Discussion

At 1000 PM CDT (0300 UTC), the center of Post-Tropical Cyclone Arthur was located near latitude 29.7 North, longitude 94.5 West. The post-tropical cyclone is moving toward the northeast near 9 mph (15 km/h). A northeastward motion at a faster forward speed is expected tonight, followed by a turn toward the east-northeast Thursday through Friday. On the forecast track, the remnants of Arthur should move farther inland over southeastern Texas and western Louisiana tonight, then cross the southeastern United States Thursday through Friday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph (55 km/h) with higher gusts. While additional weakening is expected as the system moves inland, the remnants of Arthur will continue to produce widespread heavy rains across the southeastern United States during the next few days.

The estimated minimum central pressure based on surface observations is 1000 mb (29.53 inches).

Watches and Warnings

CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY:

All coastal watches and warnings are discontinued.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

None.

Land Hazards

Key messages for remnants of Arthur can be found in the Tropical Cyclone Discussion under AWIPS header MIATCDAT1 and WMO header WTNT41 KNHC.

RAINFALL: Arthur is expected to produce rainfall totals of 5 to 10 inches, with isolated higher totals near 20 inches, through early Friday from the Mid and Upper Texas coast east-northeast into southern and central portions of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, along with western portions of Georgia and the Florida Panhandle. This could generate dangerous to life-threatening flash flooding.

For a complete depiction of forecast rainfall associated with the remnants of Arthur, please see the National Weather Service Storm Total Rainfall Graphic available at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at1.shtml?rainqpf and the Flash Flood Risk graphic at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at1.shtml?ero.

For a list of rainfall observations (and wind reports) associated with Arthur, see the companion storm summary at WBCSCCNS1 with the WMO header ACUS44 KWBC or at the following link: www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/nfdscc1.html.

WIND: Winds gusts to tropical-storm force are possible along the Louisiana coast tonight.

STORM SURGE: Water levels remain elevated along the Upper Texas coast but will continue to subside overnight.

SURF: Swells generated by Arthur are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions along the northwestern Gulf Coast for the next day or two. Please consult products from your local weather office.

A depiction of rip current risk for the United States can be found at: hurricanes.gov/graphics_at1.shtml?ripCurrents

TORNADO: A few tornadoes are possible tonight across southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi, and tomorrow into parts of Alabama, Georgia, and the Florida Panhandle.

The rally in Asia followed a retreat Wednesday on Wall Street driven by speculation the Federal Reserve may raise interest rates this year to curb inflation.

U.S. futures were higher early Thursday, while oil prices fell.

Leaders from the U.S. and Iran signed the deal on a permanent end to hostilities that starts a 60-day negotiating clock to reach a final deal on the future of Iran’s nuclear program. In the meantime, it calls for Tehran to dilute its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

The deal waives U.S.-backed sanctions on the country, immediately allowing Iran to sell its oil freely in a major concession from Washington, according to details released by both countries.

The news came after U.S. markets closed. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 resumed its climb, gaining 1.9% to 71,235.78. It topped 70,000 for the first time this week and is still gaining thanks to hopes for an end to the war and buying of high-tech shares due to the artificial intelligence boom.

"This is very broad-based rally, I believe it’s actually showing some confidence that the Japanese economy is going to recover further from the ... the end of the war, and presumably the oil prices in the near future,” said Neil Newman, head of strategy at Astris Advisory Japan.

South Korea likewise has been setting records, gaining 1.6% to 9,007.95. The Kospi has roughly tripled in the past year, helped by gains for computer chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. Samsung's shares rose 1.9% and those of SK Hynix gained 6%.

Taiwan's Taiex jumped 1.2%.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng lost 1.8% to 23,968.66, while the Shanghai Composite index edged less than 0.1% lower.

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 slipped 0.6% to 8,916.60.

On Wednesday, the S&P 500 slumped 1.2% to 7,420.10 after the Fed released projections showing nearly half its policymakers foresee at least one increase to its main interest rate in 2026.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1% to 51,492.55, and the Nasdaq composite sank 1.3% to 26,021.66.

Higher interest rates can tap the brakes on inflation, but they also slow the economy and hurt prices for investments. For much of the past year, the expectation has been that the Fed would be cutting rates.

In his first news conference as head of the U.S. central bank, Kevin Warsh, did not give a forecast for where the federal funds rate may end 2026. He said he’s considering a revamp of how the Fed communicates with financial markets and U.S. households and businesses.

One of his first moves was to end the inclusion of hints in Fed statements about where interest rates may be heading in the future.

Wall Street reacted uneasily to Fed officials’ latest set of projections. Stocks zigzagged up and down several times following the Fed's announcement that it will keep the federal funds rate steady for now.

In the stock market, SpaceX erased an early gain and fell 4.9% for its first loss since its ballyhooed debut on the U.S. stock market last week.

Drops of 3.8% for Microsoft, 3.5% for Amazon and 1.3% for Nvidia were three of the heaviest weights on the S&P 500.

A report released Wednesday said revenue at retailers across the country grew at a faster pace in May than economists expected, though high inflation has made U.S. shoppers worried over their finances.

Oil prices were steadier Wednesday following slides earlier in the week on optimism about the tentative U.S.-Iran deal to get the global flow of oil going again. Iran is set to take steps to reopen the Strait of Hormuz now that the deal is signed. That would allow oil tankers to deliver crude from the Persian Gulf again and hopefully take pressure off inflation.

Early Thursday, the price for a barrel of Brent crude oil fell 2.3% to $77.72. It’s still above its roughly $70 price from before the war, but it’s well below its $100-plus price from a few weeks ago.

U.S. benchmark crude slipped 2.7% to $74.01 per barrel.

The U.S. dollar fell to 160.61 Japanese yen from 160.65 yen. The euro was trading at $1.1521, up from $1.1501.

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Senior Producer Mayuko Ono contributed to this report.

Luis Díaz had a goal and an assist in his debut on soccer's biggest stage, sparking Colombia to a 3-1 win over Uzbekistan on Wednesday night.

“That’s what we came here to do. It’s very important to win this first game. We controlled the first half, but they played better in the second,” said Díaz, who plays for Bayern Munich. “We must improve.”

Daniel Muñoz, also playing in his first World Cup, opened the scoring in the 40th minute after a pass from Díaz, who scored the tiebreaking goal in the 65th when his strike from close range deflected off the hands of diving goalkeeper Utkir Yusupov and trickled across the line.

“We knew that it was going to be a tough match,” Colombia coach Nestor Lorenzo said.

Fayzullaev Abbosbek scored in the 60th minute for Uzbekistan, which made its World Cup debut in front of a heavily pro-Colombia crowd of 80,824 at Estadio Azteca.

“It is a wonderful joy, but emotionally, I think it weighed on some of the players who suffered physically,” Lorenzo said. “It has to do with the emotional burden generated by the opening match and the setting in which we played — especially since we were expected to take the initiative and were under pressure to win.”

With the White Wolves' defeat, three of the four debuting teams at this year's World Cup lost their first match. Cape Verde played Spain to a draw, while Curaçao and Jordan lost.

“For a small team like ours, to lose 3-1 is too much,” said Uzbekistan coach Fabio Cannavaro, an Italian who took over the team in October 2025. “We have good quality for an Asian team, but we need to grow. It was a good experience.”

Jaminton Campaz added a goal in second-half stoppage time for the Colombians, who are ranked 13th in the world and were heavy favorites over 50th-ranked Uzbekistan. Colombia's best World Cup finish was a run to the quarterfinals in Brazil in 2014.

“We needed to hit the ground running. Now we can enjoy the rest of the night,” midfielder Gustavo Puerta said.

Colombia moved atop Group K, ahead of Portugal and Congo, who played to a surprising 1-1 draw earlier Wednesday.

The Colombians will face Congo next Thursday at Guadalajara, Mexico, while Uzbekistan will take on Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal at Houston.

“We are going to play against a tough team that played great against one of the best teams in the world. It is going to be hard,” Lorenzo said.

Colombia finished third in South American qualifying behind Argentina and Ecuador. Uzbekistan was second in its Asian qualifying group behind Iran.

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

Always a darling of the far left, he has earned praise from both President Donald Trump and former Democratic critics like New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. He has emerged as the face of the region's sports renaissance. And days before New York's primary elections, Mamdani is testing the limits of his newfound political muscle in a bid to reshape the Democratic Party — in his state capital and in Washington — even if it means challenging his own party's leadership.

Mamdani will join Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. at a get-out-the-vote rally in Brooklyn on Thursday. The event is designed to elevate a slate of candidates aligned with Mamdani's values, including two running against Democratic incumbents in Tuesday's primary.

“He’s seeing that opportunity — that we can radically change the Democratic Party,” said Faiz Shakir, a senior adviser to Sanders and a friend of Mamdani's. “Like Bernie, he's not saying I'm doing this out of spite against you, dear leadership. He's saying, I am supporting these candidates who have a better vision, and I am prepared to lose if it has to be the case.”

The Mamdani slate

Establishment Democrats are not pleased with the mayor's decisions.

Mamdani endorsed political organizer Darializa Avila Chevalier over Rep. Adriano Espaillat, the chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, in New York's 13th District, which includes parts of upper Manhattan and the Bronx.

He is also backing former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who is running against incumbent Rep. Dan Goldman in New York's 10th District. And in New York's 7th, he's supporting democratic socialist state Assembly Member Claire Valdez against outgoing Rep. Nydia Velazquez’s handpicked successor.

The Mamdani slate, in addition to several state Assembly candidates, will be featured at Thursday's rally.

Valdez says the election is about advancing the political movement Mamdani ignited on his way to City Hall.

“Right now there’s really mass dissatisfaction with the way the party leadership has been operating and not standing up strongly enough to Trump,” she told The Associated Press, contrasting the malaise to the way the mayor energized voters last year.

She said she hopes to “bring a partner to Zohran to Washington.”

Valdez's primary opponent, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, said he feels like the underdog in the race, even though he was endorsed by the outgoing incumbent. He said Mamdani “has a celebrity status that we haven’t seen the likes of since I’ve been alive.”

“He’s going to be our champion for the foreseeable future and he’s doing a great job, and when he says that he’s endorsing someone, it matters,” Reynoso said in an interview. “I believe that this community has seen me work, they know I’m a progressive champion, and in any other circumstance I would be a favorite to win this race, but I’m not because he has tipped the scale.”

The candidates are largely aligned on the biggest issues, although there are modest differences.

Israel’s war with Gaza has featured heavily among the Mamdani slate, with Lander, Valdez and Avila Chevalier casting their Democratic opponents as too soft on Israel. They're echoing the mayor’s steadfast criticism of the country’s leaders and harnessing what they believe could be a driving force in this year’s elections.

The mayor’s candidates have also sought to replicate much of the platform that sent him to City Hall, focusing on the city’s high cost of living and framing themselves as fresh faces not beholden to powerful business interests.

The view from Washington

On Capitol Hill, Democrats are pleasantly surprised that Mamdani has become less of a political liability for the party in swing district seats than they once feared.

But Mamdani’s endorsements have aggravated intraparty fissures, especially among moderates who worry that Mamdani's far-left brand may eventually tarnish the entire party.

And House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a fellow New Yorker, has tried to push back against the Mamdani-backed democratic socialist challengers, endorsing and campaigning for the embattled incumbents in a proxy fight with the mayor.

But Jeffries and Mamdani have opted to wrestle only in primaries rather than bicker publicly and feed into GOP narratives of Democratic disarray.

“Democrats must understand, and both the leader and Mamdani appreciate this, how to yell in areas where we agree and whisper in areas where we diverge,” said Antjuan Seawright, a Democratic strategist who works with House Democrats.

For now, Jeffries' allies acknowledge that Mamdani has energized Democratic voters and may be able to reach some Americans who have checked out of the political process. They also prefer that Mamdani is hyper-focused on New York City’s governance rather than traveling across the country nationally.

Republicans, however, have plans to elevate Mamdani's profile whether Washington Democrats want them to or not.

The GOP hasn't made Mamdani a central feature of its broader national messaging as it once threatened, but Republican operatives have sought to link Mamdani to Democratic House candidates in swing districts across California, Colorado and Wisconsin. They also believe the specter of the New York City mayor will loom large in pivotal House races in New York and New Jersey.

The Republican bet is that vulnerable Democrats cannot afford to break with Mamdani too cleanly for fear of alienating progressive voters, even as they cast him as a radical.

“Zohran Mamdani’s socialist brand is as toxic as it comes,” said Mike Marinella, a spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee, House Republicans’ campaign arm. “And during a time when Democrats don’t have a leader or a message, he’s exactly the kind of bogeyman we can use against Democrats to truly show who is leading their party and the crazy policies they all support.”

Meanwhile, Sanders' adviser Shakir encouraged the Republicans to try. He noted that Sanders mentions Mamdani in almost every speech as he tours the nation rallying voters ahead of the midterms.

“The crowd just goes nuts,” Shakir said. “He certainly is not a political liability.”

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Brown reported in Washington.

The initial deal to end the war takes “immediate effect” after leaders from both countries signed it, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who helped mediate the agreement, said online.

The agreement calls for a permanent end to hostilities and starts a 60-day negotiating clock to reach a final deal on the future of Iran's nuclear program, though Trump left the door open to resume attacks. It appears to offer Iran several benefits up front while extracting little in return.

The deal has been shrouded in secrecy and confusion for days. U.S. officials refused to disclose the terms even after saying Trump and Vice President JD Vance digitally signed it over the weekend. Trump signed a physical copy Wednesday while dining with French President Emmanuel Macron at Versailles, the palace where many historic agreements have been signed over the centuries, ending wars or territorial disputes.

The White House had planned a signing ceremony on Friday in Switzerland, but its fate is now uncertain, with conflicting information from the U.S., Iran and Pakistan.

“It’s signed,” Trump said as he left the dinner at Versailles, which followed his trip to the Group of Seven summit in France.

In a video posted online by a White House aide, Trump was seen seated at a table next to Macron signing a paper copy of the agreement. Trump then handed the document and pen to Secretary of State Marco Rubio as people in the room applauded.

“This was not easy,” Trump said right before he signed it, according to a video posted to social media by Macron.

In Tehran, a stone-faced President Masoud Pezeshkian signed the deal on behalf of Iran, according to the state-run IRNA news agency, which posted an image of him holding up the deal with his signature and Trump’s.

Text of the agreement still has not been formally released by the Americans. U.S. officials dictated draft language to journalists after days of secrecy, speaking on condition of anonymity. Iranian state media has released text that largely tracked what the U.S. put out.

The deal will stop the fighting and start more negotiations

Much of the agreement would restore the status quo before the war, including ending hostilities, restarting talks between the U.S. and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear program, and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial passage for the world’s oil and natural gas whose closure created a historic energy crisis.

The agreement opens the strait without tolls for two months, but does not preclude fees in the future, according to the drafts from both countries.

In return, the U.S. will move to waive, but not eliminate, some wide-ranging sanctions against Iran.

The deal also affirms a commitment to Lebanon’s territorial integrity in the face of Israel’s invasion against the Hezbollah militant group. That is one of the most delicate parts of the agreement because Israel has maintained it will continue to defend itself and to occupy vast swaths of Lebanon. Iran has said Israel must withdraw under the deal, a condition Israel has already rejected.

The U.S. and Israel went to war Feb. 28 in part to prevent Iran from ever getting a nuclear weapon. Trump has cited various goals for the war, including at times vowing it would end Iran’s nuclear and missile programs and its support for Hezbollah and other proxy groups. He also suggested it could lead to toppling the Iranian government.

The interim deal falls short of all those goals, but Trump hailed it as “very strong.”

He also opened the door to abandoning it: “It’s a memorandum of understanding, and if I don’t like it, we’ll go back to shooting at them, dropping bombs.”

The U.S. agreement to immediately allow Iran to sell its oil freely and the offer to eventually lift all sanctions are major concessions that go beyond the terms of Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. Trump withdrew America from that Obama-era pact in his first term, declaring it the “worst deal ever.”

Iran maintains its nuclear program is peaceful, though it is the only country to enrich uranium to 60% purity without a weapons program, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. The interim deal calls for the IAEA to monitor the “downblending” of that uranium in Iran, without elaborating.

The accord likely will draw intense opposition in Washington, and it appears to be a major setback for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has come under criticism at home from the media, his opponents and even some allies as details emerge.

Under the Obama-era nuclear agreement with Iran that Trump pulled out of, Iran also agreed to restrictions on its nuclear program and promised never to build an atomic weapon in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.

Major concessions have been offered to Iran

Some concessions to Iran — including the full lifting of sanctions and the release of frozen assets — would happen gradually and be linked to progress in the nuclear talks, according to Pakistani officials. They outlined some of the deal’s major points on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

But in the meantime, the U.S. will issue waivers to sanctions that allow Iran to sell oil freely.

The Islamic Republic's oil export revenues in 2024 were more than $46 billion. Its main buyer of oil, China, is believed to have bought at below-market prices because of its willingness to ignore the sanctions.

Granting oil waivers at the start of the 60-day talks strips the U.S. of a major point of leverage. Only at the conclusion of the overall deal in 2015 were sanctions on Iran's oil lifted.

The interim deal also opens the door to ending all sanctions Iran faces from the U.S. and at the U.N. — including those over Tehran’s weapons programs and human rights abuses — though it says the schedule for that will be worked out later. Still, that far surpasses the 2015 deal, which only lifted some sanctions in exchange for Iran drastically reducing its enrichment and stockpile of uranium.

The accord would also provide Iran with at least $300 billion to rebuild — an extraordinary figure and another major benefit for Iran. The money also appears dependent on the progress of further negotiations.

Vance has said Gulf Arab nations would invest that amount. But Gulf countries would likely be reluctant to help Iran after Iranian attacks in the war destroyed oil facilities and other sites in their territory.

Trump reiterated Wednesday that the U.S. would not contribute and said it was up to other countries if they wanted to invest.

The pact would provide relief to the global economy

The initial deal provides a major win for the global economy — the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all traded oil and natural gas once passed before the war began. Since then, Iranian attacks on shipping and the threat to vessels effectively shut the strait.

The strait's closure drove up energy prices around the world and made many basics, including food, more expensive. Iran let through some vessels that paid tolls, something never done before in the strait, which has long been considered an international waterway. The U.S. later provided military support to get other tankers out, but traffic was nowhere near levels before the war.

The deal also says the U.S. will lift a blockade imposed on Iranian ports and that the strait will return to its prewar traffic levels in 30 days, while acknowledging Iranian mines may need to be destroyed.

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Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Magdy reported from Cairo and Catalini reported from Morrisville, Pennsylvania. Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani in Evian-les-Bains, France, Darlene Superville in Geneva, Angela Charlton in Paris and Munir Ahmed in Islamabad contributed to this story.

On Wednesday, it was the youngsters’ turn to take the spotlight at the draft.

In being selected first overall by the Vancouver Goldeneyes, U.S. national team and Wisconsin defender Caroline Harvey kicked off a parade of 14 2026 Olympians — five of them Americans — taking downtown Detroit's Fox Theater stage during the six-round event.

The draft class was regarded as the league’s deepest and most talented and was one of the reasons behind the PWHL adding four new markets, growing to 12 teams entering its fourth season. It's also why Harvey experienced nerves before finally hearing her name called.

“There’s always this, you have no idea until you officially hear it,” said Harvey, who kicked off the day being named the International Ice Hockey Federation's female player of the year.

“This draft class is just so deep and so many phenomenal players. Anyone could get picked at any time,” she added. “It’s just a surreal feeling, and I had no idea. I mean it could have been anyone. But I’m grateful to have my name called.”

Draft features tears and cheers

The draft was held in one of the PWHL’s new markets and featured its share of tears and cheers.

Seated next to Harvey, Laila Edwards grew emotional while congratulating her longtime friend and teammate upon being selected.

“It caught me off guard. After I gave her a hug I started crying, and I couldn’t stop,” said Edwards, who was chosen fourth by San Jose. The 22-year-old Edwards is from Cleveland, and became the first Black player selected in the first round of the PWHL draft.

As for the cheers, they rang out any time Detroit or Knight — the expansion team’s star addition — were mentioned. And the biggest roar in the packed theater was heard when Detroit finally made its first selection in the second round by choosing Switzerland Olympic goalie Andrea Brandli.

The 29-year-old Brandli’s selection was key for Detroit, with GM Manon Rheaume — a former goalie — growing nervous because she had had yet to fill the position.

As for the welcome she received, Rheaume said: “I got like emotional walking there ... And I think everybody felt it, every player that was getting drafted.”

This was the atmosphere the PWHL has become accustomed to generating while growing its brand in the wake of the Americans’ thrilling 2-1 overtime win over Canada in the Olympic final. The win created a surge of attention for women's hockey in North America, with Knight and gold medal-clinching goal-scorer Megan Keller appearing on Saturday Night Live.

“Milan was just one of those amazing things that keeps happening to us,” PWHL executive board member Stan Kasten told The Associated Press. “You see what the city of Detroit is going to do for this team, right? We just think the more people that get exposed, the more fans we make.”

Americans fill top 5 selections

On Wednesday, Americans swept the top five picks and made up nine of 12 first-round selections, with the 23-year-old Harvey continuing to cement her reputation as her generation’s most accomplished player.

She’s a two-time Olympian and was the tournament MVP in Milan. At Wisconsin, she won three NCAA titles and capped her four-year career winning the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award as college hockey’s MVP.

From Pelham, New Hampshire, Harvey is the second American player to go No. 1 after Minnesota chose Taylor Heise in the league’s inaugural draft in 2023.

“She’s actually just at the start of her career, which is crazy, and she’s coming in with all these accolades,” Goldeneyes GM Cara Gardner Morey said, before emphasizing the priority PWHL teams place on defense. “To have one of the best ones in the country, in North America, probably in the world right now is pretty special.”

Fellow U.S. Olympians followed with Minnesota forward Abbey Murphy chosen second by Seattle, Penn State forward Tessa Janecke going third to Las Vegas. After Edwards went fourth, Wisconsin forward Kirsten Simms rounded them out, going eighth to Toronto.

“It’s a little bittersweet,” Simms said of watching many of her Badgers’ teammates go their separate ways. “I’m just happy for all of them. They’re unbelievable players and unbelievable people and so every team is super lucky. But, obviously, I’m gonna miss them.”

Finland national team defender Nelli Laitinen was the first European player selected, going No. 6 to Hamilton. The first Canadian selected was Ohio State defender Sara Swiderski, who went ninth overall to Minnesota.

Overall, 31 Americans and 30 Canadians were among the 72 players selected with Finland having four.

Las Vegas lands 3 of top 13 selections

Las Vegas finished having three picks among the top 13. Janecke was selected with the pick Las Vegas acquired in trading Knight to Detroit. Las Vegas then used its fifth pick to select Wisconsin's Lacey Eden, women's college hockey's leading scorer last season. The team then traded forward Abby Boreen back to Vancouver to acquire the Goldeneyes' first pick of the second round and select Princeton forward Issy Wunder.

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AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey

From a distance, Ivan Franco thought it must be a car. But as he approached in his tow truck, he saw it was a plane — broken in half, its fuselage resting on its side, bright fire beginning to rise above. He stopped and rifled through the rescue kit his company keeps in the truck, grabbing a sledgehammer as well as three fire extinguishers, which he handed off to police officers.

“At that moment, you don’t think much about what to do, because I knew the plane could explode since it was on fire,” Franco told The Associated Press in Spanish. “My idea was to try to break the windows because the pilots hadn’t come out yet.”

Franco was one of several motorists who happened across the crash in Laredo, Texas, late Tuesday night and rushed to help — putting their own lives in danger to help those on board escape as smoke filled the cabin.

Passersby helped save lives

Police were also on the scene quickly, and their teamwork with the good Samaritans undoubtedly saved lives, officials said.

“The officers and the good Samaritans that went to the scene, our firefighters that responded — I do also want to commend each and every one of them,” Laredo Police Chief Mike Rodriguez said during a news conference Wednesday. He said he asked his staff to track down all the civilians who helped.

The Cessna Citation Latitude twin jet departed Tuesday evening from the Mexican resort city of San José del Cabo and was bound for Austin, Texas, the FAA said in a statement. The plane was operated by NetJets, a company owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway that lets people buy part ownership in private jets. NetJets said in a statement that it was cooperating with authorities.

The crash occurred after its pilots reported mechanical problems while requesting an emergency landing at a nearby airport. The fuselage came to rest across a concrete barrier, while its tail broke off and fell to a lower section of roadway.

One person was killed: Joshua Baer, a leader in Texas’ technology and startup sectors. Three teenage passengers and two pilots survived, as did a person in a truck struck by the plane as it crashed. Authorities have not released more detail about the passengers' connections to one another.

Investigators combed through wreckage Wednesday for clues to the cause.

It was the third significant aviation accident in as many days in the U.S. A B-52 crashed Monday during a test flight at Edwards Air Force Base in California and killed all eight people aboard, while on Sunday, 12 people were killed when a plane on a skydiving outing in Missouri crashed.

‘It looked like part of a movie’

Among the motorists who stopped in Laredo was Zayra Garza, an esthetician who was driving her co-workers home when she saw the wreckage. She recorded video as her husband ran to help.

“It looked like part of a movie. I was in shock,” Garza said. Most worrisome was the fire: “I was concerned that it could have just exploded at any time.”

Garza saw people leave their cars to try to smash the cockpit glass. Her video shows the aircraft's door popping open slightly from inside as a voice cries “Help! Help! Help!” The rescuers strain to lift the door farther open as the three teenagers dart out, followed quickly by one pilot and then by another.

Franco, a 23-year-old from Laredo, frantically swung the sledgehammer through heavy smoke. Others struck at the window with a shovel and tools from their own vehicles.

Cockpit windows are designed not to shatter

They accomplished little more than spiderwebbing the cockpit window with small cracks: Airplane windshields have multiple layers of glass and are designed to remain structurally sound even if the outer layer shatters. The windows must be able to withstand a bird strike at cruising speed and hold up to extreme pressure differences at high altitudes.

“They are basically bulletproof,” said retired airline pilot John Cox, who is CEO of Safety Operating Systems.

Police officers tried to remove the final person inside — Baer — as the smoke grew thicker. Officers doubled over coughing after turning away from the smoke.

Eventually firefighters with oxygen masks were able to get inside.

Firefighters also removed a dog from the plane that was suffering from smoke inhalation. The dog was turned over to animal control and was expected to survive, said Jose Baeza, an investigator with the Laredo Police Department.

Five officers were treated for smoke inhalation; the five people who survived the crash were also released from a hospital.

As the plane crashed on the northbound lanes of the highway, its wing hit a truck traveling southbound. The driver of that vehicle also survived, Baeza said.

There has been an outpouring of support on social media for those who stopped to help, heralding their bravery and selflessness.

Laredo Mayor Victor Treviño called it “nothing short of a miracle that this tragedy did not become a mass fatality event,” thanks in part to the late hour when the crash occurred and the quick action of first responders.

Franco said that as he tried to help, all he could think of was getting people out of the plane. But to do it, he had to conquer another feeling.

“You’re in constant fear," he said. "You don’t know what situation you’re in.”

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Johnson and Golden reported from Seattle. Taxin reported from Santa Ana, California. AP journalists Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska; Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut; Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina; and Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, contributed.

Now that the department is offloading civil rights enforcement and special education, some parents and advocates warn a process that has largely been stalled since President Donald Trump took office will see only more chaos and roadblocks.

“It’s to the point I don’t even check in anymore with the attorney,” said Nicole May, an Ohio mother. May filed a complaint in spring 2024 with the department’s Office for Civil Rights, alleging her teenage daughter was bullied over her hearing aids and was getting in trouble in class because she couldn’t hear her teachers. More than two years later, the case lacks a resolution.

Under the changes announced Tuesday, the Department of Justice will take over civil rights enforcement in schools, and the Department of Health and Human Services will oversee special education. The moves help fulfill Trump’s campaign promise to dismantle the Education Department. Linda McMahon, the education secretary, pitched the changes as a way to get more help to families of kids with disabilities.

Advocates said special education doesn’t belong in a health department, which usually treats disabilities as conditions to manage, instead of differences in how children learn. The top Republican on the Senate education committee agreed, saying he’d pursue legislation to keep special education out of Health and Human Services.

Some families already are taking discrimination cases elsewhere

For many, though, the response to the announcement was a sigh of resignation.

The Education Department’s civil rights office had long been the last resort for parents who believe their child is facing discrimination at school, with a mandate to review all complaints. Under Trump, the backlog of cases has ballooned, and resolutions have dwindled. Increasingly, attorneys say they are turning elsewhere to try to obtain justice for children.

The reaction is a marked change from a year ago, when parents and attorneys were in a panic as Education Department staff and attorneys were slashed.

The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services has shrunk by roughly a third since 2024, and the Office for Civil Rights is roughly 40% smaller. Meanwhile, in the Department of Justice, the Education Opportunities Section has shrunk by half, according to estimates provided by Justice Connection, a network of department alumni.

“I think a lot of people are mad, but they are like, ‘What are we going to do?’” said Emily Harvey, the co-legal director at Disability Justice, formerly Disability Law Colorado, who has watched her cases languish.

When Trump took office, she had a federal complaint pending, alleging some Colorado schools were illegally rejecting enrollment from kids outside their neighborhood boundaries because they had disabilities. Harvey also has a case pending at the Department of Justice, alleging a district south of Denver restrained and secluded disabled students hundreds of times, even though the practice is supposed to be reserved for emergencies.

“I feel like they’re probably collecting dust on a virtual shelf somewhere,” Harvey said.

In response to the federal backlog, she helped to push for a new state law that expands the types of civil rights cases Colorado education officials can pursue.

States across the U.S. already investigate various special education complaints, including when parents allege schools aren’t following a child’s individualized education program. But the Colorado legislation, signed into law in May, allows the state to pursue the types of cases typically handled at the federal level, such as those involving allegations of discrimination and harassment.

Harvey said she didn’t think the federal civil rights office was ever perfect. “But I think it’s become even less help for people who are trying to resolve issues,” said Harvey, who worked as an Education Department civil rights attorney in 2020 and 2021.

Boston-area special education advocate Craig Haller said he’s heard nothing on a complaint he filed early last year with the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights. Ever since the Trump administration started dismantling the department, he has leaned more on Massachusetts’s state system for resolving special education matters.

He recently used that system to help a student whose high school didn’t take into account his special education plan when it suspended him.

“I got it fixed for my client,” Haller said. But without the federal Office for Civil Rights, “I can’t get it fixed systematically.”

Department workers say the dismantling has made their jobs harder

While only Congress can close the Education Department, McMahon, a billionaire and former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, has signed 10 additional agreements to give department functions to other federal agencies.

So far, those agreements have not reduced the number of employees working on specific programs. But the union that represents department workers says staff have run into issues with equipment and access at their new postings.

“It’s hard to describe how inefficient the implementation of the (agreements) has been,” said Rachel Gittleman, the union’s president.

Taken together, the fracturing of programs, enforcement and oversight for disabled students across multiple agencies raised questions of what would fall through the cracks, special education advocates said.

Robyn Linscott, who directs education and family policy at The Arc of the United States, a major disability rights group, recalled attending a three-hour listening session the Education Department hosted in January. Families, educators and advocates described barriers to accessing proper support and services. Although they acknowledged breaks in the system, not a single parent advocated for moving oversight of special education to Health and Human Services.

Still, she isn’t surprised the Trump administration moved the program anyway.

“It has only been 24 hours, but I think we anticipated this move for over a year,” she said on Wednesday.

In Congress, senators from both sides of the aisle said they would try to stop the move to put special education in Health and Human Services.

Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana said he would “publicly commit” to working with his Democratic colleague, Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, on legislative action that would push the administration to change course. Cassidy, who lost a primary election this spring and has less than six months left in his Senate term, has personal knowledge of the education challenges faced by kids with disabilities: His wife co-founded a network of charter schools for students with dyslexia.

If special education is moved, he said Wednesday, it should go to the Labor Department. That agency, he said, is better positioned to support people with disabilities as they learn and work.

Ultimately, what matters to parents is whether they can get the services their children need, said Rob Harris, an IEP advocate in Colorado. Families spend an inordinate amount of time navigating systems that should be working together to serve children, but often aren’t. Harris has navigated those systems himself: His 19-year-old daughter is blind.

“Families don’t experience the government through organizational charts,” Harris said. “We experience it through the services our children receive.”

____

Associated Press writers Bianca Vázquez Toness and Alanna Durkin Richer contributed to this report.

____

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.

The Knicks' victory — after a 53-year drought - has electrified New Yorkers, and Mayor Zohran Mamdani has predicted that Thursday’s parade might be one of the biggest in the city's history.

The mere fact that it's happening is historic in itself. Although the Knicks won the championship twice in the 1970s, the city didn't host a parade for them either time. Then-Mayor John Lindsay had cut down on ticker-tape extravaganzas for financial and other reasons, and he instead honored the Knicks at a 1970 reception at the mayoral mansion and a jampacked 1973 ceremony outside City Hall.

This time, the city is going all out.

“There will be performances, there will be New Yorkers, there will be the team and there will be history,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Monday.

The parade is set to start at 10 a.m. Thursday near Battery Park and head up Broadway on the skyscraper-flanked route dubbed the "Canyon of Heroes.” The procession is to end at City Hall, where the players are to get another traditional tribute: keys to the city.

Knicks legends Walt “Clyde” Frazier — a member of the ’70s champion teams — and Patrick Ewing are expected to participate in the parade, according to a person familiar with the plans, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the details before they were publicly announced. The person said Mike Breen, the Knicks’ play-by-play announcer on MSG Network, was set to emcee the City Hall ceremony.

Alicia Keys, the singer who collaborated with Jay-Z on the New York-loving 2009 hit “Empire State of Mind,” has been tapped to perform.

“How could I not?” Keys said Wednesday in a social media video that featured her on the phone with Knicks forward OG Anunoby.

Police plan to deploy 10,000 officers to secure the event, which follows ebullient but sometimes chaotic street celebrations and some violence during the Knicks' run to victory over the San Antonio Spurs.

“We want people to enjoy this moment,” Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a planning meeting Wednesday, “but public safety comes first.”

Some 650 sanitation workers have been assigned to clean up what could be tens of thousands of pounds (kilograms) of debris, if recent history is any guide.

Ticker-tape parades derive their name from the narrow strips of paper used by telegraph-era “stock ticker” machines. New York brokerage firm workers took to tossing the paper out their office windows during parades in the late 19th century, adding a swirling aerial spectacle to the festivities.

Over the years, especially up to the mid-1960s, the city rolled out ticker-tape parades to honor visiting foreign leaders, mark historic anniversaries and hail feats in aviation, war, sports, music, space travel and more.

The Knicks' parade will be the 210th, and it comes after a ticker-tape bash for the WNBA's New York Liberty in 2024.

___

AP Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney contributed from Southampton, New York.

The push to rename the street follows allegations that Chávez sexually assaulted and abused women and girls. The allegations have prompted calls to remove Chavez’s name from streets and public landmarks across the country.

The San Antonio Historic and Design Review Commission voted to recommend changing the name from César E. Chávez Boulevard back to Durango Boulevard. Commissioner Gabriel Velasquez was the only person to cast a vote against the name change.

Velasquez was part of the effort decades prior to changing the name from Durango Boulevard to César E. Chávez Boulevard.

“We worked very hard for many years, the César Chávez March for Justice organizing committee,” Velasquez said. “One of the original ambitions was to have a street named after César Chávez, as we were trying to elevate the Civil Rights Movement and the civil right causes in San Antonio.”

Velasquez said he wants the new name to reflect a Mexican American who has made significant contributions, rather than changing the name back to Durango Boulevard.

“What about Gus Garcia, what about Albert Beña,” Velasquez said.

Councilmember Teri Castillo’s office initiated the council consideration request to change the name from César E. Chávez Boulevard back to Durango Boulevard.

“With Durango, it does have a lengthy history in the City of San Antonio,” Castillo said. “When you look at the streets surrounding Durango, it’s other Mexican cities within Mexico that are there. It’s Veracruz, Chihuahua, Tampico and many other Mexican cities and states within that corridor.”

The city’s Development Services Department presented information on the potential name change to the HDRC. The department told the commission the change would affect 295 addresses and that the city has sent more than 400 notices to property owners about the potential renaming.

In addition to address updates, the city said it would need to replace street signs and highway signage, bringing the projected total cost of the change to about $305,200.

Questions remain about how the city would fund the work.

“There was funding with last year’s adopted budget for the César Chávez events,” Castillo said. “Since those events did not occur, that funding is available and ideally we would tap into that allocation of funding.”

The proposal is scheduled to be considered by the Planning Commission on June 24. The City Council is expected to make a final decision in August.

“It is a lengthy governance process, but the goal is that we are engaging community every step of the way until council takes official action of renaming César Chávez Boulevard to Durango,” Castillo said.

More coverage of this story on KSAT:

• Should César E. Chávez Boulevard be renamed? City of San Antonio holds listening session

A $14 billion arms sale package to Taiwan is still in limbo after President Donald Trump returned from Beijing in May and said he had discussed the proposal “in great detail” with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, heightening anxieties in Taiwan and raising concerns among lawmakers on the Capitol Hill.

“We need those arms for defensive purposes,” Alexander Yui Tah-ray, who heads the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the U.S., told The Associated Press in an interview Wednesday in Washington. “We're trying to increase our defense expenditure. We try to increase our ability to defend ourselves better and survive times of crisis.”

The Trump administration has not moved forward with the $14 billion weapons sale proposal after approved by senior lawmakers earlier this year. Trump has described the sale as a “very good negotiating chip” with China.

Washington is obligated by domestic law to provide Taiwan with sufficient hardware to deter aggression from China, which claims sovereignty over the island and vows to seize it, by force if necessary, to achieve what it considers to be unification. It has always opposed U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, which has never been under China's communist rule.

Taiwanese diplomat says the island won't wait for ‘the U.S. cavalry’

Yui said Taiwan is aware that it must defend its territory.

“This is our responsibility, so we will not wait and depend for the U.S. cavalry to come and save us,” he said. “That’s why we’re willing to acquire, to buy U.S. equipment and arms to make ourselves stronger.”

Yui said the weapons sales need to be “commensurate” to the threat level, which is “actually pretty high” from China.

“First and foremost, we’re not the aggressors. It is the People's Republic of China who is sending all the planes and ships,” he said. “They're the ones huffing and puffing. They are the ones who’s trying to annihilate our freedom and democracy in Taiwan.”

China sends warships and military aircraft near Taiwan almost daily and has conducted major military exercises around the island in recent years.

Beijing sees the island as a core interest and has criticized those supporting Taiwanese independence for causing instability in the Taiwan Strait. The Chinese Embassy in Washington didn't immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

Taiwan diplomat sees no change in the US position toward the island

Yui stressed that there had been no changes to the U.S. position on Taiwan and that the Taiwanese government will respect the Trump administration's “tempo” in making announcements.

The arms sale has broad support in Congress, with lawmakers raising concerns to Secretary of State Marco Rubio at a hearing this month. Rubio affirmed that U.S. policy on Taiwan has not changed and that Washington does not “consult with the Chinese on these arms deals.”

“We’re aware of their position. They talk about it all the time,” Rubio said of Beijing. “They are not negotiated, and they are not consulted.”

Rubio said the proposal was not held up but under review and that the administration had other factors to weigh.

“It includes the availability of the stocks in the short term,” Rubio said of U.S. weapons stockpiles, which have been drawn down during the Iran war. “We have to balance that with our own procurement process.”

The administration did approve a separate $11 billion arms sale package to Taiwan in December that included high-mobility artillery rocket systems, or HIMARS, and howitzers.

Yui deals with the second Trump presidency

Yui arrived in Washington in late 2023 during Joe Biden's presidency. Biden had said several times that he would send troops to the island if Beijing attacked.

Now, Yui is navigating the caprices of the second Trump administration, which has struck a more conciliatory tone with Beijing following an intense trade war marked by tit-for-tat tariffs.

As much as Trump has raised eyebrows by ignoring a Reagan-era promise not to agree to prior consultation with Beijing on arms sales to Taiwan, he also said he could call Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, breaking a decades-long practice that no sitting U.S. president has directly spoken with the leader of the island.

In its national defense strategy published in January, the Pentagon said it seeks to deter China through strength, not confrontation. It says the U.S. “will build, posture, and sustain a strong denial defense” along a strategic line of islands, including Taiwan, to keep China out of the wider Pacific Ocean.

Yui ascribed what appears to be mixed messages to Trump's outside-of-the-box style but expressed confidence in Taiwan-U.S. relations.

“It's important to look at the actions, what is happening, not just the rhetoric,” Yui said. “The big stick is still there.”

Harry Kane scored twice to equal the English record for World Cup goals, and Jude Bellingham put England in front for good two minutes into the second half of a 4-2 victory over Croatia on Wednesday.

Martin Baturina and Petar Musa answered each of Kane's first-half goals in a rematch of a 2018 semifinal won by Croatia. Musa's goal came on the final play before the whistle ending the first half.

The even score didn't last long once play resumed.

Bellingham took a long pass from Elliot Anderson and stayed clear of the defender the rest of the way, sending a shot past Dominik Livakovic and in off the far post. Marcus Rashford padded the lead in the 85th minute.

“He just told us to let the shackles off,” Kane said of coach Thomas Tuchel's halftime message after Croatia pulled even so late before the break. “The way we conceded that second goal is not the team we want to be. He finally just said, ‘What’s the worst that can happen? We lose the match, first group game, we get on with it.’ We move on. Just go and kind of show the world who we can be.”

Kane, who won the Golden Boot at the 2018 World Cup in Russia by scoring six times, is up to 10 World Cup goals, tying Gary Lineker's mark from the 1986 and 1990 tournaments.

The 32-year-old's first goal came on his second chance on a penalty kick after Livakovic's save on the first try was nullified by a video review that showed both his feet off the goal line as Kane was striking the ball.

Kane went the same way toward the right post with the second attempt, while Livakovic lunged the other direction, to his right.

The penalty was called when Luka Modric, the 40-year-old midfielder who extended his Croatian record by appearing in his fifth World Cup, kicked Noni Madueke in the thigh.

Kane matched Lineker's mark when the Bayern Munich striker easily beat Livakovic with a powerful header off a corner kick from Declan Rice. Kane has 81 international goals.

“We scored two goals that were good actions and good situations, but they were too little,” Croatia coach Zlatco Dalic said through an interpreter. “England was very difficult, (we) also have to be strong on the defensive side.”

Bellingham almost immediately had another great scoring chance after the Real Madrid player's seventh international goal. Livakovic made that save and about a half-dozen more in a matter of minutes during a frenetic English attack.

“We could have scored probably three goals in that 20-minute spell coming out (after halftime),” Kane said. “In the end, we just had too much for a great team that will probably go far in the tournament themselves.”

Musa scored the first World Cup goal for an active player from Dallas of Major League Soccer, which plays its home games about 40 miles from AT&T Stadium.

The retractable-roof venue that is home to the NFL's Dallas Cowboys is giving World Cup fans an air-conditioned reprieve from the muggy Texas heat, this time for white-clad English fans and Croatian supporters who were mostly wearing their country's familiar red-and-white checkered uniforms, not the blue kits the players had on.

Musa tracked a header from Ivan Perisic and put a one-timer past Jordan Pickford, who was also beaten in the 36th minute by Baturina. That shot into the left corner ticked off Pickford's hand.

Bukayo Saka's pass left plenty of room for Rashford as the Barcelona player entered the penalty area, faked a shot with his left foot and scored his 19th international goal with his right.

“I loved the second half, all of it,” Tuchel said. “I encouraged them to go for it. To play with more courage, to be brave, to be ourselves. And like I said, I loved their reaction.”

England next plays Ghana in Foxborough, Massachusetts, in Group L on Tuesday, the same day Croatia plays Panama in Toronto.

___

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

DPS troopers assisted with the pursuit, which began in San Antonio and continued south on Interstate 37 through Atascosa County before entering Live Oak County.

The pursuit ended on U.S. Highway 281 when a DPS trooper used a tactical vehicle intervention to bring the suspect vehicle to a stop, according to DPS.

In a Facebook post, DPS released the body camera footage from a trooper that showed Christopher Lopez, 29, driving a white SUV recklessly, swerving multiple times as authorities pursued him. Multiple law enforcement vehicles are also seen involved in the pursuit.

At one point during the pursuit, the footage shows Lopez brake-checking the trooper.

DPS said the pursuit ended when the trooper used the tactical vehicle intervention, forcing Lopez’s vehicle to stop.

During the maneuver, the footage shows a tire appears to come off a vehicle. However, it’s unclear from which vehicle.

A female passenger in the vehicle was not injured. She was taken to a hospital as a precaution, DPS said.

Lopez was arrested at the scene, the footage shows. He faces the following charges, according to DPS:

• Aggravated kidnapping with a deadly weapon
• Evading arrest with a vehicle
• Obstruction and retaliation

Related coverage on KSAT:

• DPS: Man charged with aggravated kidnapping after pursuit from San Antonio ends in Live Oak County

Instead, the rollout of Vance’s second book, “Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith,” has been largely crowded out by something else he’s put his name on: the tentative deal to end the Iran war.

The Republican vice president has embraced the role of chief defender of the agreement he and President Donald Trump signed with Tehran, giving a series of interviews touting the memorandum of understanding as a success and releasing a video championing it.

It’s a striking emergence for a politician who was known for his skepticism of foreign military interventions and who seemed reluctant to speak on the conflict when Trump launched it in late February.

The vice president is poised to yoke himself further to the conflict’s outcome on Friday, when he’s expected to travel to Switzerland to kick off a new phase of negotiations with Iran. He was originally expected to attend a formal signing ceremony for the deal, but Trump formally signed it on Wednesday instead.

Vance becoming a hype man for the agreement seems to be an all-in gamble that, should he decide to seek the White House in 2028, voters will reward him for being the face of ending an unpopular conflict.

It’s also setting Vance up as the presumptive fall-guy should the deal with Iran falter.

Trump joked about such a possibility on Wednesday.

“If it works out, I’m going to take the credit. If it doesn’t work out, I’m blaming JD,” Trump said.

Officials release text of the deal after backlash

The White House in a statement called Vance the president's “right-hand man and an invaluable member of the President’s talented national security team.”

"That’s why the Vice President was trusted to lead these negotiations alongside Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner," White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said. "What President Trump and his team achieved on the battlefield and at the negotiating table is nothing short of remarkable and will strengthen American security for years to come.”

But backlash, including from conservatives, began growing this week after the U.S. digitally signed the memorandum of understanding with Iran on Sunday.

Luke Schroeder, a spokesman for the vice president, said in a statement: “It’s unfortunate that some Republicans are attempting to undermine the President’s efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East and ensure Iran never has a nuclear weapon.”

Officials gave shifting answers about when they would release the text, but leaked copies of a draft were quickly met with anger and skepticism from Democratic and Republican U.S. lawmakers, as well as Israel and pro-Israel advocates. Their criticisms included concerns that the deal, meant to open a two-month negotiating period, seemed to offer Iran wins up front while guaranteeing little in return, and that Trump’s stated reason for launching the conflict, to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, remains unresolved.

Vance has reiterated that Iran must meet its obligations.

“If they don’t behave properly, they don’t get any of the benefits of this bargain,” he said Tuesday on Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends."

In response to the backlash and mounting questions, the U.S. on Wednesday provided the text of the agreement to journalists.

The agreement states that Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which is believed to be buried under rubble, must at minimum be diluted under international supervision. It also states that Iran shall not procure or develop nuclear weapons — a commitment it has made previously. But beyond stating that the U.S. and Iran will negotiate over Iran's nuclear program, other commitments still need to be worked out.

Criticism on the right persisted after the text was released.

Conservative radio host Erick Erickson, a hawk who has defended the war, said Wednesday: “This is an American surrender.”

Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, criticized the agreement and said to reporters, “I think the president, unfortunately, is receiving bad advice.”

Trump's ‘Operation Epic Fury’ has angered wings of his movement

The conflict, which has stretched into its fourth month, has cleaved Trump’s broad Make America Great Again coalition and angered both those who favored a harder line against Iran and those drawn to Trump’s “America First” foreign policy underscored by a message of “no new wars.”

Critics, including Republicans, have already started pointing fingers in Vance's direction, questioning whether the deal resembles the 2015 nuclear agreement struck by Democratic President Barack Obama and whether this new agreement achieves Trump’s stated objectives for launching the war.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a Trump ally and Iran hawk, had been skeptical of the agreement and referred to Vance on social media as “the architect of the deal."

After the agreement was released, Graham issued a tepid statement of support, saying, “Whether or not the United States can reach an acceptable, verifiable deal with Iran regarding its nuclear program and other issues is yet to be determined, but I see little downside to trying.”

Ben Domenech, The Daily Wire’s opinion editor, said on Fox News that everything he was hearing about the deal “seems bad” and appeared to cast blame on Vance by alluding to his first book, “Hillbilly Elegy."

“Are we going to backslide into being some kind of ‘hillbilly Obama’ kind of GOP?” Domenech said.

GOP allies say Vance can navigate the politics

The Trump administration has not offered formal briefings to Congress on the details of the memorandum, but Vance has quietly started doing outreach to some Republican senators on Capitol Hill.

Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, a close ally of Vance's, said the vice president would be able to assuage even critics within his own party who are skeptical of the deal because “JD is just the president’s messenger, and the president’s going to prove them all wrong.”

Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said the deal “certainly adds to the national security and geopolitical chops” of Vance, who spent two years as a U.S. senator for Ohio before ascending to the vice presidency.

But Cramer acknowledged the risks if the agreement goes awry.

“I guess the nice thing is, if you’re not the No. 1 person, you can take credit and avoid risk, avoid the criticism, but probably not so easily,” Cramer said.

Vance argues Iran is not a quagmire like the Iraq war

In interviews this week, Vance has sought to speak directly to the skeptics in his party, a preview of the difficult explanations he may be pressed to make as a candidate on the war.

On Megyn Kelly's show, the vice president said the critics “believe Iranian propaganda” about the deal. But he acknowledged some of the frustrations on the hawkish right while trying to reassure the anti-interventionists that the Iran conflict isn't the war in Iraq, where he served as a Marine.

“We were never going to get the quagmire that a lot of people were worrying about because Donald Trump is just not George W. Bush,” he said.

Democrats have stressed that even as Vance becomes the face of the Iran deal, the fate of any administration official who harbors presidential aspirations — particularly hawkish Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has largely been quiet in the agreement's final phases — will be tied to its outcome.

“I think any member of this administration is going to rise or fall on the basis of the Iran war and the handling of the economy, and I don’t think there are exceptions,” said Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii.

___

Associated Press writer Will Weissert contributed to this report.

Voters in the Makerfield district of northwest England are electing a new lawmaker, and the leading contender is Andy Burnham of the governing Labour Party, the current mayor of Greater Manchester and oddsmakers’ favorite to be the next prime minister.

If Burnham defeats a candidate from the anti-immigration party Reform UK and wins the seat for Labour, he’s almost certain to challenge the embattled Starmer for leadership of the party, and the country.

Burnham has pledged that “if people put their trust in me, I will change politics” — a big promise for a politician who, if he wins, will be just one of 650 lawmakers in the House of Commons.

But the scores of journalists from around the world who have flocked to Makerfield during the campaign are evidence that this is no normal by-election, the results of which are due early Friday.

Starmer struggles since landslide win

About 75,000 people are eligible to vote in Makerfield, a constituency that encompasses several towns and villages on the edge of Greater Manchester, 200 miles (320 kilometers) northwest of London.

They hold in their hands the fate of Starmer, whose popularity has cratered since he led the center-left Labour Party to a landslide election victory in July 2024.

Starmer’s government has struggled to deliver promised economic growth, repair tattered public services and ease the cost of living, and been hamstrung by repeated missteps, including his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson, a scandal-tarnished friend of Jeffrey Epstein, as the U.K. ambassador to the United States.

A dismal performance in May’s local elections spurred scores of Labour lawmakers to demand Starmer’s resignation. He has refused to budge, but senior colleagues are trying to force a change. Wes Streeting resigned as health secretary in May, saying that “where we need vision, we have a vacuum.”

Then Josh Simons, the Labour lawmaker for Makerfield, stepped down to trigger a special election and give Burnham the chance to return to Parliament.

Britain’s parliamentary system allows governing parties to change leader midterm, with the winner becoming prime minister without the need for a national election. Under Labour rules, a lawmaker can challenge the leader if they have backing from a fifth of the party’s House of Commons lawmakers — a number that stands at 81.

Streeting said Tuesday that he hopes Starmer will agree to step down, but that if he doesn’t, “there will need to be a contest, and I would be prepared to do that.”

A Burnham victory will pile pressure on Starmer to quit

Streeting is an assured communicator with a base of support among parliamentary colleagues, but Burnham is considered the more likely successor.

The 56-year-old politician nicknamed the “King of the North” has led Manchester since 2017, overseeing rapid regeneration for the city where the Industrial Revolution was forged. Burnham is pledging to repeat his signature brand of “Manchesterism” on a national scale.

“It’s not right, the way the country has been run,” Burnham said on the campaign trail last week, claiming “London-centric politics” has failed other regions of the U.K.

Starmer, meanwhile, has tried to keep calm and carry on, insisting during a G7 summit in France this week that he has no intention of leaving his post.

“I will fight if there’s a challenge,” he said. “We won a significant general election result in 2024, with a mandate to bring about change. I’m not going to walk away from that.”

Starmer suggested that he could offer Burnham a Cabinet post if he wins, telling Sky News on Wednesday that “I want him to have a big role in government.” Allies of Burnham indicated that he wasn’t interested.

Rob Ford, professor of political science at the University of Manchester, said that if Burnham wins convincingly, “the pressure on Starmer will be very hard to resist.

“Starmer can say all that he likes that he wants to carry on,” Ford said. “But if the entire Cabinet turns around and says, ‘We’re not going to serve under you and we think you should go,’ then either he’ll go with dignity or go without dignity, but he’ll end up having to go quite quickly.”

Reform UK poses a challenge to Labour

Burnham’s victory isn't a given. The Makerfield area has elected Labour lawmakers for more than a century, but Reform UK has rapidly gained ground in post-industrial northern England, winning big in local elections last month.

Reform candidate Rob Kenyon, a local plumber, is hoping to tap into concerns about immigration — frequently expressed by voters despite relatively low numbers of immigrants in Makerfield. But Reform faces a challenge from Restore, an even more hard-line, anti-immigration and ethnonationalist party to its right.

A Burnham victory would be bad news for Starmer. But Ford said that a Reform win in Makerfield would spell “Gotterdammerung, apocalypse, disaster, chaos” for the Labour Party.

“Andy Burnham is miles more popular than every other (leadership) candidate available. Miles better known, miles better liked,” he said.

“If Reform take him out, then simultaneously you have a situation where the Reform threat looks much graver, and the best person available to combat the Reform threat has failed.”

Castro released a statement Wednesday ahead of a planned congressional oversight visit to the Karnes County Immigration Processing Center, southeast of San Antonio, where he said he will meet with Octavio Daniel Cabrera Valdez.

Cabrera Valdez was detained while at work on April 16, Castro said.

The congressman said Cabrera Valdez had a valid work permit at the time of his detention and was the sole provider for his family. Because of Cabrera Valdez’s detention, Castro said his partner and 8-year-old son and a 4-year-old daughter have been forced out of their apartment.

Before his detention, Cabrera Valdez also provided care for his mother, who had an amputation following a car crash, and his father, who is seriously ill with diabetes, according to Castro.

His parents and other family members are U.S. citizens, Castro said.

“Octavio Daniel Cabrera Valdez was building a life for his family in San Antonio. ... He was working and contributing to his community. ICE is going after members of our communities, like Octavio, and tearing families apart in the process,” Castro said.

KSAT has reached out to ICE for comment and will update this story with their response.

Read also:

• San Antonio teen, father to be released from Dilley detention center, US Rep. Castro says

But for many young Spurs fans, this was their first time experiencing the Spurs playoff run for the team’s sixth NBA Championship — or as we like to call it, the Race For Seis.

The last two months of playoff coverage was also a professional first for many of our coworkers in the KSAT 12 newsroom.

KSAT Sports Now will stream interviews with our coworkers as they reflect on what stood out to them in their coverage of the 2026 NBA Playoffs and NBA Finals.

KSN can be streamed starting at 9:35 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Authorities responded to the shooting around 7:30 p.m. in the 100 block of Baywell Drive, near Springvale Drive.

A man between 60 to 65 years old was originally taken to a hospital in critical condition. Police said the man sustained multiple gunshot wounds, including an apparent wound to the head.

Another man in his 20s was also hospitalized, police said, and both are in stable condition as of Wednesday night.

Investigators believe the victims are related.

A witness told police they saw three males flee on foot toward the highway after the shooting.

Additional information was not immediately available. The investigation is ongoing.

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Arthur was the first tropical storm of the season in the Atlantic basin and it's expected to keep weakening as it moves inland over southeastern Texas and western Louisiana, then cross the southeast Thursday through Friday. Maximum sustained winds were around 35 mph (55 kph).

All coastal watches and warnings were discontinued Wednesday night, but flooding was likely through Friday over parts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and the Florida Panhandle, the hurricane center said.

In Louisiana and Mississippi, some communities had set up locations for residents to collect sandbags and cleared debris from drainage systems.

“The main threat from Arthur is going to be a prolonged, multiday, heavy rainfall event that could produce dangerous to life-threatening flash flooding,” National Hurricane Center director Michael Brennan said.

The storm spun off the Texas coast on the same day a World Cup match took place in Houston but did not disrupt the contest, which was played indoors. Heavy storms in the Houston area earlier in the week had canceled outdoor watch parties and fan events.

New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno said police were preparing boats and setting up barricades in known flood areas. Collection points for residents to fill sandbags also sprung up around the state.

“We both decided we got so much rain yesterday at our house that it was probably a good idea just to pick up a few bags," said Luke Barwick, who filled sandbags at a collection center in Covington, Louisiana.

After being inundated with heavy rain earlier this week, parts of central and south Mississippi braced for a second wave of potential flooding.

Officials in Picayune, Mississippi, located about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of New Orleans, declared a state of emergency Tuesday after downpours brought nearly 7 inches of rain in six hours. On Wednesday, city officials gave out thousands of sandbags and put emergency responders on standby.

Arthur is expected to produce rainfall totals of 5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 centimeters), with isolated higher totals near 20 inches (50 centimeters).

Swells generated by Arthur are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip-current conditions along the northwestern Gulf Coast for the next couple of days, forecasters said. Tornadoes were possible through Thursday.

Arthur formed as some areas along the Texas coast had already been drenched by bands of heavy storms that caused flooding and high waters. Near Houston, a 15-year-old drowned Tuesday after entering the water of a retention pond while playing near a construction zone, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. ___ Fischer reported from Miami. Associated Press writer Sophia Bates in Jackson, Mississippi, contributed to this report.

Before the Yankees played the Chicago White Sox, Brunson and Hart were met with a standing ovation and loud cheers from fans as they took the field to a montage of highlights from the title run.

Standing in front of the mound and wearing Yankees pinstripes, Brunson made his toss to backup catcher J.C. Escarra while Hart threw to utilityman Max Schuemann.

“That was cool," outfielder Cody Bellinger said after New York's 10-5 victory. "Obviously, we’re all super tuned-in to the series and to the postseason. I saw them pregame and what they were able to accomplish is pretty amazing.”

Brunson and Hart were honored after the Knicks made appearances on NBC’s “The Today Show” and “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” on Monday. Brunson and Hart along with starters Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby also appeared on ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Monday.

The ceremony occurred a day before the Knicks will be honored with a massive ticker-tape parade in lower Manhattan. Mayor Zohran Mamdani predicted Thursday’s celebration could be “the largest parade in New York City history."

“Oh, I think’s it been awesome,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “What a fun team to get behind and just the story of that team and how it’s kind of come together over the last couple of years and just a lot of grit, a lot of mental fortitude and to see the fanbase and then some galvanized around that club has been a lot of fun to witness.”

The parade will be the first for the Knicks, who won their first two NBA championships in 1970 and 1973. After those titles, then-Mayor John Lindsay celebrated the team at the mayoral mansion and City Hall.

Brunson threw out a first pitch for the second time since joining the Knicks. He also did it before a Mets-Yankees game in July 2024 shortly after signing a four-year, $156.5 million contract to stay with the Knicks.

Brunson averaged 32.6 points in New York’s five-game victory over the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals and won MVP honors. He led the Knicks to a 94-90 victory in the clinching Game 5 by scoring 45 points.

Hart is a great-nephew of former Yankees catcher Elston Howard, whose No. 32 jersey is retired by the team. Howard is also honored with a plaque in Monument Park.

The Knicks finished 16-3 in the postseason, an .842 winning percentage that matched the 2024 Boston Celtics for second-best since the format changed to best-of-seven series in all NBA playoff rounds beginning in 2003. The 2017 Golden State Warriors went 16-1.

New York won 13 consecutive postseason games, second to Golden State's 15 in a row in 2017, and set records by winning nine straight road games and outscoring their postseason opponents by 283 points.

Brunson and the Knicks also pulled off several big comebacks on the way to their title.

“It’s just been a captivating run that they’ve been on and with a group that’s now been together for a couple of years and then on top of the 53 years since a championship, it’s been a great story and a fan base that has come to know several of these guys as they’ve kind of climbed that ladder to ultimately winning a championship,” Boone said. “So I think it’ll be one of the historic teams that we talk about when it comes to the NBA.”

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Many view the onset of hemorrhagic fever as a spiritual affliction and seek out herbs and prayers instead of going to the hospital. This is the case now in Congo, which is suffering its seventeenth outbreak of Ebola since 1976, when the virus was first identified in the rich Congo Basin ecosystem.

Five decades later, the virus continues to mystify many of the sick in Africa while turning religious leaders into first responders in a deadly emergency. The current outbreak’s victims include health workers without protective gear as well as pastors and worshippers who gathered while Ebola was spreading, according to humanitarian workers and others who spoke to The Associated Press.

Ebola spreads through close contact with sick or deceased patients’ bodily fluids. The current outbreak is particularly worrisome in a region where many are distrustful of health workers and refuse to seek medical care.

In Bunia, a town in Ituri province that is the outbreak's epicenter, misinformation about Ebola has made it harder for health workers to respond to the outbreak that has so far killed at least 181 people. One rumor suggests that Ebola is spread by malicious people who drop magical charms tied to dollar bills down pit latrines.

“Some people still describe Ebola as something mysterious, spiritual, or brought by outsiders, rather than a disease that needs medical care,” said Onesphore Bangenza of the aid group Mercy Corps, speaking from Bunia. “When people do not trust the health system, they often go first to traditional healers, faith leaders, or people they already know. The danger is that many only reach the hospital when they are already very sick.”

Uncommon type of Ebola causing the outbreak

The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a rare type of Ebola that has no approved medicines or vaccines to combat it. It is occurring in a remote area of Congo that also faces armed violence by rebel groups as well as displacement. Ebola intensifies the suffering, with its terrifying symptoms that evoke a modern-day plague.

The outbreak was confirmed on May 15. Some experts believe infections may have been occurring in February, but health officials initially tested for a different kind of virus that causes Ebola disease.

The World Health Organization quickly declared the event a public health emergency of international concern. The U.S. government has imposed a temporary ban on the entry of people without U.S. passports who have recently visited Congo, Uganda or South Sudan.

With so many people in afflicted communities seeking spiritual answers to the outbreak, humanitarian workers are urging religious leaders to get involved in combating Ebola.

In a video widely shared among people in Ituri, a catechist leader recently cured of the disease in the Ebola hot spot of Mongbwalu spoke candidly of the mistake that could have cost him his life.

“I don’t usually rush to the hospital, so I decided to go to the fields,” Deogratias Kasereka said, before explaining how his children compelled him to seek medical treatment.

His symptoms had included muscle weakness and headaches, and he “felt very hot.” Ebola in later stages also can bring about internal and external bleeding.

The symptoms are so disturbing — and sometimes shameful — that some victims prefer the privacy of a traditional healer’s shrine, said Vincent Isimbwa, an elder among Seventh-day Adventists in a remote community of Ugandans that faced the first-ever outbreak of Bundibugyo in 2007.

“They faced it so rough,” said Isimbwa. “The challenge with Ebola is that it is so bad that some people can believe that there are supernatural powers behind it.”

That outbreak of Ebola killed at least 36 people and left the community terribly scarred. Many here also regret that the Bundibugyo virus is named for their district, the mountainous homeland of roughly 200,000 people mostly living as farmers.

Mistrust and medical limitations drive sick people to healers

In Bundibugyo two decades later, the Ugandan nurse whose sample of blood confirmed the 2007 outbreak said his symptoms confused those who examined him in the early days of the outbreak. Some thought Samuel Kuule had a case of food poisoning. While others afflicted may have gone to see healers, described pejoratively as witch doctors, he was nursed in a narrow hospital room by caregivers including his pregnant wife, who was never infected.

Kuule recalled that his symptoms — peeling skin, bloodshot eyes and severe headache — terrified him without shaking his Seventh-day Adventist faith, unlike some others who may have felt they were being bewitched.

“For those who are weak in faith, they may (think) that they are being bewitched,” he said. “Maybe they can believe it.”

Some locals recalled that an early victim of the 2007 outbreak was a woman stretchered down the mountains and into the shrine of a traditional healer, an older man who survived but lost three sons to Ebola. Speaking through his presumptive heir, Amon Balinda, the healer said he switched his service from benediction and prayer to the prescription of herbs after he was told Ebola was spreading.

“For us in African traditional societies, in most cases when you fall sick and you go to the hospitals and they give you some injections and there is no improvement, there and then you switch to your neighbor, or anybody, and say maybe he is the one bewitching you,” he said. “Then you decide to go to the witch doctor.”

In fact, Ebola outbreaks are believed to start with the virus spilling over into humans from an infected animal such as a fruit bat. These cross-species infections often happen when people handle and eat wild meat, experts say.

The WHO is urging early testing for Ebola, in addition to isolating contacts in the current outbreak.

That's challenging in communities with deep religious faith, Christian but especially traditional. People insist on burying the dead according to established custom, because to do otherwise may deprive the dead of an afterlife. Pastors who stake their authority on the ability to heal the sick are expected to perform. Traditional healers face similar hopes.

This is why Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni rebuked religious leaders in a recent televised speech, saying there was no need to touch the sick in the time of Ebola. He said that Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO chief, told him while visiting Uganda that many victims in Congo are religious people.

“The pastors, the pastors, the pastors,” Museveni said, squinting in apparent disappointment. “The people of God — they are the ones who touch patients. … God is not deaf. You can pray without touching.”

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Despite the San Antonio City Council approving the non-binding framework of a deal to fund a new $1.3 billion NBA arena with the Spurs and Bexar County 10 months ago, City Manager Erik Walsh said the city and Spurs “haven’t really started negotiating.”

The new arena, planned for the former site of the Institute of Texan Cultures at the southeast corner of Hemisfair, is the cornerstone of the city’s wider plans for a sports and entertainment district.

But Walsh said the city is primarily waiting to understand the costs and revenue opportunities tied to the district before sitting down with the Spurs.

The city council approved a $350,000 contract last month to look at how much it will cost to provide core city services to the area, including police, fire, traffic, and park maintenance, as well as any new revenue opportunities.

“We need that so that when we negotiate with the Spurs — much like the Alamodome and the convention center — those events pay for those services; that’s not borne by general taxpayers,” he said.

The study is expected to be done in September, Walsh said, and the city hopes to bring a final deal back to the council by the end of 2026. Bexar County would also have to be part of the agreement, because of their share of the funding.

In the meantime, the city’s also working on buying up some key properties.

The city anticipates closing on a cluster of federal properties near the proposed arena site next month, which it needs for mixed-use development meant to help fund its share of the arena with new property tax revenue.

The $30 million price tag and closing costs up to $120,000 are being footed by the Spurs.

The federal building on East César E. Chávez Boulevard and two parking lots across the street would be owned by the city. However, the Spurs would have the development rights “through the district process,” city staff said during a council meeting Wednesday.

The city still needs to buy the actual arena site, which is owned by the University of Texas System. It’s currently being appraised, staff said, but is expected to cost the city about $60 million.

The city expects to pay for it using funds from the Midtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) — a special district that captures a portion of local property taxes to be used for new development in the area.

The city expects to close on that property by the end of the year.

The city council will vote Thursday on a $500,000 contract for a study on downtown accessibility and mobility.

Related coverage on KSAT:

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Authorities said a business jet with six people on board crashed on a highway and caught fire Tuesday night, killing one person and causing chaos as people left their vehicles to frantically try to smash the cockpit window and free those inside.

Drivers who came upon the burning plane, which was nearly sheared in half and tipped on its side, captured dramatic rescue scenes on video or rushed toward the aircraft on foot to help. Two people came running with a sledgehammer and shovel, which they used to strike the cockpit glass and try propping open the plane’s door.

Officials, including Mayor Dr. Victor A. Trevino, applauded first responders’ efforts on scene Tuesday night.

“While the loss of life is deeply regrettable, it is nothing short of a miracle that this tragedy did not become a mass fatality event,” Trevino said Wednesday.

Laredo police officials, including Police Chief Miguel A. Rodriguez, Jr., told residents that they’re “going to be” in the area of the crash “for a while.” A Laredo police spokesperson also said Loop 20, the site of the crash, is “not going to be open anytime soon.”

Rodriguez said the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) were notified about the crash Tuesday night.

While Trevino said NTSB is leading the crash investigation, Rodriguez noted that the FAA has given permission for crews to begin picking up debris on scene.

Who was on board

According to Rodriguez, the plane called the Laredo International Airport at approximately 9:55 p.m. Tuesday and notified them that the aircraft was experiencing “mechanical issues.” The plane crashed minutes later.

Rodriguez said there were two pilots and three teenagers onboard. Though Trevino said the person killed “lost his life,” the identity of the fatality or others on the plane were not released.

“Out of respect of the family, and the request of the family, we’re not sharing them officially,” Rodriguez said.

Multiple media outlets, including the Texas Tribune, identified Joshua Baer, the founder and CEO of an Austin startup called Capital Factory, as the person who died. The Tribune said Baer was a board member at the publication from 2015 to 2017.

KSAT cannot independently confirm any identities stemming from the crash.

Background

The plane crashed on the Loop 20 highway near the Texas-Mexico border shortly after 10 p.m., said Jose Baeza, an investigator with the Laredo Police Department. He said one person on the plane died in the crash. A person in a car struck by the plane was taken to a hospital in stable condition.

Dashcam footage posted on social media showed the aircraft careening down the highway, taking out a light post before coming to a stop. It came to a rest not far from the Laredo International Airport.

“It looked like part of a movie. I was in shock,” said Zayra Garza, an esthetician who was driving her co-workers home when she came upon the crash.

No injuries on the ground were immediately reported, though five officers were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation.

The plane, a Cessna Citation Latitude twin jet, departed Tuesday evening from San José del Cabo in Mexico and was bound for Austin, Texas, the FAA said in a statement.

It’s not clear what caused the crash as it reached Laredo, about 140 miles (225 kilometers) southwest of San Antonio. Laredo International Airport Director Gilberto Sanchez told KGNS-TV in Laredo that the plane experienced a mechanical failure. He provided no details.

Video posted to social media showed the plane on its side, smashed into a highway barrier. The tail was ripped from the fuselage and laying mostly intact on a lower-level road beneath where the rescue was taking place.

Garza began shooting video as she approached the scene and then stopped her vehicle across from the crippled jet, which was on fire.

She saw someone inside the plane trying to break the cockpit window to escape. Soon, people got out of their vehicles to try to smash the window from the outside as the fire on the fuselage continues to burn.

Garza’s husband jumped out of their vehicle to help and Garza then saw the door of the plane open. She said three people who looked to be teenagers rushed out, followed by someone who appeared to be a pilot. Another member of the crew tried to pull out a person who seemed to be unconscious.

As smoke billowed from the plane, a firefighter used a small ladder to climb into the aircraft to rescue the remaining passenger, while others shot water out of a hose at the wreckage. Rescuers can be heard calling for a rope as others use rods to hold up the plane door.

Several times, officers helping prop open the door dart away from the plane and double over in coughing fits because of the intense smoke.

“What was worrying me was the fire,” she said. “I was concerned that it could have just exploded at any time.”

This was the third significant aviation accident in as many days. A B-52 crashed Monday during a test flight at Edwards Air Force Base in California and killed all eight people aboard, while on Sunday, 12 people were killed when a plane on a skydiving outing in Missouri crashed.

NetJets said in a statement that the crash involved one of its aircraft and it is working with authorities. NetJets is owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway and allows people to buy part ownership in private jets.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

More coverage of this story on KSAT:

• 1 killed when small plane crashes on Laredo highway; People leave vehicles to try to help

“There are no words I can say," said Rex Heuermann, the Long Island architect who lived a secret life of violence for years before admitting he killed eight women. “The words I would say would have no meaning.”

The sentencing capped an extraordinary investigation that solved one of New York’s most perplexing mysteries. The seemingly unconnected and largely overlooked disappearances of young women became the focus of true-crime documentaries, books and podcasts after police began discovering the victims’ skeletal remains in the sandy scrub along a coastal parkway.

Heuermann, 62, will have no possibility of parole.

“A million years isn’t enough,” Violet Swager, a cousin of victim Jessica Taylor, said. “Nothing will ever make this right.”

Judge calls Heuermann ‘despicable’

As a series of victims' kin spoke, Heuermann sat with his hands on the defense table, looking straight ahead and lightly tapping his fingers.

Then Amanda Funderburg, victim Melissa Barthelemy's sister, commanded Heuermann to look at her. He glanced in her direction, but his eyes were slightly downcast.

“I hope you suffer,” Funderburg said as she recounted a taunting phone call she received from him days after Barthelemy disappeared. Funderburg was 15 years old.

JoAnn Mack, the mother of victim Valerie Mack, told the killer that her daughter “had dreams, and you took them all away from her.”

“Justice has been done, but it can’t replace what has been taken,” Mack said.

Heuermann pleaded guilty in April to charges that he murdered seven women: Barthelemy, Mack, Taylor, Megan Waterman, Amber Lynn Costello, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, and Sandra Costilla.

Heuermann also admitted in court to killing an eighth victim, Karen Vergata, though he was never charged in her death. He said he strangled his victims, many of them sex workers, and dismembered some of their bodies.

“Are you at least a little bit sorry for that?” Judge Timothy Mazzei asked Wednesday in an indignant voice.

Heuermann nodded and said “Yes, I am.”

“You are disgusting — a despicable man, if you are a man at all,” the judge said, his voice rising. “And you are a coward.”

As Heuermann was led away in handcuffs, spectators in the packed courtroom jeered.

Victims' families recount a confounding loss

Liliana Waterman, who was 3 when her mom vanished, said she has been waiting her entire life to confront her mother’s killer.

“She can finally rest in peace,” Waterman said outside the courthouse. “He can’t hurt anybody else.”

Most of the women disappeared between 2000 and 2010 and their remains were all found on Long Island. Most were along Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach. Costilla’s remains were found in 1993 in the Hamptons, while Vergata’s remains were found in 1996 on Fire Island.

Brainard-Barnes’ two children, who were 7 and 1 when she disappeared in 2007, underscored Wednesday how her absence shaped their lives and how she never got to know the adults they became.

Her sister, Melissa Cann, sobbed deeply as she described wondering for decades if she could have done more to protect Brainard-Barnes. But, she said, that guilt is “not mine to carry. It is for Rex and Rex alone.”

Heuermann’s ex-wife and two adult children said they did not attend the sentencing out of respect for the victim’s families.

How the Gilgo Beach serial killer was caught

The case spilled into view in 2010, when investigators started to find remains along Ocean Parkway while looking into the disappearance of another sex worker, Shannan Gilbert, whose death was ultimately ruled an accidental drowning.

The case went cold until 2022, when detectives linked Heuermann to a pickup truck that a witness reported seeing when one of the victims disappeared in 2010.

Eventually, they matched DNA from a pizza crust Heuermann discarded in a Manhattan trash can to genetic material extracted from highly degraded hair fragments found on the women’s remains.

Investigators amassed other evidence, including cellphone and tracking data showing Heuermann arranged meetings with some victims shortly before their disappearances.

After Heuermann's 2023 arrest, prosecutors recovered what they described as a “blueprint” for the killings from his computer files. Among the documents was a series of checklists with reminders to limit noise, clean the bodies and destroy evidence.

Life behind bars

Heuermann will soon be transferred to a state prison after having spent the past three years alone in a segregated cell at the Suffolk County jail, reading crime novels and striking up a brief correspondence with the infamous “Happy Face Killer.”

Calling him “a monster,” Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney declared there was nothing Heuermann could say to mitigate his deeds.

“There is no doubt this defendant is sorry,” Tierney said. “He is sorry he got caught.”

Defense lawyer Michael Brown said Heuermann has shed tears, and there may be “some sincerity in his expressions of remorse.” His client appeared “as normal as they come” during their interactions, Brown said, in stark contrast with his crimes.

“He’s somewhat of a charismatic figure when you talk to him,” Brown said.

As part of his guilty plea, Heuermann has agreed to cooperate with the FBI’s behavioral analysis unit to help catch other serial killers.

___

Peltz reported from New York.

___

This story has been corrected to show that the cousin of victim Jessica Taylor who is quoted in the story was Violet Swager, not Jasmine Robinson, who spoke after her.

After almost 20 years leading the department, Police Chief William McManus announced in January his plan to retire in the fall.

The 74-year-old chief will continue to work in his role with the San Antonio Police Department until the end of September, records obtained by KSAT Investigates show.

The police chief job is scheduled to close in a month, on July 15, the listing said.

Who can apply?

Chief candidates must have 10 years of professional experience in municipal police work, according to the job brochure. Applicants must have at least five years of command-level, administrative or supervisory experience with a municipal, county, state or comparable public safety organization.

A bachelor’s degree is required and fluency in Spanish is preferred, the application stated.

More information regarding the job application can be read on the city’s website.

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The two-day meeting, being held in Kazan, is set to consider ways to expand Russia’s “strategic partnership” with ASEAN nations that include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, East Timor and Vietnam, according to Kremlin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov.

The regional bloc has maintained relations with Moscow as a “dialogue partner” and engaged Russian officials in annual top-level meetings, he said. The summit in Kazan, on the Volga River, marks the 35th anniversary of Russia-ASEAN relations.

In a message greeting participants in a business forum held on the sidelines of the summit, Putin said he was confident that it will “create new opportunities for expanding mutually beneficial trade, investment, and industrial cooperation, while also strengthening direct dialogue between our business communities.”

Ushakov said the agenda includes exchanging views on global and regional issues and reviewing efforts to develop Russia-ASEAN ties. He emphasized that the participants are set to underline their adherence to “forming a just and democratic multipolar world order based on the principles of international law and the United Nations Charter.”

Ushakov praised what he described as “fruitful, equal and constructive dialogue” between Russia and ASEAN.

He told reporters that Putin would have bilateral meetings with ASEAN leaders during the summit, which he will co-chair with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., whose country holds the association’s rotating presidency.

Opening a bilateral meeting with Marcos, Putin noted their countries' “mutually beneficial cooperation built on good traditions, mutual respect and consideration of each other’s legitimate interests.”

Marcos thanked Putin for organizing the Russia-ASEAN meeting in Kazan and invited him to the ASEAN summit in Manila in November.

Putin also met with Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Russia and ASEAN nations "jointly stand for forming a just world order, defend the principles of sovereign equality of states, (of) non-interference into internal affairs,” Putin said at a formal reception for heads of delegations Wednesday evening.

“All our states follow their own models of development and don't impose their views on anyone. And this is, indeed, our strength," he said. “Russia is ready for continuing active joint work with ASEAN member states with the goal of strengthening strategic partnership, in the interests of ensuring security, well-being and prosperity of our countries and peoples, as well as the Eurasian region as a whole.”

Another bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the summit was with Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who met in Moscow on Tuesday with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.

Putin praised Russia's ties with Turkey as “developing steadily,” with contacts between the countries being “truly friendly and being filled with new meaning.” Fidan said the two had multiple issues to discuss.

Some of ASEAN’s diverse member countries, including the Philippines, are seen to be aligned with the United States, while others have heavy trade and security engagements with China and Russia.

Several ASEAN members, including the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, have either imported Russian crude oil or expressed interest in purchasing it after global fuel prices soared in the wake of the war in Iran.

The agreement calls for Tehran to, at a minimum, dilute its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and would waive but not permanently end sanctions on the country, according to U.S. officials who read the language of the memorandum on ending the war to journalists after days of secrecy.

The agreement would also open the Strait of Hormuz toll-free for two months and affirm a commitment to Lebanon’s territorial integrity in the face of Israel’s invasion against the Hezbollah militant group.

President Donald Trump meanwhile, is wrapping up his time with world leaders in France for the Group of Seven summit. Trump’s last stop in France was a glitzy dinner at the Palace of Versailles outside Paris.

Here is the latest:

Pakistan’s leader deletes post on US-Iran deal, then reposts it without a reference to Friday signing ceremony

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan had written on X that there would still be a formal signing ceremony on Friday after both sides already signed a memorandum of agreement.

Sharif briefly removed the post a short time later, however. Then, he reposted most of the same text but removed a reference to Friday’s ceremony.

That could cast doubt on whether the ceremony will happen.

Trump said he signed the agreement at the Palace of Versailles and U.S. officials had been planning for a meeting on Friday in Switzerland — but with Trump having now signed the document it wasn’t clear if that would still be necessary.

Pakistan says the deal to end the war in Iran is taking ‘immediate effect’ after both sides have signed it

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said leaders of both the U.S. and Iran had signed the agreement and endorsed him as a mediator. He said there will still be a formal signing ceremony on Friday.

He said in a post on X that the deal “shall enter into force with immediate effect and as a first step, Islamic Republic of Iran will instantly reopen the Strait of Hormuz and the United States of America will immediately lift the naval blockade.”

Sharif said Pakistan and co-mediator Qatar will still host an official signing ceremony on Friday in Switzerland. His post came shortly after Trump said he’d signed the agreement during a dinner at the Palace of Versailles.

US official says US and Iran presidents have signed agreement

Though officials had said Trump and U.S. Vice President JD Vance had digitally signed the agreement Sunday and that a ceremonial signing would be held Friday in Switzerland, a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to share details about the agreement said Trump signed the deal while at Versailles on Wednesday.

The U.S. official said Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also signed it Wednesday, though Iran did not immediately comment. It wasn’t immediately clear if that act started a 60-day negotiating clock to reach a final deal. It was also not clear how Trump’s signing of the deal at Versailles differed from his digital signing on Sunday.

Trump tells reporters he signed the memorandum of understanding with Iran

“It’s signed,” Trump said as he left Versailles.

“I signed it in Versailles,” Trump said. “Just signed it.”

White House says Trump signed agreement on ending war in Iran

The White House said Trump signed a memorandum of understanding on ending the war in Iran while at Versailles, though cameras weren’t present for that.

Many historic treaties have been signed at Versailles over the centuries, ending wars or territorial disputes. The most infamous was that sealed in 1919 officially ending World War I — whose harsh terms imposed on Germany are blamed by some historians for laying the groundwork for World War II.

The gilt doors of Versailles

Trump walked through the palace’s courtyard and met his hosts, posing for photographers in front of the famed golden doors.

“Versailles is not gold leaf — Versailles is the real deal,” Trump had explained to reporters earlier about why he said yes to the late dinner outside Paris after the G7.

Earlier, Macron had told reporters that “Versailles is a diplomatic tool and an instrument of influence.”

GOP senator calls Iran deal ‘worst foreign policy blunder in decades’

“Reagan is rolling over in his grave,” said Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana in a post, referring to the former president.

“Iran’s nuclear ambitions were not curbed, and they have learned that threatening the Strait of Hormuz works and will undoubtedly leverage it in the future,” the Republican said.

“Before the war, the strait was open, Iran was being crushed by sanctions, and 13 service members were still alive,” Cassidy said. “Now, 13 Americans are dead, families have paid billions at the pump, sanctions will be lifted, and the bombing has stopped.”

Cassidy, who lost his primary reelection bid after Trump endorsed his challenger, has been among the rare Republicans willing to criticize the president.

“This is the worst foreign policy blunder in decades,” he posted.

Cruz says Trump is getting ‘bad advice’ on Iran

The Texas Republican, a leading hawk on Iran, heavily criticized the draft of the memorandum of agreement between the U.S. and Tehran shortly after it was released to journalists.

“Giving billions of dollars to theocratic lunatics who want to murder us is not a good idea,” Cruz told reporters. “I think the president, unfortunately, is receiving bad advice.”

Cruz was also critical of how the agreement addresses the issue of tolls through the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. draft secures toll-free passage through the vital waterway for 60 days, but it doesn’t preclude fees in the future.

“Setting up Iran to be in charge of the Strait of Hormuz in perpetuity and to charge tolls is not in America’s interest,” Cruz said. “In my view, the Ayatollah should not reap a single penny from the free transit of the seas.”

Energy experts say deal to reopen Strait of Hormuz is welcomed, given low oil reserves

The tentative deal for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and sell its oil without restrictions will help ease supply shortages in the short term, energy experts said.

“The oil market welcomes more supply from Iran or anywhere else right now,” said Jim Krane, energy research fellow at Rice University’s Baker Institute. “Stocks are running low.”

But in the long term, there’s the chance that too much oil will come to market, Krane said, adding, “reopening the strait has come alongside investment in more oil production elsewhere, especially in the U.S. and Latin America.”

The global supply glut of crude oil that existed pre-war could return in 2027 if the peace deal holds, according to research firm Clearview Energy Partners. A report released by the International Energy Agency on Wednesday estimates a global shortfall of 0.9 million barrels of oil and petroleum products per day for 2026, which is more optimistic than other recent estimates, according to Clearview.

Senate Republican leader says MOU leaves more questions

Sen. John Thune said he doesn’t think the document that’s now been released is the final product.

“My understanding is, it’s a framework, it’s an MOU, and probably have more to come in terms of any final agreement,” Thune told reporters at the Capitol.

Congress has not yet been briefed on the emerging deal.

“I don’t think probably what you’re seeing right now represents what a final deal will look like,” he said. “I think that sounds like it’s still going to be negotiated.”

He said there are “a bunch of things” senators will have questions about.

Trump says he’s looking forward to having a ‘good time’ at Versailles

“We had an amazing day and now we’re going to Versailles for dinner with some of Europe’s great people,” he told reporters after Air Force One landed in Paris but before the drive to Versailles.

“I think we’re going to have a good time,” Trump said.

Trump arrives in Paris before Versailles dinner with Macron

Official says US or Iran could walk away at any time until they reach a final deal

The second official said the signed memorandum of understanding is final and has not been changed since it was signed electronically on Sunday. But the official said either side could walk away at any time until they reach a final deal, which they will attempt to do over 60 days.

The official referred to the plans to work with Iran to reach a final deal as a “gentleman’s agreement” and said they would find out in talks starting this weekend whether they can continue moving forward.

If talks with Iran do not seem to be working, then the U.S. could pull the plug on the effort to negotiate and return to “tightening the screws on them very, very aggressively,” the official said.

Oxfam’s withering view of the G7 gathering

A statement from the campaign group calls it the “summit of omissions” that was “defined as much by what was left off the agenda as by what was discussed.”

“Climate change, gender inequality and human rights were conspicuously sidelined to secure President Trump’s attendance. Silence became a strategy,” it said.

But the statement welcomed the G7 leaders’ call for a strong and coordinated response to the Ebola outbreak in Congo.

Trump says US isn’t giving Iran money but suggests frozen assets will be returned

He has repeatedly denied that the U.S. is sending money to Iran as part of a deal, but he said Iranian assets frozen during the war should be returned.

“It’s not our money, it’s their money, and we froze it,” Trump said. “At a certain point in time, I guess we’re going to have to give it back.”

Trump said he considered keeping the frozen assets for the U.S., but said it would hurt the strength of the U.S. dollar. “If we didn’t give it back, nobody would ever invest in the dollar again,” he said.

Trump jokes that if the Iran deal is a failure, he’s blaming Vance

Asked about the possibility of blaming the vice president if the deal with Iran doesn’t work out, Trump replied, “I like that idea, sure.”

“This way, if it works out, I’m going to take the credit. If it doesn’t work out, I’m blaming JD,” the president continued. Then, striking a more playful tone, he added, “You better be careful, JD.”

Vance has become a leading administration voice promoting the initial agreement to end the war in Iran, even as Trump has occasionally contradicted facets of the agreement that Vance has announced publicly.

The vice president is expected to be part of the U.S. delegation signing the agreement Friday in Switzerland. But Trump joked of Vance, “He’s gonna turn his plane around and get the hell out of here.”

Iranian Foreign Ministry suggests deal with US may be signed by Presidents Trump and Pezeshkian

Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday night suggested that Presidents Donald Trump and Masoud Pezeshkian could sign the deal with the United States.

Such a signing ceremony would represent a major step for the two countries, which saw diplomatic relations break off in 1980 over the U.S. Embassy hostage crisis in Tehran.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei, quoted by Iranian state television, made the comment.

Pezeshkian became president on a promise of seeking better relations with the West. However, he’s been sidelined for months after Iran’s mass killing of protesters in January and in the war as hard-liners broadly have taken over the levers of the country’s theocracy.

US officials read memorandum of understanding with Iran to journalists after days of secrecy; Iran has not released text

Senior U.S. officials have dictated the memorandum of understanding with Iran to journalists after days of secrecy.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to read the draft, which Iran has not released, ahead of a formal signing ceremony set for Friday.

According to the officials, the draft agreement includes a new ‘minimum’ standard for downblending of highly enriched Iranian uranium. Also, it has provisions to ensure the ‘territorial integrity’ of Lebanon after Israel’s latest attacks against Hezbollah in Lebanese territory.

In return, the U.S. will move to waive, but not eliminate, some wide-ranging sanctions against Iran once the deal is signed.

The U.S. draft of the agreement also only secures toll-free passage of the Strait of Hormuz for 60 days, and it doesn’t preclude fees in the future, the officials said.

If Iran violates agreement, Trump says US will ‘bomb the hell out of them’

Asked how the terms of an agreement would be enforced, Trump said the threat of further bombings would be enough.

“What else am I going to do? Am I going to say, ‘I’m going to take you to court?’” Trump said. “You know, we’re going to bomb the hell out of them if they violate the agreement.”

Trump said he doesn’t think Iran will veer from the deal and said he does not want to resume attacks. But he added that “bad things happen in war — war is a nasty place.”

Trump indicates he doesn’t plan to hold US officials accountable for bombing of Iran school

Asked whether he’d hold anyone in his administration accountable for the deadly missile strike on an elementary school in Iran that killed over 165 people, the president suggested that no, he would not.

Trump said it was an odd question given that the bombing had happened so long ago, during the opening days of the war in Iran.

He also said that all war is nasty and that, in this case, mistakes might have been made, but that “Nobody did it on purpose.”

Trump also said, though, that the Department of Defense is still investigating the bombing.

During a subsequent question, he returned to the school bombing, repeating the sentiment that war was nasty: “Bad things happen in war.”

Trump hints at diplomatic visit from Lebanon, offers sympathy amid Israeli strikes

It wasn’t immediately clear who would be visiting from Lebanon — Trump first said the president and then the prime minister would be coming to Washington “over the next week or two.”

Trump repeatedly expressed sympathy for Lebanon while criticizing Israel, calling it a source of tension with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“I say, ‘You can do a little softer touch, Bibi. You don’t have to knock down a building every time somebody walks into it that’s from Hezbollah,’” Trump said.

Trump said he feels bad for Lebanon, adding that it was “a great culture.”

“It was an incredible culture, maybe the highest in the Middle East, for years and years, centuries,” Trump said. “And for the last 50, 60 years, they have been just trashed.”

Trump offers lengthy – and very meandering – opening comments

The president began the press conference by speaking for around 40 straight minutes – offering a steady, stream-of-consciousness-style monologue that covered everything from Iran and Ukraine to drug dealers hiding fentanyl in hubcaps.

Trump talked about not wanting to crash the U.S. economy during the Iran war and said he thought Russia and Ukraine might make a deal to end that war.

He boasted about securing the U.S.-Mexico border but said that Mexico “has lost control of that country” and suggested that smuggling cartels – which he said hid drugs in cars and car parts to move them over the U.S.-Mexico border – had Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum “scared.”

Trump also talked about reaching a possible nuclear accord internationally, even as he suggested that he’d avoided “a nuclear holocaust.” And he said he was looking forward to admiring the golden finishes of the Palace of Versailles when he went to dinner there later Wednesday.

Trump thanks China, Russia for staying ‘neutral’

As he wrapped up his meandering opener during his press conference, the president noted that the leaders of China and Russia - often allies with Iran - largely stayed out of the conflict.

“They could’ve made it much more difficult for us,” Trump said.

China, in particular, had weapons that could “knock down airplanes,” he said.

“I said. ‘I would really appreciate your not giving or selling any of that stuff to Iran,’” Trump continued. “And you know what? For the most part, he didn’t.”

Trump again denies $300 billion reconstruction fund for Iran, traces it to Vance statement

“JD made a statement. It was a perfect statement, and they reported it in a very strange way. But that’s because that’s why it’s fake news, I guess,” Trump said.

He emphasized that the U.S. is “not investing any money” even though he said Tehran will need aid to recover.

Trump says an Iran deal will be signed ‘shortly’ and that a copy has been sent to Israel

Amid conflicting messages from Trump and top administration officials about whether an initial deal to end the war in Iran had already been signed, Trump said the agreement could be signed “maybe tomorrow” or the next day, meaning Thursday or Friday.

Trump recalled his years as a developer and said, “My whole life is all about deals,” and that sometimes “Crazy things happen with deals.”

But he added, “We are going to most likely sign a deal.” He said Iran wants “to sign a deal, and they’ve been acting very appropriately.”

Exactly what the deal entails is a matter of confusion since Trump and his administration have refuted publicly reported details without providing concrete details, they say are correct.

Trump also said a copy of the deal would be released and that the U.S. sent a copy to Israel.

Trump shifts tone on US allies, praises their support for Iran agreement

After complaining for months that U.S. allies were doing too little to help the U.S. in Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, Trump on Wednesday quickly shifted to praise for their support of a deal.

“The past two days have provided a chance to discuss the details of this historic agreement with many of our closest friends and allies, including the G7 nations and many presidents and prime ministers,” Trump said in remarks at the summit.

It comes after U.S. allies issued a statement welcoming the framework of a deal to extend the U.S.-Iran ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump said, “They all put out statements saying they love this deal, because they want to see it over.”

Trump says negotiating an end to the Iran war buoyed the stock market

The president suggested that fears of a weakening U.S. economy were a big driver for the administration’s work to negotiate an initial deal to end the Iran war.

“Every time we talked about the possibility of peace, the stock market shot up like a rocket ship,” Trump said. “The stock market is more brilliant than anybody there is.”

Trump also said that the “one thing I didn’t want to see is, I didn’t want to see economic catastrophe.” He said that “could have happened” if the war had continued.

“The one president I did not want to be was the late, great Herbert Hoover,” Trump said, referring to the president whose policies helped exacerbate the Great Depression.

Macron defends red carpet treatment for Trump

French President Emmanuel Macron defended his decision to roll out the red carpet for Trump, including a dinner at the Palace of Versailles later Wednesday.

“Versailles is a diplomatic tool and an instrument of influence,” Macron said.

Using a soccer analogy, Macron said he approaches diplomacy like the French national team: “Whether I’m playing at home or away, my goal is to score goals. And when I host other teams, I try to give them a nice welcome.”

Macron says he has always trusted Trump

Macron said he has “always trusted President Trump” because they both have “always spoken frankly.”

That applies on U.S. tariffs issues, Macron said, after Trump threatened 100% tariff on French wines unless a European digital tax is dropped. Macron is still seeking a compromise that would avoid U.S. tariffs from taking effect.

“Partners should never impose tariffs on one another or create instability,” Macron said.

Macron says US limit on cutting-edge Anthropic AI is a ‘bad thing’

The French leader is taking aim at a Trump administration directive preventing the use of Anthropic’s latest artificial intelligence models by foreign nationals.

He said it is “a good thing” that U.S. officials recognize that cutting-edge AI models could be dangerous. “What do they fear? That these models could be used by others to attack them or attack us,” he said.

But the “very strong decision” from the Trump administration is also “a bad thing,” he said. “The reaction is in some regards strictly nationalist.”

Anthropic said it has taken its latest artificial intelligence models, known as Fable 5 and Mythos 5, offline to comply with the directive. The AI giant said it did not believe the steps taken by the government were warranted by the concern it flagged about a potential security issue.

Macron describes ‘an Evian moment’ on Ukraine

Macron said the summit, attended by Zelenskyy, helped convince Trump that Russia currently has no serious intention of negotiating peace.

It’s too early to say whether there would be a clear “before” and “after” the Evian summit, Macron said — future developments will determine its impact.

“But there was an Evian moment, certainly on Ukraine,” he said.

Macron warns of the risks of artificial intelligence

G7 leaders discussed the revolutionary technology on Wednesday, the summit’s last day.

The French leader, the summit host, called for regulation.

“No one — neither political leaders nor business leaders — can any longer ignore the impact of AI on our democracies, on our societies. That is why the possibility and the necessity of regulation have now become imperative,” he said.

The enclave has seen near-daily strikes, as well as shelling and gunfire along the boundary that divides Gaza into Israeli and Palestinian-controlled zones. The most recent deaths were recorded after a series of Israeli drone strikes in the past few days on towns and refugee camps in central Gaza and Gaza City.

Also Wednesday, an Israeli strike killed two Palestinians and wounded six others in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, health officials at Nasser Hospital said. The Israeli military acknowledged carrying out the strike and said the target was a “terrorist,” but didn't elaborate. Families at the hospital said the strike targeted a group of people near the beach in the sprawling tent camp of Muwasi, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians live.

Israel has said it is continuing to operate against Hamas and allied militants in Gaza and has expanded the amount of territory it controls inside the strip. Both sides have accused the other of violating the ceasefire.

In a separate statement Wednesday, the Israeli military said that it killed two militants from Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in strikes over the weekend.

Gaza’s Health Ministry on Sunday said the death toll from the Israel-Hamas war had surpassed 73,000 in Gaza. The ministry doesn't differentiate between civilians and combatants. It is staffed by medical professionals and maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by the international community.

The war erupted when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostage, on Oct. 7, 2023. In response, Israeli leaders promised a punishing offensive on the Gaza Strip to annihilate Hamas and free the hostages.

The 18-year-old was riding in the horse-drawn carriage with three other passengers when the accident happened just before 3 p.m., according to the New York Police Department. At least two passengers were sent flying out of the careening cab.

The teenager was initially hospitalized in critical condition. The other passengers refused medical treatment.

A representative for the Transport Workers Union, which represents carriage industry employees, said the driver had dismounted to take a photograph of his passengers, which they are not supposed to do.

The horse had been in the park for only six weeks, according to Alexander Kemp, the administrative vice president of the union's local chapter. He said he wants a full investigation.

“Safety in the park has been a growing concern among many, and improvements are needed to be made with respect to all vehicles, including e-bicycles, delivery vehicles, pedicabs, and horse-drawn carriages," he said in a statement.

Video showed the horse sprinting through the park as two people appeared to jump from the four-wheeled carriage. A second video shows the cab toppling over after clipping the wheels of another carriage on the park's busy loop.

It's a fraught moment for Central Park's 150-year-old horse-drawn carriage industry. The industry has long been seen as a quaint attraction that offers tourists a romantic remnant of a bygone New York, while providing hundreds of jobs to drivers, along with many farm and racing horses. But they are now facing the growing threat of a ban from opponents who say the rides are both inhumane to horses and a danger to city residents.

Wednesday's event follows several recent horse-related problems in the park, including the fatal collapse of a horse last week.

The Central Park Conservancy, the nonprofit which operates the park and came out last summer in support of banning horse-drawn carriages, said the back-to-back events should bring an end to the industry.

“A young man came to enjoy our park and lost his life,” the group said in a statement. “That is not an acceptable cost of an antiquated industry operating in the middle of one of the most heavily used public spaces in America.”

Central Park is nearly 850 acres and attracts millions of people every year.

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar and representatives from the U.S. Secret Service spoke at a news conference at 10:30 a.m. at BCSO Headquarters.

The agencies said they’ve arrested 14 people who committed sex crimes. How recent these crimes were committed is unclear.

Among those arrested were “teachers” and people who worked, or are first responders, Salazar said. They collectively face an online solicitation of a minor charge.

“These are folks who have regular contact with children,” the sheriff said.

BCSO and the Secret Service said they have focused on cracking down online predator cases towards summer break because children’s internet usage tends to increase during that time.

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Dreesen died at his home in Los Angeles, according to publicist Lori De Waal. A cause of death was not provided.

After meeting in Chicago, Dreesen and Reid, who was Black, formed “Tim and Tom” in 1969. Against a backdrop of simmering racial tension, they used humor to address social issues and promote understanding between audiences of different backgrounds. They worked together until the mid-1970s. Reid went on to solo success playing DJ Venus Flytrap on the popular TV sitcom “WKRP in Cincinnati,” where Dreesen was a guest star.

“When I was a kid I found an album he and his comedy partner did called Tim and Tom and took it home and played it and it was one of the albums that changed the course of my life. So great,” comedian and filmmaker Mike Binder wrote on X.

After splitting with Reid, Dreesen honed a solo comedy act, making over 500 national TV appearances, including 60 visits to “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson." He also was a frequent guest and sometime guest host on “The Late Show with David Letterman." Their friendship dated to the early 1970s when both worked at The Comedy Store in West Hollywood, California.

Dreesen's final TV appearance came last week on “Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen,” which replaced Stephen Colbert's canceled CBS late-night show.

Dreesen was Sinatra's opening act for 14 years and became close with the entertainer.

“If he loved you, he worshipped the ground you walked on,” Dreesen told The Desert Sun newspaper in 2014. ”In a lot of ways, he was like a father to me. I didn’t have a father that really cared that much where I was and what I did. But Frank would give me advice and counsel, and then he was a buddy in a lot of ways. I thought the world of him."

Dressen also toured with Sinatra's fellow Rat Pack member Sammy Davis Jr., as well as Liza Minnelli, Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight and Tony Orlando.

“He was one of the most brilliant comedians of all time. Tonight, he'll once again be opening for Dean, Frank and Sammy,” Deana Martin, a daughter of Dean Martin, posted on X.

In 2008, he co-wrote the book “Tim and Tom: An American Comedy Act in Black and White” and in 2020 he authored his memoir.

Dreesen acted in such TV shows as “Columbo,” “Murder, She Wrote," and “Touched by an Angel.” His film roles included “Spaceballs,” “Man on the Moon” and “Trouble With the Curve,” as well as the HBO movies “The Rat Pack” and “Lansky.”

Dreesen was active in charitable work, motivational speaking and veterans’ causes, including serving as ambassador for the Gary Sinise Foundation.

"America lost one of our great comedians and patriots, and I lost a dear friend,” Sinise posted on X.

He was born on Sept. 11, 1939, in Chicago and raised as one of eight children in suburban Harvey. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age 17 and after getting out in 1960 he returned home to work a series of jobs, including selling insurance.

Dreesen is survived by daughters Amy and Jennifer from his marriage to Maryellen Subock, which ended in divorce in 1984, as well as seven grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son Tommy.

Sandra Trevino, 52, faces an impersonating a public servant charge, which is considered a third-degree felony, authorities said.

Trevino is accused of identifying herself as a federal deportation officer during a traffic stop, police stated.

Officers said Trevino later identified herself as an ICE agent to court personnel and a police department supervisor while discussing the citation.

Police said the impersonation attempt was an “effort to circumvent the traffic violation.”

Trevino was arrested and booked into the Bexar County Adult Detention Center on Tuesday, jail records indicate.

She posted a $5,000 bond and was released early Wednesday morning, records show.

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In a Wednesday morning news conference, Salazar said Texas Department of Public Safety troopers found the body of Anthony Wayne Neasham in an unspecified county.

Neasham was earlier identified as a person of interest after a disturbance Tuesday in the 7900 block of Cactus Plum ended with a 22-year-old man dead and a woman in her 60s seriously injured.

“We believe that Neasham is now deceased,” Salazar told reporters.

KSAT asked DPS about Neasham and in response, the agency said the Texas Rangers were investigating the “death of an individual in Burnet County” related to an “ongoing homicide investigation originating in Bexar County.” DPS did not release the individual’s identity.

The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office is still working to identify the 22-year-old man, the sheriff said. Salazar believes gunshots were a factor in the man’s death.

“We did find evidence of gunshot wounds on that male, which is what we believe led to his death,” Salazar said.

The man also suffered a laceration to his throat area, the sheriff said.

On Tuesday afternoon, Salazar said the 22-year-old man and the woman are mother and son. Neasham was described as the woman’s boyfriend.

The woman is now conscious at a local hospital, but is unable to recall what happened, BCSO said. She suffered “severe” head trauma, specifically a fractured skull and a large laceration. Her condition is unknown at this time.

“It was most likely a savage beating that this lady suffered,” Salazar said.

On Tuesday, BCSO said it received a 911 call from a relative of the victims who had not heard from them and went to the home to check on them.

The relative knocked on the door but received no answer, then spotted the injured woman through a window, Salazar said.

When authorities arrived, they found the man dead and the woman suffering from multiple injuries.

At this time, it remains unclear what led up to the disturbance. DPS said the Texas Rangers’ investigation remains ongoing.

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• EXTREME HEAT THURSDAY: Highs mid 90s, heat index 108-111°
• STORM CHANCE FRIDAY NIGHT: Next chance of rain is late Friday, Saturday

FORECAST

It won’t so much be the temperature tomorrow, instead, it’ll be the humidity. An afternoon high in the mid 90s is only about 3° above average and far from record challenging (104°), but the unusually high humidity will lead to heat index values up to 111° Thursday afternoon.

While we are no stranger to heat, we have not seen heat indices this high in a few years. If you work outdoors or plan to spend extended time outdoors tomorrow, you’ll want to be careful.

RAIN CHANCES RETURN FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY

Friday will be hot, too. Thankfully, a weak cold front will slide south into the area by Friday evening. The front likely washes out over the area, but not before cooling us down some and bringing a shot at storms. Plus, an area of low pressure over the Rio Grande may also aid in getting some storms going Friday night and into the day Saturday.

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.
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For Emmanuel Macron, that was precisely the point.

On Wednesday night, the French president threw open Louis XIV’s palace to his U.S. counterpart for a private reception, show and dinner marking America’s 250th birthday. At a turbulent moment for the trans-Atlantic alliance, it could help Macron keep a personal channel open as the two navigate differences over Iran, Ukraine and tariffs.

It already kept Trump from leaving a Group of Seven summit early, as he did last year in Canada.

“I’m a fan of beautiful places,” he told reporters, saying he had planned to leave earlier until “a very nice man” invited him to dinner.

After posing in front of Versailles' golden doors, Trump enjoyed a private tour of the chateau's glittering interior. And in a surprise move over a dinner of lobster, caviar and vanilla ice cream, he signed a memorandum on ending the war in Iran at a venue steeped in historical symbolism.

Versailles is perhaps the biggest soft-power flex available to a French president: the Hall of Mirrors, the gardens of the Sun King and several centuries of carefully polished national grandeur.

“Versailles is a diplomatic tool and an instrument of influence,” Macron said Wednesday, likening diplomacy to soccer. “Whether I’m playing at home or away, my goal is to score goals. And when I host other teams, I try to give them a nice welcome.”

France holds little economic or military sway over Washington, so pageantry is one of its few levers — even as its use elsewhere has brought mixed results at best.

Soft power built from stone

Macron and Trump have often clashed over policy.

Their relationship has endured partly because Macron understands the power of personal attention, dramatic settings and a well-timed invitation.

Their first meeting in 2017 produced a white-knuckled handshake that instantly became a symbol of their competitive rapport.

Months later came dinner inside the Eiffel Tower and a place of honor at France’s Bastille Day parade.

Versailles raises the stakes, allowing a French president to wrap a modern political encounter in the scale and authority of national history.

“It is soft-power flex based on hard buildings,” said Denis Lacorne, professor of American studies at Sciences Po.

Macron has used the palace before, receiving Russian President Vladimir Putin there in 2017 and later hosting King Charles III and Queen Camilla for a state dinner.

Versailles has been a favored setting for French leaders to honor foreign guests for over three centuries, the palace told The Associated Press. It remains “a place in the service of French diplomacy.”

With Trump, the setting carries added resonance.

The former real estate developer has long treated architecture as a statement of status, success and power. In his second term, he has sought to erect a legacy in stone — with plans for a new White House ballroom and a 250-foot (76-meter) triumphal arch resembling Paris’ Arc de Triomphe.

The real deal — and 357 mirrors

The evening included a Hall of Mirrors visit and fountain display.

The Hall of Mirrors was once a feat of technology: 357 mirrors set in 17 arches along a 73-meter (240-foot) gallery, showing French manufacturers could rival Venice’s celebrated glassmakers.

They were also built to multiply a king. Every royal entrance ricocheted across the glass, and a modern guest gets the same treatment.

“You will be reflected many, many times, from one mirror to another,” Lacorne said.

For a president who has spent his second term turning the Oval Office gold, the appeal is clear, he added.

Trump arrives, in a sense, at a building he has quoted for years: He has said he modeled Mar-a-Lago’s ballroom after Versailles.

Others have sought to flatter a visiting Trump

Trump remembers spectacle, and often brings it home.

The 2017 Bastille Day parade saw tanks, horses and marching bands fill the Champs-Élysées as fighter jets trailing red, white and blue smoke soared overhead.

Trump called it “one of the greatest parades I’ve ever seen.”

“We’re going to have to try and top it,” he said back in Washington, where he began pressing for a military parade. In 2025, he finally presided over a large Army anniversary parade through the capital.

China employed dazzle diplomacy when it hosted Trump for a “state visit plus” in 2017, including a rare tour of its Forbidden City, an experience once reserved for emperors.

Britain offered its own version last September, greeting Trump’s second state visit with mounted troops, a carriage procession and a Windsor Castle banquet.

The gleam is the easy part

The diplomatic pomp has clearly flattered Trump, who called the Windsor banquet one of the highest honors of his life.

But it seems to have won few concessions.

The early Macron-Trump “bromance” has hardened into something rougher and more transactional.

Trump has threatened tariffs of up to 100% on French wine and Champagne amid a broader trade fight. France opposed the U.S. war against Iran, even as Macron pressed Washington to keep backing Ukraine.

At home, the dinner has drawn criticism.

“We must learn once and for all to live without Trump,” said Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the veteran far-left leader.

Versailles hands Macron some advantages, experts say: centuries of diplomatic history, a setting built for Trump’s taste for ceremony, and a palace already familiar to the hundreds of thousands of Americans who visit each year.

History counsels caution. Ronald Reagan dined beneath the same mirrors on the sidelines of the 1982 G7, and central disagreements outlasted the splendor.

___

Angela Charlton in Paris and Michel Euler in Versailles contributed.

The move may make San Marcos the first Texas city to adopt a citywide ban on the data center industry, Councilmember Lorenzo Gonzalez said in a news release Wednesday.

Gonzalez, who voted in favor of the ban, released a statement Wednesday discussing his decision. He said his initial interest in exploring data center development was driven by a desire to find new economic opportunities for San Marcos residents — a community where, he said, many families are living paycheck to paycheck and a majority of children qualify for free and reduced lunch.

“When data centers were first proposed, I was willing to consider them because of the potential economic benefits,” Gonzalez said. “Like many communities, San Marcos faces real challenges related to housing affordability, food insecurity, and the rising cost of living. If a project could help address those challenges, I believed it deserved consideration.”

>> An unprecedented data center boom means new challenges for Texas. Find out what’s planned near you.

But after reviewing information from communities across the country and hearing from residents, Gonzalez said he ultimately felt significant concerns were unresolved.

“What became clear to me was that many of the residents I hoped to help were asking us a different question,” he said. “They were less concerned about the speculative promise of future revenue and more concerned about the potential impact on their neighborhoods, their quality of life, and their long-term health and safety.”

In the news release, Gonzalez said the vote “was not a rejection of economic development.”

“I support investment, jobs, and opportunity,” he said. “I simply believe we should be thoughtful about the projects we welcome and ensure they provide a clear benefit to the people who already live here.”

Read also:

• Abbott recommends sweeping data center regulation, including eliminating sales tax exemption
• Mapping the dozens of data centers in San Antonio; City Council to consider first request for center policy planning

Jay Anthony Villarreal, 25, faces an interstate threatening communication charge. His sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 21, the release said.

The maximum sentence is five years in prison, according to U.S. House code.

Villarreal left his Hondo home on June 28, 2025, with one main goal: to overthrow the U.S. government, the release stated. He planned to drive to Washington, D.C., and bring along an AR-15, semiautomatic assault weapon, a .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol, and a 9mm semiautomatic pistol.

Additionally, the release said Villarreal had a Bible, a copy of the Texas Penal Code, extra loaded magazines and multiple boxes of ammunition, a police scanner and binoculars.

Simmons said Villarreal had used social media in an effort to solicit military veterans to join him, the release states.

However, a friend of his saw the post on social media and reported it to the FBI, according to the release. The friend thought it could turn into a mass murder situation.

Another friend on social media was concerned for Villarreal’s potential actions and reported it to the Hondo Police Department. The release said family tried to convince Villarreal to turn around while he was en route to Washington, D.C.

Eventually, he did return to his home in Hondo around 8 p.m. on June 29, 2025. Later that evening, the FBI searched his home, where the agency said they found two U.S. military smoke grenades, along with the firearms and materials he had in his vehicle.

Villarreal was arrested three days later on July 2, 2025, the release said.

“Thankfully, in this case, friends and family members recognized the veracity of the threat and contacted the FBI, preventing what could have been a mass casualty event,” Simmons said in the release. “Given the darkness that invades the minds of so many, and the prevalence of violent acts committed in the name of politics, it is more important now than ever to say something if you see something. That single decision can lead to a swift response and lives saved, as it did in this case.”

Read also:

• Man threatened to ‘shoot up everyone’ at Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital, SAPD says
• Laredo plane crash: NTSB, FAA begin investigation into deadly crash, city officials say
• Person of interest in far West Side death investigation believed to be dead, sheriff says

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The hearing centers on the March 3, 2024 death of 19-year-old Jesus Gonzales, who was able to bring a handgun into the Bexar County jail and died by suicide while in custody.

During several hours of testimony, McManus said the transporting officer is ultimately responsible for ensuring a detainee is properly searched.

McManus said no proper search was conducted before Gonzales was placed in the transport vehicle and that the failure put others at risk.

Body camera footage shows Munoz only appearing to check Gonzales’ pockets.

“The failure of officer Munoz resulted in the death of this individual,” McManus said. “As bad as it was, it could have been worse.”

The chief also testified that, despite questions about similar incidents involving officers receiving lesser punishment, he believed an indefinite suspension was warranted because the case resulted in a death.

“This was not a good faith error. It was just a neglect to do the search,” McManus testified.

The case has also drawn attention to actions taken by other agencies involved. A corporal with the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office who checked Gonzales upon his arrival at the jail received a 30-day suspension last year.

The arbitrator is expected to review testimony from the two-day hearing before issuing a decision. A ruling could take between three and six months.

More coverage of this story on KSAT:

• Arbitrator to weigh whether former SAPD officer should be reinstated after jail suicide

A team from the British firm Wessex Archaeology said the structure would have consisted of two wooden poles 120 meters (394 feet) apart and aligned to point directly at the rising sun during the summer solstice and the setting sun at the winter solstice.

Researchers said the discovery predated Stonehenge by around 500 years.

The team was led by archaeologist Phil Harding, who is well known in the U.K. through his many years of excavations for Channel 4 TV series “Time Team.”

Harding, 76, said the site, which also turned up a treasure trove of finds including pottery, animal bones and a rare disc-shaped knife, was likely to have been a focus for major religious gatherings.

“Opportunities like this probably only come once in a career, in a lifetime,” Harding said. “I’m probably towards the end of my career now, but thank God I’m still in archaeology long enough to be part of this discovery, because it’s certainly the highlight of my career.”

The findings were released ahead of the summer solstice, which falls this year on Sunday, when thousands head to Stonehenge each year to celebrate the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.

Stonehenge is a symbol of British culture and history and remains one of the country’s biggest tourist draws. The World Heritage Site was built on the flat lands of Salisbury Plain in stages starting 5,000 years ago, with the unique stone circle erected in the late Neolithic period about 2,500 B.C.

The site’s meaning has been the subject of vigorous debate. The most generally accepted interpretation is that it was a temple aligned with movements of the sun — lining up perfectly with the summer and winter solstices.

Researchers who found the structure near Stonehenge carried out the dig at Bulford, 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) from the main stone circle, as part of archaeological work to support the British defense ministry's program to accommodate troops who have been withdrawn in recent years from Germany, where the army had a big footprint for decades. The area around Stonehenge is one of the largest military training grounds and in the U.K. and Bulford is home to a barracks.

The original excavation took place between 2015 and 2017, with the findings requiring many years of analyses and tests.

English Heritage said other theories about Stonehenge include that it was a coronation place for Danish kings, a druid temple, a cult center for healing, or an astronomical computer for predicting eclipses and solar events.

Whatever the explanation, thousands of people, many dressed as druids and pagans, will gather at the site on Sunday to see the sun rise.

“What few will realize is that 5,000 years ago on a nearby hillside overlooking modern day Bulford, people were doing the exact same thing — revering and celebrating the sunrise on Midsummer’s Day,” said Harding.

Matthew Luckhurst began serving as the Benavides Police Chief on June 1, according to records from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. Benavides, Texas, is located about 150 miles south of San Antonio.

KSAT originally called Benavides City Secretary Tiffany Bazan on Wednesday to confirm Luckhurst’s position and start date as police chief. Instead of providing the basic public information, Bazan hung up on KSAT journalists multiple times.

KSAT has emailed Bazan and several other Benavides city leaders for information.

Luckhurst was approved for the promotion during an April 30 city council meeting and will be paid $28 an hour, according to council records.

He has been working for the Benavides Police Department since April 2023, according to a licensee service report.

KSAT Investigates has been following Luckhurst’s career since he was fired from the San Antonio Police Department a decade ago.

In 2016, a report showed Luckhurst bragged to a fellow officer that he had picked up some feces, placed it in a slice of bread and put it in a Styrofoam container next to a homeless man.

Luckhurst was a five-year veteran of SAPD and had been assigned to downtown bike patrol for about a year, police officials said.

Following his firing, Luckhurst was back in the force, this time in Floresville in 2022.

Floresville Mayor Cissy Gonzalez-Dippel said the city had been flooded with emails about Luckhurst’s position on the force in 2022.

In a statement, the mayor said, “Matthew Luckhurst was released from employment with the Floresville Police Department yesterday Dec. 13th (2022). Our city manager, Andy Joslin is implementing stricter hiring policies for all city of Floresville employees. He is also working with Chief Herrera on the Reserve program.”

Related coverage on KSAT:

• Ex-SAPD officer fired for giving homeless man a feces sandwich hired by Benavides Police Department

Joshua Baer, 50, described himself as an “Austinpreneur,” a reference to the state capital and his enthusiasm for getting people into business. He founded Capital Factory, which has grown into an important Austin-based venture capital firm supporting a range of technology startup companies, from robots to autonomous ships.

Baer’s LinkedIn page shows him wearing a black T-shirt and pointing at the message: “I help people quit jobs.” His email had a similar handle. Capital Factory's downtown headquarters is among the offices of tech giants like Google.

“Whether you’re in technology or not, there’s a hole in the heart of Austin today,” Thom Singer, CEO of the Austin Technology Council, which promotes the local tech industry, said of Baer’s death.

Baer listed his life strategy as, “Plant lots of seeds. Water everyone's. Repeat.” And people noticed: The Austin mayor in 2023 gave him a key to the city, a symbol of civic honor.

Bryan Chambers, co-founder and president of Capital Factory, said his business partner was a “true super connector.”

Baer was aboard a business jet that crashed Tuesday on a highway in Laredo, Texas, after the pilots reported mechanical problems and requested to make an emergency landing at an airport. His LinkedIn profile said he had a wife and three children. It wasn't known whether three young people who survived the crash were family members.

After graduating from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, where he created an email marketing business, Baer moved to Austin in 1996 to work as a software developer at Trilogy Inc. He started Capital Factory in 2009 and regularly held business chats with people at a coffee shop.

“My hobby is startups,” Baer told the Austin American-Statesman in 2012. “I don’t watch sports or anything like that. So this is what I do. ... I want to be an investor in every great tech company that comes out of Austin. That’s probably unrealistic, but I’m going to try anyway.”

Baer often spoke to high school students and had the title of “entrepreneur in residence” at the University of Texas.

“He was passionate that technology could change the world and make people's lives efficient and better,” Singer said. “And if entrepreneurs did it right, they could make money and help their communities. He believed in those two things.”

Texas U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn said they were saddened by Baer’s death. Cornyn wrote on X that Baer was an “innovative & creative leader in Austin’s entrepreneurial culture.”

The latest deal brings the total amount spent on these agreements to nearly $2.6 billion.

Chicago-based Invenergy has agreed to end its four offshore wind leases that were very early in development in exchange for reimbursements of lease fees totaling $765 million. The company had already canceled the largest of the four in November, Leading Light Wind off New Jersey's coast. The others are off the coasts of Maine and California. It will invest that money in natural gas and geothermal ventures that can be built more quickly instead.

By buying back leases, the Republican administration is stopping offshore wind farms that President Donald Trump does not support, and redirecting the money to fossil fuel projects that he does. It adopted this strategy after federal courts thwarted Trump’s efforts to stop offshore wind development through executive action. Trump has frequently talked about his hatred of wind power and calls turbines ugly.

“Under President Trump, companies are shifting investment back toward dependable, secure energy infrastructure that can power our economy and lower utility costs,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a statement. "We applaud Invenergy for recognizing the importance of baseload power and investing in energy solutions that deliver real benefits to American consumers.”

Hillary Bright, executive director of offshore wind advocacy group Turn Forward, said these buyouts are not one-for-one ‘swaps’ for another kind of energy, since the replacement projects won't deliver power to the same states as the offshore wind farms would have.

“Replacing coastal offshore wind with geothermal or natural gas infrastructure in another region does nothing to address rising ratepayer affordability concerns, reliability challenges or potential gaps in power supply in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic,” she said in a statement.

Eight offshore wind projects have been stopped

Under the first deal announced in March, French company TotalEnergies is getting nearly $1 billion — essentially a refund of its two offshore wind leases — if it invests the money in fossil fuels instead. Those leases were off the coasts of North Carolina and New York. New York is leading a lawsuit challenging the TotalEnergies agreement and Democrats in Congress are investigating it.

Golden State Wind and Bluepoint Wind agreed in April to end their leases in exchange for reimbursements totaling nearly $900 million, provided they invest equally in fossil fuels. California is investigating the deal that ended Golden State Wind, a floating offshore wind farm proposed off the state’s central coast. Bluepoint Wind was an offshore wind farm in the early stages of development off the coasts of New Jersey and New York.

Invenergy is North America’s largest privately held independent power producer. It has four offshore leases: a large lease area for Leading Light Wind, which would have used traditional turbines that affix to the seafloor; two leases for projects with floating turbines in the Gulf of Maine; and a lease for a floating project off California’s central coast.

Maine’s Democratic Gov. Janet Mills called the buybacks legally questionable, an egregious waste of taxpayer money, and “a shortsighted decision that will hurt our ability to reduce our reliance on expensive fossil fuels.”

Invenergy says it's focused on energy projects that can move forward today

For Invenergy, the deal offered a way to move forward with energy projects that could bring power to the grid more quickly for its customers than the dormant offshore wind leases. Trump has erected roadblocks for permitting wind energy, while trying to speed up fossil fuel development.

The company left the door open to reentering the offshore wind industry in the future. Daniel Runyan, senior vice president for development at Invenergy, said in a statement that at a time of unprecedented energy demand, they "will deploy additional capital into projects that can be delivered on a commercially reasonable timeline and meet customer demand while continuing to evaluate opportunities as market conditions evolve.”

Leading Light Wind was targeted for as much as 2.4 gigawatts to power more than 1 million homes. Invenergy told the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities in November it was canceling Leading Light Wind because of challenges with the supply chain, equipment and vendors, and changing regulatory requirements.

The floating projects were so early in development that Invenergy hadn't yet calculated how much power those sites could provide.

Invenergy, a major player in the natural gas sector, has 14 operational natural gas facilities. It’s expanding into geothermal energy, with 45 leases totaling 144,000 acres in Nevada, Idaho, California, Utah and New Mexico. Invenergy plans to use the $765 million from the agreement for natural gas facilities in Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri, and geothermal development in the West. It was not refunded interest paid on the offshore wind lease payments or incremental development costs.

Invenergy has a large portfolio of projects other than offshore wind that produce electricity without warming the planet. That includes about 125 land-based wind farms operating and in construction, more than 60 solar and nearly 30 battery storage projects developed, and many more that it's actively planning and building. Geothermal energy uses the Earth’s heat to make electricity cleanly, too.

In a related development Wednesday, the Interior Department appealed a ruling that struck down several Trump administration actions slowing down clean energy development, including a requirement that Burgum personally approve all solar and wind energy projects on federal lands and waters.

The Trump administration canceled a $4.9 billion federal loan guarantee last year for Invenergy’s planned Grain Belt Express, a new high-voltage transmission line for delivering solar and wind-generated electricity from the Midwest to the eastern U.S. But the company indicated that the project would go forward anyway.

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Associated Press writer Patrick Whittle in Scarborough, Maine, contributed to this report.

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

The district and superintendent Jaime Aquino received the letter one day after the TEA confirmed to KSAT it had opened an investigation earlier this month.

In a letter sent to Aquino on Wednesday, the TEA said it closed the case after the agency determined the allegations were “unsubstantiated.”

KSAT Investigates checked Aquino’s educator certificate on Wednesday, which shows there is no longer a flag stating that his educator certificate is under review.

Laura Short, the district’s chief communications officer, told KSAT Investigates on Tuesday that SAISD learned of the investigation earlier this week.

“We can speculate that someone questioned whether CPS (Child Protective Services) was notified of an incident involving a student at one of our campuses,” Short said in an email on Tuesday.

Short said the district provided the TEA documentation confirming that CPS was contacted.

Aquino became SAISD’s superintendent in May 2022. Earlier this year, Aquino announced he would retire from the district in January 2027.

On Monday, SAISD’s board voted to name longtime district employee Toni Thompson as the district’s interim superintendent starting July 1. She currently serves as SAISD’s chief of staff.

Aquino has been the subject of multiple KSAT Investigates stories in recent years.

A January 2024 KSAT investigation revealed, under Aquino’s watch, the district spent more than $9 million from its 2020 bond at campuses that were scheduled to shut down.

Two months later, KSAT Investigates learned how misinformation from the district and inadequate heating during winter weather in January 2024 contributed to dozens of schools closing down for multiple days.

Records show during his tenure, Aquino traveled cross-country at least 36 times on the district’s time — total cost: $36,896.

The district also spent nearly $500,000 on a single expense: a consultant. Tens of thousands were also spent on attorneys to review media records requests while SAISD was strapped for cash.

Know something the public should know about SAISD? Reach out to Daniela at dibarra@ksat.com.

Read also:

• TEA: SAISD superintendent under investigation, accused of failing to report misconduct

The fiery crash late Tuesday in Laredo near the Mexican border sent bystanders racing from their cars to help police rescue passengers and crew from the burning aircraft. The crash killed Joshua Baer, a leader in Texas’ technology and startup sectors, the president of Baer's company said.

Video from the frantic scene showed someone trying to smash the cockpit glass with a sledgehammer, while others used makeshift levers as they worked to open the plane's door. Local officials said a firefighter entered the smoke-filled jet to extract one person still inside after the rest had escaped.

“While the loss of life is deeply regrettable, it is nothing short of a miracle that this tragedy did not become a mass fatality event,” Laredo Mayor Victor Treviño said during a news conference Wednesday.

Two pilots and three teenagers survived the crash and have since been released from the hospital, according to the Laredo Police Department. A dog on board that suffered from smoke inhalation was also expected to survive, said Jose Baeza, an investigator with the police department.

The cause of the crash was not immediately known. The Federal Aviation Administration was investigating along with the National Transportation Safety Board.

Laredo Police Chief Miguel Rodriguez Jr. said investigators working to reconstruct the crash were at the crash site Wednesday.

Crash victim worked to help entrepreneurs launch startups

Baer, 50, was known as a central figure in Austin’s turbocharged evolution as a tech hub. He was the founder and chief executive of Capital Factory, which helps entrepreneurs connect with investors and others to launch their businesses.

“The number of lives Josh impacted in Austin, across Texas, and throughout the technology community is impossible to measure,” Capital Factory President Bryan Chambers said in a post on LinkedIn.

Capital Factory executives did not immediately return phone messages Wednesday from The Associated Press.

Baer lived in Austin with his wife and three children, according to his LinkedIn page. He recently taught a student entrepreneur class at the University of Texas at Austin.

“I help people quit their jobs and become entrepreneurs,” Baer said on his LinkedIn page.

Pilots reported low fuel and power loss, airport director says

The Cessna Citation Latitude twin jet departed Tuesday evening from the Mexican resort city of San José del Cabo and was bound for Austin, Texas, the FAA said in a statement.

The plane was operated by NetJets, a company owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway that lets people buy part ownership in private jets. NetJets said in a statement it was cooperating with authorities.

The jet went down at about 10 p.m. Tuesday on the Loop 20 highway, just a few minutes after its pilots radioed the local airport seeking to make an emergency landing. Their call to air traffic controllers “mentioned low fuel and a power outage,” Laredo International Airport Director Gilberto Sanchez said.

“They had mechanical issues and they lost communication with the tower,” Sanchez said Wednesday.

Dashcam video posted on social media showed the aircraft careening down the highway and knocking down a light post before stopping near the airport. The jet also barreled into a car, sending one motorist to a hospital in stable condition, Baeza said.

Five officers treated at a hospital for smoke inhalation have since been released, according to Rodriguez.

Experts wonder if jet lost engine power, had fuel leak

NetJets, started as a private jet charter service in 1964, had never had a fatal crash before Tuesday. Aviation safety experts interviewed Wednesday praised the company's safety record.

It shouldn't take investigators long to get a good idea of what caused the crash, in part because both pilots survived, former NTSB investigator Alan Diehl said.

The flight’s final minutes suggest the plane may have lost power to both engines and been attempting to glide into the Laredo airport, said Jeff Guzzetti, a former FAA and NTSB investigator.

“I think they just ran out of altitude and airspeed toward the end there,” Guzzetti said.

Aviation safety expert Mary Schiavo, a former inspector general for the Transportation Department, wondered if the jet had a fuel leak based on the pilots reporting they were running low. The jet has a range of 3,000 miles (4,800 kilometers), roughly three times the distance of their planned flight to Austin.

Ultimately, Schiavo said, a lack of fuel may have prevented more death and destruction.

“Luckily, the plane didn’t explode in a fireball,” she said.

The Texas crash was the third significant aviation accident in as many days. A B-52 bomber crashed Monday during a test flight at Edwards Air Force Base in California and killed all eight people aboard, while on Sunday, 12 people were killed when a plane on a skydiving outing in Missouri crashed.

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Collins reported from Hartford, Connecticut; Funk reported from Omaha, Nebraska; and Golden reported from Seattle. AP journalists Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, and Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed to this report.

The fiery crash late Tuesday in Laredo near the Mexican border sent bystanders racing from their cars to help police rescue passengers and crew from the burning aircraft. The crash killed Joshua Baer, a leader in Texas’ technology and startup sectors, the president of Baer's company said.

Video from the frantic scene showed someone trying to smash the cockpit glass with a sledgehammer, while others used makeshift levers as they worked to open the plane's door. Local officials said a firefighter entered the smoke-filled jet to extract one person still inside after the rest had escaped.

“While the loss of life is deeply regrettable, it is nothing short of a miracle that this tragedy did not become a mass fatality event,” Laredo Mayor Victor Treviño said during a news conference Wednesday.

Two pilots and three teenagers survived the crash and have since been released from the hospital, according to the Laredo Police Department. A dog on board that suffered from smoke inhalation was also expected to survive, said Jose Baeza, an investigator with the police department.

The cause of the crash was not immediately known. The Federal Aviation Administration was investigating along with the National Transportation Safety Board.

Laredo Police Chief Miguel Rodriguez Jr. said investigators working to reconstruct the crash were at the crash site Wednesday.

Crash victim worked to help entrepreneurs launch startups

Baer, 50, was known as a central figure in Austin’s turbocharged evolution as a tech hub. He was the founder and chief executive of Capital Factory, which helps entrepreneurs connect with investors and others to launch their businesses.

“The number of lives Josh impacted in Austin, across Texas, and throughout the technology community is impossible to measure,” Capital Factory President Bryan Chambers said in a post on LinkedIn.

Capital Factory executives did not immediately return phone messages Wednesday from The Associated Press.

Baer lived in Austin with his wife and three children, according to his LinkedIn page. He recently taught a student entrepreneur class at the University of Texas at Austin.

“I help people quit their jobs and become entrepreneurs,” Baer said on his LinkedIn page.

Pilots reported low fuel and power loss, airport director says

The Cessna Citation Latitude twin jet departed Tuesday evening from the Mexican resort city of San José del Cabo and was bound for Austin, Texas, the FAA said in a statement.

The plane was operated by NetJets, a company owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway that lets people buy part ownership in private jets. NetJets said in a statement it was cooperating with authorities.

The jet went down at about 10 p.m. Tuesday on the Loop 20 highway, just a few minutes after its pilots radioed the local airport seeking to make an emergency landing. Their call to air traffic controllers “mentioned low fuel and a power outage,” Laredo International Airport Director Gilberto Sanchez said.

“They had mechanical issues and they lost communication with the tower,” Sanchez said Wednesday.

Dashcam video posted on social media showed the aircraft careening down the highway and knocking down a light post before stopping near the airport. The jet also barreled into a car, sending one motorist to a hospital in stable condition, Baeza said.

Five officers treated at a hospital for smoke inhalation have since been released, according to Rodriguez.

Experts wonder if jet lost engine power, had fuel leak

NetJets, started as a private jet charter service in 1964, had never had a fatal crash before Tuesday. Aviation safety experts interviewed Wednesday praised the company's safety record.

It shouldn't take investigators long to get a good idea of what caused the crash, in part because both pilots survived, former NTSB investigator Alan Diehl said.

The flight’s final minutes suggest the plane may have lost power to both engines and been attempting to glide into the Laredo airport, said Jeff Guzzetti, a former FAA and NTSB investigator.

“I think they just ran out of altitude and airspeed toward the end there,” Guzzetti said.

Aviation safety expert Mary Schiavo, a former inspector general for the Transportation Department, wondered if the jet had a fuel leak based on the pilots reporting they were running low. The jet has a range of 3,000 miles (4,800 kilometers), roughly three times the distance of their planned flight to Austin.

Ultimately, Schiavo said, a lack of fuel may have prevented more death and destruction.

“Luckily, the plane didn’t explode in a fireball,” she said.

The Texas crash was the third significant aviation accident in as many days. A B-52 bomber crashed Monday during a test flight at Edwards Air Force Base in California and killed all eight people aboard, while on Sunday, 12 people were killed when a plane on a skydiving outing in Missouri crashed.

___

Collins reported from Hartford, Connecticut; Funk reported from Omaha, Nebraska; and Golden reported from Seattle. AP journalists Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, and Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed to this report.

The South Florida Detention Center has been praised by President Donald Trump. But its conditions have been harshly criticized by l awyers, families and human rights groups, who have persistently denounced the mistreatment of detainees since the center opened 11 months ago, during the Atlantic hurricane season.

DHS said that all detainees at the Florida state-run facility had been transferred but did not specify how many or where they were taken. Nor did it say whether the facility would close permanently or only temporarily.

"For the safety of the illegal alien detainees, we transferred them to other facilities,” department spokesperson Lauren Bis said in an emailed statement.

The hurricane season spans six months, from June through November. The detention facility opened on July 3, 2025, one month after the start of that year’s hurricane season, which concluded without any storms making landfall in Florida. It has been operating since then.

Shortly after ICE announcement, the National Hurricane Center reported on Wednesday that the first tropical storm o f the 2026 hurricane season had formed off the Texas coast.

Detainees at the facility have talked about their difficulty accessing lawyers, and have described poor physical conditions, including worms in the food, toilets that don’t flush, flooding floors with fecal waste, and mosquitoes and other insects everywhere.

Surrounded by alligator-filled swamps in the Florida Everglades, "Alligator Alcatraz” was built by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration in a matter of days, and Trump toured it on July 1, 2025, just two days before it was opened.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management, the main state agency responsible for its operation, did not immediately respond to an information request from The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Since the facility opened, immigration advocates said the tents were never safe or humane to hold people. Federal and state officials, nonetheless, had said that it was prepared to withstand hurricanes.

“Transferring people out of this cruel facility is an important step, but it does not erase the harm that has already been done,” said Amy Godshall, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union who filed a lawsuit against the state and the federal government alleging a lack of access to legal representation for detainees. “The state and federal government must permanently close this facility and commit to never detaining people there again.”

DeSantis said in May that South Florida Detention Facility always was meant to be temporary. He said the facility had processed and deported 22,000 detainees since its opening.

Hurricane season is an excuse, activists say

Immigration advocates and lawyers said the hurricane season is an excuse, not the real reason why the detainees have been transferred.

“That’s a nonsense excuse because they opened in the middle of the worst part of hurricane season last year,” said Arianne Betancourt, a community advocate at the non-governmental group The Workers Circle who has spent months connecting dozens of detainees with pro-bono attorneys.

Betancourt and other advocates and attorneys said they noticed an increase in the transfer of detainees to other facilities over the past two weeks, during which time they lost contact with dozens of detainees.

Katie Blankenship, an immigration attorney at Sanctuary of the South, said all 50 clients that she and other attorneys have been providing free advice during the past 20 days have been moved from “Alligator Alcatraz” to other facilities in South Florida, California, Arizona, Louisiana and Texas.

“They are all gone,” Blankenship said. “They have been moved and disappeared into the system and are unavailable to family or counsel, typically for a period of about a week."

She noted that she hasn’t received any official notice about the transfers, but instead found out because her clients did not appear at hearings or did not show up at calls. When she tried to find out what had happened to them, she located them using the official detainee search tool and saw that they had been transferred to other facilities, Blankenship said.

Families left to pick up pieces

Renata Bozzetto, deputy director of the Florida Immigrant Coalition, said that even if the facility is closed, the harm will not end.

“Many of the people detained there will be transferred to other detention facilities, while their families continue to face uncertainty and hardship,’’ Bozzetto said. “When this detention camp closes, many corporations and contractors will have walked away with millions in profits, while immigrant families are left to pick up the pieces.”

The aborted effort to reduce nonwhite voters' representation contrasts with other Southern states where Republican majorities moved quickly to redraw congressional boundaries ahead of the November midterms, partly in response to President Donald Trump's pleas to shore up the GOP's fragile House majority.

Civil rights activists and Democrats, especially Black and other nonwhite lawmakers, celebrated the development and claimed victory after exerting weeks of pressure and gathering hundreds of citizens at the Georgia Capitol on Wednesday ahead of the session.

“Today showed that ordinary people don't need to wait until November to make their voices heard and protect our democracy,” said U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, the state's first Black senator who returned to Atlanta from Washington to be at the Capitol. “We can stand up and speak right now.”

Kemp had not asked his fellow Republicans to reopen Georgia districts ahead of November. Instead, he wanted them to redraw congressional boundaries for the 2028 election. But the governor, in the final months of his second term, also called on lawmakers to redraw their own districts — a move that would have made Georgia the first state to apply the Supreme Court's Louisiana v. Callais decision to its legislature.

State House Speaker Jon Burns sent Kemp a letter hours before Wednesday's special session was set to begin, informing him that legislators would not consider redistricting at all during the session. He announced the decision publicly shortly after, as demonstrators filled the Capitol with chants of “Black voters matter!”

Kemp said he believes Georgia's current districts are unconstitutional, and he sees no reason to delay redistricting.

“Legislative districting, however, is the responsibility of the General Assembly, and it is within their discretion to defer the issue until a later date,” Kemp said in a statement.

Burns said lawmakers want to take their time after the Callais decision, which struck down Louisiana’s congressional map as an illegal racial gerrymander and laid the groundwork for legislatures to reduce the number of districts where Black and other nonwhite voters hold most sway.

The speaker said it was more important for lawmakers to focus on economic matters rather than “partisan games.” He also cited pending litigation over existing Georgia districts and the need to understand the full ramifications for how race can or cannot be used in redistricting.

Privately, Republicans had expressed concerns that a rushed process that diminished Black and other minority voters’ political power could cause a backlash. And they worried that redrawn districts could unintentionally create more competitive jurisdictions that Democrats could win, especially around Atlanta.

Still, Georgia Republicans did not rule out revisiting redistricting later this year.

Conservative justices gave the green light

Before Callais, Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act was understood to require maps — for Congress, state legislatures and local legislative bodies — that gave historically marginalized minorities a reasonable chance to select candidates of their choice. Nationally, those so-called “opportunity districts” have disproportionately elected Black and other nonwhite representatives.

About one-third of Georgia’s 180 state representatives are Black. Latino, Asian and other minorities bring the total nonwhite share to about 40% — roughly reflecting the state’s overall population. Georgia’s U.S. House delegation has five districts out of 14 total where the electorate is majority or plurality nonwhite. All elected Black Democrats in 2024.

With the Callais ruling, a conservative majority of justices concluded that jurisdictions drawn with racial makeup in mind violate the U.S. Constitution’s equal protection clause. Justice Samuel Alito's majority opinion declared that apportionment should be “race neutral.”

Alito's stated reasoning did not hinge on party interests, and federal courts have said partisan gerrymandering is constitutionally permissible. But in Southern states, party loyalty dovetails considerably with race and ethnicity. So the decision has allowed Republicans to redraw maps to boost GOP districts by redistributing nonwhite voters who tend to support Democrats.

Many civil rights activists argue that makes it impossible for Southern legislatures to be genuinely “race neutral” when drawing boundaries.

Democrats and activists opposed the special session

Minority voting rights are especially salient in Georgia, where the Capitol complex includes a statue of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and sits blocks from where the assassinated civil rights icon lived, preached and led the movement that yielded the Voting Rights Act in 1965.

Warnock, who is also minister at the Atlanta church where King once preached, invoked the civil rights icon as he led demonstrators who criticized the Supreme Court’s reasoning in Callais that it was discriminatory to draw districts to allow minority voters a chance to elect their preferred representatives.

The senator compared the possibility of scaling back nonwhite representation to the long Jim Crow history of poll taxes and literacy tests. White conservatives in the South once called those policies “race neutral,” too, Warnock noted.

Speaking before Burns’ announcement, Warnock lamented that some white Republicans who might consider redrawing district lines — or already have in other states — also praise King on his federal holiday each year.

“If you want to redraw maps and you have the power to do it, I guess you can do it,” he said. “But keep Dr. King’s name out of your mouth.”

Trump started the fight before the Supreme Court decision

Nationally, a partisan redistricting battle started last year when Trump urged Republican-controlled states to gerrymander their congressional maps. Texas answered the call first.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democrats in Sacramento answered with their own gerrymander that voters later approved. A succession of states followed. The outcome would have been close to even had the Virginia Supreme Court, controlled by conservatives, not struck down new Democratic-drawn maps approved voters. All told, Republicans think they could notch a net gain of 10 seats across the multiple states.

That still may not be enough for the GOP to hold a congressional majority, given Trump's lagging approval ratings. But it could mitigate Democratic gains and set Republicans up well for 2028 and beyond.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman issued a similar plea at the Group of Seven summit of major industrialized nations in France, saying an "international forum" is needed for countries to draw up AI guardrails. He said the task of AI safety should not be left to tech companies.

Overshadowing the discussion on AI was President Donald Trump's administration's directive last week, preventing foreign nationals from using Anthropic’s newest and most powerful artificial intelligence models.

Macron said it was a “good thing” that U.S. officials recognize that so-called frontier AI models could be dangerous, but he also criticized it as a “strictly nationalist” reaction.

The remarks followed a G7 working lunch that brought together AI industry figures, including leaders of three of the most powerful AI companies — Altman, Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei — on the theme of “ensuring a safe, rapid and effective deployment of artificial intelligence.”

Trump's feud with Anthropic has unsettled many outside the US

Ahead of the meeting, the White House’s dispute with Anthropic fueled distrust in Europe about American dominance of AI and tech ecosystems.

The company was forced on Friday to take its latest artificial intelligence models, known as Fable 5 and Mythos 5, offline to comply with the directive. The AI giant said it did not believe the steps taken by the government were warranted by the concern it flagged about a potential security issue.

When asked by a reporter whether France and other G7 countries had asked Trump to permit access to Anthropic's latest AI models, Macron said he made a forceful plea for the U.S. not to keep cutting-edge AI to itself.

Macron warned of a possible drop in value for U.S. firms pioneering the disruptive technology if they switch off access like a light switch. Macron backed his appeal for partnership among key democracies with an insurance policy: France, he said, will boost funding for its own AI industry, so it’s not left behind if international cooperation breaks down.

Democratic countries ultimately want to prevent authoritarian regimes from getting access to advanced AI systems, Macron said.

"So let us move forward together," he said. “Our relevant agencies must first cooperate so that, in the areas of security and cybersecurity, we have a smooth government-to-government relationship."

Altman said in his lunch speech, attended by the G7 leaders and more than a dozen AI bosses, that the technology's future must be shaped by people, democratic institutions and society as a whole, "not just by the companies building the most capable systems.”

“We need an international forum for discussion that establishes globally accepted standards for testing, provides expert and impartial analysis of capabilities and risks, and serves as a venue for cooperation among nations," he said.

Europeans have sought checks on American AI dominance

Even before the Anthropic episode, there was growing distrust of American companies dominating AI and other tech ecosystems. In Brussels, the European Commission unveiled a tech sovereignty package this month with plans to boost homegrown AI, and at the Vatican, the pope last month called for robust regulation of artificial intelligence.

Trump's intervention with Anthropic highlighted how Europe, Canada or other countries “can be put in an extremely vulnerable position” if they are cut off from advanced AI models, said Zach Meyers, director of research at CERRE, a Brussels-based think tank.

“There is a general anxiety about the state of Europe, the fact that we’re relying on other countries for quite important strategic infrastructure and a desire to do something about it, whatever that is,” Meyers said.

At the G7, Aidan Gomez, CEO of Canada’s Cohere AI, said a “number of proposals” were discussed on working together on AI governance and regulation.

“I think the consensus was we need something,” he told The Associated Press.

He said he told the gathering that democracies should focus their efforts on making sure the G7 “doesn’t just produce the most capable AI, but also the second most capable AI," a reference to the U.S. and China being the world's only two major AI powers.

Meta’s chief AI officer, Alexandr Wang, also attended the meeting, along with the heads of smaller AI labs, including France’s Mistral, Germany’s Black Forest Labs, Italy’s Domyn, Sakana AI of Japan and United Kingdom-based Synthesia.

The G7 comprises France, the United States, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan and the UK. Brazil, India, Kenya and South Korea were among guest nations invited to participate in some discussions.

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Chan reported from London.

The Merc, a 112-acre mixed-use project under construction at 5730 UTSA Boulevard, has announced the tenants attached to its first phase of retail, which spans 35,000 square feet across three buildings.

Construction on the first retail phase is slated for completion by the end of the summer. Tenants will then receive their spaces to begin build-outs, with the first concepts expected to open in early 2027.

The lineup includes a mix of locally owned businesses and national brands.

The local family behind Wild Goji Sushi, a revolving sushi restaurant at 7115 Blanco Road, is bringing a new concept to The Merc. The eatery has operated in the Castle Hills area since 2016.

The official name for the new concept has not yet been announced, but a spokesperson for The Merc said the team behind it described it as a “technology-forward sushi and Asian dining experience.”

Read more of this story at the San Antonio Business Journal website.

Editor’s note: This story was published through a partnership between KSAT and the San Antonio Business Journal.

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The airfield where the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff on Monday remained closed but other base operations have resumed, according to a base spokesperson. No cause has been determined. Officials said it could take six months to complete the investigation.

The victims were identified as: Col. Gregory Watson, 53; Retired Lt. Col. Miles Middleton, 50; Lt. Col. Gabriel Estrella, 40; Maj. Alexander Davis, 34; Maj. Robert Dee, 40; Maj. Brad Hovey, 35; Jeromy Smith, 32; and Christopher Rischar, 41.

“They were dedicated professionals, beloved family members and irreplaceable teammates," Col. Thomas Tauer, commander of the 412th Test Wing at Edwards, said in a statement.

Watson, a weapons systems officer, and Middleton, a pilot, were Boeing employees and the company said their loss "is deeply felt across our teams, and our hearts remain with their families, loved ones and those who worked with them.”

Engineer remembered for his passion for flight

Rischar was a flight test engineer with government contractor JT4 who had worked at Edwards for 10 years, said his wife, Rebecca Rischar. She said he loved going to airplane museums and showing their two children, 15 and 14, different types of aircraft and how they functioned.

She recalled how her husband’s father, who also works at the base and had seen the crash, called her to ask if Christopher had been flying.

“I knew he was on that flight,” she said Wednesday. “It was routine, and if the plane went up, he was going up with it.”

Rebecca and Christopher met at a church youth group while attending the same high school in nearby Lancaster and had celebrated their 17th wedding anniversary in April. He had just started helping their teenage daughter learn how to drive.

“Our marriage is not just for this life here on Earth but for eternity, so we are sealed together,” she told The Associated Press.

Bomber was part of a test program

The B-52 that crashed Monday was taking part in a test mission as part of a program aimed at making the 65-year-old bomber fleet operable through at least 2050. The bomber had arrived at Edwards in December after having a modernized radar installed at Boeing’s facility in San Antonio, an Air Force press release said at the time.

The plan was to use the bomber as a testbed throughout 2026 to help military officials decide whether to proceed with the B-52 Radar Modernization Program, the Air Force said.

For almost a decade before the plane served as a testing platform, it was based in Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, where the bomber was the flagship of the 307th Bomb Wing.

Its pilot, Col. Bruce Cox — an alumni of Texas A&M -- dubbed the bomber “The Spirit of Aggieland.” An Air Force press release from 2015 said that the bomber was “dedicated to former and future cadets that graduated from Texas A&M; University’s Corps of Cadets Program.”

Cox would go on to take his final flight aboard the bomber in 2017 before retirement, according to the unit’s Facebook page.

The crash came quickly

The aircraft took off shortly before noon on a clear day, heading southwest into the prevailing winds. It flew straight and crashed on the same 15,000-foot (4,572-meter) runway. The compact wreckage indicates the plane dropped sharply.

Aviation safety experts have said their first thoughts about what might have caused the crash were about a malfunction in the flight controls or engines, but it is much too early to know. Investigators will consider several factors, including the age and maintenance of the plane.

Aerial footage showed virtually nothing left of the aircraft that went down at the base in the Mojave Desert about 100 miles (161 km) northeast of Los Angeles.

Lauren Smith told Eyewitness News KBAK-CBS and FOX58 that her husband, Jeromy Smith, was a flight test engineer for the U.S. Department of Defense and died doing what he loved.

“It is such a horrible hurt, and I’m still processing everything that happened,” she said Tuesday.

The B-52, a long-range bomber that entered service in 1955, is designed to carry both conventional and nuclear weapons. It has been used in conflicts involving the U.S. military from Vietnam to Iran. .

Edwards is home to the 412th Test Wing, which conducts regular developmental testing of all Air Force aircraft, weapons systems, software and components before purchase by the service as well as throughout their life span. Test missions take place at Edwards daily, officials said.

The base is where Air Force test pilot Chuck Yeager reached a speed of Mach 1.05 and broke the sound barrier in 1947.

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Rush reported from Portland, Oregon, and Toropin from Washington, D.C. Associated Press journalist Josh Funk contributed from Omaha, Nebraska.

“Dinosaurs in Motion” is now open at The DoSeum through Sept. 7, featuring 14 life-size dinosaur sculptures made entirely from recycled metal.

KSAT’s Sarah Acosta took her 1-year-old daughter Dotty to the exhibit, and Dotty gives her professional toddler review.

Created by late artist and master sculptor John Payne, the exhibit blends art, engineering and paleontology into a hands-on experience where visitors can interact with many of the dinosaurs using levers, pulleys and remote controls.

A towering Tyrannosaurus Rex greets guests in the museum’s front lobby, while other sculptures throughout the exhibit allow children to explore how movement and mechanics work.

The exhibit is designed to encourage kids to think about science, engineering and design while having fun.

The DoSeum says the exhibit has also inspired a summer of related programming focused on science, art and hands-on discovery.

The exhibit, sponsored by the H-E-B Tournament of Champions Charitable Trust, is included with museum admission.

The DoSeum is located at 2800 Broadway and is open daily.

For more information and admission details, visit The DoSeum’s website.

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They say based on past history, there could be a summertime spike in car burglaries in the city.

Lately, they said, these criminals seem to be looking for more than just spare change left in the vehicles.

“They’re following people from the banks and ATMs and people are leaving their money, their cash in the vehicles,” said detective Yolanda Sandoval with the San Antonio Police Department’s Property Crimes Task Force.

The practice is what law enforcement calls “jugging.”

>> Car burglars target vehicles of spring break visitors at West Side hotels

Sandoval said in some cases, the criminals have walked away with thousands of dollars.

Also of concern for the task force is the issue of guns being left behind by their owners, then stolen from their cars.

“They’ll think, ‘Oh, it’s in my glove compartment. It’s in my middle compartment,’ but it’s not safe there,” Sandoval said.

While she was not able to confirm a destination for those stolen weapons, other officers previously have told KSAT 12 News the guns could be used in other crimes or sold to people in other countries.

In one recent crime spree at a North Side hotel earlier this month, burglars appeared to have their sights set on pickups.

They broke into at least seven vehicles parked at the business off Isom Road. Four of them were pickups.

“I think a lot of times people think that because it’s a truck, yeah, there might be more firearms in there. Sometimes there are,” Sandoval said.

Although cash and weapons are hot in demand by these burglars, police say car owners shouldn’t leave anything to temptation.

“You leave a purse, you leave a backpack, a cellphone, it’s easy to grab,” Sandoval said.

In one case, she said, even a bag of trash prompted a break-in by a car burglar.

The bottom line is to take everything of value, and even what you may not think is valuable, with you instead of leaving it in your vehicle, Sandoval said.

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The unexpectedly aggressive tilt toward higher rates would disappoint President Trump and suggests heightened concerns about persistent inflation among Fed officials.

In an unusually short statement after their two-day meeting, the officials dropped language that had suggested their next move would be to cut the key rate. The brief statement reflects the influence of new chair Kevin Warsh, who was appointed by Trump. Warsh has previously criticized the Fed for commenting too broadly on the economy.

Still, Warsh's 18 colleagues on the Fed’s rate-setting committee sent a clear message in a set of quarterly projections released Wednesday: Nine signaled they supported higher rates this year, with six of those supporting two or more quarter-point increases.

It’s a sharp change from March, when no policymakers penciled in a hike and the committee as a whole forecast one cut in 2026. The change is an acknowledgement that inflation is at its highest level in three years and many officials have said in recent speeches that if inflation doesn’t decline, higher rates may be necessary in the coming months.

Warsh, in his first news conference as chair, also underscored the Fed's determination to bring inflation down to the central bank's 2% target, suggesting he will take a hawkish approach as chair. “Hawks” typically support higher rates to quell inflation, while “doves” often support lower rates to boost hiring.

“We’ve missed (on inflation) for five years and we’re going to fix that,” he said. “When we deliver on our price stability objectives, which we will, the American people will feel as though the hardships that they’ve been living through ... are in the rear view mirror.”

Warsh had supported rate cuts last year while under consideration to be Trump's pick as Fed chair to replace Jerome Powell. Since returning to the White House last year, Trump repeatedly attacked Powell for not cutting rates more deeply.

Warsh did not hint whether he was leaning toward hiking rates, but economists saw his message at the press conference as hawkish.

“The risk that they might need to raise rates has clearly risen given what we got today,” Matthew Luzzetti, chief U.S. economist at Deutsche Bank, said.

Financial markets agreed. Stock prices fell sharply after the Fed issued its statement and Warsh spoke. Bond yields rose.

Trump, for his part, appeared to accept the Fed's decision.

“We have a very good guy over there now so I’m guided by what he wants to do,” Trump said in France, where he attended a meeting of leaders from the world's seven largest economies.

All told, another eight officials signaled they would support keeping the rate unchanged, and one penciled in a cut. Warsh did not submit a forecast for how the Fed might change its key rate.

In another shift, the Fed's post-meeting statement contained no hints about its next moves, or what economists refer to as “forward guidance.” Previous Fed chairs, starting with Ben Bernanke, saw such guidance as a benefit to the Fed, because it prodded financial markets to move rates either higher or lower, depending on what the Fed preferred.

Warsh told reporters at a press conference that guidance was not “well suited to the current policy conjuncture." He has previously criticized forward guidance, as well as the quarterly projections, for potentially locking the Fed into a specific rate path.

Warsh also said he is forming five task forces to examine such areas as how the Fed communicates, the sources of data it uses in making policy decisions, and the frameworks it uses to evaluate inflation, all with the goal of making sure the Fed is “clear-eyed and focused on the future.”

Diane Swonk, chief economist at accounting firm KPMG, said the use of the task forces indicates Warsh is not looking to impose changes on the rest of the Fed, but instead is seeking consensus.

“He wants buy in,” she said. "He’s not trying to change it by command.”

If the Iran war is resolved, gas prices will likely continue to decline and inflation may cool in the coming months. But prices of many goods and services — such as clothes, dental care, and child care — were rising before the Iran war, and inflation has been above the Fed’s 2% target for five years, suggesting that there may still be inflationary pressures in the economy.

Warsh also faces a sharply different economic environment than when he appeared to campaign for the job of Fed chair last year. Back then, he was outspoken in favor of lower interest rates, as Trump has demanded. He pointed to the development of AI as a technology that could vastly expand the economy's ability to produce goods and services cheaply, which would over time bring down inflation.

Even then, many economists were skeptical of his claim. At least in the short run, analysts note that soaring investment in semiconductors and computing equipment is contributing to higher inflation.

Indeed, since the Iran war began Feb. 28, inflation has accelerated to a three-year high of 4.2%, lifted mostly by costlier gas stemming from the Iran war. The Fed typically fights higher inflation by raising its key interest rate to cool spending and growth.

Trump has announced a peace agreement that could bring the three-month conflict to an end, but it's not clear if peace will hold. And even if oil flows freely out of the Middle East again, it could take months for prices of gas, groceries, and items such as airline fares, to cool.

At the same time, hiring has picked up in recent months, removing a key rationale for cutting rates. In January, the Fed forecast that it would reduce rates twice this year, as part of its quarterly economic projections. A big reason for those potential cuts is that employers were shedding jobs and policymakers worried that the unemployment rate would rise. The central bank typically cuts its key rate to spur economic growth and hiring.

But earlier this month a government report showed that hiring jumped in May, when employers added 172,000 jobs, the third straight month of solid job gains.

The suit alleges the group, known widely as WPATH, made deceptive claims about gender-affirming care for minors and its members profited off the claims. Alaska, Iowa, Nebraska and Texas filed along with the FTC.

“Parents have a right to make informed decisions about their children’s health,” FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson said on X. “The FTC will not allow parents and children to be deceived by medical organizations and providers who are prioritizing profit over children’s health and safety.”

The suit also alleges the group didn't disclose the side effects of certain pediatric medical transition services, including those related to hormone treatments, and doctors then repeated to consumers "false, misleading or unsubstantiated statements about safety and efficacy found in WPATH guidelines.”

It asks a federal judge to block WPATH from “future violations of the FTC Act” and other laws, and to award civil penalties and other financial awards to each of the states.

In a statement WPATH said its guidelines call for care that is tailored to individual patients, rather than a “one size fits all” approach.

“Transgender and gender-diverse patients deserve the highest level of care from their medical professionals," the group said, saying its standards are "designed to promote this through open dialogue and clear communication.”

Lawrence Gostin, an international public health expert at Georgetown University, said the lawsuit represented a “significant expansion” of the FTC’s past approach to healthcare enforcement.

He said the agency is using consumer protection law to challenge a medical association’s standards of care, and the FTC “has rarely, if ever, focused on the scientific justifications for clinical medical guidelines."

“This strikes me as especially concerning given the Trump administration’s repeated attempts to use transgender health as a cultural and political issue,” Gostin said. “The FTC would be highly unlikely to second-guess clinical guidelines in areas that do not align with its political agenda."

Leaders at the Department of Health and Human Services applauded the FTC's move, pointing to an HHS review that questioned WPATH standards. That report was sharply criticized by major medical groups and those who treat transgender young people as inaccurate.

Gender-affirming care for transgender youth under standards widely used in the U.S. involves developing a plan with medical experts and family members that includes supportive talk therapy and can — but does not always — involve puberty blockers or hormone treatment. Many U.S. adolescents with gender dysphoria may decide not to proceed with medications or surgeries.

WPATH has established widely accepted medical standards for gender-affirming care for more than 50 years, the organization’s website notes, based on “established scientific standards, expert consensus and patient-centered values.” The group does not directly provide medical care to patients.

The suit comes following an investigation by the agency into WPATH. The group sued to block the probe, alleging the agency was violating its First Amendment rights. A federal judge in May ruled in favor of WPATH to temporarily block the probe from continuing.

The FTC also launched investigations into the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Endocrine Society over their guidelines on gender-affirming care. Both of those groups also sued.

WPATH noted in a statement that a federal court has already ruled against the FTC over this effort when it blocked the investigation.

"WPATH is in a strong position to prove that the FTC is acting out of pure retaliation as part of the federal government’s relentless and targeted campaign to undermine gender-affirming care by attacking the First Amendment rights and the independence of professional medical organizations,” the statement said. “We expect the same result when we oppose this latest attack on WPATH and its mission to promote evidence-informed care and guidance for doctors and their patients.”

Fewer than 1 in 1,000 adolescents in the U.S. received gender-affirming medication — puberty blockers or hormones — according to a five-year study of those on commercial insurance released this year. About 1,200 patients underwent gender-affirming surgeries in one recent year, according to another study.

While the nation's largest professional organization for plastic surgeons in February recommended that gender-affirming surgeries be delayed until patients turn 19, most other major groups have stood by their guidelines to act on a case-by-case basis and use caution when considering surgery for minors.

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The story has been corrected to show that the proper name of the organization is the American Academy of Pediatrics rather than the American Association of Pediatrics.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Jamaica's National Security Minister Dr. Horace Chang confirmed Tuesday that the country has signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to accept up to 25 people from countries other than Jamaica every two weeks.

The deportees, said Chang, will not be placed in detention, though details of where they would be housed have yet to be determined. Compensation for accepting them is still being hashed out.

If the agreement is finalized, Jamaica would join Mexico, El Salvador, Uganda and a number of other countries that have agreed to accept third-country migrants deported from the U.S.

The move is already getting pushback from the Opposition People’s National Party, or PNP, which accused the Jamaican government of keeping the negotiations from the public.

The PNP argued that accepting the migrants places Jamaica’s internal security, international standing, and fragile social infrastructure at severe risk.

“Jamaicans deserve to know whether discussions have taken place and whether any commitments or understandings have been reached,” Donna Scott Mottley, a spokesperson for the opposition, said in a statement.

“Jamaica, like other sovereign nations, is obligated under international laws to accept the return of its own citizens,” Chang stated. “However, this new arrangement does not mean third-country nationals are being dumped on our shores. This is a structured, managed process to transit individuals through Jamaica to their final destination,” he added, drawing a hard line between repatriating Jamaican nationals and processing foreign citizens.

A U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said that the administration is “utilizing all lawful options” to carry out deportations.

While a U.S. federal district court ultimately struck down the third-country removal policy as unlawful in February 2026 — ruling that the U.S. cannot dump migrants in undesignated nations without proper notice — the policy is still being enforced pending appellate action.

Widening rift in Caribbean

As part of its immigration crackdown, the Trump administration has used a series of secretive agreements to deport more than 19,000 people to third countries, according to the group Third Country Deportation Watch, with some ending up in nations they had never even heard of.

Most deportees have been sent to Mexico, the group says, but over 1,500 have been scattered to more than 20 other nations, many of them poorer countries in Latin America and Africa looking for ways to curry favor with the U.S.

The diplomatic rift in Kingston mirrors a broader fragmentation across the Caribbean, where several governments have quietly entered into varying agreements with the U.S. to avoid crippling travel restrictions or economic penalties.

The Dominican Republic signed a non-binding agreement to temporarily hold a limited number of non-criminal third-country nationals, while explicitly barring unaccompanied minors and nationals from neighboring Haiti, a deal that also met with heavy criticism.

Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit defended a similar agreement as a “pragmatic step” to preserve vital bilateral relations with Washington, though stipulating violent offenders would be rejected.

Antigua and Barbuda adopted a highly restrictive case-by-case posture. Prime Minister Gaston Browne confirmed a framework capping total acceptances at a maximum of 10 non-criminal individuals.

Guyana is leveraging negotiations to solve its massive oil-boom labor deficit, exploring a U.S.-bankrolled framework to accept skilled, non-criminal migrants to fill an estimated 80,000-worker shortage.

For critics and human rights advocates, the legal and humanitarian risks of these third-country agreements are evident in the case of Orville Etoria, a Jamaican citizen who was deported from the U.S.

Etoria, who had lived in the U.S. for nearly 50 years after arriving as a child in 1976, had his green card revoked following a criminal conviction. Instead of being repatriated to Jamaica, Etoria was sent to Eswatini in July 2025. Upon arrival, Etoria and four other third-country nationals were stripped of due process and indefinitely detained at the Matsapha Correctional Complex, a maximum-security prison. After two months of intense diplomatic intervention from the Jamaican government, Etoria was repatriated back to Jamaica.

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

Congo, which was playing at the World Cup for the first time in 52 years, became the second African nation to make a strong start in the tournament against European competition following Cape Verde's 0-0 draw with Spain on Monday.

“The World Cup is a tournament where this happens,” said Portugal coach Roberto Martínez, a Spaniard who coached Belgium to the semifinals at the 2018 tournament. “At times the performance is not up to the challenge.”

Playing in front of a crowd of 68,777 spectators at NRG Stadium, which was mostly filled with Portugal supporters, Congo earned its first point at the World Cup after losing all three of its previous matches.

Many Congolese were prevented from traveling to the United States for this year's tournament because of restrictions tied to Ebola.

“There was not enough blue in the stands, but the players are tough and they know how to overcome challenges,” Congo coach Sébastien Desabre said. “But I’m sure that many Congolese people are proud of their team today.”

João Neves gave Portugal an early lead in the sixth minute. The 5-foot-7 midfielder headed in a cross from Pedro Neto.

But Yoane Wissa equalized for Congo with a header in stoppage time at the end of the first half off a cross from Arthur Masuaku, delighting the small pockets of blue-clad fans. It was the first World Cup goal for Congo in its history.

“It’s crazy,” Wissa said. “Fifty-two years later we are here, we are back. It’s been long, it’s been difficult. So scoring that goal, it means a lot for all Congolese, for me, for my family, for the fans who showed up today.”

Congo's only other World Cup matches came at the 1974 tournament in West Germany, when the team was known as Zaire and lost to Scotland 2-0, Yugoslavia 9-0 and Brazil 3-0.

“The goal changed things,” Martínez said. “We almost felt the fear of not losing the game.”

For Portugal, it was the lack of goals that stood out. Ronaldo missed shots wide right in the 68th and 73rd minutes. He shook his head in disgust after both.

Martínez was asked if he considered taking out Ronaldo on Wednesday.

“It makes no sense to get the best world scorer to be out when you need goals,” the coach said. “The experience of Cristiano in the box is important. The way that he attracts defenders is important.”

Ronaldo became the oldest outfield player to start a World Cup match, taking the record set four years ago by Canada midfielder Atiba Hutchinson. Cameroon great Roger Milla is the oldest outfield player to appear in a World Cup match, coming on as a substitute at 42 years old during the 1994 World Cup.

Ronaldo also joined Argentina captain Lionel Messi as the only players to appear in six World Cups. Ronaldo can move out of a tie with Messi, who had a hat trick on Tuesday, by becoming the first player to score in a sixth tournament if he does manage to get one into the net this year.

Beside Ronaldo's efforts, Bruno Fernandes had a chance to put Portugal ahead in the 90th minute but his shot also was wide right.

Portugal looked to have taken the lead in the 55th minute on a bicycle kick by João Cancelo, but he was ruled offside.

Soon after that, Cédric Bakambu’s attempt to put Congo in front failed when his shot bounced off the near post.

The parents of Diogo Jota, a member of the Portugal team who died alongside his brother in a car crash last summer, attended the game in a luxury suite.

___

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

William Applegate, 31, said at a hearing that he and Carpenter were part of a classified military program that required them to “be together as soon as possible” because it’s essential to “national and global security.”

In one instance last month, Applegate hit a security guard and was arrested after reaching the front door of Carpenter's home in Los Angeles, she said in a petition. He got there through a neighboring property. He came back in the following days, and the judge issued a temporary restraining order on May 29.

Applegate admitted to all his appearances, saying Carpenter wanted him to be there. However, he said he would be “more than willing” to stay away from her if she told him herself. He said police and her representatives were working against him.

With no attorney, he delivered the message coherently, wearing a suit and sitting at the defense table with a laptop.

Carpenter was ready to testify remotely but was not called to do so.

Her attorney Blair Berk told the judge “she is in fear for her own personal safety and the safety of members of her family.” Berk questioned Applegate only to verify that social media posts about Carpenter were from him.

Applegate said in his filing opposing the restraining order that he was at Carpenter's Coachella festival performance in April and she had looked at him as she sang in an attempt to communicate with him.

In her petition, Carpenter called him “a complete stranger” who she has never met or communicated with, and never wants to.

Judge David L. Wasserman treated Applegate's assertions seriously in his questioning and said he appreciated the decorum of everyone in the courtroom.

“I understand that it's your belief that in order to save the world, you and the petitioner must be together,” the judge said. “I expect you to obey the order, not what you think is right, not what you think the military commands you.”

He ordered Applegate to stay at least 100 yards (meters) from Carpenter and her sister and sister's partner who live with her, along with many other restrictions. Applegate was also ordered not to attempt to communicate with her in any way and not to possess any firearms.

Applegate remains under a criminal investigation, but court records do not show that charges have been filed.

Carpenter, 27, starred in the Disney Channel series “Girl Meets World” as a teen before turning to a music career. She had modest success with her first few studio albums before scoring a breakthrough with 2022's “Emails I Can't Send.” With her 2024 album “Short n' Sweet” and its No. 1 hits “Espresso” and “Please Please Please,” she became a multiple Grammy winner and one of the biggest pop stars in the world.

Craig, 44, replaces John Tortorella, who was hired with eight games left in the regular season and led the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final before they lost in six games to Carolina. The club announced Tuesday that Tortorella wouldn't be returning, creating immediate speculation that Craig would be promoted.

He was the Silver Knights' coach the past three seasons. Henderson went 39-21-12 this season and advanced to the second round of the Calder Cup playoffs.

Craig, who will address reporters on Thursday, has been in the Golden Knights organization all nine seasons, including the first six years with the top club. He was behind the bench when Vegas won the Stanley Cup in 2023 under Bruce Cassidy.

“He’s ready to be an NHL head coach," Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon said. "That carried the day.”

Craig takes over a team with high expectations, especially coming off a deep playoff run, and in an organization not known for its patience.

He is the fifth coach in the organization's short history and third this calendar year. Considering Craig remained in the organization through so much turnover speaks to management's belief in his abilities.

They could have handed Craig the job when Cassidy was fired, but instead chose the veteran Tortorella.

“Torts, very experienced, very comfortable in his own skin, very much was going to come in and hit the ground running,” McCrimmon said. “I don't feel it would have been fair to Ryan Craig to start his career as a (NHL) head coach in that way. The other part, Henderson was having a really good year. He was doing a great job as a coach of that team. We felt that the finish of the Henderson season is also really important for Ryan's development to coach in the American League playoffs.”

Tortorella guided Vegas from third to first in the Pacific Division and three postseason series victories that included a sweep Colorado, which had won the Presidents' Trophy.

The Golden Knights took a 2-1 lead in the final before the Hurricanes closed it out by winning three games in a row.

“He saved our season," McCrimmon said. "He turned our team around. Our players loved playing for him and it was a tremendous 30 games that he coached for our organization. John wanted to coach our team again this year. He wants to coach. We really wanted to give this opportunity to Ryan Craig.”

Marner speaks about ‘dark times’

Forward Mitch Marner, the team's prized acquisition from Toronto last offseason, spoke after sweeping the Avalanche about going through “dark times” with the Maple Leafs.

He was asked during the exit interviews with reporters to expand on that comment.

“I've been trying to take care of mental health for probably the last five years or so," Marner said. "I'm really thankful that I had some unbelievable teammates around me in Toronto that I was able to talk to, express myself. My family, my brother, my mom, dad, my wife, there were some really dark moments there that the thought if playing hockey was really tough in a lot of ways.”

The Golden Knights acquired Marner in a sign-and-trade. He grew up in the Toronto area as a Maple Leafs fan, but often was blamed for the team's disappointing playoff results.

Marner's led all skaters in this year's playoffs with 29 points and likely would have been awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy had the Golden Knights won the Cup.

“I think it's always important to check in on your friends, your family, people around you,” Marner said. “I think it's something in this day and age now gets talked about a lot, but still gets overlooked in a lot of ways. I think a lot of us are addicted to the social media aspect of things. You see a lot of comments, a lot of things about yourself. I tried to check myself out of that in the last two or three years.”

Karlsson set for surgery

Center William Karlsson was scheduled to undergo surgery on Wednesday for a broken wrist. He was injured in Game 5 of the Cup Final.

Defenseman Noah Hanifin played through an upper-body injury that McCrimmon said would have taken him out of the regular season for up to two months.

Defenseman Brayden McNabb wore a cage to protect his face after taking a puck in Game 2 at Carolina.

“(McNabb) had two other injuries that probably would have kept any player out of the lineup that he played through in the playoffs, which is just more testament to the warrior that he is for our organization,” McCrimmon said.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

As food prices continue to strain household budgets, experts said a few simple adjustments can help families celebrate without overspending.

One of the easiest ways to cut costs is by making vegetables a larger part of the menu.

According to BarbecueBible, filling side dishes can help reduce spending on more expensive proteins like beef.

Popular budget-friendly options include grilled vegetables, salads, pasta salads, roasted potatoes and corn on the cob. By offering filling side dishes, hosts could purchase less meat while still serving a satisfying meal.

Experts also recommend being mindful of grilling fuel. BarbecueBible suggested lighting only the amount of charcoal or wood needed for cooking.

If coals remain after grilling, closing the vents can extinguish the fire and allow the fuel to be reused at a future cookout.

When it comes to beverages, personal finance expert Michelle Jacobik said hosts should not feel obligated to provide every drink option for guests.

Instead, she recommended letting guests bring their own beverages to enjoy their preferred drinks. A “bring your own cooler” approach can significantly reduce party expenses.

Hosts can still offer low-cost homemade options such as iced tea, lemonade or fruit-infused water.

Another way to save money is by turning the gathering into a potluck. Encouraging guests to bring a favorite appetizer, side dish or dessert can help spread out costs while adding variety to the menu.

For families planning a Father’s Day barbecue, here are some current prices from local retailers:

H-E-B:

• Hill Country Fare ground beef (package): $5.49
• Ground beef chuck burger patties, 4-count: $8.29
• Hamburger buns: $1.48
• Corn on the cob: $0.33 each
• Ranch-flavored tortilla chips: $0.98

Walmart:

• Tyson chicken drumsticks, 1.5-pound tray: $3.72
• Taylor Farms Caesar Mini Salad Kit: $1.97
• Mini seedless watermelon: $3.88
• Great Value Mild Cheddar deli-style cheese slices, 12-count: $1.67

Read also:

• How San Antonio is celebrating Juneteenth in 2026
• San Antonio family reflects on meeting Victor Wembanyama, Julian Champagnie at hospital

Below is the original story from Tuesday, June 16, 2026.

ORIGINAL: The Texas Education Agency confirmed it is investigating the educator certificate of San Antonio ISD’s outgoing superintendent after he was accused of failing to report educator misconduct.

Records show Superintendent Jaime Aquino’s educator certificate is currently under review by the TEA Educator Investigations Division.

Aquino became SAISD’s superintendent in May 2022. Earlier this year, Aquino announced he would retire from the district in January 2027.

Jake Kobersky, the TEA’s director of media relations, told KSAT Investigates the agency’s investigation into Aquino opened around June 7, which is when Aquino was notified of the investigation.

Kobersky said the agency is early in its investigation and SAISD is cooperating.

KSAT Investigates emailed SAISD Chief Communications Officer Laura Short on Tuesday afternoon requesting details about the alleged incident.

Short said the district found out about the review of Aquino’s educator certificate after a reporter reached out on Monday. The district then contacted the TEA and provided additional supporting documentation.

“We can speculate that someone questioned whether CPS (Child Protective Services) was notified of an incident involving a student at one of our campuses,” Short said. “We provided the documentation to confirm that CPS was contacted by the campus. If this satisfies the TEA review, and TEA determines the review was unfounded, the flag will be removed. Flags are removed when determined to be unfounded; they only remain on record if cause was found.”

Short said the district expects a resolution this week.

On Monday, SAISD’s board voted to name longtime district employee Toni Thompson as the district’s interim superintendent starting July 1. She currently serves as the chief of staff for SAISD.

Aquino has been the subject of multiple KSAT Investigates stories in recent years.

A January 2024 KSAT investigation revealed, under Aquino’s watch, the district spent more than $9 million from its 2020 bond at campuses that were scheduled to shut down.

Two months later, KSAT Investigates learned how misinformation from the district and inadequate heating during winter weather in January 2024 contributed to dozens of schools to close down for multiple days.

Records show during his tenure, Aquino traveled cross-country at least 36 times on the district’s time. Total cost: $36,896.

The district also spent nearly $500,000 on a single expense: a consultant. Tens of thousands were also spent on attorneys to review media records requests while SAISD was strapped for cash.

Know something the public should know about SAISD? Reach out to Daniela at dibarra@ksat.com

Read also:

• Cost of transparency: Records show SAISD pays attorneys nearly a teacher’s salary to review requests

The S&P 500 dropped 1.2% and erased an earlier, modest gain after the Fed released projections showing that nine of 18 policymakers foresee at least one increase to its main interest rate this year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average went from a gain of 280 points in the morning to a drop of 507 points, or 1%, while the Nasdaq composite sank 1.3%.

One important policymaker at the Fed did not give a forecast for where the federal funds rate may end 2026: Chairman Kevin Warsh. In his first press conference as head of the U.S. central bank, Warsh said he’s also considering a revamp of how the Fed communicates with financial markets and U.S. households and businesses.

One of his first moves was to end the inclusion of hints in Fed statements about where interest rates may be heading in the future, something called “forward guidance.”

Warsh said he wants Wall Street to react to incoming reports about inflation, the job market and other economic data based on how they should affect prices for stocks, bonds and other investments rather than how traders expect the Federal Reserve to react to them.

As part of that, Warsh said the Fed could make changes to its usual release of projections every three months showing where Fed officials foresee interest rates, the economy and inflation heading.

For now, Wall Street reacted uneasily to Fed officials’ latest set of projections, though Warsh cautioned he “didn’t hear tons of conviction” behind them. Stocks zigzagged up and down several times following the release. The Fed also announced its decision to keep the federal funds rate steady at this meeting, as it has all year so far.

In the bond market, Treasury yields climbed. The yield on the 10-year Treasury, which influences rates for mortgages and other loans going to U.S. households and businesses, rose to 4.49% from 4.43% late Tuesday. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for Fed action, jumped to 4.21% from 4.05%.

Traders upped their bets for at least one increase to the federal funds rate this year and now see an 84% probability of it, up from 59.5% a day earlier, according to data from CME Group.

High yields in bond markets worldwide caused by worries about inflation have already been threatening to slow economies and undercut prices for all kinds of investments.

In the stock market, SpaceX erased an early gain and fell 4.9% for its first loss since its ballyhooed debut on the U.S. stock market last week.

Drops of 3.8% for Microsoft, 3.5% for Amazon and 1.3% for Nvidia were three of the heaviest weights on the S&P 500.

They helped overshadow a jump of 14.8% for La-Z-Boy, which reported stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It benefited from revenue made at newly opened stores, though Chief Financial Officer Taylor Luebke said the company continues to have “a measured view” of the broad sales environment.

All told, the S&P 500 fell 91.25 points to 7,420.10. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 507.12 to 51,492.55, and the Nasdaq composite sank 354.69 to 26,021.66.

A report released Wednesday said retailers across the country saw their revenue grow at a faster pace in May than economists expected, offering hope that solid spending by consumers can support the economy. But high inflation has also made U.S. shoppers feel more discouraged about their finances.

Oil prices were steadier Wednesday following slides earlier in the week on optimism about the tentative U.S.-Iran deal to get the global flow of oil going again. Iran is set to take steps to reopen the Strait of Hormuz once the deal is signed, which would allow oil tankers to deliver crude from the Persian Gulf again and hopefully take pressure off inflation.

The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil rose 0.7% to $79.55. It’s still above its roughly $70 price from before the war, but it’s well below its $100-plus price from a few weeks ago.

In stock markets abroad, indexes were mixed across Europe and Asia.

South Korea’s Kospi jumped 1.6%, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 0.7% for two of the world’s bigger moves.

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

Preventing Iran from attaining a nuclear bomb is a key reason that President Donald Trump said he launched the war alongside Israel in February, but the tentative agreement he has trumpeted leaves little runway to negotiate the long-running sticking point. The previous nuclear pact between Iran and world powers, from which Trump pulled the U.S. in his first term, took many months to negotiate.

Under terms of the initial deal, Iran would immediately take steps to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to global oil shipments and would be allowed to sell its oil without restrictions, senior U.S. officials said Wednesday.

The accord, due to be officially signed Friday in Switzerland, also envisions Iran receiving at least $300 billion to rebuild after the war and says the U.S. would work to end all American and U.N. sanctions imposed on Tehran. That is if a final agreement addressing Iran’s nuclear program is reached after the opening of a 60-day period for talks. The draft says the sides agreed to resolve “the disposition” of Iran's highly enriched uranium during that period.

Still, there is deep skepticism among both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, pro-Israel advocates and Israel itself that the deal is realistic, workable or would have any effect on subsequent nuclear talks.

“My skepticism is Iran itself. What would a good deal look like? No enrichment. And we’ll see if we can get there,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a close Trump ally and longtime Iran hawk, said Tuesday. “But whether or not we can get phase 2, I don’t know.”

A nuclear deal takes commitment to the details

David Schenker, director of the Arab Politics Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said “this administration has proven that it has a hard time keeping its attention on these issues.”

Schenker, who served as assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern Affairs in the first Trump administration, questioned whether the current administration would have the wherewithal to reach a nuclear deal even if the agreement is signed Friday.

“This is the kind of thing that requires dogged attention, attention to detail and numerous technical experts involved,” he said. “Trump loses his attention, moves on, and so does the administration. It’s like they don’t understand Iran’s strategy. They didn’t get it the first time, or the second.”

The Republican administration has maintained its confidence. Trump said Wednesday that Iran would work with the U.S. to turn over its highly enriched uranium believed to be in largely inaccessible underground facilities that the U.S. bombed in June 2025.

Because of that, Trump insisted it did not need to be done quickly and that the U.S. has “cameras on every inch of it” in the meantime.

If Iran tries to move it, the U.S. will attack and "they’ll be gone. And they know that,” Trump said at a closing news conference at the Group of Seven summit in France.

There is a general agreement on what to do to “downblend” the uranium that is buried in the rubble of the bombed facilities, but details of who would excavate the material, who would dilute it and where the resulting material would go remain to be negotiated.

Asked how the deal ensures that Iran is permanently prevented from getting a nuclear weapon, Trump responded, “If it’s not permanently, we will bomb them.”

The draft deal says “the minimum methodology” would be dilution of the material on site under the supervision of the U.N. nuclear agency. Iran has long maintained its nuclear program is peaceful.

It took over a year and a half to get the previous nuclear deal

The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, took more than 18 months to negotiate, starting with secret talks between U.S. and Iranian officials in Oman at the end of Democratic President Barack Obama’s first term.

They required dozens of direct high-level interventions from Secretary of State John Kerry and Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, not to mention a team of dozens of technical experts traveling to Europe and elsewhere before the conclusion of the negotiations in Vienna.

Trump withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018 before most of its more contentious concessions had come into effect, and there is no indication now that Iran is willing to offer much more.

The JCPOA relied on very technical language and understandings, including limits on uranium enrichment, advanced centrifuges and heavy water production. In exchange, Iran was granted significant sanctions relief, amounting to billions of dollars.

As unhappy as critics were about the JCPOA — Trump called it the “worst deal ever negotiated,” while all Republicans and a number of prominent Democrats voted against it — all sides acknowledge it took more than 18 months to get to an even imperfect agreement.

Republicans say Congress must approve any deal

Republicans say any nuclear deal with Iran should be brought to Congress, as required by law. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has said he “would certainly anticipate that” the Senate will get the final say.

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said he had little confidence Iran would abide by any agreement.

But Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., one of a handful of senators who has spoken to Vance about the agreement, said the shortened timeline could be an advantage.

“Iran’s modus operandi is to negotiate for the purpose of delaying, so they can rearm themselves,” Marshall said Tuesday. “I think the president has to give them some type of a finite amount of time, or there’s going to be consequences. So I think it can be done.”

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., noted that what could help Trump’s negotiators to hammer out a nuclear agreement in such a truncated timeline is that there is “a base" to work from following the Obama-era talks.

Still, the JCPOA "took years to put together. You had allies and even adversaries — China and Russia — around the table, you had the IAEA at the table, the Obama chief negotiator had a Nobel Prize in physics, Ernie Moniz,” Kaine said. “I don’t know that either Jared Kushner or Steve Witkoff have a Nobel Prize. So it’s going to be hard.”

Trump envoys Witkoff and Kushner, neither of whom had any prior experience in nuclear negotiations, made numerous but ultimately unsuccessful attempts to reach an agreement under Omani mediation during the first months of Trump’s second term.

There also is uncertainty about other issues besides nuclear that have been of concern to Arab countries, Israel, Europe and the United States. Issues such as Iran’s ballistic missile program, its support for militant proxies in the region or repression of its own people do not appear in the interim agreement.

It includes major concessions, such as Iran selling its oil freely, beyond the terms of the JCPOA. Only at the conclusion of the overall deal in 2015 were sanctions on Iran’s oil lifted.

“A deal is better than more fighting, but the war America and Israel prosecuted against Iran has fallen short of achieving its stated objectives,” said Brian Katulis, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. “This agreement is mostly about cleaning up an unnecessary mess and putting the best face on it.”

___

Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim and Nathan Ellgren contributed to this report.

Thursday's ticker-tape parade for the new NBA champions will be a first. When the team won the title before, in 1970 and ‘73, they weren't honored with New York's signature procession.

Why not? There's no one definitive explanation. But there is some informative context: The '70s wins came at a time when then-Mayor John Lindsay had reined in the confetti-tossing spectacles. He celebrated the Knicks at the mayoral mansion and then City Hall — august settings, for sure, but not the fabled trip through lower Broadway’s “Canyon of Heroes.”

If there's pent-up demand for a Knicks parade, current Mayor Zohran Mamdani seems determined to meet it. He has predicted that Thursday’s celebration might be “the largest parade in New York City history.”

“There will be performances, there will be New Yorkers, there will be the team and there will be history,” the mayor, a Democrat, said Monday.

The event is set to start at 10 a.m. Thursday near Battery Park and end at City Hall, where Mamdani plans to give the players the keys to the city.

Knicks legends Walt “Clyde” Frazier — a member of the ’70s champion teams — and Patrick Ewing are expected to be in the parade, according to a person familiar with the plans, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the details before they were publicly announced. The person said Mike Breen, the Knicks’ play-by-play announcer on MSG Network, was set to emcee the City Hall ceremony.

Alicia Keys, the singer who joined with Jay-Z on the indelible 2009 “Empire State of Mind,” has been tapped to perform.

“How could I not?” Keys said Wednesday in a social media post that featured her chatting with Knicks forward OG Anunoby.

Police plan to deploy 10,000 officers to secure the event, which follows ebullient but sometimes chaotic street celebrations and some violence during the Knicks' run to victory over the San Antonio Spurs. Some 650 sanitation workers have been assigned to clean up what could be tens of thousands of pounds (kilos) of debris, if recent history is any guide.

How ticker-tape parades started

New York's ticker-tape tradition began in the late 19th century, when brokerage firm workers watched parades from office windows and — apparently to add decoration — flung out the narrow paper used by telegraph-era “stock ticker” machines, according to the Downtown Alliance, a lower Manhattan advocacy group. It joined with the private Museum of the City of New York to research and list the parades.

The organizations say the ticker-tape tradition began with an 1886 event honoring the dedication of the Statue of Liberty and became city-organized in 1919 to welcome returning World War I soldiers. The first ticker-tape celebration of athletes was a tribute to the 1924 U.S. Olympic team.

The parades proliferated, celebrating various feats in aviation, war, sports, music, space travel and more, according to the museum and the Downtown Alliance.

Processions honored historical anniversaries, firefighters, the Red Cross, ship rescues, an attempted ship rescue and even a ship replica (the Mayflower II, in 1957). There were a handful of parades for U.S. presidents and dozens for visiting foreign leaders, some notorious. For example, French Marshal Henri Petain was showered with ticker tape in 1931 and later convicted of treason for heading the Vichy government that collaborated with the Nazis during World War II.

Why they tapered off

By the time Lindsay took office in 1966, not everyone loved a parade.

Lower Manhattan businesses resented the frequent disruptions, and some New Yorkers saw the celebrations as rote and manufactured. Lindsay and his public events commissioner — former Knicks captain and jump-shot ace John “Bud” Palmer — eschewed ticker-tape extravaganzas for visiting dignitaries, instead favoring more personal and inexpensive gatherings, according to news stories by The Associated Press and other outlets at the time.

By 1970, the nation was in a recession. The city events budget had been cut, and Palmer — whose salary was a symbolic $1 — was peeved about the rejection of a $372 bill (about $3,300 today) for some materials for a 1969 ticker-tape parade celebrating the New York Mets' World Series win, according to memos unearthed by the city Department of Records & Information Services.

There was no ticker-tape bash for the New York Jets' 1970 Super Bowl win, which came days after such a parade honored the Apollo 8 astronauts ' historic orbit around the moon.

How the city celebrated the Knicks' 1970s titles

The Knicks topped the Los Angeles Lakers to win the NBA championship later that year. Lindsay, a liberal Republican, sent a congratulatory telegram and hosted the Knicks for a reception at the official mayoral residence, according to news coverage at the time.

When the Knicks bested the Lakers again to win the 1973 title, Lindsay scheduled a celebration in front of City Hall and urged “every New Yorker who can to come.”

Officials apparently were startled when more than 2,000 mostly young fans did just that. Police struggled to keep the speakers' stand clear, according to a New York Times article from the day.

But the ceremony went ahead as planned, and Lindsay bestowed the team with a distinctly municipal honor: medals commemorating the 75th anniversary of the unification of New York's five boroughs into one city.

Parades for championship sports teams picked up in subsequent decades. The city's most recent ticker-tape festivities honored the WNBA's New York Liberty in 2024.

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AP Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney contributed from Southampton, New York.

It’s the latest example of President Donald Trump ’s administration scrutinizing potential theft or misuse in state programs that get funding from Washington. While the letters went to all governors, the public announcement about them focused on issues in three states where Democrats are in charge. That’s been the case for many similar announcements from the Republican administration.

“We are officially putting governors on notice,” Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling said in a statement Wednesday. “The American people will no longer tolerate the blatant waste, fraud, and abuse of their hard-earned tax dollars — no state should allow it either. If states allow it, they will suffer the consequences.”

Labor Department offers few details

The Labor Department said Wednesday that poor oversight, outdated technology, weak identity verification and lax controls have “allowed unprecedented fraud to flourish.”

In its announcement, it cited problems in California, Illinois and New York — three states where Democrats are in control.

Government audits of a sample of cases from last year suggested that nearly $1 in $9 in the programs was an overpayment — and that most of those were for reasons other than fraud. They varied by state, but many involved work-search requirements or eligibility disputes after someone left a job.

There also doesn't appear to be a strong connection between which party governs a state and how much overpayment or fraud there is.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom ’s office blasted the move and criticized “lax regulations and rushed distribution” of unemployment benefits by the first Trump administration during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Meanwhile California outperforms other states in addressing fraud,” Newsom spokesperson Marissa Saldivar said in a statement.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker criticized what he said were the Labor Department's vague threats.

“The Trump Administration continues to govern by press release,” he said in a statement, arguing that the White House has been cutting resources used to modernize systems and prevent fraud.

The Labor Department said states would receive further directives in coming weeks.

Unemployment insurance has come into question before

The nonpartisan Government Accountability Office estimated that fraud accounted for between 11% and 15% of the amount paid out through unemployment insurance programs from April 2020 through May 2023, when the nation was under a public health emergency for the pandemic.

During that time — which included the last months of Trump's first term and over half of former President Joe Biden's time in office — access to the funds was eased, and the government noticed the issues as the money was going out.

In the new letter to the states, the department said that consequences from pandemic-era fraud “are still playing out.”

The administration has focused on fraud in state-federal programs

Vice President JD Vance is overseeing an anti-fraud task force focused on potential misuse of social programs.

The Department of Health and Human Services tried to withhold money for child care subsidies and other social service programs from five states — all governed by Democrats — but has been rebuffed by a court. The department has also announced it’s using artificial intelligence to police how states and other recipients of federal dollars are auditing their programs.

The Department of Agriculture has threatened to withhold administrative funds from states that don’t provide data on participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, including their immigration status.

___

Associated Press writer Sophie Austin in Sacramento, California, contributed.

The moment gave birth to what we now call Juneteenth, and the holiday continues to grow in size and significance across the U.S.

San Antonio has no shortage of ways to honor the day. Here’s a look at what’s happening in the city this week.

Music, narration, and reflection at the Tobin Center

On Thursday, June 18, the San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum (SAAACAM) opens the week’s festivities with Freedom: The Soundtrack of 250 Years at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, located at 100 Auditorium Circle. The event runs from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The evening marks America’s 250th anniversary with a program exploring the role of Black musical traditions as expressions of power, protest and community.

The San Antonio Gospel Heritage Choir performs Black spirituals and gospel anthems, and they’ll be joined by the Grammy Award-winning Sounds of Blackness, whose work spans gospel, jazz, R&B, and soul.

Tickets and more information are available at tobincenter.org/freedom.

Freedom Coalition Parade steps off Saturday morning

The Freedom Coalition Parade kicks off Saturday, June 20, starting at 9 a.m. at Sam Houston High School, located at 4635 East Houston Street.

Organizers describe it as a community gathering where families and friends can come together to educate and remember that freedom is for all. The parade runs through 11 a.m.

More information is available at juneteenthparadesa.com.

Juneteenth Festival returns to Comanche Park

Also on Saturday, June 20, the annual Juneteenth Festival takes over Comanche Park No. 2, located at 2600 Rigsby Avenue, from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The festival dates back to 1996, when the first Juneteenth Celebration was held at the Freeman Coliseum.

Over the years, the festival has been hosted at the Carver Cultural Center and St. Paul Square before settling at Comanche Park, where it has been held for more than 20 years.

The event has grown into a popular destination for family reunions and community gatherings.

Details are at juneteenthsanantonio.com.

SA Block Party brings an upscale celebration to St. Paul Square

Rounding out the day, the SA Block Party runs Saturday, June 20, from noon to 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul Square.

Organizers describe it as an immersive environment designed for professionals, creatives, entrepreneurs, and cultural tastemakers — a celebration of legacy, growth, and Black culture.

More details are at sanantoniojuneteenth.com.

Read also:

• Here’s which City of San Antonio services will be open, closed on Juneteenth

The San Antonio Housing Trust is working on a long-term plan for what it is calling “Project DC,” or the “District of Cattleman.”

The area has deep roots in trade and commerce, including the cattle trade and the railroad, but now it is considered one of the city’s most neglected communities.

According to Pete Alanis, the CEO of the San Antonio Housing Trust, 112 people experiencing homelessness are known to live in the small area.

Officials said past development efforts have struggled to move from investment to reality.

“This is a very challenging area for a number of different reasons,” said Alanis. “And I think that no one project by itself is going to be a success as a standalone project.”

The housing trust has purchased several properties in the district with the goal of creating affordable housing.

Alanis said the organization also wants to hear from residents, businesses and community members about what else should be included.

Leaders for the project are taking cues from Housing Forward, a Dallas effort designed to provide not only housing but also services such as mental health support.

Early conversations in San Antonio have shown interest in housing for people who work downtown.

“This is a critical piece of the downtown fabric, right, and also the West Side fabric,” Alanis said. “It’s in between the West Side and it’s in between downtown. So this is a great opportunity to serve a community that’s been neglected for so long.”

The area also sits near major transit connections. It is next to where VIA’s Metropolitan Transit’s future Silver Line is expected to run, connecting people from the East Side and West Side. It is also near the railroad station and VIA Centro Plaza.

Community meetings are scheduled at Tafolla Middle School from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 18. Another meeting is set for 10:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, June 20.

Feedback from the meetings and an online survey can help establish priorities and guide development of the master plan. Click here to access the survey.

Simpson underwent CPR at the track and an automated external defibrillator was also used before taking her to the hospital. LetsRun.com was the first to report the medical emergency.

The 39-year-old Simpson was taking part in a community track event hosted by Sir Walter Running, with runners of all levels encouraged to attend. The event featured a chance to meet Simpson.

“We are incredibly grateful to the individuals who responded immediately, as well as EMS and the medical professionals who handled the situation with such care, urgency, and professionalism,” the “Sir Walter Running Team” wrote on Instagram on Wednesday.

The statement added that “Jenny is receiving excellent medical care, and our thoughts are with her and her family during this time.”

Simpson won the bronze medal in the 1,500 meters at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games. She also won the 1,500 at the 2011 world championships, along with silver medals in 2013 and 2017.

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

Sorsby plans to hold his pro day July 10 at a Dallas-area high school, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Wednesday. That person spoke on condition of anonymity because the process for conducting the supplemental draft wasn't complete.

The deadline for applying for the draft is Monday, but there were still procedural issues related to a Texas district court's temporary injunction that had cleared the way for him to play for Texas Tech this fall.

Sorsby, who is from the Dallas area, would have to be ineligible from NCAA play to be able to apply for the NFL's supplemental draft. That rarely used draft would be completed at least a week before the start of the first training camp in late July.

The temporary injunction issued June 8 by a Lubbock County court prevented the NCAA from blocking the quarterback's eligibility for what would have been his final college season. That would have to be dropped to make him ineligible again.

The NCAA had declared the 22-year-old Sorsby permanently ineligible after he admitted making thousands of bets worth at least $90,000 during his time at three different schools. His college career began at Indiana, before playing for Cincinnati the past two seasons and then transferring to reigning Big 12 Conference champion Texas Tech in January.

Those bets included at least 40 bets on Indiana while he was a freshman there in 2022, though none on the game in which he played for the Hoosiers that season.

The June 22 deadline for entering the supplemental draft was among the key factors that led to the decision Monday for Sorsby to pursue the pros rather than move forward with the legal process that had gotten more uncertain.

Sorsby filed suit against the NCAA on May 18. The case was heard June 1 in the 99th District Court in Lubbock County, where Texas Tech is located, and he was granted the temporary injunction against the NCAA on June 8. The NCAA and the Big 12 went to different courts this week.

The NCAA on Monday asked a Texas appellate court for an emergency motion to stay the injunction, and for a resolution of the case before the start of Texas Tech's season. The Big 12 went to federal court seeking an order to back its ability to use its bylaws for possible sanctions against Texas Tech if Sorsby had played this season.

Sorsby, who never took a snap for Texas Tech, played in 35 college games, 24 at Cincinnati the past two seasons after 11 at Indiana the two seasons before that. He threw for 7,208 yards with 60 touchdowns and 18 interceptions while completing 594 of 968 passes (61.4%). He ran 320 times for 1,295 yards and 22 more scores.

At Cincinnati last season, he threw for 2,800 yards and 27 TDs while running for 580 yards and nine touchdowns. He ranked third in the Big 12 with 281.7 total yards per game.

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AP Pro Football Writer Schuyler Dixon contributed to this report.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Closing the three-day summit, French President Emmanuel Macron called it a “very good deal,” adding that U.S. allies in the G7 support it “because it’s an agreement that puts a stop to a situation of great instability that had terrible consequences for our economies.”

At his own press conference, Trump hailed the deal as “historic” and said other G7 leaders say “they love this deal because they want to see it over.”

U.S. officials meanwhile dictated the text of the deal to journalists, with details released after the summit ended.

The accord, due to be formally signed in Switzerland on Friday, lays out that the U.S. would work to end all U.S. and United Nations sanctions imposed on Tehran if a final agreement addressing Iran’s nuclear program is reached.

“I think it’ll be done. They want to sign. They want to get back to a normal life,” Trump said earlier Wednesday.

The final day of G7 talks at a lakeside resort in the French Alps started late with Trump, the last to arrive, saying “I’m the boss” as he entered and sat next to Macron. The assembled leaders laughed, and Trump grinned.

The formal talks of the leading industrial democracies closed with sessions on the future of artificial intelligence and fostering economic growth. They discussed concerns that China is flooding export markets with subsidized products, unfairly out-competing their own industries and destroying jobs. Leaders of India, South Korea, Kenya and Brazil joined the meeting.

Trump later attended a glitzy dinner at the Palace of Versailles outside Paris before he was scheduled to return to Washington. Before entering the palace, Trump complimented both Macron and his wife, Brigitte, whom the U.S. president greeted with a kiss on the cheek and called “amazing.”

Resuming traffic on the Strait of Hormuz is key

Trump still has to sell the deal to some members of his own Republican party who doubt it will defang Iran’s nuclear program. At the same time, he faces an anxious international community looking for him to follow through on his promise that the deal will reopen the Strait of Hormuz to oil tanker traffic and keep it open.

The G7 leaders said an international maritime mission led by France and the U.K. “can play an important role to facilitate the resumption of maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz by protecting merchant vessels, reassuring commercial shipping operators, and supporting verification that all mines are removed.”

Iran effectively closed the strait early in the war that began on Feb. 28 with U.S. and Isreali attacks.

The deal also calls for an immediate end to all fighting in Lebanon between Israel and the Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah. That is one of the most delicate parts of the agreement because Israel has maintained it will continue to defend itself and to occupy vast swaths of Lebanon.

The agreement that U.S. officials dictated to journalists on Wednesday also has provisions to ensure “territorial integrity” of Lebanon after Israel’s latest attacks against Hezbollah in Lebanese territory.

In their declaration, G7 leaders said they supported “through an immediate robust ceasefire” Lebanese efforts to disarm Hezbollah, and protect Lebanon’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed nearly 4,000 people and displaced more than 1 million since fighting there began on March 2.

“Israel’s fighting Hezbollah too long, and too many people are being killed,” Trump said.

Leaders vow to support Ukraine, tackle global drug gangs

In a flurry of unanimously agreed declarations, the G7 leaders stressed their support for Ukraine as it battles Russia's invasion and agreed to increase deliveries of air defense systems. They also said they would bolster sanctions on Moscow, including on Russia's oil and gas industries.

Trump called the conversations on ending the war in Ukraine “productive” and said both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy want to “do something."

“They just don't know how,” he said.

Leaders also pledged to step up the fight against the multibillion-dollar international drug trade.

Trump has been waging his own battle against drug traffickers. United States military strikes on alleged drug-carrying boats transiting in Latin America have killed more than 200 people since September, when the Trump administration began an operation it has justified as necessary to stem the flow of drugs.

Critics have questioned the legality of the strikes.

In a separate declaration, the G7 leaders reaffirmed their efforts to halt migrant smuggling and human trafficking, which they said “constitute serious transnational crimes that erode the sovereign right of States to control their borders and expose smuggled and trafficked persons to life-threatening risks.”

Trump calls Modi ‘most beautiful-looking man’

Trump said Wednesday after meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the U.S. is “very close” to reaching a trade deal with India, and then went on to lavish praise on Modi as “a very tough negotiator.”

“He’s the most beautiful-looking man. He looks so nice. He’s like an angel. But actually, he’s as tough as he’s a killer,” Trump said.

The meeting with Modi came at a choppy moment in the U.S.-India relationship, in part because of the war in the Middle East. On June 10 three Indian sailors were killed in a U.S. military strike on a tanker in the Gulf of Oman in the midst of the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports.

Modi alluded to the incident at their meeting, saying the safety of Indian mariners "is of utmost importance to us.” He added he was “confident” the issue of seafarers” will be a top priority during implementation of the agreement between the United States and Iran.

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Superville reported from Geneva. AP writers John Leicester in Evian-les-Bains, Jamey Keaten in Geneva, Mike Corder in The Hague, Netherlands, and Seung Min Kim and Collin Binkley in Washington contributed reporting.

Hamilton appeared before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee at a hearing where lawmakers assessed a group of 10 nominees for administration posts.

“My focus will be to ensure that FEMA is objective, is fair and reasonable, follows the law, and is consistent” in how it reviews disaster declaration requests, Hamilton told Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, the top Democrat on the committee. Peters had asked about partisanship in granting major disaster declarations.

Hamilton had a brief tenure as FEMA's temporary leader early last year but was ousted after defending the agency's existence. At a House hearing in May 2025, he said he did not “believe it is in the best interest of the American people to eliminate” FEMA. He was fired the next day.

His nomination comes as the Republican administration has increasingly signaled it is backing away from promises to dismantle an agency that has been heavily criticized by the president.

If confirmed, he would be FEMA’s first permanent administrator in Trump’s second term. He will need to lead FEMA through what is expected to be a busy summer disaster season, while answering to Trump, who is likely to expect major changes after a council he appointed recommended sweeping moves at the agency that is part of the Department of Homeland Security.

Hamilton distanced himself from some FEMA controversies

Nominees did not give opening statements, but Hamilton received the bulk of lawmakers' questions while appearing with four others in the first half of the hearing.

His answers suggested a departure from some of the more aggressive policies considered and enacted during Kristi Noem’s turbulent leadership at DHS. FEMA’s workforce has been worn down by mass staff departures, policies that hamstrung operations and a protracted DHS shutdown.

Hamilton expressed confidence in the FEMA staff and praised the recent opening of 350 positions to counteract some of the cuts. He said that if confirmed by the Senate, he would do what he could to speed up disaster declaration decisions and reimbursements to states, tribes and territories.

“We owe you answers, I think, much faster,” he told Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo, adding that many FEMA processes needed to be simplified.

Hamilton disavowed a recommendation he included in an April 2025 memo to quadruple the threshold of financial damages a state needed to prove to receive FEMA public assistance. He also noted the importance of resilience funding, despite halting billions in resilience grants during his previous tenure.

Republican and Democratic senators at the hearing expressed support for FEMA's mission, despite Trump’s early threats to eliminate it. “I think what your agency does is hugely important,” Hawley told Hamilton.

But multiple Democrats echoed Peters' concern that Trump was approving far more disaster declaration requests from Republican states than Democratic ones.

Of the state disaster declaration requests Trump answered through the end of May, he approved about 82% from states that voted for him in the last election and 44% from states that voted for Democrat Kamala Harris, according to an analysis of public FEMA data by Andrew Rumbach, senior fellow at the nonpartisan think tank Urban Institute.

Hamilton, a former Navy SEAL, has never worked as a state or local emergency manager and has publicly criticized FEMA in the past. He has held positions at DHS and the State Department related to emergency response.

No senator questioned Hamilton’s suitability for the position.

Federal law requires the FEMA administrator to have “a demonstrated ability in and knowledge of emergency management and homeland security” and at least five years of “executive leadership and management experience.”

Criticism over the hearing format

Peters criticized the committee chairman, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., for scheduling so many nominees at once, saying that made it more difficult for senators to properly screen them.

“The lineup today severely limits our ability to have transparency for the American public,” Peters said. He noted that Hamilton was among two nominees whose FBI background investigations were not yet complete, and that two others had not submitted their financial disclosure reports.

Others who appeared included Trump’s pick for deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget, Hal Duncan, and administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, David Cummins.

Paul said the committee would only vote on the nominees when their financial and background checks were complete.

If a jury accepts that defense, the panel would convict Mangione of manslaughter and he would face up to 25 years in prison. Alternatively, the jury could reject the extreme emotional disturbance defense and convict him of murder, which carries a potential life sentence. That defense isn’t available in his federal case.

Judge Gregory Carro announced the decision in court Wednesday, two weeks after holding a secret hearing on the matter at the defense's request. He said he will release a transcript from that hearing and other records once redactions are made.

‘Nothing is going to be a surprise,’ judge warns

Carro said Mangione’s lawyers first notified him in a sealed letter last September that they planned to pursue a psychiatric defense and confirmed the decision at the June 3 hearing.

But, the judge warned, they're “coming close to not being able to put forth that defense” after prosecutors complained that Mangione's lawyers had yet to give them details about what they say triggered their client's extreme emotional disturbance. Prosecutors need to know that before they have their own psychological expert evaluate him, Carro said.

“Nothing is going to be a surprise,” Carro told Mangione’s lawyers. “I’m not going to let you surprise the People on the eve of trial. So, get it done.”

Carro said he didn’t expect the development to delay Mangione’s trial, which is scheduled to start Sept. 8. The federal trial, which involves stalking charges, is set to begin on Oct. 13.

Mangione, 28, has pleaded not guilty in both cases.

Sitting between his lawyers and wearing a blue suit, he tried to block his face with a large envelope as news photographers crowded near him at the start of Wednesday's hearing. He didn’t appear to have any reaction as Carro spoke about the planned psychiatric defense.

At a February hearing, Mangione had railed against the prospect of two trials, telling Carro: “It’s the same trial twice. One plus one is two. Double jeopardy by any commonsense definition.”

An emotional disturbance defense is not the same as a not guilty by reason of insanity defense, which would allow a defendant to go to a psychiatric facility instead of prison.

Circumstances of case could hamper defense, expert says

To establish an emotional disturbance defense, Mangione’s lawyers must demonstrate that the disturbance was so extreme it robbed him of self-control; that, in his mind, there was a reasonable explanation for the disturbance; and that it influenced him to kill Thompson.

Heather Cucolo, a New York Law School professor and expert in mental health law, said Mangione's lawyers could try to accomplish that by having a psychologist testify about his mental state at the time of the killing and the extent of any trauma, abuse or emotional instability he's suffered. But, she said, they aren't required to show any proof of a mental illness or show he was in danger.

The circumstances of Mangione's case could make it tough for his lawyers to convince jurors to accept a defense that people often associate with crimes of passion or a sudden outburst where someone is given shocking information that evokes a strong response, Cucolo said.

Prosecutors say Mangione planned the attack, wrote in a notebook about wanting to “wack” a health insurance executive and traveled from out of state to ambush Thompson, 50, as the CEO walked to a Manhattan hotel for an investor conference. “Delay,” “deny” and “depose” were written on the ammunition, police said, mimicking a phrase describing how insurers avoid paying claims.

“People want to view this within a relatively short period of time and they want it to be simply laid out,” Cucolo said, giving the example of a spousal killing over infidelity. As time passes, she said, “people are not as willing to accept this emotional response that ends up in the death of a human being.”

Mangione’s lawyer, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, protested Carro's decision to unseal materials related to his psychiatric defense, saying it will be “prejudicial to his defense to the exact same facts” in his federal case.

Last month, Carro ruled that the notebook and a 3D-printed pistol, which prosecutors say matches the gun used to kill Thompson, can be used as evidence against Mangione. But he said a loaded gun magazine and other items were seized during an “improper warrantless search” when he was arrested in Pennsylvania five days after the killing.

On Wednesday, Carro dismissed a charge related to the magazine.

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This story has been corrected to show that Mangione could receive less prison time as a result of a conviction using this defense, not be sent to a psychiatric facility.

William Blades Reed Jr., 46, was arrested Monday and charged with make a terroristic threat, Bexar County jail records show. The charge is considered a third-degree felony.

A San Antonio police officer responded to the hospital just after 3 p.m. Monday during a mental health call. Hospital staff located Reed and placed him in an emergency room prior to the officer’s arrival, the report said.

Upon arrival at the hospital, the SAPD officer spoke to a Veterans Affairs (VA) police officer who let them know about an email from a woman who said Reed had threatened to “shoot up” the hospital and take his own life in the hospital’s parking lot if his son was not present.

The woman is a veterans case worker with the office of Congressman Michael Cloud, according to the incident report. Cloud represents Texas’ 27th Congressional District, which includes areas in and around Corpus Christi and Victoria.

In a subsequent conversation with SAPD, Reed told the officer he was not on his medication because it causes him pain and suicidal thoughts.

Reed had allegedly been calling Cloud’s office to express his frustration with the hospital.

The officer, according to the report, called an SAPD detective to discuss the case.

Talking to the congressman’s office directly

The SAPD officer and detective later called Cloud’s veterans case worker on the phone.

In the SAPD report, the woman said she spoke with Reed multiple times before. However, on Monday afternoon, she said he became more than upset with the hospital’s service.

According to the veterans case worker, Reed allegedly said he “might come in there with a gun and shoot up everyone and go see everyone who hasn’t helped him (Reed), or go into the VA and take everyone with him.”

After Reed was denied services at the hospital, the report said he contacted Cloud’s office to report threats in hopes of having services granted to him.

The veterans case worker believed Reed would carry out the threat at the hospital, which prompted her to contact Veterans Affairs police.

Reed was later taken into custody and booked into the Bexar County jail on a $75,000, records show. As of Wednesday afternoon, Reed remains in custody.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or thoughts of suicide, call 988 or text TALK to 741-741.

You can also reach out to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) or the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) at 210-223-7233 (SAFE) or 800-316-9241. You can also text NAMI to 741-741.

Read also:

• Woman accused of impersonating ICE agent to avoid traffic citation, Balcones Heights police say
• Person of interest in far West Side death investigation believed to be dead, sheriff says

Senate Bill 379, one of three bills under Texas’ “Make America Healthy Again” initiative that Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law last year, prohibits the use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, also informally called food stamps, to purchase those sugary items.

“Texas is leading the way in aligning SNAP benefits with healthier food options,” Abbott said in a news release this month. “By implementing these changes, we encourage better nutrition and ensure this program helps families access nutritional food. I thank the Trump Administration and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission for their work to strengthen this program and better serve Texans.”

While the bill passed with bipartisan support, some Democratic lawmakers raised concerns about its long-term effects. Sen. Borris Miles, D-Houston, supported the bill’s goal, but said there are people in urban and rural areas who don’t have access to nutritious foods and foods that are not as healthy may be the only options to fend off hunger. Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas, said if the Legislature is really concerned about Texans getting proper nutrition, it should double the value of food stamps for things like fresh produce so benefits could buy more of the health products and give retailers incentive to stock more of it.

SNAP is a federal program that helps low-income individuals or families buy food. An individual qualifies for SNAP if they make $2,152 a month or less, and a family of four qualifies if they make $4,421 a month or less. About 3.5 million Texans, including 1.7 million children, receive SNAP assistance every month. The recent restrictions on SNAP in Texas follows cuts the Trump administration has made to the program, including reducing funding by approximately $186 billion over 10 years, as well as implementing stricter work requirements, and new restrictions on what enrollees can purchase with benefits, impacting more than 40 million people using SNAP in the U.S.

Here’s a guide breaking down how to identify restricted items, expectations for retailer compliance, and changes to SNAP eligibility.

Starting April 1, what can’t I buy with my SNAP benefits?

SB 379 bans the purchase of any sweetened drinks that contain 5 grams or more of added sugar or any amount of artificial sweetener, such as regular and most diet sodas or drinks made with less than 50% vegetable or fruit juice. Under the bill, candy is banned, including candy bars, gum, taffy, nuts, raisins or fruits that have been candied, crystalized, glazed or coated with chocolate, yogurt or caramel.

Other items that Texans can’t buy with their SNAP benefits have long included tobacco, alcohol, vitamins, medicine, and other non-food items. SNAP also cannot be used to purchase certain food items, such as ready-made or hot foods, including rotisserie chicken. In the past, the governor has lifted those restrictions during natural disasters.

What can I buy with my SNAP benefits?

Beverages with less than 5 grams of added sugars that are not artificial can be purchased. Stevia, stevia leaf extract and monk fruit are not considered artificial sweeteners. Products used exclusively for cooking such as chocolate bits and sprinkles, and sweet snack items, such as ice cream, sherbet, and frozen yogurt, ice pops, juice pops, sorbet, and other frozen fruit items containing not more than 50% percent fruit juice by volume, can be bought with benefits. 

Texans can continue to use their SNAP benefits to purchase fruits; vegetables; garden seeds; plants that produce food; milk; milk substitutes and other dairy products; bread and cereal; meat; fish and poultry; and beverages that have more than 50% vegetable or fruit juice by volume. 

How can I tell if my food falls under the new SNAP restrictions?  

Customers can find the item’s sugar content on the back of the product, where the nutrition label is attached. The amount of added sugar is typically found under the “Total Carbohydrate” category. The list of ingredients will also contain information about artificial sweeteners. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission has provided language for retailers to use to produce signage in stores, according to the Texas Retailers Association.

Any candy is ineligible for purchase with SNAP benefits, including low sugar options and dark chocolate, according to Feeding Texas.

According to Feeding Texas, enrollees will not lose SNAP benefits for accidentally buying a restricted food item. Retailers are responsible for coding items correctly, so mistakes are the store’s responsibility.

How are retailers supposed to enforce this change?

HHSC released a guidance document for retailers on how to comply with SB 379. The document lays out updated retailer responsibilities such as: confirming which products are restricted by the waiver definitions, updating store purchase systems and processes to stop SNAP transactions of restricted items, double-checking product packaging and labels to ensure items are categorized correctly, and training staff to understand that only sweetened beverages and candy are ineligible. 

Amber O’Connor, Every Texan’s food policy analyst, said SB 379 burdens small businesses and retailers with the responsibility of ongoing system updates and keeping up with new/existing products from the state onto small businesses and retailers. 

 “Texas is home to the highest number of food insecure people in the U.S. We need all the SNAP retailers we can find, especially for Texans in remote areas with limited access to retailers,” O’Connor said. “We worry that these changes will lead to more Texas families going hungry, all while adding an unsustainable bureaucratic burden on Texas’ small businesses.” 

What are other changes lawmakers have made to the SNAP program recently?

Effective since November 2025, Texans who receive SNAP must work or attend a work program. 

Under the federal “One Big Beautiful Bill” that went into effect July 2025, able-bodied individuals ages 18 through 65 without dependents must work or attend a work program, such as SNAP Employment and Training, for at least 80 hours per month to receive benefits. 

Parents and household members of a dependent child age 14 or older meet the additional work requirements. Previously, those with a child under 18 were exempt from the requirements. Veterans, people 24 and younger who recently aged out of foster care, and unhoused people are also not exempt from work requirements.

The bill restricts benefits to apply only to certain lawful permanent residents and U.S. citizens, and eliminates eligibility for others legally present in the United States such as those who have qualified for conditional entry under the asylum and refugee laws or based on urgent humanitarian reasons, such as survivors of domestic violence or human trafficking.

The water utility is looking to raise additional revenue, in large part, for billions of dollars’ worth of capital expenses, including upgrading wastewater treatment plants, replacing pipes and installing backup generators.

SAWS is owned by the City of San Antonio, though, it’s the city council that must approve the rates.

SAWS CEO Robert Puente has said that if the rate increase isn’t approved, the utility would be back in the fall to ask again.

“These are needs that have to be met,” he told the council during a June 10 briefing.

SAWS had originally proposed a set of rates that would raise the average residential bill to $18.51 — a 32.7% increase — by 2029. However, after a review of the utility’s proposal, city staff presented a slightly lower series of increases, with which they say SAWS agreed.

The proposal the council will vote on Thursday includes set rate increases to residential bills of 6.9% this year and 6.5% in 2027. However, the subsequent increases could vary in size — between 5.5% and 7% in 2028 and between 5% and 6.6% for 2029.

That would lead to an average residential customer’s bill increasing from roughly $56.68 before fees to somewhere between $71.48 and $73.60 — an increase of 26.1% to 29.9%.

The extra $14.80 to $16.92 per bill works out to an extra $178 to $203 per year.

If approved by council, the first rate increases could take effect July 1 with subsequent increases in January of 2027, 2028 and 2029.

SAWS rates last went up in 2020, though the utility also restructured its rate system ahead of 2023, which did not affect its overall revenue. The restructuring resulted in many residential bills dropping, though there was an increase in commercial rates.

Proposed increases for all customer classes can be seen below:

Read also:

• KSAT Q&A: Mayor Jones pushes for SAWS rate increase, demands $5M from Spurs ownership
• San Antonio City Council looks at slightly lower SAWS rate hike

In an overnight social media post from the Group of Seven summit in France, Trump declared he was delaying the nomination of federal prosecutor Jay Clayton as director of national intelligence just hours ahead of his scheduled hearing, despite bipartisan praise for the nominee and Republican efforts to speed him through the confirmation process.

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said Republicans would go ahead with the Clayton hearing anyway, “unless the president directs him not to appear or withdraws his nomination." But later he postponed the hearing, saying it was “regrettable” that Trump had directed Clayton not to appear.

“Mr. Clayton is a patriot and a highly qualified nominee, as the president has said repeatedly,” Cotton said. “While today’s hearing is now unfortunately postponed, I look forward to proceeding with his confirmation in the near future.”

Trump's attempt to delay Clayton makes it more likely that his temporary pick for the intelligence job, top housing official Bill Pulte, will take over when outgoing director Tulsi Gabbard leaves office on Friday. Republicans and Democrats in Congress have sharply criticized Pulte, a Trump loyalist who has no known national security experience and has used his current administration perch to target perceived adversaries of the president.

Trump has defended Pulte, calling him “fair” and “talented” in his social media post. Speaking to reporters in France, Trump called the speedy process to get Clayton formally installed a “rush act by the Democrats.”

“Why are they afraid of this guy? They’re so afraid of him,” Trump said, referring to Pulte. “They’ll do anything not to have Pulte go in there.”

Caught in the middle is the renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, bipartisan legislation that aims to prevent terrorist attacks by monitoring the communications of targeted foreigners located outside the United States. Democrats had said they would not provide the necessary votes to pass the bill unless Pulte's temporary appointment was withdrawn. The current surveillance authority expired last week.

Further complicating matters, Trump said in his social media post that he would not sign the FISA renewal without his legislation to require proof of citizenship for all voters — which does not have enough votes to pass the Senate — and that he does not want to remove Clayton from his current position as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York until his replacement, James McDonald, is approved.

Trump's post sent Senate Republicans scrambling, and it was unclear if and when Clayton's nomination would move forward.

“We’ll just have to take it a day at a time until we get more clarity on what the White House position is on this,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters Wednesday morning. He said he didn't know why Trump was holding up the effort.

“Good question,” he said.

Escalating tensions between White House and Capitol Hill

Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, called Trump’s move an “extraordinary display of dysfunction from a president who seems determined to turn America’s national security into a political bargaining chip.”

“The biggest obstacle to resolving these issues has not been Senate Democrats or Senate Republicans,” Warner said. “It has been the chaos and confusion coming from the White House itself.”

It was just the latest in a series of standoffs between Trump and Senate Republicans this year.

A funding bill for Trump’s immigration agencies was delayed several weeks when Republicans revolted over a $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” fund and a $1 billion security request for the White House, including his new ballroom. The bill passed after acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the settlement would not move forward, and GOP leaders decided to drop the security money from the bill.

Trump then appointed Pulte as interim intelligence director just as the FISA renewal was moving toward passage, upsetting bipartisan talks. Republicans urged the White House to pull the appointment, to no avail.

Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina said that Trump’s recent moves are “undermining the results he wants.”

“Jay Clayton was on the brink of having a very good hearing and probably getting some Democrat support, and now we’re in a posture to where it may be the reason that 702 doesn’t get reauthorized,” Tillis said. “That’s a mistake.”

Tillis called Pulte a “sycophant” to Trump.

“How could anybody think he was going to be a credible choice?” he asked.

Democrats say Trump is distracting from other issues

Democrats say that Trump is undermining Americans’ safety as he makes demands of the Senate and tries to put loyal allies in national security positions.

Pulte’s appointment “should send a shiver down the spine of every American,” said Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, a former CIA analyst and national security official. “The only thing more dangerous than letting FISA lapse is putting Bill Pulte at the head of 17 intelligence agencies.”

Sen. Angus King, an independent from Maine, said he may have supported Clayton, with whom he met on Tuesday. “It’s unfortunate because he nominated this guy,” King said of Trump.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said she thinks Trump is also trying to divert attention from the war in Iran.

Murray said Clayton was on track to be confirmed because “most Democrats felt that allowing Pulte to go in office was a really bad idea, and most Republicans agreed.”

Consequences for FISA's lapse

National security officials across both major political parties have for years described Section 702 as vital for gathering intelligence that can disrupt terrorist attacks and espionage operations, though some lawmakers and civil liberties advocates have raised concerns over the government's use of information about Americans that is incidentally collected through the program.

A court order from March certified that the program could continue for an additional 12 months, though it is possible that communications companies could challenge the government's authority to force them to cooperate and share data.

Trump's delay of Clayton “shows he has no interest in getting FISA done,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

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Associated Press writers Kevin Freking, Joey Cappelletti and Lisa Mascaro in Washington, Aamer Madhani in Evian-les-Bains, France, and Darlene Superville in Geneva contributed to this report.

Today on Texas Eats NOW:

ALAMO ICEBAR

200 River Walk, Ste 120, San Antonio, TX 78205

Alamo IceBar offers one of San Antonio’s most unique attractions, inviting guests to step into an 18-degree ice chamber carved from hand-sculpted ice. Located along the River Walk, the experience combines frosty photo opportunities with a rotating selection of shots, liqueurs, tequilas, and non-alcoholic beverages served inside the sub-zero environment. Admission includes a complimentary drink, while guests are outfitted with parkas and gloves to comfortably enjoy the chilly surroundings.

The IceBar focuses on quick, fun pours designed to complement the immersive setting, featuring options such as flavored tequilas, cream liqueurs, whiskey shots, and juices for younger visitors. During the day, the attraction welcomes families looking for a memorable River Walk experience, while evenings transform the venue into a 21-and-over destination with mood lighting and an energetic atmosphere. The cashless concept and timed sessions help keep the experience moving, making Alamo IceBar a popular stop for tourists and locals alike.

SMAC’N NOODLES

225 N Saunders St, Ste 7, Seguin, TX 78155

sMAC’n Noodles is an elevated comfort food destination in Seguin specializing in scratch-made macaroni and cheese bowls built around fresh ingredients and bold flavors. Known for generous portions and perfectly cooked pasta, the restaurant has gained a loyal following by transforming a classic side dish into a customizable main course. Guests can choose from a variety of cheeses, proteins, vegetables, and toppings to create their own personalized bowl.

Signature creations include the Buffalo MAC with shredded chicken and buffalo sauce, the Tah-Ko MAC loaded with taco-inspired ingredients, and the Brisket Elote topped with smoked brisket and crunchy Hot Cheetos. The menu also accommodates gluten-free and plant-based diners, while homestyle desserts like cookies and brownies provide a sweet finish. With inventive recipes, hearty portions, and a welcoming atmosphere, sMAC’n Noodles has become a go-to spot for comfort food lovers in Central Texas.

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

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The 57-year-old Hiller replaces Craig Berube as part of an offseason overhaul led by new general manager John Chayka.

Most recently, Hiller served as head coach of the Los Angeles Kings, compiling a 93-58-24 record over parts of three seasons. The Kings fired Hiller on March 1 following an 8-1 loss to Edmonton.

“(Hiller) has worked with successful teams throughout his career, connects well with players and brings a clear approach behind the bench,” Chayka said in a news release. “We believe he’s the right person to lead our team and help us reach our goals.”

Hiller served as an assistant coach with the Kings for two seasons before being promoted to head coach.

A native of Port Alberni, British Columbia, Hiller spent 11 seasons coaching junior hockey, including stints with the WHL’s Tri-City Americans and several teams in the British Columbia Hockey League, before moving to the NHL ranks.

“I’m incredibly excited for the opportunity to return to Toronto and lead the Maple Leafs,” Hiller said in the release. “This is a special organization with great players, passionate fans and high expectations. I’m looking forward to getting to work with our players and staff and doing everything we can to help this team reach its full potential.”

The Leafs fired Berube on May 13 after two seasons, following a first-to-last turnaround this past season. After finishing atop the Atlantic Division in 2024-25 and making it to the second round of the playoffs, Toronto fell to last in the division and 28th in the NHL.

His firing came 10 days after Chayka was brought on board to replace Brad Treliving. Chayka called the Berube firing “an opportunity to start fresh,” and said the team would go through a wide-ranging search.

Along with making some new front-office additions, Chayka traded goaltender Joseph Woll and depth defenseman Simon Benoit to the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday for blue-liner Emil Andrae, goalie Samuel Ersson and a third-round pick at next week’s NHL draft.

Toronto owns the No. 1 pick in the draft, a first since taking Auston Matthews atop the 2016 draft.

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

Messi's three goals in the 3-0 win over Algeria on Tuesday saw him become the joint highest scorer in men's World Cup history alongside Germany's Miroslav Klose with 16 in total. It was also the first hat trick of this year's tournament and the 55th in World Cup history.

Hat tricks used to have a very different meaning

The term “hat trick” is well-known to sports fans in the United States and, just like soccer, it is used in hockey to describe when a player scores three goals in one game. But it was originally used in cricket and is widely regarded to date back to 1858 when English bowler H.H. Stephenson took three wickets off consecutive balls. It is said that a collection was made and Stephenson was presented with a hat to mark the feat.

The term has since spread to other sports to not only describe three goals, but anything from three consecutive wins, championships or even defeats.

According to the NHL, “hat trick” was used by newspapers as early as the 1930s and the Hockey Hall of Fame traces it back to a promotion by Toronto businessman Sammy Taft offering a free hat to a player who scored three goals in an NHL game in the city.

Messi joins a list of greats to score World Cup hat tricks

Perhaps the biggest surprise is that it took Messi so long to record the latest feat in his trophy-laden career.

The game against Algeria was his record-extending 27th in the World Cup, two more than Germany's Lothar Matthäus. His first appearance was in 2006.

Messi became the oldest player to score a World Cup hat trick and joined a list of greats that include Pelé, Eusebio, Gerd Müller, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappé.

The next target will be to join an even more elite list of players to have scored multiple World Cup hat tricks.

Only four players have achieved that feat: Sándor Kocsis, Just Fontaine, Müller and Gabriel Batistuta.

The first World Cup hat trick was scored by an American

It was at the first edition of the World Cup in 1930 that American Bert Patenaude scored the competition's first hat trick in a 3-0 win over Paraguay. But it took several decades for it to be officially recognized by FIFA because there was a dispute over the scorer of one of the goals.

According to the U.S. soccer federation, historian Colin Jose helped to convince FIFA to amend its records.

For a long time, England's Geoff Hurst was the only player to score a hat trick in a World Cup final as the Three Lions were crowned champion in 1966.

Mbappé emulated that feat in 2022, but he ended up on the losing team in Qatar against Messi's triumphant Argentina.

World Cup hat tricks are becoming less common

The most hat tricks in a single World Cup was eight in the 1954 edition. The only edition in which none were scored was in 2006.

The last time there were more than two hat tricks at a World Cup was back in 1986 when there were four.

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James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

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

The hip-hop superstar, formerly known as Kanye West, announced the sudden concert that is now expected to be one of the highest attended in Alamodome history.

KSAT reached out to the City of San Antonio for previous attendance records for musical concerts.

George Strait holds the current record with an attendance of 70,956 for his performance on June 1, 2013. The top five attended concerts are below:

• 70,956: George Strait on June 1, 2013
• 54,000: Bad Bunny on Sept. 7, 2022
• 53,899: George Strait, Reba McIntyre and Leann Rimes on May 1, 2010
• 48,942: One Direction on Sept. 21, 2014
• 48,709: Paul McCartney on May 29, 1993

Bad Bunny broke the record for gross ticket sales with more than $11 million.

Over the past few years, the Alamodome has seen a resurgence as a destination for major musical artists. A part of that is the relationships the Alamodome has built with the promotion companies, but also the regionalization of the market and proximity to the border.

“I think one thing that Kanye’s folks knew is in the San Antonio market, northern Mexico market, all the different areas that come into San Antonio to the dome for these shows, they know they didn’t need a huge turnaround to be able to pull this off,” said Richard Oliver, communications manager for the City of San Antonio. “They’re going to sell fast, and folks will be ready, and they’ll know to come in on that holiday weekend.”

Below is a list of the recent attendance figures for the Alamodome:

• 48,511 on September 3, 2025: The Weeknd
• 47,288 on October 25, 2024: Billy Joel and Sting
• 44,600 on October 25, 2025: Paul McCartney
• 43,189 on May 17, 2023: Red Hot Chili Peppers
• 43,000 on September 27, 2025: Chris Brown
• 42,190 on May 11, 2024: Luke Combs
• 41,441 on June 13, 2025: Shakira
• 41,071 on May 7, 2025: Post Malone and Jelly Roll

“Kanye is kind of an exclamation point on a timeline that’s pretty dramatic for the Alamodome,” said Oliver. “This is without a doubt between now and early October when Chris Brown and Usher come in, this is going to be the busiest stretch of the Alamodome’s history for concerts. I would dare say there’s probably not a facility in the country that’s tackled the number of shows that we’re going to tackle here over the next few months.”

This fall, the Alamodome concert lineup includes AC/DC, Bruno Mars, Karol G and My Chemical Romance.

Read also:

• Ye to perform at Alamodome on Fourth of July

The San Antonio City Council will vote Thursday on $122.1 million worth of tax breaks, job training grants, fee waivers and infrastructure improvements as well as recommending them for another $20.7 million worth of help from the city’s power and water utilities.

In return, it hopes to bring in thousands of well-paying jobs.

Toyota, which opened its South Side plant where it currently assembles the Tundra and Sequoia in 2006, is deciding where to place a new vehicle assembly line in a “highly competitive” selection process.

The company has not said what model the new line would produce or what other locations it’s considering.

The city’s proposed incentives include:

• A 10-year property tax break worth an estimated $88.1 million
• Road and intersection improvements with $24.5 million of city money
• Worker training grants worth up to $9 million
• City fee waivers worth up to $500,000

The city would also endorse Toyota for a CPS Energy program that could reduce the company’s electric rates, worth $16.2 million, and recommend it for $4.5 million worth of San Antonio Water System fee waivers.

But on the same day council members vote on the incentive package, they’ll also receive a briefing on a “trial” budget that is expected to include insight on how the city can close a $131 million budget deficit projected for the 2028 fiscal year.

Belinda Román, an associate professor of economics at St. Mary’s University, told KSAT the Toyota expansion would be a “significant’” project and that the city would have already done its analyses, “So, yes, they can afford it.”

“The question is going to be: Does it play out the way it looks like on paper?” she said.

As part of the deal, Toyota would create 2,000 full-time jobs earning at the least the county’s average annual wage — currently $32.46 per hour. Román noted other strings included in the incentive package, like required spending on training, transportation or childcare for employees.

She thinks money from the project will make its way through the local economy and believes the city’s taking a long view on the investment.

“The calculus here is, ‘OK, we’re going to invest in this because the growth around it is going to be what we’re interested in, perhaps even more permanent,’” she explained.

The city’s Economic Development Department declined to comment for this story.

San Antonio’s not the only one flashing cash at Toyota, trying to bring an expansion to the South Side.

Bexar County is scheduled to discuss its own 10-year, $55.3 million tax break proposal next week, and Southwest Independent School District has indicated its support for a break of its portion of Toyota’s property tax bill.

San Antonio is also expected to nominate Toyota for a Texas Enterprise Zone (TEZ) “Triple Jumbo” project, which could allow it to get up to $3.75 million worth of state sales and use tax refunded.

Previous coverage of this story on KSAT:

• Why a new $2B Toyota assembly line in San Antonio isn’t a done deal yet

General. By submitting an entry to the Texas Eats & HOOTERS Instagram sweepstakes (“Sweepstakes”), brought to you by KSAT 12 (“Sponsor”) and HOOTERS (the “Co-Sponsor”), entrant acknowledges and agrees that entrant has read, understands, and agrees to be bound by these official Sweepstakes rules (“Official Rules”). By entering the Sweepstakes, entrants agree to waive any right to claim any ambiguity or error in these Official Rules, or the Sweepstakes itself, and agree to be bound by all decisions of the Sponsor, whose decisions are binding and final in all matters related to the Sweepstakes. Failure to comply with these Official Rules or any Sponsor instructions relating to the Sweepstakes’ Official Rules may result in disqualification from the Sweepstakes.

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Prize(s) One (1) HOOTERS Gift Card. Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”) of each HOOTERS Gift Card: $100. Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”) of all prizes: $100. Unless otherwise stated, subject to winner verification and compliance with these Official Rules, all prizes will be available for pick up at the office of the Sponsor/Administrators (address provided below). Sponsor and Co-Sponsor not responsible for loss, delay, or damage in shipping. There will be no substitution, transfer, or cash equivalent for prizes, except at the sole discretion of Sponsor, which may substitute prizes of comparable value. Limit one prize per person and per household. Payments of all federal, state, and local taxes related to the award of the prize are solely the responsibility of the winner. Prizes may not be sold, bartered, or auctioned. Prize is awarded “as is” with no warranty or guarantee, either express or implied. All properly claimed prizes will be awarded provided a sufficient number of eligible entries are received, but in no event will Sponsor award more prizes than are provided for in the Official Rules. Unclaimed prizes will not be awarded. For tax purposes, the winner of a prize with an ARV of at least $600 will be required to accurately complete and submit IRS Form W-9 to the Sponsor and Sponsor will arrange to issue an IRS Form 1099 MISC to winner reflecting the value of the prize.

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Co-Sponsor: HOOTERS, 9802 Ingram Rd, San Antonio, TX 78245

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Today on Texas Eats NOW:

HOOTERS

9802 Ingram Rd, San Antonio, TX 78245

13131 San Pedro, San Antonio, TX 78216

Hooters is a popular American sports bar known for its world-famous chicken wings, cold drinks, and lively atmosphere. The San Antonio location on Ingram Road serves up a wide variety of pub favorites, including hand-breaded wings, burgers, seafood, and shareable appetizers. With dozens of wing flavors ranging from mild to extra spicy, it has become a go-to destination for sports fans and families looking for casual dining and game-day favorites.

In addition to its signature wings, Hooters offers popular menu items such as fried pickles, loaded tater tots, Buffalo shrimp, and Home Run Burgers. Currently, the restaurant is highlighting two fan-favorite seafood deals: 1 pound of snow crab legs for $19.99 and a half-pound of steamed shrimp for $9.99 at participating locations. Combined with daily specials, frosty beverages, and a fun atmosphere, Hooters continues to be a favorite stop for comfort food and sports-viewing entertainment.

BURNT BEAN CO.

108 S Austin St, Seguin, TX 78155

Burnt Bean Co. is one of the most celebrated barbecue destinations in Texas, earning national recognition for its expertly smoked meats and inventive approach to traditional barbecue. Founded by pitmasters Ernest Servantes and Dave Kirkland, the Seguin smokehouse has built a devoted following thanks to its prime brisket, massive beef ribs, house-made sausages, and competition-level barbecue techniques. The restaurant has been ranked among the best barbecue joints in the state and is frequently praised for its consistency and creativity.

While the brisket remains the star attraction, Burnt Bean Co. is equally known for pushing barbecue boundaries with unique menu offerings and standout side dishes. Favorites include Hot Cheeto queso mac and cheese, street corn pudding, brisket croissants, chopped beef conchas, and decadent desserts like the bourbon peach cobbler taco. By combining traditional Texas barbecue with bold flavors and innovative recipes, the popular eatery has established itself as a must-visit destination for barbecue lovers from across the state.

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However, following the dayslong police operation, several of the cats died because of the harsh conditions they were found in, animal welfare groups said. They didn't elaborate or provide an exact number on the cats who didn't make it.

Since the operation, veterinarians and volunteers have flocked to care for the cats at a temporary rescue center set up at a facility run by the Ho Chi Minh City Criminal Police Division.

“People who lost their cats can come to the police station to identify their pets and help the police with the investigation,” police official Nguyen The Bao told the state-owned Tuoi Tre newspaper.

This operation is “a sobering reminder of the enormous scale of Viet Nam’s cat meat trade,” according to Karanvir Kukreja, who leads a campaign against dog and cat meat consumption for the international nonprofit Humane World for Animals.

Local media also reported that the Ho Chi Minh City police investigation into a spate of pet thefts resulted in the arrest of nine people

During the operation, police raided a yard and uncovered 45 cages containing around 400 live cats and four ice-filled foam containers holding approximately 80 dead cats. About 20 live cats were also recovered at a separate location, according to police, who said a kilogram of cat meat sold for around 70,000 Vietnamese dong (around $2.70).

The operation, with a total of more than 500 cats seized, was one of Vietnam's largest cat welfare cases in recent years, media reports also said.

The suspects admitted to trapping and collecting cats across south Vietnam over the past three years — in Ho Chi Minh City, the country's largest city, as well as in the cities of Tay Ninh and An Giang, police said.

“The sad truth about this trade is that thousands of cats every month are being stolen, trafficked and slaughtered for meat across the country,” said Phuong Pham, the country director of the Humane World for Animals in Vietnam. “Thankfully, these survivors escaped.”

Several of the rescued cats were pregnant, leading to kittens being born in police custody this week, she said.

Chris Gindelhumer with the nonprofit Vietnam Cat Welfare, who is helping care for the rescued animals, said he “saw quite a lot of tears in the last few days.”

“It’s really beautiful to see how many Vietnamese families are coming, looking for their cats,” he said. “But it’s also heartbreaking because many families were looking for their cats and didn’t find them.”

Many veterinarians and volunteers are working around the clock for the cats, Gindelhumer said.

Consumption of dog and cat meat is legal in Vietnam. Vendors must have permits to validate the animals' origins. But certain cities like Hoi An in central Vietnam are working with global animal welfare groups to stop dog and cat meat consumption in the city.

Not long after South Korea's 2024 ban on dog meat, Vietnamese officials said the government plans to rebuild parts of the legal system to better protect pets and the rights of their owners.

“This event surprised a lot of people and has raised awareness among many to stop consuming cat meat,” said An Pham, a master's degree student and avid cat lover in Ho Chi Minh City.

Retail sales rose 0.9%, up from a revised 0.4% gain in April, according to Commerce Department data released Wednesday. Sales got a boost from generous government tax refunds in both April and May, though economists say that cash cushion is starting to fade.

Excluding sales at gas stations, retail sales in May rose 0.7%.

The figures aren't inflation-adjusted so higher prices likely helped boost sales. But economists point to healthy spending with increases that were broad-based. Business at clothing, accessory and furniture stores all posted sales gains. Online sales rose 1.5%.

There were a few weak spots. Electronics and appliance stores and department stores both registered slight sales declines.

The data offers only a snapshot of consumer spending and doesn’t include activities like travel and hotel stays. The lone services category – restaurants – registered a 0.1% decline. That might have reflected how high gas prices forced shoppers to cut back on driving to eating establishments, according to Sam Tombs, chief U.S. economist at Pantheon Macro.

But the so-called control group—which excludes food services, autos, building materials and gas station sales and is used to calculate economic growth—rose 0.7%. That suggests solid spending, economists said.

Consumers are the engine of the American economy, driving most of the nation’s economic growth. And the latest retail sales report underscores that spending has remained resilient so far this year despite rising prices. Solid increases in hiring have also buoyed spending, economists said.

"The stronger-than-forecast and broad-based gains in May retail sales show that consumers continued to spend strongly despite higher gasoline prices in the month,” Nationwide Chief Economist Kathy Bostjancic writes. “The large tax refunds and overall tax reductions for households this year and the recent strengthening in employment growth helped buffer the negative drag from higher gasoline prices.”

Tombs was more cautious about the spending outlook.

“Consumption regained some momentum over the spring, but the sugar rush from bigger-than-usual tax refunds will wear off soon,” Tombs wrote in a report.

Rising gas prices pushed inflation to its highest level in three years, U.S. data showed last week, with consumer prices rising 4.2% in May, compared with last year. On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.5% last month, after big gains of 0.6% in April and 0.9% in March.

There is a tentative deal to end the Iran war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but even after oil starts flowing again from the Middle East it could take awhile for the supply crunch to ease.

Gas prices fell about a penny overnight to $4.02, down 11% from a month ago, according to motor club AAA. The national average for a gallon of gasoline has not been below $4 since March, according to AAA.

“While the deal is encouraging, our industry is still holding its breath,” said Steve Lamar, the CEO of trade group American Apparel & Footwear Association. ”Our question now is, will this agreement be strong enough for our global industry to begin recovering?”

Lamar noted that unplanned costs continue to squeeze profit margins, with companies facing higher expenses for ocean freight, air cargo and packaging. He said that even under the best-case scenario, it will take time to stabilize.

The spike in gas prices this year due to the Iran war may alter some behavior, peace deal or not.

Even as gas prices continue to retreat, analysts say some shoppers will stick to habits they picked up as prices soared, like filling up the car at big box stores where they can get discounts.

Visits to gas stations operated by big box chains like BJ’s, Costco and Sam’s Club, which offer discounts to members, began to accelerate in early March, aligning with a sharp rise in fuel prices, said R.J. Hottovy, the head of analytical research at Placer.ai, which tracks people’s movements based on cellphone usage.

Musket balls and other artifacts from one of the American Revolution’s most consequential battles were buried just below their feet the whole time.

Inspired by a centuries-old map, archaeologists have been digging in the park that sits on the site where American patriots hastily constructed an earthen fort to slow advancing British forces at what became known as the Battle of Bunker Hill.

Ground-penetrating radar identified potential locations for the fort in Boston's Charlestown section. Soon after digging the first trench, the team led by Joe Bagley, the city of Boston's archaeologist, found definitive signs of a ditch constructed hours before the battle on June 17, 1775, one of the first of the American Revolution.

“The part that’s really crazy to me is that we get to stand in the same ditch,” said Bagley, standing over one of the two dig sites, where soil is removed about 4 inches (10 centimeters) at a time, put in buckets and filtered through screens. Any items found are bagged up and identified.

Tea cups and wig curlers

So far, the dig has uncovered musket balls and parts of a musket from the battle. They also found objects likely left behind by British troops who occupied the area after the battle — including tea cups, tobacco pipes, sleeve buttons and a wig curler. There were nearly 150 combatants who died there but no human remains have been found, though a forensic archaeologist is on site to identify any bones.

“Everything about the ditch is from 1775. You’ve got musket balls, gun flints. It’s what you would expect to see,” Bagley said. “It’s pretty powerful because these things are being dropped in the middle of the battle.”

The start of the American Revolution is often associated with the Battle of Lexington and Concord, skirmishes fought on April 19, 1775. But many scholars cite Bunker Hill and June 17 as the war's first significant battle.

Historic battle

Rebels intended to hold off a possible British attack by fortifying Bunker Hill, a 110-foot-high (34-meter-high) slope in Charlestown across the Charles River from British-occupied Boston. But for reasons still unclear, they instead took a position on a smaller and more vulnerable ridge known as Breed’s Hill, where most of the fighting took place.

The battle ended with the rebels in retreat, but not before the British had sustained more than 1,000 casualties. Bunker Hill is often portrayed as an American victory, since the British failed to win decisively and it served to galvanize the colonies against the British.

Today, a 221-foot (67-meter) white obelisk atop Breed's Hill memorializes the battle.

On Wednesday, a church service in Charlestown will be followed by a procession that makes its way to the Bunker Hill Monument. A remembrance ceremony will be held there that includes a wreath-laying, moment of silence and musket firing demonstration. The dig also ends Wednesday.

Musket balls tell stories

At the dig site, Joel Bohy, a battlefield archaeologist who specializes in identifying American Revolution weaponry, marveled at what had been pulled from the dirt. One volunteer held in her hand two jagged stones — the gray one was an English gun flint while a beige one was a French gun flint. When the trigger on the musket was pulled, flint struck the steel, producing sparks that ignited the gunpowder.

They also found eight marble-sized musket balls from both sides in the battle. The markings and shape of some bullets showed they had been fired from a distance but didn't hit anyone. If they had, the balls would have been deformed.

“You can see the ramrod mark from when the soldier rammed it down. You can the little ring on the top where it was pushed down,” Bohy said, adding that “marks on the edge of the ball” show that it had been fired.

Where was the fort?

Using pick axes and shovels, more than 1,000 provincials and residents dug through the night to construct a ditch that was 3 feet (1 meter) deep and over 6 feet (2 meters) wide. They shoveled the soil in front of the ditch to make a 6-foot-high wall or parapet that reached 150 feet (46 meters) long on each of the four sides.

A map drawn by Henry Pelham two months after the battle showed a square redoubt on Breed's Hill. But it wasn't until the dig that anyone had confirmed the shape in the map was accurate. Previous digs in the 1990s had found items related to the battle and some evidence of the ditches.

“If you come to the site, we have the monument, we have a lot of maps on display, and the landscape is beautiful. But you can’t really see the fort, the fortifications that were built,” Bagley said. “Very little of what’s here visibly is from 1775. So, this trench is the reason why all of this is here.”

History comes alive

Beyond locating the fort, the dig also provides visitors a chance to hold “a piece of the battle in their hand,” Bohy said. “In a way, it makes the history more dimensional when you look at these objects from the battle itself.”

Several tourists from Colorado stopped by to watch the dig. One visitor, Greg Nockleby, who had spent a week in Boston learning about American history, said watching the archaeologists at work was a “wonderful surprise.”

“A live dig happening right now to uncover our nation’s history is amazing,” he said. “To see that there has been people here who have died for our freedom and our nation is very immersive.”

The business jet was carrying six people when it crashed onto Loop 20 and caught fire around 10 p.m., the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. 

Baer, who was also a Texas Tribune board member from 2015 to 2017, was the only person who died. The other five passengers were taken to local hospitals with no serious injuries. Most of them were released shortly after, said Jose Baeza, an investigator with the Laredo Police Department. 

Capital Factory confirmed in a statement to KVUE Wednesday morning that Baer died in the crash. The company said that for more than two decades, Baer was a “visionary force, mentor, and champion for the Texas technology and startup ecosystem.” 

“Josh was a fearless leader, a brilliant partner, and a dear friend to so many of us,” Capital Factory president Bryan Chambers said in a statement. “While we are devastated by this unimaginable loss, Josh built an incredibly resilient organization and a deeply capable team.”

The plane, a Cessna 680A business jet operated by NetJets, struck a car, whose passengers were taken to a nearby hospital with “no critical injuries,” Baeza said. Five officers were also treated for smoke inhalation and cleared at 2:45 a.m. 

After the plane hit the ground, nearby highway motorists and passengers assisted the people inside, according to footage of the crash’s aftermath. Two of them tried to break through the cockpit’s window by smashing it with a sledgehammer and a shovel. Most plane passengers were able to exit the jet on their own. 

The plane departed Tuesday evening from San José del Cabo, a city at the southernmost point of Baja California Sur, in the Mexican Pacific. It was bound for Austin, according to the FAA. 

At approximately 9:55 p.m., one of the pilots called the Laredo Airport to inform them that the Cessna was having “mechanical issues,” said Baeza. He requested an emergency landing. 

Five minutes later, the Laredo PD began to receive 911 calls about a plane crash on Loop 20. 

The mechanical issues that might have prompted the accident are not clear yet. 

“The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the crash. The NTSB will lead the investigation and provide future updates,” said the FAA. 

A police officer who was heading home after a shift witnessed the crash. He was one of the drivers who ran to aid the plane passengers. 

“We had first responders there almost immediately. There was almost no delay in response,” said Baeza, who thanked “the community and the heroism of many people who were simply on the same road and immediately rushed to try to rescue people they didn’t know at all.” 

The identity of the passengers hasn’t been released yet. Baeza said that some of them were family and friends who were flying back from San José del Cabo.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Photographer will be an engaging visual storyteller, responsible for shooting and editing news content under tight deadlines for broadcast and digital platforms. This position demands an individual who can work independently as well as alongside reporters and other team members to create impactful stories that resonate with our audience. Our ideal candidate is a proactive, motivated professional with a knack for innovative storytelling and a dedication to excellence in news production.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Operate cameras and editing equipment to produce high-quality video and audio for news broadcasts and digital platforms.
• Engage with the community to capture news stories, demonstrating a connection to the stories and the people they affect.
• Utilize creative editing and graphics to enhance storytelling, ensuring content is modern, clean, and distraction-free.
• Serve as a field producer & photographer on location, collaborating with the news team to plan and execute coverage.
• Identify opportunities for digital video content, including vertical video for social media, OTT, and website.
• Manage a complex shooting and editing schedule to meet deadlines ahead of time.
• Ensure brand consistency through the use of graphics, clean visuals, and on-screen text that align with our guidelines and storytelling needs.
• Act as a problem solver in the field, resolving technical issues under pressure and contributing to the team’s success under deadline constraints.
• Other related duties as assigned.

KEY QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum 2 years of professional news photography experience, showcasing exceptional non-linear editing, lighting, and production skills.
• Proficiency with ENG/SNG operations, and capable of operating microwave trucks. Satellite truck experience is a plus.
• A strong understanding of computer/IT workflows and File Transfer Protocols.
• Demonstrated capability in innovative storytelling, with a preference for NPPA-style reporting.
• Ability to work independently and make decisive judgments in the field.
• Strong news judgment and digital media savvy.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 lbs. of gear and shoulder an ENG camera for extended periods.
• Willingness to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as required, as well as be on-call for breaking news and travel for assignments.
• A collaborative attitude and excellent communication skills to work effectively with management, colleagues, and community members.
• A valid driver’s license and a clean driving record.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Broadcast Journalism/Production degree.
• Advanced proficiency with Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Cloud products, and creatively inclined to explore new technologies.
• Previous recognition for high performance in news gathering and news production.

Interested candidates, please submit your resume and cover letter detailing your relevant experience to jefoster@ksat.com.

KSAT12

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San Antonio, TX 78215

KSAT 12 is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In addition to complying with the requirements of federal law, KSAT 12 will comply with applicable state and local laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Any offer of employment is conditional upon the successful completion of a pre-employment drug screening, investigative background check, employment/education verifications and reference checks.

The 50th edition of the nation’s largest Independence Day celebration in New York City will fire 85,000 shells in 30 colors from six barges, as well as host a new laser show from the Brooklyn Bridge. The fireworks show will be accompanied by a vocal performance by “The Voice” season 29 winner Alexia Jayy.

TV viewers can watch on NBC or see it simulcast live on Peacock from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. EST and live to tape on Central, Mountain and Pacific times. A Spanish language simulcast will air on Telemundo starting at 8 p.m. EST.

"'Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks’ delivers the largest Independence Day celebration in the nation through a show-stopping spectacle that reminds us of the power of connection and shared experience. We’re proud to honor our 50th Fireworks with an expanded show, never-before-seen effects and music’s biggest stars for a truly unforgettable celebration,” Will Coss, Macy’s 4th of July executive producer, said in a statement.

Vozinha became an early sensation of the World Cup after making key saves in a 0-0 draw with Spain, one of the tournament favorites that was expected to rout tiny Cape Verde.

After the match, Vozinha said his mother had not been able to secure a visa to enter the U.S. to see him play.

Jeffries said he spoke to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and “asked the State Department to do everything in their power to ensure that his mother can attend Cabo Verde’s next match.”

Jeffries said all fees have been waived and travel arrangements are being made to get her to Cape Verde's next game Sunday against Uruguay in Miami.

“I thank Secretary Rubio, U.S. State Department officials, the government of Cabo Verde and FIFA for working together to make this possible,” Jeffries said.

Vozinha made seven saves against Spain as Cape Verde delivered a stunning World Cup debut. Afterward, Vozinha said his mother had been unable to gather the money in time to secure a visa to enter the U.S.

Cape Verde is among 50 countries whose citizens face bonds of up to $15,000 to secure a U.S. visa, part of President Donald Trump’s broader crackdown on travelers from countries that officials said had high rates of visa overstays. The Trump administration last month suspended the requirement for ticket-holders from Cape Verde and four other World Cup nations, but critics said it was too late for many fans.

The State Department had said it had no record of her ever applying for a visa, but that it was working on resolving the situation with Cape Verde authorities. The department said it had notified all players from World Cup countries affected by the $15,000 visa bond requirement that they and their families would be exempt from posting the bond.

A person familiar with the situation said that the State Department believes that Vozinha’s mother did not apply for a visa because she did not hold a valid Cape Verde passport, but that she is now in the process of getting one.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential visa deliberations.

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AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee contributed reporting from Washington.

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

Then he scored again. And again.

Suddenly, any questions about Messi's hamstring injury, or whether he could help Argentina become the third team to win consecutive World Cups — even as his 39th birthday approaches next week — had been answered. With a brilliant hat trick in a 3-0 win over Les Fennecs, Messi moved into a tie with Germany's Miroslav Klose for the career scoring record at the men's World Cup.

“My tears after the first goal? I’ve had some tough days. It wasn’t related to football. And those feelings were because of that,” Messi said afterward, without elaborating. “I thank my teammates, the coaching staff and the delegation for helping me.”

Messi scored that emotional first goal in the opening minutes on a nifty feed from Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul, the second off an opportunistic rebound early in the second half, and the third on a crisp strike moments before subbing out to a standing ovation from a crowd of 69,045 tilted heavily toward the three-time World Cup champions.

“At a loss for words about Leo. What can I say?” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said. “He’s incredible.”

Messi has starred in the World Cup for two decades

His incredible trio of goals came 20 years to the day that Messi made his World Cup debut in a match against Serbia and Montenegro — he scored in that one, too — and made the pride of Rosario only the second player to score in five editions of the men's tournament.

Messi has 16 goals in his record six World Cup appearances overall, and it seems inevitable that Klose's record will fall in the coming weeks. The hat trick was the 61st of Messi's career, his 11th while playing in his national team colors and his first in the World Cup.

It also was the fifth straight World Cup game in which Messi has scored.

“It makes me very happy to have lived through everything that came my way. What I’m living though now is the cherry on top,” Messi said. “I’m very happy an grateful for this wonderful group. I enjoy it so much.”

Messi upstaged two of soccer's other stars — Kylian Mbappé of France and Erling Haaland of Norway — who had big games of their own on Tuesday. Mbappé scored twice in France’s 3-1 win over Senegal to move into a tie for fourth on the men's World Cup goals list with 14, while Haaland scored twice for Norway in its 4-1 victory over Iraq.

“Messi is a madman,” Haaland said in a post on Snapchat during Argentina's game.

Shaking off injury, Messi remains Argentina's engine

Messi had been dealing with a minor hamstring injury with Inter Miami that slowed him in the lead-up to the World Cup. But the eight-time winner of the Ballon d'Or, which honors global soccer's best player, had no problems in a tuneup last week with Iceland, scoring on a penalty kick while playing 20 minutes in a sharp performance.

“This is my sixth World Cup, and I still feel like I’m in good shape,” Messi said. “Fortunately, I’m doing well, and today we managed to win a tough match. It’s important to start the tournament with a victory in the first game, as that’s never easy in a World Cup.”

Messi's appearance against Algeria was the 200th of his international career, which began in 2005 at age of 18. The only players with more are Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, who will play his 229th on Wednesday, and Bader al-Mutawa, who played in 202 for Kuwait.

Messi and Ronaldo are the only men to have scored in five World Cups.

“Class is permanent,” Algeria coach Vladimir Petkovic said. “He's fortunate to have the privilege that the entire Argentina team works for him, and supports him, and for a number of years now — decades — he's done incredible things.”

Fans flock to Kansas City for a glimpse of the GOAT

Argentina is among four national teams making their base camps in the Kansas City metro. And much as it has the rest of the world, Messi-mania has swept through the area ever since La Albiceleste's arrival in the Heartland about two weeks ago.

On match day, thousands of fans wearing his No. 10 jersey trekked into the home of the NFL’s Chiefs on the outskirts of Kansas City, singing odes to their hero. Meanwhile, during a watch party at the downtown Power & Light District, a goat accompanied by former NFL quarterback-turned Fox broadcaster Jameis Winston came on stage wearing an Argentina jersey.

The humorous moment seemed to have foreshadowed a big night for Messi when he scored an hour later, and the argument that he's soccer’s GOAT — the greatest of all time — is becoming no argument at all with every match he plays.

“It’s an advantage to have Leo because of how he handles the group and pushes it forward. Because of who he is,” De Paul said. “He doesn’t care about individual records. He prioritizes the group, and for us it’s incredible.”

___

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

In a news release, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath pointed to math gains and middle school reading improvements as highlights of the 2026 results.

“We are encouraged by continued gains in mathematics, especially with the growing number of students participating and succeeding in advanced mathematics courses,” Morath said in the release. “The gains in middle school reading are also notable, as it may be associated with the statewide ban on the use of cell phones in schools.”

The results encompass assessments in reading and mathematics for third through eighth grades and social studies for eighth grade.

The TEA said science results for fifth and eighth grades will be released July 31, 2026, following a standard-setting process tied to updated curriculum standards.

The TEA broke scores down into four categories:

• Did not meet (the academic standard)
• Approaches and above
• Meets and above
• Masters

Statewide, fourth-graders recorded the largest math gain — up four percentage points — and more students are meeting grade-level standards now than before the COVID-19 pandemic, data shows.

Eighth grade students’ reading and language arts performance increased by three percentage points since last year, while students in seventh grade improved by two percentage points.

Here is how San Antonio’s three largest school districts — San Antonio, Northside and North East independent school districts — compare to averages across the state and in Region 20, which includes 58 districts in and around Bexar County.

Here’s a breakdown of scores by subject:

Math

North East ISD outperformed or matched the regional average in most grade levels in math, data shows, while Northside ISD closely tracked the regional average across grade levels.

San Antonio ISD trailed the regional average across all grade levels in math.

In its news release, the TEA noted the lower seventh grade math percentages seen across all districts — including the regional average — reflect a shift in who is taking that test.

Under Senate Bill 2124, passed by the Texas Legislature in 2023, students who showed strong elementary math performance are automatically enrolled in advanced math courses, meaning more seventh grade students are now taking the eighth grade math assessment instead.

Below are the math scores for the state, Region 20, NEISD, NISD and SAISD:

STAAR math results by gjimenez

Reading

North East ISD outperformed the regional average in reading across every grade level in spring 2026.

Northside ISD closely tracked or matched the regional average in reading across all grade levels, while San Antonio ISD trailed the regional average in reading across all grade levels in spring 2026.

Below are the reading scores for the state, Region 20, NEISD, NISD and SAISD:

STAAR reading results by gjimenez

Social studies

The STAAR social studies assessment is administered only for eighth grade.

Statewide, the TEA reported an increase from 30% to 32% of students meeting grade level in social studies in spring 2026.

North East ISD and Northside ISD both outperformed the regional average in social studies, while data shows San Antonio ISD trailed the regional average significantly.

Below are the social studies scores for the state, Region 20, NEISD, NISD and SAISD:

STAAR social studies results by gjimenez

A full breakdown of district and campus scores from across the state can be found on the TEA website.

Read also:

• How high school students at San Antonio’s 3 largest districts performed in 2026 STAAR tests

Leaders attending the Group of Seven summit in France promised to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses and ensure its energy supply, as well as step up international economic pressure on Moscow.

“The G7 Summit in France delivered important results for Ukraine. Most importantly, we agreed on additional strengthening of Ukraine’s air defense,” Zelenskyy, who attended the gathering, said on X.

“Our partners will ensure support for our defense and energy resilience,” he said, adding they will also introduce new sanctions on Russia.

French President Emmanuel Macron said the summit at the lakeside resort of Evian-les-Bains produced “unprecedented convergence” among G7 leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, on maintaining support for Ukraine. Trump and Zelenskyy have had a sometimes strained relationship.

Zelenskyy has spent a lot of time since the war began in 2022 trying to secure international support and isolate Russian President Vladimir Putin diplomatically.

Zelenskyy was expected at a European Union summit in Brussels on Thursday. Ukraine on Monday officially started its EU membership negotiations, launching a process that could take years even as it fights Russia.

The Iran war has distracted Washington from its largely fruitless effort to end the fighting in Ukraine, and Zelenskyy sought to engage with Trump at the G7 gathering where key European leaders were also present.

Putin has tried to cut out Europe and Kyiv and negotiate Ukraine’s future directly with Washington.

G7 leaders praise Ukraine's battlefield progress

The leaders of Japan, the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Canada and the U.S. threw their support behind Ukraine in a joint statement published overnight.

“We commend Ukraine for its resilience and progress on the battlefield in recent months and emphasize there is now a new momentum” in Kyiv’s resistance, it said.

Ukraine’s performance against Russia’s bigger army has improved markedly in recent months, Western officials and analysts say.

High-tech Ukrainian drones are pinning down Russian troops on the front line, choking Russian supply lines in occupied regions of Ukraine and disrupting oil production deep inside Russia that provides vital revenue for Moscow. That has made the war, which Moscow refers to as a “special military operation,” more visible to Russians and increased pressure on Putin.

But Ukraine is short of U.S.-made Patriot air defense missiles, in part because of American stocks being depleted by the Middle East conflict, leaving it vulnerable to Russia's ballistic missiles.

The G7 statement promised Ukraine more air defense capabilities, without specifying what type of weapons.

The leaders also said they would consider granting Ukraine licenses for it to manufacture Western weapons. Kyiv has asked for permits to make Patriot missiles itself.

The summit outcome shows that G7 backing for Ukraine is “as strong as seldom before” and sends a clear signal to Moscow, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said.

Russia says Ukraine attacked a children’s bus but Kyiv denies it

In Russia's Bryansk region, which borders both Ukraine and Belarus, Gov. Egor Kovalchuk said a Ukrainian drone struck a bus carrying a children’s soccer team. A woman among the 44 passengers, which authorities said included 28 children, was killed, according to Kovalchuk. Eight people, including six children, were wounded as the bus traveled to Russia from Belarus, he said.

But Ukraine’s General Staff dismissed the Russian allegation, calling it a “fabrication,” and saying its forces did not conduct drone operations in the Bryansk region at the time. Its statement reiterated that soldiers aim only at military targets.

In other attacks reported Wednesday, a Russian drone struck an equestrian sports school for children in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region, hitting a stable and killing horses, a regional official said.

Staff at the school were not hurt in the nighttime attack, according to preliminary information, said Oleh Hryhorov of the Sumy regional military administration.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry said that air defenses downed 157 Ukrainian drones from late Tuesday until early Wednesday.

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AP reporters Illia Novikov in Kyiv, Ukraine, Barry Hatton in Lisbon, Portugal, Geir Moulson in Berlin and Sylvie Corbet in Evian-les-Bains, France, contributed.

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

The disease has sickened humans for thousands of years and wiped out a significant chunk of Europe's population in the 14th century during what's known as the Black Death. Though rare, the plague is still around today and is treated with antibiotics.

“To understand our own history, we believe that understanding the history of plague is extremely important,” said study co-author Eske Willerslev, an evolutionary geneticist with the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.

Willerslev and other researchers looked for traces of plague-causing bacteria in remains from four cemeteries near Siberia's Lake Baikal. They found remnants of plague DNA in teeth from 18 ancient hunter-gatherers.

Dating the carbon in the bones revealed that the plague triggered two outbreaks, with the first cases detected around 5,500 years ago.

The team found that the prehistoric plague developed in stages and infected several small families. It likely spread from marmots — large native rodents — when people ate their raw organs or touched infected hides during butchery. The disease also traveled between people through coughing and sneezing, the authors said.

Many of those who died were young children aged 8 to 11. Three young girls were buried side by side, two of whom were likely cousins. An aunt and nephew were found together, but her niece was in a different shared grave, according to the study published Wednesday in the journal Nature.

“People were around to bury the dead who knew who these people were when they were alive. And that’s a really human element to all of the scientific work,” said study co-author Ruairidh Macleod, who studies ancient DNA at the University of Oxford.

Kids may have been at greater risk because their immune systems weren’t as strong, researchers said.

The presence of multiple victims suggests that the prehistoric plague was capable of causing both individual cases and outbreaks, said geneticist Aida Andrades Valtueña with the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. She had no role in the study.

Researchers found that this type of ancient plague evolved long before bubonic plague, which was responsible for the Black Death that struck medieval Europe. But there's evidence that earlier plagues were just as deadly. The disease decimated not only crowded cities, but also small, nomadic hunter-gatherer groups.

Knowing this can help us “understand the steps that the bacterium took to become the deadly pathogen we know today, and that can provide clues on how pathogens may emerge in the future,” Andrades Valtueña said in an email.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

The new collective bargaining agreement that was ratified earlier this year allows the league to play up to 50 games for the next two seasons. There can be up to 52 regular-season games in 2029 and for the rest of the CBA.

“Demand for the WNBA has never been greater, and expanding to a 50-game regular season reflects the extraordinary momentum we are seeing across the league,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement.

“This move reflects our commitment to growing the game and creating more opportunities for fans to watch the best players in the world and experience the extraordinary talent and competition that define the WNBA.”

The league is playing 44 games again this season. Over the next few seasons the WNBA is adding three new teams through expansion. Cleveland is joining in 2028, Detroit in 2029 and Philadelphia in 2030. Connecticut is moving to Houston next year.

When the league first started in 1997, teams only played 28 games. That's grown over the past three decades with the exception of 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Engelbert has said she'd love to play games overseas starting next saeson. The league expanded its footprint to Canada this year with the addition of the Toronto Tempo — the first WNBA franchise outside of the United States.

The WNBA has added a lot of new TV and streaming partners over the past few years including ION, USA Sports, NBC and Amazon to go along with ESPN and CBS.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

Ezra Aguilar, 21, was terminated from his maintenance worker position late last year, days after he was taken into custody by San Antonio police on a misdemeanor charge of family violence causing bodily injury.

Aguilar’s then-girlfriend told police he slapped her and poured bleach on her face during a dispute in the backyard of his South Side home in the early morning hours of Nov. 17, 2025.

Aguilar called police after the woman used a hammer to smash the front and rear windows of his SUV.

He denied striking the woman. Aguilar said he tossed a bottle at her filled with water and small amount of bleach he used to clean a dog kennel after she picked up a hose and blasted him with water.

“At some point, she got, like, really mad,” Aguilar told KSAT Investigates as he described the backyard altercation.

San Antonio police body-worn camera footage shows both Aguilar and the woman, who KSAT is not naming because she has not been criminally charged, being detained at the scene as officers attempted to sort out what happened.

Aguilar and his parents are seen in the body-worn camera footage repeatedly asking officers to watch the video of the woman smashing the windows with the hammer.

Officers declined to watch the video at the scene. Instead, they took Aguilar into custody while the woman was taken to a hospital by paramedics after she complained that her eyes were burning, the footage shows.

Aguilar told KSAT he self-reported his arrest to Public Works management.

He was given a proposed termination the next day, which became a notice of final termination in early December, city personnel records show.

Aguilar appealed his termination Dec. 12.

On Feb. 13 he appeared in person before the Municipal Civil Service Commission, which ruled that Aguilar’s actions were in self-defense and were not a violation of city policy covering domestic violence.

The commission voted 2-1 to recommend having City Manager Erik Walsh reduce Aguilar’s termination to a suspension for time served, commission records show.

Weeks later, on March 11, prosecutors dismissed the criminal charge against Aguilar, court records show.

Walsh, however, on March 31, went against the commission’s recommendation and upheld the termination.

Both Aguilar and his father Antonio Aguilar, Jr. said Walsh undercut protections for city employees disciplined over false allegations.

Antonio Aguilar Jr. is himself a City of San Antonio employee with 24 years of service.

“Before I’m an employee, I’m a father. Erik Walsh put his name on the paper,” Antonio Aguilar, Jr. said. “The city failed my son. SAPD failed my son.”

Walsh declined a request to be interviewed for this story.

A city spokesman instead released the following statement:

“The City of San Antonio has a zero-tolerance domestic violence policy for its employees and is committed to preventing and reducing domestic violence within our community. The City Manager reviewed the facts of this case, as well as the Municipal Civil Service Commission’s recommendation to reduce the termination to a suspension with time served. However, given the nature of the rule violation, the original termination action was upheld.”

City of San Antonio spokesperson

Seven months after the altercation, the woman has yet to be charged for smashing the windows.

SAPD records show officers opened a criminal mischief investigation on the day of Aguilar’s arrest, but a police spokesperson confirmed to KSAT no arrests have been made.

The criminal mischief incident report states the woman caused $1,000 in damage to the vehicle’s windows.

The woman did not respond to a social media message sent by KSAT seeking comment on the incident.

Walsh has overruled a city civil service commission before

Walsh’s decision on Aguilar is at least the second time in as many years he has gone against recommendations from one of the city’s civil service commissions.

In late 2024, Walsh pulled the application of San Antonio Fire Department applicant Juan Torres Valenzuela.

The decision came after the Fire Fighters’ and Police Officers’ Civil Service Commission determined Torres Valenzuela’s brief use of a psychedelic drug to treat brain cancer was for medical purposes.

After Torres Valenzuela again applied to the department a year later, Walsh again pulled his application.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic violence, there is so much help for you. KSAT has a list of resources on its Domestic Violence webpage, which also explains how to identify different types of abuse.

If it’s an emergency, text or call 911. For wrap-around services, including the Battered Women and Children’s Shelter, call Family Violence Prevention Services at (210) 733-8810.

You can also contact the Bexar County Family Justice Center, which also provides wrap-around services at (210) 631-0100.

Read more reporting on the KSAT Investigates page.

But the campaign hasn’t dented China’s industrial prowess.

The world’s second biggest economy is exporting more products than ever. It’s just redirecting them away from the U.S. tariff wall and toward more open markets in Europe and elsewhere in Asia.

The shift in Chinese trade risks creating a European sequel to the China Shock that wiped out hundreds of thousands of factory jobs in the American heartland in the 2000s and contributed to the political upheaval that put Donald Trump in the White House twice.

Despite U.S. sanctions, China last year notched a record global trade surplus — an astonishing $1.2 trillion.

Earlier this year, French President Emmanuel Macron warned that Chinese exports are “literally killing a large part of the European industry’’ and admitted that Europe was “slow to see that.’’

The Europeans are clear-eyed now. China’s trade practices will be near the top of the agenda this week as leaders of the G7 rich democracies gather in Évian-les-Bains, France. In briefings last week, French officials indicated that they hope to come out of the summit with a plan to tackle the China threat.

The G7 leaders didn’t mention China by name in a statement from the summit Wednesday on “balanced, durable and resilient growth.’’ But they clearly had Beijing in mind when they noted “with concern that global imbalances have been persistent and widened in recent years.''

One possibility is that the European Union and others will build a higher tariff wall of their own against Chinese imports. Currently, the EU imposes relatively low tariffs on China under World Trade Organization rules — though it hits specific Chinese products with higher ones (up to 35% on electric vehicles, for example).

“China’s export surge, unless its leaders rein it in, will provoke a protectionist wave against Chinese imports worldwide,’’ said Maurice Obstfeld, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and former chief economist at the International Monetary Fund. “All the more so if the current disruptions around the Iran war persist and cause a sharper global slowdown.’’

Economist Taylor Wang at HSBC warned this month that a China-EU trade dispute could threaten Chinese exports; Europe accounted for a big share of China’s exports of electric vehicles, solar panels and lithium-ion batteries.

The Europeans also hope to persuade Trump to stop targeting U.S. allies like the European Union and Canada with punitive tariffs and to start working with them instead to counter China.

China Shock 2.0 is different — and more disruptive

The first China Shock started around 2001 when the Chinese joined the World Trade Organization and gained low-tariff access to the lucrative markets of the United States and Europe. In the United States, many factories couldn’t compete with low-cost Chinese textiles, furniture, electronics and other manufactured goods.

Economists David Autor of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, David Dorn of the University of Zurich and Gordon Hanson, now at Harvard, found that competition from China had led to the loss of 2.4 million American jobs.

China Shock 2.0, as it’s come to be known, is playing out differently.

The first time around China was still emerging as a major player in global commerce. Now it dominates world trade and manufacturing.

China accounted for just 4% of global goods exports in 2000. Now its share is 16% — the highest in the world — making Beijing’s trade policies far more consequential.

China has also upped its game, exporting sophisticated products like EVs and batteries, advanced machinery, software, scientific instruments and putting it in direct competition with the richest countries in the world. For example, Chinese exports now compete with nearly 58% of the exports from the 21 European countries that share the euro currency, up from 46% in 2000, according to a paper last month by researchers at the Federal Reserve and the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

“The second China shock is characterized by its companies running the board on manufacturing exports -- from low-tech, low-wage to high-tech high value-added industries,” said economist Eswar Prasad of Cornell University. “This is directly hitting advanced economies where it now hurts the most″ — high tech industries such as EVs and high-end robotics that many countries “had been counting on for a manufacturing revival.’’

Germany has taken a hit from Chinese exports

Germany has been hit hard. German companies once grew fat on exports to China but the situation has reversed: China now sells more goods to Germany than it buys. And German companies are struggling to compete with the Chinese rivals in industrial machinery, construction equipment, cars and chemicals – all mainstays of Germany’s export-oriented economy.

Partly because of the competition from China, Germany’s economy has stagnated, shrinking in 2023 and 2024 and growing just 0.2% last year.

The United States is less vulnerable than it was in the 2000s. Trump’s tariffs have kept out a lot of Chinese products. Exports of Chinese goods to the United States dropped 37% from January through April this year, versus the same period of 2025, the U.S. Commerce Department reports.

The United States is also in a stronger economic position because it produces its own energy — unlike the EU and Japan — and is enjoying a boom in productivity and investment in artificial intelligence.

Despite Trump’s tariffs and diminished sales to the United States, China is benefiting from soaring demand for its low-cost EVs and from AI investment, which generates sales of Chinese electrical components and machinery for data centers.

Exports from China to the 27-nation EU climbed 16.4% in January to May from a year earlier. For France, that meant that its trade deficit with China, according to Beijing’s customs statistics, rose to $5.3 billion from $3.3 billion a year earlier.

Chinese policies contribute to the problem

Economists say China’s policies encourage factories to overproduce and consumers to underspend. For example, state-run Chinese banks pay low interest rates to savers but offer cheap loans to government-owned manufacturers. A flimsy social safety net pressures Chinese families to save, not spend, to build a financial buffer against old age and medical problems.

Obstfeld said the policies are partly meant to keep factories busy and workers employed. “The result is an excess domestic supply of manufactured products, which must be exported abroad,’’ he said. So low-priced Chinese products flood world markets and threaten to put European and other factories out of business.

Beijing also has encouraged companies to compete ruthlessly against each other at home. “The rest of the world is ill prepared to compete with these apex predators,’’ Autor and Hanson wrote in a New York Times column last year.

China has repeatedly promised to rein in overproduction and encourage consumer spending – as the United States and other countries have urged for decades. That would make its economy less reliant on exports and its consumers better off. It would also give U.S. and European an expanding market to sell into. “The leadership has long said this is a goal,’’ Obstfeld said, “but they have been slow to act as if they mean it.’’

“Countries with large and persistent external surpluses should strengthen domestic sources of growth,” the G7 leaders’ statement said. “Depending on national circumstances, such growth policies could include lifting constraints on private demand growth; improving social safety nets; avoiding distortive policies with negative spillovers to other countries.’’

Former U.S. trade negotiator Wendy Cutler, now senior vice president at the Asia Society Policy Institute, says that “Beijing has been relying on the rest of the world to address its overcapacity problem.”

“However, this unsustainable situation may soon change if the EU and others take steps to halt Chinese imports, following the U.S. lead,’’ she added.

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AP Business Writer Chan Ho-him in Hong Kong, AP Chief Correspondent John Leicester and Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed.

Kurtenbach reported from Bangkok and McHugh from Frankfurt, Germany

“It was just kind of normal,” said Ricky, a 17-year-old recent graduate in Superior, Wisconsin. “Kids were vaping in class, in the bathrooms, wherever.”

Nationally, nearly 6% of middle and high school students — amounting to 1.63 million kids — reported using electronic cigarettes in 2024, federal figures show. Although that is down from previous years, e-cigarettes remain the most commonly used tobacco products among teens, and nearly 9 out of 10 of kids choose flavored products.

Some doctors are concerned that youth vaping rates may rise again. The Food and Drug Administration recently announced its first authorization of fruit-flavored vapes intended for adults interested in quitting or cutting back on more harmful traditional cigarettes. The policy shift came after months of appeals to President Donald Trump from the vaping industry. An FDA memo released this week said these fruit-flavored e-cigarettes are not significantly better at helping smokers quit than tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes.

“I understand the goal of giving adult smokers a less harmful off-ramp, but fruit and sweet flavors are precisely what draw young people in,” said Dr. Scott Hadland at Mass General Brigham for Children and Harvard Medical School. “I worry this could erode the hard-won progress that brought teen vaping to its lowest level in roughly a decade.”

Experts say there are ways parents can counteract the allure of e-cigarettes, teach kids about the dangers of vaping and help them quit.

Vaping poses many dangers to kids

Dr. Devika Rao sees lots of kids with respiratory problems caused by vaping, including coughing, worsening asthma, bronchitis and more severe types of lung disease.

Studies show teens who vape report higher rates of wheezing, shortness of breath and a reduced ability to tolerate exercise. Gaby Cuadra of Miami, who vaped for nine years starting at age 15, remembers how it hurt her high school track and field performance.

“As the years kept going on and I would keep vaping, the distances that I used to be able to run, I, like, couldn’t do them anymore,” said Cuadra, 25. “I would run out of breath.”

While an e-cigarette's aerosol doesn't contain most of the 7,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, most vapes “emit numerous potentially toxic substances,” according to a comprehensive 2018 consensus report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. Researchers said the long-term health effects of e-cigarettes are not yet clear.

One of the biggest dangers of vaping is nicotine addiction, which can disrupt the developing brain and affect attention, learning and mood.

“The addiction factor cannot be overstated enough,” said Rao at Children's Health in Dallas. “Adolescent brains are primed for addiction.”

How to talk to your child about vaping

Start by asking questions, experts advise. You can raise the issue by, for example, pointing out a new vape shop.

“Start open-ended conversations,” Rao said.

Ask what your child knows about vaping and its harms, whether they've seen e-cigarettes and if their friends are using them.

Even if your kid is already vaping, Rao said, take a deep breath and don’t yell. Be nonjudgmental.

Consider what your child may see on social media, where some influencers call nicotine a “hack” for stress relief. Some studies show that many people misinterpret the curbing of nicotine withdrawal symptoms as stress or anxiety relief and that quitting reduces stress. A 2025 study in the journal Tobacco Control said vaping may be linked to adverse mental health outcomes and that those who quit “experience fewer urges to vape, reduced anxiety, and stabilized mood.”

Teens’ decisions are often based on their peers and what’s cool, said Anthony Alberg of the University of South Carolina, a member of the expert committee that produced the National Academies vaping report. Tell your teen they don’t have to succumb to peer pressure and that their friends should want to be friends whether they vape or not.

Younger children, Alberg said, may be more likely to listen to arguments about health effects, such as comparing vaping to “putting poison in your system.”

Arming kids with information is better than simply trying to limit access to vapes, experts said, since age restrictions often don’t keep them out of kids’ hands.

“Most teens get e-cigarettes from friends, older peers or online sellers rather than buying them in a store,” Hadland said.

A teen’s journey through vaping and quitting

When Ricky first tried e-cigarettes, he used an older cousin’s vape. Later, an older friend bought e-cigarettes for him and his friends. He particularly liked the flavors blue raspberry, strawberry, watermelon and kiwi.

In the early days, he thought vaping helped him with his ADHD.

“What I didn’t realize is that because I was addicted to nicotine, when I didn’t have it, I’d be anxious and really couldn’t focus,” he said. "Instead of being something that helped me, it just made things worse.”

Vaping also sapped his stamina, made it harder to sleep, worsened his asthma and compromised his performance as a football player and wrestler.

Eventually, he got into trouble with his school and parents for vaping and selling vapes to others. He began meeting with a school social worker and joined the American Lung Association’s Not On Tobacco program, which helps teens to quit.

The first couple of weeks were extremely difficult. But eventually, he stopped thinking about vaping as much. He quit for good in 2022.

Like Ricky, most middle and high school students who vape want to quit, researchers have found.

Parents can help them by first seeing their doctor, who can connect them with counseling or free text-message quit programs for young people.

For kids who vape heavily, Hadland said doctors may consider medications like Chantix or nicotine replacement therapy as part of a supervised quitting plan.

Cuadra quit after giving up e-cigarettes for Lent, assisted by a free program developed by Truth Initiative and Mayo Clinic called EX, which provides text message support, advice and encouragement.

“The best thing I ever did for myself was quit vaping,” said Cuadra, who has shared her story on social media.

Since Ricky gave up vaping, he’s also shared what he learned. Usually, he asks his peers what triggers their vaping and how they can avoid those situations, as he did.

“I tell them, like, ‘I’m not here to judge you,’” he said. “'I’m here to help you.'”

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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This story has been corrected to show the name of an interview subject is Gaby Cuadra, not Cuandra.

Officers responded to the crash around 2:20 a.m. on the Interstate 37 and Interstate 35 interchange ramp, which is located above Broadway.

A man around 20 to 30 years old was thrown off the motorcycle after failing to control his speed and hitting a concrete barrier, SAPD said.

The motorcyclist then fell approximately 40 feet to his death, officers said.

The man was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival, SAPD said.

This is a developing story. Check back later for updates.

Read also:

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• SAPD: Teen found shot in middle of North Side street dies at hospital

Robert Kuzovkov, known by the pseudonym Semyon Skrepetsky, was shot and killed at close range near his home in the eastern Polish city of Biala Podlaska on Monday, prosecutors said Tuesday.

“Everything points to this being a political murder," Tusk said at a news briefing in Warsaw. “But we must wait for evidence or more concrete indications. Because if that was the case — if it was ordered by Russia — then it is an extremely serious matter internationally. It would constitute state terrorism.”

Polish investigators initially detained two Belarusian citizens but Tusk said Tuesday that they had been released because authorities had no evidence that they were directly involved in the killing.

Tusk stressed that law enforcement authorities are still collecting evidence.

“The case is difficult. If there’s a hired killer involved, it’s unfortunately not easy to identify such a person,” Tusk said, adding that Skrepetsky had been offered protection by Polish authorities but he had refused it.

Through his art, Skrepetsky “expressed criticism of the current policies of the Russian authorities,” Polish prosecutors said in a statement Tuesday.

He painted unflattering portraits of Putin, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and other high-ranking Russian officials. One depicts Putin being cradled in the arms of the Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.

On Sunday, he posted a video on his YouTube channel showing him in Berlin putting a Russian flag in a trash can on June 12, the holiday marking Russia’s sovereignty.

Prosecutors said the artist was approached near his home around 9:45 a.m. Monday by an unidentified man who fired two shots at him, then shot him three more times at close range before fleeing. Prosecutors said the victim died at the scene of gunshot wounds to the head, chest and back.

Since it invaded Ukraine in 2022, Russia has been accused of trying to assassinate its opponents abroad, including targeting exiled activists in France and Lithuania.

Officials in Germany have also broken up plots targeting the head of a German weapons supplier to Ukraine and a Ukrainian military official.

Polish authorities arrested a man in 2024 in what they said was a plot to assassinate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. That same year, a Russian helicopter pilot who defected was killed in Spain, with Russian operatives as the prime suspects.