Click2Houston.com and watch us live on KPRC 2+.

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TODAY: Texas State Board of Education to vote on K-12 curriculum changes

The Texas State Board of Education could make a decision as soon as today on proposed changes to the state’s K-12 curriculum guidelines, including an overhaul of social studies standards. Another proposal would create a required statewide reading list that includes biblical verses and stories, taking effect in 2030-31 if approved.

12-year-old girl finds mother, stepfather dead in apparent murder-suicide at NW Harris County home

A 12-year-old girl called 911 after finding her mother unresponsive inside a northwest Harris County home late Thursday night, where deputies say they later discovered both her mother and stepfather dead in what investigators believe was an apparent murder-suicide.

The incident happened around 11 p.m. in the 12500 block of Baldwin Springs.

Free domestic violence resources offered in and around the Houston area

As part of our ongoing effort to help people in our community, our team put together a list of groups in the Houston area that can help victims of domestic violence. You’ll find nonprofits, legal experts, and law enforcement who work to help people in our community.

Conroe woman arrested after cemetery mausoleum theft caught on camera, constable says

A Conroe woman accused of stealing keepsakes and valuables from inside a west Houston cemetery mausoleum has been arrested, according to Harris County Precinct 5 Constable Terry Allbritton.

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Airbnb activates anti-party technology in Houston ahead of Fourth of July, World Cup crowds

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The promising 18-year-old shortstop was taking infield practice Tuesday during the MLB draft combine at Chase Field, fluidly handling ground balls before firing to first base. It's one of many reasons the California native has a chance to be selected in the first round of next month's draft.

But if he decides he's not ready to start his professional baseball career, he's committed to play college ball at Duke, which has a successful baseball program and an elite academic reputation.

“It's going to be a difficult decision,” Clark said. “But it's a good one to have."

If MLB gets it's way, it's a decision that future baseball prospects won't get to make.

Owners recently proposed banning high school players from signing with major league teams, raising the age for international amateurs and slashing the money spent on signing bonuses in negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement.

If the league gets its way, starting in 2028, a prospect for the amateur draft would have to be at least 20 years old by the Sept. 1 of his signing year and two years removed from the graduating year of his high school class — a restriction that also would eliminate players who completed their first year of junior college.

Many, many big leaguers began their pro careers right after high school

There are dozens of current MLB stars who signed as teenagers, including Pete Crow-Armstrong, Mike Trout and Bobby Witt Jr. Even more recently, Pirates phenom Konnor Griffin made his MLB debut at 19 years old.

Crow-Armstrong — who was selected as an 18-year-old with the No. 19 overall pick in 2020 out of Harvard-Westlake High School in Los Angeles — was committed to play college baseball at Vanderbilt but decided to begin his pro career instead.

He hopes other young ballplayers will still have that option in the future.

“I got an opportunity to grow up in a really real-life setting and I was really grateful for it,” the All-Star center fielder said earlier this week. “I think if there’s any sport you can go straight from high school, it’s this one. You’re afforded a lot of time in the minor leagues to develop, and that’s kind of the point.”

Cubs pitcher Ben Brown was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies as a 17-year-old in 2017 in the 33rd round — which doesn't even exist anymore after MLB shortened the draft to 20 rounds in 2021. The owners' most recent proposal would shorten the draft to 12 rounds starting in 2027.

Brown said he has fond memories of staying in hotels with roommates in the lower levels of the minors, learning how to budget money on a low salary and being on his own trying to make it in the baseball world.

“It was the greatest blessing in the world for me to go into pro ball at a young age,” Brown said. “I had to work in the offseasons. I did plenty of things just to show up to spring training early. And the Phillies took amazing care of me as a young kid.”

Of course, for every Ben Brown or Pete Crow-Armstrong, there are countless high school signees who never reached the majors. There also are lots of baseball players who want to go to college, earn a degree and then embark on their pro career if things work out.

The college game is growing, and it's changing the calculus

Shortstop Roch Cholowsky was a highly-rated recruit coming out of a high school in Arizona in 2023 but instead played at UCLA for three seasons. Now he could be the No. 1 selection in next month's MLB draft after a standout career with the Bruins.

Still, he had plenty of friends who went straight to the pros out of high school.

“It's different for everybody — whatever is best for you,” Cholowsky said. “A guy like myself needed to go to college. I got to play three years of unbelievable baseball at UCLA, learn a lot and really grow up.”

College baseball has grown rapidly in recent years for many reasons, including that NCAA programs can now offer 34 scholarships instead of the old cap of 11.7. There's also some NIL money available at the top programs, though it's usually not like the high-dollar deals for their football or basketball counterparts.

Mississippi baseball coach Mike Bianco has been at the school for 26 years — winning a national championship in 2022 — and said the college game has become more enticing, with more and more young prospects deciding it's the best option. If MLB bans teenagers from signing out of high school, it likely means the NCAA version becomes even stronger.

Bianco's four sons all played at least some college baseball.

“Even if they had been potential first-round draft picks, I would have made them go to college,” Bianco said. “At the major college level, you're playing the best amateur baseball in the world. You've got a support system that's different than the minor leagues and you're getting educated in lots of different ways.”

MLB takes notice of better college players

In the 2025 MLB draft, 56 college players were selected in the top 90 picks.

Thanks to a variety of factors — especially money and technology — the MLB and NCAA versions of baseball have never been more similar. It’s part of the reason Tony Vitello is now the manager of the San Francisco Giants despite never working or playing for a professional organization before he was hired. That's a first in MLB history.

Athletics slugger Nick Kurtz was last year's AL Rookie of the Year after playing in college at Wake Forest, needing just 210 plate appearances in the minors before dominating MLB pitching with 36 homers and 86 RBIs in 117 games.

Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes was a star pitcher at LSU before being drafted in 2023 and needed just 34 innings in the minors before making it to the big leagues. He was obviously ready — winning NL Rookie of the Year in 2024 and the Cy Young award in 2025.

From the MLB perspective, it's become advantageous to let prospects develop in college instead of drafting them as teenagers, paying large signing bonuses, and then trying to project their growth. Currently, each MLB team runs five levels of domestic minor leagues, which can get expensive.

Streamlining that process is enticing. The minors are already shrinking — MLB cut 40 minor league affiliates back in 2020. MLB has said it will not seek to reduce the 120 minor league teams in the top four levels when it negotiates new professional development licenses in 2030 to replace expiring 10-year deals. But the makeup of those 120 teams will surely be different if no players are signing out of high school.

“These guys trust (college) programs,” Arizona State coach Willie Bloomquist said earlier this spring. “They say, ‘We’ll just watch them in college in three years at a Power 4 program, see how they development and then we’ll go get them.’”

___

AP Baseball Writers Mike Fitzpatrick and Ronald Blum contributed to this story.

___

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

TOKYO — In Shibuya, home to one of Tokyo’s busiest train stations and shopping destinations, seniors can choose a monitoring service and the city will install it and pay for the service subscription for up to a year.

They can pick Hello Light, an LED lightbulb that autonomously sends text messages to caretakers when the light hasn’t been turned on for a while.

Or, MaBeee, a battery that powers TV remotes, lights and other small devices and alerts family members when they are not being used.

There’s also Bocco, which can store medication reminders, transmit weather alerts and tell when the home is too hot or too cold. A nod to Japan’s affinity for anthropomorphic packaging, the messaging device is shaped like a small snowman.

“One of the biggest problems we have in Japan, in this [elder care] industry, is the gap between the demand and the supply because there are a growing number of elderly people but we are understaffed,” said Masaru Yamaoka, general manager of Panasonic’s Smart Aging Project, one of many divisions housed within Japan’s corporate brands focused on technology for the aging population.

Finding sustainable, low-cost ways to care for the elderly population is a problem Texas is all too familiar with and Japan, home to the world’s largest over-65 population at 36 million, is beating Texas in solving.

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Chronic workforce shortages along with rising costs to care for a growing older population have prompted Japan — from companies to local governments — to heavily invest in technology to make it easier for family members to remotely monitor the elderly. The country’s aim is to keep aging residents in their homes, rather than in an expensive nursing home, for as long as they can.

Texas shares the same goal. Keeping older Texans healthier in their own home not only costs both the healthcare system less, but most people prefer it.

“I’ve never heard anyone say, ‘Gee, I hope I end up in a long-term care facility,” said Karen Fingerman, director of the Texas Aging and Longevity Center at the University of Texas at Austin. “If you’re going to have all this technology, which most of us have some, at least, wouldn’t it be better if it were more usable and it were designed as you get older to have the ability to help you stay in your own home?”

Compared to Japan, Texas has far fewer seniors at 4.4 million, but they are among the fastest growing population segments. By 2040, the number of older Texans will grow to 6.8 million and by 2060 reach 9.2 million.

Healthcare workforce shortages, sparse public transportation and spotty internet reliability, particularly in rural areas, where 28% of Texas’ over-65 population lives, isolate many older Texans and deprive them of access to healthcare, which can worsen their outcomes and accelerate the need for expensive residential care.

While most elderly Texans live in their own homes, roughly 80% of the 87,000 Texans who live in nursing homes are over the age of 65. Most of them rely on Medicaid, the insurance plan for low-income individuals, to pay for their care. Medicare, the insurance plan for Americans 65 and older, only covers short term stays following a hospitalization.

Medicaid spending on Texans over the age of 65 totaled over $8 billion in 2023, according to health policy researchers at KFF. Their analysis of Medicare, which pays for the bulk of healthcare costs for seniors, was $28 billion in Texas in 2021. The Texas Legislature, which reconvenes in January, has made the rising cost of healthcare a primary focus for next year, as it did in 2023.

“People want choices,” said Mark Hollis, spokesperson for AARP Texas. “They want options and they deserve to have good affordable safe options where they want to live out their lives.”

In Japan, building nursing homes to accommodate the next 20 years of aging baby boomers seems an expensive investment when the number of seniors in subsequent generations will eventually start to decline.

An estimated 2.7% of older Japanese, or about 1 million, live in residential care facilities. About 6.7 million Japanese over the age of 65 live alone and most of the rest live with family members, spouses, adult children or extended family. Japan’s community-based, government-funded home healthcare service help seniors live in their own homes. Still, more than 58,000 people over the age of 65 were found dead in their homes last year.

To keep seniors living independently and healthily, corporations and local governments in Japan have turned to developing and distributing at no cost to seniors ‘mimamori’ products, or monitoring technology. Less intrusive than a security camera, these drop-in services and personalized chatbots direct older residents on how to maintain their physical and mental health in their own home and keep an open line of communication with caregivers.

“In 2040, the number of elderly people who need [residential] care will decrease,” Panasonic’s Yamaoka said. “We are going to see many elderly people staying at home. That’s why we believe that these kind of systems will be necessary in Japan. 
And we also believe the communication model will be in demand.”

While Japan has worked for decades on making its transportation and cities elderly-friendly and it fared better than Western countries because of stricter infection controls, the pandemic revealed new vulnerabilities. “It became very difficult to rely entirely on human beings to visit elderly people, especially due to COVID,” said Akihiro Hioki, the aging services chief for Shibuya City, one of Tokyo’s 23 wards or districts.

That’s why taking a look at Japan’s less publicized age-tech world, one far from the gushy news streaming daily from robotics labs, could prove instructive for Texas.

“We don’t need, you know, an army of robots, just to make sure that mom’s good,” said Darryl Greer, a regional program manager for AARP’s Older Adults Technology Services, which offers digital literacy programs for seniors.

By 2021, Shibuya City embarked on an ambitious project: handing out 3,000 smart phones to its older residents preloaded with disaster and health apps. The phones gave residents better access to municipal notifications, forms and payment portals, as well as communication applications like Line, the Asian version of WhatsApp. The city also launched in-person classes on how to use them.

“We realized that we need to have a mixed solution with human power and also, technology,” Hioki said. By 2024, Shibuya declared the effort a success with more older residents switching from their old flip phones to smart phones.

Then, last year, Shibuya became one of several cities in Japan offering to install monitoring options, like Hello Light, MaBeee and Bocco, in older residents’ homes.

“COVID was a turning point,” said Yuichiro Suzuki, chief operating officer for Tokyo-based Yukai which makes Bocco. “So many people, in my generation, they were not able to go visit our parents.” They needed a way to check on family members that didn’t require boarding a bullet train to see them in person, he said.

It’s not clear exactly how many monitoring services are available nor a way to accurately capture exactly how many cities offer to front the costs for them. But, the Japanese see the technology as a way to ward off social isolation and depression that can greatly exacerbate a senior’s health problems.

“If elderly people feel they have a pain in the knee, they avoid going out many times, and then because of the less interaction, they might suffer depression,” Panasonic’s Yamaoka said. “And that’s kind of like a domino effect.” Health starts to deteriorate for the individual and hastens a move to a residential facility.

Companies have a vested interest in these devices because if their employees can offload some of their responsibilities of caretaking onto technology, they can remain more productive at work, Yamaoka said. 

Many municipalities also pay for an app called Health Mileage created by cellphone service company NTT Docomo. To sign up, a participating organization, such as a local municipality, must first invite residents to join and they can use it to track their steps. Officials will also use the app to push out programs to encourage walking, such as new walking paths and events.

Local governments “will encourage their residents to use this application,” Satoshi Hiyama, NTT Docomo’s senior manager of Medical & Healthcare Tech Group, said. “Because if they have more healthy residents, they will reduce medical costs.” 

More than a dozen cities also offer a partial subsidy to those over the age of 70 who live alone for NTT Docomo’s Chikaku, which means nearby. For less than $20 a month, the popular subscription-based device that’s shaped like a white house turns the user’s television set into a videophone and monitor. While there are some similar services in the U.S. like Grandpad or JubileeTV, The Texas Tribune was unable to locate a Texas city that subsidizes them for residents.

With permission of the older user, Chikaku allows remote relatives to use a phone app to login to their elderly loved one’s televisions to see if their parents are available for a call and conduct a chat from there.

Local and federal officials want to lower healthcare costs because in the country’s nationalized healthcare system, the government has to pay for most of it. Residents here pay about 30% of their care.

Unfettered healthcare access has allowed the rapidly growing older population to disproportionately use the system. Because the elderly often treat hospital waiting rooms like community centers, the Japanese often joke that if they don’t show up one day, they must actually be sick.

To brace for Japan’s silver tsunami, the federal government in 2000 started requiring workers aged 40 and older to pay a monthly long-term care insurance premium that subsidizes the country’s elder care services. Still, about 70% of Japan’s hospitals operate today at a loss.

Cities see technology as a way to bring down costs.

“We believe there is a growing demand among elderly people and their family members for these types of monitoring services,” said Hioki, Shibuya City’s aging services chief. “We need to work for the improvement of the welfare of the residents. That’s our task.”

What Texas could do today and learn from countries with far larger senior populations could help offset future healthcare costs.

The state’s Aging Texas Well strategic plan, a general roadmap for state, local and nonprofits stakeholders, identifies social isolation as a factor that can exacerbate health issues, details how residential care options are limited and expensive, and urges Texas leaders to make resources easier to locate and use.

“The overwhelming majority of older adults wish to age in place or age in their community to have the best quality of life,” the plan’s 2026-2027 update stated. “Moreover, it is more cost effective to assist older adults and their family caregivers to do this through long-term supportive services than it is to age in an institutional or nursing home setting.”

Other than nursing homes, many also live in assisted living facilities. It’s estimated that 1.4% of older Americans live in assisted living, which would mean about 60,000 senior Texans. Moving to an assisted living community, which offers personal care services, medication management and meals for those older individuals who need it, is also expensive, running between $3,000 and $6,000 a month. Medicaid does not pay for that monthly assisted living bill, only for some services received while living there. Medicare pays nothing toward assisted living.

Texas’ plan considers access to technology a key element in reducing social isolation and improving health for senior Texans who want to live as independently as possible as long as possible.

The state maintains an Age Well Live Well page that lists resources for older adults including how they and their caregivers can find one of the state’s 28 Area Agencies on Aging for more information on local programs. But there is no centralized effort in Texas at this time to improve online access or monitoring efforts like those seen in Japan to help seniors stay healthy in their own homes. Local Texas nonprofits are doing much of the technology heavy-lift, focused mostly on improving the digital literacy of older Texans.

Thanks to assistance from Methodist Healthcare Ministries, Bastrop County Cares is one of those nonprofits invested in helping seniors connect to technology. It gives participants a smartphone, tablet or laptop if they complete a digital literacy class.

The county has also received $43 million in a state broadband grant plus $11 million from a local broadband provider to improve connectivity in this rapidly growing community. With better service on the way, more older adults are interested in getting better connected to telehealth and relatives.

“They recognize that they need it and they just don’t know how to get the training,” said Norma Mercado, Bastrop County Cares’ executive director. “But once they do, it’s made living in their own homes so much easier.”

Judy Kanas, 84, lives in a community that is growing dramatically and as a result, has more resources such as the computer class she attended through Bastrop County Cares this month.

The retired social worker and legal assistant came to class hoping to better navigate healthcare providers’ portals, which have bedeviled her own aging desktop at home. Healthcare appointments are critical at this stage of life for Kanas, who has Type 1 diabetes, and her husband, who has cancer. The couple drives 30-plus miles to Austin for doctors appointments because they want to live in their home as long as they can.

“We have deer that come and drink our water, and it’s kind of country living and I don’t want to give that up,” Kanas said.

Namkee Choi, a gerontology professor at the University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work, has been researching better ways to get more seniors, particularly low-income seniors, access to telehealth counseling sessions on tablets and computers.

“They want to live in their home using whatever freedom they have,” said Choi.

Choi said many lower-income individuals are confined to cellphone plans with limited minutes. But her research shows that if access challenges are conquered, older adults are able to quickly pick up the skills to log on and not only sign up for appointments, but build new social connections with others.

According to the state’s strategic aging plan, social isolation increases the risk for premature death by 29%.

Greer, the manager at AARP’s digital literacy organization, works in San Antonio with other community partners to get more older adults online. As technology has become easier to operate, more are interested.

“Some folks, they really embrace it,” he said. “And with some of our students, especially here in San Antonio, it’s like, some of them feel like technology was never really designed for them because they worked vocationally.”

The state’s aging future depends on greater flexibility in our existing support systems, says Hollis with Texas AARP.

“We encourage both the public sector and the private sector to be mindful of the needs of a rapidly aging population,” Hollis said. “There’s certainly room for growth, thinking innovatively about liveable communities for people of all ages.”

Disclosure: AARP, AARP Texas and University of Texas at Austin have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

Both teams got what they wanted most out of their meaningless meeting before the Americans head on to the knockout stage — and coach Mauricio Pochettino was annoyed by any suggestion that the Americans' last-gasp, 3-2 defeat said anything negative about the state of his team.

Kaan Ayhan scored on the final kick of the match to send Turkey past the U.S. in the eighth minute of stoppage time for its only win of the World Cup.

The result was meaningless to the Americans, who will meet Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Round of 32 on Wednesday. Pochettino sent out nine new starters, including eight who were starting a World Cup match for the first time.

The U.S. tied it early in the second half on a goal by Sebastian Berhalter, and the Americans got within a few seconds of an unbeaten run through the group stage. But in his postgame news conference, Pochettino expressed his annoyance with what he perceived as disappointment in the result.

“For you not say congratulations that we won the group, that is a little bit sad,” Pochettino told reporters.

“What we need to remember is we won first place in this group,” Pochettino added while speaking in Spanish and English. “We ended up being No. 1, and we managed all the pressure and the expectations quite well. We had other priorities. We wanted to win. We did want the victory, but there are other things we needed to balance out, and that’s how I made the decisions. ... Making history is winning the World Cup, not just winning the group. It’s a little bit petty, if you will. You’re thinking just a little bit too small.”

Auston Trusty scored in the third minute for the Americans, who beat Paraguay and Australia by a combined 6-1 to book their place in the knockouts.

Pochettino fielded nearly an entirely new lineup for this low-stakes game, notably resting all four key players who picked up yellow cards earlier in the tournament.

Christian Pulisic entered in the 58th minute, however. The AC Milan midfielder hadn’t played since the first half of the Americans’ opener due to a calf injury, and he was involved in a couple of early scoring chances before getting beaten on the wing on Turkey’s winning goal.

“We could have done better on some defensive plays, but it happens,” said Brenden Aaronson, one of nine new starters chosen by Pochettino for the group finale.

“You make (nine) changes, and the team might not be used to as the guys that have been playing," Aaronson added. "It showed the hustle, the aggressiveness of the team. I think it’s a positive, because Turkey is a top team. They might have not performed their best throughout this tournament, but their quality is on the pitch and you can see it.”

Berhalter said he doesn’t believe the Americans lost any momentum from this close defeat.

“You saw the second half, how we came out,” said Berhalter, who tied it in the 49th minute by running on to a loose ball about 20 yards out for a vicious strike. “I think we deserved more out of that game. We slipped in the last second of the game. ... We gave everything we had, and we’ll be ready for the knockouts. The guys did well. We fought. Unfortunate not to get a result, but we’ll be ready for sure.”

Arda Güler and Orkun Kökçü scored in the first half of a resilient performance by Turkey, which had already been eliminated after losing its first two matches despite largely dominating both statistically.

Turkey improbably won in the eighth minute of stoppage time when Can Uzun got the ball in space on the back post and pushed it past sprawling goalkeeper Matt Turner to Ayhan, who slid to knock it home.

“I’m super-happy with how my players played tonight,” Turkey coach Vincenzo Montella said through an interpreter. “They showcased all of their skills, all of their abilities, all of their character. Playing the way they played tonight in an away match, against a very loud crowd, if they weren’t as strong as they are, they wouldn’t have made it tonight.

"I’m really happy for the Turkish people. I can say that we can go back home with our chin up.”

Indeed, the game’s meaninglessness didn’t matter to the raucous sellout crowd that packed SoFi Stadium. The American team’s fan base has been energized by its strong start to this home World Cup -- and this Los Angeles-area crowd was still chanting and standing when Berhalter airmailed a long corner to Trusty, who made the stadium shake when he banged it home inside the back post.

Trusty’s goal was the Americans’ seventh of the tournament, tying their scoring record for any World Cup before knockout play even begins. It was also the 173rd goal of this tournament, breaking the record for the most combined goals scored in a World Cup set in Qatar four years ago — and doing it in four fewer matches.

___

AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/FIFA-World-Cup

The expanded tournament to 48 teams that provides a spot in the knockout round for eight of the 12 third-place teams in the group stage led to the cautious approach for both teams in their final Group D match after they each entered with three points thanks to wins over Turkey.

The winner of this game was assured second place behind the United States in the group with Australia also clinching that spot with a draw thanks to a better goal differential than Paraguay. But the draw that gave Paraguay four points in the group also was likely to be enough barring a string of bad results in the final two days of group play.

“We tried to win the game," Australia coach Tony Popovic said. "In the end, a draw was enough for both nations. Congratulations to Paraguay as well. ... I’m sure as we are feeling euphoria and joy as a nation, I’m sure Paraguay is as well.”

This marks the third time that Australia has advanced to the knockout round after losing in the round of 16 in 2006 and 2022. The Socceroos will play in the round of 32 on July 3 in Arlington, Texas, against the second-place finisher from Group G that will be determined Friday night.

“We really did work hard for this moment and I think we should enjoy it,” midfielder Ajdin Hrustic said.

Paraguay must wait to learn its fate, but is in good position to advance to the knockout round for the fifth time.

“Now we have to wait,” coach Gustavo Alfaro said. “I am optimistic that we will be able to move on to the next phase.”

The Socceroos had the best chances in the first half, but Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill stopped an early attempt from Jackson Irvine and then made another save in stoppage time against Cristian Volpato.

The cautious play continued in the second half when Paraguay did have more possession than in the opening 45 minutes but neither team came close to scoring. Jordan Bos had the best chance for Australia in the 90th minute, but his shot went wide from the right side of the box.

Patrick Beach then made a save for Australia on a low shot by Mauricio that lacked power in stoppage time.

“You can have opinions on how the game was played or what we both thought we needed," Popovic said. “We at no stage felt we were playing for a draw. I felt we controlled the game quite well, were in control and had the better opportunities. We just gave one away at the end from the edge of the box, which was a heart in the mouth moment unfortunately for us.”

Popovic made six changes to his lineup for the game, including giving 18-year-old Lucas Herrington his first World Cup appearance. Herrington, who plays for the Colorado Rapids in the MLS, became the youngest Aussie to appear in a World Cup game.

Paraguay midfielder Diego Gomez got his second yellow card of group play and will miss the round of 32 if the team advances.

“We wanted a positive result, but it couldn’t be done,” Gomez said. “There is a lot to work on, (lots) to get done, lots of things to improve on.”

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See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

Uzan joined forward/center Chris Cenac Jr, who was taken by the Celtics with the #27 overall pick in the NBA Draft First Round on Tuesday.

Uzan became the fourth member of the Cougars’ 2025-26 team to sign a professional contract. He joined Cenac, point guard Kingston Flemings (First Round • #8 overall • Atlanta Hawks) and guard Emanuel Sharp (#45 overall • Sacramento Kings • Second Round).

Daniel Marin, FIFA's executive director of public relations, read a statement on behalf of the Iranian team in light of the Pride celebration in Seattle on Friday. Egypt and Iran are two of the most repressive places in the world for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, but they coincidentally will play each other while the host city honors the LGBTQ+ community.

“This Islamic Republic of the Iran Football Federation has asked us to inform the media that they are only willing to answer questions in relation to the game,” Marin said. “We fully respect the right of all journalists to ask questions. In this case, we ask you respect the rights of the federation here today to only answer questions in relation to the team, the tactics, the match, and so on.”

Nonetheless, Amir Ghalenoei was peppered with questions about what will transpire inside Lumen Field and around the stadium on Friday.

In December, both countries asked for the Pride-themed celebrations to be canceled. FIFA treats the rainbow flag as a statement of human rights and will allow fans to wave it inside the stadium, according to Hana Tadesse, a spokesperson for Seattle's World Cup organizing committee.

Egypt took a similar approach to the Iranians in trying to steer the conversation back to the match and away from the Pride festivities. At Thursday's practice at Husky Soccer Stadium in Seattle, Egypt players were barred from answering questions about Pride. Team staffers stepped in and would not allow reporters to ask such questions.

“We are all focused on football,” Egypt coach Hossam Hassan said in Arabic. "This is all that we think about.”

With a win, Iran could advance to the tournament’s knockout stage for the first time.

“I said to you earlier we are here to play football. For nothing else,” Ghalenoei said in response to a reporter’s question in Farsi. “Our entire focus is going to be on tomorrow’s game, on succeeding in tomorrow’s game. And, anything else that is banned ... we don’t want to speak about it.

“We are only going to speak about football, what a beautiful game it is, and how enjoyable it’s going to be.”

Iran has faced numerous complications off the field. The team has endured travel restrictions imposed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in light of the war in Iran.

In March, Iran sought to move its group-stage matches to Mexico, with which it has diplomatic ties. Its request to move its base camp from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana was granted two weeks before the team’s arrival. Several team officials and members of the support staff have been barred from traveling into the U.S. with the team.

For the first two matches, near Los Angeles, the team was not permitted to travel until the day before and had to return to Mexico immediately after each game. The U.S. then eased its restrictions, allowing the squad to travel to Seattle two days before Friday’s match.

Ghalenoei said the team is in a better position with its fitness as a result.

“This was a right that we should have had in the two previous games,” Ghalenoei said. “They deprived us of the right to arrive in time. ... What they did for us this time, they didn’t do for the two previous games.”

Ghalenoei commended FIFA president Gianni Infantino for doing the “utmost” to “minimize the challenges” Iran has faced.

But on Friday, Iran is sure to be tested in multiple ways. Egypt is in first place in Group G, and Iran will try to focus strictly on its opponent.

“We are not going to think about what is going on outside of the pitch, because the game is going to be so arduous,” Ghalenoei said. “It is going to be so exciting that we are going to have our total focus on that. We are representatives of our great Iranian nation and great Iranian country, and football only. We are only focused on football, and nothing else.”

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See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here.

These were top of mind as Nike designed its uniform kits for this year’s World Cup, including for football powerhouses France and Brazil as well as the U.S. and Canada in their role as host nations.

In a tournament that has seen storm delays and temperatures hovering around 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius) in some locations, the first step was to ensure players' performance and comfort.

Phil McCartney, chief innovation, design and product officer for Nike, said the company worked with athletes, coaches and football federations to understand how uniforms affect the game.

“We also talk to fans — so what does it mean to wear a Uruguay jersey, what does it mean to represent France, what does it mean to play for Canada?” McCartney told The Associated Press. “We take that and we merge that with all the science and the innovation to make sure that we have beautiful designs.”

Adidas, which designed jerseys for defending champion Argentina, host nation Mexico and Colombia, also unveiled cooling gear for the tournament. Puma designed the kits for Portugal as well as Morocco and Senegal, the two finalists at the most recent African Cup of Nations.

While the three companies are behind most of this year's kits, some teams are sporting uniforms designed by other apparel makers.

Testing facility features thermal chambers and robot mannequins

On a recent morning, McCartney spoke from the sports research lab at Nike’s headquarters just outside Portland, Oregon, where experimentation helped the kits come to life.

The indoor facility includes a 200-meter (219-yard) track, a small football pitch and a basketball court, with hundreds of motion-capture cameras placed throughout. Thermal chambers replicate the effects of heat and humidity on apparel donned by people or robot mannequins.

“We take motion-capture to see how they’re moving in the kit, how the kits are responding,” McCartney said. “We also use the thermal chambers that we have to test the kit’s breathability, to test wicking and moisture management.”

For the World Cup kits, Nike engineered a new fabric that it says is more breathable and made from fully recycled materials. The way the jerseys are knit, with mesh stitching in certain areas allowing more air flow, helps “get that thermal regulation that all the players have been asking for,” McCartney said.

Despite all the testing, the rollout of the kit was still a bit bumpy.

During matches earlier this year, bulges could be seen in the shoulder seams on jerseys for teams including France and Uruguay, the Guardian reported.

When asked by AP, Nike said it was able to identify the issue before the start of the World Cup, and worked with federations “to ensure kits show up as intended.”

Designs incorporate symbols of national pride

While a kit’s physical attributes are important for athletes, its appearance is just as significant for fans who sport the jerseys and want to feel connected to their team.

“We take inspiration from lots of different places, from the past, from art, from music, from culture, so anything that gets us connected to the country we really want to harness,” McCartney said.

France’s away kit, for example, is a light green akin to the Statue of Liberty, which France gifted to the U.S. in the late 19th century. The interior tag features the word “Liberté” inside a silhouette of the monument’s crown.

On the front of the jersey there's a rooster — an emblem of the national team and the country itself — and two stars representing France's two previous World Cup victories.

France's home kit features a collar — as does Uruguay's. The decision to use collars comes from the federations, Nike said, with France leaning into its history as a fashion capital and Uruguay looking to evoke a more classic football look. In previous decades, many uniforms included collars.

Key national symbols were also considered when designing kits for the U.S. and Canada. The home kit for the U.S. features horizontal red and white stripes reminiscent of a waving American flag, while Canada’s displays a prominent maple leaf.

“Especially in an event like the World Cup, we really play into national pride,” McCartney said.

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See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here.

The World Weather Attribution rapid study released Friday found that the heat would have been virtually impossible just five decades ago, and is 200 times more likely today than it would have been 20 years ago.

Millions in France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and elsewhere in Europe are experiencing extreme temperatures and humidity this week associated with a heat dome. Daytime temperatures have topped 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in many places, while high nighttime temperatures have also made it harder to cool down and recover.

The scientists estimated that a heat wave with similar characteristics occurring in the climate of June 1976 would have been about 3.5 degrees Celsius (6.3 Fahrenheit) cooler during the day and about 2 degrees Celsius cooler (3.6 Fahrenheit) in 2003. The nighttime temperatures would have been about 2.4 degrees Celsius (4.3 Fahrenheit) cooler in June 1976 and about 1.3 degrees Celsius (2.3 Fahrenheit) cooler in 2003.

They chose 1976 and 2003 for comparison because those years saw extreme heat in Europe.

“The increase in temperatures was so dramatic that we would have expected to have never seen this event in the 1976 climate,” said the study’s lead author Theodore Keeping, also a climate scientist at the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial College London. “And it would also still have been very, very rare, even 23 years ago in 2003.”

Climate change is the driving force behind the heat

World Weather Attribution, a Europe-based collaborative of scientists who study the causes of global extreme weather events, began assessing in 2015 the extent to which those could be attributed to climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas. The organization’s rapid attribution studies, including this one, aren’t peer-reviewed but use peer-reviewed methodology.

The current study used observed temperature data and forecasts for an analysis of the heat wave that started on June 18.

It also found that 45% of the 850 cities analyzed across 30 European countries have broken, or are expected to hit, records for heat stress levels, a measure that includes humidity and temperature.

"It directly relates to the heat stress on the human body and our ability to cool ourselves down, and it’s a really good metric for the expected health impacts we expect to see from this heat wave,” Keeping said. Heat and humidity make for a dangerous combination for humans.

Ultimately, this marks the most severe heat wave to have ever been recorded in this region of Europe and most severe humid heat event, WWA researchers said.

Europe is especially unequipped for these extreme temperatures

Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent, with temperatures increasing at twice the speed as the global average since the 1980s, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. In a separate study last year, WWA researchers found there were about 1,500 climate change-caused deaths during a European heat wave last summer.

This week, weather agencies across Europe have issued red alerts about heat risks, and sporting events, schools, public transportation and attractions have been limited as a result. Many of these countries do not have widespread air conditioning or other infrastructure to account for warmer climates. France, which has been bearing much of the brunt of the heat wave, recorded its hottest day ever this week, and has also reported 40 deaths from drownings as people seek cooling relief.

The WWA scientists said the current El Nino warming cycle did not influence this heat.

Europe also experienced record-shattering high temperatures in May. Typically, Europe does not see dramatically warmer weather until July and August.

The findings of the study released Friday are reasonable, but may downplay climate change's role in the heat, said Michael Mann, a climate scientist at the University of Pennsylvania who was not involved in the research.

“If anything, this latest assessment — and all similar assessments — are actually underestimating the role that climate change is playing here,” said Mann, who has separately studied how climate change is increasing heat stress in North America.

Keeping, the study author, said the Europe heat wave shows the need to adapt infrastructure and behavior to extreme temperatures.

"We need to expect them to happen. They’re only going to become more frequent in the near term,” Keeping said. “We also need to address the source of climate change as well. And that is very simply carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels.”

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

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Read more of AP’s climate coverage.

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The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

If your grocery routine could use a refresh, there’s a new stop worth exploring. Sprouts Farmers Market has officially opened its newest Houston-area location in Webster, bringing its signature mix of fresh produce, natural foods, pantry staples, and specialty products to Bay Area Boulevard just off Interstate 45.

Known for its farmers market feel, Sprouts has built a loyal following by stocking everything from seasonal fruits and vegetables to gluten-free, dairy-free, plant-based, and organic products. The bright, open layout is designed to encourage browsing, making every shopping trip feel a little like a treasure hunt.

One of the biggest conversation starters at the new store is the Moon & Stars Watermelon. Grown exclusively for Sprouts, you won’t find this sweet, juicy, seedless variety anywhere else. Its deep green rind is speckled with golden markings that resemble tiny moons and stars, making it as beautiful as it is delicious.

Store Manager Adam Berry also shared a few insider tips for choosing the perfect watermelon. Instead of tapping on the fruit, Berry recommends paying attention to what you can actually see.

First, look at the blossom end—the small circular mark opposite the stem. The smaller the blossom-end scar, the sweeter the watermelon is likely to be. Next, check for a creamy yellow field spot, the patch where the watermelon rested on the ground while it ripened. According to Berry, the darker the yellow spot, the longer the watermelon spent ripening in the field, allowing it to become sweeter and more flavorful.

As for the age-old tradition of knocking on a watermelon? Berry laughs, “Do you know what you’re listening for?” His advice: skip the guessing game and trust the visual clues instead.

Another shopper favorite is Sprouts’ expansive bulk department, where rows of bins are filled with roasted nuts, dried fruit, granola, trail mixes, spices, coffee beans, baking essentials, and sweet treats. Whether you’re stocking the pantry or buying just enough for a recipe, purchasing only what you need is good for both your wallet and the environment. Guests are even encouraged to bring reusable containers or purchase reusable bulk bags in-store.

Giving back is another part of Sprouts’ mission. Berry says supporting local nonprofits is something the company is passionate about. In addition to donating edible surplus groceries to the Houston Food Bank and sending produce that can’t be donated for animal feed at local farms, Sprouts is always looking for new ways to support organizations in the community. Berry says nonprofits interested in partnering with Sprouts are encouraged to reach out to their local store to learn more about community partnership opportunities.

The new Sprouts Farmers Market is located at 1001 W. Bay Area Boulevard in Webster, just off Interstate 45, and is open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

For more information, visit Sprouts.com.

The only problem, the Dynamo will be out of town playing on the East Coast in a couple of pre-second half of the season scrimmages.

The players told us that they’re happy their country’s team will get to experience Houston and its fans but wish they could be in the stadium to see them play.

However, it’s the continuous reality along some parts of Beltway 8 which is operated by the Harris County Toll Road Authority — better known as HCTRA.

Overall, HCTRA is responsible for a system that consists of 133 miles, and in recent years they’ve launched a “Keep it Moving” campaign designed to attract and sell drivers.

One problem, drivers tell us they are routinely not moving. The system they pay for is not working for them, and as a result they are exiting the Beltway for a faster commute along surface streets.

“We’ve heard that feedback, but we’ve also heard the feedback that the lighting is good on our system, the condition of the roadway is really well,” said Roberto Treviño, the Executive Director of HCTRA.

However, a good roadway and lights? These are baseline expectations for drivers.

But, paying to sit in traffic or to flee from it because surface streets work better is another avenue altogether?

“I can’t speak for the people who are making the decision to get off our system, as we start taking a look at the traffic we are monitoring where the traffic is and we do have plans to address the congestion on our system,” said Treviño to 2 Investigates in a recent interview.

In 2025, HCTRA collected $874 million dollars in toll revenue, according to Treviño.

A system flush with public dollars where salaries are on the rise.

In fact, HCTRA’s finances show that in Treviño’s first year in 2021 he was the only executive making an annual salary over $200,000. The agency lists his salary from five years ago at $287,492.40.

Fast forward to 2026 and the number is now at nine executives making north of $200,000 with Treviño’s publicly funded salary at $490,000.20.

Treviño justified his salary and those of his team with a system that is well-kept and with tolls that have not gone up in ten years.

• 2 INVESTIGATES: Check your address: Houston Public Works admits meter mix-up led to years of inaccurate water bills

The reality is salaries are only part of the picture.

The bigger question is what happens to the hundreds of millions of dollars that leave the toll road system?

After we filed a Texas Public Information Act request, HCTRA provided 2 Investigates with records showing that last year $398,613,574 dollars transferred to Harris County Commissioners for “mobility projects” in their precincts.

So what projects did the dollars go to?

“So that is one of the things, once that transfers out it is no longer in HCTRA’s financials and those projects are no longer operated,” said Treviño.

However, when asked as to who is overseeing these dollars?

Treviño said, “It varies between the county engineer and HCTRA.”

But when reminded that the money goes to the county and he doesn’t get involved with it?

Treviño quickly acknowledged, “I am getting involved now, because here recently commissioners court adopted it, where HCTRA is going to hire a third party auditor. It’s going to audit the use of those funds so that is where my involvement is in now recently.”

An audit!

However, as of right now no real-time transparency exists. Not even a dashboard for drivers to see where their toll dollars are being parked.

“We’ve been very transparent, you can find anything on our website. Anything in the county budget book. There should be no secret as to where the money is going,” said Treviño.

We reminded HCTRA Director there is $398 million dollars going from his agency to the county, yet he did not know of any projects?

“That is not my topic as the Executive Director of HCTRA to speak to. That money got transferred out of HCTRA it is not my responsibility or role at the county to speak on that behalf,” said Treviño.

We did ask Treviño if there was any kind of dashboard to see how hundreds of millions in public dollars transferred from HCTRA to the county are being spent, but he admitted, “I cannot point you to any one specific dashboard.”

However, he did admit that, “I think transparency is a great idea. How you do that is not up to me to decide? But I’m all about transparency and I support transparency but I am not going to be the decider as to how that is going to be conveyed to the citizens of Harris County and our users.”

The U.S. Park Police responded June 9 to a complaint by the park service, said Frank Lands, deputy director of operations for the park service. Lands made the statement in a court document filed late Wednesday as part of a lawsuit filed by a nonprofit organization to halt the Trump administration's work on the project.

His statement does not say when exactly the damage occurred or whether it was a suspected case of vandalism and does not identify anyone who might have been involved.

The police report indicates damage to the pool, "including a caulk over the foam sealant that was cut with a sharp knife or razor and destruction of delaminating surface material,'' Lands said. About 70 fence post tops also were thrown into the pool, he said.

The statements are the first time the Republican administration has offered specifics for when and how the Reflecting Pool may have been damaged after work on the project was substantially completed.

Interior Department thought the reported damage was an ‘isolated incident'

A spokesperson for the Interior Department said Thursday that public notification about the damage was delayed because, “at the time of the June 9 incident, the vandalism was under investigation and believed to be isolated. So as not to encourage deranged individuals, we did not announce what we hoped to be an isolated incident.”

Around the same time, park service staff "discovered another incident where fencing around the pool had been forcibly removed and thrown into the pool,'' the spokesperson said in an email.

The department soon noticed that "recurring cases and videos of people ripping at the coating began to circulate. We then knew this was not an isolated incident, but a new trend to attempt to damage the Reflecting Pool,'' the email said.

President Donald Trump and other officials have repeatedly blamed, without citing evidence, unidentified vandals for peeling paint as well as a “350-foot gash” in the liner and other problems. Six people have been arrested, Trump said this week, without providing details.

The Interior Department said Thursday there have been seven arrests, seven federal citations and 18 police reports filed. The department did not specify what the charges were or identify anyone cited by police.

Trump pledged to beautify the century-old Reflecting Pool before the nation’s 250th birthday celebrations, draining its water and directing the bottom to be painted a color he called “American flag blue.” But after the site was restored, its water was plagued by an algae bloom for more than a week, and pieces of the new coating have appeared to be peeling off the bottom. The pool has largely cleared in recent days after devices called nanobubblers infused ozone into the water to kill algae and bacteria.

Trump's administration faces a self-imposed deadline to complete the renovation before July Fourth. Trump also has said the federal government would release images to substantiate his claim.

Trump said Wednesday that “sick people” had used razors and box cutters to slice portions of the lining.

Reflecting Pool was refilled between June 4 and June 9

The Associated Press reviewed videos showing that the Reflecting Pool was refilled between June 4 and June 9, meaning the alleged cut reported to law enforcement on June 9 could have occurred before the basin was fully refilled. Days later, pieces of the new blue liner were observed peeling up from the bottom.

The Park Police posted surveillance footage Wednesday evening and asked for help “identifying the individual depicted here in connection with a Destruction of Government Property investigation.” The grainy, 30-second video appears to show a person kneeling down, reaching into the reflecting pool and removing something from the water. Police said it was taken on Friday afternoon.

In his statement to the court, Lands said the parks agency plans to begin draining the Reflecting Pool following Independence Day celebrations to conduct repairs, including assessing and repairing any damage to the lining.

The park service completed more than two months of renovations at the Reflecting Pool in early June. The 2,000-foot-long basin was drained and a tinted, plastic-like liner was installed to waterproof and protect the concrete pool surface, and the pool was refilled with water, Lands said.

The Cultural Landscape Foundation, an education and advocacy group that sued in May to halt work on the project, asked a federal judge to block further renovations.

“It is also not too late to correct course,” the group wrote in a filing Monday. It urged the administration to “engage with experts and the public, and make an informed decision about what is best based on the consultations mandated by the law, instead of once again rushing ahead with half-baked ideas.”

Democrats call for investigations into the pool renovations

Congressional Democrats have called for formal investigations into the pool renovations, saying no-bid contracts for the project were awarded to vendors with prior ties to Trump.

Ohio-based Green Water Solutions, also known as Greenwater Services, was given a $1.7 million contract to install a water-purification system in the Reflecting Pool, while Virginia-based Atlantic Industrial Coatings was awarded $14.7 million to repaint and waterproof the pool’s concrete floor.

Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations panel overseeing the Interior Department's budget, said the pool renovation appears to be a waste of taxpayers’ dollars.

“After railing about waste, fraud and abuse, Donald Trump spent more than $16 million on a renovation of the Reflecting Pool that’s now peeling and chock full of algae,” Merkley said Thursday. He said this is a "massive waste" of tax dollars and the public deserves "swift answers — and a refund.”

Merkley is one of about 10 Democratic senators and House members investigating the pool project.

"Taxpayers deserve a full explanation of how these failures occurred and who will be held accountable for correcting them,'' said another letter, signed by New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich and five other senators.

Heinrich is the top Democrat on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which oversees the Interior Department.

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Associated Press writers Michael Kunzelman and Michael Biesecker contributed to this report.