Discussion

At 900 PM GMT (2100 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Hanna was located near latitude 34.0 North, longitude 44.5 West. Hanna is moving toward the southeast near 12 mph (19 km/h) and and this motion is forecast to continue with a decrease in forward speed through Wednesday morning, followed by a turn to the east-northeast.

Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph (65 km/h) with higher gusts. Gradual weakening is expected during the next couple of days, and Hanna is likely to become a post-tropical cyclone by Thursday.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles (110 km) from the center.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 1005 mb (29.68 inches).

Watches and Warnings

There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.

Land Hazards

None.

Discussion

At 500 PM AST (2100 UTC), the center of Post-Tropical Cyclone Fay was located near latitude 23.7 North, longitude 48.2 West. The post-tropical cyclone is moving toward the west-southwest near 12 mph (19 km/h), and this motion is expected to continue for the next couple of days.

Maximum sustained winds are near 30 mph (45 km/h) with higher gusts. Little change in strength is forecast, and Fay is forecast to dissipate in a day or so.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 1011 mb (29.86 inches).

Watches and Warnings

There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.

Land Hazards

None.

Large swaths of seats, especially in the upper deck, sat empty while right-hander AJ Blumbaugh delivered the game’s first pitch at 4:10 p.m.

The bottom two levels were much more filled than the upper deck, but many seats in the lower two decks were also empty.

The announced attendance was 34,011, in a park with a capacity of 40,963.

Major League Baseball has previously had trouble filling stadiums for some afternoon games in the wild-card round. When Cleveland hosted Detroit last year, the series opener started at 1:08 p.m. with 26,186 in attendance. All three games in that series were played in front of fewer than 30,000 fans. The Tampa Bay Rays drew just 19,704 for an ALWCS opener against Texas in 2023 that started at 3:08 p.m., the lowest attendance for a non-COVID MLB postseason game since the 1919 World Series.

Houston returned to the playoffs after missing out last year despite finishing 81-81. It's the first time a team made the postseason without a winning record in a non-shortened season.

All those empty seats are a rare sight in a ballpark that is normally packed for the postseason. And some of the fans that did show up weren't too happy with the performance of the home team with boos raining down on the Astros in the first and second innings as they fell behind 3-0.

The Astros averaged 30,519 fans per game during the regular season, which ranked 14th in the majors.

Houston fought through an injury-plagued season to reach the playoffs for the ninth time in 10 years. The Astros reached the American League Championship Series seven straight times from 2017-23 and advanced to the World Series four times, winning championships in 2017 and 2022.

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See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Staff members at the North East Independent School District campus told KSAT about the rodents and their concerns about a potential lingering issue earlier this month.

The rodents appear to be attracted to the science building because several pets — including fish, snakes and gerbils — are housed inside classrooms, NEISD said.

“Food for those animals is sometimes not stored correctly, which needs to be corrected,” a NEISD spokesperson said.

The district said this isn’t the first time the school has dealt with the issue. A separate rodent issue occurred last spring, according to NEISD, but it “was resolved and eradicated.”

“Teachers have been given classroom expectations to help, and pest control continues to make routine visits,” NEISD said.

The district said Roosevelt staff filed multiple work orders to fix the rodent issue, and pest control units had made prior visits to the campus.

Read also:

• Stevens HS graduate, basketball co-captain killed in West Texas rollover crash, DPS says
• SAWS crews respond to water main break on North Side after street flooding reported

Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a Venezuelan national, was shot by an ICE officer in Austin on Sept. 20. He was taken to Dell Seton Medical Center, where he was released and taken into ICE custody three hours later with the bullet remaining in his back. He has since remained at a detention center in Pearsall.

Federal prosecutors say that Garces Perez was first pulled over by ICE officers after they had observed him exiting a restaurant and identified him as having a final order of removal.

The officers identified themselves as immigration agents and Garces Perez handed them his Texas driver license, the court documents say. One officer was wearing a body worn camera that captured the incident. The other officer, the one that eventually shot Garces Perez, was not wearing a camera. The court documents do not name the two agents.

According to Garces Perez’s statement to investigators, he knew that he would be detained, so he asked to park in a different location. The officers and Garces Perez give conflicting statements over when emergency lights were activated and if the officers struck Garces Perez’s vehicle.

Garces Perez disregarded the officers’ commands to exit the vehicle and he fled the scene. As he pulled away from the scene, his driver’s side mirror hit one of the officers in the torso, according to the criminal complaint.

After a brief vehicle chase, one ICE officer claims that Garces Perez attempted to strike him with his car, which is when the officer shot Garces Perez in the back.

Several members of Congress and advocacy groups have called for Garces Perez’s release from detention due to his medical needs, which they claim are not being adequately addressed by ICE. U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, D-Austin, visited Garces Perez last Wednesday and described him as in high spirits but in pain and in need of surgery.

“This person needs a doctor, not a deportation or a detention center,” Casar said in a news conference last week.

This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune.

Both teams won their District 13-4A-I openers last week. Tivy crushed LBJ Austin 70-14. Davenport topped Canyon Lake 56-41.

>> 12’s Top 12: Week 6, 2026

In Tivy’s win, starting quarterback Cohen Stehling set a new school record for passing yards in a single game with 515 yards and eight touchdowns. The sophomore topped the previous mark of 503 yards set by Johnny Manziel in 2010.

Manziel would later star at Texas A&M, winning the Heisman Trophy in 2012.

Davenport quarterback Tristan Torrez was stellar as well, passing for 319 yards and five touchdowns while rushing for another score. The junior is a dynamic dual-threat quarterback.

Tivy is averaging 65.0 points per game while Davenport is putting up 43 points per contest this season. This matchup has the makings of a high-scoring affair, and both defenses will certainly be tested.

Davenport hosts Tivy on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Davenport High School.

Read also:

• How school districts plan for inclement weather during athletic events

With scattered activity expected Thursday and Friday, the decision affects not only athletes, but everyone who turns out for a game.

“We’ve got student athletes, we got coaches, we’ve got the band, concessions, police, nurses. And so when we’re trying to make these decisions, we got to be very slow with it,” said Jay Govan, North East ISD executive director of athletics. “But we’ve got heed on the advice that you give us to make sure that we’re keeping kids safe, we’re keeping parents and everybody that’s coming to the game safe.”

>> Click here for the latest forecast

Govan said the district is watching conditions and expects to have more information the closer it gets to game time, at which point it can decide whether to keep events where they are or adjust them.

“We’re just watching it, seeing what’s going to happen,” Govan said. “Hopefully the closer we get to it, the more information we have, we’ll be able to make a decision to decide if we’re going to stay where we are or if we have to adjust games according to what’s out there.”

Rain alone is not the main obstacle, Govan said.

“It’s the lightning that really bothers us, but when it’s raining it’s really not a big deal,” Govan said.

There are several games scheduled for Thursday night in the San Antonio area, but no decisions have been made on the status of those games as of Tuesday evening.

Read also:

• Gov. Greg Abbott discusses how Texas will prepare for this week’s flood threat

Polo struck the Mexican state of Baja California Sur in the morning with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (175 kph). It crossed the Gulf of California and weakened to become a tropical storm as it moved inland to the northeast, and its remnants were expected to reach the U.S. by Tuesday night.

North-central New Mexico, including Albuquerque and Santa Fe, could feel the brunt of the severe weather, with as much as 3 to 4 inches (about 8 to 10 centimeters) of rain through Wednesday and possibly more, forecasters said.

That is after storms rolled through parts of the U.S. Southwest overnight Monday, saturating the ground, which can make flooding worse.

Southwest US sees heavy rains, floods

Bands of rain continued to sweep across the U.S. Southwest, causing desert rivers to surge and usually dry arroyos to rage with floodwater. Nearly all of the region was under flood watches as the complex system of tropical weather — with Polo the main event — spread northeast from Mexico.

“Definitely looking at the chances for urban flooding,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Carter Greulich in Albuquerque. “Don’t drive through flooded roadways. Remain out of the arroyos, especially in our urban areas.”

The system made a brisk pass through Phoenix early Tuesday, dumping up to 2 inches (5 centimeters) of rain before tapering. North of the city, a truck was swept away in a wash in the New River area. The driver got out safely, Maricopa County sheriff’s officials said.

The rocky, desert area typically gets less than 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain annually with little vegetation to soak it up, making flash flooding a perpetual risk.

Near Zion National Park in Utah, the East Fork of the Virgin River raged with chocolate floodwater seen carrying a shipping container downstream.

In the small town of Orderville, Utah, where flooding began Monday night, Sabrina Dubay was driving home when her partner called and told her to stay away.

“The river came in and swept around the entirety of our house,” Dubay said, adding that her partner told her, “We’re about to lose everything.”

A camper, snowmobile trailer, and other items from Dubay’s yard were swept away by the river. Neighbors and friends arrived to dig a trench around the house as the water rose around their home.

“It was coming in through our front doors,” she said.

Flooding also was reported in southern New Mexico. An unusually soggy September across the region set the stage: When the ground is saturated, rainfall has nowhere to go but run off.

“Runoff is likely going to start much quicker and lead to those flooding impacts quicker,” Greulich said.

Forecasters said the flood risk would move into parts of the central U.S. beginning late Tuesday and into Wednesday. Starting late Wednesday, widespread heavy rain was expected to hit the Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio areas. Life-threatening flash flooding was possible, with low-lying areas especially vulnerable.

Parts of west Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa were under flood watch through Thursday, with some areas expecting up to 5 inches (13 centimeters) of rain.

‘We were lucky’

Hurricane Polo pummeled Baja California Sur with powerful winds and rain as it made landfall.

After Polo passed over the small fishing town of Puerto San Carlos on the Baja California peninsula, residents waded among downed trees through ankle-high water that flooded some homes. Seeing their roughened community largely intact brought relief to those who had prepared for the worst.

Shopkeeper Elbia María Bachomo, 40, picked through furniture strewn through her home. She and her three children had gathered their clothes quickly and left for a shelter Monday as water began flooding into their home.

Her husband was out on the water fishing for sardines when Polo hit. Bachomo said he was fortunate to escape alive.

“I thought, ‘Oh no, what are we going to come back to? We will be left with nothing.’ But we were lucky,” she said.

Polo was expected to produce 6 to 12 inches (about 15 to 30 centimeters) of rain across parts of Baja California Sur.

About 700 people remained in shelters Tuesday. But they were expected to return to their homes, and no serious damage or deaths were immediately reported, according to authorities.

Meanwhile, the hurricane center reported Tropical Storm Rachel was moving parallel to Mexico’s coast early Tuesday. The storm was about 265 miles (425 kilometers) southwest of Lazaro Cardenos with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (105 kph). It was moving west-northwest at 13 mph (20 kph).

Pacific storm activity greater than normal this season

In the central Pacific Ocean, Hurricane Nolo remained a dangerous Category 3 hurricane on Tuesday as it edged away from Hawaii after drenching parts of the Big Island over the weekend.

The hurricane was approaching Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, a marine conservation area, according to the hurricane center.

Pacific storm activity has been above average this year. That's consistent with El Niño years.

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Janetsky reported from Mexico City. Eduardo Verdugo in Puerto San Carlos, Mexico, Julie Walker in New York, Mead Gruver in Fort Collins, Colorado, Mikella Schuettler in Phoenix, Sarah Raza in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Eugene Garcia and Gregory Bull in Hilo, Hawaii, contributed to this report.

John and Christina Mayich, parents of 21-year-old Matthew Mayich, released a statement through the family attorney on Tuesday, concurring with a letter sent by seven Arizona State hockey players to university president Michael Crow on Monday. The players asked the university to place the coaches involved in the Aug. 20 workout to be placed on administrative leave until an investigation by an outside agency is completed.

The letter was sent anonymously through an attorney because the players feared retribution from the coaching staff.

“We’ve heard some things about what our family wants that aren’t right, so we want to be clear: we want this team to have a great season and we’ll be cheering for you,” the Mayichs said through attorney Rob Carey. “But the coaches who ran that workout on August 20 need to be removed while an independent investigation gets to the truth. The players shouldn’t have to worry about retaliation from the people they report to every day."

Mayich, a 21-year-old defenseman who was drafted by the St. Louis Blues, collapsed during an outdoor workout on the first day the NCAA allows official activities. He suffered from external heat stroke that reduced flow of oxygen to his brain and is unlikely to recover, Carey said.

The letter sent by the players called out discrepancies from an initial probe by Arizona State and asked for an interim coaching staff be put in place if the coaches involved are placed on leave.

“Nobody should keep quiet about what they think should happen because they believe that’s what we want. It isn’t,” the Mayichs said. "If anyone wants to know what we want, ask us. We want the truth, and we want it done in a way that lets the boys focus on hockey instead of wondering whether their coaches think they talked. Mostly, we want accountability for what happened to our son, and we want his teammates to be safe.”

The Arizona State police department is investigating the incident and a report will be sent to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office for independent review when completed.

Arizona’s House and Senate education committee chairs called for an independent investigation of Arizona State’s hockey workout after reading the letter from the players.

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See AP’s full sports coverage here

Today on Texas Eats NOW:

ON THE MENU | PHARM TABLE

611 S Presa St, Ste 106, San Antonio, TX 78210

Pharm Table is an award-winning apothecary kitchen in San Antonio’s Southtown and King William area from chef and founder Elizabeth Johnson, featuring globally inspired dishes built around a health-conscious, anti-inflammatory approach to food. The menu draws inspiration from Latin American, Asian, Mediterranean, and Ayurvedic traditions while emphasizing seasonal, plant-forward ingredients and selectively sourced meats. The restaurant avoids ingredients such as wheat, dairy, refined sugar, and heavily processed foods, and works with local and regenerative farms when possible. Guests can also explore botanical cocktails and mocktails, natural wines, and two outdoor patios with views of the Tower of the Americas. Pharm Table’s focus on food, sustainability, and the natural world made it a fitting partner for the upcoming Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival.

ON THE MENU | MONARCH BUTTERFLY & POLLINATOR FESTIVAL

Brackenridge Park, 3700 N St. Mary’s St, San Antonio, TX 78209

The 11th Annual Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival returns to Brackenridge Park on Saturday, Oct. 3, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., offering a free, family-friendly celebration centered on monarch butterflies, pollinators, and environmental education. Presented by Project Bloom and Blooming with Birdie, the festival features live monarch tagging with Monarch Watch, the Bizzee BumbleBee life cycle adventure, a Monarch Migration Obstacle Course, and the Lights Out! Bird City Maze. More than 50 education and environmental partners will participate, with additional activities including free plant and tree giveaways, live music, local food vendors, face painting, and a pollinator procession. Shuttle and trolley options will also be available to help attendees travel to and from the event.

TRY IT TUESDAY | THE AMAZING BACON WIZARD

The Amazing Bacon Wizard promises an easier way to prepare up to a pound of bacon in the microwave by hanging strips vertically from a collapsible rack and allowing excess grease to drip into a tray below. On “Try It Tuesday,” David Elder put the kitchen gadget to the test, but the results did not live up to the promise. Cooking the bacon took about 18 minutes, with some portions coming out burnt while others were undercooked, and the process left plenty of grease splattered inside the microwave. While the BPA-free, dishwasher-safe gadget folds flat for storage and eliminates the need for a frying pan, the lengthy cook time, uneven results, and messy cleanup left the Texas Eats NOW team unimpressed.

WILL IT SLUSHY? | PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE

In honor of National Coffee Day, “Will It Slushy?” gave one of fall’s most recognizable drinks an icy makeover as David Elder put pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks and Dutch Bros into the Ninja SLUSHi machine. The recurring Texas Eats NOW challenge pits drinks against each other to find out whether they taste better, worse, or just plain strange after being transformed into frozen slushies. This time, neither pumpkin spice latte survived the experiment particularly well, with the freezing process changing the flavor and leaving the team preferring both drinks in their original form. The verdict was clear: Pumpkin spice may work hot or iced, but turning it into a slushy did not improve either.

TEAM BUILDING TUESDAY | BEANBOOZLED

The Texas Eats NOW crew put their taste buds and teamwork to the test with Jelly Belly’s BeanBoozled, a candy roulette game where identical-looking jelly beans can taste either surprisingly good or spectacularly awful. David Elder, Andre Glover, Alex Mathison, and David Hinojosa took turns choosing beans without knowing whether they would get flavors such as Strawberry Banana Smoothie or Dead Fish, Berry Blue or Toothpaste, Juicy Pear or Booger, and Cappuccino or Liver & Onions. Because each good and bad flavor pair looks virtually identical, there is no way to know what is coming until someone takes a bite. The unpredictable reactions make BeanBoozled equal parts candy challenge and team-building exercise, although some flavors make it considerably harder to be a team player.

Follow Texas Eats and David Elder on Facebook and Instagram for more food info, pictures, videos and giveaways.

• Facebook: @TexasEatsTV
• Instagram: @texaseatstv
• TikTok: @ElderEats
• Twitter: @TexasEatsTV

A jury determined Israel Anthony Cortez, 28, killed his friend Robert Neaves, 25, in a fatal 2023 stabbing. Cortez was sentenced to 40 years in state prison and is guilty of second-degree manslaughter, the DA’s office said.

Three years ago, KSAT reported Cortez called 911 to tell police that his friend showed up to his house with a stab wound in his chest and injuries to his face. Neaves was taken to a local hospital where he would later be pronounced dead.

In 2023, Police said Cortez denied being with Neaves before the incident.

That evening and the following day, San Antonio police said two people called the authorities and said Cortez admitted to stabbing Neaves during a fight. The DA’s office said he confessed to his mother about the stabbing.

A witness told investigators that Cortez described the stabbing as accidental, the DA’s office said.

Read also:

• Man arrested following fatal stabbing after initially telling police he wasn’t involved, SAPD says

Velasquez is the founder and CEO of Nopalera, a modern Mexican beauty and lifestyle brand built around the nopal cactus. She says the brand offers a full line of bath and body products, including shower gels, body scrubs, creams and fragrances, all rooted in Mexican botanical ingredients.

She launched the company in November 2020 from her Brooklyn apartment, with no outside funding, no savings and no business background. She was working three jobs and raising her daughter at the time.

“There were just no premium Latina beauty brands,” Velasquez said. “If you look at food and beverage — plenty of tequilas, plenty of salsas — but in beauty, there were just no Latina premium beauty brands. And so to me, it was a massive gap, an opportunity to speak to today’s consumer, which is me.”

That first year, Nopalera brought in $600,000 in sales. The brand has since grown to $2 million, then $4 million, and is on track to close this year at around $7 million in revenue. It is now carried in Nordstrom, Kohl’s, Credo Beauty and more than 400 boutiques nationwide, and is sold in four countries.

Before launching Nopalera, Velasquez spent 15 years as the lead singer of the Latin alternative band Pistolera, which toured internationally and had its music featured on “Breaking Bad” and “Sons of Anarchy.” She says the music industry prepared her for entrepreneurship in ways she didn’t expect.

“What music taught me is resilience — because it’s one rejection after the other,” Velasquez said. “You have to be able to deal with rejection. And I think most people give up because they can’t.”

In January 2023, Velasquez appeared on Season 14 of ABC’s “Shark Tank,” where she received two offers — one from Kevin O’Leary and one from Kind Bar founder Daniel Lubetzky. She turned both down, saying the equity stakes were too high.

“My ancestors are whispering in my ear,” she said on the show, “and they’re saying, ‘mija, no te desprecias.’ Don’t undervalue yourself.”

After the episode aired, she raised $4 million in a Series A round — a quarter of which came from San Antonio investors. She moved to the city just over a year ago and says the support she found here was unlike anything she experienced during her 26 years in New York City.

“I was in the middle of a Series A raise when I moved here, and a quarter of that money came from San Antonio,” Velasquez said. “So that just goes to show you the amount of people that are excited to support small businesses.”

Velasquez was a keynote speaker Tuesday at Texas Public Radio as part of SA Startup + Tech Week. She said the city’s small business ecosystem is something entrepreneurs elsewhere simply don’t have access to.

“What San Antonio has here in terms of supporting small businesses is very unique,” she said. “And everyone that has an idea or a desire to start a small business should take full advantage of all of the resources that exist.”

SA Startup and Tech Week runs through the end of this week. A full schedule of events is available at the link here.

Read also:

• San Antonio’s small business economy is booming — here’s what the numbers actually show
• This San Antonio veteran is building a tech company — and she wants other vets to do the same
• Thinking about starting a business in San Antonio? Here’s what it actually takes

Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, 28, was charged with one count of assaulting, resisting and impeding a federal officer, according to a criminal complaint. Garces Perez, whose attorney has said he still has a bullet lodged in his back from the Sept. 20 shooting, made an initial court appearance in an Austin federal court on Tuesday, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Texas.

A nine-page affidavit from a Department of Homeland Security agent amounts to the government's fullest public account to date of the shooting in the Texas capital, which has set off protests and outrage from Democrats over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. The document includes photos taken from body-worn cameras but no video was released, and the complaint did not say whether the agent allegedly struck by the side mirror sustained any injuries.

The accusations against Garces Perez are reminiscent of previous claims made by immigration agents after high-profile shootings, in which officers have similarly accused drivers of weaponizing their vehicles. In a handful of cases, those allegations have been undermined or walked back after the release of body-worn camera footage, and have renewed scrutiny about the DHS's reliance on vehicular stops to execute arrests.

Garces Perez was in the custody of U.S. Marshals after being removed from a federal detention center in South Texas, according to court documents filed by federal prosecutors. Separately, Garces Perez's attorneys have filed a lawsuit seeking to stop his removal from the U.S.

During the federal court hearing Tuesday, Garces Perez was in “extremely bad medical condition,” his lawyer Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch said, describing him as light-headed, nauseated and confused about what was happening. For the nine days since he has been incarcerated, Lincoln-Goldfinch said, Garces Perez has not stopped pleading for surgery to remove the bullet, which is preventing him from moving his arm without pain. DHS did not immediately respond to questions on Tuesday afternoon about Garces Perez's medical treatment.

If convicted, Garces Perez faces up to 20 years in prison.

Affidavit says agent was struck in torso by side mirror

According to an affidavit signed by a DHS agent, officers first saw Garces Perez's car parked outside of a restaurant with its emergency flashers on. They decided to pull him over after conducting a database check that showed the car was registered to Garces Perez who had a final order of removal from the U.S.

The agents said that they turned on their lights to execute the stop, but in the same filing, Garces Perez told investigators that an unmarked SUV followed him and then abruptly cut him off on the side of the road.

Garces Perez, who was making a DoorDash delivery, provided his driver's license through a crack in the window, but ignored agents' requests to step out of the car, the complaint said. Garces Perez told investigators that he declined to exit because he had asked for officers to wait to apprehend him until his wife could come retrieve his car. Court documents describe the interaction as initially conversational, with a tone that was “pleasant and not aggressive.”

About a minute later, according to court records, Garces Perez “abruptly” closed the window and drove off. One of the officers, who is referred to only by his initials, was struck in his torso with the driver’s side view mirror when Garces Perez tried to drive away, the documents say.

Officer who fired wasn't wearing body camera

The unnamed officer who shot Garces Perez wasn’t wearing a body camera. The other officer involved in the chase was wearing a camera, but only caught up to the chase after Garces Perez had been shot, according to the affidavit.

ICE has previously said its field officers nationwide will have body-worn cameras by the end of September.

The affidavit included screenshots from previously unreleased body-worn camera footage of the officer’s initial interactions with ICE agents. The first of three photos appears to show the officer standing in front of Garces Perez’s driver’s door mirror; the second shows the officer resting his hands on the hood and side of Garces Perez’s car, with the mirror close to or touching the officer’s abdomen; and the third appears to show the car pulling away.

Lincoln-Goldfinch called on DHS to release the full body-worn camera footage, rather than screenshots that she said could be misleading.

“This is an example of the government playing games with my client’s life and safety,” she said.

The Austin Police Department last week released video from its officers. But that footage did not show the shooting or the moment that Garces Perez allegedly tried driving away.

Conflicting accounts of lead-up to shooting

The affidavit includes Garces Perez providing his account to federal investigators, which paints a contrasting picture of the lead-up to the shooting than what federal prosecutors described.

According to the affidavit, Garces Perez said that a law enforcement SUV struck his car after a brief chase and caused it to spin before an agent opened fire, shooting him in the back. By contrast, U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons said in a statement that Garces Perez tried to strike an officer with his car, “causing the officer to fire his pistol."

Garces Perez entered the U.S. in 2024 using CBP One, a program begun under President Joe Biden that allowed migrants to make appointments with U.S. authorities to be considered for asylum. President Trump ended the program on his first day in office.

Garces Perez was an asylum seeker and had a valid work permit, according to his lawyer. She said a judge issued a deportation order after Garces Perez missed an immigration court hearing because the notice was sent to a former address.

Others have faced charges following ICE shootings

The shooting occurred amid a surge in ICE enforcement across the U.S. during President Donald Trump’s second term. ICE reported more than 50,000 monthly arrests in July and August — a first for the agency.

Immigration officers have come under intense scrutiny for shootings that have occurred since Trump took office in January 2025 — at least 10 of which have been fatal. On a few occasions, federal law enforcement has charged the person shot by immigration officers with assault.

A woman shot several times by Border Patrol officers in Chicago and a man shot in the leg by an ICE agent in Minneapolis were both accused of assaulting officers, but in both cases the charges were dropped. The ICE officer in Minneapolis has since been charged with lying about getting assaulted before shooting the man in the leg.

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Riddle reported from Los Angeles.

Curtis Wilkie Beasley was pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m. following a three-drug injection at Florida State Prison near Starke. He was convicted of first-degree murder, robbery and grand theft auto in the 1995 killing of Carolyn Monfort at her home south of Orlando.

The death chamber curtain opened at 6 p.m. with Beasley already strapped to a gurney with an IV in his arm. A spiritual adviser sat at his feet, remaining there throughout the execution.

When a warden asked whether he wished to make a final statement, Beasley said, “I want to apologize for all the mistakes I made.”

The execution began immediately afterward. Beasley breathed heavily as the drugs began flowing. His labored breathing eventually subsided, and the warden checked Beasley’s eyes and shouted his name, but he did not respond.

A medic entered the chamber at 6:11 p.m. and declared Beasley dead soon afterward.

No relatives issued any public statements afterward and it was not apparent whether any of the victim's family had witnessed the execution.

Last week, the Florida Supreme Court rejected arguments that executing a man of Beasley's age who was suffering from cognitive decline would constitute cruel and unusual punishment. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to intervene Tuesday. Beasley was the seventh Florida prisoner over 70 to be executed this year.

Beasley also was the 29th person — all of them men — executed in the U.S. this year. On Wednesday Tennessee plans to execute a woman for the first time in 200 years. Christa Pike, 50, is scheduled to receive a lethal injection for killing a classmate in a jealous rage when both were teenagers.

Arrested while working under a fake name

Court records show Beasley had been staying at Monfort’s home in Dundee in August 1995 while he was pressure-washing and painting nearby apartments owned by her son-in-law. Monfort's daughter went to the woman's home after being unable to reach her for two days and found her body in a blood-splattered laundry room.

Monfort had suffered multiple blunt-force injuries to the head. Investigators found a bloody hammer head wrapped in a towel nearby.

Authorities began searching for Beasley after a witness reported seeing him driving what turned out to be Monfort's car. Investigators determined that he had traveled to Miami and later moved to Alabama, where he was arrested while working under a false name for an electrical company. In 1998, Beasley was convicted and sentenced to death.

Florida has conducted more than half of all U.S. executions this year

Florida is approaching last year's total of 19 executions, a record in the state since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. In July, Florida executed two prisoners in one day, the first state in nearly a decade to do so.

Two more executions are scheduled this year although Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who leaves office in January, has temporarily paused the next one.

William Lee Thompson, 74, is scheduled to be executed Oct. 13 for raping and fatally beating a woman at a Florida motel in 1976. After a doctor recently determined Thompson might have dementia, DeSantis ordered a panel of three psychiatrists to examine him and advise if he is competent to be executed.

DeSantis issued similar stays in 2023 and 2025 though both executions proceeded after evaluations.

William Reaves, 77, is scheduled to be executed on Oct. 20. He was convicted of fatally shooting a deputy outside a convenience store in 1986.

All Florida executions are carried out via injections of a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart, according to the Department of Corrections.

Today on Texas Eats NOW:

FAST FOOD FRIDAY | CHICKEN SANDWICH SHOWDOWN

KFC | POPEYES | CHICK-FIL-A | JOLLIBEE

Fast Food Friday turned into a chicken sandwich showdown as David Elder put regular and spicy chicken sandwiches from KFC, Popeyes, Chick-fil-A, and Jollibee head-to-head. Each restaurant brought its own approach to the fast-food staple, giving the Texas Eats NOW team a chance to compare everything from the chicken and breading to the toppings, sauces, spice, and overall flavor. After tasting all four contenders, Jollibee came out on top in both categories, earning the title of Best Regular Chicken Sandwich and Best Spicy Chicken Sandwich. The taste test highlighted just how different the familiar chicken sandwich can be when four major fast-food restaurants battle for bragging rights.

DAYCATION DESTINATIONS | MISSION MARQUEE PLAZA

3100 Roosevelt Ave., San Antonio, TX 78214

Mission Marquee Plaza on San Antonio’s South Side combines the history of the former Mission Drive-In Theater with free movies, markets, festivals, and other community events. The original drive-in opened in 1948, and its iconic movie screen remains a centerpiece of the 60,000-square-foot plaza, which reopened in its current form in 2014. In recognition of National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, Mission Marquee Plaza will celebrate Latino culture with screenings of “La Bamba” and “Selena.” The pet-friendly venue also hosts outdoor movie nights, farmers and artisans markets, live music, cultural celebrations, and community activities throughout the year. This Daycation Destinations segment was sponsored by Metro Health, the public health agency serving San Antonio and unincorporated areas of Bexar County.

ON THE MENU | TERRY BLACK’S BARBECUE

1310 E. Common St., New Braunfels, TX 78130

Terry Black’s Barbecue has brought its Central Texas-style smoked meats to New Braunfels with a new location that opened Sept. 15 in the former Los Cucos building. The 8,649-square-foot restaurant features market-style ordering, a dedicated 1,400-square-foot pit room, and a two-story covered outdoor deck, giving barbecue fans plenty of room to dig into the Black family’s signature offerings. Diners can order brisket, massive beef ribs, pork ribs, turkey, chopped beef, and original or jalapeño cheese sausage by the pound, along with sandwiches and traditional barbecue sides such as macaroni and cheese. Family packs offer larger spreads for groups, while house-baked peach cobbler provides a sweet finish. The New Braunfels restaurant expands Terry Black’s footprint while keeping the focus on the smoked meats and casual service that have become hallmarks of the Texas barbecue brand.

Follow Texas Eats and David Elder on Facebook and Instagram for more food info, pictures, videos and giveaways.

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The hearing offered a forum for Republicans to try to paint Smith as a political operative and assail him anew for what they contend were politicized prosecutions that unfolded during the 2024 presidential race. Democrats rallied in defense of Smith, eliciting testimony on the legal and factual basis for the criminal cases against the then-candidate and decrying the Trump administration's firing of prosecutors involved in the investigations.

Smith, for his part, defended his work in an hours-long Senate Judiciary Committee hearing — the latest congressional effort to revisit federal cases that accused Trump of conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 race and of hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Both were abandoned after Trump's 2024 election win.

“Anybody who has worked with me and knows me during the course of my career knows that I would not let politics play a role. And I would just add that if you knew the people I worked with, they would not either," Smith said. He lamented what he called an unprecedented assault on the rule of law by the Trump administration, along with terminations of his team that he said had deprived the government of crucial expertise and made the country less safe.

“That has never happened in my career. I have never seen anything remotely like it in any Republican or Democratic administration,” he said.

An effort to accuse Smith of perjury backfires

The testimony did nothing to appease Smith's Republican critics, including Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri, who called Smith a “dirtbag." In the hearing’s most memorable moment, Schmitt asked Smith whether he recalled attending a professional basketball game in Atlanta in February 2024, around the time a local district attorney also prosecuting Trump over election interference was under scrutiny for a romantic relationship with a special prosecutor in the case.

Smith appeared perplexed by the question, which tried to make an unsubstantiated link between the federal and state prosecutions of Trump.

“I do not have a recollection of going to Atlanta," Smith said. “I definitely did not go to a Hawks game. I'm sure of that.”

At that point, staffers held up posterboard displaying a series of text messages that, according to Schmitt, purported to show communications about Smith's attendance at an NBA game between the Atlanta Hawks and the Golden State Warriors.

“I think you've already perjured yourself,” Schmitt said.

The confusion was hashed out minutes later when Smith volunteered that he indeed had gone to a basketball game in February 2024 — an Iowa Hawkeyes women's matchup at the University of Maryland that had nothing to do with the Atlanta Hawks.

“Could it then be that the University of Iowa is the Hawkeyes? Could that be it?” Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar said as she chided Schmitt. “That might be the confusion over the names of the team. But perhaps you should have looked at it more carefully.”

The hearing focused heavily on subpoenas for lawmakers' phone records

Smith was pressed by Republican senators about his access to the phone records of GOP lawmakers as he investigated Trump’s efforts to reverse his loss to Democrat Joe Biden.

Prosecutors issued subpoenas for toll records of numerous Republican members of Congress who were contacted by Trump or his aides on Jan. 6, 2021, the day supporters of the president rioted inside the U.S. Capitol. Smith has said such subpoenas are common in investigations and were necessary in this instance to understand the “scope of the conspiracy” between Trump and his Republican allies.

The subpoenas, he said Tuesday, provided corroborating evidence that Trump and his alleged co-conspirators sought to exploit the violence of the day by invoking it to try to further delay the congressional certification of Biden's win.

“They were taking the fact that law enforcement officers had been brutally assaulted at this institution and using that to seek to delay the proceedings further in violation of the law,” Smith said.

Toll records reveal the date, time and duration of phone calls between two parties but not the content of the communications.

There is no legal prohibition against obtaining the toll records of members of Congress, and Democrats noted that the first Trump administration Justice Department had sought records for representatives of their party during an investigation.

Nonetheless, the revelation that Smith’s team secretly obtained the records has animated Republican lawmakers, who consider it proof of overreach by the Biden administration Justice Department and the hard-charging prosecutor it picked as special counsel. Smith pointed out that he had consulted with and received approval from the Justice Department's Public Integrity Section.

In July, the Republican chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, referred Smith to the Justice Department for potential prosecution on allegations he lied at a previous hearing about the records collection — something Smith and his attorneys have vigorously disputed.

“I stand by my testimony before the House of Representatives,” Smith said Tuesday. “I will not be silenced by the continued threats of prosecution from the president or others.”

Smith faced bitingly personal criticism from Republicans

Smith was appointed by then-Attorney General Merrick Garland to lead investigations into Trump's efforts to reverse his election loss and Trump's retention of classified documents. Smith abandoned the prosecutions after Trump's 2024 win, citing Justice Department opinions that sitting presidents cannot be federally indicted.

Smith has remained a top target of retribution for Trump. Republicans on the committee followed that lead, confronting him in a hearing that frequently devolved into partisan sniping and name-calling and broke along familiar party lines. They sought to cast the prosecutions as a political fishing expedition, accusing Smith of bending procedures in pursuit of Trump.

“The Smith election case ultimately wasn’t just about Trump,” said Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, the committee chairman. “It was about partisan agents and prosecutors mapping out the Republican apparatus.”

During one tense exchange, Republican Sen. John Kennedy grew exasperated as he asked whether the Biden White House instructed the Justice Department to prosecute Trump. Smith said he had “no idea about that,” and that the decision to prosecute Trump was his own.

In an effort to show Smith was being evasive, Kennedy asked Smith whether he believed in the tooth fairy and the Easter Bunny. Smith said no.

“You make me want to throw up in my mouth,” Kennedy said.

Democrats, by contrast, used the hearing to affirm the legitimacy of the Trump investigations and draw out testimony on the scope of criminal conduct that Smith says he and his team found.

Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the committee's top Democrat, accused Republicans of spreading “baseless conspiracy theories” about Smith’s investigations in an effort to “whitewash” the history of Trump’s election loss and the subsequent Capitol attack.

“The aspersions cast on Mr. Smith, nonstop, are petty, personal and political. They are nothing but a smoke screen to distract from the president’s own clear, unlawful conduct," Durbin said.

Officers responded to the shooting just before 5 a.m. Aug. 30 in the 600 block of Hemisfair Plaza Way.

When they arrived, police said they found Jonathan Alderete, 35, with a gunshot wound. He was taken to a hospital and later pronounced dead.

In the 40-second surveillance video released Tuesday, the person of interest is seen an hour before the shooting entering and leaving the Denny’s on East Commerce Street. Police said the man is around 20 to 24 years old and about 5 feet 10 inches tall. In the video, he is wearing red shorts and a black hooded sweatshirt.

Anyone with information on the person of interest is asked to contact SAPD’s homicide unit at 210-207-7635.

Suspect in custody

Days after the shooting, police arrested Isean Hardeman, 23, at a South Side apartment.

Police said there was a physical confrontation between Hardeman and Alderete before he was shot and killed.

According to his arrest affidavit, surveillance video showed Hardeman and three other people taking a basketball that belonged to Alderete.

More coverage of this story on KSAT:

• Affidavit: Man arrested, charged with murder in connection with shooting at Hemisfair Park
• Man shot, killed during fight over property in Hemisfair, police say

Giancarlo Stanton, out since April 24 because of strained calf muscles in both legs, was included. So was center fielder Trent Grisham. Both were on the bench for Game 1 in the best-of-three series.

Sidelined since Sept. 16 by a strained right calf, Judge took live batting practice on the field Monday in an effort to persuade manager Aaron Boone and the medical staff that he could play. Judge walked twice, hit a comebacker to the mound and took a called third strike against teammates Ryan Weathers and Elmer Rodríguez.

The three-time AL MVP had a platelet-poor plasma injection Sept. 21. The 34-year-old slugger was sidelined by a fractured rib from May 31 to Sept. 8 and played in just seven games before the latest injury.

“He’s had a good couple of weeks of obviously really grinding and doing everything he possibly can to be an option. Just felt like he’s not quite there yet,” Boone said Tuesday. “We’ll see about being an option moving forward.”

Judge was limited to 66 games this season. He hit .241 with 18 homers, 41 RBIs and an .871 OPS, including .174 with one homer and three RBIs in September.

Boone met with Judge and the athletic training staff after Monday's workout to inform him of the decision.

“Hopefully these next several days for him are beneficial and he continues to move the needle,” Boone said.

Stanton started the season with a .256 batting average, three homers and 14 RBIs in 24 games. The 36-year-old designated hitter, acquired after winning the NL MVP award in 2017 with Miami, had 38 homers and 100 RBIs in his first season with New York but has missed 500 of 1,194 games since (41.9%).

Stanton is viewed as a right-handed pinch-hitting option against a Boston pitching staff with seven left-handers on the roster.

“He’s never stopped going and stopped grinding even through some tough moments and some tough setbacks, and so he’s put himself in a position," Boone said.

Grisham had been sidelined since straining his right hamstring on Sept. 4. He was among New York’s 16 position players.

Boston Red Sox

Ace left-hander Garrett Crochet, who won last season’s Wild Card Series opener at Yankee Stadium by allowing one run and four hits in 7 2/3 innings, was reinstated from the 60-day injured list and will be available in the bullpen.

“That could be a big arm for us,” manager Chad Tracy said.

The two-time All-Star has not pitched since April 25 because of left shoulder inflammation.

“I don’t think it was an overly difficult decision,” Tracy said. “Obviously, he’s very available tonight. It will be read and react after that. But not closing the doors on anything."

Philadelphia Phillies

Second baseman Luis Arraez, a three-time batting champion, is out for the series against Atlanta after spraining his left ankle last Thursday.

Left-hander Brooks Raley, like Arraez acquired ahead of the trade deadline, also was left off.

Right-hander Jonathan Bowlan and infielder Otto Kemp were included as the Phillies went with 14 position players.

Philadelphia did not include any players it acquired at the trade deadline.

Atlanta Braves

Infielders Rowdy Tellez and Luke Williams were included on the roster by Atlanta, which has 15 position players.

Chicago White Sox

Tommy Pham, a 38-year-old outfielder acquired from Philadelphia on Aug. 31, was among 14 position players picked by Chicago for its series at Houston in a rematch of the 2005 World Series — the Astros moved to the AL for the 2013 season.

Pham hit .429 for Arizona in the 2023 World Series against Texas.

Houston Astros

Right-hander Ethan Pecko, 2-0 with a 3.94 ERA in eight starts from mid-August through the end of the regular season, is injured and was not among the Astros’ 12 pitchers. Steven Okert (hamstring) also was left off.

Houston included Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai, who struggled to a 6-4 record and 4.93 ERA in 15 starts and eight relief appearances after coming to Major League Baseball with a $54 million, three-year contract.

Infielder Reynal Delgado, who played in just three games for the Astros after July 19, was included along with outfielder Joey Loperfido, chosen over LaMonte Wade Jr.

San Diego Padres

Joe Musgrove was among 11 pitchers on the Padres' roster against the Cubs, and the 33-year-old right-hander could make his first big league appearance since the 2024 wild card game.

He left that game against Atlanta after 3 2/3 innings because of elbow tightness and had Tommy John surgery that Oct. 11. He made four minor league appearances this past August but then experienced soreness. In 2021, he threw San Diego's first no-hitter.

“What we’ve seen from him the last week or 10 days has been good, impressive,” manager Craig Stammen said.

Designated hitter Miguel Andujar was included. Right-hander Randy Vásquez and infielder Sung-Mun Song were left off.

Chicago Cubs

Right-hander Kevin Gausman was included despite a left shoulder that was sore after he made a sliding tag at third base on Sept. 23.

Left-hander Caleb Thielbar, who had a 4.86 ERA this year, was not among the Cubs’ 12 pitchers.

Right-handed-hitting Gabriel Arias was among the position players.

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See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Speaking on his radio show Tuesday, Jones was asked what explanations there were for leaving enough seconds on the clock after a tying field goal for a defensive breakdown to put the Ravens in position for the winning kick in Rio de Janeiro.

“There is no explanation you're satisfied with. None,” Jones said. “Let's be sure that we all understand that. They (coaches) don't have one that they're satisfied with. We made mistakes during that time. There's no question about it. So there is no explanation. But there's an evaluation of how not to make the same mistakes again.”

Trailing 31-28, the Cowboys had a first down at the Baltimore 2-yard line with 23 seconds left when Dak Prescott threw incomplete into the end zone.

After a false start penalty against tight end Luke Schoonmaker, Prescott scrambled to the Baltimore 5, and coach Brian Schottenheimer called his final timeout with 14 seconds remaining.

The coach who is also the play-caller instructed Prescott to either throw a quick out to receiver George Pickens or throw the ball away, based on the amount of time left, with no ability to stop the clock. Prescott didn't wait long to choose the throwaway, and the play lasted just four seconds.

There were seven seconds remaining after Brandon Aubrey's field goal, and the Dallas defense left a gap at just about the exact spot of the target line for a Baltimore field goal. Lamar Jackson completed a 27-yard pass to Zay Flowers, got the timeout called with a second to go and Tyler Loop made the 56-yard field goal.

“I hurt our chances to win that game,” Schottenheimer said later Tuesday. “I’ll be better, and I’m better than that. I’m better than I performed in the last 28 seconds.”

Schottenheimer is in his second season as a head coach after 25 years as an NFL assistant. Christian Parker is a 34-year-old making his debut as a defensive coordinator. Both will be under considerable scrutiny from fans and pundits going forward, and perhaps from their own front office.

“We will be better from this experience that we had with Baltimore and what happened to us at the end of the game,” Jones said. “A win would have given you another way of couching it as far as having growth and enthusiasm for having won a game like that because we did come back and we came back in an impressive way. All of that makes us realize we really are just at the beginning of what I hope is an exciting year for us.”

The Cowboys also made a dubious decision to kick deep after the tying field goal, giving Baltimore the ball at the 35 without any time running off the clock.

Schottenheimer took responsibility for that decision, saying he was still upset with himself over the third down play call before the field goal, for what he called overcoaching Prescott.

Schottenheimer said he didn’t communicate properly with special teams coach Nick Sorensen or his game management coordinator, Ryan Feder, on the decision to kick deep.

“My dad had a rule, one play at a time,” said Schottenheimer, whose father, the late Marty Schottenheimer, was a 200-game winner in the NFL. “He talked a lot about it, because it happened to him. He made a decision on a play. It didn’t go good. He was (mad) about it, and it affected another decision. I think that’s kind of what happened to me.”

The Cowboys (1-2) got a break in the NFC East when two-time defending champion Philadelphia lost to Chicago and backup quarterback Case Keenum on Monday night.

Dallas visits Houston (0-3) on Sunday. The New York Giants, who will be without quarterback Jaxson Dart for the rest of the regular season because of a knee injury, are tied with the Eagles atop the division at 2-1.

“We are very much in the hunt, and I say that principally based upon the way I feel about our team, as much or more than what’s happening with the other teams,” Jones said. “Philadelphia has things that they want to work on just as the Giants do, just as we do. It makes you see how health is a factor. Availability is a factor. And we're just getting started.”

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See AP’s full NFL coverage here

At the company’s annual developer conference, Altman made a slew of product announcements and updates, including OpenAI's new agents, called Dots. The agents, designed to complete ongoing tasks proactively on behalf of users, are a competitor of Meta's personal agent Muse, which exploded in popularity after Meta's own conference last week.

Dot agents will be “like an AI helper that always has your back, inspired by the cool versions of what we all watched in movies growing up," Altman said.

On Monday, OpenAI said it was holding off on releasing the other model because of concerns raised by its researchers. That followed broader calls within the industry to decelerate the pace of the technology’s advance to let safety measures catch up.

Altman avoided making references to concerns around the shelved model during his keynote address, but said during a question-and-answer session that the company was investing more in safety, security and monitoring of AI agents.

The AI boom should be considered more like a period of renaissance than an industrial revolution, he said.

“The best version of AI is not about making people cogs in a giant machine, ever whirring faster and faster. There are some parts of life that we cannot and should not automate,” Altman said. “AI should be about giving people more power over their own lives, more tools to create, learn, discover, expand knowledge.”

The company also announced the release of GPT-6.1 Sol, an upgraded version of its model GPT-6 Sol, and a premium speed tier called “Ultrafast," among other launches and updates.

Open AI's announcements came just before leaders from six of the leading AI companies, including OpenAI, signed a voluntary accord with President Donald Trump Tuesday to “self-police” development. The accord said the companies would implement “robust internal controls,” partner with an “independent external auditor” to assess whether the controls were working, and set up a committee among each company’s board of directors to evaluate reports from internal and external auditors.

While many in Silicon Valley have called for the government to help establish guardrails for the technology, Trump has pushed back against the idea of greater government oversight of AI.

While Altman didn't attend, OpenAI president and co-founder Greg Brockman was at the White House, along with Dario Amodei of Anthropic, Amazon chief Jeff Bezos, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, Tesla and SpaceX’s Elon Musk and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.

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This story has been corrected to reflect that Altman discussed security concerns during a question-and-answer session.

Yamal scored twice and set up another goal as Spain beat Croatia 4-1 at home to reach 40 matches unbeaten. It was Spain's first home game since it won its second world title in July.

Before the match, captain Rodri lifted the World Cup trophy in front of a raucous home crowd at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium in Seville.

England needed second-half goals by Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane to defeat the Czechs 2-0, with the hosts playing a man down from the 23rd minute after Pavel Sulc was shown a red card.

Spain wins again behind red-hot Yamal

Spain got past Croatia in its second game since beating Argentina in the World Cup final, with Yamal scoring two minutes into the match and again in the 63rd.

Marc Pubill also scored, finding the net in the 31st for his first goal with Spain, two minutes after Dion Drena Beljo had equalized for the visitors, also with his first international goal. Substitute Nico Williams sealed the Spain victory in the 89th.

Yamal, who also found the net against England, gave the assist for Pubill's goal. He has scored 11 goals in his last eight matches for country and club Barcelona.

“He is a very generous footballer who puts all that talent at the service of the team," Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said. "We are fortunate to have him with us. He is someone who is truly loved within the squad. We are very happy with him.”

La Roja had extended its unbeaten streak to 39 games by rallying to a 3-2 win over England at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

Spain has lost only one of its last 16 Nations League group matches, winning seven straight.

“We know Spain are the best. There is no debate about that," Croatia coach Slaven Bilic said. "We knew that before kickoff. They have been the best side for several years. Against England, we did not see them play quite like this, but tonight there was simply too much space.”

Spain leads Group A3 with six points, three more than both England and Croatia.

Croatia won 2-1 at Czechia, formerly known as the Czech Republic, on Saturday, with veteran midfielder Luka Modric scoring his nation’s opening goal. Modric started on the bench against Spain on Tuesday, entering the match in the 81st.

Spain will still host Czechia on Saturday and visit Croatia next Tuesday.

England back to winning

England played with an extra man for most of the match and needed goals by Gordon in the 47th and Kane in the 69th to win its first match in the Nations League this season.

Sulc was sent off for a foul in the first half, with video review changing a yellow card into a red.

“We played very professionally in the second half," England coach Thomas Tuchel said. “We stepped up, we needed to be a bit more dynamic and bring a bit more urgency into our play, which we did, but we kept the intensity going, and the effort was still there. We deserved victory. We got an important win, and that’s what counts.”

In the lower-tiered League B, Switzerland won 3-0 at Scotland, which played a man down from about the 10th minute after a red card to Jack Hendry. It was Sebastien Pocognoli's first home game as Scotland's coach.

Slovenia beat visiting North Macedonia 2-0.

In League C, host Moldova and Faroe Islands drew 1-1, while Finland and Belarus played to a scoreless draw in Helsinki.

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See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Jurors on Monday deadlocked on the charge against former Mississippi Capitol Police officer Michael Rhinewalt and acquitted a second former Capitol Police officer, Steven Frederick, who was also charged with manslaughter in the September 2022 shooting of 25-year-old Jaylen Lewis.

The case has raised questions about policing in the majority-Black city of Jackson and prompted a lawsuit from Lewis' mom. Frederick and Rhinewalt, who are white, were officers when they shot Lewis.

Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch's office, which prosecuted the two former officers, said in a statement that it “followed the process” and will not pursue a new trial against Rhinewalt.

“In the case of a tie, the benefit of the doubt goes to our law enforcement officers,” the statement said, adding that the “men and women who wear the uniform have earned that.”

The two former officers testified that they opened fire on Lewis in self-defense after he rammed a police vehicle and drove toward them.

“Both of them were in fear for their life and each other’s safety,” Merrida Coxwell, an attorney for Frederick, told The Associated Press in a phone interview Tuesday. “It was horrible and it was tragic. All he had to do was stop.”

Prosecutors said Lewis and his passenger did not know they were being stopped by police. The officers were driving unmarked cars and were in plain clothes with vests.

Rhinewalt is also charged with aggravated assault in another police shooting in 2022. Sherita Harris says she was shot in the head by Rhinewalt during a pursuit after a traffic stop.

Rhinewalt and another Capitol Police officer charged in that case say Harris fled after they exited their patrol vehicle, and they heard gunshots from the car as they gave chase. Both officers have pleaded not guilty.

Rhinewalt’s lawyers did not immediately respond to phone calls and emails from the AP.

There can only be one winner of Fat Bear Week, and it's up to the voters to decide Tuesday.

The contest, which is in its 12th year, celebrates the resilience of the 2,200 brown bears that live in the preserve on the Alaska Peninsula, which extends from the state’s southwest corner toward the Aleutian Islands. Fat Bear Week was started in 2014 as an interactive way to inform the public about brown bears, the coastal cousins of grizzlies.

Last year’s winner, Chunk — known officially as Bear 32 — clinched his victory at an estimated 1,200 pounds. He was handily defeated in the first round of competition this year by Bucky, who went on to lose a faceoff against Backpack, known officially as Bear 89.

The event this year featured 16 bears vying for the heavyweight title in a single-elimination, bracket-style tournament. All voting is done online at www.fatbearweek.org, and a winner will be declared Tuesday evening after the final poll closes. The public can watch the bears on explore.org’s livestream cameras before deciding on their favorite.

“Fat bears are successful bears,” the nonprofit says on its website. This group gorges itself on the abundant salmon that return to the Brooks River starting in late June. It's there that they can stuff themselves to accumulate the fat reserves they'll need to survive the winter. To be featured in the contest, the bears must frequent the area around the river.

Adult male brown bears typically weigh 600 to 900 pounds (about 270 to 410 kilograms) in midsummer. By the time they are ready to hibernate after feasting on migrating and spawning salmon, large males can weigh well over 1,000 pounds (454 kilograms). Females are about one-third smaller. The bears may each eat as many as 30 fish a day this time of year, working hard to eat a year’s worth of food in about six months.

During winter hibernation, the bears do not eat or drink and can lose one-third of their body weight.

Backpack is the son of former Fat Bear Week champion Holly, who introduced him to Brooks River when he was a first-year cub in 2006. His name was inspired by his habit of climbing onto his mother's back when they swam the river. This year's fans cheered on Backpack in the contest's Instagram comments, noting his lineage and reputation as a gentle giant.

“Unlike many large adult male bears, Backpack hasn’t shown much aggression toward his competitors,” his contestant profile reads.

Bear 910 is also the daughter of a champion: 409 Beadnose.

“She can be recognized there by her peculiar and frequent head lifts,” according to her contestant profile.

Fat Bear Week's contestants also included five bear families, in recognition of the record high number of families and cubs at the river this summer. A mother must feed and protect her cubs while also eating enough calories to sustain herself through hibernation. Cubs often face the risk of attack by other bears due to territorialism or food scarcity.

Bear 132 and her three spring cubs advanced to the semifinals, but lost out to Bear 910.

Bear 132 has become one of the largest and most experienced mother bears at Brooks River, according to her contestant profile. In mid-July, one of her cubs became separated from the family for several days, wandering the river corridor alone. They were reunited a few days later. ___

Associated Press writer Jamie Stengle contributed from Dallas.

The ban on shock gloves will take effect next year and remain in place until 2030. It comes weeks after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement moved to equip its officers with the gloves, which are designed to gain compliance from combative individuals. Last month, the agency awarded a nearly $17 million contract to buy 6,000 pairs.

“Trump has put his political interests above the health, safety and livelihood of American families,” Newsom said in a statement. “California is taking action to strengthen transparency, accountability, and oversight around immigration enforcement in our state.”

The law is the latest example of how Democratic-led states have been pushing back against President Donald Trump's immigration enforcement efforts since he took office last year. In California, lawmakers passed at least two dozen bills this year seeking to fortify immigrants' rights, restrict cooperation with federal immigration agents and tighten regulations on immigrant detention facilities, among other things. Newsom signed many of them Tuesday.

Nationwide, 17 states with Democratic-led legislatures have passed a total of more than 100 pro-immigrant bills this year, according to an Associated Press analysis using the bill tracking software Plural. The most common purpose is to limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement agents.

Democratic California Assemblymember LaShae Sharp-Collins said she introduced the shock-gloves legislation to “put a pause” on law enforcement's use of the devices while the state examines their potential risks. The law requires the state's Justice Department to study their safety and report to lawmakers by 2029.

“There's a lot of unrest and a lot of uncertainty,” she said in an interview. “A lot of people are scared.”

The law will again test the state's authority to restrict federal agents amid the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. A federal judge earlier this year blocked the state's first-in-the-nation law barring federal officers from wearing face coverings, deeming it too selective because it applied to local and federal law enforcement but exempted state officers.

Lawmakers passed a new bill this year to make the ban apply to all officers. Newsom signed that legislation.

Kevin Johnson, a professor emeritus at the University of California, Davis, School of Law, said courts ultimately are likely to rule that the state cannot bar federal officers from wearing shock gloves or face coverings. The laws are well-intentioned, he said, but likely conflict with the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which generally sets federal law as supreme over conflicting state law.

“The state has very limited, if any, powers in dictating to the federal government how its officers are armed,” he said.

California law enforcement groups broadly opposed the ban, and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, a Trump appointee, said the state didn't have the authority to limit which weapons federal officers use.

“Governor, we’ve been through this already,” he wrote on X. “If you want to regulate federal agents, you have to win a federal election. Until then, you have no jurisdiction.”

Essayli also suggested federal officers would defy a law Newsom signed restricting them from using flash-bang grenades during protests and immigration enforcement.

“Or what? You’re going to write us a ticket,” Essayli posted.

Sacramento Sheriff Jim Cooper, a Democrat and former state lawmaker, said banning shock gloves “really makes no sense" because they are among the nonlethal tools officers can use if necessary.

“When the federal government does something, the state Legislature wants to ban it,” he said at a news conference. “They're making our job harder.”

Sharp-Collins said ICE's plan to use shock gloves was the catalyst for the ban. But she cited their use by other officers, including a case in which a Kentucky family alleges a man died after being tased and shocked with the gloves dozens of times while in law enforcement custody in 2024.

State Sen. Scott Wiener, a San Francisco Democrat who wrote last year's mask ban, also authored this year's measure to expand it to state officers.

“California must use every available tool to stand up for our communities under attack from ICE’s secret police terror campaign,” he said in a statement after it passed the Legislature.

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Associated Press writer David A. Lieb contributed to this report from Jefferson City, Missouri.

• WEDNESDAY: Warm with spotty afternoon storms (40%)
• THURSDAY & THURSDAY NIGHT: Highest chance for rain (90%)
• • RAINFALL: 2-5″ possible, however, isolated spots could see 8+"
  • • RISKS: Street, creek, river flooding
• FRIDAY & WEEKEND: Lingering rain at times, but it will be lighter in nature

FORECAST

FLOOD WATCH

An upper level low, the remnants of Hurricane Polo, and a slow-moving cool front will bring beneficial rain to Texas, but will come with the risk for pockets of flooding.

Many Texans, including San Antonio, are under a Flood Watch until Friday. Remember: A “watch” means the ingredients for flooding are there, and we need to be alert until the Watch is discontinued. If you get a flood “warning” that is more serious, and means that flooding is happening or will begin soon.

Here’s what you need to know:

WEDNESDAY

While there could be some storms nearer to the Rio Grande, San Antonio will be mostly quiet -- except for the afternoon hours. Tomorrow afternoon, there will be a few spotty storms (40%). Some could be strong, so we’ll monitor carefully.

THURSDAY & THURSDAY NIGHT

The front will slowly make its way toward San Antonio on Thursday, with storms almost a sure bet by Thursday afternoon. Heavy rainfall and street flooding is a risk. Abundant moisture and training of storms could create isolated rainfall of 8″+ somewhere across South Central Texas. However, most will see beneficial rain totals in the 1-4″ range.

If you happen to get a bullseye of 6″+, street and creek flooding is likely. Be careful on the roads Thursday! We’re on standby to see how the rain impacts after-school activities.

FRIDAY (10/2) -- RAIN LIKELY, BUT NOT AS INTENSE

The front should slowly move south and east, pushing the threat for the heaviest rainfall south of San Antonio on Friday. However, showers and a storm or two is still possible during the day on Friday

THIS WEEKEND -- LIGHTER RAIN, LOWER CHANCES

Lighter rainfall is expected over the weekend, before chances come to an end early next week. Temperatures will benefit from the rain and give us a decent cool down. Next week, humidity will drop and it will actually feel like fall!

QUICK WEATHER LINKS

• WATCH LIVE: Doppler Radar
• Hourly and 10-Day Forecast
• Download FREE KSAT Weather Authority App: Up-to-date forecast information and livestreams from trusted local meteorologists.
• KSAT Connect: Share your weather photos.

Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a Venezuelan national, was shot by an ICE officer in Austin on Sept. 20. He was taken to Dell Seton Medical Center, where he was released and taken into ICE custody three hours later with the bullet remaining in his back. He had been held at a detention center in Pearsall.

Garces Perez appeared before a federal court in Austin on Tuesday morning to be formally charged. Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, his lead attorney, said she saw him at the courthouse and he “was clearly very confused and distraught. He was in a lot of pain. He had not been given pain medication and he did not understand what was happening.”

In a sworn affidavit, federal prosecutors say that Garces Perez was first pulled over by ICE officers after they had observed him exiting a restaurant and identified him as having a final order of removal.

The officers identified themselves as immigration agents and Garces Perez handed them his Texas driver license, the court documents say. One officer was wearing a body worn camera that captured the incident. The other officer, the one that eventually shot Garces Perez, was not wearing a camera.

According to Garces Perez’s statement to investigators, he knew that he would be detained, so he asked to park in a different location. The officers and Garces Perez give conflicting statements over when emergency lights were activated and if the officers struck Garces Perez’s vehicle.

Garces Perez disregarded the officers’ commands to exit the vehicle and he fled the scene. As he pulled away from the scene, his driver’s side mirror hit one of the officers in the torso, according to the criminal complaint.

After a brief vehicle chase, one ICE officer claims that Garces Perez attempted to strike him with his car, which is when the officer, standing outside the vehicle, shot into the car and struck Garces Perez in the back.

Garces Perez is now in custody of the U.S. Marshals and has been taken for a medical review, according to Lincoln-Goldfinch. She said she has received no updates about his medical status or location.

“There’s a lot moving very quickly and this is because the government has refused to cooperate and inform the other side which is, in my experience, not a professional way to litigate,” Lincoln-Goldfinch said. “We believe that the government is playing games with Wilber’s life … we still have concerns about sepsis and long-term immobility, and that is backed up by medical professionals.”

President Donald Trump won a second term in 2024 vowing to crack down on immigration. During his second administration, immigration agents, who often are masked, have shot at least two dozen people. At least six, including three U.S. citizens, have died. Many of the shootings involved agents firing at people in moving vehicles, which law enforcement experts said is typically prohibited or discouraged by local police.

The court documents outlining the criminal case against Garces Perez do not name the two agents involved, but refer to them by the initials “L.G.” and “D.F.”

The federal government has withheld the identification for most immigration agents involved in shootings since Trump returned to office. The growing tally of deaths at the hands of anonymous federal agents has ignited outcries by Democrats, the victims’ relatives and residents to identify them. On Monday, The Texas Tribune identified the federal immigration agent who witnesses say fired through an open van window and killed 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston in July.

Since the Austin shooting, several members of Congress and advocacy groups have called for Garces Perez’s release from detention due to his medical needs, which they claim are not being adequately addressed by ICE. U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, D-Austin, visited Garces Perez last Wednesday and described him as in high spirits but in pain and in need of surgery.

“This person needs a doctor, not a deportation or a detention center,” Casar said in a news conference last week.

Lincoln-Goldfinch has previously said he entered the U.S. legally in 2024 via the CBP One app and applied for asylum. Records show that he had received a removal order in August 2025, which Lincoln-Goldfinch says was sent to the wrong address. A motion to reconsider was denied in July 2026. The attorney added that his work permit expired in December 2025.

Garces Perez is scheduled to appear at a detention hearing on Wednesday in Austin regarding the new criminal charges. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison, according to the Department of Justice.

A separate hearing was originally set for Wednesday in San Antonio to address his petition for a writ of habeas corpus, challenging the legality of his detention. That hearing was canceled after Garces Perez was criminally charged, which takes precedence over his immigration case.

“Wilber finds himself inside a web of legal challenges,” said Rochelle Garza, president of the Texas Civil Rights Project and a part of Garces Perez’s legal team. “Our team, along with a number of other lawyers, were working on getting him released, whichever avenue we still had available to us. The takeaway here is that it was very clear that the timing of this (criminal charge) was intended to thwart his ability to be released.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to comment beyond a press release announcing the charges.

“This entire case is based on speculation,” attorney Kevin Reddington said during the first hearing since Clancy's trial ended Sept. 4 with a deadlocked jury. They were split 11 to 1 in her favor.

During that trial, Reddington didn't dispute that Clancy killed the children at the family's home in 2023. Instead, the defense sought to persuade the jury that the 36-year-old former labor and delivery nurse was not criminally responsible because of mental disease, a rare condition called postpartum psychosis.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988.

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Clancy's lawyer now says there is not enough evidence to prove she did it

But at Tuesday's hearing, Reddington sought to persuade Judge William Sullivan — the same judge who presided over the first trial — to acquit Clancy.

There is, Reddington contended, not enough evidence “that this woman killed those children.” He pointed to matters ranging from her condition when she was found badly injured and bleeding in the yard outside her home, to her lack of memory of what happened when she woke up in a hospital. At the first trial, her now ex-husband and first responders testified that they arrived at the house and discovered she had tried to kill herself right after killing the children.

“Where is the admission? Where does she say that she did this?” Reddington said, going on to recap his arguments that she also was psychotic and delusional at the time of the children's deaths. He didn’t offer alternative theories or evidence about who might be responsible.

Prosecutor Shanan Buckingham called his argument “laughable.”

At the trial, jurors heard testimony that Clancy said she heard voices instructing her to kill her children. Her DNA was found on exercise bands used to strangle them. Before the trial, Reddington himself filed a motion in which he said Clancy was willing to stipulate, in writing, to her involvement in the children’s deaths.

“For the first time, the defendant is arguing that there is no evidence she did this,” Buckingham told the judge. “I’d suggest to you the entire record is voluminous as to information supporting the fact that she did this.”

The judge didn’t immediately rule and no trial date was set.

The prosecution maintains that Clancy knew her actions were wrong when she used exercise bands to strangle 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson and 8-month-old Callan Clancy. They said she contrived to get her husband out of the house that evening by sending him to pick up medicine for one of their children and dinner for the family.

It's still unknown whether Clancy will face a second trial

Prosecutors have yet to decide whether to retry Clancy, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz said after the hearing. They could choose to retry her on first-degree murder charges or pursue lesser charges, including second-degree murder or manslaughter, or drop the case entirely.

“We are going to do what we can for the children,” Cruz told reporters outside court. “That is what this case is about.”

Legal wrangling over the holdout juror is also unresolved

Clancy's attorneys have asked the judge to dismiss the criminal case. Among other things, they have argued that the judge should have ousted the one juror who favored a murder conviction after the jury foreperson complained he was refusing to listen to the law on reasonable doubt.

The juror, Michael Desronvil, has said through his lawyer that he had no doubts about his stance. Desronvil told Fox News’ “Hannity” in a brief video statement Monday that “the whole focus has been on me, but we want to reel everything back and put the focus on the three angels,” meaning the children.

The case is still capturing attention

The livestreamed trial generated intense public interest and drew attention to maternal mental health after childbirth. About a dozen Clancy supporters, most dressed in pink, stood outside court Tuesday waiting for her.

Clancy remains charged with murder and is expected to stay at a psychiatric hospital until her case is resolved.

She could have been sentenced to life in prison if convicted of murder. If acquitted, the judge could have ordered her confined to a mental health facility.

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Peltz reported from New York.

The memo describes the decision to stop granting tenure to civilian faculty as part of an effort to refocus the military academies on warfighting.

“To ensure our educational institutions remain firmly focused on this warfighting mission, we must address the structural mechanisms that have allowed civilian academic norms to dilute our focus on lethality,” the memo said.

The tenure designation generally comes with a career-long academic appointment at a college. Advocates say the job security is a crucial component of academic freedom. Hegseth's directive apparently would not remove the designation from faculty members who are currently tenured.

The U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the U.S. Naval Academy, and the U.S. Air Force Academy all did not immediately respond to questions, and officials at the Pentagon did not offer further details on the plan when reached for comment.

The percentage of faculty who are civilians varies by military academy. It is highest at the United States Naval Academy, where roughly half of the 600 faculty members are civilians. The academies hire civilian faculty to offer expertise in topics and disciplines that military officers don't study as part of their careers, such as English and the humanities.

Hegseth’s decision follows broader conservative attacks on tenured faculty appointments in higher education. Those efforts to rein in tenure are often presented as bids to rein in academics with liberal views.

Civilian faculty members often have more teaching experience and credentials than their military counterparts at the service academies, said Eric Merriam, a legal studies and political science professor at the University of Central Florida and a former professor at the Air Force Academy.

The academies have long served a dual role — training the next generation of officers, while providing a traditional, prestigious, four-year college experience, Merriam said. The schools offer a broad, liberal arts education, in recognition that senior leadership must be critical thinkers who can understand different points of view.

Hegseth's actions signal a shift toward a narrower focus, Merriam said.

“It does seem to me as though it’s a retrenchment,” he said. “It's a retreat from what I think was positive progress in ensuring that these elite educational academies actually have elite education as part of the program.”

In Hegseth's memo Tuesday, tenure was described as a factor that contributed to “academic stagnation, faculty complacency, and institutional inability to adapt to emerging needs. Additionally, it contributes to curriculum that drifts from the mission of educating our warfighters to the research priorities of the tenured academics.”

Traditionally, tenured professors can be terminated only under extreme circumstances, such as professional misconduct or a financial emergency. Advocates say it's especially important to maintain tenure as controversy grows over scholarly discussions about history, race, gender and sexuality.

The decision Tuesday is part of a broader push from Hegseth to remake the military's education apparatus. Earlier this year, the Pentagon severed longstanding ties with prestigious universities that had been a pipeline for military leadership, forging new relationships with Christian schools and public universities.

The Pentagon has also attempted to reorient the K-12 schools it operates for military families. It introduced a course centered on Western civilization and Christianity, part of an effort to redirect the education system toward patriotic values and classical learning.

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The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Prosecutors said Caleb Flynn, 40, staged a home invasion in February after shooting his wife, Ashley Flynn, a 37-year-old schoolteacher and volleyball coach.

Flynn, who claimed his wife was killed by a burglar, could get up to life in prison without the chance of parole when he's sentenced on Monday.

Flynn closed his eyes, shook his head to the side and fought to maintain his composure as the judge read the guilty verdicts on charges of murder, felonious assault and tampering with evidence. He began sobbing while the judge dismissed the jury. His attorney called the verdicts “disappointing” and said he expects to file an appeal.

Flynn appeared on “American Idol” in 2013, telling TV viewers about how his wife had encouraged him to chase his dreams on the singing competition. He sang before judges Mariah Carey, Randy Jackson and Nicki Minaj but did not advance to the main competition in Hollywood.

Prosecutors told jurors during closing arguments Tuesday that Flynn wanted out of his marriage when he shot his wife at their home in Tipp City, a suburb north of Dayton. Flynn and the couple’s two daughters were home when police arrived.

The night before the fatal shooting, he sent a text to his lover saying: “I choose you. I’m free. Actions will come tomorrow," said Matthew Joseph, an assistant Miami County prosecutor.

Flynn didn’t want to lose his daughters, his high-paying job at his wife’s family business or his position in the church, prosecutors said.

“He wanted to keep his mistress and have his daughters all to himself,” Joseph said.

Prosecutors didn’t find the gun used to kill Ashley Flynn, but they said his fingerprints and DNA were all over the scene. They also said his devices showed that he was moving about the house even though he told investigators he was sleeping when his wife was shot.

During the trial, the woman who said she was having an affair with Flynn testified that he said he hated his wife and had thoughts of killing her.

Flynn’s attorney told the jury Tuesday that investigators never found evidence that Flynn fired a gun that day.

“His being unfaithful doesn’t equal murder,” said Patrick Mulligan. “The issue here isn’t, ‘Was he a good husband?’”

Text messages Flynn sent to his lover complaining about his wife were meant to make her feel good, Mulligan said.

Alleigha Botner testified she met Flynn in 2022 while she was a 20-year-old intern at his church and had an affair with him for more than a year. Botner read some of her text messages with Flynn.

About six months before the killing, Flynn wrote: “I was up until 4 a.m. last night crying, literally trying to think of ways to kill her and not go to jail.”

According to Pentagon officials, Hegseth will direct all the military services to double the 10% reduction that he ordered last spring to the roughly 800 flag and general officer positions, making it a 20% total decrease to be completed by Jan. 1, 2027.

President Donald Trump or Hegseth already have fired or pushed to retire more than two dozen military leaders since taking office, including the Army's top uniformed officer, Gen. Randy George, in April. They also have fired the only two women serving as four-star officers, as well as a disproportionate number of other senior female officers.

Hegseth plans to make the announcement in a speech to troops at the Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, the second year in a row he will deliver what the Pentagon is calling his “State of the Force” address. Fox News earlier reported the new reductions, which could include any one-star general or above or officer of equivalent Navy rank.

As part of last year's cuts, Hegseth also ordered the active duty military to shed 20% of its four-star general officers — the highest-level leader — and the National Guard to shed 20% of its top positions, but it is unclear if all those cuts have been made.

Hegseth gathered all the military's generals and admirals at the same time last year for an address in which he declared an end to “woke” culture and announced new directives for troops that include “gender-neutral” or “male-level” standards for physical fitness.

However, that speech was overshadowed by the attendance of President Donald Trump, who proposed using American cities as training grounds for the armed forces and spoke of needing U.S. military might to combat what he called the “invasion from within.”

When Hegseth first announced the effort to trim the highest levels of the military ranks, he argued it was intended to remove “redundant force structure to optimize and streamline leadership.” In a memo released in May 2025, he said the aim was to free the military from “unnecessary bureaucratic layers.”

The number of general officer positions in the military is set by law, but it is possible to let positions remain unfilled by not submitting replacements to Congress.

Hegseth's relationship with Congress is already strained, and he faces articles of impeachment from a Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, over his leadership of the Pentagon and management of the Iran war.

Sen. Jack Reed, a Rhode Island Democrat and ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said eliminating senior leadership positions must be done in consultation with Congress and warned that the planned cuts “should alarm every American.”

“Congress has been clear with the Secretary that he must consult this body and explain his reasoning for senior officer removals and promotion holds. To date, we have not received satisfactory answers," Reed said in a statement.

“Our military is conducting major operations around the world, and the force is already under strain," he added. "Eliminating senior positions and leaders now will add to that strain and disrupt command when continuity matters most."

Duran (0-1), who allowed just two homers in 61 regular-season games, gave up a single to Michael Harris II before hitting Ozzie Albies with a pitch. Riley drove the go-ahead blast over the wall in right-center field. Harris had three hits.

The Braves can clinch the series on Wednesday and end the Phillies’ history of postseason success in the NL East rivalry. Philadelphia beat Atlanta in the 1993 NLCS and the 2022 and 2023 NLDS.

Riley's go-ahead homer was especially satisfying after he hit only .219 with 19 homers in a frustrating regular season.

“Especially knowing how my season was not the way I wanted it, that's why the postseason is a clean slate,” Riley said, adding he was “trying to do something good” for his teammates.

Braves ace Chris Sale said Riley never let his struggles affect his approach to the game during the regular season.

“You couldn't tell if he was the leading MVP candidate or if he was struggling,” Sale said. "I really mean that. He's the same guy. He kept doing the work and had a great moment."

Sale dueled early against Phillies left-hander Jesus Luzardo, who was sharp after missing time down the stretch with left shoulder inflammation. Luzardo was expected to make an abbreviated start, but he pitched one-run ball over five innings with 77 pitches.

“In my mind if we got 75 pitches from him today we would be in a pretty good spot,” Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly said of Luzardo. “... He kind of gave us more than we thought honestly.”

Atlanta pounced when Philadelphia went to the bullpen — a common theme for the Phillies as they slumped into the postseason. Their relievers had a 5.79 ERA in September, worst in the majors.

Albies hit a tiebreaking triple off Alex McFarlane in the sixth for a 2-1 lead. Center fielder Derek Hill had an opportunity to make a leaping catch of Albies’ drive at the wall, but he appeared to jump too high. The ball hit Hill’s wrist below his glove.

J.T. Realmuto put Philadelphia ahead 3-2 with a two-run triple in the seventh inning — right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. bobbled the ball near the wall, but he wasn't charged with an error.

Mattingly handed the ball over to Duran in the seventh, perhaps hoping the 28-year-old had three innings in him to close things out. Duran made just one multi-inning appearance this season.

Sale gave up three runs as he faded in the seventh in his effort to deliver as the ace of Atlanta’s depleted rotation.

Sale hit Bryan De La Cruz with a pitch with one out in the seventh before giving up a single to Bryson Stott. Right-hander Didier Fuentes then gave up Realmuto’s two-run triple to the right-field corner.

Alec Bohm hit a high fastball from Sale for a run-scoring double over Harris in center in the first inning. Sale didn’t give up another hit until Edmundo Sosa doubled with two outs in the fifth.

Luzardo gave up three hits with six strikeouts. He pitched longer than many expected after throwing a scoreless eighth inning in Sunday’s 7-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays that clinched the wild-card berth.

Raisel Iglesias pitched the ninth for the save after Dylan Lee (1-0) threw a scoreless eighth.

100 at 37

The 37-year-old Sale threw a 100 mph fastball to Bryce Harper in the first inning. He joined Aroldis Chapman for Boston last season as the only pitchers 37 or older to throw a 100 mph pitch in the postseason since tracking began in 2008.

No sellout

The 2:15 p.m. first pitch, with potential fans in school and at work, hurt the attendance. The announced attendance was 30,127 with gaps of empty seats throughout Truist Park, especially in left field.

The Braves ranked 10th in the major leagues in attendance with a total of 2,800,446 and an average of 34,573 with 25 sellouts.

Up next

Braves RHP Tyler Mahle (7-10, 3.99 ERA) is expected to face Phillies LHP Cristopher Sánchez (18-7, 2.91) in Wednesday’s second game of the series. Mahle was 4-1 with a 1.99 ERA in nine games with Atlanta.

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See AP’s full MLB coverage here

“San Antonio is situated in an area that is easily and quickly impacted by storms, known as Flash Flood Alley,” said Derek Boese, San Antonio River Authority general manager. “Rain from the Hill Country can cause rivers and creeks to rise fast and low-water crossings to become impassable within minutes.”

That is why flood safety should be treated as a year-round responsibility. Understanding the risks, developing a household plan and knowing where to find real-time information can help residents make safer decisions when conditions change quickly.

Why flood risk can be easy to underestimate

The San Antonio area’s geography, waterways and low-water crossings make it particularly vulnerable to flash flooding. Water can rise rapidly, even when the heaviest rain is falling somewhere else. This can create dangerous conditions with little warning.

One of the most common -- and potentially deadly -- mistakes happen when a driver encounters water covering a road.

“The amount of water on the road can be deceiving,” Boese said. “Even if you’re driving a large truck or higher vehicle, it takes less than 2 feet of water to sweep that vehicle away.”

According to the Floods Don’t Care campaign, people frequently underestimate the power of moving water. A 2021 study cited by the campaign found that nearly 90% of flood deaths occurred when someone attempted to drive or walk through floodwater.

A familiar road or a larger vehicle does not eliminate the danger. Floodwater can obscure washed-out pavement, debris and changes in the road beneath it. If water is covering the road, the safest decision is to turn around and choose another route.

Residents can also underestimate the possibility of flooding at home, particularly if they live outside a designated floodplain.

“Some residents may underestimate their need for flood insurance, oftentimes thinking that if their home is located outside a floodplain, that means they will never experience a flood,” said Bexar County Office of Emergency Management Deputy Chief Michael Morlan. “About 25% of all flood insurance claims come from homes that are in areas considered low risk.”

Homeowners and renters should also know that flood damage is not typically covered by standard homeowners or renters insurance. Flood-safety guidance recommends considering separate flood coverage before a storm approaches, since flood insurance generally has a 30-day waiting period before it takes effect.

Build a plan before it is needed

A household flood plan does not need to be complicated, but it should be written down, shared and revisited throughout the year.

Families should identify where they will go during severe weather, how they will communicate if they are separated and which evacuation routes they can use. The plan should include emergency contacts, meeting places and medical providers.

“Carefully consider all family members’ needs, especially children, elderly people and those with disabilities, and adjust your plans to account for assistance they might need,” Morlan said. “Clearly communicate your plan to everyone in the family.”

Households should also prepare an emergency supply kit that contains several days’ worth of essentials, including:

• Clean water and nonperishable food
• Flashlights and extra batteries
• A first-aid kit
• An emergency radio
• Prescriptions and medical supplies
• A change of clothes
• Food and supplies for pets

Important paperwork and emergency plans should be backed up digitally. Original documents can be stored together in a waterproof, fire-resistant container that is easy to take during an evacuation.

Residents can use the planning forms and supply checklists available through FloodsDontCare.com to build or update their household plans.

Know your risk -- and the routes you travel

Flood preparedness extends beyond understanding the risk at home. Residents should also consider the roads they use to reach work, school, medical appointments and other frequently visited locations.

The San Antonio River Authority’s floodplain viewer can help residents explore flood risk near a particular address. For current conditions at low-water crossings, residents can visit BexarFlood.org or SARiverFlood.org.

SARiverFlood.org displays conditions at monitored low-water crossings throughout the River Authority’s four-county jurisdiction:

• Green indicates that a road is open.
• Yellow means water is rising.
• Red means the road is closed.
• Gray means the sensor is inactive.

Users can create an account and subscribe to text or email alerts for individual crossings near their homes, workplaces, schools and other regular destinations.

“If a road is closed, they will receive an alert and can plan an alternate route,” Morlan said. “They will receive another alert when the crossing reopens.”

The system’s road-closure information is also integrated with Google Maps and Waze, allowing those navigation apps to display closures and recommend alternate routes in real time.

New technology supports faster warnings

Bexar County and the San Antonio River Authority are also implementing the NextGen Flood Warning System to strengthen flood monitoring and public safety.

“NextGen is new technology that helps us provide more accurate and timely information about changing flood and road conditions, allowing residents and emergency responders to make safer, better-informed decisions during rain events,” Boese said.

The regional initiative brings together the River Authority, Bexar County and other local jurisdictions to upgrade flood-detection equipment and public alerts. During major storms, River Authority engineers monitor changing conditions around the clock and coordinate with partner agencies to help ensure gauges at low-water crossings are functioning.

Technology can provide critical information, but residents still need to prepare in advance and respond appropriately when danger develops. That means enabling emergency alerts on mobile phones, monitoring reliable weather sources and never ignoring road closures or barricades.

“The single most important action is to remember that if you see water covering a road, do not drive through it,” Morlan said. “More than half of all flood deaths occur when people drive through floodwaters.”

To explore flood facts, safety guidance, planning checklists and additional preparedness resources, visit FloodsDontCare.com.

The apparent 6-3 order temporarily lifts lower court requirements for migrants to get a chance to object before being sent to countries to which they have no ties.

The Supreme Court will hear arguments in December.

Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson would have kept the lower court order in place.

The Trump administration said last week the lower court order forced the cancellation of a deportation flight carrying about 70 people bound for three countries.

The conservative majority has sided with the administration before on the core Trump administration policy, allowing deportation flights to temporarily continue last year.

The court said it will consider several questions: whether the policy is lawful, whether lower courts had the authority to consider the case and issue a sweeping block, as well as other questions the government deems appropriate.

The order “has now allowed the administration to resume sending people to third countries where they may face persecution, torture, imprisonment, or other grave danger,” said Trina Realmuto, executive director of the National Immigration Litigation Alliance and one of the lawyers representing immigrants in the case.

“But today’s order does not decide that the government’s policy is lawful,” she said in a statement. “The Court will hear that question on an expedited schedule.”

Under a series of often-secret agreements, the Trump administration has deported some 25,000 people to more than two dozen countries, from Liberia to Guyana. The vast majority have been sent to Mexico.

Trump’s Republican administration has said that it sends people with final deportation orders to third countries when they can't be returned to their homelands or their native countries won’t accept them, including those who have criminal convictions. Those governments provide assurances that people won’t be persecuted or tortured, federal attorneys said.

Attorney General Todd Blanche called the policy “an entirely lawful and critical tool for immigration enforcement" in a social media post.

Some migrants, though, have found themselves imprisoned in countries they’d never heard of before their arrivals. Others also face serious safety risks and are left with little choice except to return to the home countries they were fleeing. Many have no criminal convictions and have been found to be at risk of torture or persecution, attorneys for the immigrants said.

The case comes amid a sweeping immigration crackdown by the Trump administration, which has pledged to deport millions of people who are living in the United States illegally.

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AP correspondent Tim Sullivan contributed to this report from Minneapolis.

Follow the AP’s coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court at https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court.

In what is widely viewed as the biggest scandal in Premier League history, the independent panel determined that the United Arab Emirates-backed team committed almost all of the 115-plus violations it was accused of during a period in which City changed the landscape of the world’s most popular soccer league. That included 80 from 2009-18 for alleged financial misdeeds and another 35 from 2018-23 for allegedly not cooperating with the investigation.

City’s alleged financial wrongdoing -- made possible in part through what the league said were “sham” commercial deals -- was worth more than 900 million pounds ($1.19 billion). Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said the ruling showed that City “systematically broke Premier League rules for nearly a decade.”

“This disciplinary case, and this decision, are the most significant in Premier League history,” Masters said.

City now faces severe sanctions that could include a huge points deduction or even expulsion from the league, causing heavy reputational damage to its Abu Dhabi ownership.

The Premier League said sanctions will be decided during a separate hearing held by the independent commission at an unspecified date.

The club plans to appeal

City has always denied wrongdoing and said in a statement that it was “disappointed and surprised” by the ruling. It plans to appeal the verdict and said it would be “relentless” in its fight to clear its name, which would further drag out a case that has already run for more than three years.

Any appeal by City would have to be made by Friday, the league said.

In an internal video to City staff — obtained by broadcaster Sky News — the club's CEO, Ferran Soriano, went into detail about why he felt the verdict was wrong.

“This has gone on for so long that it is important to remind ourselves that the whole Premier League case against us is based on a single false accusation: that the owner's personal money was somehow and secretly put into the club via some sponsors from Abu Dhabi,” he said. “This is just not true. Irrefutable evidence has been provided to the Premier League commission that shows it could not happen and that it did not happen."

A drawn out investigation

The allegations first arose in 2018 from leaked club emails and documents, and the Premier League initiated its case more than three years ago. Tuesday’s findings come after it emerged last week that the accusations against City were expected to be upheld following an exhaustive process.

City is accused of providing misleading information about its finances over a nine-year period from 2009-18 — a span in which it emerged from the shadow of its crosstown rival, Manchester United, won three titles and signed some of the world’s best players, including Yaya Toure, Sergio Aguero and Kevin de Bruyne.

The violations included failing to provide accurate financial information and submitting inflated figures for sponsorship deals out of Abu Dhabi, hiding payments and breaching financial rules established by the Premier League and UEFA, European soccer’s governing body, intended to keep clubs financially stable by not spending beyond their means.

On top of that, City faced many other charges of failing to cooperate with the investigation between 2018-23.

"An independent commission has found Manchester City guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules over a nine-season period,” the league said, “and the majority of charges in relation to its failure to co-operate with the league’s investigation.”

Regarding the sponsorship deals, the league said: “Manchester City arranged ‘sham’ contracts (which misrepresented the true agreement between the parties) with a number of its commercial partners, as well as relying on ‘sham’ agreements with others, to artificially inflate the club’s revenues and reduce its costs.

“The club,” the league added, “filed misstated accounts and concealed the true state of its finances from its auditors and football regulators.”

The purpose of City's “schemes” was to “artificially inflate the club’s revenues, and reduce its costs, by more than £900 million ($1.19 billion) during the affected period, to appear to comply with financial rules,” the league said.

The finding suggests that City’s rise to the top of the English game, fueled by investments from Abu Dhabi that delivered by its expensively assembled, star-studded squads, was achieved at least in part by evading the league’s financial regulations.

An outpouring of anger

The panel's findings have plunged English soccer into chaos, with rival clubs calling for compensation for lost earnings and threatening to sue, and fans and even some other teams' players wondering whether City should be stripped of titles.

There’s also the question of whether City’s top stars, like Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki, will stay at the club and what the future holds for Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He is the deputy prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and a member of Abu Dhabi’s royal family who bought City in 2008 and has gone on to own a group of worldwide teams — under the City Football Group banner — including New York City FC and Melbourne City.

City has always maintained its innocence, saying in 2023 when the charges were laid that there was a “comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of its position.”

Even over the weekend, City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said there remained a ”confidence and intent in proving the club’s innocence.”

The appeal could end up in the High Court in London if City feels the process in the case was unfair.

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See AP’s full soccer coverage here

The administration extended for nine months the life of Camp As Sayliyah, which had been due to close on Wednesday at the end of the U.S. budget year, a U.S. official said. It was not immediately clear whether Secretary of State Marco Rubio had signed off on a diplomatic note to Qatar outlining the decision or if he had delegated it to a subordinate.

Nonetheless, the official, who was not authorized to comment publicly on the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity, said the nine-month extension had been agreed on.

The decision comes months after Rubio told Congress that the U.S. was still in discussions with several third-party countries to take the 1,039 Afghans who worked as interpreters or in other roles helping the American war effort as well as relatives of U.S. service members who have been stranded in Qatar for more than a year.

Rubio's testimony in June came after the AP and other outlets reported that war-torn Congo was among the countries where the Trump administration was considering resettlement.

The State Department would not immediately comment on the extension for the camp but said it “continues to work toward a positive resolution that provides safety for these remaining people to start a new life outside of Afghanistan while upholding the safety and security of the American people.”

The department also repeated its position that the camp is a legacy of an attempt by President Joe Biden's administration “to move as many Afghans to America as possible without properly vetting them” — an assertion that has been denied by former officials and refugee advocates.

The group of Afghans in Camp As Sayliyah includes those who fought or worked alongside the U.S. military between 2001 and 2021, with more than 70% of the camp's residents being women and children, according to statistics from #AfghanEvac. The group has spent the last five years advocating for Washington to make good on its promise to resettle those whose service has put them at risk since the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban's reassertion of control.

“This is a victory for those people, and they’re going to have some semblance of knowing that they’re safe there because they’ve been worried that at any moment somebody’s going to come and rip them out of there,” Shawn VanDiver, a Navy veteran who heads #AfghanEvac, told the AP.

But he added that there needs to be a permanent solution to this yearslong crisis.

Despite the camp's reprieve, which prevents those housed there from possible forcible removal to Afghanistan, residents have little hope of being allowed to enter the United States.

Upon entering his second term, Trump, a Republican, paused his Democratic predecessor’s Afghan resettlement program as part of a series of executive orders cracking down on immigration, including dramatically altering refugee admissions to focus on white South Africans. Only five Afghans have been admitted to the U.S. since October 2025, #AfghanEvac says.

The refugee changes left thousands of people who fled war and persecution — and had gone through a sometimes yearslong vetting process to start new lives in America — stranded at places worldwide, including the base in Qatar.

Advocates have warned that if there is no alternative, the only other option for the group of residents would be to go back to Afghanistan, where they face likely reprisal from the Taliban.

In the coming nine months, the State Department said it would “continue to work to identify options for voluntary resettlement of all Camp As-Sayliyah residents.” It gave no additional details.

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Amiri reported from New York.

“I think I’m seeing tremendous self-policing. And they understand that they have to self-police,” Trump told reporters during an impromptu press conference outside the West Wing.

Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson met leading executives from top tech firms that are spending hundreds of billions of dollars to build out AI infrastructure, including data centers in communities across the country that have sparked grassroots, bipartisan opposition. The group included CEOs who have called for a slowdown in the development of the technology after several high-profile incidents where AI agents have gone rogue.

The accord, which Trump posted on his social media site Truth Social late Tuesday, opened the door to future regulation but focused on four voluntary steps for the companies to take.

The accord said the companies would implement “robust internal controls,” partner with an “independent external auditor” to assess whether the controls were working, and set up a committee among each company's board of directors to evaluate reports from internal and external auditors.

“Over time, it may make sense to codify these steps into laws and regulations,” the accord said.

Trump repeatedly praised the business executives for developing a technology that he said would produce “unbelievable growth." Investment in data centers and the accompanying computer equipment has accelerated the economy and boosted the stock market, which has swelled investment accounts for higher-income Americans and lifted their spending.

Yet there were some notes of caution Tuesday. Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, who has been one of the most outspoken voices calling for a slowdown in the development of AI, said “the technology has very real risks.”

"And, you know, the mechanism, how we address those risks is still under discussion,” Amodei said.

The accord was signed by Trump, Amodei, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, OpenAI President Greg Brockman, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, and Elon Musk as founder of xAI, which is now part of SpaceX.

Trump suggested there would be about 10 people named to a committee to “watch over the whole enterprise” and said the accord would be “morally binding.” He also said he would name someone to oversee the agreement in coming days after consulting with industry.

Trump unveils chatbot to help Americans navigate government services

Huang sat to Trump’s right during a White House luncheon meeting, according to a seating chart the president posted on Truth Social. Musk sat to Trump’s left.

Earlier Tuesday, Trump promised that the U.S. government wouldn't limit the development of artificial intelligence or support calls for “guardrails” or other restrictions.

“I will never stifle the growth of a technology that will be bigger than the industrial revolution,” Trump said at the unveiling of an AI chatbot, America.gov, intended to help Americans navigate government services. “We can’t stifle it, and we’re leading by a lot.”

The unveiling of the AI government chatbot occurred at a daylong event in Washington during which multiple Trump administration officials celebrated a “Golden Age” fueled by what Trump insists on calling “super intelligence," rather than artificial intelligence. Secretary of State Marco Rubio highlighted that the chatbot at America.gov could soon be used to apply for a first-time passport fully online, without an in-person visit to a processing center that is currently required.

Trump thinks data centers are going to become ‘very popular’

Trump also said the executives had agreed to assuage the bipartisan opposition to data centers cropping up in local communities across the country, by providing more financial support to local schools or taking steps to reduce energy costs.

“You’re going to see, data centers are going to be very popular," Trump said. If the opposition continued, Trump suggested, “they’ll be forced to go overseas or other locations.”

Also Tuesday, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in a television interview that the company is increasingly focused on safety. The day before, his company halted the rollout of a new model over safety concerns.

“We are pacing our progress, which includes sometimes not training a model,” he said on CNBC. “We have to do these in a way where we can make very confident safety cases and claims, so that people don’t have a bunch of anxiety.”

For his part, Trump on Tuesday portrayed the race to develop AI as largely a global competition between the United States and China, with the U.S. in the lead. He said there would be a winner and a loser, with no “second place.”

The two countries agreed last week to establish a channel for handling AI-related incidents during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Washington. But Trump underscored Tuesday that he didn't want to cooperate too much with China: "I didn’t want to do anything, because we’re leading. Why would I want to do anything?”

“We are aware of the lawsuit and do not comment on pending litigation," the Tigers said in a statement on Tuesday.

Gelof was hurt in the third inning of a 4-1 loss to the Tigers on July 9 while making a sliding catch in foul territory and colliding with a metal fence while playing left field. The 26-year-old immediately grabbed his knee in obvious pain, a tear in his uniform pants showed where his leg made contact with the fence along the third-base side of the infield. He was left with a deep cut under his right knee cap, just missing the tendon, and didn’t play again until Aug. 10.

“This injury could have easily prevented through the most basic and inexpensive design," said Gelof’s attorney, Jon Marko. "It doesn’t take a stadium design expert to realize that sharp metal fencing in an area where players are required to slide and play around is a recipe for disaster like the one that occurred here.

“All they had to do was put cheap padding up like they did after Zack was injured and this entire incident could have been avoided. My son’s little league diamond is safer.”

Gelof hit .256 with 22 homers and 55 RBIs — both career highs — in 111 games during his fourth season, which he split between the infield and the outfield. The A's finished the season 64-98, putting them ahead of only the Los Angeles Angels and the Colorado Rockies in the majors.

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See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Friesenhahn was brought into the 175th District Court in a wheelchair, accompanied by his sister and brother-in-law. As he entered, he quietly told KSAT he felt good and was ready to testify.

Then he saw Wilmer Vladimir Ruiz Ortega.

Friesenhahn kept his eyes on Ruiz Ortega as he sat in the courtroom.

Ruiz Ortega is accused of shooting Friesenhahn while he was working security at El Patio Bar on the West Side off Frio City Road.

For the first time during the trial, the court and jurors also saw surveillance video of the shooting.

The video shows Ruiz Ortega approaching Friesenhahn before Friesenhahn begins a pat-down. A struggle follows, and gunshots are fired.

The defense has argued that Friesenhahn had no legal authority to search Ruiz Ortega and questioned whether he was actually working as a security guard.

During testimony, Frisenhahn disputed that characterization.

An attorney asked Frisenhahn whether security guards are required to wear a badge and uniform and identify themselves as security officers.

Friesenhahn said those requirements applied to a Level 3 license. He testified that he was working under a Level 4 license and did not have those same requirements.

Friesenhahn also testified that he was licensed by the Texas Department of Public Safety to work as a security guard and that he was hired directly by the bar rather than through a security company.

A sign on the bar’s entrance also stated that firearms were not allowed inside.

After the surveillance video was shown in court, Friesenhahn spoke with KSAT about seeing the man accused of shooting him.

Asked what he felt when he saw Ruiz Ortega, Friesenhahn answered with one word:

“Anger.”

The testimony comes after more than a year of recovery for Friesenhahn, who was left paralyzed by the shooting.

The trial is expected to continue throughout the week.

Ruiz Ortega faces aggravated assault charges in the case. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

He also faces federal immigration proceedings, according to court records.

If convicted of the charges, Ruiz Ortega could face up to life in prison.

More courts coverage on KSAT:

• Austin man shot by ICE agent charged with assault, resisting arrest
• ‘Highly unusual’: Camp Mystic asks to sell land to investors who will keep it a camp amid bankruptcy
• Man found competent to stand trial in 2024 murder of Stacy Dramiga

The Council of Europe said Tuesday that the U.S. formally notified it a day earlier that it would leave the Group of States against Corruption, or GRECO. Only two other countries have left GRECO before — Russia and Belarus.

The State Department confirmed the move, saying that U.S. participation, which requires an annual monetary contribution, “does not provide tangible benefits to U.S. national security.”

“The era of writing blank checks to international bureaucracies is over,” it said. “The department is instead prioritizing higher-impact tools to combat corruption, such as visa restrictions, sanctions, and targeted foreign assistance to strengthen foreign criminal investigations into corruption directly threatening U.S. security and prosperity.”

The Strasbourg-based Council of Europe said the U.S. had been “a valuable contributor” to GRECO "and to the exchange of experience and good practice in preventing and combating corruption.”

“GRECO remains open to resuming cooperation with the United States in the future in support of shared efforts to prevent corruption, strengthen integrity and uphold the rule of law,” it said in a statement.

The decision was announced a week after the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said the U.S. had declined to invite its members to observe November’s congressional midterm elections, a sharp break from past practice.

The U.S. has already withdrawn from a number of European-based U.N. and multilateral agencies, including the World Health Organization and the U.N. Human Rights Council, and is weighing further such steps.

The U.S. withdrew in January from another Council of Europe panel — the Venice Commission, which is an advisory body on constitutional law.

GRECO was created in 1999 by the Council of Europe to monitor compliance with the organization’s anti-corruption standards. Membership is not limited to European Union members, and the United States joined a year after its founding.

The Giants released Beckham on Tuesday and signed return specialist Braxton Berrios and fellow receiver Charlie Jones to the active roster from the practice squad.

“Wishing him the best,” edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux said. “He’s a legend in the game, and he’s fought so hard to make his way back in this league. And he’s definitely going to be able to make a statement somewhere, so I’m not worried for him.”

Beckham was thrown at just once during his brief cameo back with the team that drafted him in the first round in 2014. Coach John Harbaugh last week hinted at a bigger role for Beckham, saying he “would be all for it Sunday” against Tennessee and calling it “the perfect time.”

Jameis Winston threw one deep pass intended for Beckham during the first quarter. Fans later chanted “OBJ! OBJ!” to no avail, as Beckham was only on the field for six plays of the ugly, 12-7 win and 20 of 191 (10.5%) this season.

Offensive coordinator Matt Nagy on Thursday said the Giants were trying to find situations to use Beckham. Nagy added that one injury would be enough to have Beckham playing all the time.

In retrospect, it appears one injury — Calvin Austin's torn right ACL during training camp — was enough to get Beckham on the 53-man roster after making strides in practice and impressing in preseason games. Had Austin been healthy, there is a good chance Beckham would not have made the final cuts.

Beckham did, despite most recently playing an NFL game on Dec. 8, 2024, with the Miami Dolphins. He missed all of last season when he served a six-game suspension for failing a performance-enhancing drug test.

Back with New York, Beckham was behind Malik Nabers, Darnell Mooney and rookie Malachi Fields on the depth chart.

“I love playing with ‘O,'” said tight end Isaiah Likely, who was also teammates with Beckham on the Baltimore Ravens in 2023. “Hopefully, wherever he ends up, he does what Odell does.”

Berrios had been promoted from the practice squad the maximum three times, hence the need to clear a roster spot for him. To make room for Jones, linebacker Brian Burns went on injured reserve with a torn ACL in his right knee.

Releasing Beckham is the latest move during a busy stretch, which included acquiring quarterback J.J. McCarthy from Minnesota in a trade Monday for a fifth-round pick. Likely said McCarthy was already at the team facility.

Harbaugh said Winston will start Sunday against Arizona, with either McCarthy or Jake Haener backing up. Haener was released with the intent of bringing him back on the practice squad and cleared waivers Tuesday to make that possible.

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See AP’s full NFL coverage here

In a letter Tuesday to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, two top Democratic senators said that the money is being drawn from Trump's so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill” and was supposed to go for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

"We should not have to remind you that using government funding to create or air political ads like the ones that have been running over the last few days is illegal and a shockingly corrupt misuse of taxpayer dollars," wrote Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, the ranking Democrat on the subcommittee that handles Homeland Security funding.

The senators demanded answers within the next 48 hours about “how this president is literally stealing their tax dollars to air campaign ads celebrating himself.”

They asked the secretary if the department plans to use additional federal funds to air these ads or create new ones, and if so to share contracting information with Congress. They also asked Mullin if he had spoken to Trump about using the taxpayer funds for the ads.

The political uproar over Trump's hagiographic ads, which started running last week during popular TV shows, including college and National Football League programming, has not abated as critics on the left and right raise alarms about the use of taxpayer funds, particularly so close to the midterm elections.

The White House has defended the advertisements, which disclose that they are funded by the U.S. government, as public service announcements.

Asked for a request for comment Tuesday on the senators' letter, Homeland Security referred to the earlier White House response.

Ad spend is up to $2.5m as criticism and legal scrutiny grow

The unusual commercials, which echo the GOP's midterm election slogans, against imagery of Trump's tenure in office — one with a “Love me, Love me” song refrain in the background — appear to violate a law against congressionally appropriated funds being used for propaganda.

Experts also have said the ads, which are airing on network and cable TV and streaming, differ from other administrations’ PSAs because they aren’t designed to help Americans access any specific program.

Over the weekend, a new ad promoting the president resembles a black-and-white video from his own 2024 campaign that shows Trump walking down a hallway as his voice can be heard warning of a “final battle” against “globalists” and “warmongers.” It ends with Trump staring straight into the camera lens with the “Paid for by the U.S. Government” message printed.

Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina, has compared Trump's ads to those used by authoritarian former leader Viktor Orban of Hungary. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, said it “shouldn’t be paid for with taxpayer dollars.”

Data from the outside firm AdImpact shows more than $2.5 million was spent on the three ads over the past seven days. The actual amount spent could be significantly more, depending on whether networks classified the ads as political.

The senators said in their letter that DHS has committed $20 million to the campaign.

A person who was not authorized to discuss the situation and who was granted anonymity confirmed the findings, which were first reported by the Wall Street Journal.

Trump's ads use taxpayer dollars, likely skirting the law

The unusual ad campaign comes as Republicans face an increasingly volatile midterm election season with their control of the House and Senate — and Trump's future agenda — all at risk.

Voters say they are struggling with high prices of gas and groceries, and are concerned about the lengthy U.S. war against Iran, now in its seventh month. Democrats are gearing up for vast oversight of Trump and his administration if they seize power, and impeachment is not off the table.

House Democrats said Trump's director of the Office of Management and Budget, Russ Vought, moved $20 million from Homeland Security resources to the ad campaign on Sept. 19.

The next day, a $20 million contract for a “National Media Campaign” was awarded to the Maryland-based LMD Agency, Inc., according to federal data. LMD Agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Homeland Security funds are part of a whopping $175 billion Congress gave the department in the “Big, Beautiful, Bill” as part of Trump's immigration enforcement and deportation agenda. Democrats voted against that package, which Trump signed into law last summer, in part because of its steep cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, and Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas, the ranking Democrat on the Homeland Security subcommittee, said that after gutting $1 trillion from Medicaid and social services and “more than quadrupling funding for mass deportations, it turns out the Trump administration used Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill to pay for President Trump’s political ads.”

They said if the Democrats regain control, they "will work to uncover and reverse misuses of taxpayer money like this and hold those who abused their power accountable.”

What's also striking about the administration's use of taxpayer dollars for the ads is that Trump's own political campaign committee, MAGA Inc., is sitting on hundreds of millions of dollars of funding that could be used during the midterm season. Groups aligned with MAGA Inc. have started shelling out funds for the House and Senate races.

The administration has defended the use of taxpayer dollars for the ads and shown no signs of changing course.

The ban amounts to barely a ripple in $880 billion worth of annual two-way trade between the two northern neighbors. But it marks another ratcheting up of President Donald Trump’s second-term trade war with America’s longtime ally and trading partner.

The import ban “certainly won't do anything to help the trade tensions between the United States and Canada,'' said trade attorney Patrick Childress, a partner at Holland & Knight and a former U.S. trade official.

The latest sparring began over the summer when Trump reached back to a Great Depression law to impose 50% tariffs on about $20 billion worth of Canadian imports, charging that Canada discriminates against U.S. dairy, auto and alcoholic beverage producers. Canada promptly counterpunched with tariffs of 15%, 25% or 50%, matching U.S. imports dollar for dollar.

To punish Canada for retaliating against his tariffs, Trump decided to ban a list of Canadian products, effective 12:01 a.m. Eastern time Tuesday.

Economic impact likely to be modest

The economic impact is likely to be minimal. Childress noted that the products on the banned list were already facing Trump’s tariffs. ”For a lot of these goods, the 50% was already acting as a de facto ban by making importation from Canada into the United States uneconomical,″ he said.

Jacob Jensen, director of trade policy at the center-right American Action Forum think tank, calculates that the ban would cover $967 million worth of Canadian imports, based on 2025 numbers. Of that, 87% would be alcoholic beverages that the U.S. targeted because of some Canadian provinces responding to Trump’s provocations by banning U.S. booze from store shelves.

Also banned are some dairy products — including the milk byproduct whey. The two countries have long clashed over Canada’s attempts to protect its dairy industry from foreign competition by imposing hefty tariffs once dairy imports have exceeded a quota.

The ban also covers motorcycles. Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) in Quebec confirmed that its three-wheel Can-Am Spyder and Canyon motorcycles “will be excluded from importation into the U.S.’’ But BRP said the impact likely won’t be felt until next year because it has completed most production and shipments for the current season.

Independent spirit distillers and beer brewers are expected to bear the brunt of the ban more than some well-known Canadian brands that may have workarounds. For example, Crown Royal can ship its whisky in bulk for processing, bypassing the ban. And beer maker Labatt Brewing Co. has some bottling operations in the U.S., exempting some of its beer from the ban.

Diageo, which owns Crown Royal, and Anheuser-Busch InBev, which owns Labatt, did not respond to requests for comments.

A distillery just across the Detroit River in Canada has stopped shipping whiskey to Michigan due to the ongoing tariff war and Trump’s ban on Canadian alcohol. “It’s really unfortunate,” said Danielle Moldovan, director of marketing at the Wolfhead Distillery in Amherstburg, Ontario. “We are a border town. The Americans are great friends of ours, and they visit our distillery on a daily basis.”

Moldovan is worried about the long-term impact on Wolfhead’s business. Buyers in Georgia were interested in importing the distillery’s Coffee Whisky. And its Michigan importer was considering its Vanilla Almond Biscotti and Banana Caramel Vodka. But “those products are going to be put on hold right now until we have further clarification about what’s going to happen, how long this ban’s going to last,” Moldovan said.

“This marks yet another escalation in the trade war that may result in further retaliation on the Canadian side,” Jensen said. He expects Canadian exporters and U.S. importers “impacted by these bans will be highly motivated’’ to demand that trade officials on both sides find some way to reach a “resolution of this whole ordeal.’’

A threat to US goal of a powerful North American trade pact

The impasse imperils efforts to renew the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, a North American trade pact Trump pressured America’s neighbors into accepting in his first term and which he once declared “the most modern, up-to-date, and balanced trade agreement in the history of our country.’’

The deal allowed most goods to cross North American borders duty free. But since returning to the White House last year, Trump has announced a series of tariffs that have clouded the future of trade in the region.

Longtime ally Canada moves rapidly to find new trading partners

Trump has directed most of his ire at Canada. He is openly seeking to pull Canadian manufacturing south. And he has inflamed public opinion in Canada by repeatedly suggesting that the country become America’s 51st state.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney came to power last year on a promise to stand up to Trump. In addition to retaliating against Trump's tariffs — China is the only other country to do so, with very different results — Carney has sought to reduce Canada’s reliance on the United States, which last year accounted for more than 70% of Canadian exports.

“There is now a price to be paid for access to the United States market,” Carney said earlier this month. The Canadian prime minister wants to double Canada’s non-U.S. trade over the next decade.

Carney has embraced the prospect of Canada becoming the European Union’s first associate member.

And he said last week that trade negotiations with India are making “good progress” and that the two countries are aiming to conclude talks by the G20 summit in mid-December.

Carney also broke with the U.S. earlier this year, striking a deal with China to allow a limited number of Chinese electric vehicles into Canada at a sharply reduced tariff in exchange for China lowering tariffs on Canadian canola.

“We take note of the coming into force of the Administration’s previously announced trade measures," said Gabriel Brunet, a spokesperson for Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc. "Our first priority remains on protecting and supporting Canadian workers, farmers, families, and businesses from these unjustified actions. Our core focus is on what we can control: building strength at home, diversifying our partnerships abroad, and building Canada strong for all Canadians.”

Trump expressed confidence that the Canadians would cave in.

“They’re gonna come in and they’re gonna say, ‘Sir, we are sorry,’” he told reporters Monday. “They’ve treated the United States very, very badly. I think a deal will be made but it’s gonna be fair.”

Asked Tuesday about Trump’s remarks, Carney declined to respond directly but said Canada remains open to talks.

“Canada stands ready to negotiate in good faith” toward “a mutually advantageous trade arrangement that respects both our countries’ sovereignty,” Carney said.

Carney also left the door open to further Canadian retaliation over U.S. tariffs and import bans, saying he would “never rule anything out.” Asked whether Ottawa might increase trade pressure as the U.S. midterm elections approach, Carney said Canada would not time its response around the American political calendar.

He said Canada could help lower U.S. living costs and argued that energy, food, information and financial security are best served through reliable partnerships.

“Canada is a reliable partner, and we’re ready to work in any or all of those areas,” Carney said.

Trade attorney Childress said the standoff is likely to continue for months, not weeks. The import bans and the tariffs so far “probably won’t cause enough economic upheaval to force either party back to the negotiating table,’’ he said.

___

Associated Press writers Mae Anderson in New York, Rob Gillies in Toronto and Mike Householder, reporting from Amherstburg, Ontario, contributed to this story.

Meanwhile, Iran's Revolutionary Guard urged Americans in a message ahead of U.S. midterm elections to take to the streets and rally against Donald Trump, claiming the U.S. president's war in the Middle East has failed.

And in the occupied West Bank, settlers rioted to prevent a Palestinian man escorted by the Israeli military from returning to his home in the village of Jalud.

Here is the latest news from the Middle East on Tuesday. Full coverage is available here.

US targets Iran’s military supply chain with new sanctions

The United States is targeting people and companies around the globe that it accuses of being financial facilitators or enablers of Iran’s military supply chain.

The Trump administration is pushing forward with economic warfare against Tehran at a time when renewed diplomacy between the two countries remains uncertain.

The Treasury Department action Tuesday is part of the administration’s “Operation Economic Outcast” campaign, aimed at severing “critical financial lifelines” for the already heavily sanctioned Iranian government.

Ten individuals and entities based in Iran, Hong Kong and Pakistan now face sanctions over accusations of procuring weapons and weapon components for Iran as it fights its now seven-month war against the U.S.

By Farnoush Amiri

An Iranian spokesman advises Americans to reconsider their leaders

Gen. Hossein Mohebbi, spokesman for Iran's Revolutionary Guard, said that the only way for the war in Iran to end is for Washington to admit defeat and leave.

He spoke at a news conference Tuesday in Tehran, reading from what he called a “letter to the American people.” The message was apparently meant for the U.S. public just weeks ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections for the U.S. Senate and Congress — a vote in which Trump’s Republican Party faces fierce headwinds as it looks to maintain control of Congress.

Later, in remarks to The Associated Press, Mohebbi urged Americans to reconsider their leadership and take to the streets and protest Trump's policies to denounce what he called the U.S. government’s warmongering policies.

He accused the United States of using Iran’s nuclear program as a ruse to “plunder Iran’s wealth” and to turn the country “back into a colony.”

Meanwhile, Iran’s currency fell to a new record low Tuesday, with traders in Tehran exchanging more than 2.5 million rials to the U.S. dollar. The currency has repeatedly reached new lows since the war began in February.

Major Saudi pipeline is once again operating

A crucial oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia that was shuttered by the kingdom earlier this month after coming under attack is once again operating, a Saudi government official said.

The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said operations are near pre-attack levels and that the East-West pipeline should be running at full capacity within a few weeks. The kingdom relies on the pipeline to move its crude from oil processing facilities on the Gulf to ports on its western, Red Sea coast.

Saudi Arabia blamed an Iran-backed militia in Iraq for the drone attack that forced the temporary shutdown of the 1,200-kilometer (745-mile) pipeline.

Satellite imagery indicated tankers on Sunday loaded some 12.5 million barrels of oil at the Yanbu export terminal, which is supplied by the East-West Pipeline, and the nearby terminal at Al Muajjiz, the data and analytical firm Kpler said in a report.

Egyptian president says attempts to expel Palestinians continue

Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said Tuesday that attempts to force two million Palestinians from the war-stricken Gaza Strip are continuing, and said a two-state solution was the "only way to achieve permanent peace and stability in the region.”

His comments come on the heels of a recent call by right-wing Israeli politicians for a Palestinian mass emigration. In his bid to become minister of defense, Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir told reporters last week that he would “encourage” Palestinians to leave Gaza and the West Bank and loosen constraints on the military.

Earlier this month, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz had reportedly threatened to destroy what remained of Gaza City and to force Palestinians to leave if Hamas took any Israeli hostages.

Sissi’s comments echoed Egypt’s unequivocal refusal of a permanent Palestinian expulsion into neighboring countries. Days after the Israeli war on Gaza erupted in 2023, the Egyptian president alleged that the war was meant to push Palestinians into Egypt’s Sinai peninsula, warning that such an exodus would nullify the Palestinian right for statehood and would relocate militants on Egyptian soil.

Settlers block a Palestinian man from returning to his West Bank home

Over a hundred Israeli settlers scuffled with Israeli soldiers who were trying to escort a Palestinian man to his home in the West Bank village of Jalud.

The homeowner, Mahmoud Tubasi, told the AP that the soldiers initially brought him to his home but rioting settlers forced him to leave with his family in a military vehicle. He said he still can't access the house, which settlers have besieged for two months.

Israel’s military acknowledged that the overnight mission to return the family “was not completed” and said three officers were injured by settlers who threw rocks, blocked roads and set Palestinian property on fire.

Israeli police said they arrested three settlers suspected of participating in the riot, which was condemned by Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Gidon Saar and President Isaac Herzog.

The Israeli military has struggled to quell the latest wave of settler violence. Rights groups have accused the military of colluding with the settlers.

Four killed in separate Israeli airstrikes, Hamas commander dead

Israeli strikes Tuesday in the Gaza Strip killed four people, including a Hamas commander, Palestinian and Israeli officials said.

A strike early Tuesday on an apartment west of Gaza City killed two people and wounded five others, officials at Shifa Hospital said.

Israel said the overnight strike targeted Izz al-Din Bik, a commander in the Hamas militant group. Israeli Defense Forces said Bik was involved in plotting attacks and recruiting new members. Hamas released a statement confirming the death of al-Bik, claiming he was one of the main overseers of the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on southern Israel, which killed over 1,200 people.

On Tuesday afternoon, an Israeli airstrike in the Jabaliya refugee camp north of the Gaza Strip killed one and injured several others, Gaza’s Health Ministry said. A separate strike at around the same time east of Gaza City killed another, officials at Shifa Hospital said.

Israel’s military did not immediately respond for comment on the afternoon strikes.

The deaths were the latest since a ceasefire took effect nearly a year ago.

Saudi-backed Yemeni forces hit Houthi homebase of Saada with intense airstrikes

Airstrikes by Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces on Tuesday pounded Yemen’s northwestern province of Saada. They were the most intense daily attacks on the homebase of Iran-backed Houthi rebels in recent weeks.

Houthi military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said the government forces had launched a total of 35 airstrikes on Houthi positions in the last 24 hours.

Earlier, Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported that at least 20 airstrikes had targeted different districts in Saada alone.

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

And there the longtime Pittsburgh Penguins captain is on a random early fall Tuesday, doing what he has always done: grinding through an hour-long practice with an intensity that shows no signs of waning as the player who arrived in the NHL as a teenage prodigy closes in on his 40th birthday.

Watch Crosby stand in front of the net and deftly deflect a point shot past rookie goaltender Sergei Murashov, who was still in diapers in his native Russia when Crosby made his NHL debut on Oct. 5, 2005. Watch Crosby fail to connect the dots on a pass on one end of the ice, then backcheck furiously before slapping his stick into the end boards in frustration.

Watch the NHL's seventh all-time leading scorer (soon to be in the top five) glide from the half wall to the front of the net and back again during a power play drill, the instincts that have carried him from franchise savior to Olympic gold medalist to three-time Stanley Cup champion taking over as he searches for an opportunity.

Practice breaks up. Some of Crosby's younger teammates head to the dressing room. Crosby does not. He remains on the ice for another 20-plus minutes with longtime teammates Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, chasing the finer points of a sport that has long doubled as an obsession.

Crosby's approach to his job is uncommon

Penguins coach Dan Muse heard about the trio's relentless drive when he took over in the summer of 2025. He wasn't skeptical, exactly, but seeing it up close gave him a different perspective.

“Sometimes I (was) surprised last year,” Muse said. “Now I guess I’m not as surprised at how long they’re out there for. ... I think for everybody who’s seeing it too, like I said, it’s not necessarily the normal.”

No, it's not.

And while Malkin and Letang have carved out their own unique places in NHL history during the trio's two decades together, it is Crosby who has always shouldered the load of outsized expectations that have followed him from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia to Pittsburgh to, one day, the Hall of Fame.

It can be a lot. It already has been a lot. Yet Crosby has rarely let the burden show. Maybe because he's used to it. Or maybe because he doesn't really view it as a burden at all. Ask Crosby why he is still pushing himself at this pace, and he shrugs.

“I just love the game,” Crosby said.

And not just when the lights come on and thousands of fans — many of them usually wearing some iteration of Crosby's jersey — come out to watch him do Sidney Crosby things. He is only player in NHL history to average a point a game for 21 straight seasons.

“I think, you know, there’s the journey or the preparation that goes into it,” he said.

It's why Crosby arrived at the team's practice facility weeks ahead of training camp. It's why he still seeks opportunities to compete internationally. Sure, he could have taken the summer off after Pittsburgh's surprising season ended with a loss to Philadelphia in the first round of the playoffs.

That's just not the way Crosby is wired. A few weeks after the postseason exit, he served as an alternate captain to 19-year-old San Jose Sharks sensation Macklin Celebrini for Team Canada at the 2026 World Championships. This after his hope for a second Olympic gold ended with an injury at the 2026 Cortina Winter Games.

It's a lot of hockey for anyone. Let alone someone who has been on “go” practically from the first time he pulled on skates.

Crosby wants to keep playing, but for how long he's not sure

And yet Crosby remains as passionate about all that goes into it now as he did when he was flinging pucks into an empty dryer in the basement of his childhood home.

“Ultimately, you just, every night you step on the ice, you’re trying to win a hockey game,” he said. “That’s something that’s still there. I think it provides a lot of fire to everything for me.”

The flames show no signs of subsiding even while some of his contemporaries — Malkin and Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals chief among them — seem to have the number of games ahead of them dwindling to a precious few.

The mix of nerves and excitement that accompanies every season opener is still there. Until they're not, expect Crosby to keep right on going.

While Crosby has stressed repeatedly that he wants to keep playing indefinitely, when the puck drops in Philadelphia on Wednesday night, it will mark the first time in his career that he will start a season in the final year of his contract. Crosby is in no hurry to sign anything; he learned a long time ago that he needs to listen to his body above all else.

“I don’t think you ever know until you get to that point,” Crosby told reporters when delivering season tickets to select fans earlier this month. “But I’m guessing it’s your level, it’s how your body feels, it’s a combination of all those things. Overall, I feel pretty good.”

Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas and Crosby's agent Pat Brisson have been in talks, but Dubas stressed on Monday that there isn't any “real pressure to have it done by a certain date or anything.”

Stats are nice, but winning is all that matters

Crosby, who begins the year with 1,761 career points, 38 shy of passing Ron Francis for fifth on the all-time list, has no plans to coast to whatever the finish line looks like in hopes of piling up stats and paychecks.

When it’s mentioned that 2,000 points — a plateau only Wayne Gretzky has reached — looks doable if he plays another handful of years, Crosby shakes his head. That’s never been what this is about.

“I didn’t even know how close I was until you just gave me that stat,” he said. “So no, when you talk about motivating factors to play, I wouldn’t say that’s one of them.”

The pathologically competitive Crosby remains intent on trying to help guide the Penguins back to the giddy heights of 2016 and 2017, when they became the first club in nearly 20 years to win back-to-back championships.

The going has grown increasingly tougher over the years. Pittsburgh hasn't advanced past the first round since 2018, though their promising run to second place in the Metropolitan Division last spring provided some tangible momentum. While Dubas plainly stated the goal this time around is to make inroads on division rival and reigning Cup champion Carolina, Crosby has no plans on looking that far ahead.

There is only the familiar rhythm of the season, with its practices and morning skates and overnight plane rides and team meals and — 84 times over the next six months, then hopefully a bit more after that — the chance to hop over the boards and lean into the fire once more.

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See AP’s full NHL coverage here

The S&P 500 slipped 0.2% after wavering between modest gains and losses for much of the day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.3%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.1%.

Major indexes shifted lower after a quiet morning as rising bond yields undercut much of the heavy lifting being done by several technology behemoths. Nvidia, the market’s most influential stock, gave up an early gain and closed 0.7% lower. Broadcom rose 1.6%.

Stocks remain under pressure as oil prices swing sharply as the U.S. war with Iran drags on, helping to push Treasury yields to their highest levels in 24 years.

The price of Brent crude oil in the most actively traded part of the oil market fell 1.7% to settle at $96.16 a barrel. It briefly climbed above $100 on Monday before prices eased a bit, but it is still well above the roughly $72 it cost before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in late February.

Mediators continued to work with the United States and Iran on reaching a deal to end the fighting and open the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. President Donald Trump over the weekend rejected an offer from Tehran to reopen the key waterway.

Energy stocks had some of the broadest losses. Exxon Mobil fell 0.7%.

Overall, rising oil prices have been fueling a jump in Treasury yields. Higher yields threaten to slow economic growth by making borrowing more expensive for individuals and businesses. They can also hurt prices for stocks, especially those seen as expensive, including many technology companies that have soared because of the frenzy around AI technology.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 5.25% from 5.24% late Monday. It reached 5.28% earlier Tuesday, touching its highest level since 2002, according to Tradeweb.

Shares of CarMax rose 4.7% after the used car dealership chain reported soaring second-quarter revenue and delivered profits that easily beat Wall Street expectations. The company also announced changes to its executive leadership.

Oura, the maker of wearable digital health accessories and jewelry, said Tuesday that it was postponing its initial public offering, despite strong demand, due to uncertainty in the IPO market.

All told, the S&P 500 fell 12.85 points to 7,670.84. The Dow dropped 131.59 points to 51,349.92, and the Nasdaq gave up 22.84 points to close at 26,797.54.

Markets in Europe ended mixed and markets in Asia closed mostly lower.

With only one day left in September, the S&P 500 is on pace for a slight monthly loss after posting a 2.6% gain in August. The benchmark index is up 12.1% so far this year.

Wall Street will see several big economic updates this week that could help investors and the Federal Reserve get a better sense of where inflation is headed and how households and businesses are dealing with high prices.

The latest update on the jobs market Tuesday showed that U.S. employers posted fewer job openings in August. The Labor Department's monthly report said they slid to 7.08 million openings, marking a drop from July and registering below what economists had forecast. It also showed that layoffs fell and fewer people are quitting their jobs.

The jobs market has been resilient even as stubbornly high inflation squeezes businesses and households. Wall Street will get a broader update on Friday, when the U.S. releases its monthly employment report for September.

Households have been facing higher prices on everything from gasoline to clothing as the U.S. war with Iran curtails oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. The latest update on consumer confidence from business group The Conference Board shows a slump in September. Consumer confidence dipped to its lowest level in 12 years.

“Americans feel jobs are more scarce and are pulling back on plans for homes, cars, and big-ticket purchases, emitting a warning sign for holiday spending even though layoffs data show employers aren’t yet cutting workers to match the gloom,” said Jeffrey Roach, chief economist for LPL Financial, in a research note.

Stubbornly high inflation has been sapping consumer confidence and pressuring the Fed, which recently raised its benchmark interest rate in an effort to cool prices. The latest update of the central bank's preferred measure of inflation will be released on Wednesday. Economists expect the personal consumption expenditures index, or PCE, to show that the rate of inflation rose 3.7% in August, matching July's reading.

Inflation rates have remained stubbornly above 3% most of the year and that is well above the Fed's target rate of 2%. Wall Street expects the central bank to raise its benchmark interest rate again at its next meeting in October.

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Associated Press business writers Chan Ho-him and Matt Ott contributed to this report.

David Rudolph Jenrath, 24, turned himself in to authorities Monday and was charged with two felonies: theft of trade secrets and computer tampering. He is being held on $15,000 bond at the Lee County Jail, according to police.

A news release issued Tuesday by the Auburn Police Department said a “business reported that sensitive information was stolen from the business and distributed to their competitors. The business reported that one of their competitors received the information and turned it over to them.”

It's unclear which schools received the stolen information. A complaint alleges that the incident occurred on July 19 at the Auburn Athletics Complex.

Jenrath’s profile on LinkedIn, which has now been removed, said he worked for the Auburn football program as a player personnel scouting assistant from January through June. His focus was on running backs and special teams.

His profile said his duties included evaluating high school and transfer-portal prospects, preparing scouting reports and recruiting summaries, assisting with opponent scouting and maintaining recruiting databases. His profile also said he was an applied artificial intelligence/sports analytics student at the University of Tennessee.

Auburn plays at Tennessee on Saturday.

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The woman filed a lawsuit this month saying she was sexually assaulted at the Chi Phi fraternity house on Cornell's campus in October 2024. Her suit says the assault occurred after she was pressured into snorting ketamine, smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol, to the point where she was incapable of consenting to sex.

The woman reported the incident to Cornell's campus police department, but the local district attorney's office opted not to prosecute anyone at the time. It reopened the criminal investigation Monday as public outrage built over the woman's allegations.

Hochul calls for an outside law firm to investigate Cornell's response

Hochul, a Democrat, said she supported Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten’s decision to reopen his investigation, but said bigger questions remain about Cornell’s reporting, response, and prevention systems, as well as its campus culture. The governor called for an outside law firm to be hired to independently investigate the university’s response.

“The allegations in this case are nothing short of horrifying," Hochul said in a statement. “For any student to come forward after an experience like this takes extraordinary courage. No student should ever be left wondering whether the institutions meant to protect them will listen and act.”

An email seeking comment was sent to Cornell on Tuesday.

Prosecutor defends decision not to bring charges

In several media interviews on Tuesday, Van Houten argued that while the male students involved did things that were “morally wrong,” the woman's initial account of the incident to police didn't include allegations that she was drugged, incapacitated beyond the ability to consent, or forced into sex.

“She went to the police because she knew it wasn’t right,” Van Houten told CNN.

Van Houten has not released the victim's sworn statement to police, but instead released a summary with some of her direct quotes included. He also defended his office's decision not to do additional investigation after the woman, who was identified in court filings by the pseudonym Jane Doe, initially spoke to police.

“There were no question marks. There was no additional need to find information because we had all of the information that the police collected from Jane Doe through her very detailed, very comprehensive statement that she provided," Van Houten said.

Van Houten's office did not talk directly to the victim, but the district attorney had told the police that he would sit down with her to explain the law.

Cornell supports reopening investigation

Shortly after the woman first made her allegations in 2024, Cornell publicly disclosed that it was investigating “serious and deeply disturbing allegations of drug abuse and sexual violence at the Chi Phi fraternity house.” It also announced that the fraternity and several students had been suspended, and that parallel police and school investigations were underway.

On Monday, the university said in a statement that it supported the decision to reopen the criminal investigation, adding that its own investigation had led to some students being disciplined or expelled. The Chi Phi chapter remains barred from campus. Cornell has declined to release more information on discipline for individual students, citing privacy rules.

The woman’s complaint accuses the university of not preventing the alleged assaults and of failing to properly address sexual violence on campus. It includes a photo that it says shows a group chat between frat members discussing the night’s events.

Van Houten called the photo a “red herring," saying that it had no bearing on the legal analysis of the case.

“We received it, but it was not relevant to the assessment of whether Jane Doe consented or whether there was any evidence of lack of consent on her part as defined by the penal law,” he said.

One man experienced that Tuesday morning, and the driving mishap was related to water that covered the street coming from an underground pipe.

A spokeswoman for the San Antonio Water System confirmed that a water main broke along Blanco Road near Wurzbach Parkway, giving way to the massive water leak.

>> UPDATE: Prepare for heavy rainfall Thursday

Video shared through KSAT Connect showed water that appeared to be at least a foot deep, spilling into the intersection.

During the water leak and later cleanup, drivers had to navigate past lane closures and Wurzbach Parkway’s shutdown off ramps in that area.

“We thought it rained at first and then we were, like, ‘Wait a minute. No.’ And then you saw the big crack in the middle of the road and we were, like, ‘That’s a main break,” said Ashleigh Lewis, who lives in an apartment complex nearby.

Lewis quickly grabbed her phone and captured video of what looked like a river rushing through the street in front of her complex.

Lewis said she and her family had to adjust at the apartments in order to make it through.

“We’re just going to go get more water bottles until we get any word on what’s going to happen,” Lewis said. “We’re just going to have to do it the old school way.”

According to the SAWS spokeswoman, the break was likely related to hot and dry weather.

There was no estimate early on for when the repair work would be completed or when the water would be turned on again.

Read also:

• SAWS crews respond to water main break on North Side after street flooding reported

Judges from the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit heard three hours of arguments in the latest chapter of a case that has been a recurring flashpoint in President Donald Trump’s escalating conflict with the federal courts.

Justice Department attorney Brett Shumate argued District Court Chief Judge James Boasberg has no basis or authority to continue with his inquiry because a prosecutor — not a judge — is responsible for investigating crimes.

“What's gone off the rails in this case is that the district court has purported to investigate,” Shumate said.

In April, a divided panel of three D.C. Circuit judges ruled that Boasberg must end his “intrusive” contempt investigation of the Trump administration. But the questions posed at Tuesday's hearing suggest that the full court of 11 judges could give Boasberg a green light to proceed with his inquiry. The judges didn't indicate how soon they would rule.

Judge Patricia Millett questioned why Boasberg shouldn't be allowed to continue with his inquiry so he can determine if other government officials merit additional scrutiny for possible criminal contempt.

“Are district courts allowed to decide if people have engaged in contempt in front of them?” asked Millett, who was nominated to the court by Democratic President Barack Obama.

“The district court loses the authority to investigate,” Shumate said.

“That's not my question,” Millet interjected, raising her voice. “This is all about wordplay here on what you mean by the word ‘investigate.’”

On March 15, 2025, Boasberg issued a temporary restraining order barring the administration from transferring groups of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador under an 18th century law. After the order was entered, two planeloads of migrants protected by the order departed from the U.S. on their way to El Salvador, where they were locked up in one of the world’s most violent prisons.

Boasberg gave a verbal order for the aircraft to turn around. The administration denied violating it or a subsequent written order, but Boasberg has said the Trump administration may have acted in bad faith by trying to rush Venezuelan migrants out of the country.

The administration has said then- Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was responsible for the transfer decision. On Tuesday, however, D.C. Circuit judges suggested that Boasberg should be able to identify other possible targets for a contempt investigation before referring the matter to a prosecutor.

The case represents a major front in an escalating conflict between Trump and the federal judiciary, which has often blocked some of the president's most ambitious and legally dubious initiatives. In case after case, the administration has demonstrated an unprecedented willingness to skirt or even defy court orders.

Judge Cornelia Pillard, also an Obama nominee, said it undermines courts’ authority if the executive branch treats judicial orders as “optional” and is allowed to ignore them “with impunity.”

“The separation of powers respects the separate and co-equal authority of the different branches,” she said. “Really, at bottom what this case is about is whether (federal) courts are at the mercy of the executive.”

Pillard asked Shumate if he could help her “feel more comfortable” about the administration's perspective on that issue. Shumate said the department is “always advising our clients to comply with court orders.”

“It's also the right thing to do," he said. “We have to respect court orders, and the government in this case did comply with the order. I know there may be disagreement on that.”

The Justice Department says it didn't violate Boasberg's order “as it was best construed” and accuses the Obama-nominated judge of pursuing the contempt inquiry “with myopic and single-minded determination.”

American Civil Liberties Union attorneys say the government's decision to ignore Boasberg's order had “devastating consequences” for the migrants who were flown to El Salvador and held for months in a mega-prison known as the Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT.

“Plaintiffs’ four months at CECOT were nothing short of barbaric,” ACLU attorneys wrote. “They were subjected to horrific physical and psychological abuse, and deprived of food, water, and medical care. They were regularly severely beaten by guards and subjected to other physical abuse, including being shot at close range with rubber bullets.”

Judge Neomi Rao, a Trump nominee who wrote the panel's majority opinion in April, said she couldn't find a case in which a criminal contempt ruling was upheld under comparable circumstances.

“I don't think that should be a point in the government's favor,” ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt responded. “The reason is because no prior (Justice Department) or administration has ever taken these kind of egregious actions."

Trump has called for impeaching Boasberg, and the Justice Department filed a misconduct complaint accusing Boasberg of making improper public comments about Trump and his administration. In a rare rebuke, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts publicly rejected calls for Boasberg’s impeachment.

In a statement Tuesday, the agency said anyone who receives messages about Guthrie should report them to law enforcement and be on the lookout for scammers who want to take advantage of the situation.

A Tucson woman said in a social media post that she was contacted early Sunday by someone who claimed Guthrie, the mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie, was alive and sought a ransom for her return. According to the post, the woman, who reported to investigators that someone had made a ransom attempt, didn’t believe that the person who contacted her was involved in Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance.

The sheriff’s department declined to say whether the woman’s encounter was the basis for a statement it issued Monday about the possible ransom note. The Associated Press has reached out to the woman via social media messaging.

Guthrie, 84, was last seen at her home just outside Tucson on Jan. 31 and was reported missing the following day. Authorities believe she was kidnapped, abducted or otherwise taken against her will.

In July, authorities released two ransom notes initially sent to a Tucson television station days after Guthrie went missing. The first note, sent Feb. 2, said she was safe but scared and would be released unharmed once her captors received $4 million in cryptocurrency. The second note, sent Feb. 6, said Guthrie died shortly after she was kidnapped. Authorities have not said whether she is still alive.

No suspects have been arrested in Guthrie's disappearance. The investigation is dogged by unanswered questions, such as how many people are believed to have taken part in her abduction and whether she was taken by someone who knew her.

The FBI also released surveillance videos of a masked person who authorities said appeared to tamper with a camera on her front porch and block it with a plant.

Guthrie's family has shared their pleas for information in videos posted to social media.

Authorities have discounted other ransom notes that surfaced in the Guthrie investigation as nothing more than extortion attempts.

A man from Hawthorne, California, pleaded guilty in early July to federal harassment charges for texting a ransom demand to Nancy Guthrie’s oldest daughter, Annie Guthrie, and her husband. He was sentenced to probation.

Attorneys for Clayton Tucker, the Democrat candidate running for Texas Agriculture Commissioner, on Tuesday accused his opponent, Nate Sheets, of being ineligible to serve in the position and is asking state Republican party leadership to review and potentially declare Sheets as ineligible for the election taking place in November.

In a letter sent to Texas GOP Chair D’rinda Randall, Tucker’s attorneys at Marziani, Stevens & Gonzalez PLLC claim that Sheets lacks the experience to run for the office. Tucker’s team states that Texas law requires a prospective Agriculture Commissioner to be engaged for five of the last 10 years in “the business of agriculture.” Candidates can also be eligible if they have served five years of work at a government agency related to agriculture or at the Texas Agricultural Council, or if they’ve owned and operated a ranch or farm that qualifies as agricultural use for five years.

“The public record shows that Nathan Sheets is not qualified to serve as Texas’ next Agriculture Commissioner because he does not meet the criteria for that office as set forth in Texas law,” the letter reads.

Sheets responded to Tucker’s claims as a “last-ditch” effort to avoid losing the race.

“This is a fourth-quarter, last-ditch attempt by Clayton Tucker to avoid his imminent defeat at the ballot box,” Sheets said.

Sheets’ campaign team said it’s actually Tucker who does not qualify for the role, saying Tucker’s sworn financial paperwork shows his occupation as an organizer for the Trade Justice Education Fund, a nonprofit advocacy group based in Washington, D.C. On their website, Tucker is listed as a program associate.

Sheets’ team also linked to a YouTube link purportedly showing a screenshot from what they claim is Tucker’s now-deleted LinkedIn page. The screenshot shows a line of work related to politics.

According to the statement by Sheets’ campaign, “…[Tucker] has spent the last decade running for office or working in politics, not making his living farming or ranching.”

Tucker’s attorneys cite a number of records to prove their claims against Sheets, including that he has owned Honey Rock Ranch In Burnet for four years — not five — and that the 10,000-acre ranch is owned by an LLC and not Sheets directly. They also claim his honey company, Nature Nate’s, does not produce crops as it uses honey that has come from other beekeepers. Even if it did, the attorneys claim, honey is not considered a crop and bees are not considered livestock.

The legal team gave the Texas GOP three business days to respond and publicly share their findings and conclusions to Texas voters.

In a statement, Tucker said he grew up working on his family’s ranch and sees agriculture as his life, not a “campaign prop.” He said “Data Nate” likely does not meet the qualifications to run.

“Owning a small number of beehives in Frisco does not count,” Tucker said. “Data Nate has not owned his hobbyist ranch long enough for it to count under Texas law.”

Tucker’s allegations are the latest in a contentious race for the state’s agriculture department. Republicans have held the office since the 1990s, most recently by Sid Miller who has found common ground with Tucker on data centers. Miller told The Tribune last month that he believes Republicans will lose the office as a result of explosive data center growth and the THC ban.

“Texans deserve answers,” Tucker said.“We expect the Republican Party of Texas to review the evidence, follow the law and tell the people of Texas what it finds.”

This is a developing story and will be updated.

There’s Anne Hathaway’s titular character, a wildly popular novelist who is unable to speak or move after a car accident, but whose secret, and disturbing, autobiography speaks volumes. There’s Dakota Johnson’s struggling author, Lowen, who has been hired to finish Verity’s remaining novels and who finds herself living in Verity’s home and fantasizing about her more successful counterpart’s life, and husband. And then there’s Josh Hartnett, as said husband, who is caring and responsible but perhaps a bit quick to suggest that Lowen borrow one of Verity’s dresses for their night out on the town.

The actors couldn't help get the giggles on set

It is all quite heightened in the way that one might hope for in a sexy, psychological thriller, which opens in theaters Friday. At some point, Lowen even starts to suspect that Verity might be faking her paralysis. And the actors often found themselves doing something that the script did not call for: Giggling.

“There would be some shots where Dakota and I would just have to stare at each other,” Hathaway recently told The Associated Press. “There’s just something about knowing that you’re supposed to be scary that makes you giggle.”

But that is just part of the fun of going big for a pulpy, popcorn thriller, where Johnson gets to blow vape smoke in Hathaway’s face and all get to participate in a fantasy sequence in which Johnson starts out kissing Hartnett’s character and ends with Hathaway on her lips.

“It just seemed really fun to play somebody who’s deeply unwell,” Johnson said.

‘Verity’ is based on a Colleen Hoover psychological thriller

“Verity" is the latest Colleen Hoover adaptation to make it to the big screen. After “It Ends With Us,” it is one of her more popular bestsellers. That film made over $350 million worldwide in theaters, but also became infamous for its off-screen legal battles.

On “Verity,” however, the drama stayed on the screen. For director Michael Showalter, it offered a chance to dip into a genre that he has been dreaming about since he took an Alfred Hitchcock film class in high school. “Rebecca” was a major touchstone.

Hitchcock, and Brian De Palma, were in his head when casting the movie too. It held extra significance that Johnson’s grandmother, Tippi Hedren, was in “The Birds” and “Marnie,” and her mother, Melanie Griffith, starred in De Palma’s very Hitchcockian “Body Double.”

Johnson deadpanned that she wasn't “really thinking about my mother or grandmother in erotic thrillers at the time of filming."

But after the fact she said she found it “inspiring in a way."

“I guess, because it’s something that has been in my family, it’s like a sense of understanding and bravery,” Johnson said. “I guess I’m inspired by my mother and grandmother that they can do, or did that. And so could I.”

None of the three leads had ever worked together before. Showalter likened them to a “super group.” He learned from Hitchcock that movies like these are as much about the characters as they are about the actors.

“I’ve always been trying to play roles that are very different from each other and from myself,” Hartnett said. “And I think as I’ve gotten older, people have allowed me more leeway to do that.”

‘Verity’ concludes Hathaway’s big year on screen

Hathaway was a producer on “Verity” and came armed with big, cinematic ideas, Showalter said. The two had worked together on the romantic drama “The Idea of You,” and Hathaway was excited to help him make his “Rebecca,” and also to be in a role in which she was sitting and staring off in the distance for much of it. She had just come off several physically demanding productions. Stillness seemed like the right choice.

“Verity's” release ends an exhaustive streak of non-stop work for Hathaway that resulted in five major theatrical releases, and press tours, this year, including “Mother Mary,”“The Devil Wears Prada 2,”“The Odyssey” and “The End of Oak Street.” On top of that, she is soon going to give birth to her third child and then, after a bit of a break, plans to team up with Tom Cruise on a “Days of Thunder” sequel. But she is not patting herself on the back for any of it.

“Please let’s not over praise the pampered actress,” Hathaway said. “There’s a lot of pregnant women out there at home and in the workplace who didn’t get a manicure this morning. I’m very happy to do my job. I have so much support.”

Hathaway went on to speak about the thrill of watching audiences come back to movie theaters this year — something that she said she and her co-stars took for granted at the beginning of their careers. The annual domestic box office is up around 19% from last year; Hathaway's four movies have made just over $2.5 billion worldwide.

“This year in particular felt like the first time for me, post pandemic, post the strikes, where the movies were so exciting and people came out in droves to see them again and again and again,” she said. “It’s just been exciting to have so many offerings in a year that feels so important to the motion picture industry and, not to sound too, you know, grandiose about it, but to American culture.”

Hartnett chimed in: “But I’m with ‘The Onion’ saying that we’re becoming overly reliant on Anne Hathaway in our economy.”

Hathaway told him not to worry.

“I’m going to rest pretty soon,” she said. “This is the last one.”

Police confirmed Tuesday that no explosives were found in three vans linked to the suspects, and said the decision to grant bail was grounded in “experience and strategy."

U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters on Monday he was surprised that the five young British men who were arrested Sunday on suspicion of explosives and terrorism offenses near the RAF Fairford base were freed a day later.

“I wouldn’t have done that,” Trump said.

The base has been used by American bombers during decades of conflicts in the Middle East, including this year’s war with Iran. Counterterror detectives have said they were investigating “multiple lines of inquiry,” including whether the suspects had a link to Iran. Iran has denied involvement.

The head of U.K. Counter Terrorism Policing, Laurence Taylor, stressed that the suspects — all British nationals in their 20s — face stringent conditions and “absolutely remain under investigation.”

“Now I understand why this development was surprising to some, but I would like to reiterate that this is an investigative decision, and one which is grounded in experience and strategy,” he said.

Taylor said people’s concerns about the incident were being “heightened by the international commentary that we are seeing.”

In an interview with Fox News, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the case "clearly involves the hands of a foreign actor,” but did not name a specific country or give more details.

“I know a lot of people are disturbed by the news that some of these people have been released on bail, as some of the people are being investigated,” he added.

Police found no explosives in suspicious vehicles

A police cordon remained in place around three vans found close to the Fairford base on Tuesday, as armed police and counterterrorism officers continued to examine the scene.

A local farmer said she called police after seeing the vans blocking a road near the air base as she drove home in the early hours of Sunday. She said she came across a group of men, some with their faces covered, nearby, and that the men ran away when they saw her vehicle.

Earlier, army bomb-disposal experts used a robot to examine the vans. Taylor said “a quantity of petrol was recovered” from the vans, but no explosives.

Officials hint at possible Iran role

Taylor, the counterterror police chief, said lines of inquiry include whether the suspected offenses were committed by “proxies or individuals, either knowingly or unknowingly, working on behalf of a foreign state.”

Investigators haven't concluded whether the incident was state-backed or what the motive was, but authorities have strongly hinted that Iran is possibly involved. They are also investigating a possible link to Russia or non-state militant groups. RAF Fairford has also been the focus of protests by anti-war campaigners.

Defense Secretary Wes Streeting said the U.K. “shouldn’t be cowed by saber rattling from Iran,” adding that “the Iranian regime is one that wishes harm to our country, our allies, and the freedom and democracy that we enjoy.”

The Iranian embassy denied the country's involvement in the suspected plot.

Iran and allied militant groups have been accused of plotting or carrying out attacks on U.S., British and Jewish targets in the past, allegedly acting through local proxies while denying responsibility.

The air base houses the headquarters of the U.S. Air Force’s 501st Combat Support Wing and is a forward operating location for the U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command. Fairford was used during the 1990 Gulf War, the 2003 Iraq war and the U.S.-Israeli bombardment of Iran this year.

British officials have said the number of national security cases involving activity by hostile states, including Iran, increased by 50% in the six months to December 2025.

Questions about possible security or intelligence failures

It was unclear whether the arrested men had been on the security services' radars. Local residents described seeing heightened security around RAF Fairford in recent days, with heavy vehicles parked across entrance gates.

Trump said the suspects were detained following cooperation between the U.S. and Britain, and had been “under view” for some time. Police, however, said the arrests were triggered by a late-night call about the suspicious vehicles near the base.

The farmer who called the police, who didn't want to be named, alleged that her call to police may have foiled the suspected plot. She added that several hours passed between her call and when police “suddenly decided to evacuate people” in the area.

“But meanwhile, those vans were right in the middle of the village next to everyone’s houses and no one did anything,” she said.

Streeting, the defense secretary, said Monday that the farmer only had a “partial picture” of the operation.

Local lawmaker Roz Savage said there was “anger and anxiety” from residents, especially those who were evacuated from their homes and still haven’t been able to return.

“I have so many questions right now, more questions than answers," she said in a video message on X. “This should not have been allowed to happen.”

___

Associated Press photographer Grant reported from Fairford, England.

The break was reported around 7 a.m. near Blanco Road and Wurzbach Parkway. SAWS said crews were working on shutting down the water.

A car also became stuck in the floodwater, and a wrecker was called to the scene, according to the San Antonio Police Department.

A KSAT Connect viewer shared a video showing the flooding at its height. The water has since receded.

At least one apartment complex nearby is out of water.

Crews are digging into the ground to fix the broken pipe, causing lane closures in the area. The Blanco Road exit from Wurzbach Parkway is shut down in both directions.

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The strategy includes increased security funding for synagogues, an increased focus on folding Jewish history into public school education, and a pledge to highlight important Jewish cultural and religious sites in the mayor's day-to-day governance of the city.

Mamdani said the overarching goal of the initiative was to “confront the scourge of antisemitism now and in the future,” noting that Jewish people make up only 12% of the city's population but are the victims of around half the city's reported hate crimes.

“This is not only unacceptable, it's something we all have an obligation to change. And City Hall will lead the way,” he said in a video.

Mamdani, a Democrat and the city's first Muslim mayor, has long been a vocal supporter of Palestinian civil rights and has accused the Israeli government of committing a genocide in Gaza. He has said his criticism of Israel does not amount to antisemitism, though his opponents have argued his heated rhetoric around the conflict has made Jewish people feel unsafe in the city.

The plan announced Tuesday amounts to the mayor's most forceful attempt to address concerns over antisemitism, with Mamdani promising to “build a city where Jewish New Yorkers are not only safe but celebrated.”

City Hall will increase grant funding to community organizations that focus on hate crime prevention and survivor support. It will also work with public schools to address complaints of discrimination and launch public awareness campaigns on the city's human rights law and how to report suspected discrimination.

Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, praised elements of the mayor's plan but called on Mamdani to lower the temperature on his rhetoric about Israel.

“For this effort to be effective, Mayor Mamdani must also commit to stopping his harsh anti-Israel rhetoric that makes Jewish New Yorkers vulnerable as there are clearly times when antisemitic attacks are fueled by anti-Zionism,” Jacobs said.

Brad Lander, a Jewish ally of Mamdani and former city comptroller, said the initiative was a “thoughtful, strategic combination of education for tolerance, enforcement of civil rights, and investments in safety."

Mamdani faced a barrage of criticism during his campaign last year after he declined to disavow the phrase “globalize the intifada,” a slogan some see as a call to violence against Jews, though he did not use the phrase and later said he would discourage others from saying it.

He has also faced questions over a decision in June to skip an annual parade honoring Israel, which has long been a must-attend event for politicians in the city.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dedicated a portion of an address at the United Nations last week to assailing Mamdani, accusing him of spreading lies about Israel and calling him “the antisemitic mayor of New York.”

Mamdani has repeatedly called for Netanyahu to be arrested under a warrant from the International Criminal Court alleging war crimes in Gaza.

Ofir Akunis, Israel’s consul general in New York, said Tuesday that the mayor’s position on Israel has endangered Jewish New Yorkers.

“Until you recognize that your language against the Jewish State, which you don’t recognize as the homeland of the Jewish people, is the fundamental reason for the rise of antisemitism in New York City, it will continue to increase,” Akunis wrote on X.

___

AP National Writer David Crary contributed to this report.

Brandon Christopher Figueroa, 25, was the target of a Texas Department of Public Safety traffic stop near Loop 410 and Babcock Road on Aug. 22.

The early-morning encounter turned into a vehicle pursuit that took troopers through various parts of the city before Figueroa crashed.

Footage released by DPS shows Figueroa driving a 2012 Chrysler through a large gate off Jones Maltsberger Road and into the airport runway. The collision disabled the vehicle.

Video shows Figueroa exiting the vehicle with troopers pointing weapons at him as they asked him to surrender.

Figueroa was arrested on the airport runway, and records show he was booked into the Bexar County Adult Detention Center later that day.

Bexar County court records state Figueroa faces multiple third-degree felonies related to the vehicle pursuit:

• Evading arrest with vehicle
• Unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon
• A drug possession charge
• Tampering with physical evidence with intent to impair
• Criminal mischief

Figueroa was also charged with criminal trespassing with a deadly weapon, a Class A misdemeanor. He remains jailed on a $59,500 bond.

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The issue is on the docket at the Intergovernmental Relations Committee meeting on Tuesday. The committee is considering a resolution reaffirming the city’s support for BAMC’s Level I trauma center and military medical readiness mission.

The draft resolution states Methodist Healthcare has announced plans to develop or seek designation as a Level II trauma facility on Oct. 1, 2026. It says without safeguards, the additional trauma capacity could reduce the civilian trauma volume needed for BAMC’s training mission.

The resolution also asks the Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council, or STRAC, to weigh in. STRAC coordinates the trauma and emergency healthcare system for 22 counties in its region. STRAC does not designate trauma centers — that authority belongs to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS).

In a statement, a spokesperson with DSHS said no Methodist hospitals are “in active pursuit” of a Level II trauma designation, and have not notified DSHS they are pursuing a different designation.

BAMC is the Department of Defense’s only Level I trauma center. It also serves as a training and research center for military physicians, nurses, medics and other healthcare professionals preparing to treat combat injuries.

Level I vs. Level II trauma centers

According to the American College of Surgeons, a Level I trauma center provides the broadest range of services and sees more patients. It must have immediate access to specialists, surgery, critical care and other advanced services. Level I centers also have significant teaching, research and injury-prevention responsibilities.

A Level II trauma center also provides comprehensive emergency trauma care and must have round-the-clock surgical and specialty capabilities. But it generally has fewer research, teaching and volume requirements than a Level I center, according to ACS. Some of the most complex patients may still need to be transferred to receive a higher level of care, potentially to a Level I facility.

The city resolution says BAMC needs a sufficient volume of patients, as well as a mix of injuries with different levels of complexity, to support the military’s mission. The resolution says if another hospital receives patients who might otherwise go to BAMC, the military facility could see fewer opportunities to treat the most complex injuries.

This is not the first time Methodist has proposed a trauma center

Methodist proposed adding a Level II trauma center in San Antonio in 2017.

In January 2018, KSAT reported Army officials opposed the idea. Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Johnson, then the top commander at BAMC, said an additional trauma center could threaten military medical training and Defense Department readiness.

At the time, city and county officials publicly voiced concerns yet acknowledged they did not have the authority to stop a state trauma designation.

Councilwoman Misty Spears, who is on the IRC, emphasized the value of BAMC as a Level One Trauma Center in a statement to KSAT.

“We support all local hospitals and local medical care providers, but we also recognize the unique market we have in San Antonio,” Spears said. “It is imperative we reaffirm the importance of BAMC to San Antonio and national military medicine.”

A University Health spokesperson released a lengthy statement to KSAT, with a focus on protecting what they call a nationally recognized and life-saving partnership between BAMC and University Health, which both have Level 1 trauma centers.

“The critical question is not whether another hospital can treat trauma patients,” the statement said. “It is whether the existing centers can sustain the volume and complexity necessary to support their clinical, academic and military-readiness missions.”

On Tuesday, BAMC sent KSAT a statement saying the volume and complexity of trauma cases it treats daily are directly tied to both patient care and military medical readiness.

“The volume and complexity of trauma cases treated daily at BAMC are directly tied to both exceptional patient care for our community and military medical readiness,” the statement read. “Treating critically injured patients provides our physicians, nurses, and operational medical teams with the hands-on clinical experience required to deploy at a moment’s notice and save lives in combat operations and humanitarian missions.”

KSAT has also reached out to officials Methodist Healthcare and STRAC and will update this article as we get responses.

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The latest decline came just 27 days after the rial hit its previous record low of 2.2 million to the dollar on Sept. 2. The currency has repeatedly reached new lows since the war began in February.

The Iranian economy has been under duress for years in the face of international sanctions. But a U.S. naval blockade on Iranian oil and new sanctions imposed since the start of the war have sent it into free fall.

Meanwhile, Iran’s top diplomat said indirect negotiations with the United States aimed at reopening the critical Strait of Hormuz have become “more serious,” while the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ chief spokesman Gen. Hossein Mohebbi on Tuesday called on Americans to take to the streets and protest the conflict.

Iran's top diplomat raises the prospect of new talks

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Iranian media late on Monday that the “current focus is solely on the Strait of Hormuz,” the chokepoint of the war.

Araghchi made the comments shortly before departing New York — where he attended last week’s gathering of world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly — and after meeting with Pakistani and Qatari mediators.

Araghchi said the Qatari intermediaries were expected to soon engage with the U.S. side.

“They are set to raise the matter with the American side once more, after which the final U.S. response will be conveyed to us,” Araghchi said. “If there is a response, the Qataris will convey it to us and a decision will be made in Tehran on that basis.”

Officials, including from the U.S., have confirmed to The Associated Press that mediators are working with Iran and the U.S. on trying to broker a deal to end the fighting and open the strait.

The mediation efforts continue even after U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this week spurned an Iranian proposal to reopen the strait in seven days if the U.S. agreed to lift its blockade of Iranian ports, release frozen Iranian assets and waive sanctions on Iranian oil sales, among other conditions.

Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz were underscored by a report Tuesday that a cargo vessel was struck by an “unknown projectile” while moving through the strait on Monday. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said it had received a delayed report from a third party.

The strike caused a fire on board that was extinguished, UKMTO said, and all crew members were reported safe, UKMTO said. The vessel, which wasn't identified, continued on its way, the report said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

US targets Iran’s military supply chain with new sanctions

The Trump administration said Tuesday that 10 individuals and entities based in Iran, Hong Kong and Pakistan now face sanctions over accusations of procuring weapons and weapon components for Iran’s defense ministry as it fights its now seven-month war against the U.S.

The United States is targeting people and companies around the globe that it accuses of being financial facilitators or enablers of Iran’s military supply chain, pushing ahead with economic warfare against Tehran at a time when renewed diplomacy between the two countries remains uncertain.

The latest action by the Treasury Department is part of the administration’s “Operation Economic Outcast” campaign, aimed at severing “critical financial lifelines” for the already heavily sanctioned Iranian government.

“Treasury will not tolerate any support to the regime and will continue to identify, expose, and isolate Iran’s enablers,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.

Iran sends a provocative message to the US public

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps on Tuesday made an appeal to everyday Americans to push their government to end the U.S. war against Iran, a provocative message that comes just weeks before critical midterm elections in the United States.

Mohebbi, the Guard spokesman, read a letter during a news conference in Iran's capital, Tehran, appealing to Americans to pressure their government and claiming that the only way for the war to end is for Washington to admit defeat and leave the Mideast.

Mohebbi’s remarks come as Trump’s Republican Party faces fierce headwinds as it looks to maintain control of Congress. But polling shows the war has darkened the American electorate’s mood ahead of the Nov. 3 election in which elevated gasoline prices, a byproduct of the conflict, loom large.

Mohebbi also accused the U.S. of using Iran’s nuclear program as a ruse to “plunder Iran’s wealth” and to turn the country “back into a colony.”

He added that the U.S. and others failed in their belief that military and economic action would get Tehran to submit and that Washington “has no choice but to acknowledge defeat and leave the region.”

“This is how the war will end,” he said.

Trump and his top aides are insistent that Iran’s economy cannot sustain a conflict much longer and have expressed confidence that Tehran will be forced to capitulate.

The U.S. president predicted soon after launching the war that the conflict would last a matter of weeks. More recently, he’s said that the war will likely end after the November elections in the U.S.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a Monday appearance on Fox News said Iran was heading toward an economic “cataclysm.” Administration officials say that a combination of new sanctions and a U.S. naval blockade aimed at preventing Iranian oil from going to market are having the intended effect.

“And so when you’re denying them money through oil sales and sanctions, you’re not just punishing them,” Rubio said. “You are preventing them from getting access to money that they will use to try and kill Americans and others around the world and their own people and build weapons and threaten the world and ultimately break out to a nuclear weapon program."

Major Saudi pipeline is once again operating

In a separate development, a crucial oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia that was shuttered by the kingdom earlier this month after coming under attack is once again operating, according to a Saudi government official.

The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said operations are near pre-attack levels and that the pipeline should be running at full capacity within a few weeks.

The kingdom relies on the East-West Pipeline, which runs the breadth of the country, to move its crude from oil processing facilities on the Gulf to ports on its western, Red Sea coast. From there it can be put on tankers for export.

Saudi Arabia blamed an Iran-backed militia in Iraq for the drone attack that forced the temporary shutdown of the 1,200-kilomeer (745-mile) pipeline.

Satellite imagery indicated tankers on Sunday loaded some 12.5 million barrels of oil at the Yanbu export terminal, which is supplied by the East-West Pipeline, and the nearby terminal at Al Muajjiz, the data and analytical firm Kpler said in a report.

___

Associated Press writer David McHugh in Frankfurt, Germany contributed reporting.

The Southern California theme park said Tuesday that it is permanently shuttering the ride after nearly 20 years. Six Flags recently settled a wrongful-death lawsuit from the family of a 22-year-old man who died after riding the coaster in 2022, and three more lawsuits alleging traumatic brain injuries were filed last week.

“While X2 consistently passed a multitude of safety tests, we have decided to close the ride because we believe it’s the right thing to do,” park President Brian Oerding said in an online announcement. “Ride safety is a cornerstone of our business, and when we see guest confidence affected, we take it seriously.”

The ride has been closed since the evening of July 12, after two women who rode the coaster less than a week apart both needed to be rushed to the hospital after they exited.

One of them, 25-year-old Naomi Greer-Wilkinson, collapsed shortly after the ride ended and was found to have massive brain bleeding inside the skull that required emergency brain surgery. She remains in a vegetative state in the hospital, unable to speak or move and dependent on a ventilator. Her family filed a lawsuit against Six Flags on her behalf.

Her attorneys said more than 100 people claimed they suffered brain injuries from the roller coaster in the past two years, and more lawsuits would be filed in the coming weeks.

According to the Six Flags Magic Mountain website, the X2 roller coaster reaches a top speed of 76 mph (122 kph) and has a total length of 3,610 feet (1,100 meters). The seats rotate 360 degrees “so your body will be flipping around the entire time,” and the ride features two “raven turns” — half loops that turn into sheer drops midway.

It debuted at the park in 2002 under the name X as the world’s first “fourth-dimension” roller coaster and reopened in 2008 as X2 with new trains and special effects. The uniqueness of the ride drew thrill-seekers from around the world and garnered a fervent fanbase.

The park settled a wrongful-death lawsuit filed by the family of Christopher Hawley, a 22-year-old who died the day after he rode X2. He was taken to the hospital after the ride with severe brain bleeding. The medical examiner’s office said his death was from blunt head trauma. The case was settled at the end of August, a few days before the trial was scheduled to start.

Content used in live performances, including songs and stand-up comedy scripts, must be approved in advance by local authorities, a long-standing requirement that reflects China’s strict censorship of the entertainment industry. Artists who violate the rules can be fined or banned from future performances and even public appearances.

Singer Na Ying’s performance was “a brief, fragmentary performance during an audience interaction segment rather than a full rendition of the song” and therefore did not require additional approval, the Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism said in a statement.

Na, one of China’s most influential female singers, performed “Curved Moon” at her concert in Chengdu on Saturday in memory of her friend and singer Liu Huan, a household name who died the previous day.

“I want to sing a song he sang before on this stage, to pay tribute to him,” Na, dressed in black, told the audience, according to videos posted on social media. Her voice trembled as she sang.

Some commenters called the performance an “expensive tribute,” expressing admiration for Na while also voicing concerns that she could be fined.

Liu, one of China’s best-known musicians for nearly four decades, died Friday at age 63, according to an obituary published Sunday by the University of International Business and Economics. A professor of music history, Liu taught at the university for more than three decades before retiring.

Liu performed the theme song for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games with soprano Sarah Brightman during the opening ceremony.

Brightman called Liu “an amazing talent and a true gentleman” and said he “will be greatly missed” in posts on Facebook and X on Sunday.

The Chengdu decision came weeks after authorities in the central Chinese city of Wuhan fined one of the country’s best-known comedians for changing the lyrics of a patriotic song during a performance.

The alliance could be well positioned to threaten the dominance of President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party over the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority — but only if the first national elections in 20 years actually happen, which is very much in doubt.

Abbas has said parliamentary elections will be held Nov. 28 in Gaza and the West Bank. But he has repeatedly delayed elections, most recently in 2021, when Fatah appeared headed for defeat. When Hamas won the last elections, in 2006, Israel and Western countries boycotted its government, fueling months of unrest that led to its takeover of Gaza the following year.

Islamic Jihad deputy Secretary General Mohammed al-Hindi confirmed the formation of the electoral alliance in a rare interview with The Associated Press in Istanbul on Monday. He said it would support “a unified national list” that could be made up of independent figures rather than members of the groups.

It would include a bloc led by Mohammed Dahlan, a former Fatah security chief who was exiled in 2010 after a bitter falling-out with Abbas and had previously been driven from Gaza by Hamas. Dahlan has since cultivated close ties with the UAE, where he serves as an adviser to the ruler.

The UAE was the driving force behind the 2020 Abraham Accords, and Dahlan himself has extensive contacts with U.S. and Israeli officials, making him an unlikely ally for Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which have fought Israel for decades. The alliance appears to be rooted in shared frustration with Abbas.

New alliance takes aim at Abbas

Abbas’ leadership of the Palestinian Authority, which has limited autonomy over parts of the occupied West Bank, is deeply unpopular among Palestinians who see it as autocratic, corrupt and ineffective.

The 90-year-old Abbas has clung to power since his own mandate expired in 2009, while Hamas continues to control parts of Gaza three years into a brutal war with Israel.

Dimitri Diliani, spokesperson for Dahlan’s Reformist Democratic Faction, stopped short of declaring a formal alliance but confirmed the factions are assembling a list that would transcend their political differences. The Palestinian Authority under Abbas “has failed Gaza and the Palestinian people everywhere,” he said.

He said several other Palestinian groups are also part of the initiative and there are efforts to bring “all other factions and independent professionals into uniting around one national rebuilding program.”

Hamas said in August that Dahlan and Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya had met in Cairo and discussed ways to “end the monopolization of national decision-making and formulate a comprehensive national strategy.”

Hamas and Fatah officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Past attempts at Palestinian unity have failed

Al-Hindi said the decision to launch the alliance came after attempts to bring together all factions in a “dialogue for internal consensus on the overall Palestinian issue” failed to bear fruit.

There have been multiple attempts over the years to bring Hamas and Islamic Jihad into the Fatah-led Palestine Liberation Organization, the highest body representing the Palestinian cause internationally, but all have foundered.

A main sticking point has been the PLO’s recognition of Israel. While Hamas officials have said they are willing to accept a Palestinian state in Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem — territories Israel seized in the 1967 Mideast war — they have stopped short of recognizing Israel, while Islamic Jihad takes a harder line.

Both are considered terrorist groups by the U.S. and other Western countries, which have voiced support for Palestinian democracy over the years while rejecting any government that includes Hamas. Fatah and Hamas are the most popular factions by far, though many Palestinians are frustrated with both.

Al-Hindi said his group — which has historically not participated in elections run by the Palestinian Authority — will not directly run any candidates but will “support a national list that is agreed upon.”

Violence is ongoing in Gaza and the West Bank

The scheduled elections come at a precarious time.

In the West Bank, attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians have intensified. In Gaza, a ceasefire that took effect in October 2025 has halted the heaviest fighting, but the Israeli military has seized control of more of the territory and continued strikes, which it says are in response to threats.

More than 74,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Hamas started the war with its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, in which militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 others hostage.

Under a U.S. plan for implementing the ceasefire, armed Palestinian groups were to give up their weapons while Israel would withdraw from the enclave. Al-Hindi said his group, along with Hamas, had agreed to the plan and blamed Israel for blocking it.

“When Israel’s obligations in the first phase (of the agreement) are achieved, we will move on to talk about the second phase, which includes the issue of weapons,” al-Hindi said.

Islamic Jihad official says Oct. 7 came as a surprise

Islamic Jihad took part in the Oct. 7 attack and held Israeli hostages, but al-Hindi said the group was not involved in planning the attack or given forewarning by Hamas. The night before, he said, Islamic Jihad members held a commemoration of the group’s founding and many stayed up late.

“In the morning, we were surprised by the media reporting what happened, but as a resistance movement, we were quick to participate in these confrontations,” he said.

With tens of thousands dead, Gaza largely reduced to rubble, and most of its population displaced, al-Hindi acknowledged that “some voices began to express doubts and say, ’What has the resistance brought down on the Palestinian people?'”

But he insisted that the Oct. 7 attack had been necessary to prevent the plight of the Palestinians from being completely sidelined as the UAE and other Arab countries had moved to normalize relations with Israel.

He also acknowledged that Iran — long a main source of support for Palestinian militant groups — is now preoccupied by the ongoing war and a U.S. economic blockade. But al-Hindi said his group will continue with or without Iranian support.

“As long as there is no political horizon to solve the Palestinian issue and attempts continue to flee from the Palestinian cause in the region, the future will be resistance,” he said.

___

Associated Press writer Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report.

It is the latest mishap involving Navy aircraft in the past couple of years, including two Navy jets that collided during an air show in Idaho in May as well as a fighter jet and a helicopter crashing into the South China Sea in October. Pentagon data released last year showed a spike in aviation mishaps across the U.S. military in 2024.

The two aviators ejected from their E/A-18G Growler on Monday after a failure of the arresting gear that was designed to bring the jet to a halt after landing, the Navy said in a statement. They were rescued and safely returned to the ship, it said.

The aviators, who are attached to the “Zappers” of an electronic attack squadron and assigned to Carrier Air Wing 3, and six other sailors were evaluated by the ship's medical personnel, the Navy said. One sailor was transported to a hospital in the Norfolk, Virginia, area to be treated for injuries that were not life threatening, while the two aviators and two sailors injured on the flight deck were flown to a naval medical center for further evaluation.

Mishap follows several aviation incidents in recent years

Other recent mishaps have included a Navy helicopter crash in July in the Arabian Sea in which the pilot died and three sailors were rescued. The helicopter was supporting the Iran war, but the Navy said at the time that the crash was an emergency landing and there was “no indication the emergency was caused by hostile action.”

The USS Harry S Truman aircraft carrier experienced four mishaps while defending commercial shipping in the Red Sea against attacks from the Iran-backed Houthis in 2024 and 2025. In a friendly fire incident, a guided-missile cruiser fired at two fighter jets from the Truman, downing one. The Truman also collided with a merchant vessel. An F-18 fighter jet fell off the Truman when it made a sharp turn to avoid a Houthi missile. Another went overboard while trying to land after the cable designed to bring the 50,000-pound jet to a halt snapped from poor maintenance.

In 2024, two crew members died in Washington state after their EA-18G Growler jet from an electronic attack squadron crashed east of Mount Rainier during a routine training flight. They were based out of the Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. A report from the crash investigation has not been released.

Aircraft carriers draw attention as Iran war continues

The nuclear-powered Nimitz-class USS Dwight D. Eisenhower was commissioned in 1977 and recently completed extensive maintenance, repairs and modernization work at a shipyard in Portsmouth, Virginia. It also had conducted sea trials in April following the overhaul, according to a Navy news release.

It has been taking part in checks following those repairs, with amateur ship spotters seeing the ship leaving Naval Station Norfolk on Monday afternoon.

The Eisenhower has not played a role in the U.S. war against Iran, which has now lasted seven months. But concerns have been growing that some sailors have been stretched to the limit during the conflict. The U.S.-led campaign against Yemen’s Houthi rebels in 2024 and 2025 also took a toll on the service’s ships and personnel.

The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group spent a record-setting uninterrupted time at sea supporting the war, during which reports emerged of crew stress and poor mental health, as well as shortages of food and hygiene products. The Lincoln’s extended deployment drew the nation’s attention and increasing scrutiny from Democratic lawmakers.

As of Monday, the Lincoln was still on its way home to San Diego, according to a news release from Democratic Rep. Sara Jacobs of California. She and other lawmakers visited the carrier and spoke to sailors and Marines, who Jacobs said shared stories of “their struggles to wash clothes, get medicine and health care, and eat enough food.”

Jacobs said she blames President Donald Trump for the strike group's “mail delays, food and supply shortages, low morale, and mental health crises.”

The Lincoln was replaced in the Middle East by the Asia-based USS George Washington aircraft carrier, which left the western Pacific without one of the key American warships at a time when China is showing more signs of aggression.

___

Associated Press writers David Rising in Bangkok and Martha Bellisle in Seattle contributed to this report.

U.S. job openings slid to 7.08 million from a revised 7.34 million in July, the Labor Department reported Tuesday. Openings came in below the 7.2 million that forecasters had expected and were the lowest since they hit 6.9 million in March.

The department's Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) also showed that layoffs fell and the number of people quitting their jobs — a sign of confidence in their prospects — retreated slightly in August. The JOLTS report's measure of gross hiring — before subtracting people who quit or lost their jobs — ticked up modestly in August but remains at low levels.

The U.S. job market is sturdy, though unspectacular, despite an energy shock from the Iran war. Hiring has rebounded from a miserable 2025. Employers — businesses, nonprofits and government agencies — have added an average 80,000 jobs a month so far this year. That is an improvement on the 9,700-a-month average last year when high interest rates and uncertainty about President Donald Trump's trade policies discouraged businesses from hiring.

Still, Americans’ confidence in the economy has sunk to the lowest level in more than a decade, according to the monthly index released Tuesday by the Conference Board.

When the Labor Department releases its next jobs report on Friday, it is expected to show that the United States added 95,000 net jobs in September, solid but down from a surprising 162,000 in August. The unemployment rate likely stayed a low 4.1% as most American workers enjoy an unusual degree of job security, according to a survey of forecasters by the data firm FactSet.

Employers may not be laying workers off, but they aren't hiring nearly as many as they did a few years ago. Hiring remains well below the 166,000 monthly jobs created, on average, in 2023 and 2024, and the 491,000 a month recorded during the 2021-2022 hiring boom that followed COVID-19 lockdowns.

Cory Stahle, senior economist at the Indeed jobs website, said the labor market is "far less dynamic than it was a few years ago. It’s a comfortable place to be if you already have a job. It’s a frustrating one if you’re trying to find one, especially for new graduates and others entering the workforce.''

Ivanna Lisette Ortiz, 36, of Orlando, Florida, has pleaded not guilty to trying to murder Rihanna and to more than a dozen other felony charges stemming from the shooting in March. No one was injured, but bullets tore through an Airstream trailer that the singing superstar and A$AP Rocky were in. Shots also struck the wall of a nursery where their small children were at the time.

“Criminal proceedings are reinstated,” Judge Maria Cavalluzzi said at a very brief hearing in Los Angeles County court after months of psychiatric evaluations.

Ortiz appeared behind glass in a custody area of the courtroom, wearing yellow jail clothes and handcuffs. She didn't speak during the hearing. She could get life in prison if convicted of all the charges.

There was no direct discussion of the mental evaluations in court, and case documents that include such details have been sealed. Ortiz has been returned to the regular criminal court process, which had been suspended shortly after it began. She was ordered to appear at a hearing Wednesday.

Attorneys for both sides declined comment outside court after the hearing.

Police and prosecutors allege that Ortiz drove a Tesla up to the Beverly Hills-area property of Rihanna and her rapper partner on March 8, pointed an AR-15 style rifle out the window and fired at least 20 rounds toward the property and a neighboring house.

Investigators found bullet holes in the trailer and on the exterior wall of the home’s second-floor nursery, where the three kids were with their nanny.

Investigators said that after her arrest later that day, Ortiz said: “I wasn’t attempting murder.”

Ortiz is charged with 10 counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, one for each of the people on the two properties. She’s also charged with three counts of shooting at an occupied vehicle or dwelling.

Ortiz had no prior police record, authorities said. Public records show she had been a licensed speech pathologist for more than a decade.

Authorities have not discussed a motive or described any connection between Ortiz and Rihanna. Her lawyers have not offered comment on her beyond her not guilty plea and procedural issues.

A nine-time Grammy Award winner, Rihanna has had 14 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including “We Found Love,” “Work,” “Umbrella” and “Disturbia.”

Asking the site — which says it’s sourced via artificial intelligence from “official government sources” — questions about who won the 2020 election or about the name of the federal department that operates out of the Pentagon yields answers contrary to those Trump himself frequently proclaims.

As Trump was still speaking at Tuesday’s launch event, however, the site began modifying its answers. Asked again about the 2020 election, it replied that it couldn’t answer “political questions," a response it also gave to inquiries about whether Trump had been impeached or convicted of felony charges.

The Associated Press asked about:

The 2020 presidential election

“Official federal sources do not show that widespread fraud changed the 2020 presidential election outcome. Isolated election crimes did occur and have been prosecuted.”

Since Trump, a Republican, lost the 2020 election to Democrat Joe Biden, he has repeatedly falsely claimed that victory was “stolen” from him and asserted that widespread fraud occurred. Repeated audits and recounts found no significant fraud in the presidential election, and Trump’s own administration said the election was clean.

Trump running for president in 2028

“The 22nd Amendment says that no person shall be elected President more than twice. Donald J. Trump has already been elected twice (2016 and 2024). I am not giving legal advice.”

Trump has frequently suggested he wants to seek a third term, posting about mounting another campaign, donning 2028 caps and discussing ways to make it happen — even as he’s acknowledged the Constitution prohibits it. He had only been back in the White House for a couple of months when he told NBC News, “There are methods which you could” use to seek a third term.

The Pentagon

“The Pentagon is the headquarters of the Department of Defense.”

Last year, Trump signed an executive order aimed at rebranding the Department of Defense as the Department of War, complaining that the Department of Defense’s name was “woke.”

Human action as cause of climate change

“Federal climate-science pages say recent warming is largely from human greenhouse-gas emissions, mainly burning fossil fuels. Earth’s climate has also changed for natural reasons over long periods.”

Trump, who has called climate change a “hoax,” previously issued an executive order that directed the Environmental Protection Agency to submit a report on “the legality and continuing applicability” of the endangerment finding. Conservatives and some congressional Republicans have long sought to undo what they consider overly restrictive and economically damaging rules to limit greenhouse gases that cause global warming.

Presidential salaries

The chatbot said that “some presidents have declined to keep that pay,” mentioning Trump but listing George Washington, Herbert Hoover and John F. Kennedy as refusing their salaries before Trump.

During his remarks Tuesday, Trump, a real estate mogul who took in about $1.2 billion from various crypto holdings last year, said he was the first U.S. president to forgo a salary, something that he has said before.

___

Kinnard reported from Columbia, S.C.

The Spurs are monitoring brokers, individuals and season-ticket holders who are buying and hoarding tickets primarily to resell them for large profits, said Tim Sailer, the team’s senior vice president of business development, membership and ticket operations.

“In the professional sporting industry, but even college athletics, you get some people that buy season tickets for the wrong reason,” Sailer said. “They buy them to resell them for a profit.”

>> Spurs Media Day: ‘Haunting’ NBA Finals emotions fuel Spurs entering 2026-27 NBA season

The team said its goal is to make games more accessible to Spurs fans, and to avoid fans being scammed out of tickets that have been promoted or purchased on third-party sites.

Sailer said the monitoring effort began about a year and a half ago — well before the playoffs — but received more attention as postseason demand increased.

“We’ve just been monitoring that process,” Sailer said. “Playoffs obviously put a larger spotlight on it.”

The Spurs also adjusted how tickets are sold, focusing more on partial plans instead of full-season packages.

“We focused a little bit more on partial plans, less full season, so that we could have more people in the community that could be a part of this,” Sailer said. “The demand is the highest it’s ever been, which is remarkable.”

The team is also relying on dynamic pricing, meaning ticket prices can change based on several factors, including the opponent, the day of the week, the time of year and whether high-profile players are expected to play.

The Spurs compared the system to the way airline and hotel prices fluctuate.

“Different opponents, different days of the week, different times of the year dictate the value proposition and what those prices are,” Sailer said.

That means a weekend game against a popular or star-studded opponent could cost more than a weekday matchup. Prices may shift throughout the season as demand changes.

Group sales are another major part of the team’s strategy for filling Frost Bank Center with fans from the San Antonio area.

“We’ve maintained one of the best group sales programs in the league,” Sailer said. “I think this past year we finished second in the league in group tickets, which means that puts us right in the center of the community.”

Sailer said group tickets account for about 20% of the arena’s capacity each night. Many of those packages include a theme, food or hospitality experience.

“Within our group sales program, every night roughly 20% of the building is group tickets,” he said. “Most all of those have some sort of a theme or a food or hospitality package.”

The Spurs hope the combination of monitoring ticket resales, offering more partial plans, adjusting prices and expanding group sales will help keep more seats in the hands of local fans.

Students, teachers and staff gathered for a Falcon Victory Parade on Monday to honor Annie after she completed cancer treatment and returned to campus.

School leaders described the celebration as a symbol of courage, perseverance and hope.

Annie said encouragement from the people around her helped her keep going through treatment.

“Everybody kept saying, telling me that it was fine, we’ll get through this fast, and I believed them, so I just started, just kept going,” Annie said.

She also shared a message for other children going through cancer treatment: “Be brave and be confident in yourself.”

The celebration comes during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, observed each September to raise awareness about children facing cancer and the families supporting them.

Roosevelt Dual Language Academy also raised $530 for Big Love Cancer Care, a nonprofit that supports children and families during cancer treatment.

School leaders said the celebration was not only a welcome back for Annie, but also a reminder of the strength found in community support.

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María del Carmen Abascal has been hospitalized since she was carried out on a stretcher from the apartment where she had lived for seven decades on Wednesday. Her case has drawn tens of thousands of people to the streets in recent days and led the government to present measures to address the country’s housing crisis. It remains to be seen if they go far enough to appease protesters.

Abascal, who has become widely known as simply “Maricarmen,” accepted a deal with the company that owns her apartment in the upscale Retiro neighborhood to return home as soon as she is discharged, her lawyer, Beatriz Duro, told The Associated Press.

“She is very happy,” said Duro.

The agreement limits her rent to 30% of her income, meaning she would not pay more than the 500 euros ($570) per month she paid previously.

The coalition led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s Socialists announced the new measures earlier Tuesday, after four days of intense protests centered around an encampment in Puerta del Sol, Madrid’s most iconic plaza.

New housing measure

s

The government's main decree extends protection against evictions for vulnerable Spaniards until 2030, regulates room rentals, imposes a new tax on seasonal rentals and bans “speculative real estate purchases by vulture funds” until 2028, Housing Minister Isabel Rodríguez told reporters at the presidential palace. It remains unclear how such funds are classified or how large the tax will be, as the decree's full text has yet to be released.

It also offers tax breaks to landlords who rent to low-income tenants, offers interest-free loans to families buying their first home, and protects public housing and promotes its construction, Rodríguez added.

“This has been thanks to the citizen movement. To Maricarmen. To the thousands of people in the streets,” Spain's Labor Minister Yolanda Díaz wrote on social media.

Rising costs and a housing shortage are pricing many Spaniards out of the housing market, despite strong economic growth in Europe’s fourth-largest economy. The protesters have been demanding stronger protections for tenants, measures to combat fraud and a ban on evictions when alternative housing is unavailable.

Parliament has 30 days to ratify the measures, and the government wants to expedite the process, calling for an extraordinary plenary session on housing for Friday. The government's coalition holds 152 of the chamber’s 350 seats, so it needs the support of smaller parties across the political spectrum to pass bills. Lack of parliamentary support in late July prevented the approval of similar measures.

Activists see a historic standoff with the government

The Madrid Tenants’ Union, the organizer of the protest, said it would remain cautious until it could review “the fine print” of the decree.

“The streets, this encampment and all the others currently across the country are engaging in a historic standoff with the government to push it to advance the right to housing through measures that had not been considered. And this continues,” said Alicia del Río, the union’s spokesperson.

The activists, who have called for more protests for the weekend across the country, will decide “in due time” whether to dismantle the encampment, a spokesperson told AP in a text message. The regional government, led by the conservative People’s Party, has asked the government delegate to clear the square within 48 hours before taking the matter to court. The protesters have remained peaceful.

“There are years when nothing happens, and weeks when history is made. This could be one of them,” the union said in a statement. “A historic window of opportunity has opened to reverse decades of the commodification of housing, and the coming days will be crucial. That is why we need to ramp up the pressure.”

Smaller encampments have sprung up in other cities, from Seville and Málaga in the south to Santiago de Compostela in the north and Palma de Mallorca in the tourist-friendly Balearic Islands, drawing international attention to a long-running issue.

Asked about the situation on Monday, Pope Leo XIV said it underscored the need for political leaders to find solutions to the housing crisis affecting many communities.

“Maybe we have to insist that political leaders, authorities find a solution to this, because it’s obviously increasing and oftentimes we only react in the moment of an emergency,” he said, after admitting that he was not familiar with the case. “But we have to try to see what the systemic cause of the problem is and how to help.”

Spain has had a housing law in place since 2023 that regulates rents and protects tenants, as well as allowing rent caps in high-demand areas at the request of local governments.

Abascal's family rented the apartment since the 1950s

Spanish media reported that Abascal’s father first rented the property in 1956 and she continued as the tenant after her parents died, during which time there was a rent cap. The building changed ownership in 2018, and Abascal was offered the opportunity to buy the apartment but could not afford it, according to the union, which organized Saturday’s protest.

Urbagestión, an investment fund that later bought the unit, raised her monthly rent from 500 euros to 2,650 euros. It subsequently lowered the rent to 1,650 euros, which Abascal still could not afford on her pension, the union said.

The company didn't respond to emailed and phone requests for comment from AP.

___

Associated Press journalists Nicole Winfield in Rome and Joseph Wilson in Barcelona contributed.

The journalist is a prince who had long been employed as a broadcaster and editor with Uganda Broadcasting Corp. He picked the regnal name of Edward Rukidi Nyabongo. He performed rituals overnight, was ushered into the palace and was formally unveiled to his followers on Tuesday.

Traditional kingdoms were banned in the 1960s, after Uganda's independence from British colonial rule, by a republican president who said that he wanted to unify the country. They were restored in 1993.

Traditional leaders don't wield any formal authority in this East African country and are legally barred from engaging in partisan politics. But they wield immense authority among their people as guardians of traditional culture.

The coronation ceremony in Fort Portal, a remote town in western Uganda and not far from the Congo border, was watched by thousands in person and on televised broadcasts. Speaking at the event, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni urged traditional leaders to promote local languages.

In a brief speech at his coronation, Nyabongo pledged to be a unifying figure for all his people. Before his enthronement, the monarch told the local New Vision newspaper that “heritage must be matched by discipline and hard work. My family never let me treat royal descent as an entitlement; it was presented to me as a duty to prepare for.”

Nyabongo wasn't particularly high in the line of succession, but elders within the kingdom’s ruling clan, known as the Babiito, selected him from a pool of eligible princes after King Oyo Nyimba’s death from cancer at age 34 in August without a publicly known heir.

The queen mother, Best Kemigisa, disputed that decision and charged that the written will of King Oyo hadn't been followed in the selection of Nyabongo.

Kemigisa said that Oyo left behind a young son whose identity would be unveiled at the right time, casting doubt on the legitimacy of Nyabongo and the decision of the Babiito to choose him. Local media cited scenes of disagreement — including a brief squabble over custody of the king’s remains — at Oyo’s Sept. 12 funeral.

Although Oyo’s alleged son has yet to be revealed, purported photos of a “Baby Oyo” have flooded social media, giving hope to devotees of the deceased monarch. But critics say that the child, if he exists, should have been introduced to the kingdom's elders while his father was still alive.

“They have demonstrated that these are the norms of the kingdom,” Nicholas Sengoba, a prominent political analyst in Uganda, said of the Babiito's selection of Nyabongo. “Many of these positions may not be popular.”

Oyo was crowned in 1995, at the age of 3, after his father’s death. He was a curious child in colorful robes and an object of adoration for his hundreds of thousands of followers.

At his coronation, he went through a series of tribal rituals and was led into the royal cemetery to perform a coming-of-age ceremony: successfully tossing nine coffee beans into his father’s tomb.

Oyo once held the unofficial title of the world’s youngest king, a mesmerizing figure even for world leaders introduced to him at national events, including South Africa’s Nelson Mandela. Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi was one of those who befriended the Tooro royal family as if they were part of his extended family. Gadhafi made multiple trips to Uganda and supported Oyo and Kemigisa for years before Gadhafi’s death in October 2011.

Oyo was guided by regents appointed by the kingdom until he became an adult at 18.

____

AP’s Africa coverage at: https://apnews.com/hub/africa

The Better Business Bureau says Texans have already lost $3 million to ticket scams this year, triple the amount lost all of last year.

Kimberly London learned that lesson firsthand. She bought VIP tickets to what she thought was the Afro Soca Love Festival, gathered a group of friends and headed to Missions Park ready for a good time. What she found was far from it.

“There was no food. There was no drinks. It was just these few vendors that were out there,” London said. “And now more people are coming in. So now people are starting to get together, and they’re trying to, you know, they’re going online or posting on Facebook and on social media, trying to figure out what’s going on.”

London waited three hours before leaving. She disputed the charge with her bank and got her money back, but said the experience changed how she thinks about buying tickets.

“I was really disappointed because I was really looking forward to that,” she said. ”It just, based on the videos and things like that, but again, anybody can snatch some videos and put them up and say, this is what the heading is, and this is the good time to be expected.”

The BBB said buyers should always verify a seller or reseller before purchasing tickets. If you do get scammed, your credit card may be your best defense — disputes are more likely to succeed with credit card purchases than other payment methods.

Jason Meza, senior director of communications for BBB, urges buyers to slow down, even when the pressure is on.

“Resist the temptation, the urge to do a last-minute deal because you’re rushed, you’re probably back against the wall, you want these tickets. Take your time, verify,” Meza said.

London was fortunate to get her money back, but the BBB said many victims never do. Anyone who believes they have been scammed should report it to the BBB and dispute the charge with their bank immediately.

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VOILA CAFE

National Coffee Day started with a beret and a table full of drinks at Voila Cafe, the French coffee spot at 1803 Broadway St. in San Antonio. The director of operations, who was born in Paris and grew up in New York City, put the cafe’s resemblance to the real thing at about 95%, minus the French people. The tasting began with dessert: an affogato, French vanilla bean ice cream slowly melting under a double shot of espresso, which he suggested pairing with a croissant. From there came a toasted marshmallow iced latte, offered as an alternative for anyone tired of pumpkin spice, and a cappuccino, the cafe’s most popular order. Non-coffee drinkers got an iced vanilla matcha inspired by the botanical garden a few blocks up Broadway. Pastries, creme brulee, an apple tart and breakfast are all on the menu, and yes, the berets are for sale in a range of colors. The segment also kicked off the question of the day, with viewers asked to name their own favorite coffee shop.

CHAMA GAUCHA BRAZILIAN STEAKHOUSE

The coffee theme moved behind the bar at Chama Gaúcha Brazilian Steakhouse, 217 E. Houston St. in San Antonio, right across from the Majestic Theater. The bartender walked through two coffee cocktails: the house espresso martini, built with Licor 43, vodka, coffee liqueur and fresh espresso, and the Carajillo, described as the Brazilian after-dinner drink, where the Licor 43 is caramelized and lit for about 15 seconds before the espresso goes in. He also laid out the restaurant’s two-part dining format, a salad bar with 30 to 40 fresh items, then the meat service, all USDA prime and wet aged for more than 35 days. From the bar menu came the Chama board with picanha and Brazilian sausage, a beef carpaccio made with thinly sliced filet mignon that he called one of the best lunch sellers, beef rib sliders and the restaurant’s take on steak fries.

SPURS MEDIA DAY

A quick look ahead at the Spurs season, built from Media Day interviews. Players talked about the support the city showed during the playoff run and about the expectations that come with it, which one framed as a sign the team is doing something right.

LUNG CANCER PREVENTION AND SCREENING

In a segment sponsored by University Health, San Antonio, a cardiothoracic surgeon and lung transplant surgical director from the University Health Transplant Institute laid out what to know about lung cancer. It is the leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, affecting about 1 in 19 Americans, and smoking raises the risk 15 to 30 times over the general population. Early warning signs include a cough lasting several weeks, chest discomfort, shortness of breath or wheezing, recurring infections and coughing up sputum streaked with blood, though he stressed that most early-stage lung cancers cause no symptoms at all. The American Cancer Society recommends an annual low-dose screening CT for people ages 50 to 80 with a 20-year smoking history; the scan takes about a minute and uses far less radiation than a standard CT. If a concerning nodule turns up, the options are repeat imaging or a biopsy, now often done as an outpatient robotic bronchoscopy that can sample nodules as small as four to five millimeters. He said early detection opens up many treatment options and good outcomes. More at universityhealth.com/lunghealth.

MORGAN’S WONDERLAND HALLOWEEN

Sponsored by Morgan’s, this one took the cameras out to the park, where every weekend in October brings kid-friendly Halloween decorations, games, costume contests and treats. The park president pointed out the life-size jack-o-lantern at the Starlight Amphitheater entrance as a photo stop, then walked onto the stage where the season’s newest production, a Wonder Squad Halloween show, is staged. Seasonal food includes Halloween pretzels, cheesecake and a parfait. The Halloween Bash lands Saturday, Oct. 31, from 4 to 9 p.m. On tickets: buying a 2027 season pass includes free admission for the rest of 2026, with details at morganswonderland.org/tickets.

The two-day operation, referred to as “Operation Rolling Thunder,” resulted in eight people being arrested for various crimes, including soliciting prostitution, online solicitation of a minor, and unlawful carrying of a weapon. The release said multiple law enforcement agencies were involved in the arrests in Medina County.

The sheriff’s office identified seven people accused of soliciting prostitution, a state jail felony:

• Edwin Torris, 22
• Ethan Lopez, 25
• Barwa Asi Hakem, 27
• Brandon Tyler Lathan, 30
• Anthony Clay Willis, 52
• Damian Renard Abbott, 53
• Kenneth David Duvall, 64

Willis and Duvall were also charged with unlawful carrying of a weapon, according to the sheriff’s office. Duvall faces four counts of the charge.

The eighth suspect, Michael Wayne Carr, 31, was arrested for soliciting a child online. The sheriff’s office said Carr showed up to an undisclosed location to meet with an underage girl.

“I love to fish, and over the past two days, we filled our stringer. Among those caught was a 31-year-old man who was showing up with the intent to have sex with an underage girl after online communication/solicitation of a minor under 14,” Medina County Sheriff Randy Brown said.

Brown said nine other online solicitation of a minor cases are pending.

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The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index tumbled 6.7 points to 81.9 in September, down from 88.6 in August. That’s the lowest reading in the board's survey since April 2014 and below the lowest level reached during the pandemic.

Respondents’ views of their present situation fell by 7.9 points to 109.3. Their short-term outlook also slid, falling 5.9 points to 63.6.

Americans remain flustered by the economy after five years of elevated inflation, potentially posing a risk to President Donald Trump and Republicans in the midterm elections, which are a little more than a month away.

Write-in responses to the board’s survey, collected from September 1-23, were mostly pessimistic this month, with frequent references to the high cost of gas, goods and services.

“The Consumer Confidence Index deteriorated notably in September, following two prior months of softening,” said Dana Peterson, the Conference Board’s chief economist, adding that consumers’ views of current business conditions became negative for the first time since September 2024.

Trump has continued to blame high prices on his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden, yet inflation has risen since Trump’s inauguration last year.

Earlier this month, the government reported that consumer inflation accelerated last month and gas prices spiked as fighting in the Middle East dragged on. The consumer price index rose 3.4% last month compared with a year ago, the Labor Department said Friday, just like July. But inflation quickened month to month as costs jumped 0.4% from July, quadrupling the 0.1% registered in the previous month.

The Federal Reserve two weeks ago raised its benchmark interest rate for the first time since 2023 in an effort to quell stubbornly high inflation, and the central bank signaled another rate hike could occur later this year.

The quarter-point increase lifted the Fed’s key rate to about 3.9% and, over time, could result in higher borrowing costs for mortgages, auto loans and credit cards.

Gasoline prices — which currently average $4.46 for a gallon of regular — are not all that is rising. Prices for appliances, car repairs, and wireless phone services also jumped in August.

The most recent measure of the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge — the personal consumption expenditures price index — was up 3.7% in June from a year earlier. That was down from May’s 4.1% year-over-year increase but up from 2.8% before the Iran war began on Feb. 28. It was 2.5% when Trump was inaugurated in January 2025.

The government issues its August PCE data Wednesday.

Consumers’ views of the current labor market also worsened in September, but remained in positive territory, the board said. Respondents broadly said they expected their household incomes to rise, but not as much as in previous months.

The U.S. labor market bounced back in August as employers added a surprising 162,000 jobs, ending a summer of lackluster hiring. The unemployment rate remained at a low 4.1%, but some of that can be attributed to significant numbers of people giving up on their search for employment in previous months.

Inflation has dominated conversations this year in business and households, and meager pay raises have made rising prices more painful for many. Average hourly wages rose 3.1% last month from a year earlier, the weakest year-over-year increase since May 2021.

The government issues its September jobs report on Friday.

After hardline conservatives in the Legislature scored a laundry list of wins last session, state Rep. Mitch Little says conservatives won’t slow their roll if there’s a blue wave in the Texas House.

The rightmost flank of the lower chamber grew its ranks from single digits to two or three dozen members after the 2024 election, depending on how you slice it. They tasted victory last session after pushing the House into a far more conservative position, leading to the passage of many grassroots priorities that were left on the table in past sessions.

Now, with the midterms about a month out, Texas Republicans are locked in tight races atop the ballot that threaten to spill over into lesser-known legislative contests. The last time Democrats shocked the Republicans — when they flipped 12 seats in the House in 2018 — the Legislature responded in 2019 with the “kumbaya session,” largely avoiding culture war issues and infighting. At the Republican agenda panel at last week’s Texas Tribune Festival, Little suggested the conservative flank would refuse to go along with another session like that if the GOP majority narrows in November.

“I think it will be more demanding than ever of our Republican colleagues,” said Little, a leader in the House’s rightmost wing despite serving in his first term.

The Lewisville Republican added, “None of us are willing to go backwards and say, ‘Oh, well, we lost a few seats, so our policy agenda is going to change.’ You can count me out of that.”

Like others in the caucus, Little praised Speaker Dustin Burrows of Lubbock for overseeing passage of GOP priorities in 2025 and working hard to boost Republicans on the campaign trail. Rep. Daniel Alders, a freshman Republican from Tyler, said, “You’re going to see that train keep on rolling.”

The House currently stands at 86-62, with vacancies in two GOP-leaning districts. But Little acknowledged there could be roadblocks to another conservative session, and “things could change” on the unity front, if the split falls to something like 80-70. At that point, there’s the threat of moderate Republicans breaking ranks and teaming up with Democrats to reach the magic number of 76 votes to pick the speaker.

That’s exactly what happened in 2009, when the session began with a 76-74 split in favor of Republicans. The GOP has held more comfortable margins ever since, even after the 2018 wave narrowed their edge to 83-67.

“Right now, we’re at a place where we’re working together, unified,” Little said. “But if you have five or six Republicans who are really, really interested in power, might they do something obscene from the standpoint of unity? Yeah, they might.”

In a Tuesday press release, Oura said it's delaying the IPO “despite strong demand.”

The IPO market had a solid start to the year but tailed off in the third quarter, according to research firm Renaissance Capital. Concerns about a possible slowdown in spending on artificial intelligence, the Federal Reserve’s resumption of rate hikes and a surge in bond yields — making borrowing more expensive — all played a factor, Renaissance said.

Oura customers use the ring to monitor their health, including sleep patterns and fitness activity. The company gets the bulk of its revenue from ring sales, with the rest coming from subscriptions.

The company approached the IPO with momentum: The introduction of the Oura Ring 5 helped boost the number of paid members to 5.7 million and the company expects revenue for the fiscal year ending Wednesday to have grown by 90%.

Oura planned to sell 50 million shares in the IPO between $40 and $44, with nearly three-quarters of them being sold by current shareholders. At the midpoint of the price range, Oura's IPO would have given it a market value of $13.5 billion.

KSAT 12 Sports has you covered for the high school football season each and every week!

Make sure to watch KSAT Sports Now with Larry Ramirez, Mary Rominger and Ashley Gonzalez weeknights at 9:35 p.m. on KSAT Plus to get Big Game Coverage highlights!

Class 6A

1. Johnson: 3-0
2. Steele: 3-1-1
3. Brennan: 4-1
4. Harlan: 4-1
5. Madison: 3-1
6. East Central: 4-1
7. Warren: 3-2
8. Clemens: 3-2
9. Taft: 3-2
10. LEE: 3-1
11. Sotomayor: 3-2
12. NB Canyon: 3-2

Class 5A

1. Smithson Valley: 4-0
2. Boerne Champion: 5-0
3. Medina Valley: 4-0
4. Boerne: 5-0
5. Alamo Heights: 4-1
6. MacArthur: 3-1
7. Veterans Memorial: 3-1
8. McCollum: 3-2
9. Sam Houston: 3-2
10. Harlandale: 3-2
11. Brackenridge: 2-2
12. Lanier: 3-1

Sub 5A

1. Davenport: 3-1
2. La Vernia: 4-1
3. Tivy: 4-0
4. Kenedy: 5-0
5. Ingram Moore: 4-1
6. Poth: 4-1
7. Devine: 4-1
8. Navarro: 3-1
9. Floresville: 4-1
10. Blanco: 3-2
11. Marion 4-1
12. D’Hanis 5-0

Read more reporting and watch highlights and full games on the Big Game Coverage page.

The crash happened around 10 p.m. Friday on U.S. Highway 84 at Farm-to-Market Road 1606, located west of Abilene, Texas.

According to a preliminary report, the driver was traveling northbound on U.S. Highway 84 at a “high rate of speed” in the passing lane. At some point, the driver lost control of the vehicle, drove off the roadway and rolled over. He was ejected from the vehicle.

The driver, later identified as Bakari James DiAngelo Brown, 18, was pronounced dead at the scene, DPS said.

In a Facebook post, the Stevens Falcons Boys Basketball group shared a remembrance post for Brown.

They wrote he was a 2025-2026 basketball co-captain, an all-district selection and a valued contributor to the team for four years.

Read also:

• GCSO: Ex-Harper ISD employee sentenced to 15 years after recording people in high school dressing room
• ‘Oh s---, I really shot him’: Mom recalls suspect’s remarks after killing her son on Southeast Side
• ‘They’re not doing enough’: Simon Cuevas’ mother still fighting for answers after final suspect’s sentencing

The 31-year-old Bardella, who Le Pen says will be her prime minister if she wins the presidency in May, vigorously denied authorship of the comments about supposed Jewish banking monopolies and other antisemitic conspiracy theories that investigative website Mediapart attributed to him and published Monday.

It said they were written more than a decade ago. They included years when Bardella, now the National Rally president, was a teenage member of the party's predecessor, the National Front. It was founded by Le Pen's father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, who repeatedly denied the Holocaust and was convicted multiple times of hate speech before his death in 2025.

Allegations of antisemitism touch a particular nerve at the National Rally because Le Pen has worked for years to distance herself from her father’s sulfurous legacy. To win the presidency, she must overcome obstacles that blocked his presidential ambitions. His associations with people who collaborated with France’s Nazi occupiers in World War II and his multiple convictions for antisemitism, discrimination and inciting racial violence made him anathema to many voters.

Sitting side by side, Marine Le Pen, Bardella and their ally Eric Ciotti on Tuesday used a previously scheduled gathering of their lawmakers to demonstrate unity.

They described Mediapart's allegations as the opening salvo of a supposed effort to undermine the National Rally and Le Pen as she campaigns to succeed President Emmanuel Macron, who is constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive term.

It's “the beginnings of an all-out war, of attempts to destabilize the presidential campaign, which — I’m telling you — will target us one after another,” Bardella said.

“We have both put on our Kevlar suits, because this is heavy stuff coming down on us,” Le Pen said. "This manipulation is about as subtle as a charcuterie convention.”

“We are not going to let them do this to us!” she added. To applause from their lawmakers, she expressed ”absolute confidence" in Bardella, who is particularly popular with young voters and has large followings on social media.

Mediapart said the comments it attributed to Bardella were drawn from private written exchanges but did not specify whether they were emails or another format. It said it independently authenticated the exchanges but did not detail how or say how it obtained them. Specializing in investigative journalism, Mediapart has become a leading news provider in France since its launch in 2008, claiming more than a quarter-million subscribers.

Bardella said he has launched a libel action against Mediapart's allegations, describing them as "a dirty-tricks operation.”

“These remarks are completely delusional. They are not mine,” he told broadcaster CNews.

At this early stage before the two-round election in April and May, Le Pen is widely regarded as a front-runner in the race to succeed Macron. Her campaign has been relatively free of major bumps since an appeals court in July cleared her path for a fourth run at the presidency, with a ruling that shortened a ban on seeking public office handed down to Le Pen for embezzling public funds.

Bardella, Le Pen's protégé, had been waiting in the wings to take her place as the party candidate if the original five-year ban had been upheld. On Tuesday, he described the antisemitism allegations as a plot that he alleged had been cooked up to thwart his chances had that scenario played out.

National Rally has courted Jewish voters by positioning itself as a bulwark against Islamic extremism in France and with Le Pen's sustained effort to dissociate herself from her father's legacy. In a process that researchers and critics of the party dubbed “de-demonization,” she expelled him in 2015 from the National Front and rebranded it in 2018.

Yonathan Arfi, who heads a French Jewish umbrella group, CRIF, said Bardella’s alleged comments, if substantiated, would represent “a stinging repudiation” of the sanitization strategy.

“How could a political figure who made such repugnant antisemitic remarks subsequently have risen to such positions of responsibility within a party that claims to have changed and to be fighting hatred of Jews?” Arfi posted on X.

MLB and the players' association have played a handful of regular-season games away from the 30 big league ballparks in recent years, including in the Iowa corn fields made famous by the movie “Field of Dreams.”

An MLB official familiar with the discussions confirmed Monday that the league approached the Trump administration about possibly hosting a game in a national park. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the league hadn't authorized comment on the matter and said it was among several ideas MLB has explored.

A White House official said MLB asked the administration whether hosting a game at a national park would be possible but emphasized it was not a presidential directive and was not driven by the administration. The National Park Service has not granted any permits, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because there was no authorization to speak on the record.

MLB's special event games have included games at Dyersville, Iowa, in 2021, 2022 and 2026, with another scheduled next August between Boston and Kansas City.

In addition, regular-season games were played at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama, in 2024 and at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee, in 2025, and games have been held since 2017 in conjunction with the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

MLB also has played international games in London; Mexico City and Monterrey, Mexico; Seoul, South Korea; Sydney; and Tokyo; plus some in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Grand Teton includes a commercial airport — the busiest in Wyoming — and a vast expanse of Jackson Hole bottomlands with spectacular views of the Teton Range. There is no shortage of flat terrain where a temporary ballpark could be built.

The possibility of building a baseball field on national park land quickly raised a host of questions.

“It’s abhorrent,” Mike Gierau, a Democratic state senator and baseball lover who represents Jackson and nearby Grand Teton, wrote in a text message. “Baseball is the American game. The national parks are America’s greatest idea. But a national park is to be protected for its undeveloped and scenic values.”

Environmental groups also came out against the idea, first reported by The Washington Post.

“Americans want to see protections for our national parks and public lands strengthened. Bulldozing these lands for a baseball stadium does the opposite, destroying the magnificent landscapes that millions of people come to experience,” Chris Kassar, the Sierra Club's Wyoming director, said in a statement.

A message left with Grand Teton officials seeking more information wasn't immediately returned.

The contest has raised the possibility that the nation's second most populous city could follow New York's lead, where democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor, capping a stunning ascent for the far-left state lawmaker who promised to transform city government to restore power to the working class. Yet in LA, no celebrity swirl has gathered around Raman in her first run for citywide office.

The two Democrats are scheduled to appear at a forum co-hosted by the Jewish Federation Los Angeles at a time when the party has been deeply divided over the war in Gaza and aid to Israel.

Bass, the first Black woman to hold the post, is fighting to keep her job after a rough first term in which she suffered sustained fallout from the deadly Palisades Fire, the most destructive in Los Angeles history that ignited when she was out of the country. In June, a fire east of downtown in a massive frozen-food warehouse left neighbors to endure weeks of foul smells and frustration.

Raman, who endorsed Bass before reversing course and entering the race herself, is testing if voters in the heavily Democratic city want to move further to the political left to address long-running problems of homelessness, buckled streets and climbing rent and home prices. She's railed against “the broken status quo.”

The race earlier garnered national attention for the candidacy of Spencer Pratt, a Republican who starred on “The Hills” and had lost his home in the Palisades Fire. His campaign was lifted by videos that supporters generated with artificial intelligence, though he failed to qualify for the November election.

In a city known to shrug at local politics, the race to take charge at City Hall has been overshadowed by ongoing turmoil in Washington, the fight for Congress, two wars, anxiety over inflation and the Los Angeles Dodgers gearing up for another playoff run.

On the horizon are questions about how the financially challenged city will manage the 2028 Olympics.

After the fires, “There are a bunch of people who don’t want to vote for Karen (Bass) and they are wrestling with what to do,” said veteran Democratic strategist Bill Carrick. As a council member, Raman is not widely known and “the decibel level of this campaign is unbelievably low.”

With mail ballots scheduled to arrive at homes in early October, typical markers of election season — yard signs, TV ads, billboards and bumper stickers — are rarely seen. Data compiled by AdImpact shows the campaigns have spent or booked only a sprinkle of airtime and digital messaging so far through Election Day.

Bass took office in 2022 promising to contend with an out-of-control homeless crisis, but the problem remains in plain view in most neighborhoods. Figures released in July showed homelessness increased over the previous year, after taking a dip. Bass faulted the Trump administration for cuts and policies “that pushed more people onto the streets.”

During her time in office, the city has weathered federal immigration raids and witnessed a continuing exit of Hollywood jobs, while residents complain about dirty, crumbling streets and homeless encampments.

Raman, who could be the first South Asian woman in the job, says that while City Hall has favored powerful insiders, “working people pay the price in higher rents, depleted services and a city that has stopped working for them.”

Bass represents the Democratic establishment as the incumbent mayor, and she’s backed by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Vice President Kamala Harris and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, along with influential labor unions. She served in the state Legislature and Congress before becoming mayor in 2022.

Raman has promised to speed up housing construction, bring back entertainment industry jobs and improve services in a city known for filthy streets, gridlock and an unresponsive City Hall.

One of the unknowns in the race is where Pratt's supporters will go, if they vote at all. Pratt finished with about 25% of the vote, several points behind Raman. He's continued to criticize both candidates on social media.

“Truly the Dumb and Dumber election. So sad for LA. Dark times ahead, folks,” he recently posted on X.

Russia has used new jet-powered drones that fly too fast and too high for Ukrainian ground-based air defenses to shoot down.

Ukraine is scrambling to keep pace by developing faster interceptor drones in the latest example of how the war has driven military innovation, but making and deploying new weapons takes months.

Russia’s ballistic missiles have also penetrated Ukraine's defenses as the country is desperately short of U.S.-made Patriot air defense interceptor missiles needed to stop Moscow’s ballistic attacks.

Patriot stockpiles are low, largely because of the Iran war, and Ukraine has received only small numbers of them this year despite President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s pleading. Ukraine said its air defenses shot down two ballistic missiles overnight, which suggested that Kyiv might have recently received more Patriots.

“Russia’s terror against Ukraine is intensifying by the day,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on X. “This is Russia’s deliberate escalation instead of accepting Ukraine’s offers to cease fire, negotiate and end the war.”

Moscow says it wants a comprehensive peace settlement, including a Ukrainian surrender of land — a demand unacceptable to Kyiv — before agreeing to a ceasefire.

U.S. efforts to broker peace over the past year have made no significant progress. Kremlin negotiator Kirill Dmitriev was in Washington on Monday for talks with American officials about ending the war and possible U.S.-Russia energy initiatives once it's over, according to a U.S. official familiar with the visit who spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the official wasn't authorized to speak publicly. The official described the conversation as constructive.

Air defense needs are mounting with the approach of the bitter winter months, which in the years since Russia’s full-scale invasion began on Feb. 24, 2022, have brought an escalation of strikes on Ukraine’s power grid. That strategy denies Ukrainian civilians heating and running water, among other things.

Ukraine is working to scale up production of domestic interceptor systems able to counter Russian jet-powered drones, with new systems already being tested and deployed with some combat units, Ihor Klymenko, head of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, said Tuesday.

The work is urgent, as Kyiv has been under almost constant attack with more than 235 air raid alerts since Aug. 27, lasting a combined 261 hours, Klymenko said.

F-16 jets have been able to shoot down the jet-propelled drones, although at a much greater expense. Ukraine is due to receive three of the fighter jets from Belgium by the end of the year, Zelenskyy announced Tuesday.

The unrelenting attacks have disrupted everyday life in Kyiv. The National University of Kyiv is switching to remote learning for the coming weeks because of fears for the safety of staff and students.

The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces hit data processing centers in Kyiv that Moscow says are used by the Ukrainian military, which is increasingly deploying artificial intelligence on the battlefield.

Other Russian targets included facilities in the Ukrainian capital and the Kyiv region where drones and cruise missiles were stored, as well as an electrical substation, a drone manufacturing facility, and port infrastructure facilities in the southern Odesa region, the ministry said.

Ukrainian authorities said the barrage hit apartment buildings, houses and public transportation in Kyiv, wounding one person.

Meanwhile, in the northern Ukrainian city of Sumy, teachers and students evacuated from their school just before four powerful glide bombs struck during classes, Zelenskyy said. The bombs also hit a residential area where two people were killed, he said.

In southern Odesa, the attack wounded eight people overnight and damaged residential buildings, civilian infrastructure, a school, an animal shelter and port infrastructure, local officials said.

In the face of the Russian blitz, Ukraine's long-range drones have targeted Russian missile and drone manufacturing plants and launch sites. Ukraine also has hit Russian oil refineries, causing fuel shortages.

The two armies are largely deadlocked on the long front line in eastern and southern Ukraine.

Zelenskyy says Moscow intends to increase recruitment for another battlefield push.

He said late Monday that another 10,000 North Korean troops are heading to Russia, adding to the 8,000 he said are already there.

Russia and North Korea have made no secret of their military cooperation.

___

Barry Hatton reported from Lisbon, Portugal. Michelle L. Price contributed to this report from Washington.

___

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

About this seat: The Court of Criminal Appeals is the state’s highest court for criminal cases. Besides appeals from lower courts, it also hears death penalty appeals directly from trial courts. In addition, it reviews habeas corpus petitions from anyone convicted of a state felony who wants to challenge the legality of their detention. The court includes one presiding judge and eight other judges, who are all elected statewide for six-year terms.

What’s at stake: The Court of Criminal Appeals gets most of its attention for decisions on high-profile death penalty cases, including blocking Robert Roberson’s execution and moving his case back to trial court. The court also has been in the spotlight in recent years over its rulings that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office can’t unilaterally prosecute election cases, which prompted Paxton to wage a successful campaign in 2024 to oust three Republican judges who disagreed with him. The court then decided early last year to rehear an election wrongdoing case that it had previously thrown out. Overall, the nine-person panel has long been dominated by Republicans and there are currently no Democratic judges. This year, three seats are up for grabs, including the Place 3 and Place 9 seats currently held by Judges Bert Richardson and Judge David Newell who decided not to run for re-electionOnly the Republican primaries for the open seats of Place 3 and Place 9 had more than one candidate.

Candidates at a glance:

Place 3

Campaign site

Thomas Smith

Republican

💰 Campaign finance:

• Cash on hand as of June 30: $11,669
• Raised between Jan. 1-June 30: $103,849

💰 Major donors this year:

• William Holmes, Midland investor – $9,791
• Kirt Linington, roofing professional – $9,599
• Kyle Robertson, sports cards and collectibles shop owner – $7,199
• Kelcy Warren, chair at Energy Transfer – $5,000
• Nathan Irving, pastor – $5,000

Experience:

• Assistant attorney general in the Texas Attorney General’s Office
• Former counsel for Ken Paxton when he was a state senator
• Former counsel in private practice

Political Ideology: Smith is a Republican who says he’s running to keep “women and children safe in an increasingly dangerous culture.” He has also strongly touted his work with Attorney General Ken Paxton and the state Legislature, including on issues such as human trafficking and sanctuary city ban.

Endorsements:

• Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton
• State Sen. Angela Paxton and several other Republican state lawmakers
• Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas 
• Texas Values

How to contact:

https://smithfortexas.org

Campaign site

Okey Anyiam

Democrat

💰 Campaign finance:

• Cash on hand as of June 30: $0
• Raised between Jan. 1-June 30: No reports; has been self-funding expenses

💰 Major donors this year:

• None reported

Experience:

• Criminal defense attorney in private practice

Political Ideology: Anyiam is a Democrat who says he wants to “uphold the law without legislating from the bench, and apply the legislative intent unless it’s ambiguous.” He is married to Judge Chika Anyiam, who currently presides over Criminal District Court No. 7 in Dallas County and unsuccessfully ran as a Democrat for a seat on the Court of Criminal Appeals in 2024.

Endorsements:

• Liberal Austin Democrats
• Austin Young Democrats
• State Tejano Democrats

How to contact:

Facebook page

Campaign site

Mark Ash

Libertarian

💰 Campaign finance:

• Cash on hand as of June 30: $0
• Raised between Jan. 1-June 30: $769

💰 Major donors this year:

• Libertarian Booster PAC – $394 in-kind donation of yard signs
• Mike Coogan – $150 in-kind donation of transportation
• Aron Ramos – $150 in-kind donation of transportation
• Missy Vasquez – $75 in-kind donation of meal and consultation

Experience:

• Criminal defense lawyer since 1992
• Graduate of South Texas College of Law in Houston and University of Texas-El Paso
• Unsuccessfully ran for the Court of Criminal Appeals’ Place 2 in 2016 and Place 8 in 2018
• Unsuccessfully ran to be the Texas Supreme Court’s Chief Justice in 2020 and the Texas Attorney General in 2022

Political Ideology: Describes himself as a “Pro Freedom, Pro Liberty Criminal Defense Lawyer” on his Facebook page. The Libertarian Party of Texas’ platform says it seeks “the maximum protection for the rights of all people against any violation” and that “… government must be kept to the minimum necessary to protect the rights of individuals.” The party also says the government should not interfere in personal matters such as free speech, religion, marriage, family and property rights. It also supports the right to bear arms.

How to contact:

markashlawyer@yahoo.com

Place 4

Campaign site

Kevin Yeary

Republican, incumbent

💰 Campaign finance:

• Cash on hand as of June 30: $2,535
• Raised between Jan. 1-June 30:  $3,305

💰 Major donors this cycle:

• Austin Republican Women PAC Fund – $1,500
• John Wittenberg, attorney at Jackson Walker LLP – $500
• David Gaultney, attorney – $250
• Dodie Scott, retired – $250
• Dennis Sullivan, attorney – $250
• Texans for Life Committee LIFE PAC (Spent money in support of the candidate. This may have been done without the candidate’s knowledge or consent.)
• Texas Alliance for Life PAC (Spent money in support of the candidate. This may have been done without the candidate’s knowledge or consent.)

Experience:

• Has served on the Court of Criminal Appeals for more than a decade, after being first elected in 2014. 
• Former appellate prosecutor for Dallas, Harris and Bexar counties
• Former defense attorney in private practice
• Former law clerk to a Texas Court of Criminal Appeal judge

Political Ideology: Yeary is a Republican who says judges should avoid policy-making from the bench. He was the only judge out of the nine-person panel to vote against the 2021 ruling that says the Texas attorney general’s office can’t unilaterally prosecute election cases. He was also one of three judges to disagree with the court’s decision to block Robert Roberson’s execution based on the exoneration in another shaken baby case.  

Endorsements:

• Gov. Greg Abbott
• The C Club of Houston
• Various members of the State Republican Executive Committee

In the news:

• How Texas’ criminal court judges ruled on Robert Roberson’s stay of execution, The Dallas Morning News (2025)
• Ken Paxton successfully ousts three Republican criminal appeal court judges, The Texas Tribune (2024)

How to contact:

• judgeyeary@judgeyeary.com

Campaign site

Audra Riley

Democrat

💰 Campaign finance:

• Cash on hand as of June 30: $553
• Raised between Jan. 1-June 30: $400

💰 Major donors this cycle:

• David Howe – $400

Experience:

• Currently presides over Criminal District Court No. 3 in Dallas County, after first being elected to the judge role in 2020. 
• Former prosecutor in the Dallas County district attorney’s office
• Former criminal defense attorney in private practice

Political Ideology:

Riley is running as a Democrat. When she ran for reelection to the Criminal District Court No. 3’s judge role in 2024, she said she wanted to continue bringing “justice, integrity, and a strong work ethic to the bench.”

Endorsements:

• Liberal Austin Democrats
• Austin Young Democrats
• State Tejano Democrats

In the news:

• Dallas Man Exonerated, Released From Prison 25 Years After Wrongful Murder Conviction, NBC DFW (2025)
• ICE agents now entering Dallas County probation offices to make arrests, The Dallas Morning News (2025)

How to contact:

Facebook page

Place 9

Campaign site

John Messinger

Republican

💰 Campaign finance:

• Cash on hand as of June 30: $1,169
• Raised between Jan. 1-June 30: $20,812

💰 Major donors this year:

• Ashley Cas, investor at CX5 Partners, LLC – $5,000
• Brandon Hodges, entrepreneur at True Chemical Solutions– $4,164
• Ruth Chambers, retired – $1,562
• Carla Vallejo, homemaker – $1,500
• Steve Robinson, owner of a senior and long-term care services company – $1,041

Experience:

• Assistant state prosecuting attorney, representing the state in front of the Court of Criminal Appeals and immediate appellate courts
• Worked in the McLennan County District Attorney’s office, handling direct appeals, protective orders and other civil matters
• Ran for the Texas Third District Court of Appeals, Place 2 in 2024, but narrowly lost in the general election

Political Ideology:

• Messinger is a Republican who says improvement to the justice system “doesn’t come from judges doing whatever they think is right in their own eyes” but from “enforcing the laws as written to find out what works and what doesn’t.” He also criticizes the Court of Criminal Appeals for issuing rulings that “ignore or conflict” with its own decisions and/or applicable law, as well as the average length it takes for the panel to review a lower court’s decision. 

Endorsements:

• True Texas Project
• Young Conservatives of Texas
• Various members of the State Republican Executive Committee

How to contact or learn more:

messingerforjustice@gmail.com

Campaign site

Holly Taylor

Democrat

💰 Campaign finance:

• Cash on hand as of June 30: $24,625
• Raised between Jan. 1-June 30: $33,634

💰 Major donors this cycle:

• Francis Adair, retired – $5,000
• Sharon Taylor, not employed – $2,500
• Volunteers Organized to Promote Equity – $2,500
• Democratic Women of Comal County – $2,000
• Cyrus Bharucha, patent attorney at ASML – $1,040

Experience:

• Criminal and civil appeals attorney in private practice
• Former director of the division of public integrity and complex crimes for the Travis County District Attorney’s office
• Former rules attorney for the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
• Ran for the Court of Criminal Appeals’ presiding judge role in 2024, but lost in the general election   

Political Ideology: Taylor is a Democrat who says she will “bring an independent voice” to the Court of Criminal Appeals. She also says she’s “passionate about upholding the Constitution and the Rule of Law, and treating everyone with dignity and humanity.”

In the news:

• ‘Experts were wrong’: Carmen Mejia falsely convicted of infanticide, judge says, Austin American-Statesman (2025)
• Man incarcerated for over 20 years released on bond after Travis County DA’s office finds trial was unfair, KVUE (2024)
• After Roberson ruling, upcoming Court of Criminal Appeals election in the spotlight, The Texas Tribune (2024)
• Travis County DA wants to overturn Abbott’s pardon of convicted murderer, The Texas Tribune (2024)

Endorsements:

• Texas AFL-CIO 
• State Tejano Democrats
• Texas Progressive Caucus
• Congressmen Lloyd Doggett and Greg Casar
• Liberal Austin Democrats and several other local or young Democrat groups

How to contact:

hollytforjudge@gmail.com

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

Police said they arrested a 24-year-old man from Amsterdam on Sept. 15 who is “suspected of playing a role in the hacker group ShinyHunters. The man is also suspected of attempted solicitation of two murders.”

Police said the suspicion of trying to arrange two murders was linked to information found on the suspect’s laptop but “is not related to the investigation into ShinyHunters.”

ShinyHunters last week claimed to have breached the FBI’s jobs website. The hacker group said it had stolen “very sensitive data” belonging to thousands of agents and applicants and that it had compromised the bureau’s jobs website.

FBI Director Kash Patel took to X to highlight the arrest in the Netherlands.

“This morning @FBI and our partners the Dutch National Police are announcing the arrest of one of the alleged leaders of ShinyHunters - a global cybercrime and threat actor group linked to cyberattacks in the United States, the Netherlands, and around the world,” he said.

“In coordination with FBI investigators the Dutch High-Tech Crime Unit arrested the suspect under Dutch law,” he added. "As we speak FBI teams are actively working with partners to obtain and execute more leads in the ongoing investigation based on this arrest.”

The Dutch police statement announcing the arrest did not mention the FBI hack or coordination with American law enforcement.

Dutch detectives seized data storage devices during their probe and were investigating their contents and said they did not rule out more arrests.

“Arresting cybercrime suspects is a key intervention in our broad-based fight against this type of crime,” said Stan Duijf, the Dutch police official responsible for tackling cybercrime. “The ShinyHunters group is responsible for a large number of victims, both in the Netherlands and abroad. It is gratifying that we have been able to arrest a suspect in the investigation into this group.”

A court in Rotterdam on Tuesday ordered the suspect held for a further 90 days.

Last Wednesday, the FBI said it was “actively and aggressively investigating” a claimed hack of the FBIJobs.gov portal. A message that circulated online from ShinyHunters claimed responsibility.

“We have compromised the FBI. We hold very sensitive data on almost ALL FBI Agents and individuals who filed an application with the FBI for a job,” said the ShinyHunters message, which was directed to Patel and Brett Leatherman, the assistant director in charge of the bureau’s cyber division. The claims could not immediately be verified.

In its message, ShinyHunters said it would give the bureau one week to correct or remove what it said were false allegations contained in an FBI public advisory from May that described the organization as a “cyber criminal group specializing in large-scale data breaches and extortion.”

Abbott held the news conference to talk about how the state will plan for flood threats across large portions of Texas over the next several days.

Watch the full news conference in the video player above.

Storms are projected to hit counties west of Bexar late Tuesday night into very early Wednesday morning. KSAT’s Weather Authority said heavy rainfall is expected to hit San Antonio before dawn on Thursday.

More of this week’s forecast can be read on KSAT.com.

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• Flooding likely this week, especially Thursday

Almaraz has served as the utility’s interim president and CEO since June, after former President and CEO Rudy Garza announced his retirement. The board’s vote is the next step toward removing the interim title and making him the permanent leader of the utility.

Almaraz rejoined CPS Energy in February as chief operating officer. He previously worked for the utility from 2011 to 2022 and has held several senior leadership roles during his time with the utility.

The board’s vote does not immediately finalize the appointment. CPS Energy will first enter negotiations with Almaraz before any permanent leadership agreement is completed.

During a one-on-one with KSAT’s Ernie Zuniga following August’s storms that knocked out power to thousands of customers, Almaraz said the utility was evaluating its response for restoration.

At the peak of the event, Almaraz said automation technology helped restore service to more than 200,000 customers relatively quickly. CPS Energy has invested about $70 million in that technology over the past five years. The utility also received around 1,000 reports of downed power lines.

Almaraz said those dangerous situations are given top priority, followed by outages affecting the largest groups of customers. Crews also prioritize medical facilities, medically critical customers, police and fire facilities and infrastructure such as water systems.

Watch the full interview with Almaraz below:

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• CPS Energy interim CEO addresses major outages, restoration efforts after recent severe storm

“The White House’s words and actions leave little doubt that it will immediately reinstitute a complete ban of CNN, MS NOW, and POLITICO if allowed the opportunity,” lawyers for CNN, MS NOW and Politico wrote in a filing late Monday.

”Because the ban is an unlawful assault on the most fundamental First Amendment freedoms and will inflict irreparable harm on Plaintiffs and the public if not restrained, this Court should preliminarily enjoin its enforcement pending the resolution of this case,” the filing said.

It was the latest development in the back-and-forth saga of the Trump administration and the news media during the second term of his presidency. It has been a contentious relationship that has raised multiple First Amendment questions, produced sanctions and restrictions on White House and Pentagon reporters and led to several lawsuits that are winding their ways through the federal court system.

A two-week temporary restraining order on Trump's ban of the three organizations, issued by U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly last week, restored the outlets’ White House access, but expires Oct. 8. The preliminary injunction requested in Monday’s filing would extend the White House access until the case is finally resolved.

In a statement emailed to The Associated Press immediately after the filing, the lead attorney for the three news outlets called the ban “a blatant violation of the First Amendment and due process.”

“The president and his administration have continued to make clear that this ban has only one purpose: to punish reporting he doesn’t like,” said the lawyer, Theodore J. Boutrous Jr.

“That’s retaliation and viewpoint discrimination, pure and simple,” Boutrous said. “With the district court’s temporary restraining order expiring this week, it is critical to ensure that the White House continues to be prevented from implementing this unconstitutional ban on the free press.”

On Tuesday, the ACLU of the District of Columbia filed a friend-of-the-court brief supporting the news outlets and suggesting the president's residence is different from a private property.

“The White House is the people’s house, not the president’s private golf club,” wrote Arthur Spitzer, senior counsel for the ACLU of D.C.

The White House still says access is a privilege, not a right

The filing came a day after the Trump administration made clear it was not backing down from its contention that the sudden ban, which began Sept. 19, was justified.

“When it comes to the White House, it is the people’s house,” Attorney General Todd Blanche said on ABC on Sunday, invoking an argument the administration has made since the beginning. “It is a privilege, and not a right, to be there.”

Monday's 42-page filing reiterated many of the arguments that the news outlets made in their original lawsuit against Trump and the White House, filed two days after the reporters were banned.

It also added mention of the White House broadcast pool rotation, which has become a battleground in the last few days in the standoff between Trump and the media.

The White House, it said, “has persisted in unpredictably and inconsistently implementing its ban, including by barring CNN from fulfilling its role as designated television network pooler on Sept. 26 — to the detriment of CNN, its fellow pool members and, ultimately, the American public.”

When the ban was implemented, CNN was removed from its duties as part of the broadcast pool, which consists of the five main networks: CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox News. In solidarity, the other networks decided to suspend the pool until CNN was allowed back in.

On Friday, CNN was allowed to cover the president with Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the National Archives. But in a new setback Saturday, the White House banned the network from Air Force One, preventing it from covering Trump’s trip to a college football game in Tennessee. The rest of the pool declined to provide a replacement, in solidarity with CNN.

Blanche defended that decision, too. “The president has every right to decide who gets to fly on his plane,” he said in the Sunday interview. He added that Trump was “sick and tired of certain media outlets just refusing to report accurate news.” He added that news coverage he described as “misinformation” amounted to a national security issue.

“That is what is a national security problem, when you have complete misinformation coming out of the White House,” he said.

Kelly threw cold water on that argument in his ruling last week granting the temporary restraining order against the White House ban. “The court is skeptical … that defendants’ interest in safeguarding national security is the actual motivation” for removal of access, Kelly wrote.

His ruling did not directly address the TV pool rotation. In the new filing, the plaintiffs describe the important function the pool provides and makes the case that it's an important part of the regular access to the president, and his activities, that the media has traditionally had — and must be restored.

It singles out the Air Force One case. “CNN received no official communication from the White House explaining its exclusion,” the filing says. “Because CNN was excluded and no replacement designated, no primary television network pooler accompanied the President on the trip.”

Pool access issue has presented networks with tough choices

For now, networks in the pool have decided to address the ongoing standoff on a case-by-case basis, according to a person familiar with the pool’s operation, speaking on condition of anonymity to give details of ongoing discussions.

On Sunday, Fox covered a pool event; on Monday, NBC was covering the president in the Oval Office. CNN is not in the rotation until Thursday. If the network is again barred from a pool event, the networks will decide together, presumably based on the newsworthiness of the situation, whether to provide a replacement or to refrain from coverage as they did previously.

The issues at stake are difficult. On the one hand, the networks want to take a stand on behalf of press freedom and against efforts to intimidate coverage. On the other, media outlets have an obvious purpose of providing news to their audiences.

“There are not a lot of good options,” said David A. Schulz, director of the Media Freedom and Information Access Clinic at Yale Law School.

Should the White House continue to bar CNN, Schulz said, networks may choose “to exert their market power and say, ‘We’re not going to play ball with you.’”

The question, Schulz added, is: “Who’s going to back down first?”

The networks “may well feel like they’re between a rock and a hard place,” noted RonNell Andersen Jones, a law professor at the University of Utah.

“Capitulation might be perceived as abandonment of core components of press freedom,” Andersen Jones said. “But the practicalities of lengthy White House news blackouts are also complicated, and refusing to cover major news at the highest levels of government might itself feel like a failure to serve the goals of democracy.”

___

Laurie Kellman contributed to this report.

Fueling a kid who plays sports gets expensive fast, and the San Antonio Food Bank used the studio kitchen to show two recipes built around cheap, shelf-stable and frozen ingredients. First up was a blueberry banana smoothie: one ripe banana, fresh or frozen blueberries, plain whole-fat Greek yogurt for the dairy protein, fresh spinach the kids will never spot, peanut butter, a dash of vanilla for sweetness without added sugar, and water to loosen it up. Frozen fruit, the food bank representative said, is easier on a grocery budget and skips the need for ice. The second was an infused water with mint, cucumber and lime, a hydration trick that leans on the water already in produce.

The conversation turned to who this food reaches. One in four children in Bexar County faces hunger to some degree, the food bank said, and that includes student athletes. The organization’s chef program teaches children, adults and seniors about food and health, using the same produce and pantry staples the food bank distributes. A dollar equals seven meals; peanut butter sits on the food bank’s list of 12 most wanted items. More information is at safoodbank.org, and KSAT Community is hosting a Hunger Action Month food drive on September 29 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

NOVATIO SCHOOL ENROLLMENT OPTIONS

Sponsored by Novatio School, this segment dealt with how Texas families are sorting through a suddenly crowded field of school choices under the new education savings program. The head of school described Novatio as a private, virtual, AI-driven, teacher-guided school and said some newer operations have launched quickly without the infrastructure to handle the growth. Her advice to parents was to talk to an actual person at a school rather than trusting a website’s promises, and to ask three things: how much teacher access a student gets, what supports exist for exceptional learners, and how much visibility a parent has into the school day. Accountability matters in a virtual setting, she said, and at Novatio live teachers are with students the whole time. The school piloted in the 2024-25 year, saw roughly 400% growth in its first full-scale year, and families can switch schools at any point during the year under the new program. Details are at novatio.school.

SOUTH SAN ANTONIO BUICK GMC TRUCKTOBER

This one from the lot at South San Antonio Buick GMC, where a marketing specialist walked through the GMC Sierra lineup for Trucktober. The demo truck was a Sierra 1500 Elevation, pitched as the value trim with a gloss black grille and wheels, a 13-inch infotainment screen and wireless Apple and Android connectivity. Moving up the range, the AT4 and AT4X add off-road tires and a couple of inches of lift, while Denali and Denali Ultimate are the road-trip luxury end. GMC’s safety suite comes standard across the trucks, including blind spot alert, pedestrian and cyclist alert, automatic braking and adaptive cruise control; Super Cruise is the hands-free option that can change lanes and pass on its own. Trucktober timing matters because the 2027 models start rolling out while the rebates land on the 2026s. On screen: 0% APR up to 72 months on new GMC Sierra 1500 models, with lease offers mentioned as low as $225 a month. Test drives can be booked at southsanantoniobuickgmc.com or (726) 600-2600.

METHODIST HEALTHCARE HOME FALL PREVENTION

Methodist Healthcare takes a practical look at staying strong and upright at home, tied to National Rehabilitation Awareness Month and Healthy Aging Month. A physical therapist made the case that nobody needs to buy equipment: canned goods and water bottles work as light resistance, seated or standing, and a stable kitchen counter or a sturdy chair covers balance, core and leg work. Sitting down and standing back up, she said, may be the most functional exercise there is.

Nighttime bathroom trips got their own stretch of the conversation, because the risk factors stack: dim light, a cluttered pathway, slippery socks, a cane or walker left out of reach, and the psychological rush that keeps people from sitting on the edge of the bed before standing. Her fixes were motion-activated lights, assistive devices kept beside the bed, non-skid footwear instead of slippery socks, clear pathways and no throw rugs. For anyone living alone, she recommended two things: a reliable way to summon help that is actually within reach, whether a cell phone, a smart watch, a wearable alert pendant or a voice system, and a standing check-in plan with a neighbor, friend or family member. Her one takeaway was to stay strong, stay safe and stay connected. In a fall injury or medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room; Methodist Healthcare ER locations are listed at sahealth.com/er, or by phone at (844) 706-8773.

This is the message behind the San Antonio Food Bank’s Hunger Action Month campaign called “Nourishing in Numbers.”

Throughout September, the campaign is calling on the community to help neighbors facing hunger by donating food or money, volunteering or speaking up about food insecurity.

The need is significant. The San Antonio Food Bank provides food and other resources to more than 100,000 people each week across 29 counties in Southwest Texas. Rising grocery and energy costs are putting additional pressure on families, making community support more important than ever.

“Together, we can fight hunger, and together, we can feed hope,” said Eric Cooper, president and CEO of the San Antonio Food Bank.

Cooper said the campaign is about neighbors showing up for one another during a difficult time. Every contribution — whether it is food, time, money or advocacy — can help strengthen the community and move San Antonio closer to becoming hunger-free.

According to the latest data from Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap study, Texas had the highest level of food insecurity in the nation in 2024. In the San Antonio Food Bank’s service area, one in five people and one in four children are considered food insecure.

This month, the call to action is simple: nourish in numbers. When individuals come together, small acts of support can create a powerful response to hunger.

Ways we can fight hunger together

There are lots of ways to help people in our community, donate, sign up for a volunteer shift, or try one of the 30 Ways in 30 Days activities. You can also grab the San Antonio Food Bank’s Hunger Action Month toolkit.

Together, We Can Nourish San Antonio: Join KSAT Community and the San Antonio Food Bank

KSAT Community phone bank

This September, turn one phone call, one donation, into a powerful step toward a hunger-free San Antonio ... pick up the phone and take action.

KSAT Community will host a phone bank benefiting the San Antonio Food Bank from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. Every contribution made through the effort will directly support the Food Bank’s work to feed neighbors across the region.

A bag of groceries. An hour of volunteer time. A financial gift. A conversation that leads someone else to help. When San Antonio shows up together, those individual acts add up to something much bigger.

The San Antonio Food Bank is a nonprofit that provides food to more than 600 local groups across Southwest Texas. They also offer programs to help families not just get through a tough time but become more secure and independent in the long run.

KSAT Community operates in partnership with University Health and Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union. Click here to read about other KSAT Community efforts.

Interested in partnering with KSAT Community? Get in touch by filling out this form.

The crash happened just before 11 p.m. Monday on West Commerce Street near North Santa Rosa downtown.

Police said the man was driving the motorcycle when he lost control during a race. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died.

According to SAPD, officers searched the area for the other vehicle involved but did not locate it. The crash is still under investigation.

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The first incident happened Saturday with 19 riders aboard.

The coaster vehicle stopped in a vertical tilt position, leaving riders safely secured for about nine minutes before returning to a horizontal position, COTALAND told CBSAustin and KVUE.

The ride stopped again on Sunday.

This time, riders waited about two minutes before the vehicle returned to its normal position, and they exited “normally,” the park told the station.

No one was injured in either incident, and no riders needed medical treatment.

Cotaland said the Circuit Breaker is equipped with multiple sensors and safety systems that continuously monitor the ride.

The park also said occasional operational stops are a normal part of running “sophisticated amusement rides.”

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The goal was to give families a state-of-the-art option for early childhood development with a hands-on education and high scores for curriculum and safety.

Owner Akbar Bhaidani said Monday, Sept. 28, they opened with about 50 families enrolled.

The school has a 200-kid capacity, so there is still room for more.

If you are living on this side of town or any side and are looking for closer options for your child’s education, visit The Goddard School of San Antonio-Potranco’s website.

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The minister's remarks come as concerns mount that President Donald Trump could halt arms sales to Taiwan. China has pressed Washington to halt the arms sales, most prominently during a May summit in Beijing between Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping. The United States paused the $14 billion arms deal after that meeting.

“As for arms sales, we are in continuous discussions with the Americans on this,” Taiwan's Defense Minister Wellington Koo told reporters in front of the Legislative Yuan in Taipei. “We haven’t received any notice of any changes to sales or our cooperation.”

Koo said he received assurances from the U.S. side that its policy toward the island remained unchanged.

Koo also said that 66 advanced F16-V fighter jets have reached a production stage where they’re ready to be delivered. The jets for Taiwan were supposed to be delivered in 2024, according to local media, but the project has been delayed by the pandemic and production line issues.

U.S. arms sales to Taiwan are a major source of tension between Beijing and Washington because China claims the island as its territory. While the U.S. does not formally recognize Taiwan as a country, it is the island's largest informal ally and bound by law to ensure that Taiwan can defend itself.

Taiwan says it purchases arms so that it can defend itself in case of an invasion by China. China’s People’s Liberation Army sends fighter jets and ships toward the island almost daily.

Analysts said they expect U.S. arms sales to continue, though there may be a pause in the short term.

“There are two more summits between the U.S. and China scheduled within this year, so I think neither side really wants to break things off, and the Taiwan issue will be put aside temporarily,” Tamkang University professor Ma Chun-wei said. However, he said, Taiwan remains key from a security perspective, and "arms sales to Taiwan will still be inevitable going forward.”

___

AP videojournalist Taijing Wu contributed to this report from Taipei, Taiwan.

The Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office says Pedro De Luna III was sentenced on Sept. 3 on the following counts:

• Three counts of possession of lewd visual material depicting a child
• Twelve counts of invasive visual recording of a bath or dressing room
• One count of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence with intent to impair
• Child pornography

The sheriff’s office said the investigation began in November 2025 after deputies were notified that De Luna had allegedly recorded a juvenile girl in a bathroom at his home.

As investigators reviewed the case, they identified 10 victims, according to the sheriff’s office.

Nine of those victims were recorded in a dressing room at a high school where De Luna worked, investigators said.

GCSO said deputies also recovered more than 50 photos and videos depicting child sexual abuse material.

Deputies said he also attempted to delete and conceal evidence.

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Mostly because the American gymnastics icon is still kind of wondering about it herself. So much so that there will be times when the question wakes the 29-year-old two-time Olympic all-around champion up in the middle of the night.

“I’m like 'Oh my gosh, I don’t know what the decision (is) I should make, but I don’t necessarily have to make it just yet,” Biles told The Associated Press. “But I feel like it’s kind of in the works which way I’m leaning towards.”

After trips to Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo and Paris, the lure of the opportunity to perform on the world stage at home in Los Angeles in the summer of 2028 is real. Olympic teammates Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey are already pointing toward LA. So is Katelyn Ohashi, a former college star at UCLA who returned to elite competition in July following a staggering 13-year break from the sport's top level.

“I know (athletes) are going a lot longer, and I’m just like, what the hell? It’s going to be like a big reunion if I did,” Biles said. “It would be so much fun. But I still have to weigh the options.”

And the risks. Biles will be 31 by the time the flame is lit at the opening ceremony in the LA Coliseum and Sofi Stadium in July 2028. The sacrifices of trying to make a fourth Olympic team would be far different than what she faced in Brazil a decade ago.

Biles and her husband, Indianapolis Colts safety Jonathan Owens, would like to have a family at some point. The potential impact of training on her reproductive health is a factor. So is the likelihood that returning to competition would mean she and Owens could be separated for significant stretches.

“I am getting to the age of 30 where we start to talk about, 'What does your reproduction cycle ... what’s going on in there? What does that look like? How healthy is it? And so I think these are major things that are on the table at my age that I have to take in consideration and weigh those options and what that looks like and when we want to start a family."

Still, the FOMO (fear of missing out) when it comes to LA is only too real.

“Like a home Olympic Games, like, how could you not?” she said. “It’s absolutely incredible.”

Biles has spent the last two years since her history-making performance in Paris — when she became the third woman ever to win multiple all-around golds — taking a break and leaning into the trappings that come with being one of the most recognizable faces of the U.S. Olympic movement.

The athlete who brought the topic of mental health kicking and screaming into the white-hot Olympic spotlight when she removed herself from several competitions at the Tokyo Games in 2021 while dealing with a mental block dubbed “the twisties” also remains passionate about various causes, including foster care and ADHD.

Among the latest is participating in the “Skin to Believe In” campaign, aimed at getting the roughly 36 million Americans living with inflammatory skin conditions to talk with their health care provider about long-term, steroid-free, topical treatment options for their chronic skin diseases.

Biles was diagnosed with seborrheic dermatitis on her face and scalp and eczema on her arms. The issue with her scalp became so problematic that she would scratch until she bled. She spent a long time trying to identify the cause. A relentless traveler, she wondered if it was triggered by certain environments or something internal like stress.

She now uses a steroid-free foam and cream, which not only has helped immensely but also allows her to keep her options open if she ultimately decides to give it one more shot.

There's a part of her that thinks it's doable. Biles found herself in the gym with her sister Adria recently and decided to try a double layout. You know, for fun.

“I’m like, ‘If I get lost, like, it’s over,’” Biles said. “And then I did it. And of course I was like, what the hell? That wasn’t that bad. Like, I wasn’t as scared as I thought I was going to be. And that scared me more with the decision.”

Biles joked there is one segment of the population that would be just fine if her sabbatical turned into an official retirement: others in the mix to make a potentially loaded U.S. team that will be heavy gold-medal favorites when they take the floor at the Staples Center in July 2028.

She was texting with former World Champions Centre and world championship teammate Joscelyn Roberson — now competing at Georgia after reuniting with Cecile and Laurent Landi, who served as Biles' coaches from 2017-24 — when Roberson made a suggestion.

“She’s trying to remind me, like, ‘Hey babes, you’re good. Remember, you don’t have to come back. Stay at your house and stay with your husband,'" Biles said with a laugh, later adding, “I know some of the girls would be like, ‘Oh no, Simone’s coming back.'”

And Biles very well just might, though she's well aware of the difficulty of the task she would face, physically, mentally and emotionally. She's talked to skier Lindsey Vonn — who made her own Olympic comeback this year at 41 — about the unique push/pull of the Games. Biles insists she's at peace if she never pulls on a leotard and salutes the judges again.

“I’ve experienced so much and I’d done so much, so it’s like, I also have to be doing it for the right reasons,” she said. “I feel really, really comfortable with what I've done in the sport. So I just have to sit down and be like ‘Why? Why am I doing it?’ Because there has to be a good reason.”

___

See AP’s full sports coverage here

The crash was reported Tuesday morning on the access road of Interstate 10 and Fox Briar Lane.

Northside ISD said no students were on board, and the bus driver is not injured.

First responders were called for the driver of the other vehicle involved, the district said. The extent of their injuries was not immediately known.

The Northside ISD Police Department and San Antonio Police Department responded to the scene.

Additional information was not immediately available.

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Sebastian Robles was shot Sunday at the Reveria Apartments, where he lived with his mother, Audry Robles.

Audry said the 39-year-old suspect, whom she described as someone who had previously had a cordial relationship with Sebastian, knocked on their door shortly after 1 a.m. Sunday. Sebastian answered the door, but an argument followed after he closed it.

“Why are you knocking on the door? Not right now,” Audry recalled her son saying before closing the door.

Audry said that at some point the suspect went upstairs and fired a gun from a balcony toward the courtyard where Sebastian was.

She believes the first shot was intended to scare her son.

“He said, ‘Oh, don’t worry, Mom. I was just scaring him,’” Audry recalled. “And then my son went down.”

Audry said the suspect later came downstairs, touched Sebastian and appeared to realize he had shot him.

“He came down here, touched my son and said, ‘Oh, s---, I really shot him,’” she said.

Audry said her final moments with her son were spent holding him and telling him she loved him.

“Breathe, I love you, mama’s here,” she recalled telling Sebastian. “And I’m still here.”

The 39-year-old suspect, Terry Clark, has been arrested.

Neighbors at the apartment complex have since created a memorial for Sebastian in the courtyard.

Audry said her son was known for helping neighborhood children fix their bicycles and for being friendly and outgoing.

She also said Sebastian often encouraged others to forgive.

When asked whether she could forgive the person accused of killing her son, Audrey said she could, but that she would never forget what happened.

“I will forgive, but I cannot forget,” she said. “That is something I will have to remember for the rest of my life.”

Audry said she is trying to find peace in the belief that Sebastian is now reunited with her late husband.

Sebastian’s funeral is scheduled for next Wednesday.

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Haskins' death was confirmed early Tuesday by his agent. Additional details were not immediately available.

“It’s a tragic loss,” his agent, Jay Schachter, said in a statement. “Everyone loved Mr. Belding and those of us who got to know Dennis, loved him even more. He was a great person, and he loved, I mean absolutely LOVED his fans. He always had time for them, no matter what. He was my client and dear friend for over 20 years, and I will miss him terribly. I’m heartbroken.”

“Saved by the Bell,” which ran from 1989 to 1993, centered on the antics of a group of students at the fictitious Bayside High in Southern California. Taking a page from the comedy movie “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” the school often appeared to be run more by the teens than their hapless principal. The show was both ridiculed and embraced for its zany plots.

Lark Voorhies, who played Lisa Turtle on the show, paid tribute to Haskins in an Instagram post, saying she was heartbroken.

“Knowing Dennis Haskins for almost 40 years has been one of the truest blessings of my life, which makes losing him hurt so deeply,” she wrote. “We shared so much history together from our earliest days, and through it all, he remained a fabulous person, a loyal friend, and someone with such a kind, gentle heart.”

Haskins was born and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee. According to a biography posted by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, he was active in the school's drama club and helped found a community theater group.

Before his television career, he was a music manager, agent and concert promoter, and his clients included Tom Jones and Gregg Allman, according to his biography on IMDb.

Haskins later went on to have guest roles in “The Twilight Zone” and “Magnum, P.I.” in the 1980s.

Republicans haven't abandoned the Southern battlegrounds, which Donald Trump carried narrowly in the 2024 presidential race, though they are shifting greater resources to states they see as more competitive. The party now is spending heavily to defend reliably Republican Texas, and Trump is planning to campaign for the Republican incumbent in Ohio, both places Trump won easily in 2024.

Some Republicans also have become more vocal in their complaining that Trump has squandered an opportunity to more comfortably hold off Democrats this fall. Among their grievances, they say the president failed to bring the unpopular war in Iran to a close, has dismissed the pinch of high fuel prices and engaged late in the midterm campaigns.

And though Democrats must still win several seats Republicans hold to win back the majority, the GOP is looking more at protecting seats they already hold than picking up Georgia, and they are signaling serious problems in North Carolina.

“There is a Republican turnout problem due to the administration's failure to address the economic concerns of voters,” North Carolina Republican strategist Paul Shoemaker said of the state's U.S. Senate race.

GOP Senate leaders look beyond Georgia

Republican Senate campaign leaders are looking past Georgia businessman Mike Collins' challenge of first-term Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff to states they viewed as more competitive to focus future spending, according to two Republican Senate campaign officials familiar with Senate leadership's thinking. The campaign officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to share internal discussions.

Ossoff has swamped the successful trucking company executive in fundraising. Collins has also struggled to broaden his support beyond Georgia's Republican base.

Despite Senate Majority Leader John Thune's two-day campaign and fundraising trip to Georgia this month, some local party leaders were publicly pessimistic.

"He just doesn’t have what it takes to beat Ossoff,” said Tim Waters, Peach County Republican Party chair. “It’s hard enough trying to beat an incumbent, and you have the president of the same party in a tough midterm, right? I don’t think he’s got much of a shot.”

Republicans had viewed Georgia early in the 2026 campaign as a potential firewall, should Democrats win in a critical number of states where Republican seats are on the ballot. Democrats must win a net of four seats to win back the majority.

But Ossoff has already spent $57 million in advertising and had $13 million reserved through the election, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact. And while outside groups aligned with Collins had spent more than $52 million, AdImpact shows, Collins' campaign confirmed it had no advertising time immediately reserved.

Tillis is among the NC Republicans warning about Senate race

Retiring Republican North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis stopped short of suggesting GOP candidate Michael Whatley's chances of holding the seat for the party had vanished, but implied it was time to take a hard look at how long to continue spending heavily against Democratic former two-term Gov. Roy Cooper.

“We've got to place our bets on the candidates that are the best run, either ahead or within striking distance,” Tillis told reporters Monday in the Capitol. “You've got to change your posture going into the last — we've got 36 days.”

Whatley, a former Republican National Committee chairman, has been a darling of Trump, who campaigned for him this month. But enthusiasm for Trump seems to have fallen even with a number of Republicans who voted for him, said Shoemaker, a Tillis adviser. Trump narrowly won North Carolina in 2024.

“The blue-collar, working-class voters that Donald Trump brought to the Republican Party is the one that's being most impacted by higher energy prices, and it's dampened their enthusiasm to turn out and vote,” Shoemaker said.

Senate Leadership Fund, the Senate GOP's leadership super PAC, had $19.5 million in advertising booked in North Carolina, having spent $30.4 million to date.

“Do I think Roy Cooper is going to win the race? I absolutely do,” said Michele Woodhouse, former Republican chair for North Carolina's 11th Congressional District and a devout Trump supporter.

“Roy Cooper, for Republicans, is the worst Democrat candidate who could be running for this seat," Woodhouse said. “He’s never lost in a statewide race. He’s very popular.”

Senate GOP PAC spends heavily in Texas as Trump heads for Ohio

In Texas, where Democrats have not won a Senate election since 1988, Republicans' Senate Leadership Fund is spending more than it is in any of the states it set out to defend early in the year. The group this month pumped more than $100 million into advertising in Texas to back up state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who faces Democratic state Rep. James Talarico in a race viewed as very competitive.

Trump endorsed Paxton over four-term incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn in the GOP primary. GOP campaign leaders considered Paxton a potential drain on Republican resources because he has for years faced legal, ethical and personal questions. They include a felony indictment, impeachment charges and extramarital affairs, though Paxton was never convicted.

Senate GOP leaders had suggested Trump's super PAC, MAGA Inc., would carry a good portion of the advertising load after Paxton beat Cornyn in the May GOP Senate runoff. Neither the National Republican Senatorial Committee nor SLF had included spending on Texas in its midterm budget.

As of Monday, MAGA Inc. has committed more than $20 million to ads supporting Paxton so far this month, compared with the $124 million from SLF.

Should Democrats win North Carolina and Texas, they would only need to win two of the remaining competitive Republican-held seats — in Alaska, Iowa, Maine and Ohio — as well as hold competitive Democratic-held seats in Georgia, Michigan and New Hampshire to capture the majority.

Trump plans to visit Ohio on Saturday to support Sen. Jon Husted as the Republican tries to fend off a competitive challenge from Democratic former Sen. Sherrod Brown. The president plans to campaign with Husted in Vandalia, near Dayton in southwest Ohio.

Senate Republican campaign leaders have complained that spiking gas prices, a result of the seven-month-long war with Iran, are among the issues weighing against candidates that Trump has exacerbated.

Campaigning with Whatley last week, Trump called higher fuel prices “a very inexpensive price to pay” for preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Though gas prices are near historic highs, they are still below the nationwide record set in 2022.

It's prompted some candidates, such as Iowa's GOP Senate nominee, Rep. Ashley Hinson, to speak out.

“Iowans are being squeezed and shouldn't have to foot the bill at the pump or the checkout line for the war in Iran,” she said last week.

South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds dismissed that the Republican majority was slipping away, but suggested senators needed to act on fuel prices.

“We have to stay focused on the fact that we know that gas prices are too high, and diesel is way too high," the Republican said.

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Beaumont reported from Des Moines, Iowa, and Sloan from Washington. AP reporter Sarah Rankin in Richmond, Va., contributed to this report.

In Puerto San Carlos, a fishing town of about 5,700 people, high tides and pounding waves from Polo were breaching sea barriers as residents worried for their homes in the mostly empty town. Hundreds of people in the region evacuated, hunkering down in nearby shelters in schools and other facilities.

“Civil Protection told those of us here in San Carlos to evacuate because this is a high-risk area. With the current tides, the expected waves and the wind, the earthen barriers they built (to prevent flooding) could give way,” Rocío Sánchez, a fisherwoman, said.

Polo barreling toward Baja California peninsula

Polo was a Category 1 storm with top sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph) Tuesday but is expected to weaken later on Tuesday as it moves inland, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said. It’s expected to produce 6-12 inches (about 15 to 30 centimeters) of rain across parts of Baja California Sur.

Forecasters said it would hit the Mexican mainland after lashing Baja California Sur, and that life-threatening winds and flash floods were expected. It could bring heavy rain and flooding to parts of the U.S. Southwest later in the week.

The government of the northern Mexican state of Sonora on Monday night announced it would suspend all “nonessential” activities, including school, sports and nonessential work, in the state capital and more than a dozen municipalities due to the incoming hurricane.

Residents in Baja California Sur were anxiously bracing themselves. Margarita Bobadilla and her family were sheltered in a local school, saying it was safer than weathering the storm in her wooden house.

“Material things can be replaced, but family can’t. My children and I decided to come here last night, and now we’re waiting to see what happens.”

Others lingered in their mostly emptied town of Puerto San Carlos, crossing their fingers the light flooding and powerful winds would be the worst of Polo.

Laura Velázquez, national coordinator of Mexico’s Civil Protection Agency, reported that Polo would make landfall later in the afternoon. With Polo approaching Mexico, the Mexican navy said it had personnel ready across the northern Pacific coast and deployed three vessels that could ship aid to coastal communities isolated by the storm. Local authorities along the Baja California Peninsula said they had shelters at the ready.

At a Monday morning news briefing, Velázquez urged residents to stay off the streets and seek shelter if their homes are at risk. She said travel will be suspended in the area where the hurricane was expected to make landfall and that ports across the region would be closed.

At the same time, Tropical Storm Rachel was brewing over Mexico’s southwest coast. The hurricane center said Tuesday that Rachel had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (96.6 kph) and was located about 265 miles (425 kilometers) southwest of Lazaro Cardenas. No coastal watches or warnings were in effect, but the center said Rachel is forecast to become a hurricane during the next day or so.

It’s been a busy season for Pacific storms

Storm activity in the Pacific has been above average during what is already the peak of hurricane season, according to National Weather Service lead forecaster Bob Oravec. He said that pattern is consistent with El Niño years, when the Pacific often sees more tropical storms and hurricanes.

While Polo is slated to weaken over northern Mexico, tropical weather was also supposed to deal a one-two punch to the U.S. Southwest.

The region has already been saturated by heavy rain over the past months, and regions like New Mexico and Grand Canyon were hit by devastating floods earlier this month. Now, the remnants of Polo are forecast to track east across the region, expected to douse Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and Texas with inches of rain.

That’s a good chunk of the 8-12 inches (about 20-30 centimeters) the arid area of canyons and rocky expanses with little vegetation usually gets in a year. Such terrain is already conducive to flash flooding, sudden torrents that can sweep down canyons and other low-lying areas with little warning. The new tropical weather adds more risk, said Andrew Mangham, senior service hydrologist for the National Weather Service in Albuquerque.

“We’re getting caught up here in a very, very short time,” Mangham said. “And that’s not really what we want. We want nice rains, you know, all summer long.”

In Hawaii, floods and mudslides are still a risk

Nolo, meanwhile, was well southwest of Hawaii and moving away from the Big Island as the weekend drew to a close. The Category 3 storm drenched communities in south and southeastern parts of the Big Island over the weekend, prompting some highway closures on Saturday evening and Sunday as rushing water and boulders blocked roadways.

Maximum sustained winds were near 115 mph (185 km/h), with higher gusts, the hurricane center said Tuesday, but the storm is forecast to weaken over the next couple of days.

Hawaii National Guard members rescued 19 people from flooding over the weekend, the U.S. National Guard said in a post on Facebook.

Damage assessments are still underway as Nolo moves northwest. While it’s keeping its distance from the main Hawaiian Islands, it’s approaching Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, a marine conservation area northwest of the islands, according to the National Hurricane Center. It could bring dangerous conditions to the area starting Tuesday, the center reported.

Thousands of households and businesses on Maui lost power for a time, but by Monday afternoon, service had been restored to nearly all of them, according to poweroutage.us. The majority of the outages were related to storm damage, according to statements from Hawaiian Electric.

Hawaii residents were still recovering from several other natural events this year, including spring Kona low storms, a May earthquake, Hurricane Lala in August and Hurricane Lowell in September. Those events affected more than 1,290 homes, according to the state, and caused nearly $700 million in damage and recovery costs.

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Janetsky reported from Mexico City. Photojournalist Eduardo Verdugo contributed from Puerto San Carlos, Mexico, reporter Julie Walker reported from New York, reporter Mead Gruver reported from Fort Collins, Colorado. Videojournalist Eugene Garcia and photographer Gregory Bull contributed from Hilo, Hawaii.

Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said that “such actions are absolutely unacceptable” and that Russia's charge d'affaires in Tallinn was being summoned to his ministry.

A fire broke out overnight on Aug. 15 at a building in the Estonian capital used by Milrem Robotics, but was quickly brought under control, the BNS news agency reported. On Aug. 17, two Latvian suspects were detained in neighboring Latvia, and a third followed the next day. The suspects were handed over to Estonia.

Milrem has supplied THeMIS unmanned ground vehicles to Ukraine.

The Estonian Internal Security Service said that it has concluded that the arson attack “was a deliberate and pre-planned act commissioned by Russian security services.”

It said in a statement that “the modus operandi of the Milrem attack is consistent with other acts of sabotage carried out in Europe on behalf of Russia,” adding that it “assesses that the attack is directly attributable to the Russian Federation.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that “such statements are unfounded, ill-considered, absolutely not reflecting the reality, not containing any substantiation whatsoever.”

“We cannot take such statements seriously, and we won’t,” Peskov said.

Moscow has been widely accused by Western officials of running a campaign of sabotage and disruption with the aim of undermining support for Ukraine and destabilizing European nations.

The Associated Press has tracked around 200 incidents of sabotage and malign activity across Europe blamed on Russia since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.

That includes organizing plots to set fire to warehouses, launching drones and trying to kill enemies abroad as well as stealing defense technology and carrying out cyberattacks on critical European infrastructure.

In a recent case that pointed to an escalation of such activity, Germany blamed Russia for an attempted attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport in early August using a drone laden with explosives.

Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal wrote on X that “we will not be intimidated.”