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Bexar County emergency officials are urging residents to prepare by checking flood risks at home and work, and along daily routes.

The Bexar County Office of Emergency Management said people should know whether their home, workplace or commute is in a floodplain. Officials also encouraged residents to plan ahead in case low-water crossings become dangerous or are closed.

“Make sure you’ve got a way to get emergency alerts,” said Michael Morlan, deputy chief with Bexar County OEM. “Make sure your phone’s turned on for those emergency alerts.”

Morlan said planning a route in advance can help drivers avoid low-water crossings if water begins flowing over roads.

“We want to make sure that you’re avoiding those low-water crossings if those do get closed or water does flow over those roads,” Morlan said. “We want to make sure that you’re planning that route appropriately as you go to work, as you go to school.”

Residents can check low-water crossing conditions and sign up for alerts at BexarFlood.org.

Officials also recommend bringing pets inside or moving them to higher ground before severe weather arrives. Pet owners should have veterinary records ready in case they need to evacuate or seek shelter.

Emergency officials reminded residents that under Texas law, pets must have access to a safe place away from severe weather.

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Rescuers early Thursday searched for a fifth person who was reported to be in the aircraft and was missing, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said in a social media post.

First responders were called to the crash shortly before 8 p.m. Wednesday and pulled four people from the water. Two were pronounced dead at the scene and two were brought in stable condition to hospitals on the mainland, the fire department said.

“This remains an active scene with search and rescue operations continuing throughout the night,” the department said.

The National Transportation Safety Board said it is investigating the crash.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn said in a post on X that she was told the medevac helicopter crashed shortly after takeoff from Catalina.

County firefighters and lifeguards responded to the scene, along with the U.S. Coast Guard and the sheriff's department, officials said.

Authorities said the helicopter was submerged in 240 feet (73 meters) of water off Catalina, which is located about 22 miles (35 kilometers) off the mainland of Los Angeles County.

The helicopter was believed to be owned by REACH Air Medical Services of Sacramento, California, KTLA-TV reported.

An intelligence service official, who was not authorized to speak to the media, confirmed that there had been three blasts in three different locations but declined to provide further details.

A diplomatic source who requested anonymity for his safety described hearing a blast at 7 p.m. near the defense headquarters, followed by a siren.

Residents near the defense headquarters also said they heard a blast near a factory in the area past midnight.

It remains unclear whether the blasts were related to an attack or were part of training exercises at the defense headquarters.

The explosions came hours after the National Intelligence and Security Service banned the flying of drones in Addis Ababa and surrounding areas.

Ethiopia's federal forces are fighting regional forces in the northern Tigray region, where rebels took control of several towns and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front recently took over the region's main airport, forcing a suspension of flights.

The United Nations has called for de-escalation of the fighting and dialogue between the government and seven opposition groups that recently formed an alliance to challenge Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Displaced people living in camps since the 2020 war in Tigray said on Thursday they could hear gunfire from miles away near the Hitsats camp in northwestern Tigray.

The camp is home to about 16,000 people who have been living there for six years and are now afraid they may be displaced again.

“We hear fighting supported by heavy artillery, and drones hover in the sky every day,” a resident told The Associated Press over the phone.

Residents in the Tigrayan capital, Mekelle, say communication, banking and other essential services have been disrupted by the fighting.

Abdelaziz Ahmed, 35, a merchant, said the lack of cash caused by disruptions to banking services was affecting his business.

“People cannot buy anything because they lack cash, so we cannot sell. My current stock won’t last more than a month. My only hope is that all these challenges pass and peace is restored in Tigray,” he said.

A taxi driver who declined to be named because of fears for his safety said fuel prices had doubled on the black market.

"The war has made life extremely difficult. We don’t even have money for food or rent,” he said.

A Blue Alert was issued for Chase Patin, who was last seen at 7:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 30, in the 1100 block of Bayou Drive in Channelview, Texas.

KSAT’s sister station KPRC reported Patin allegedly fled the scene in a patrol car after shooting a Harris County deputy. Police later found the car near Dell Dale and the East Freeway.

According to KPRC, the deputy is in the hospital in “fair condition.” The deputy reported the shooting happened after the deputy was dispatched to a family disturbance.

Patin was last seen wearing a black hat, black shirt, black shorts, and black shoes, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Patin is described as 5 feet, 7 inches tall with brown eyes and black hair.

DPS said Patin is believed to be connected to injuring the officer, involving a serious risk or threat to the public and other law enforcement personnel.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Harris County Sheriff’s Office at 713-221-6000 or call 911. The public is asked not to approach him.

Read also:

• Converse man arrested for planning violent attack on Texas State Capitol, DPS says

Pakistan’s Ministry of Information said its strikes were against militant hideouts in two locations and that initial reports suggested 22 militants had been killed. The casualty claims from either side could not be independently verified.

The strikes come amid repeated cross-border clashes between the two countries, while Pakistan has repeatedly carried out airstrikes inside Afghanistan since tensions between the two countries spiraled dramatically earlier this year. The two neighbors have longstanding disputes over militant activity along their border.

The United Nations Mission in Afghanistan said last week that it had documented over 1,100 civilian deaths and injuries in Afghanistan from cross-border violence so far this year. Pakistan denies striking civilians, and says it targets militants who carry out attacks inside Pakistan. Afghanistan denies harboring militants.

The spokesperson for Afghanistan’s Taliban government, Zabihullah Mujahid, said the airstrikes hit civilian homes in southern Helmand province and the eastern province of Kunar, destroying three houses. He gave the initial casualty toll as nine women and children killed, and 11 wounded.

“We condemn this act, and consider this an act of aggression and a crime that violates all universally accepted principles,” he said.

Deputy government spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat said 10 people were killed in the strikes, adding that most of the dead were women and children.

Mohammad Hashim, a 30-year-old resident of the village that was bombed in Kunar province, said the strike occurred at around 3 a.m.

“I heard a woman calling out, asking for the stones to be moved off her; she was trapped underneath,” he said. “We pulled her out, she was injured.” He said that digging through the rubble, he also found the bodies of two men and four children.

Another local resident, 32-year-old Mohammad Habib, said the head of the family, who was among those killed, was a shepherd who was not affiliated with any militant or government groups.

“He was a very poor and humble man. He would let his goats out in the morning without anyone even herding them, and they would go out in the morning and return home in the evening, and (Pakistan) martyred him,” he said.

Pakistan's Ministry of Information said the airstrikes were “well planned and calibrated” against militant hideouts and camps, and had “been carried out in Afghanistan with precision and accuracy.” It added that large quantities of weapons and ammunition were located in the hideouts and were destroyed.

Pakistan accuses Afghanistan’s Taliban government of allowing militants, particularly the Pakistani Taliban — formally known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP — to operate from Afghan territory and carry out attacks inside Pakistan. The TTP is separate from but allied with the Afghan Taliban, who have ruled Afghanistan since seizing power in 2021. Kabul denies providing the group a safe haven and has rejected Pakistan’s accusations.

“The threat to Pakistan emanates from Afghanistan," Pakistan's ministry said. "Our action precisely targeted the terrorist hubs.”

“Maximum precautions were taken and it was ensured that no collateral damage occurs,” the statement said and added that its campaign “will continue at full pace to wipe out" the threat of militants from the country.

___

Associated Press writer Munir Ahmed in Islamabad contributed to this report.

Futures for the S&P 500 gained 0.2% on Thursday. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0.2%. Nasdaq futures rose 0.6%.

Brent crude, the international standard, rose 2.1% to $100.10 a barrel. Oil topped $100 a barrel in early September when fighting between the U.S. and Iran escalated. That was the first time Brent crude had passed $100 a barrel since July. Benchmark U.S. crude climbed 1.5% to $91.78 a barrel.

Oil prices have been swinging wildly in recent months amid uncertainty about when the war with Iran will allow the flow of crude to be fully restored. Iranian officials indicated Wednesday they have received an official U.S. response to Tehran’s latest proposal to end the seven-month war. The officials did not say what the latest response contained and whether it was a rejection.

U.S. President Donald Trump publicly rejected Iran’s proposal just days earlier to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within a week if the U.S. meets certain conditions.

That is part of the reason longer-term yields are rising in the bond market, but there are also worries about the big debt loads that Washington and other governments worldwide are taking on.

The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield hit 5.3% on Thursday and the 30-year U.S. Treasury yield is at 5.65%, both reaching levels not seen since 2002.

Shares of Alphabet are up more than 2% before the market open after Google's parent company unveiled its latest artificial intelligence model, Gemini 4 Argon. And Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. announced that it will be spinning off its New York Rangers business from its New York Knicks business. That transaction is expected to be completed on Oct. 26. Its shares are up slightly.

In Europe, France's CAC 40 declined 1.2% to 7,369.56, while the German DAX fell slightly to 25,064.67. Britain's FTSE 100 dropped 1.3% to 10,470.72. Some Asian markets were higher. Hong Kong and Shanghai markets were closed for a national holiday.

In currency trading, the U.S. dollar rose to 158.18 Japanese yen from 157.33 yen. The euro cost $1.1294, down from $1.1334.

___

Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@yurikageyama

Trump’s travel on Thursday to Texas and Oklahoma kicks off what the president said will be a 32-day campaign blitz leading up to Nov. 3. Vance will be stumping in Florida, putting the Republican Party’s highest-ranking officials in areas where GOP candidates once expected to have glide paths to victory but are now facing tougher races.

A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that only 17% of U.S. adults approve of Trump's handling of the cost of living. Just 26% approve of his handling of the economy overall, marking a new low.

Republicans have expressed growing pessimism about their chances in the election, which will determine control of Congress, as the president has repeatedly dismissed concerns about high costs and gas prices as his unpopular war in Iran drags on.

According to Trump, his party’s headwinds are merely a matter of poor public relations about a job he says is well done.

“We’re not getting the word out,” he told reporters on Wednesday. “I mean, we’re just not getting it.”

That’s why, he said, he will be traveling all over and trying to persuade GOP voters to pretend his name is on the ballot.

“I’m going out because nobody’s selling it,” Trump said.

Democrats say Trump and the Republicans are desperate

Delanie Bomar, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, said in a statement that “the president is barnstorming the country, energizing our base, and supercharging Republican candidates in battleground districts and beyond. We have the resources to spend, and Republicans are full steam ahead to protect and expand our majorities.”

The Democratic National Committee said Trump and Vance are "desperately trying to rally their base as the midterm elections approach and Republicans face defeat.”

“Donald Trump and JD Vance started a deadly and costly war with Iran that sent the economy spiraling and pushed prices even higher, and now — in the final stretch to the midterms — they’re desperately pleading with voters to 'give (them) another chance,'” said DNC deputy communications director Kendall Witmer.

In Oklahoma, Trump will campaign with Republican Mike Mazzei, who is running against Democratic state House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson in the race for governor.

Democratic Governors Association spokesperson Kevin Donohoe said Trump’s campaign rally shows that Republicans “are in full-on panic mode.”

“This race continues to get more competitive — and national Republicans are right to be worried about Mazzei,” he said.

The event will be held on the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, putting Trump in the company of just a handful of U.S. presidents who have visited tribal nations while in office.

Before his evening Oklahoma stop, Trump will tour a truck manufacturing facility in Texas, where Republicans are spending heavily to try to bolster state Attorney General Ken Paxton in a Senate race. Paxton faces a very competitive challenge from Democratic state Rep. James Talarico.

Paxton was planning to be with Trump at the official White House event Thursday in Denton, two campaign officials familiar with Paxton’s plans said on the condition of anonymity to discuss the candidate’s schedule before it was made public.

Vance is also stumping for GOP candidates

Trump will be campaigning in more politically competitive areas in the days and weeks ahead as he embarks on his travel blitz, but Republican officials will not send him to places where they think his presence could drag down their candidates, according to a person familiar with the party’s strategy who was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Trump’s Oklahoma visit, and likewise one on Friday to Alabama, are aimed at hitting two targets with one stop, the person said.

Republican officials have noted that Durant is close to the Dallas and Fort Worth media market, meaning Trump’s message will also be carried to Texas voters, and he’s expected to talk about Paxton even while addressing voters in the neighboring state.

His Friday stop in Mobile, Alabama, is aimed not only at boosting Sen. Tommy Tuberville as he runs for Alabama governor but also at shoring up support in Florida’s adjacent panhandle for Republican Rep. Byron Donalds. Donalds is running for Florida governor against David Jolly, the Republican-turned-independent who is now running as a Democrat.

Donalds' campaign in heavily GOP Florida comes as Republicans there have faced some turbulence and voter concerns about affordability and artificial intelligence data centers have become central issues.

While Trump is in Oklahoma and Texas, Vance will stump with Donalds in central Florida on Thursday.

Vance’s visit to Lakeland comes a day after the vice president campaigned in Texas. He rallied with Republican candidate Eric Flores, who is in a tight U.S. House race in south Texas.

Vance, speaking in Harlingen, Texas, on Wednesday, acknowledged broader discontentment over the high prices in the U.S. but shifted the blame away from Trump and Republicans.

“I know that there are people out there who are frustrated by the pace of progress,” he said, but "we have spent every single day fighting for you, digging ourselves out of the hole that Joe Biden left us in.”

Trump will also campaign on Saturday in Vandalia, Ohio, and on Monday in Grand Island, Nebraska.

Trump is expected to campaign for the GOP almost daily

In a meeting on Capitol Hill this week, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles described privately to GOP senators that Trump will have a near-daily sprint of campaigning ahead of the Nov. 3 midterms.

Wiles showed Republicans the president’s upcoming travel schedule, which attendees described as extensive and almost every day, all across the country.

West Virginia Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito said that White House officials are “acknowledging the headwinds” but that “they have a strategy, and we have a strategy,” including money that the president’s operation will continue to deploy.

Capito also defended the White House’s plan to send Trump to traditionally conservative territory, arguing that he can motivate the Republican base not just where he travels but elsewhere in the country because he has such a broad reach.

“He can get more of his voters out — that are going to be our voters — than anybody else,” Capito said.

___

Associated Press reporters Seung Min Kim in Washington, Jesse Bedayn in Austin, Texas, and Thomas Beaumont in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this report.

A three-judge tribunal found that Campbell, 56, had been “deceived” by Bianka Hellmich, a fellow trustee in the anti-poverty charity Fashion for Relief, which hosted fundraising events in Cannes and London.

Two years ago, the Charity Commission, which registers and regulates charities in England and Wales, found “multiple instances of misconduct and/or mismanagement" at the charity. This included using charity funds to pay for her stay at a five-star hotel in Cannes, as well as spa treatments, room service and cigarettes. As a result, it imposed the ban on Campbell.

In its ruling, the tribunal confirmed there had been “serious misconduct and mismanagement,” but concluded that the “failures in the management of the charity’s finances and the misuse of its funds” resulted from Hellmich’s conduct. These, it added, were “concealed” from the supermodel.

The judges found that Hellmich “used forged documents” and also deceived professional advisers and the Charity Commission.

The judges also said that while Campbell shared responsibility for the charity failing to file its accounts on time, this did not mean she was unfit to be a charity trustee.

During the four-day hearing in June, Campbell said her “only mistake” was trusting Hellmich, who she alleged forged her signature and lied about her credentials as a charity lawyer.

“I don’t look at it as a failure, I look at it as me trusting someone that I knew, someone that was a lawyer,” Campbell said, telling the central London tribunal that she and the Charity Commission had been deceived.

The commission had opposed Campbell’s challenge and said the five-year ban should be upheld.

A probe into Fashion for Relief was opened by the commission in 2021, with the charity dissolved and removed from the register of charities in 2024.

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This story has been amended to correct the Charity Commission's ruling from last year to 2024.

Capt. Smit Machchhar, who is from India’s financial hub of Mumbai, was seriously injured in Wednesday's attack. Passengers described how the pilot still managed to open the cockpit door to let them in. They restrained the attacker while the Boeing 737 descended sharply, according to witnesses and Israeli authorities.

The attack forced the flight carrying 174 people from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to Tel Aviv, Israel, to make an emergency landing in Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia.

Machchhar was taken to a hospital in stable condition, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, said late Wednesday. Embassy officials said Thursday that his family had been briefed on his recovery.

India's Modi lauds the pilot’s courage

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called Machchhar a hero.

“In the face of the gravest danger and despite being seriously injured, he showed immense courage and an unwavering resolve to protect the lives of others. His valor helped save hundreds of lives and avert a great tragedy,” Modi wrote on X.

Modi also praised the captain for demonstrating ”patience, presence of mind and courage,” saying his “actions prevented another 9/11-like attack from happening." He said he had spoken with Machhar's parents and wife and that the pilot was undergoing treatment.

“Smit’s bravery fills every Indian with pride,” Modi said.

The captain trained as a pilot in New Zealand

According to Machchhar's LinkedIn profile, he has worked for FlyDubai for about four years. Before joining the airline, he spent 11 years with SpiceJet, an Indian low-cost carrier, where he served as a senior commander and line training captain. He logged more than 9,750 flying hours with SpiceJet, according to the profile.

SpiceJet, in a post on X, praised Machchhar’s “heroic courage” and “selfless actions.” “You are a hero to us all, Captain,” the airline wrote.

Machchhar, who is married and has two children, trained as a pilot at Mainland Air in the New Zealand city of Dunedin for 18 months, beginning in 2008, the school's head Philip Kean told 1News, a New Zealand television news channel.

Kean said Machchhar "did very well” as a student and later returned to India, where he worked as a recruiter for the school.

“We’re all very proud of him here and wish him a speedy recovery,” Kean said.

The school, which opened in 1991, offers a range of certifications, from private pilots' licenses to a diploma in aviation, and is popular with international students.

A report published last year by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority found that 39 international students, all from India, were enrolled at the school at the time of its review, accounting for half of its total enrollment.

The pilot had previously spoken about handling emergencies

In a podcast interview last year, Machchhar recalled how nervous he was and how he made mistakes during his first commercial flight in India, and the lessons he learned from the experience.

“At that stage, relaxing would have been the best option,” he told interviewer Zalak Mehta of the “Bona-Fide Banter” podcast.

“Stressing is not going to help, at least … in this industry,” he had added.

Machchhar also described an onboard emergency when a pregnant woman went into premature labor, forcing the crew to divert the plane. He said he followed procedures carefully and ensured a safe landing on the first attempt.

“It was methodical. It was quick. It was as quick as it should have been," he said.

Israel's Netanyahu praises the pilot as do his neighbors in Mumbai

Wednesday's attack triggered a major security response in Israel, with authorities scrambling fighter jets in case of a possible hijacking.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacker, an Omani national, was arrested in Saudi Arabia and was undergoing interrogation there. His motive for the attack was not immediately clear.

Netanyahu also praised Machchhar’s “extraordinary bravery” in a post on X, saying the wounded captain fought back after being stabbed, opened the cockpit door and helped passengers and crew overpower the attacker, preventing what Netanyahu described as a “catastrophic midair disaster.”

“He saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals,” Netanyahu wrote.

Shota Musayev, a dentist and eyewitness, told The Associated Press how the wounded Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door to let them in before they grappled with the copilot.

Musayev then treated Machchhar.

“Poor pilot, he was just praying the whole time and was in contact with me, and I was afraid we would really lose him,” Musayev said.

In Ghatkopar East, the Mumbai suburb where Machchhar’s family lives, neighbors spoke of how easy-going he is and also lauded his courage.

“He has a lot of bravery in him,” said Ami Sapani, a neighbor who knows the family. “God is with him.”

___

Saaliq reported from New Delhi. Associated Press journalists Charlotte Graham-McLay in Wellington, New Zealand and Adam Schreck in Bangkok contributed to this report.

The annual increase comes as the federal government adjusts SNAP benefits for inflation, according to an ABC News report. SNAP provides food assistance to low-income households across the country, including families in Texas.

For a typical one-person household, the monthly benefit will increase by about $8, from $298 to about $306 in most states. A family of four will see benefits rise from about $994 to $1,023 per month, an increase of about $29.

Other changes could make it harder for some households to qualify for benefits.

In the coming months, recipients are expected to face stricter eligibility requirements. States also will be required to cover a larger share of SNAP costs.

States currently cover about 50% of the cost. Starting Oct. 1, that share will increase to 75%, reducing the federal government’s share by 25 percentage points, according to the report.

States with SNAP error rates of 6% or higher will have to pay even more. The error rate measures the percentage of SNAP payments that are overpaid or underpaid.

During fiscal year 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that only about 10 states had error rates below 6%. Texas was not among them. The state’s error rate was 9.34%.

The changes are part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which has already reduced benefits for an estimated 5 million Americans.

SNAP recipients should check their accounts after Oct. 1 to see whether their monthly amount has changed. Anyone with questions about eligibility or benefit levels can contact their local SNAP office.

Read also:

• Texas could owe $709M for food stamps. Food banks say the fallout would be ‘catastrophic.’

Ava Sophia Hernandez was last seen in the 7100 block of Glen Haven, near Walzem Road in northeast Bexar County. Her current whereabouts are unknown.

Hernandez is 5 feet, 3 inches tall with brown hair and brown eyes, BCSO said.

Anyone with any information on Hernandez’s whereabouts is asked to contact BCSO at 210-335-6000 or email the BCSO Missing Persons Unit at missingpersons@bexar.org.

The episodes have highlighted the vulnerabilities in AI security and raised questions over how the fast-growing technology can be developed safely as its usage becomes more widespread globally.

Industry critics have argued that many concerning events, including AI agents' hacks of external websites, are the result of security lapses on the part of the companies building the technology. But the AI agents' capabilities have raised widespread concerns about the possibility bots could break away and work toward their own agenda.

Below are some notable events:

Sept. 28: AI agents try to hack Canadian government website

AI agents tried to hack into a Canadian government website, according to research lab and AI evaluator Transluce.

The researchers said the agents carried out a series of “apparently failed rudimentary hacking attempts” on Library and Archives Canada on May 28 and June 9.

“We do not confidently attribute these attempts to OpenAI, but they exhibit tactics consistent with prior observed agent activity that we have attributed to OpenAI in a similar timeframe,” Transluce said in a blog post.

The group said it reported the attempted hack on Sept. 28 to the Canadian government, which said in a statement it was aware of reports of suspected AI agent activity, but that there was no sign government systems were compromised.

OpenAI said it was aware of the reports.

“We’re reviewing these findings and have provided an initial briefing to Canadian officials conducting the government’s review,” the company said in a statement.

Sept. 28: OpenAI halts rollout of a new model

The San Francisco-based company said it was delaying the release of a new model, called GPT-6.1 Astra, out of safety concerns voiced by its researchers. The company said the model had demonstrated leaps in completing tasks, but OpenAI needed to balance that capability against unauthorized behavior. “We have an extremely high bar in terms of safety and alignment,” said Saachi Jain, OpenAI’s head of safety systems.

Sept. 25: OpenAI says its agents interacted with US government websites

As part of a review of unanticipated behavior by its AI models, OpenAI said it discovered agents had interacted with several U.S. government websites in unexpected ways. The company's models accessed publicly available information on websites operated by the Securities and Exchange Commission as well as U.S. Census Bureau data. OpenAI said it did not find evidence of a compromise or vulnerability. On the same day, Transluce said it found that agents appearing to originate from OpenAI attempted a hack on the website of the Education Department's civil rights office, which did not succeed.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said on social media that there is an “extensive and ongoing review related to our agents’ use of internet access during training and evaluation.” The day after the disclosure, the company announced it was pausing the training of its most advanced models.

Sept. 24: Australia’s prime minister raises concern on breach

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said an OpenAI agent infiltrated the public-facing Medicare Statistics Reporting Service portal on June 18. The portal hosted aggregate data about health spending and drug subsidies. No personal information had been accessed, the government said.

Albanese said the artificial intelligence company took too long to reveal the incident. The prime minister made the breach public following a telephone conversation with Altman. OpenAI said in a statement “our models took actions we did not intend.”

Sept. 18: Google says its Gemini AI hacked 3 companies

Google confirmed its Gemini AI model hacked three companies in May as part of a test of its cybersecurity capabilities. The company, which disclosed the hacks after an inquiry by The Wall Street Journal, said the model guessed passwords in one case and found passwords and credentials in a public repository in the other two cases. As in earlier such cases, the tests were being run by Irregular, a startup that describes itself as the “first frontier security lab."

Aug. 5: Meta's Muse goes rogue

Meta disclosed one of its AI models accessed the internet on its own and hacked another company. The company said that a “misconfiguration” during cybersecurity testing by Irregular inadvertently allowed one of its models to access the internet. A spokesperson for Irregular said the Meta episode involved a test-environment issue that was disclosed a week earlier by Anthropic.

July 30: Anthropic says its systems hacked 3 organizations

Anthropic said its artificial intelligence models hacked into three other organizations during testing. Anthropic, the San Francisco-based AI company behind Claude, posted on its website that it discovered the three incidents after reviewing more than 141,000 evaluation runs. In all three incidents, the AI models were tasked with a “capture the flag” cybersecurity challenge, which Anthropic said has been one of the ways it assesses a model’s cyber capabilities.

The models were given a fictional scenario and told a piece of secret information, or the “flag,” had been hidden on a different machine on the network with the objective of breaking in and retrieving it, it said. Anthropic said it reached out to the organizations, but it did not name them publicly.

July 21:

The Hugging Face incident

The ChatGPT maker OpenAI announced that its artificial intelligence system hacked into another AI company on its own in what the company called an “unprecedented cyber incident.”

A week earlier, AI startup Hugging Face said, it had detected an intrusion into its data processing systems that it suspected was caused by an AI agent autonomously acting on its own.

OpenAI said its AI used stolen credentials and discovered a previously unknown vulnerability to access Hugging Face servers. It was working with reduced guardrails because it was supposed to be in an isolated testing environment known as a sandbox.

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AP Business Writer Kelvin Chan contributed to this report from London.

A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that only 17% of U.S. adults approve of the Republican president's handling of the cost of living. Just 26% approve of his handling of the economy overall, marking a new low.

A majority, 65%, of U.S. adults now blame Trump’s policies for persistently high costs more than factors outside of his control, signaling growing weariness over his aggressive use of tariffs and continued unhappiness with the war with Iran.

The dismal numbers come just weeks before midterm elections that will determine whether Republicans maintain control of Congress and while Trump is hitting the campaign trail with an aggressive schedule of rallies. But Trump — who has asked voters to pretend that he is on the ballot as he tries to bolster turnout — remains deeply unpopular, with even many Republicans faulting him for failing to deliver on promised relief.

“I was hoping it would be better or different, but it’s not really good," said Robert Gault, 66, a retired factory worker from Bradford, Pennsylvania, who describes himself as a Republican.

“Our president, I thought, was going to help the country, and so far he has not really seemed to have done that with the economy or in general. He’s not really done what I was hoping he would," said Gault. "He said, 'Make America Great Again.' And I have not seen him do that.”

Costs drag on Trump as the economic pain keeps coming

Over the last few months, Americans have grown more worried about being able to afford basics like groceries and gas. About half of U.S. adults now say they are “extremely” or “very” concerned about being able to fill their tanks, up from 39% in July. About half are also highly concerned about being able to afford food.

Prices are "extremely exorbitant. Just the cost of everything is going up as a result of fuel,” said Pedro Sanchez, 52, of Perris, California, who voted for Trump and works in law enforcement. “I used to have a lot more disposable income. I don’t have that any more. It’s gotten eaten up because of all these increases in the cost of everything.”

Trump’s current approval on the economy is a 14 percentage point drop from March 2025, just after he took office for the second time. His struggles on the issue mark a significant departure from his first term, when the economy was often a point of strength.

Trump spent much of the 2024 campaign hammering President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, Democrats, on inflation and promising to lower prices. Now, there's widespread disappointment with his performance. About 7 in 10 Americans say Trump’s handling of the cost of living has been “worse than expected." That includes roughly half of Republicans, who are also broadly concerned about being able to afford groceries and gas.

“Groceries are just like kind of out of control. It seems like everything is going up," said Bethany Lnenicka, 41, who operates a small farm in Fairfax, Iowa. “It's just one thing and the next week it's another thing. It's just insane. And of course your income doesn’t go up.”

A political independent who typically votes Republican and has voted for Trump three times, Lnenicka said she had hoped his second term would be more like his first.

“I just do not feel like it has gotten a lot better," she said.

About 6 in 10 Republicans disapprove of Trump’s handling of the cost of living, according to the new poll, up from about half in April.

“It definitely doesn’t feel like we have trended in the right direction," agreed Kristen Slaven, 41, a mental health therapist who lives in Gluckstadt, Mississippi, and typically votes Republican. She said Trump is focused on the wrong things.

“Obviously wars don’t help. When they’re necessary, I understand. But our focus on renaming bodies of water and pieces of land, that’s just stupid to me when people can't feed their family," she said.

“I had hoped that it would be better,” Slaven added.

Some Republicans are still willing to cut Trump some slack

Despite their frustration, most Republicans, 67%, say factors outside of Trump's control are more to blame for high prices.

“I think inflation is a very difficult thing to tackle," said Fred Naumann, 51, a Republican and longtime Trump supporter who lives in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Though he would like to see interest rates come down, Naumann, who works in the automotive industry, supports tariffs and the war with Iran, believing it was necessary.

Overall, however, most Americans, 69%, continue to say the war has not been worth fighting, up slightly from 64% in July. Only 28% approve of how Trump is handling Iran.

Americans are also unhappy with Trump's trade wars. Only about 3 in 10 U.S. adults approve of how he is handling trade negotiations with other countries, down from about 4 in 10 in March. And 64% say he has “gone too far” on imposing new tariffs on other countries, up from 58% in January.

Overall, the picture is not better. Only about 3 in 10 Americans approve of how Trump is handling his job as president. And about 6 in 10 say the country as a whole is “much” or “somewhat” worse off than when he began his second term.

The issue on which Trump maintains relative strength is border security, with about half of Americans saying they approve of his performance.

Trump faces more blame than Biden did

Trump's low grade on the economy rivals Biden’s 28% approval rating in June 2022, when there was record-high inflation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

But Americans were less likely to blame Biden in the lead-up to that year's midterm elections, a sharp contrast with the solid majority who hold Trump responsible now. In October 2022, 44% of Americans said Biden’s policies were responsible for high prices, while 55% blamed factors outside of his control.

Sanchez, a Republican who voted for Trump, blames him, at least in part.

“I think he has a lot to do with it. This war in Iran, the tariffs that he’s placing on other countries, obviously are affecting us. Those two things are things he’s been directly involved in that directly affect the economy,” he said. “I think with Biden, a lot of the stuff was outside of his control. It was all the COVID and how that affected everything else. I don’t think that there was much that he could have done."

He had high hopes for Trump's return. Now, things seem worse than under Biden.

___

Colvin reported from New York.

___

The AP-NORC poll of 2,140 adults was conducted Sept. 24-28 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 2.9 percentage points.

Outside groups aligned with the two major parties have pledged heavy spending in a battle for control of closely divided legislatures in at least a half-dozen states. But that's just the tip of the spear in their political jousting.

In numerous other states, the parties are striving to make or break a legislative supermajority — an important threshold that allows them to enact laws with little regard to dissent. And in several states, competitive gubernatorial races could determine whether one party achieves a political trifecta, grasping hold of both legislative chambers and the top executive spot.

Party control of state governments can shape policies on contentious issues including abortion, school choice, data centers and the use of law-enforcement surveillance cameras. In a few states, the electoral outcomes this cycle could also have congressional redistricting implications for 2028.

The state races also carry significant implications for Trump's agenda, because the elected officials can either aid or resist his immigration enforcement actions, social safety net limitations and efforts to alter voting procedures.

All told, voters in 46 states will choose more than 6,100 lawmakers in November, accounting for about 83% of all legislative seats nationwide, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Thirty-six states will hold gubernatorial elections.

Trump's approval ratings could swing state legislatures

Historically, the party of the president typically loses U.S. House seats in midterm elections. That also is true of state legislative seats.

In midterm elections over the past 50 years, the president's party has lost an average of 7.9% of its house and assembly seats up for reelection in states, according to research by Steven Rogers, a political science professor at Saint Louis University. In Trump's first midterm, in 2018, Republicans lost 8.7%, Rogers said.

A similar showing this year could spell the end of Republican control of legislative chambers in Arizona, Michigan, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Minnesota currently has the nation's tightest margins, with an even split between Democrats and Republicans in the House and a one-seat Democratic edge in the Senate.

Trump's poor public approval ratings could play a role in those states. For voters choosing state house and assembly candidates, presidential approval typically has three times the impact of state legislative approval, Rogers said.

Edith Jorge-Tuñón, president of the Republican State Leadership Committee, conceded that her party is in a defensive position.

“I think we knew going into this cycle, Democrats have an advantage,” said Jorge-Tuñón, whose group works to elect Republicans to legislative seats and statewide offices. But she argued that voter frustration with Democratic leadership in states like Minnesota or Oregon could provide a buffer against that advantage.

Racine could be key to Wisconsin political control

Wisconsin provides an example of how political power could swing. Democrats haven't fully controlled Wisconsin's government since 2010. But new legislative districts, ordered by the liberal-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court, give Democrats a shot at flipping both Republican-led chambers.

Democrats’ hopes run through downtown Racine. Located along the shores of Lake Michigan north of Chicago and south of Milwaukee, Racine is a Democratic stronghold known both for its rich manufacturing past and as the kringle capital of Wisconsin. Danish immigrants brought the buttery, oval-shaped pastry to the area in the 1800s, and bakeries in downtown Racine continue to make the sweet treats and ship them around the country.

Under Republican-drawn maps enacted in 2011, most of Racine was removed from the 21st Senate District to make the seat safe for Republicans. But the new map added back the city’s north side and more Democratic-favorable areas in Milwaukee County and removed conservative rural areas.

The Republican incumbent decided to retire rather than seek reelection under the more competitive lines, further bolstering Democratic hopes.

Democrats are optimistic they will pick up the two seats needed to flip control of the Senate in November. They need to flip five seats to gain control of the Assembly. An open governor's office, also on the ballot, gives them a shot at full control.

“In a year like this with the president and his war jacking up the prices of gas, Democrats are in a really strong position,” said Will Karcz, spokesperson for Wisconsin Senate Democrats.

A single seat could sway power in some states

In North Carolina, Republicans need to gain just one state House seat — without losing any Senate seats — to reestablish a three-fifths supermajority. That threshold is important because it gives Republicans the ability to override vetoes by Democratic Gov. Josh Stein without needing any Democratic votes.

Iowa Republicans face a similar math equation to regain a two-thirds legislative supermajority, which could matter even more if Democrats win the race to replace Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, who chose not to seek reelection.

A loss of just one state Senate seat could cost Republicans a supermajority in Florida. Meanwhile, a pickup of one seat could result in a new Democratic supermajority in New York.

Among other battlegrounds, a swing of just a few seats could break a Republican supermajority in Missouri and gain Democratic supermajorities in Colorado and Nevada.

This year's state elections could affect 2028's congressional elections

If Democrats are able to win full control in Minnesota, Pennsylvania or Wisconsin, they could use their new trifectas to redraw U.S. House districts ahead of the 2028 elections. They would be copying tactics employed by Republicans ahead of this year's elections in states such as Texas and Florida and by Democrats in California.

Republicans currently hold 20 of the 33 total congressional seats in those three northern states. So Democrats could make notable gains if they redraw districts to their advantage.

In Arizona and Michigan, where Republicans also hold an edge in congressional seats, redistricting would be more difficult because the task is assigned to an independent commission. California was in a similar situation. But Democratic lawmakers there placed an amendment on the statewide ballot last year allowing them to sidestep a commission to enact a new congressional map.

Both major parties are openly fundraising off the partisan redistricting stakes.

“Every election in this moment … potentially is about redistricting,” said Heather Williams, president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee.

Attendees at The Texas Tribune Festival heard from politicians, authors, academics, journalists and entertainers. There were documentary screenings, book signings and meet-ups. If you missed it — or want to relive it — we’ve selected 23 of our favorite conversations to release in podcast form. And plan to come see us again in 2027.

You can also listen on Spotify or Apple.

The Trump Administration is pushing for a 90-day ban on diesel exports intended to rapidly lower climbing fuel prices for consumers, a proposal that, if enacted, will hurt the constellation of Texas refineries in the Gulf Coast and deal a blow to the state’s economy, industry leaders said.

Politico first reported the news of the ban.

Texas refineries turn millions of barrels of crude oil into diesel and jet fuel daily for several industries, such as agriculture and aviation. They also sell the product abroad.

Texas contributes about a third of the nation’s diesel, processing about 6.3 million barrels a day, according to the Energy Information Administration. About 1.5 million barrels are sold overseas.

Now, the Trump administration is pushing companies to curtail such exports and keep that fuel at home to increase supply and lower volatile fuel prices amid the U.S.-Iran war, as rising gas prices become a political liability ahead of the November midterm elections. On Monday, Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration that allows the use of dyed diesel, which is functionally the same as diesel but reserved in farming and construction, to ease prices.

The proposal has put President Donald Trump at odds with an industry he pledged to bolster by cutting regulation during his presidential campaign. Curtailing exports, many in the industry fear, will force them to downsize operations and lessen supply. Doing so could devastate parts of the energy sector, the bedrock of the Texas economy that employs hundreds of thousands of workers and pays billions in taxes.

“Banning exports of diesel would cripple domestic jobs, lead to fuel shortages here at home and put power in the hands of China and Russia by forcing our allies to turn to those countries to meet their needs,” said Todd Staples, president of the Texas Oil and Gas Association. “America’s energy leadership is needed now more than ever, and the best way to protect Texas and American consumers is to encourage continued investment in infrastructure which means more production, pipelines, processing and refining.”

“Global disruptions to the supply chain will eventually be resolved and Texas will emerge stronger and consumers better protected than ever. A ban today means a weaker America tomorrow and should be rejected by all Americans.”

CITGO, a major Texas refiner with operations in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and Corpus Christi, said it represents roughly 690,000 barrels a day of refining capacity, and it relies on domestic and international markets to balance production and maintain reliable operations.

“An immediate ban on diesel exports would eliminate outlets for approximately 1.3 million barrels-per-day of U.S. diesel and create a significant product containment challenge across the U.S. Gulf Coast, which supplies 90% of these exports,” a CITGO spokesperson said in a statement. “The product containment challenge would force Gulf Coast refineries to reduce crude runs which, in turn, impacts overall fuel supply.”

Most of the crude oil that comes from Texas is known as light crude, a chemically complex and expensive liquid that, when refined, turns into diesel and jet fuel and is the cheapest way to make gasoline, said Ramanan Krishnamoorti, vice president of energy and innovation at the University of Houston. Refineries also import oil from Canada and Venezuela, called heavy crude, which is better to process into diesel. The fuel is used for heavy duty vehicles, such as trains and trucks.

In the months since the war broke out, Gulf Coast refineries have been producing fuel at full capacity, Krishnamoorti said. But if those companies are unable to sell and ship the product elsewhere, the refiners will begin to downsize their operations and process less diesel fuel, thus dwindling the supply. Price increases will follow as a result.

“Once they start to see that they’re not going to be able to maximize profits, they have less incentive to find ways to keep their refineries going at full strength,” Krishnamoorti said. “If they start to go offline … you start to see a roll-on impact on gasoline prices because it will be in short supply.”

Winding down operations will impact the processing of other kinds of fuel, such as jet fuel, said Jack Balaggia, executive director of the KBH energy center at the University of Texas at Austin. And the country is lacking the infrastructure, such as pipelines, to transport the diesel across state lines for U.S. customers, he said.

“When you quit making as much diesel, you also quit making as much jet fuel and gasoline so those prices are going to go up when the storage facilities fill up,” Balaggia said at the Texas Tribune Festival. “It sounds like a simple problem and a very simple solution, but it is not. It is very complex … We live in a world market for crude oil and crude oil product, you cannot isolate yourself from the world market. Putting all rhetoric aside, it’s not going to work.”

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

About the elected seat: The Texas Supreme Court is the state’s highest civil court, the final arbiter of major issues of state law. Justices are elected to six-year terms in partisan elections, but if a justice steps down before their term expires the governor appoints their successor. Gov. Greg Abbott, a former member of the court, initially appointed seven of the nine current justices. All of the current justices are Republicans; there has not been a Democrat elected to the bench since the 1990s.

What’s at stake: The Texas Supreme Court interprets the state Constitution to decide issues of major importance, like whether state laws can remain in effect or if elected leaders are overstepping their roles. They get to decide which cases to review, and their rulings — as it pertains to purely state law — are final, giving the nine justices huge influence over the laws of Texas. (The U.S. Supreme Court can overrule a state supreme court in cases that involve federal law.) In recent years, the Supreme Court upheld Texas’ near-total abortion ban and prohibition on gender-transition care for minors; weighed in on pandemic protocols for elections and evictions; and intervened to delay the execution of Robert Roberson, a death row inmate accused of killing his 2-year-old daughter. The court also has the power to create rules for the judiciary, including recently affirming that judges can decline to perform same-sex marriages based on sincerely held religious beliefs. Four of the nine spots on the court are on the ballot this year, including the chief justice position.

Candidates at a glance:

Place 1, Chief Justice

Campaign site

Jimmy Blacklock

Republican, incumbent

💰 Campaign finance:

• Cash on hand as of June 30: $783,574
• Raised between Jan. 1-June 30: $381,700

💰 Major donors this year:

• Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC, the state’s leading advocacy group for limiting businesses’ legal liability – $25,000
• Hunton Andrews Kurth PAC – $15,000
• Jackson Walker LLP PAC – $10,000
• Valero Energy Corporation PAC – $10,000
• TREPAC-Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee – $10,000
• Texas Alliance for Life PAC (Spent money in support of the candidate. This may have been done without the candidate’s knowledge or consent.)

Experience:

• Chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court since January 2025
• Appointed to the Texas Supreme Court by Abbott in January 2018
• Served as Abbott’s general counsel from 2015 to 2018, and worked under him at the Texas Attorney General’s Office from 2009 to 2015
• Clerked for Judge Jerry Smith on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
• Graduate of Yale Law School

Political ideology: Blacklock is a Republican who touts his strict adherence to the plain text of the Constitution, a judicial philosophy known as “originalism” adopted by the conservative legal movement. Before he became a judge, he oversaw legal challenges to the Affordable Care Act, defended Texas’ abortion laws and fought against benefits for same-sex couples, among a slew of other cases.

In the news:

• Texas Supreme Court rejects Abbott’s request to remove Democratic Rep. Gene Wu from office over redistricting protest, The Texas Tribune (2026)
• Legal fight over SpaceX beach closures hits Texas Supreme Court, The Texas Tribune (2026)
• Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Warns Dallas Judge Over Courtroom Mask Mandate, Texas Scorecard (2026)
• Texas Supreme Court ‘Decisively’ Answers State Commission on Judicial Conduct About Same-Sex Ceremonies, The Texan (2026)
• Texas Justices End Case Assignment System in Austin, San Antonio, Bloomberg Law (2026)
• New Texas Supreme Court chief justice calls for judicial raises, changes to bail laws, The Texas Tribune (2025)
• Jimmy Blacklock named new chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court, The Texas Tribune (2025)
• He’s been a Texas Supreme Court justice for a month. Now Jimmy Blacklock must become a candidate., The Texas Tribune (2018)

Endorsements:

• Gov. Greg Abbott
• Anti-abortion groups Texas Alliance for Life and Texas Right to Life
• Texas Civil Justice League, a group focused on electing judges who support restricting lawsuits against businesses

How to contact:

contact@jimmyblacklock.com

Campaign site

Maggie Ellis

Democrat

💰 Campaign finance:

• Cash on hand as of June 30: $53,034
• Raised Jan. 1-June 30: $33,766

💰 Major donors this year:

• Democratic Women of Comal County – $2,500
• Elizabeth Davis, retired – $3,500
• James Gilbreath, attorney at Walters Gilbreath PLLC – $2,632
• Todd L. Kelly, attorney at Lone Star Legal – $1,000
• Sharon Richardson, retired – $1,000

Experience:

• Justice on Texas’ 3rd Court of Appeals since January 2025
• Previously worked in private practice with a focus on juvenile and family law
• Former assistant district attorney at the Travis County District Attorney’s Office
• Former administrative law judge
• Former public school teacher and foster mom

Political ideology: Ellis is a Democrat who is running on a platform of removing politics from the judiciary and expanding access to justice. She has said she decided to run for the seat after the Texas Supreme Court issued guidance saying judges did not have to perform same-sex marriages, a decision she called “an attack on our community and our Constitution.”

In the news:

• For Texas’ highest courts, two Democratic races decided, one GOP race goes to runoff, The Texas Tribune (2026)
• Republican sweep in Texas also extended to state’s appellate courts, The Texas Tribune (2024)
• UT alumna becomes first openly queer woman elected to Texas Court of Appeals, The Daily Texan (2024)
• Overcoming Poverty, Abandonment, Texas Woman Running for Judge, Spectrum News (2019)

Endorsements:

• AFL-CIO
• Coalition for Democratic Allies, a Central Texas organizing group
• Austin Young Democrats
• Bexar County Young Democrats
• Liberal Austin Democrats
• NxNW Democrats, an Austin-based group
• Stonewall Democrats of Austin
• The Caucus, a Houston LGBTQ+ political advocacy group
• Sabine Area Central Labor Council

How to contact:

maggie@maggieforjustice.com

Place 2

Campaign site

James Sullivan

Republican, incumbent

💰 Campaign finance:

• Cash on hand as of June 30: $590,381
• Raised between Jan. 1-June 30: $317,601

💰 Major donors this year:

• Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC, the state’s leading advocacy group for limiting businesses’ legal liability – $25,000
• Bracewell PAC – $10,000
• Jackson Walker L.L.P PAC – $15,000
• Baker Botts Amicus Fund – $10,000
• Kelly Hart PAC – $10,000
• Texas Alliance for Life PAC (Spent money in support of the candidate. This may have been done without the candidate’s knowledge or consent.)
• Texans for Life Committee LIFE PAC (Spent money in support of the candidate. This may have been done without the candidate’s knowledge or consent.)

Experience:

• Appointed by Abbott to the Texas Supreme Court in January 2025
• Served as Abbott’s general counsel and deputy general counsel
• Served as assistant solicitor general when Abbott was attorney general
• Clerked for Judge Thomas B. Griffith on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
• Graduate of Harvard Law School

Political ideology: Sullivan is a conservative Republican who has said he will “run through a wall for the rule of law” and promises “bold, relentless, conservative judging.”

In the news:

• Newest Texas High Court Member Seeks Austin Federal Judgeship, Bloomberg Law (2025)
• New SCOTX Justice Sullivan Once Ran Afoul of the Fifth Circuit for Tone of Rehearing Petition, Texas Lawbook (2025)
• Jimmy Blacklock named new chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court, The Texas Tribune (2025)

Endorsements:

• Gov. Greg Abbott
• Texas Alliance for Life, an anti-abortion group
• Texas Civil Justice League, a group focused on electing judges who support restricting lawsuits against businesses

How to contact:

P.O. Box 11583

Austin, TX 78711

Campaign site

Chari Kelly

Democrat

💰 Campaign finance:

• Cash on hand as of June 30: $105,425
• Raised between Jan. 1-June 30: $57,056

💰 Major donors this year:

• Benny Agosto Jr PC, managing partner at Abraham Watkins – $5,000
• Randy Howry, partner at Howry Breen & Herman LLP – $5,000
• Jack E. McGehee LP, founding partner at a trial firm – $5,000
• Yvonne Puig, partner at Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP – $5,000
• Steven Samples, attorney at Samples Ames – $5,000

Experience:

• Has served on Texas’ 3rd Court of Appeals since 2019
• Former felony prosecutor for the Travis and Comal County district attorney’s offices
• Former assistant attorney general in the Civil Medicaid Fraud unit at the Texas Office of the Attorney General
• Former staff attorney for the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
• An Army veteran, Kelly was a paratrooper and captain in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps where she worked as a defense attorney at Fort Hood and Joint Base San Antonio

Political ideology: Kelly is a Democrat who says she is a “committed defender of the Constitution.”

In the news:

• Texas appellate justices appear skeptical of Attorney General Ken Paxton defense that he’s exempt from state’s whistleblower law, Texas Tribune (2025)
• Democrats sweep 3rd Court of Appeals races, Austin American-Statesman (2018)

Endorsements:

• AFL-CIO
• Austin Young Democrats
• Bay Area Democratic Movement
• Liberal Austin Democrats
• University Democrats
• Sabine Area Central Labor Council

How to contact:

chari@charikelly.com

Place 7

Campaign site

Kyle Hawkins

Republican, incumbent

💰 Campaign finance:

• Cash on hand as of June 30: $216,374
• Raised between Jan. 1-June 30: 106,770

💰 Major donors this year:

• Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC, the state’s leading advocacy group for limiting businesses’ legal liability – $25,000
• Bracewell PAC – $10,000
• Valero PAC (State) – $10,000
• Texas Apartment Association PAC –  $5,000
• Davis, Gerald & Cremer PC, a Texas energy law firm – $2,500
• Texans for Life Committee LIFE PAC (Spent money in support of the candidate. This may have been done without the candidate’s knowledge or consent.)

Experience:

• The newest Supreme Court justice, Hawkins was appointed by Abbott in October 2025
• Served on the transition team for the Trump administration’s Department of Justice as counselor to the U.S. solicitor general
• Attorney in private practice at Lehotsky Keller and Gibson Dunn
• Served as Texas solicitor general from 2018 to 2021, and assistant solicitor general from 2017 to 2018
• Law clerk to Judge Edith Jones on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and Justice Samuel Alito on the U.S. Supreme Court

Political ideology: Hawkins is a conservative Republican who, as an attorney, has litigated major cases against the Affordable Care Act and Planned Parenthood, and testified to Congress about constitutional issues with the Voting Rights Act.

In the news:

• Former Texas Solicitor General Kyle Hawkins joins high court, The Texas Tribune (2025)
• New Texas Supreme Court Justices Take Oath Under Alito’s Watch, Bloomberg Law (2026)

Endorsements:

• Gov. Greg Abbott
• Texas Civil Justice League, a group focused on electing judges who support restricting lawsuits against businesses

How to contact:

Website contact form

Campaign site

Kristen Hawkins

Democrat

💰 Campaign finance:

• Cash on hand as of June 30: $301,668
• Raised between Jan. 1-June 30: $279,197

💰 Major donors this cycle:

• The West Law Firm – $35,000
• Muhammad Aziz, attorney at Abraham Watkins Nichols Agosto Aziz & Stogner – $10,000
• Marcus Spagnoletti, attorney at Spagnoletti Law Firm – $10,000
• Kherkher Garcia LLP, a Houston personal injury law firm – $10,000
• Robert Hillard and the Robert C. Hillard LLP – $6,500

Experience:

• Judge of the 11th District Court in Houston since 2017, where she led the court’s response to COVID-19 and has been appointed to oversee two multidistrict litigation proceedings, including the Astroworld lawsuits
• Previously ran her own private practice focused on Social Security disability claims
• Served as tax master, presiding over cases involving delinquent property taxes, for a swath of Harris County for five years

Political ideology:

• Hawkins, a Democrat, is running on her experience as a trial court judge. She said the high court could benefit from the perspectives of district judges, who are often tasked with implementing Supreme Court rulings and see their effects on parties, lawyers and judges. Hawkins is a strong believer in access to jury trials, and said appellate courts should be cautious in overturning jury verdicts.

In the news:

• For Texas’ highest courts, two Democratic races decided, one GOP race goes to runoff, The Texas Tribune (2026)
• History is Made as Texas’ Oldest Court Gets First Woman Judge, Law.com (2017)
• All of the Astroworld lawsuits will be handled by one Houston judge, a judicial board ruled, Houston Public Media (2021)

Endorsements:

• Bexar County Young Democrats
• Liberal Austin Democrats
• The Caucus, a Houston LGBTQ political group
• Texas AFL-CIO

How to contact:

kristen@judgehawkins.com

Place 8

Campaign site

Brett Busby

Republican, incumbent

💰 Campaign finance:

• Cash on hand as of June 30: $1.3 million
• Raised between Jan. 1-June 30: $580,995

💰 Major donors this cycle:

• Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC, the state’s leading advocacy group for limiting businesses’ legal liability – $25,000
• Vinson & Elkins Texas PAC, associated with the major Houston law firm – $25,000
• Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP Texas Committee, associated with the global law firm – $10,000
• Centerpoint Energy, Inc. PAC – $10,000
• Bracewell PAC – $10,000
• Texans for Life PAC (Spent money in support of the candidate. This may have been done without the candidate’s knowledge or consent.)

Experience:

• Appointed by Abbott to the Supreme Court in 2019
• Former justice on Texas’ 14th Court of Appeals in Houston from 2012 to 2018
• Former appellate attorney in private practice
• Clerked for Judge Gerald B. Tjoflat of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and Justice John Paul Stevens of the U.S. Supreme Court

Political ideology: Busby is a Republican who, before becoming a judge, worked with conservative legal groups like the Federalist Society, the Alliance Defending Freedom and First Liberty. Since joining the court, he has advocated for expanding access to legal services and civic education.

In the news:

• Texas can tax Velo oral nicotine products as tobacco, state Supreme Court rules, Denton Record-Chronicle (2026)
• TCEQ can withhold documents related to cancer-causing emissions for now, Texas Supreme Court rules, KERA News (2026)
• Gov. Greg Abbott appoints Brett Busby to Texas Supreme Court, The Texas Tribune (2019)
• Texas Senate confirms Brett Busby for Supreme Court post, The Texas Tribune (2019)

Endorsements:

• Gov. Greg Abbott
• Texas Civil Justice League, a group focused on electing judges who support restricting lawsuits against businesses
• Texas Alliance for Life, an anti-abortion group

How to contact:

campaign@brettbusby.com

Campaign site

Gisela Triana

Democrat

💰 Campaign finance:

• Cash on hand as of June 30: $128,786
• Raised between Jan. 1-June 30: $9,425

💰 Major donors this year:

• FVF Law, an Austin personal injury law firm – $2,500
• Kirker Davis LLP, an Austin family law firm – $2,500
• McGinnis Lochridge, a Texas based law firm – $2,000
• Richardson Firm PLLC – $500
• Carlos Soltero, attorney at Maynard Nexsen – $500

Experience:

• Justice on Texas’ 3rd Court of Appeals in Austin since 2019
• Previously served as judge of the 200th District Court, taking office in 2005
• Justice of the peace and county court-at-law judge from 1994 to 2004

Political ideology: Triana is running as a Democrat. When she ran for the same seat in 2020, Triana said the all-Republican makeup of the court made it overly “result-oriented and beholden to special interests,” and criticized their rulings allowing evictions and debt collections to resume during COVID. 

In the news:

• Texas Democratic women trounce male opponents in judicial primary election, The Texas Tribune (2020)
• Editorial: Our Supreme Court picks in the Democratic primary, San Antonio Express-News (2020)
• Court says Ken Paxton’s case against Austin and Travis County for issuing New Year’s curfew is moot, dismisses case, The Texas Tribune (2021)
• In Democrats’ low-information judicial primaries, gender and ballot names may drive voters’ decision, The Texas Tribune (2020)

Endorsements:

• Liberal Austin Democrats
• University Democrats
• Texas AFL-CIO
• Panhandle Democrats

How to contact:

giseledtriana@yahoo.com

Disclosure: Kristen Hawkins, Planned Parenthood and Texas Civil Justice League have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune within the past five years. The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in our journalism. Find a complete list of them and more information about our financial and disclosure policies here.

Pike, 50, was alive and loudly snoring after the attempted lethal injection and taken by ambulance from the prison, her attorneys said. She was being treated at a hospital, but they said they hadn’t been told about her condition.

She had been scheduled for execution at 10 a.m. Wednesday for the killing she committed at age 18 and would have been the first woman executed in Tennessee in more than 200 years. An appeals court stopped the lethal injection just an hour before it was to start and hours later the U.S. Supreme Court overturned that stay.

Officials gave Pike two doses of pentobarbital, her attorneys said in court filings late Wednesday.

Gov. Bill Lee said in a statement that he has ordered “a comprehensive, third-party review to determine exactly what occurred” and that the remaining scheduled execution will not take place this year.

“Carrying out a lawfully imposed sentence is among the State’s most serious responsibilities, and the people of Tennessee expect it to be done in a manner that is not only legal and constitutional, but is effective,” he said.

The Tennessee Department of Correction said in a statement that it “followed every step of the State’s lawful, established execution protocol approved by the Attorney General’s Office.”

The state's execution protocol calls for a secondary set of drug syringes to be administered “if the inmate is not deceased” after the first set. It does not spell out what happens if the subject is alive after the second set.

Robin M. Maher, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, said what Pike experienced is “singular and unparalleled.”

Seven other people have survived medical problems due to an execution team's failure to access a vein to administer lethal injection drugs, but no one has stayed alive after receiving the drugs used in such executions, she said.

Media witnesses detail the execution process

Media witnesses observing from a separate room said officials raised curtains to the execution chamber at 7:27 p.m., showing Pike strapped to a gurney.

“I’m going to leave this world the way I spent most of my life and that is in love,” she said in her “last” words. She described herself as at peace.

But Pike remained awake and at one point raised her head and asked prison officials if her arm was supposed to feel that way. It was not clear what she was referencing.

By 8:26 p.m., execution witnesses reported that the second dose of pentobarbital had been administered.

Pike continued to be heard snoring behind the closed curtain until the microphone was cut off at 8:53 p.m. At that time there was an announcement to escort media witnesses out of the area.

Lawyers for Pike filed an emergency motion late Wednesday to the Tennessee Supreme Court seeking to immediately halt and stay the execution, saying she was in “unnecessary agony” and it was violating her right to be executed free of cruel and unusual punishment. They also filed motions in the Sixth Circuit court and a district court.

It was the second time this year that Tennessee has been unable to carry out an execution: In May state officials called off the lethal injection of Tony Carruthers, who was convicted of kidnapping and killing three people in 1994, after executioners tried and failed for over an hour to place an IV to administer pentobarbital.

Pike and her boyfriend were convicted of the fatal stabbing and beating in 1995 of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer, their classmate at a job training facility in Knoxville. The case garnered widespread attention in part because of a pentagram that was carved on Slemmer’s body, and other elements of the crime stoked fears of Satan worship during the “satanic panic” of the 1980s and 1990s.

Stay of execution was swiftly appealed

Pike was initially scheduled to be put to death in the morning, and witnesses had gathered at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville when the 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals voted 2-1 to issue a stay. That court said a delay was needed to consider whether Pike’s allegations of childhood sexual abuse were fully considered at her sentencing.

The attorney general’s office appealed to the Supreme Court, saying that halting the execution at the last moment traumatized Slemmer’s family and rewarded “abusive delay tactics” by Pike’s attorneys.

Later in the day, the high court cleared the way for the execution to proceed. The conservative majority did not explain their order, while the three liberal members signed a dissent that said Pike’s claims deserved a closer look.

Pike did not deny committing the killing, but her supporters argued that the state should consider her age at the time, her mental illness and her allegations of severe sexual abuse.

Case renewed debate on the death penalty for teens

As the execution date drew near, debate renewed over the death penalty for young offenders.

Assistant Federal Defender Stephen Ferrell said Pike’s death sentence is an outlier because other 18-year-olds in Tennessee have had such sentences vacated.

After the killing, Pike was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. In her clemency petition, she said she only wanted to fight Slemmer but killed her in a frenzied attack when she couldn’t “put the brakes on.”

“I was a mentally ill 18-year-old kid. It took me numerous years to even realize the gravity of what I’d done,” Pike said in a statement.

Victim's mother says she is waiting for death sentence

Slemmer’s mother had traveled to Nashville in the hopes of witnessing the execution of her daughter’s killer. She told The Associated Press on Saturday that she had waited decades to see Pike’s sentence carried out.

“Every time I think about it, I think about Colleen feeling that pain and trying to get up and run,” May Martinez told The Associated Press in a telephone interview on Saturday.

Martinez could not be immediately reached by telephone for comment after the execution was halted.

The killing rocked the city of Knoxville. Prosecutors said Pike, fearing Slemmer was trying to steal her boyfriend, lured her to a wooded area on Jan. 12, 1995. Pike cut Slemmer with a box cutter and beat her with a large chunk of asphalt. Shipp, Pike’s boyfriend, has admitted that he was the one who carved a pentagram, a star-shaped symbol associated with Satan, into her body.

Shipp was 17 when the crime happened and received a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole. Pike was the only one sentenced to death.

Executions of women are rare in the US

Since the Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976, 18 women have been put to death, representing about 1% of all executions, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

Pike would have been the 30th person executed in the U.S. this year after Florida carried out an execution on Tuesday.

Tennessee announced in 2024 that it was switching from a three-drug series for lethal injections to the single drug pentobarbital. That came more than two years after the state abruptly halted the execution of Oscar Smith and acknowledged that it had failed to ensure its lethal injection drugs were tested properly.

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This story has been updated to correct that Pike had been scheduled for execution at 10 a.m. local time, not 11 a.m. and that the lawyers filed an emergency motion to the Tennessee Supreme Court, not U.S.

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Associated Press writers Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina, Ed White in Detroit, Hallie Golden in Seattle and Hannah Schoenbaum in Salt Lake City contributed.

Israeli passengers who were on the FlyDubai aircraft carrying 174 people from the United Arab Emirates to Tel Aviv have described how the bloodied Indian captain managed to open the cockpit door to let them in before they grappled with the copilot and stabilized a descent so sharp that the plane’s rudder was torn away.

“We felt helpless, suspended in midair, and I didn’t know who to turn to. But it was all instinct to survive,” one of the responders, Asaf Rajuan, said in a new statement shared by Israel’s presidency.

A regional official briefed on the investigation said the suspect, an Omani citizen, was under arrest and confirmed that Saudi authorities were working with countries, including Israel, to try to determine a motive. He said the UAE, the United States and Oman also were involved. The official did not describe the extent of Israeli involvement.

“All possible scenarios, from terrorism to mental disorders, are being looked into. Nothing is ruled out for now,” said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the probe.

Israeli investigators will join the interrogation of the copilot

Israeli intelligence and security officials were investigating the copilot in Saudi Arabia, according to another regional official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Saudi Arabia does not have formal diplomatic ties with Israel, but there is longstanding security and intelligence cooperation through alternative channels.

Video shot inside the plane by Shota Musayev, a dentist who treated the captain, shows the copilot on his knees, with his hands tied behind his back. The copilot's name still has not been released.

The UAE government said its investigation team had begun its work into the motive and “whether it was linked to any terrorist purpose," adding that UAE law applies to crimes committed on board.

Capt. Smit Machchhar, widely praised as one of the heroes of the flight, was reportedly in stable condition, the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia said overnight. The condition of the copilot was not clear.

Asked if there is any indication of Iranian involvement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News "it’s too early to say.” The prime minister told CNN that Israel had received no specific warning.

U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House that he and Netanyahu discussed the incident “at length” by phone and it seemed as though the copilot “was perhaps a terrorist or perhaps a whack job."

Netanyahu said he also spoke with the UAE’s president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who agreed that Israel would join the interrogation of the suspect.

Netanyahu had warned in recent days of unspecified, heightened security threats. The country is a week away from the anniversary of the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which has triggered the war in Gaza.

Israel’s foreign ministry said the people on board were from Israel, India and the UAE. The U.S. State Department said four passengers had American citizenship.

FlyDubai has said its flights to and from Israel would be suspended.

School where captain trained calls the safe landing ‘miraculous’

In the chaos that unfolded about two and a half hours after leaving Dubai, the flight descended from 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet (around 10,000 meters to 5,100 meters) in about a minute, before making an erratic circle close to the Jordanian border and landing Tabuk about an hour later, according to Flightradar24, which identified the aircraft as a Boeing 737 Max 8.

The head of the New Zealand flight school where the Indian captain trained, Philip Kean, called it “miraculous in the way that the airplane was never, ever kind of designed for that sort of dive and survive that, the airplane actually didn’t break up completely.”

Already, Trump was praising the U.S.-based Boeing for producing a plane “that was able to withstand G Forces and Strain far beyond what it was designed.”

During the frantic search for a place to land, a person who heard the flight’s communications with air traffic control described the plane being turned away by Saudi Arabia and Jordan before eventually landing in Tabuk, while passengers screamed in the background. The pilot’s voice was trembling as he called “mayday” and said a hijacking was taking place.

The air control operators gave no reason for the refusals. The person who heard the communications spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

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Magdy reported from Cairo and Anna from Jerusalem. Associated Press writer Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report.

Trustee Jose Macias told KSAT that he was informed that a girl stabbed a boy at the middle school, located on Binz Engleman Road near Woodlake Parkway on the Northeast Side.

The “student-related incident” happened during a scheduled lockdown drill Wednesday morning, according to Judson ISD’s Director of Communications Lexie Greathouse. The incident then led campus administrators to place the school on a hold.

“During the response, a weapon was located and immediately confiscated,” Greathouse said in an emailed statement.

Macias said the girl had multiple knives inside her backpack. She was arrested, and her initial detention hearing is set for Thursday morning.

KSAT asked the district if the knives recovered were used in the stabbing this afternoon, but has not heard back yet.

“The situation was quickly contained. Appropriate disciplinary action is being taken, and the matter has been referred to law enforcement for further review,” Greathouse said.

KSAT asked Greathouse if any student was transported to the hospital, but we did not immediately hear back.

“The district has contacted all Metzger MS parents,” Greathouse said. “If they have additional concerns, you can direct parents to campus administration for specific questions regarding their child.”

Read also:

• TEA: Districts using Bluebonnet Learning curriculum show improved student achievement in first year
• FLOOD WATCH in effect tonight through Friday
• VIA prepares for possible detours during rain event forecasted for the San Antonio area

Every year, flash floods happen across the city as heavy storms move through the area, often during hurricane season. Bexar County officials monitor 178 low-water crossings, updating road closures when they occur.

Drivers warned to ‘Turn Around, Don’t Drown’

While more seasoned residents know which places to avoid, newer residents may not know which areas are most prone to flooding:

Salado Creek at I-35:

When heavy rain falls, the water pools up on the access roads, resulting in closures in the area.

Basse Road and 281:

After heavy rains, Olmos Creek will quickly rise, flooding the roadways it runs through.

Pinn Road:

Pinn Road and Highway 151 has been the scene of some notable high-water rescues before. Leon Creek runs below the road, leaving it prone to flooding.

Lower levels of I-35:

The lower levels of I-35 tend to shut down after heavy rains lead to flash floods on the highway.

While those are some of the most well-known flooding spots, intersections around San Antonio can also flood, depending on where the rain falls.

San Antonio Fire Department’s 10 most dangerous low-water crossings since 2015

• Old Seguin Road at Salado Creek (46 rescues)
• Old O’Connor Road, located north of Lookout Road (31 rescues)
• Hollyhock Road, positioned 600 feet west of Babcock Road (20 rescues)
• Pinn Road (14 rescues)
• Spencer Lane, located east of Balcones Heights (13 rescues)
• Ira Lee, north of Austin Highway (12 rescues)
• Sleepy Hollow at Sunburst (10 rescues)
• Gibbs Sprawl Road at Rosillo Creek (10 rescues)
• West Commerce Street from Pinn Road to Military Drive (9 rescues)
• North Loop, around 150 feet from West North Loop (8 rescues)

Find the latest on the storms here from KSAT’s meteorologist, including forecasts, warnings and watches and an interactive radar.

The San Antonio Fire Department has compiled a list of the 10 most dangerous flood-prone areas, based on the number of high-water rescues from 2015 through 2025. The same handful of areas have resulted in dozens of rescue calls.

“You could be thinking ‘Oh, I’m just going to go. It only looks like an inch of water. I’ll be fine,’” SAFD spokesman Joe Arrington said. “That inch of water could stall your vehicle out, then you’re stuck, and who knows when a wall of water arrives, quickly rising water is coming downstream. So it’s not worth the gamble.”

>> Click here for the latest forecast

Arrington said the list is not necessarily just low-water crossings.

The area around Seguin Road at Salado Creek, which Arrington said includes the nearby Interstate 35 access roads, tops SAFD’s list, with 46 rescue responses.

“It doesn’t have to be raining here. It can be raining on the far North Side, but that water has to go through here eventually,” he said in a Tuesday interview.

It only takes about six inches of fast-moving water to knock an adult off their feet, according to the National Weather Service. A foot of water can wash away most cars, and two feet is enough for trucks and SUVs.

The list can be viewed in its entirety below:

• Seguin Road at Salado Creek (46 rescues)
• Old O’Connor Road, located north of Lookout Road (31 rescues)
• Hollyhock Road, positioned 600 feet west of Babcock Road (20 rescues)
• Pinn Road, one-quarter mile south of West Commerce (14 rescues)
• Spencer Lane, located east of Balcones Heights (13 rescues)
• Ira Lee, north of Austin Highway (12 rescues)
• Sleepy Hollow at Sunburst (10 rescues)
• Gibbs Sprawl Road at Rosillo Creek (10 rescues)
• West Commerce Street from Pinn Road to Military Drive (9 rescues)
• North Loop, around 150 feet from West North Loop (8 rescues)

The city said it is urging residents to prepare for flash flooding as multiple storms are possible throughout this week.

If you encounter a flooded road, it’s best to turn around and find another route.

Read also:

• Understanding disaster anxiety, weather-related PTSD in South Texas

Click here to see reported outages across the state of Texas.

Stay Informed

As always, Your Weather Authority team will keep you updated. You can get the very latest forecast and check out the interactive radar anytime by bookmarking our weather page and downloading the KSAT Weather Authority App - available for both Apple and Android devices.

To keep up with the weather situation, please download the KSAT Weather Authority app for Apple or Android and allow notifications for updates, including livestreams from KSAT meteorologists.

Want to share what you’re seeing with KSAT12’s meteorologists? Submit photos and videos here, and your submission may get featured on KSAT.com or on air.

More resources:

• Map: Emergency road closures at low water crossings in San Antonio, Bexar County
• Current power outages in Bexar County, tips for residents with energy outages from CPS
• Avoid these notorious roadways prone to flooding during heavy rain in San Antonio
• Find the latest forecasts and alerts on our weather page
• Live doppler radar

• Avoid these notorious roadways prone to flooding during heavy rain in San Antonio
• Find the latest on the storms here from KSAT’s meteorologist, including forecasts, warnings and watches and an interactive radar.

Bexar County low-water crossing status

Read more about the map below and find the full version at BEXARflood.org.

About the map above, via Bexarflood.org:

“Each dot on the map indicates a location of a Bexar County HALT sensor - HALT stands for High water Alert Lifesaving Technology. The sensors detect rising water and send real time information to this website: green means the road safe, yellow means the water is rising and red means the road is closed. By subscribing to alerts through this website, you can receive text or email alerts when low water crossings you choose to monitor have water over the road.

“Bexar County has installed more than 150 HALT systems in our community to warn drivers to turn around with either flashing lights or a combination of flashing lights and gates.

“The map was developed through a partnership between Bexar County, the City of San Antonio and the San Antonio River Authority. These partners monitor local weather and road conditions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”

• Get weather alerts based on your location from the free KSAT 12 Weather app. Click to download on iPhone OR click to download on an Android phone.

Hill Country and statewide road closures

Read more about the map below and find the full version at DriveTexas.org.

More tips from KSAT:

Remember, ‘Turn Around, Don’t Drown’: Tips for staying safe while driving in the rain

Read more: CPS Energy offers power outage tips

Live Doppler Radar

>> FLOOD WATCH in effect through Friday

Statewide road closures

Read more about the map below and find the full version at DriveTexas.org.

Get weather alerts based on your location from the free KSAT 12 Weather app. Click to download on iPhone OR click to download on an Android phone.

More tips from KSAT:

• Remember, ‘Turn Around, Don’t Drown’: Tips for staying safe while driving in the rain
• Read more: CPS Energy offers power outage tips

Live Doppler Radar

For more information on traffic you can click here to view our traffic page on KSAT.com. To view more on the current weather conditions, click here.

Click the links below for current road closures.

• San Antonio road closures
• Bexar County road closures
• TxDOT highway conditions

Below is a map of notable low water crossings in San Antonio.

“Alpine glaciers have no chance of surviving in the long term under such conditions,” the GLAMOS Swiss glacier monitoring service and Swiss Academy of Sciences said in a statement released Thursday.

The trend has worsened in recent years: Over the past five years alone, the volume of ice in Switzerland has declined by nearly a fifth, the experts say.

The report testifies to the latest concerns that global warming is wreaking havoc on Europe, the world’s fastest-warming continent.

“The warming that we are experiencing now can be attributed 100% to anthropogenic climate change. It’s as simple as that,” said Matthias Huss, who heads GLAMOS. “Without human emissions or fossil fuels we wouldn’t have any warming at the moment.”

This year’s ice volume loss continues trend

The record retreat of glacier ice in Switzerland came in 2022, when summer heat, low winter snowfall and an unusual smattering of reddish dust blown in from the Sahara darkened the glaciers and caused them to absorb more heat.

Huss said the snow cover in winter was important for two reasons.

“On the one hand, it protects the bare ice from melting. The longer you have snow, the longer you avoid the loss of old ice,” said Huss in an interview at the Federal Polytechnic Institute ETHZ, where he is a glaciology professor.

“On the other hand, the snow is important also for generating new food for the glacier. The more snow you have, the higher the potential to keep some of the snow at high elevation and to form new ice,” Huss added.

The great thaw in Europe’s legendary Alps is not alone: Experts say global warming helped to destabilize a Himalayan slope that collapsed in August and unleashed catastrophic and deadly flooding across Nepal. Satellites have shown vast shrinkage of glaciers in places like Greenland and Antarctica over the last half-century or so.

Percentage drop rises as overall ice volume falls

In Switzerland, in absolute terms, volume lost has been less than that in 2003, but the percentage decline this year is greater. That’s because the total volume today is roughly a third of that 23 years ago. Back then, the relative loss was 3.5% of total ice volume in Swiss glaciers.

Such accelerated ice melt has had an impact in Switzerland — the loss of 2.2 trillion liters (581 billion gallons) from July to September amounts to four times the annual consumption of water in the country of about 9.1 million people. Switzerland gets more than half of its electricity from hydropower.

But the impact of accelerated glacier melt ripples far beyond: Switzerland is the water tower of Europe, and feeds some of the continent’s most important rivers: the Danube, Po, Rhine and Rhone.

The experts say the “extreme melting” faced by Switzerland’s glaciers this year included a decline in the average thickness of individual glaciers between 2-1/2 and 4 meters (about 8-13 feet) — and a reduction of up to 10 meters (33 feet) on the tongue of some glaciers.

It is ‘almost too late’ to save Switzerland's glaciers

The expert teams have fanned out to assess runoff and crevices caused by the running water through the glaciers, in part by dumping red dye into the streams to track the water flows.

The Allalin, Clarident, Rhone and Aletsch glaciers — Aletsch being the largest in the Alps — were among the glaciers to experience their biggest melt on record this year.

“We just need to stabilize the climate by reducing CO2 emissions and this will help the glaciers,” said Huss, of GLAMOS, though he added that it is “almost too late” to save those in the Swiss Alps.

"For the ice in the polar regions like the ice sheets, there it’s not yet too late," he said. “There, we can make a difference and we need to make a difference in order to limit sea level rise, for example, a factor that is a fundamental threat to billions of people living along the coast.”

Pittsburgh will receive two draft picks from Dallas, a sixth-rounder in 2027 and a second-rounder in 2028, one of the people told The Associated Press. Both people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the teams hadn’t announced the deal.

Porter has been inactive all three games this season for the Steelers. The fourth-year pro has been dealing with a back issue and had also been in the middle of a stalemate with the Steelers over a new contract.

The 26-year-old Porter, a second-round pick out of Penn State in the 2023 draft, was seeking an extension as he entered the final year of his four-year rookie deal.

The Cowboys are getting Porter after earlier Wednesday putting safety Jalen Thompson (hamstring) on injured reserve with a designation to return. They also signed three defensive backs to their practice squad.

Safety P.J. Locke (torn plantar fascia) was already on injured reserve. He and Thompson were offseason acquisitions by the Cowboys as a part of retooling the secondary.

It’s the second major trade between the Cowboys and Steelers in two years.

Before the 2025 season, Pittsburgh sent receiver George Pickens to Dallas for draft picks. He made the Pro Bowl in his Dallas debut, setting career highs with 93 catches for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns last season.

Pickens is playing this season on a $27.3 million franchise tag and has 16 catches for 150 yards without a score.

The Steelers took Pickens out of Georgia in the second round in 2022. While his talent was on display during three seasons with the Steelers, so were enough instances of petulant or indifferent behavior for then-coach Mike Tomlin to question his maturity.

Dallas and Pittsburgh also made a lower-profile trade during the preseason this year. The Cowboys acquired offensive tackle Broderick Jones and a fourth-round pick in next year’s draft for third- and sixth-round choices.

Not only is Dallas suddenly seeking reinforcements in the secondary, but the defense as a whole is off to another rough start after being one of the NFL’s worst in 2025.

The Cowboys are second-to-last in rushing defense and one of four teams without an interception. Dallas had a franchise-worst six picks on defense last season.

In a 34-31 loss to Baltimore in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, the Cowboys let Lamar Jackson complete a 27-yard pass to Zay Flowers when the Ravens had just 7 seconds on the clock after a tying field goal by Dallas. Jackson got a timeout called with a second remaining, and Tyler Loop kicked a winning 56-yard field goal.

While the Cowboys had hopes of a quick turnaround with 34-year-old Christian Parker as a first-time defensive coordinator, the first three weeks have shown otherwise. In a season-opening loss to the New York Giants, Dallas had just two possessions in the second half because the defense couldn’t get a stop.

Porter was among the top 20 in the NFL in pass breakups over his first three seasons with 31. He had two seasons of double-digit passes defended. Last season, DaRon Bland was the leader for Dallas with six as the Cowboys finished last in the league in passing defense.

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See AP’s full NFL coverage here

FORECAST HIGHLIGHTS

• THIS MORNING: Storms & heavy downpours developing, slowly moving east
• REST OF THURSDAY: Widespread rain expected, flooding possible,
• THURSDAY NIGHT & EARLY FRIDAY: Redevelopment likely at times
• WEEKEND: Rain lingers in spots, but will be lighter

Street flooding is the main concern in urban areas, while we will closely monitor creeks and streams.

FORECAST

A slow moving front, an upper level low, and moisture from the remnants of Hurricane Polo will bring San Antonio and most of Texas some much-needed rain. However, it may be too much of a good thing for some areas, so a Flood Watch is in place tonight through Friday.

Remember: A “watch” means the ingredients for flooding are present, so we’re “watching” the weather closely. A “warning” means that flooding is happening or will begin soon, so you should take action to avoid flooded roads. You should have a way to get warnings if flooding starts.

HEAVY RAIN THURSDAY

Thursday remains our best chance for rain, as the slow-moving front makes it way closer to the I-35 corridor. Moisture is stacked in the atmosphere, meaning any storm that develops will put down very heavy rainfall. Street flooding is a concern in the urban areas, while we will closely monitor creeks and streams.

RAIN LINGERS ON FRIDAY

While rain Friday morning could lead to additional flooding, rain will lighten during the second part of the day.

SHOWERS THIS WEEKEND

More scattered activity is expected over the weekend, but activity will be light and intermittent, so flooding is not a concern. Fall-like weather is in the forecast for next week.

QUICK WEATHER LINKS

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

Max Fried dominated the Red Sox in the playoffs for the second straight year, Cody Bellinger and Luis García Jr. homered, and the Yankees rolled to a 9-2 win Wednesday night that completed a two-game sweep.

“We enjoyed tonight. We got a lot more work to do,” Bellinger said.

New York will face AL East champion Tampa Bay in an AL Division Series starting Saturday.

“The fans were electric from the first pitch and the boys were hungry. We got a young, hungry team here," Yankees captain Aaron Judge said as teammates sprayed him with bubbly during the clubhouse celebration. “This makes me feel young every single time.”

Judge missed this series because of a calf injury and isn't sure whether he will play against the Rays, who beat New York 7-6 in the season series.

“Saturday’s a long ways away," he said.

Clinging to a 2-1 lead after Willson Contreras homered to end Boston's 26-inning postseason scoreless streak, the Yankees broke open the game with a six-run sixth after Spencer Jones reached on a wild pitch while striking out leading off — with the help of a video review.

García, acquired at the trade deadline, had three hits in his first postseason start, and Bellinger had four RBIs that included a three-run homer capping the sixth-inning burst that put New York ahead 8-1.

“Step one,” said Bellinger, who caught the ceremonial first pitch from his dad, Clay, a 2000 Yankees World Series champion. “Now we got to go into Tampa and play against a tough team."

Boston, which reached the playoffs after rebounding from a 32-46 start, lost last year's wild-card matchup after defeating the Yankees in the opener.

“Regardless of all the special things that happened this summer, and there was quite a few, the goal is to win the World Series and that ended for us tonight, so it’s frustrating,” Red Sox manager Chad Tracy said. “There’s a lot of things you can say, but in the moment right now, I think the guys only care that we lost. And it’s going to take some time to get over that.”

Boston, which also got a seventh-inning homer from Nick Sogard off Will Warren, was missing leadoff hitter Roman Anthony because of a hand injury. The Red Sox were held to a .117 average in the series (7 for 60) with 18 strikeouts and outscored 18-2.

Every starter had a hit for New York, which batted .382 in the series. Boston's bullpen had a 20.25 ERA.

“We played great baseball in a lot of ways here, obviously anchored by our two great starters," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.

Yankees batters hit .450 (9 for 20) with runners in scoring position after finishing 19th among the 30 teams with a .246 RISP during the regular season.

“I feel like it’s a whole new level from regular season to these last two days,” Austin Wells said.

A day after Cam Schlittler led New York to a 9-0 win, Fried pitched three-hit ball over six innings to win a postseason game for the first time since the 2021 World Series clincher with Atlanta.

New York started eight left-handed hitters against Sonny Gray, back on the mound where his career derailed during a dismal Yankees stretch in 2017 and ’18.

García's fourth-inning homer put the Yankees ahead and Bellinger, one of the top lefty-on-lefty hitters in the major leagues, added a fifth-inning RBI single against left-handed Erik Miller, who had just relieved.

Gray was disappointed he wasn't allowed to face Bellinger.

“I think I’m the best pitcher in the American League going through the order a third time. I think that’s a fact,” Gray said. "I would’ve liked to live or die with me in that moment, but that's the competitor I am. And, yeah, I think you can probably ask the guys and they felt the same way. So I felt strong. I felt confident. I felt convicted.”

Jones struck out both to start and end the bottom of the sixth, a weird half-inning that included a wild pitch, throwing error, stolen base, bunt single and intentional walk to Ben Rice that preceded Bellinger's homer.

"I can’t believe they were willing to face a guy like Belli with men on base there," Rice said.

Garrett Crochet, who beat the Yankees in last year's Wild Card Series opener, hadn't pitched since April 25 because of left shoulder inflammation when he bounced a sweeper off Adley Rutschman's chest. The catcher picked up the ball and threw to first, where umpire John Libka signaled that Jones was out. The Yankees appealed and the call was reversed by the video umpire at the commissioner's office.

“I couldn’t believe he was there,” Boone said. "I saw the ball squirt away a little bit. I didn’t think that much of it, and looked up and I was, like, 'Oh, he’s safe.'''

Jones swiped second and kept going to third when Rutschman’s throw skipped into center. Rookie George Lombard Jr. singled for his first postseason RBI, Jazz Chisholm Jr. singled and Trent Grisham loaded the bases with a bunt single.

Wells' sacrifice fly against Garrett Whitlock increased the lead to 4-1, Ryan McMahon hit an RBI groundout and Rice, who had four hits and six RBIs in the opener, was intentionally walked. Bellinger reached down and pulled a changeup into the right-center field seats.

Fried struck out six and walked one. He has allowed one run over 12 1/3 innings in the two Wild Card Series against the Red Sox.

“Definitely wasn’t sharp from the get-go but just wanted to challenge them, not try to give any free passes, especially in the first inning," Fried said.

After a night of celebration and a day off, the Yankees will head to Florida on Friday.

“There’s just so much more to do,” Bellinger said after the big night with his father on hand. “So obviously enjoy the moment, understand how cool it is, but keep on going.”

Up Next

New York RHP Gerrit Cole (10-9, 3.61), who would have started a third game against Boston, is likely to start Game 1 against the Rays.

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See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Bueckers waved toward her backcourt mate, but she wasn't telling Ogunbowale to get out of the way. She was telling her to get open.

After all, Bueckers knew who the hot hand was — and it wasn't the 2025 No. 1 overall pick and Rookie of the Year who is in her first playoff series.

Ogunbowale took a pass from Bueckers on the left baseline, dribbled toward the corner and hit an off-balance corner 3-pointer, sending the game to overtime and her on the way to a WNBA playoff-record 45 points as the Wings won a thriller 108-100 on Wednesday night, forcing a Game 3 in their first-round series.

The deciding game will be Friday night in San Francisco, where the Valkyries won the series opener by 24 points.

Golden State is trying to advance in the playoffs for the first time in the franchise’s second season. The Wings are trying to reach the semifinals for the second time in six postseason appearances since moving to the Dallas area in 2016.

Ogunbowale opened the extra period of Game 2 by banking in a 3, then hit another one to put Dallas ahead for good at 103-100 with 1:46 remaining. The four-time All-Star easily topped her previous playoff best of 24 points after scoring 10 points on just seven shots in the series opener.

“We felt like we got pushed around out there when we played in San Francisco and especially me personally I don’t feel like I was aggressive,” said Ogunbowale, who was 5 of 8 from beyond the arc, 12 of 23 overall and 16 of 18 on free throws. “I didn’t know what I would score. I was going to shoot regardless because I just feel like seven shots isn’t enough to win playoffs and I have to be aggressive whether it’s going in or not.”

Bueckers, who scored 10 points, was mired in a 3-for-13 shooting night that included an air ball on a 3-pointer with the Wings trailing by three in the final two minutes of regulation. But she assisted on Ogunbowale's tying 3, and again on a the banked 3 to start OT. Bueckers had four assists.

“For us to do what we did today without Paige having the type of game that she always has offensively for us, to come out with a win is huge,” Wings coach Jose Fernandez said. “We had other people step up.”

Ogunbowale's shot for a 93-93 tie with 4.1 seconds left in regulation of Game 2 was followed by Gabby Williams getting called for an offensive foul on the inbound play after a Golden State timeout.

That call was reversed on replay, so instead of Aziaha James having a chance to give Dallas the lead at the free-throw line, there was a jump ball at center court with 3.0 seconds to go. After a scramble for the loose ball, Golden State's desperation shot was way off target, and after the buzzer.

Williams scored a career-high 36 points, regular season or playoffs, but missed all six of her shots in the final 1:31 of overtime to finish 12 of 23 from the field.

“We got one at home, and we got to bring our best,” Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase said. “That was not our best. Tomorrow’s got to be clear minds, clear focus, clear game plan, and then be ready to go for the game at home.”

Ogunbowale scored 22 points in the fourth quarter and overtime — 11 in each period. She passed her previous overall career high of 41 points with the 3 that put Dallas up for good.

Dallas' Alysha Clark tied her playoff career high with 21 points, and Aziaha James added 13.

Kaila Charles scored 14 points for the Valkyries, and Kayla Thornton had 13.

With the scored tied at 98 in the extra period, Ogunbowale and Tiffany Hayes had to be separated after making contact. Both were called for flagrant fouls, and each made a pair of free throws with 2:26 remaining.

The Valkyries didn't score again, shooting 2 of 12 in overtime.

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The plane made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. The shaken passengers from the FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv landed Wednesday evening in Israel on another flight, as onlookers cheered. Israel's emergency services said they treated three passengers with minor injuries.

It was not clear what motivated the attack, which led Israel to scramble warplanes amid concerns about a possible hijacking. In a CNN interview aired on Wednesday evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacker was an Omani national and was being interrogated in Saudi Arabia, where he was arrested.

Aviation experts were surprised the plane did not crash after a descent so extreme that most of the rudder was ripped off the tail.

“We’re going to die,” passenger Naama Bershadski recalled thinking as she closed her eyes and prayed.

A video shared by Netanyahu's office showed passenger Yaniv Hayoun, who grappled with the attacker, wearing a bloodied shirt and hugging the prime minister, who told Hayoun: “I look at you and I see a lion. I see a great hero."

President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House that he and Netanyahu discussed the incident “at length” by telephone and that it seemed as though the copilot “was perhaps a terrorist or perhaps a whack job. And, he stabbed the pilot.”

Responders said they knew they had seconds to act

Hayoun, who Netanyahu identified as a plumber, said he and others pushed their way into the cockpit, where he saw the alleged attacker seemingly trying to destroy the controls.

“The door apparently wasn’t locked, and we managed to open it,” Hayoun told journalists at the airport. “What made it difficult for us was the (other) pilot himself. He had been stabbed and was on the other side of the door.”

Hayoun told Netanyahu that as people wrestled with the attacker, he grabbed the controls and pulled them the way he had seen on television shows. Then other crew members took over. FlyDubai said the aircraft was secured by on-duty crew “who diverted and landed the aircraft safely.”

Another responder, dentist Shota Musayev, told journalists they realized they had just seconds to take control of the plane before a “critical event.” They also feared another attacker might be on the plane, so “we spread a few more people inside the plane so that if something happened, we would be able to simply take control.”

Musayev then attended to the wounded pilot: “He was just praying the whole time and was in contact with me, and I was afraid we would really lose him.”

Video footage on social media reviewed by The Associated Press showed two men on the plane’s floor, bloodied and wounded.

Netanyahu identified the captain as Smit Machchhar, an Indian citizen, and noted his “extraordinary bravery.” The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia said Machchhar was hospitalized in stable condition.

“Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door, and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker — preventing a catastrophic midair disaster,” Netanyahu said on X. “He saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals.”

Israel's foreign ministry said the people on board were from Israel, India and the United Arab Emirates. The U.S. State Department said four passengers had American citizenship.

FlyDubai said its flights to and from Israel would be suspended while an investigation takes place. Netanyahu said that he spoke with the UAE’s president, who agreed that Israel would join the interrogation of the suspect.

The incident came at a busy travel time as the Jewish High Holy Days with school and work breaks wrap up. In addition, national elections will be held on Oct. 27 and many Israelis plan to fly back to vote, since Israel doesn’t permit absentee voting from abroad.

Netanyahu had warned in recent days of unspecified, heightened security threats. The country is a week away from the anniversary of the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which has triggered a series of wars.

Aviation experts marvel that the plane didn't crash

In the chaos about two and a half hours after leaving Dubai, the flight descended from 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet (around 10,000 meters to 5,100 meters) in about a minute, before making an erratic circle close to the Jordanian border and landing in Tabuk about an hour later, according to Flightradar24, which identified the aircraft as a Boeing 737 Max 8.

According to a statement by Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk, the plane landed there at 9:45 a.m., an hour after making a distress call.

“Suddenly the aircraft started to fall down, like, a massive turbulence, like a massive G force, for 20 or 30 seconds,” passenger Almog Italie said.

Former United Airlines pilot and aviation safety expert Steve Arroyo said he was surprised that the plane was able to land safely after most of the rudder was ripped off the tail during the extreme descent.

“That was a serious descent and strong aerodynamic forces on that rudder for that to happen. I’m just amazed the aircraft didn’t come apart,” Arroyo said.

Another aviation safety expert, Jeff Guzzetti, said that given the rate of descent, it may not have been possible for the plane to level out if it had fallen below 10,000 feet.

“It is remarkable they were able to pull out of that dive. What saved them is there was enough altitude left for them to recover,” said Guzzetti, who used to investigate crashes for the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration in the U.S.

A panicked mayday call as the flight sought place to land

A person who heard the flight’s communications with air traffic control described the plane being turned away by Saudi Arabia and Jordan before eventually landing in Tabuk, while passengers screamed in the background.

The person said the pilot’s voice was trembling as he called “mayday” and said a hijacking was taking place and ambulances would be needed. But Saudi Arabia initially denied clearance to land and directed him to Jordan. The plane was told to wait for clearance from the Jordanian military and then turned away.

The pilot then returned to Saudi Arabia and said he had to land in Tabuk. The air control operators gave no reason for the refusals. The person who heard the communications spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said he spoke with his counterpart in the UAE and they agreed to work together “against extremist elements seeking to harm security and undermine stability in the region.” The general Civil Aviation Authority of the UAE said it was investigating a security incident.

An official confirmed that Israel had scrambled warplanes, fearing a hijacking. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the incident was under investigation.

Israelis have made emergency landings in Saudi Arabia before

Israelis were targeted in a string of hijackings and airplane attacks by Palestinian militants in the 1960s and 1970s. Israel has not experienced a hijacking in decades but maintains some of the strictest airport security in the world, including on Israel-bound flights.

The emergency landing in Saudi Arabia was not the first for a plane carrying Israelis home. The kingdom does not have formal diplomatic ties with Israel, but ended its longstanding ban on Israeli flights overflying its territory in 2022.

Since then, Saudi Arabia has coordinated emergency landings for Israeli passengers, including in 2023 when a plane experienced an electrical malfunction.

The UAE has become a popular vacation destination for Israeli tourists since the countries normalized ties in 2020. FlyDubai is the lower-cost sister carrier of Emirates airlines.

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Magdy reported from Cairo, Scharf from Jerusalem and Funk from Omaha, Nebraska. Associated Press writers Sam Metz, Aamer Madhani and Josef Federman in Jerusalem, Ami Ben Tov in Tel Aviv, Israel, Adam Schreck in Bangkok, Darlene Superville in Washington and Giovanna Dell'Orto in Minneapolis contributed to this report.

Xander Bogaerts drove in the first run for the surging Padres, who followed up their 8-0 victory in Tuesday's opener with another dominant mound performance. The Cubs led the majors in runs and the NL in homers this year, but they managed just eight hits — seven singles — over 18 innings against San Diego's inspired staff.

Ethan Salas drove in a run while becoming the youngest player to catch a postseason game in major league history for the Padres, whose 20-3 surge since Sept. 5 has them looking like a threat in the NL. With their fifth playoff series victory in the past seven years, the Padres advanced to face the MLB-best Milwaukee Brewers in an NL division series this weekend.

“It's our entire group coming together, finding ways to win ballgames over and over,” Fernando Tatis Jr. said between puffs on a cigar in the Padres' beer-soaked clubhouse. “This feels great, but we've already been to this part before, and we're all so hungry to go farther.”

One year after the Cubs eliminated the Padres in three tough Wild Card games at Wrigley Field, the Padres reversed the result in two romps before frenzied sellout crowds at Petco Park.

“It’s nice to finish in two,” manager Craig Stammen said. “Saves our bullpen a little bit, and we can decide who’s going to start Game 1. We haven’t decided that yet, but it definitely sets us up better with two days off. Get those guys fresh and ready to go.”

Nico Hoerner had half of the Cubs’ hits in the series, and he drove in Chicago’s only run in the fourth inning. He also got their only extra-base hit of the series with a ninth-inning double off Mason Miller, but the Padres’ vaunted closer calmly finished the save and set off another massive celebration on the field.

“It didn’t go well here,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “We just didn’t play well enough. They’re playing really well. We just couldn’t get anything going offensively, obviously. Look, when you’re in this position, you’re going to be disappointed. You’re going to feel unfulfilled, and that’s just dominating everything you feel right now. Maybe as you reflect, I think I can get to some better places. Right now, that’s all I feel.”

Probable NL MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong and veteran slugger Alex Bregman struggled mightily atop the Cubs’ lineup in San Diego, going a combined 0 for 15 with a walk and eight strikeouts over these two games. Bregman played just over a week after he was hit in the face with a foul ball.

“Those were the two guys we marked as we don’t want those guys to beat us in this series,” Stammen said. “We tried our best to set up our pitching to handle them. In the first game, we were just lucky we got out to a bigger lead. It’s a lot easier to pitch to those guys with a bigger lead.”

After hitting two homers in the first inning of Game 1, the Padres waited until the second inning of Game 2 to take a 2-0 lead. Ty France led off with a double off Kevin Gausman and scored on Bogaerts’ single before Salas hit a line-drive flyout to center, scoring Jackson Merrill.

Salas, the prized 20-year-old prospect recalled Sept. 1, also became the youngest player to appear in a postseason game for the Padres.

Chicago finally scored when Seiya Suzuki singled and eventually came home on Hoerner’s ground ball to center off Nick Pivetta. Stammen immediately yanked his starter in favor of his intimidating bullpen, and Bradgley Rodríguez escaped a bases-loaded jam.

Rodríguez also pitched the fifth to earn the victory in his postseason debut.

“Those guys, they're so good at what they do,” Pivetta said. “It was a pleasure to watch.”

After Bogaerts’ double chased Gausman in the fourth, Sheets crushed a 100.8 mph fastball from Daniel Palencia into the right-field bleachers. Sheets, the fan-favorite outfielder who is playing with a nagging plantar injury in his left foot, delivered his second career postseason homer and his first since 2021 as a White Sox rookie.

“That was one of the cooler home runs I've ever seen,” Merrill said.

The shot was the Padres’ first pinch-hit postseason homer since 2005, and their long-suffering fans’ cheers rattled the park.

Up next

Game 1 of the division series is Saturday in Milwaukee. The Padres took four of six from the Brewers this season, even sweeping a three-game series at Petco Park in August.

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And top starter Sonny Gray wasn't happy about being lifted after only 70 pitches.

“I think I’m the best pitcher in the American League going through the order the third time. I think that’s a fact,” Gray said. “I would have liked to have been trusted in that moment.”

For the second consecutive season, the Red Sox were sent home for the winter by their biggest rivals as the New York Yankees rolled to a 9-2 victory Wednesday night and a two-game sweep of their Wild Card Series.

Boston was outscored 18-2 overall and left to lament a miserable finish to this roller-coaster ride of a season that included Tracy taking over when Alex Cora was fired in April.

Tracy's decision-making came under scrutiny after both playoff games against the Yankees. In Boston's 9-0 defeat a night earlier, Tracy pulled rookie starter Payton Tolle after 4 2/3 innings and 83 pitches in a 1-0 game.

Last year, the Red Sox won their Wild Card Series opener before losing to New York in a deciding Game 3 as they got overpowered by Cam Schlittler, who pitched another playoff gem against his hometown team Tuesday night.

“To have it end here two times in a row is tough,” shortstop Trevor Story said.

Facing a Yankees lineup missing injured slugger Aaron Judge, the Red Sox gave up 26 hits in two games despite a pair of effective performances from their starting pitchers.

At the plate, Boston mustered only seven hits and finally snapped a 26-inning postseason scoring drought that dated to last year when Willson Contreras homered just over the right-center fence in the sixth Wednesday.

“It’s obviously been an eventful year," Tracy said. "In the moment right now you can’t think much more other than anything but the fact that we just lost a playoff series.”

Needing a victory to extend their season, the Red Sox sent Gray to the mound and the 18-game winner certainly gave them a chance. Boston trailed 1-0 in the fifth when the right-hander allowed a two-out single to Ben Rice that put runners at the corners.

Tracy then yanked Gray, eager to hand the ball to baseball's best bullpen during the regular season.

“I felt good. You know, I felt crisp. I felt sharp. I felt like I was just out there competing. And yeah, I mean, I got clipped for a solo homer and then some singles, but I felt like I stayed on the attack throughout. I was just executing what I wanted to do," Gray said. “I’m frustrated, for sure. You know, not ready for it to end. A lot of emotions.”

Asked about the move, Contreras put his finger over his lips to zip them shut.

“It’s not enough when you have talent or you have data or you have computers that’s telling you what to do, because this is baseball," he said. "The data is here to help us, but at the end of the day you are going to have to need experience and veteran guys to win games.”

In both games of the series, Tracy gave the ball to left-handed reliever Erik Miller after taking out his starting pitcher.

On Tuesday, Rice greeted Miller with a 423-foot solo homer to straightaway center field.

On Wednesday, Tracy summoned Miller to face a different left-handed hitter, Cody Bellinger — who batted .274 against lefties this season and .259 versus right-handers. In fact, his .310 batting average against left-handers over the past two years was the best of any left-handed hitter in the majors.

Bellinger made Tracy and the Red Sox pay, lining an RBI single to right field.

“We’re struggling to score runs,” Tracy said. “And when you get in spots where you're struggling to score runs and you’re already trailing, you feel like you’ve got to be aggressive and go.”

Back from a shoulder injury, ace starter Garrett Crochet entered in the sixth for his first outing since April 25 and first relief appearance since 2023 with the Chicago White Sox. The left-hander opened with a strikeout, but Spencer Jones reached safely on a wild pitch, and Crochet never got an out.

Bellinger's three-run homer off right-hander Garrett Whitlock capped a six-run inning that made it 8-1, and the Red Sox were done. A bullpen that led the majors with a 3.00 ERA during the regular season finished this series with a 20.25 ERA after giving up 15 runs, 15 hits and seven walks in 6 2/3 innings, with a .484 opponents' batting average.

Boston's latest downfall in the Bronx was a crushing end to a wild 2026 season for the Red Sox, who stumbled to a 32-46 start. Tracy was the skipper at Triple-A Worcester before getting promoted to interim manager in Boston, and the team finally began to take off with a four-game sweep of the Yankees at Fenway Park in late June.

After clinching a wild-card spot last week, the Red Sox removed the interim tag and named Tracy the 49th manager in team history, signing him to a three-year contract that runs through the 2029 season, with a club option for 2030. The team also exercised the 2029 and 2030 options on chief baseball officer Craig Breslow.

“I wasn't there for the highs and lows,” Crochet said. “For this team to do what it did do, to make it to this point, was nothing short of miraculous.”

Led by Gray and Contreras, among others, the Red Sox went on a 15-game winning streak in July that equaled a franchise record and used a 32-5 surge to climb back into contention. They became the fourth team in major league history to reach the postseason after falling 14 games under .500, and the first to qualify after losing as many as 44 of its first 75.

Gray, who can become a free agent after the World Series, went around the clubhouse to hug each of his teammates following Wednesday's defeat.

“I'm proud of what we accomplished,” the pitcher said. “We were left for dead there for a while.”

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The future of NIOSA is uncertain after the president of the Conservation Society of San Antonio terminated the organization’s multiyear agreement with the city to host the event.

In a letter obtained by KSAT, Shanon Miller, the city’s chief downtown officer, said she had received a letter from Conservation Society President Betty Bueche ending the society’s license to host NIOSA.

The move marks a significant development for the long-running event, which is tied to La Villita and preservation efforts in the historic downtown area.

Miller also wrote that the city would continue working with the Conservation Society to spend the remaining money in the La Villita Preservation Fund.

The fund is used for city-owned buildings and improvements.

In a statement sent to KSAT, Bueche said the Conservation Society sent a letter requesting the termination of the license agreement “within the last couple of days”.

Bueche also said the La Villita fund has a remaining balance of approximately $890,000.

“The new license agreement does not include a La Villita fund. The City preferred that those contributions be directed to the General Fund, which is included in the new agreement which was just terminated. The City decides how to spend the La Villita fund. Its purpose is to fund improvements to La Villita. The City will continue to be the decision maker regarding how to use the remaining funds in the La Villita Fund”, Bueche said in a statement to KSAT.

The city will decide how to use the remaining money in the La Villita fund.

Sidelined since Sept. 16 by a strained right calf, Judge went to the Yankees' Double-A ballpark in Somerset, New Jersey, for live batting practice Wednesday as he tries to work his way back from a leg injury to be available later in the postseason.

“Saturday’s a long ways away, but I’m doing everything I can, all morning, night, during the game, everything to prepare myself to be ready to go,” Judge said after Wednesday night's 9-2 win. "So I want to be in there. So we’ll see what happens.”

Judge did not join teammates along the first-base line for introductions before the Yankees' 9-0 win in Tuesday's opener of the best-of-three series.

“I think he was getting treatment,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.

Judge ran in the outfield before Tuesday night's game and on Wednesday went to Somerset to hit. He returned to the Bronx in time to watch Game 2.

A three-time AL MVP, Judge was limited to 66 games this season. The 34-year-old slugger hit .241 with 18 homers, 41 RBIs and an .871 OPS, including .174 with one homer and three RBIs in September.

Left-hander Ryan Weathers, sidelined with a left forearm flexor strain since Aug. 22, was to throw a bullpen at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday.

Boone said right-hander Clarke Schmidt won't pitch again this year. The 30-year-old relieved on Sept. 16 at Minnesota in his first big league appearance since Tommy John surgery on July 11, 2025, then was put on the injured list with right biceps inflammation.

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Carter Eslick, 20, also received three years of supervised probation during a sentencing hearing in Coconino County Superior Court. Eslick had pleaded guilty to a felony hazing charge in the Jan. 31 death of Colin Daniel Martinez, 18, at an off-campus house.

An autopsy found Martinez died of alcohol poisoning with a blood-alcohol content of 0.425% — more than five times the state's legal limit for drivers 21 and over.

Martinez was among four Delta Tau Delta pledges who shared two bottles of vodka to ensure they vomited, according to court documents. Witnesses reported adjusting Martinez’s sleeping position and checking his pulse and breathing to look for signs of alcohol poisoning throughout the night, the documents said.

Martinez's parents appeared remotely in court, still grieving their son, and said they want accountability and reform within Greek life, Phoenix television station azfamily.com reported.

Eslick was the fraternity’s pledge master at the time and was responsible for welcoming new members. He apologized Wednesday to Martinez's family and said he takes “full responsibility for the hand I played in that ritual.”

Coconino County Attorney Ammon Barker said no sentence can undo the harm to the Martinez family.

“My hope is that this case helps people understand the serious dangers of hazing and encourages them to speak up and intervene before another family experiences this kind of loss,” Barker said in a statement.

Judge Stacy Krueger said Eslick knew what he did was dangerous and was troubled that no one spoke out against it.

Eslick could face additional jail time if he doesn't meet the conditions of probation, which include creating and delivering 305 anti-hazing presentations and keeping the court updated on his progress. He also can't use alcohol or drugs unless prescribed.

The university suspended the fraternity after Martinez’s death, and the national organization later closed the NAU chapter.

Hilton presented himself as a change agent, saying that years of Democratic dominance in Sacramento had diminished the state in business, education and quality of life. “We've got to try something different,” he said in the matchup on CNN.

Becerra depicted Hilton as President Donald Trump's handpicked choice for the job, and repeatedly invoked the president's name throughout the debate. The president is widely unpopular in the state outside his conservative base.

“You can hear Donald Trump” in Hilton's responses, he said at one point.

The debate played out just days before mail ballots are expected to begin arriving at homes in advance of the Nov. 3 general election. Looking to replace outgoing Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, Hilton is appealing to voters who he says are frustrated by the state's punishing cost of living, high taxes and long-running homeless crisis. Becerra is promising to bring down household costs, too, while continuing to push back against Trump’s agenda.

While both highlighted the state's challenges, they also cast it as a land of opportunity, with Hilton praising the state's “rebel spirit” and Becerra saying it has allowed countless people to achieve the American dream.

A September poll conducted by the University of California, Berkeley, Institute of Governmental Studies found that Becerra had a sizable lead over Hilton. A Republican has not won a statewide election in heavily Democratic California since 2006.

Hilton has been holding a steady string of public events to try to attract voters' attention, while Becerra has run a lower-key campaign.

Hilton thanked CNN “for bringing Xavier out of hiding,” a dig at his rival as the debate got underway.

Candidates trade barbs over experience

Becerra mocked Hilton's experience as a “talking head” for Fox News, where he was a commentator.

“You can’t expect a guy who has never been in office like this to go in there and do the right job,” Becerra said at one point.

Hilton cast Becerra as a guardian of the status quo, saying he has “no arguments and no solutions and nothing to say about how he would change anything about how California is run.”

But after an hour on stage, it appeared neither candidate landed the kind of stinging blow that would dramatically reshape the race. Many of the criticisms they traded echoed attack lines often heard on campaign stops in recent months.

Hilton has Trump's endorsement, but that could be a liability at a time when the president's popularity has been sliding while gas and grocery prices climb. Trump has had a long-strained relationship with California, where he was trounced in his three runs for the White House.

The two rivals emerged from a chaotic primary that saw former Democratic U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell exit the race — then announce he would leave Congress — following allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman twice, including when she worked for him, while billionaire Tom Steyer ran the most expensive political advertising campaign in the country in a losing effort for the Democratic nomination.

Hilton has vowed to bring down the price of gasoline to $3 a gallon, about half the current cost; cut in half residents’ utility bills, now among the nation’s highest; and eliminate state income taxes on the first $150,000 in earnings.

Becerra has been leaning into his long resume in government as he maneuvers to take charge of the state. He spent more than 35 years in state and federal office, including leadership roles in the U.S. House, as California’s attorney general, and as former President Joe Biden’s health secretary. “The governor’s office is not a place with training wheels,” he likes to say.

Hilton at times sought distance with Trump. Asked about Trump's unfounded attacks on election integrity in California, Hilton said, “I’ve got confidence in what we saw in the primary and in this process." He went on to criticize the tone Democrats use to assume the outcome in the governor's race is a foregone conclusion.

Immigration debate turns personal

Hilton revisited criticism of Becerra’s tenure as the federal health secretary, including his handling of migrant children who arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2021.

The children were processed in tents before being taken to emergency shelters run by the Department of Health and Human Services. Some of the shelters were criticized by child welfare advocates as having inadequate conditions. They would then be placed with a family member, relative or sponsor.

A New York Times investigation found that the health department failed to thoroughly vet sponsors, and many of the children went on to work exploitative jobs. It also found Becerra pushed to move children through the system faster and that the agency could not reach tens of thousands of minors after they left federal care.

Becerra responded that he was recycling “Trump talking points.”

“Trump left a system for care of these immigrant kids that had been dismantled because he doesn’t want them here,” Becerra said. “We changed all that. I am proud of the record.”

Asked whether he would assist in helping the Trump administration carry out mass deportations despite state laws that limit cooperation with federal law enforcement, Hilton noted his own background as a child of European immigrants and said his goal is “to lower the temperature on this whole question.” He pledged to protect “legal immigrant communities" and prioritizing removing “dangerous criminals.”

“You seem to welcome immigrants who look like you, but deport immigrants who look like me," Becerra responded. Hilton called that accusation “disgraceful.”

The state has spent billions on homelessness, with little in the way of results. Becerra said as governor, “We will make sure the encampments are cleared.” Hilton responded, “This absolute scandal shames our state.”

Benny Caldera, a 40-year-old Converse resident, was arrested at 3 a.m. Wednesday by DPS, booked into Bexar County Jail and charged with a felony for a terroristic threat against a public agent. He was then promptly re-arrested by the FBI on additional federal charges and transferred into federal custody, DPS said.

A spokesperson for DPS said in a social media post that there was “lots of misinformation circulating online” about Caldera being released on a $75,000 bond, which the post and another from DPS’ account said was not true. Bexar County Jail records online do state that Caldera was “released on bond” and listed a bond amount of $75,000, which state Sen. Tan Parker, R-Flower Mound, called “a joke” in his own post about Caldera.

An email from Secretary of the Senate Patsy Spaw sent to Capitol staff obtained by The Texas Tribune said the individual arrested was the “main suspect” in a planned attack with suspected co-conspirators intended for Thursday. A statement from DPS about Caldera’s arrest made no mention of any other suspects or arrests.

DPS’ statement and Spaw’s email said there would be increased DPS presence at the state Capitol while an investigation is ongoing. The agency later said there is “no reason to believe that there is an ongoing threat” to the Capitol.

The FBI was involved in assisting with the initial arrest as well, DPS said. An FBI spokesperson did not respond to an immediate request for comment, and Bexar County Jail records do not specify what federal offense Caldera was charged with.

There are no legislative hearings or events scheduled for Oct. 1, according to the Capitol legislative website.

In a social media post, Gov. Greg Abbott thanked DPS and the FBI for their roles in arresting Caldera. “Texas will NOT tolerate threats of violence against our Capitol,” he said.

In June 2025, DPS arrested a man in La Grange for threats that prompted the evacuation of the Texas Capitol, which occurred the day of a large “No Kings” protest at the Capitol and downtown Austin. The man was released from jail a few days later.

Alejandro Serrano contributed to this report.

It is not yet clear whether he will need surgery. Anthony was sidelined from early May to late August with an injury to the same hand.

“We did everything we could to be back this year and play, which we did,” Anthony said Wednesday in the tunnel outside the Red Sox clubhouse at Yankee Stadium before Boston's 9-2 loss gave New York a two-game sweep. "Going forward, we haven’t really even talked about it today."

Batting leadoff as Boston's designated hitter in his playoff debut Tuesday night, Anthony struck out in both of his at-bats against Cam Schlittler, then was removed for a pinch hitter with the Red Sox trailing by two runs in the sixth inning of a 9-0 loss.

Boston manager Chad Tracy said Anthony felt discomfort in his right hand after a couple of checked swings.

“After I came back, the hand was never really fully 100%," Anthony said. "For me it was to a point where it was tolerable and I was taking certain swings that were sketchy and I was still able to come back and recover enough to just be in there every single day. But ultimately I just took a few swings here recently where that wasn’t the case.”

The team sent Anthony to Boston in a car after the game. He arrived about 3 a.m. and had new MRIs on Wednesday morning.

“Additional damage to some muscles in his wrist that weren’t there before,” Tracy said.

The 22-year-old Anthony returned to Massachusetts because the medical staff there was familiar with his injury from earlier this season.

“My thoughts are kind of all over the place,” he said. “Feelings and emotions of, you work all this year to put yourself in a position to just be good enough to go in the playoffs and for this to happen, it just doesn’t feel real.”

Anthony wasn't sure whether the injury is something he'll have to manage going forward.

“Given the point where we were at this year and all the different things that I tried and the different shots that I took and the routes that I went, I think — never really rested a ton, right? — so I don’t necessarily know the answer to that,” he said. “Once we saw it today, it was more so about like, all right, this is what it is. You can’t go. It’s not in the team’s best interest for you to play tonight. So get back there. Root your guys on and be a good teammate. And then once, like I said, once we get past the series, it’ll be one of those things where we reassess regardless of what happens and kind of go from there.”

Anthony missed 101 games from May 5 to Aug. 29 with the earlier injury to his hand.

“There’s been periods of time since he’s come back where he’ll get a zinger and feel something. And then it dissipates and we’re good to go,” Tracy said. “That’s not been an uncommon occurrence since he’s come back. But yesterday, as you went through those two at-bats, it got worse.”

The club announced Anthony was diagnosed with a right hand strain, and Major League Baseball approved a Red Sox roster substitution. Anthony was replaced on the Wild Card Series roster by infielder Curtis Mead, obtained from Washington in late July for pitcher Connelly Early.

“I’ve been experiencing some things with the swings and the check-swings over the past six weeks. Last night just felt a little bit more intense, a little bit more worse than past swings that have been lingering a little bit longer than the ones I was used to,” Anthony said.

“It was just super alarming and it got to a point where it was tough to grip a bat. I knew then and there that this was a little bit more similar to the one earlier in the year. That’s why we decided to go get imaging."

Mead got hit by a pitch in his first game with the Red Sox at the Athletics on July 27 and was placed on the injured list with a broken left wrist. He hasn't played in the big leagues since.

One of baseball’s premier prospects when he debuted in the majors last year, Anthony batted .245 with five home runs, 15 RBIs and a .735 OPS in 55 games this season.

“Hopefully he’s going to be healthy for next year,” Abreu said. “It’s a big loss for us, but we still have to play the game and try to win the game today.”

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See AP’s full MLB coverage here

The Texas Department of Public Safety said in a statement that it received “credible information about an individual planning a violent attack" for Thursday in Austin. Officials did not provide details about the alleged plot, citing an ongoing investigation.

The tip came in Tuesday evening, and SWAT officers made the arrest about 3 a.m. Wednesday at a residence in Converse, near San Antonio.

Benny Caldera Jr. was charged with making a terroristic threat against a public servant, a felony, the DPS statement said. He made bond, according to online court records in Bexar County, but DPS said later Wednesday that Caldera was in federal custody after being arrested by the FBI to face additional federal charges.

DPS did not provide further details, and the FBI's San Antonio press office did not immediately respond to an email late Wednesday seeking comment.

Messages were left seeking comment from John Bunk, an attorney listed for Caldera.

DPS notified state lawmakers about the threat and arrest early Wednesday. The Capitol remained open during regular operating hours.

Gov. Greg Abbott said DPS was assisted by the FBI in making the arrest.

"Texas will NOT tolerate threats of violence against our Capitol," the governor said in a statement on social media.

The response came as oil and fuel exports neared prewar levels with alternate routes.

On an Israel-bound FlyDubai flight from Dubai on Wednesday, a copilot stabbed the pilot and then apparently tried to crash the jetliner carrying around 170 people, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. Passengers and crew subdued the attacker, and the plane landed safely in Saudi Arabia.

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

Iran indicates it received official US response to latest offer on ending the war

Iranian officials indicated Wednesday they have received an official U.S. response to Tehran’s latest proposal to end the seven-month war, which U.S. President Donald Trump had publicly rejected just days earlier.

The officials did not say what the response contained and whether it was a rejection.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi presented the U.S. response to President Masoud Pezeshkian at a Cabinet meeting, government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani told the state-run IRNA news agency.

“We will make every effort to bring the agreement to fruition and will firmly stand up for the rights of the Iranian people,” Pezeshkian said. “The agreement must now be based on a win-win strategy.”

The Cabinet meeting followed Araghchi’s return to Iran after traveling to New York for last week’s United Nations General Assembly, where officials held indirect talks with U.S. officials and also met with Qatari and Pakistani mediators on the sidelines of the annual gathering of world leaders.

Copilot stabs captain on Israel flight before passengers stop attack

A copilot stabbed a captain in an apparent attempt to crash a jetliner Wednesday as it was flying 174 people to Israel. Passengers burst into the cockpit and wrestled with the attacker as the plane descended sharply, witnesses and Israel’s government said.

A pilot on a FlyDubai flight from the United Arab Emirates to Israel stabbed another pilot Wednesday and then apparently tried to crash the jetliner carrying around 170 people, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. Passengers and crew subdued the attacker, and the plane landed safely in Saudi Arabia.

The plane made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. The shaken passengers from the FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv landed Wednesday evening in Israel on another flight, as onlookers cheered. Israel’s emergency services said they treated three passengers with minor injuries.

It was not clear what motivated the attack, which led Israel to scramble warplanes amid concerns about a possible hijacking. In a CNN interview aired on Wednesday evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacker was an Omani national and was being interrogated in Saudi Arabia, where he was arrested.

— By Samy Magdy in Cairo, Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, Isaac Scharf in Jerusalem, and Josh Funk

Israeli strikes kill 5 Palestinians and wound 19 in Gaza

Israeli strikes killed five Palestinians and wounded 19 in Gaza, hospital officials said Wednesday, the latest of almost daily attacks since Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire nearly a year ago, halting the heaviest of the fighting.

Officials at Shifa Hospital said an Israeli strike killed a woman and critically wounded her husband in Gaza City, while another struck a bus, killing four and wounding at least 14. Elsewhere in the territory, a strike in Khan Younis wounded four Palestinians, officials at Nasser Hospital said.

Israel’s military didn’t immediately respond to questions about the bus strike, but said it was reviewing information about the strike in Khan Younis.

Israeli airstrikes have killed more than 1,400 Palestinians since the ceasefire, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which maintains detailed records that are generally seen as reliable. Five Israeli soldiers have been killed in militant attacks over the same time period, while two more were killed by friendly fire.

Hundreds of mourners in Gaza City also held a vigil Wednesday for 105 people killed during the war and whose bodies were recovered in the past several days from the rubble of buildings destroyed by Israeli strikes.

US troops withdraw from Iraq

The U.S. military said Wednesday that it had completed the withdrawal of its troops from Iraq, ending a 12-year mission to fight the Islamic State group.

Baghdad touted the move as a sign of the country’s growing strength and sovereignty. It was also celebrated by Iran-backed groups, but raised concerns among some other Iraqis, particularly in the Kurdish region.

U.S. President Donald Trump hailed the withdrawal in a social media post, saying it “marks the end of a very expensive excursion into Hell.”

“It has been a long time, with very bad decision-making that got us involved in this quagmire in the first place, but soon, that will be part of History,” Trump said.

Oil and fuel exports near prewar level with alternate routes

Alternate export routes and a U.S.-protected route through the Strait of Hormuz have helped restore oil and fuel exports from the Gulf to near prewar levels, according to figures from data firm Kpler.

Exports through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal — along with a pipeline to Fujairah on the Gulf of Oman and a U.S.-protected route that guides tankers at night — have been a key workaround after the threat of Iranian attacks disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, Kpler said during a Tuesday podcast.

About 21.8 million barrels per day of crude and fuel products made from crude are being shipped weekly, on average, compared to the prewar baseline of 23.3 million barrels per day, Kpler said.

“We are not at pre-conflict levels, but we are getting close to there,” said Matt Smith, Kpler's director of commodity research.

Still, the workarounds are time consuming and expensive.

Egypt’s president says Suez Canal revenue down $20 billion

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi says that the Suez Canal has lost a cumulative $20 billion in revenue since the Hamas-led attack on Israel unleashed the war in Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, and because of maritime navigation disruptions from the Middle East conflict.

During a televised meeting on Tuesday with Cabinet members, top military leaders and local governors, el-Sissi blamed the government’s tight budget and little education and health spending on the volatile geopolitical situation that led to increases in food and energy prices.

Traffic was significantly disrupted after Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels began targeting vessels heading to Israel through the Suez Canal after the start of the war in Gaza.

Saudi Crown Prince says he is confident kingdom can deter all foes

Saudi Arabia’s crown prince and de-facto ruler says his kingdom is capable of deterring its enemies as the oil-rich country remains embroiled in a proxy war against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

“Your country possesses highly efficient human and military capabilities, capable — by the grace of God Almighty — of repelling threats and deterring them completely, regardless of their sources,” Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said on Wednesday at the inauguration of a new session of the unelected advisory Shura council.

The Houthis recently captured the strategic port city of Mokha and several Red Sea islands, extending their reach toward the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a maritime route through which about 12% of global trade passes. They, along with allied militias in Iraq, also have attacked Saudi oil facilities and sought to prevent Saudi tankers from using the strait, disrupting the kingdom’s oil exports.

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

Nicolas is a four-year member and captain of the varsity soccer team.

He’s been named First-Team All-District, Academic All-District three years in a row and was named to the All Area Team and Defender of the Year in District 28-6A last season. Nicolas is also a member of the San Antonio FC Pro Academy.

He’s a member of the National Honor Society, maintains a 3.8 grade point average and is ranked in the top 30 percent of his class. Nicolas plans to attend college and major in business administration with a concentration around sports management.

The new hurricane, Rachel, is expected to develop rapidly and could become a major one with sustained winds topping 111 mph (178 kph). The storm was far offshore, however, and posed no threat to land.

Parts of New Mexico, meanwhile, looked less and less like the months of drought that dried up reservoirs and caused hungry bears to roam into neighborhoods in search of food. Wednesday marks the end of the second wettest month ever in Albuquerque, with National Weather Service records dating back to the 1800s.

Flood warnings in the southwestern state remained in effect, despite the storm slowing.

“There’s a lot of standing water in the fields and near some homes,” National Weather Service meteorologist Greg Lundeen said of one area where water overtopped a minor dam.

Floodwaters threatened the state's famous chile crop at harvest time. And the Rio Grande that ran dry through a long stretch of the state was overflowing.

The damp and stormy pattern is consistent with an El Niño year of above average Pacific storm activity.

Soggy weather slogs off to the east

From Colorado and across the Great Plains to Iowa, as much as 2 inches (5 centimeters) of rain fell Tuesday and into Wednesday, with some areas seeing even more.

More storms were expected in Texas and Oklahoma after one in Amarillo, Texas, flooded streets and spawned a tornado Tuesday night. Storm totals in the Amarillo area topped 3.5 inches (9 centimeters).

The weather was the remnant of tropical systems including Hurricane Polo, a Category 3 hurricane that made landfall overnight Monday on the Baja California peninsula and then farther inshore.

In southern New Mexico, ongoing rain threatened to rot red chiles as the harvest wraps up. Mold and disease will put stress on the plants in the field, said Preston Mitchell, a Hatch Chile Association board member.

“There will be nobody picking chile for at least five or six days,” Mitchell said. “All these growers whose fields were flooded, everything’s toast. Everything that’s out there is done.”

But most of about 100 people who sought refuge from potential flooding in chile-growing Dona Ana County were headed home from shelters Wednesday, county officials said.

As the weather cleared, water stopped spilling over an earthen flood-control structure in the area that held without failing.

Acting Gov. Howie Morales declared a state of emergency that made $3.75 million available through local governments to help affected people get temporary housing, healthcare, food and transportation.

Rachel is the latest in a busy Pacific hurricane season

Mexican authorities remain on alert in the states of Michoacán, Colima and Jalisco due to Hurricane Rachel.

In the state of Jalisco, schools were closed Wednesday in 30 municipalities as a precautionary measure.

Rachel was located about 200 miles (320 km) west-southwest of Cabo Corrientes, Mexico. Its maximum sustained winds were around 90 mph (150 kmh), according to an advisory from the Miami-based National Hurricane Center.

The cyclone was moving northwest at 7 mph (11 kph) and was forecast to turn toward the west-northwest and west later this week, moving away from mainland Mexico and passing south of the Baja California peninsula.

The hurricane center said the Mexican government had discontinued all coastal watches and warnings. But it warned of possible isolated rainfall totals of up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) and heavy surf along the coasts of Guerrero, Michoacán, Colima and Jalisco states.

In Jalisco, the bodies of three people -- two children ages 3 and 15, and their mother -- were found Sunday after the family went missing due to a river flooding in the city of Talpa de Allende, before Polo made landfall. The father is still missing, according to the Jalisco State Civil Protection agency. A tourist also is missing due to strong waves in Puerto Vallarta, but the agency says that case is not linked to Polo either.

In the central Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Nolo threatened dangerous conditions for parts of Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, a marine conservation area. Formerly a hurricane, the storm drenched parts of Hawaii’s Big Island over the weekend. Its maximum sustained winds were near 50 mph (85 kph).

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Mikella Schuettler and Wufei Yu in Phoenix, Sarah Raza in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Fabiola Sanchez in Mexico City and Julie Walker in New York City contributed reporting.

Cecilia Mueller, 47, was first arrested in connection with the alleged incident on April 27, 2026.

According to police, the alleged assault happened with a student several times while she was a teacher at Lewis Elementary School for nearly 12 years, until June 2019.

Mueller is no longer affiliated with the district, and records show her teacher educator certificate is also indefinitely suspended.

According to Bexar County jail records, Mueller was indicted on two first-degree felonies and three second-degree felonies.

Those charges include three counts of indecency with child sexual contact, one count of aggravated sexual assault of a child, and one count of continuous sexual assault of a child under 14.

Mueller’s next hearing is scheduled for Oct. 13, records show.

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Keith Sonderling, who was confirmed 47-41, has been the acting secretary since April and has served in multiple roles within the department over the course of his career. He was picked for the job after the White House announced that Lori Chavez-DeRemer would be leaving her post to take a job in the private sector. Her exit followed multiple allegations that she had abused the power of her position.

Sonderling was a senior advisor in the department during Trump’s first term and later served as a Republican member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He also taught about the laws the department enforces as an adjunct professor at George Washington University. He returned to the department in Trump’s second term and was confirmed as deputy secretary in March of last year.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said it was clear Sonderling was qualified for the position when the committee he chairs advanced his nomination to the full Senate.

“I’m confident that he will protect workers, help businesses create more jobs, and help workers navigate AI-driven changes in the workforce,” Cassidy said.

Democrats opposed Sonderling's confirmation, citing administration policies at the department they disagreed with, including management of some Department of Education grant programs at Labor. That’s been happening as Trump works to fulfill his campaign pledge to close the Department of Education entirely.

The Labor Department's mission is focused on administering federal labor laws to guarantee workers’ rights to fair, safe, and healthy working conditions.

“I fear any vote to confirm you is for more of the same: to strip overtime protections for our workers, to undercut our unions and to let giant corporations get away with robbery, literally,” Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said during Sonderling's confirmation hearing.

Discussion

At 300 PM GMT (1500 UTC), the center of Post-Tropical Cyclone Hanna was located near latitude 33.4 North, longitude 43.6 West. The post-tropical cyclone is moving toward the east near 5 mph (7 km/h). A turn toward the east-northeast is expected later today with an increase in forward speed on Thursday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph (55 km/h) with higher gusts. The remnant low should gradually weaken during the next couple of days.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 1008 mb (29.77 inches).

Watches and Warnings

There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.

Land Hazards

None.

Texas public schools are funded through state and local tax dollars. The local money is generated from property tax rates.

Brian Woods, the former Northside ISD superintendent, said the state sets a limit on each district’s rate.

“The state tells each school district, based on a complicated calculation, what’s so-called their maximum compressed tax rate is,” Woods said.

If a district needs to increase that rate, Woods said, “then it has to go to its voters and ask for permission in a Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election.”

Money from a district’s property tax rate is divided into two parts. What’s called the “interest and sinking” rate pays off large bond projects. The “maintenance and operations” percentage pays for dayto day expenses, such as utilities, fuel and staff.

Asked what the money from a VATRE can be used for, Woods said it “has to stay on the maintenance and operations side of the tax rate.”

“You could use those dollars to, again, put fuel in busses, to pay the electric bill, to pay your staff,” Woods said.

Every district decides how to split its money between the two sides, with day to day costs always being the largest portion.

The state requires voter approval if a district wants to increase the share going to maintenance and operations. A school board could lower that share on its own, but Woods said that is unlikely.

“It would never happen because the vast majority of districts in the state are struggling to fund their current programming at the rate where they are,” he said.

Ballots for school finance elections also carry the words “this is a tax increase.” State law began requiring that wording a few years ago, but approval does not always mean a taxpayer will pay more. If the rate for one portion goes up while the other goes down, the overall amount paid could go down or stay the same. That is the current proposal in South San ISD, for example.

Voters are encouraged to read the details of the proposals before heading to the polls.

Early voting begins Oct. 19.

During a meeting on Thursday night, the exchange began when Street questioned City Manager Brian Rowland about numbers in the proposed budget.

Street said she had previously sent questions to Rowland but did not receive the information she was seeking until she arrived at the meeting.

“I’m not voting for a budget where I can’t get answers prior to the meeting or even in the meeting,” Street said. “I don’t know why you expect me to just roll over and say yes when we have not had any discussion over these items.”

Street also raised concerns about pay for firefighters. She said firefighters should be making at least $20 an hour, similar to police officers, and said the department had been waiting more than four years for a pay increase.

Street said she would not support a budget unless that raise was included.

Street said she was not given clear answers about firefighter pay, but Rowland tells KSAT there were multiple opportunities for questions to be addressed.

“It’s called gaslighting,” Street said in an interview with KSAT.

The council voted to remove Street during the Sept. 24 meeting over what city officials described as disrespectful behavior.

“I will say something at every meeting, which may force them to say I’m being disrespectful again,” Street told KSAT. “But I’m sorry, I’m allowed to address my government. And if they don’t like my tone, I’m really sorry. This is what God gave me. And that’s how I speak. I’m not beating around the bush. I’m calling it as I’m seeing it.”

Rowland said Street’s conduct violated the city’s decorum policy.

“While being disrespectful is not a crime, actually, it’s against the decorum policy,” Rowland said.

Dispute over firefighter pay

Street’s questions focused in part on firefighter compensation. She said firefighters should earn at least $20 an hour and questioned how a proposed $2 increase would be distributed.

“What he told me was they got a $2 increase, but it was up to them somehow to disperse that money,” Street said.

Rowland said council members and residents had multiple opportunities to participate in the budget process, including two budget town hall meetings held outside regular council meetings.

Rowland said Street did not attend either town hall. Street said she believed she attended one and said Rowland did not answer her questions there either.

Street also said she sent Rowland a list of questions about the budget 10 days before the meeting but received few answers.

The city manager also said Street attended part of a City Council retreat but did not attend the full retreat.

Budget approved amid tension

The budget was ultimately approved before its scheduled adoption on Oct. 1. The council, excluding Street, approved the budget including a property tax increase expected to bring in about $857,000 more than the year prior.

Rowland said the budget proposal already included increases for firefighters and public works employees.

“We were focusing on firefighters and public works pay for an increase that was already in the budget,” Rowland said. “When we start pitting departments against departments, we break down employee morale.”

Street said she will continue asking questions at future meetings.

“I’m going to keep asking the questions. He could start answering them,” Street said when asked about mending the working relationship between her and Rowland.

Rowland said Street does not have to agree with him but added that she has made his job as city manager “more difficult.”

The council’s next regularly scheduled meeting is Oct. 8.

Street said she will continue to speak up at future meetings, even if officials again consider her tone disrespectful.

She said she will continue to ask direct questions and will not “beat around the bush.”

The crossing at the top of that list is Old Seguin Road at Salado Creek. SAFD has responded to 46 high-water rescues there since 2015, more than any other spot on its list.

The second-worst location is Old O’Connor Road, just north of Lookout on the Northeast Side, with 31 high-water rescues since 2015.

On the Northwest Side, Hollyhock Road about 600 feet west of Babcock has had 20 high-water rescues.

On the West Side, Pinn Road just south of West Commerce has had 14 high-water rescues since 2015. When the water gets high enough, crews will shut down the entire road.

SAFD said six inches of moving water can knock a person off their feet, and about 12 inches can sweep a vehicle away.

Downtown, San Pedro Creek is not on SAFD’s top 10 list, but two people were swept away in the creek during the Aug. 28 storms. One person was rescued and one died.

Click here to view the full list of high-water rescues.

The city posts real-time updates on barricaded roads at the link here.

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The Trump administration had granted visas, albeit with severe restrictions, to Iran’s president and foreign minister and their delegations to attend the annual meeting of world leaders despite the hostilities between the two countries.

While President Masoud Pezeshkian left New York a day after speaking at the United Nations last week, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had remained behind ostensibly to participate in indirect talks with the U.S. on opening the Strait of Hormuz, ending the conflict and resuming negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.

According to some accounts, Araghchi had planned to stay in New York until Wednesday.

After little progress was made in weekend meetings between Iranian and Qatari mediators, Rubio lost patience and told the Iranians on Monday that Araghchi and his delegation had to leave New York immediately, according to the two officials, who were familiar with the decision and spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an internal administration process.

Rubio, according to one official, determined that the Iranians had “overstayed their welcome” and that since the high-level meetings at the U.N. were over, they should leave.

Ararghchi and his team departed New York very early Tuesday.

The Iranian U.N. delegation on Wednesday denied that they were ordered to leave.

“The Iranian delegation left New York on Monday evening, in accordance with the schedule that had also been communicated to the U.S. Department of State in advance on September 17,” the delegation wrote on its official X account. “Having achieved nothing, the State Department has resorted to propagating baseless and worthless news.”

Rubio’s decision was first reported by Axios.

The officials did not say what the response contained and whether it was a rejection.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi presented the U.S. response to President Masoud Pezeshkian at a Cabinet meeting, government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani told the state-run IRNA news agency.

“We will make every effort to bring the agreement to fruition and will firmly stand up for the rights of the Iranian people,” Pezeshkian said. “The agreement must now be based on a win-win strategy.”

The Cabinet meeting followed Araghchi's return to Iran after traveling to New York for last week's U.N. General Assembly, where officials held indirect talks with U.S. officials and also met with Qatari and Pakistani mediators on the sidelines of the annual gathering of world leaders.

Araghchi and his delegation were ordered by Secretary of State Marco Rubio to leave New York earlier than planned, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the decision who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an internal administration process. They departed New York very early Tuesday.

Araghchi briefed the Cabinet on his trip to New York and the meetings he held there, including Iran’s conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which Mohajerani said had been conveyed through mediators.

Araghchi last week said he floated the proposal to reopen the strait in a week if the U.S. agreed to lift its blockade of Iranian ports, release frozen Iranian assets and waive sanctions on Iranian oil sales, among other conditions.

Trump swiftly rejected the proposal, saying Iran wanted to make a deal because it was “losing so badly” but that its offer “would not be acceptable.” Despite Trump's public rebuff, mediators continued working with Iran and the U.S. to try to broker a deal to end the fighting and open the strait, according to officials who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Treasury Department unveiled new sanctions on Tuesday targeting people and companies around the globe that it accuses of being financial facilitators or enablers of Iran’s military supply chain.

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

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

Iran's economy is spiraling further

Iran's economy, under heavy strain before the war started, has been in a free fall since the conflict began in late February.

The country's currency fell to a record low on Tuesday, with traders in Tehran exchanging more than 2.5 million rials to the U.S. dollar in a stark reflection of how the war in the Middle East has steadily eroded the Iranian economy.

The latest decline came just 27 days after the rial hit its previous record low of 2.2 million to the dollar on Sept. 2. The currency has repeatedly reached new lows since the war began in February.

Trump on Wednesday, in an Oval Office exchange with reporters, threatened to “blow them up” if the U.S. and Iran don't forge a deal soon.

“It’s going to end very soon, one way or the other,” Trump said.

At the onset of the conflict, he predicted that the war would last just weeks. More recently, Trump said he expects it won't end until after the Nov. 3 midterm elections in the U.S.

Iranians face soaring prices for medicine amid US blockade, sanctions

Medication prices are soaring in Iran and some treatments have become hard to find, leaving patients and their families scrambling as a U.S. blockade and stepped-up sanctions squeeze the country’s pharmaceuticals industry.

Some medicines have more than tripled in price, further straining Iranians’ finances seven months into the country’s war with the United States and Israel. Prices for food and other goods have skyrocketed even as unemployment has risen and the currency, which hit a record low this week, has lost half its value.

The war has become an economic endurance test. Iran has tried to push world energy prices higher with attacks on the region’s oil shipping routes; the United States, in turn, has aimed to wreck Iran’s economy by blockading its ports since June and slapping it with increasingly tough sanctions.

Iran executes 2 men on charges of violence during January protests

Also on Wednesday, two men were executed in Iran over their role in violence during nationwide anti-government protests in January, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.

Citing the country's judiciary, IRNA said the men took part in unrest in the northeastern city of Mashhad that left four members of the security forces dead earlier this year. Their death sentences were upheld by Iran’s Supreme Court before being carried out Wednesday morning.

The unrest began Dec. 28 amid anger over Iran’s collapsing currency and worsening economy and quickly spread across the country, with demonstrators increasingly calling for the overthrow of the Islamic Republic. Iranian authorities responded with a deadly crackdown.

Rights groups say thousands were killed and tens of thousands arrested, while Iranian authorities have reported a substantially lower death toll.

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AP writers Michelle L. Price and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed reporting.

But while Trump and Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan — a two-term senator and long-time advocate for the pipeline project — described it as a fait accompli, South Korean officials were more cautious, saying they needed to assess the project's commercial viability before committing to the investment.

The announcement was the second time in three days that the president used promises of big projects to try to elevate Senate candidates in states where Trump won comfortably each time he has run — but where Republicans are now in surprisingly competitive races just weeks ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections. On Monday, Trump made a similar-styled announcement about a massive steel plant in Iowa.

But South Korea’s participation in the Alaska project — an 807-mile (1,300-kilometer) pipeline connecting Alaska’s North Slope to a liquefied natural gas export terminal in the southern part of the state —“has not been finalized,” said Han Jeoungae, secretary-general of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s liberal Democratic Party. She said that she believes Trump’s comments were “intended to emphasize the U.S. position.”

“We will decide whether to invest in the Alaska LNG project only after thoroughly reviewing it in accordance with our domestic legal procedures and based on the principle of commercial viability,” she wrote on Facebook.

Trump and Alaskan leaders in the Oval Office did not describe the project as pending. Trump praised Sullivan —who is facing a competitive challenge from Democrat Mary Peltola, a former congresswoman — for pushing it forward, saying “He’s been working on this deal and other deals in Alaska, the pipeline, for almost 20 years, and we’re now getting it done."

Sullivan thanked Trump and his cabinet for their work on the deal. “Mr. President, this one is huge for Alaska,” Sullivan said, adding that he’d been working on it “relentlessly.”

Peltola, Sullivan's Democratic challenger, also praised the project and Trump's advocacy for it, saying in a statement that she had been part of the bipartisan push to bring it “closer to reality" and looked forward to “continuing this bipartisan work with the President as Alaska’s next United States Senator.”

Trump is hitting the road to promote his administration's actions

The push to deliver big projects in areas where GOP candidates could use a boost comes as Trump's approval ratings have sunk ahead of the midterm elections.

Even Trump himself has begun acknowledging that Republicans could face an uphill climb in their push to retain control of both chambers of Congress after November. “We have to turn this around,” he said on Wednesday, suggesting his administration hasn't done enough to promote its accomplishments.

“I’ve done a very bad job of explaining," the president said during an earlier event in the White House East Room. He's promised to try to rectify that by spending much of the next month on the road campaigning. He begins that swing on Thursday with trips to Texas and Alabama, followed by Ohio on Saturday and Nebraska on Monday. All four are normally solidly red states.

Democrats are targeting Alaska and Iowa

On Monday, Trump announced plans for a $15 billion steel plant to be built by a Minnesota company owned by an Indian industrial conglomerate in Iowa, where Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson is in a close U.S. Senate contest with Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek for the seat being vacated by retiring two-term Republican Joni Ernst. Hinson spoke in the Oval Office during the announcement.

Democrats need to gain a net of four seats in the 100-member Senate to overtake Republicans and gain a majority, and the seats in Iowa and Alaska are among those they're targeting.

Trump's announcements come as voters express concern about near-record fuel prices related to the unresolved war with Iran and as majority Republicans in Congress are facing voters dissatisfied with Trump's handling of the economy.

In a late-July poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, only about one-third of Americans approved of Trump’s handling of the economy, and about 7 in 10 described the economy as poor.

___

Kim reported from Seoul, South Korea. AP writers Tom Beaumont contributed from Des Moines, Iowa and Meg Kinnard from Columbia, S.C.

According to the KSAT Weather Authority, widespread rain is expected and flooding is possible Thursday, especially during the first part of the day.

>> Click here for the latest forecast

Any evening classes, college operations and events after 5 p.m. have been canceled, the district said.

“We will continue to monitor the weather closely and work with the National Weather Service,” the district said. “We will share any urgent updates through our Alamo Alert emergency notification system. Please also check your Alamo email regularly for the latest updates and information.”

This story will be updated if any other delays or cancellations are announced.

Read also:

• San Antonio unhoused community urged to avoid drainage ditches ahead of storms, possible flooding

The White Sox used a big first inning and a three-run homer from Chase Meidroth to propel them to a 7-3 win over the Houston Astros on Wednesday to sweep their AL Wild Card Series.

“I’m proud of the guys and certainly happy for them as they’re probably the only ones in this country that believed that they could be in this spot," manager Will Venable said. “And they maintained that belief in the beginning of the season and went throughout the season maintaining that, and they made it happen. So it’s awesome to get to this point.”

It's the first time Chicago has won a playoff series since beating Houston in the World Series in 2005. Under the direction of Venable, the second-year skipper, and with a letter of support from Pope Leo XIV, the White Sox advanced to face AL Central champion Cleveland in the AL Division Series beginning Saturday in Cleveland.

“It means everything for our fans,” Meidroth said. “They have been incredible all year. So the main thing was getting back to Chicago for some postseason baseball, and so we’re really blessed that we get to do that.”

The White Sox, who lost 100 games in each of the last three seasons, are the only team in major league history to follow consecutive 100-loss seasons with a playoff berth.

The AL West-winning Astros went 81-81 to become the first team to reach the postseason without a winning record. Their recent playoff woes in Houston continued Wednesday as they dropped their ninth straight home playoff game in a ninth trip to the postseason in the last 10 years.

Chicago pounced on the Astros for four runs in the first inning a day after scoring three in the first two innings of a 6-3 win. Houston ace Hunter Brown was lifted after getting just two outs and wasn’t helped by a sloppy defense which committed two first-inning errors.

He was 6-0 with a 2.39 ERA in six career starts against the White Sox before Wednesday’s debacle.

The Astros clawed their way back into it with solo home runs from Jeremy Peña, Cam Smith and Jose Altuve to trail by 1 entering the sixth inning.

AJ Blubaugh, who opened Game 1, and Peter Lambert, pitching on two days’ rest, combined to retire the next 13 batters after Brown exited. Chicago’s next baserunner came when Lambert walked Andrew Benintendi to start the sixth and then walked Tristan Peters.

Bryan Abreu came in, and Meidroth smashed his fifth pitch off the wall in left field to push the lead to 7-3. He yelled on his entire trip around the bases to the delight of a patch of White Sox fans seated near the visitor’s dugout.

“I was looking for something middle up,” Meidroth said. “He’s had my number all year, really good fastball, so I got something middle up and I was able to cash in for the team. So, yeah, that was awesome.”

Houston faced boos for a second game in a row from an unusually thin crowd. It’s a second straight playoff trip where the Astros have been swept at home in the wild card after losing both games to Detroit in 2024.

Now they’ll face an uncertain future with manager Joe Espada’s contract set to expire at season’s end after general manager Dana Brown was fired last month.

“We fought back and we set our goal to win this division and we accomplished that,” Espada said. “We wanted to play deep in October. We came short on that. But just the way our guys stayed together and were able to get this far, extremely proud of our team.”

It was a disappointing series for Houston slugger and AL MVP-favorite Yordan Alvarez, who managed only a single with two strikeouts in eight at-bats in the series.

Altuve’s shot to the seats in left field in the fourth inning got the Astros within 4-3. It was the 28th postseason homer of his career, which is second in MLB history behind Manny Ramirez (29).

“We’re all sad,” Altuve said. “We wanted to go to the World Series and win it. But today is sorrow for the final day of the season."

The Astros had a shot to take the lead before Meidroth’s homer. They loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth, but Anthony Kay retired Altuve on a fly out to end the inning.

___

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

The indictment against 36-year-old Ivanna Lisette Ortiz of Orlando was unsealed Wednesday by a Los Angeles County judge.

Ortiz, appearing in court wearing yellow jail clothes, spoke only to her attorney, who entered a not guilty plea for her. The judge then ordered her held on $2.6 million bail.

The move came a day after another judge ruled that Ortiz is mentally competent to stand trial. The secret grand jury proceedings were held as Ortiz was undergoing months of psychiatric evaluation. The jurors returned their indictment June 18, but it was kept under wraps for three months until the judge ruled on her competency. Now, a case that appeared stalled — possibly permanently — is on a fast track to trial.

No one was injured in the March 8 shooting. Authorities allege Ortiz drove a Tesla up to the gates of the Beverly Hills-area property of the singing superstar and her rap star partner, A$AP Rocky, pointed an AR-15 style rifle out the window and fired at least 20 rounds toward the property and the neighboring house.

“This is a person who wanted to kill Rihanna,” Deputy District Attorney Alexander Bott said outside court. “Everyone else was collateral damage.”

Bullets tore through the Airstream trailer, according to a police report. Shots also struck the wall of their home's nursery, where their three small children were with their nanny. Rihanna’s mother and several staffers also were in the home, and authorities say she also fired shots toward a neighbor's house.

Both Rihanna and her mother, Monica Fenty, testified to the grand jury, as did Hollywood agent Tracey Jacobs, the owner of the neighboring house who was home at the time and is listed among the victims in the indictment.

Their testimony remains under seal but will become public in about two weeks unless the defense seeks to keep them secret and the judge agrees.

Rihanna told investigators just after the shooting that she “suddenly heard approximately ten loud sounds like something banging on metal,” and pulled Rocky out of a bed and onto the ground. She said she opened curtains and saw bullet marks in the windshield right in front of where she had been standing.

Deputy Public Defender Derek Dillman, Ortiz's attorney, did not speak to reporters outside the courtroom, and a message seeking comment from the public defender's office on the indictment was not immediately answered. Other than her not guilty pleas, her lawyers have not publicly addressed the charges, saying only that they would work to defend her rights.

Investigators said that on the day of her arrest, Ortiz told them: “I wasn’t attempting murder.”

Ortiz was charged with very similar counts in March. The new indictment supersedes those charges. The secret grand jury proceedings allow prosecutors to skip California’s preliminary hearing process, where evidence must be presented publicly to see if a trial is merited.

The indictment also charges Ortiz with 10 counts of assault with an assault weapon — one for each of the people on the two properties — and three counts of shooting at an inhabited dwelling or camper. It names the couple's three children Rza, Riot and Rocki, all under age 5, as victims. The assault weapon counts carry a stiffer sentence than the original charges of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. Ortiz was the registered owner of the rifle, which she obtained in Florida, authorities said.

She could get life in prison if convicted of all counts.

Reports have been sealed on the psychiatric evaluations that paused the case shortly after it began, and there was no public discussion of the details of her mental state.

Prosecutors have not said anything about a motive or cited any connection between Rihanna and Ortiz, a longtime licensed speech pathologist. But in videos posted on Facebook and YouTube in the months before the shooting, Ortiz made increasingly angry comments on Rihanna that sometimes took the form of threats, at one point calling her a “devil.”

A nine-time Grammy Award winner, Rihanna has had 14 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including “We Found Love,” “Work,” “Umbrella” and “Disturbia.”

Some residents have questioned whether another trauma center could help reduce emergency room wait times. University Health spokesperson Leni Kirkman said trauma centers are designed to treat patients with severe injuries, including those caused by car crashes, gun violence and falls. They do not serve the same purpose as general emergency departments, she said.

“Trauma is not an emergency room,” Kirkman said. “Trauma center is a whole hospital. Trauma teams are activated when a patient is injured. Not sick, not a heart attack, not a stroke, but when they suffer an injury that might require surgery.”

Kirkman said the most seriously injured patients need the resources and expertise available at a Level I trauma center. While she explained that San Antonio has 13 trauma centers, most are level three and four, which are responsible for lower-level traumas.

“Every hospital can’t be a level one trauma center,” she said. “First of all, there are not enough specialists to staff them, and it is extremely expensive to operate a level one trauma center, so they are very important resources in their region.”

Kirkman said the number of trauma cases requiring the highest level of care has declined, even as San Antonio’s population continues to grow. Kirkman said spreading those patients across more facilities could affect the experience and training available at University Health and Brooke Army Medical Center.

In a statement, BAMC said patient volume is crucial to patient care and military medical readiness. Kirkman said BAMC also brings battlefield medical expertise to the San Antonio community.

She said reducing the number of patients treated at the city’s existing Level I trauma centers could affect highly trained surgeons, specialists and trauma research.

“When it’s your loved one, you want somebody who has done it multiple times before they are operating on your loved ones,” Kirkman said.

The decision ultimately rests with the Department of State Health Services, but in a committee meeting Tuesday, District 4 Councilman Edward Mungia, District 7 Councilwoman Marina Alderete Galvito, and District 8 Councilwoman Ivalis Meza Gonzales cited a lack of information and concerns about limiting healthcare options.

District 9 Councilwoman Misty Spears said that an added trauma center would ultimately hurt BAMC’s military mission, and leaders at the Pentagon were concerned.

Methodist has not filed official paperwork with DSHS to upgrade its trauma services yet, but city leaders said Tuesday that they would begin taking steps on Oct. 1. Methodist has not responded to KSAT’s inquiries for comment.

More coverage of this story on KSAT:

• San Antonio City Council seeks more data on proposed Methodist trauma center upgrade
• As Methodist Healthcare seeks new trauma center, city leaders want to protect BAMC military mission

The attorneys general of Alabama, Arkansas and Louisiana contend that the laws in California, Massachusetts and New York undermine their abortion bans and their states' sovereignty. Federal regulations allow prescriptions for abortion pills to be made by telehealth and filled by mail, and the three GOP states want to keep the pills out and punish out-of-state providers for sending them.

“This is the first time we've seen a state or group of states suing other states to challenge the validity of shield laws,” said Mary Ziegler, a University of California, Davis, law professor and author of seven books on abortion law and history.

The Supreme Court can hear disputes between states directly, though it rarely does. If the top court weighs in, it could short-circuit existing lawsuits.

Louisiana and anti-abortion activists have been frustrated with a lack of federal action by President Donald Trump's administration against medication abortion. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill sued the U.S. Food and Drug Administration over its rules allowing mail-order prescriptions. The Supreme Court in May preserved access to abortion medications as that case plays out.

“We need and deserve the opportunity to be able to enforce our laws against those who have chosen, despite their knowledge of the illegality, to continue to foster abortion in our state,” Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said during a news conference with Murrill and Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin.

Thirteen states ban abortion in all stages of pregnancy, which the Supreme Court allowed in its 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Most Democratic-controlled states adopted abortion protections, including eight with laws intended to protect providers who prescribe abortion pills for patients in states with bans.

Louisiana and Texas have pursued criminal charges and civil claims against doctors based in New York and California. Officials in California and New York have refused to cooperate, citing their shield laws.

“Louisiana, Alabama, and Arkansas are asking the Supreme Court to let them impose their abortion bans on New York and punish our doctors for providing legal health care,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement Wednesday.

Ziegler said Alabama, Arkansas and Louisiana would have a stronger case if they had first tried to get the highest court in one of the three other states to force its officials to cooperate. She also said the lawsuit's timing is odd — six weeks before November congressional midterm elections that could prove difficult for the GOP.

“This may be an example of the political incentives not being the same for state-level Republicans versus federal Republicans,” she said. “If you're running in a contested race, calling attention to abortion is not a great idea, but if you're Louisiana attorney general, you're not really in that position.”

But Rachel Rebouche, a University of Texas law professor, said suing other states has been a potential legal strategy for GOP states since the first shield laws were enacted.

“That it’s taken this long is kind of remarkable,” she said.

Even before Roe was overturned, abortion pills were the most common means of ending pregnancies in the U.S., and telehealth makes abortion available even where it's banned. The three GOP attorneys general said hundreds of patients in their states use pills to end pregnancies each month.

Also on Wednesday, Alabama, Arkansas and Louisiana filed a lawsuit against 30 out-of-state abortion pill providers and their officers, accusing them of false advertising and other misconduct harming patients in states with abortion bans.

FDA scientists have repeatedly found the regimen safe and effective, though the agency is now reviewing its rules.

Councilmembers reviewed a revised proposal, which is a similar, delayed version of the one they considered three months ago. Under the new plan, rates could bump an average monthly bill by roughly $13 to $17 by 2030.

Instead of raising rates in July under the initial proposal, residential rates would go up 6.9% on Jan. 1, 2027 and be raised again by 6.5% in 2028, between 4.5% and 7% in 2029, and between 4% and 6.6% in 2030.

The range of rates in the latter two years of increases dips slightly lower than what was presented in June, 4.5% and 4% instead of 5.5% and 5%.

Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones said she supports a potential SAWS rate increase, citing the need to replace aging infrastructure and protect the city’s drinking water.

During KSAT Q&A on the 6 p.m. newscast, Jones said SAWS needs additional money for major upgrades, including work on pipes that are more than 100 years old.

“I think it is an appropriate time for us to invest in the infrastructure,” Jones said. “It will require a rate increase. The SAWS team has worked very hard to make sure that it’s as small as it can be. But at the end of the day, some of these projects are over $200 million.”

SAWS officials have said the money would help fund critical infrastructure projects as the utility works to maintain reliable service and keep drinking water clean.

City Council is expected to vote on the proposed rate increase next week.

Read more:

• SAWS is back with a new rate proposal; what’s changed?

Judge Dustin Howell said that the case against Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, 28, should proceed after prosecutors presented body-worn camera footage of the encounter in Austin, in which Garces Perez allegedly struck a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer with his driver's side mirror.

Garces Perez is charged with one count of assaulting, resisting and impeding a federal officer and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. His case has sparked widespread outrage across the Texas capital city and brought renewed criticism from Democrats of President Donald Trump’s aggressive crackdown on immigration.

Garces Perez appeared in court in a wheelchair and wearing a sling on his arm

With a bullet still lodged in his back, Garces Perez appeared in court in a wheelchair. His attorneys said he still urgently needs medical care, 10 days after being shot. He also wore a sling on his arm and needed help putting on a headset to listen to a translation of the proceedings.

The defense called the charges against Garces Perez “retaliation” and argued that the camera footage was inconclusive because it didn't fully capture the moment when he allegedly tried to flee.

The hearing also included testimony from Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Rick Bazan, who signed the criminal complaint charging Garces Perez with assault. The defense argued that Bazan, whose agency is the investigative arm of ICE, could not confirm whether the ICE agent was actually hit by the car mirror since no federal investigators interviewed the agent directly. Bazan also couldn't explain why officer allegedly struck by the mirror was not wearing a body-worn camera.

Footage provided Wednesday in court shows officers pulling Garces Perez over Sept. 20 in Austin, where he was making deliveries for DoorDash.

The video showed Garces Perez giving officers his drivers license through a crack in his window and then asking in Spanish if he can park his car so that a relative could come retrieve it. The officer demanded Garces Perez get out of the car multiple times, to which he asked if he could park his own car so a family member could come retrieve it. After a back and forth, Garces Perez abruptly and rapidly drives off.

Prosecutors show video but not of the shooting itself

Prosecutors presented a video from cameras at a nearby business showing the ensuing high-speed chase through residential streets. The shooting itself was not captured on the footage shared in court.

The federal officer who shot Garces Perez wasn’t wearing a body-worn camera. The immigration officer who did have a camera was driving in a separate car and turned the camera off during the pursuit.

Garces Perez said he was struck by a law enforcement SUV and spun around before he was shot. Federal officers told investigators, however, that Garces Perez attempted to strike an officer with his car at the end of the chase before the unidentified officer fired his weapon.

The accusations against Garces Perez recall previous claims made by immigration agents after other high-profile shootings similarly accusing drivers of weaponizing their vehicles. In a handful of cases, the allegations have been undermined or walked back after the release of body-worn camera footage, drawing renewed scrutiny about the DHS’s reliance on vehicular stops to execute arrests.

The man's lawyer accuses ICE of denying him medical treatment

Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, one of Garces Perez's immigration attorneys, accused ICE of denying him medical treatment for his bullet wound.

“ICE’s conduct has been so egregious, that physicians, nurses, medical ethicists and health advocates have come together to demand his release,” she said outside court after the hearing.

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

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

Judge Howell said he denied Garces Perez bond on the basis that he could be a flight risk to Venezuela, where he has a child.

His attorneys have filed a lawsuit seeking to prevent his removal from the U.S.

___

Riddle reported from Los Angeles.

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Patrick Steck, the assistant director of the department, said according to team members, a number of those in the unhoused community have heard about the rain forecast.

He said that is good to hear, but they are working to make sure those who have not heard get the weather alert.

Steck said everyone the outreach team speaks to is being encouraged to find higher ground, especially those who live in or near drainage ditches or culverts.

Last March, a 61-year-old woman who reportedly lived in a drainage tunnel drowned after she was swept away. Her body was found in Woodlawn Lake.

Six months later, another tragedy hit when another woman and a man known to be part of the unhoused community were found dead near Salado Creek.

They too were believed to have been swept away.

Steck said to prevent loss of life, those who do not have shelter need to be informed as early as possible about potential safety risks and dangers, such as avoiding drainage systems and other low-lying areas.

“So, number one is getting the word out about what’s coming. So, we’re monitoring the weather forecasts,” Steck explained. “Every time they come out from the weather service, which is several times per day, we’re keeping a track of that internally and then getting that message (out).”

Something else the city is doing to ensure the unhoused community is aware of the potential flooding danger in an area is putting up signs.

Steck said the signs are going up in areas where they know people live and sleep, but members of the outreach team missed them and could not tell them face-to-face that their spot could possibly flood.

The city is working with local nonprofits like Close to Home, Haven for Hope, Corozan and the Salvation Army to offer resources.

Steck said the city’s outreach team will be back out Thursday to check on the people in areas they have already stopped by to make sure they are safe and to also hand out rain ponchos.

If you see someone who may need assistance, you can call or share the number to the Community Connections Hotline at 210-207-1799.

Read also:

• Texas deploys emergency crews, equipment ahead of severe weather threat
• After $16K in damage, West Side homeowner prepares for another storm
• Gov. Greg Abbott discusses how Texas will prepare for this week’s flood threat

The transcript, which has not been publicly released, raises new questions surrounding the local district attorney's decision not to prosecute anyone at the time.

In recent days, Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten has maintained the woman's first account to police didn't include allegations that she was drugged, incapacitated beyond the ability to consent, or forced into sex. Yet, he also said he had reopened the investigation based on new information in the woman's lawsuit, which was filed this month.

Cornell has agreed to bring in outside lawyers to independently investigate how the university handled the woman's allegations, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday.

The woman initially went to Cornell's campus police about three weeks after the alleged attack that began on Oct. 19, 2024, then went back on Nov. 14 and 15, 2024, to be interviewed.

“Yes. It was coercion, yes,” she told a campus police officer, according to the transcript obtained by CBS. According to CBS News, she said she was “completely and totally incapacitated” before some of the sexual abuse.

The woman acknowledged she had been drinking alcohol and used drugs the night she visited the Chi Phi fraternity house in October 2024, and that she had gaps in her memory.

She also told police she was comfortable with an initial sexual encounter with two of the men, but not with what happened later, when other men began to enter the room.

“And then, of course, I was being hit at the same time. Physically hit very, very hard," she told police, according to the transcript. “I can say with 100% confidence I was raped," it said she told investigators.

The woman, identified only by the pseudonym Jane Doe in the lawsuit, filed a complaint Sept. 16 saying she was sexually assaulted at the Chi Phi fraternity house after being pressured into snorting ketamine, smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol. She became completely incapacitated while fraternity members were sexually assaulting her, she said.

Van Houten didn't immediately respond to emails and phone messages from The Associated Press on Wednesday, but he told CBS News he never saw the transcript of the woman's interview when his office declined to bring charges, and relied instead on a statement written by a campus police officer but signed by the accuser.

Van Houten has released a summary of that statement, with some of her direct quotes included. He has defended his office’s decision not to do additional investigation after the woman first came forward.

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

Cornell University first publicly disclosed that it was investigating the woman's allegations on Nov. 8, 2024, the same day she first went to police. The school sent students an email warning them that a person had reported they had been sexually assaulted at a fraternity house and coerced into consuming drugs. Cornell suspended the Chi Phi fraternity the same day.

In another public statement to students in late November 2024, Cornell University President Michael Kotlikoff said campus police were investigating “deeply disturbing allegations of drug abuse and sexual violence” at the fraternity house.

Later, Cornell appointed a task force designed to address sexual assault on campus. But with the district attorney's decision not to pursue charges and the university's internal disciplinary investigation shielded from the public, attention on the matter waned.

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

Earlier this week, Hochul called for a new investigation into the university's handling of the matter. In a post on social media Wednesday, she said she had spoken with Kotlikoff and he “agreed to bring in outside counsel for an independent investigation.” Cornell confirmed it had agreed but declined additional comment.

“This culture has to stop. And in New York, we’re going to do everything we can to stop it,” Hochul said.

Benny Caldera Jr., 40, was arrested Wednesday and charged with felony terroristic threat against a public servant, records show. The charge is a third-degree felony.

DPS said the department received information Tuesday about a planned attack on the Texas State Capitol scheduled for Oct. 1, 2026.

DPS and FBI agents arrested Caldera around 3 a.m. at his Converse home, according to DPS. The investigation is ongoing.

Caldera was booked into the Bexar County Adult Detention Center on a $75,000 bond, jail records show.

The Texas Capitol remains open during regular operating hours, DPS said.

Suspicious behavior can be reported through the iWatchTexas mobile app, online at iwatchtx.org or by calling 844-643-2251.

Read also:

Girl stabs boy at Metzger Middle School, Judson ISD board member says

Maria Salazar, who lives on the city’s West Side, said the storm left her neighborhood looking like “a war zone” after trees were uprooted and fell through her roof.

Weeks later, Salazar is still waiting for repairs to be completed. She said she hopes the work will be finished within the next few weeks, barring any setbacks.

With more rain in the forecast, Salazar said her first concern was whether the unfinished portions of her home could withstand the weather.

Her carpenter told her the repairs should be able to handle the rain, but Salazar said she remains nervous, particularly because of a tree near her home.

“My neighbor has a tree; I don’t know what’s going to happen,” she said.

The latest storm threat is expected to be driven more by heavy, widespread rain than destructive winds, according to KSAT’s Weather Authority. The rainfall could create a risk for flooding in parts of the area.

For Salazar, the possibility of more rain brings back memories of the damage she experienced last month.

“I’m hoping we don’t get any water, but I have PTSD, so I have towels ready and candles going,” she said.

Salazar said the storm uprooted trees that fell onto her home and caused significant damage. The repairs have cost her more than $16,000, not including cosmetic improvements.

She is now focused on protecting what she can, including items with sentimental value that remain inside the damaged portion of her home.

Among those belongings are her daughter’s quinceañera items from about 15 years ago, along with photographs and photo albums.

Because the damaged area is not safe to enter, Salazar said she cannot retrieve the belongings unless she can reach them from outside.

With another storm approaching, she is considering getting a tarp to help protect the area.

Read also:

• Gov. Greg Abbott discusses how Texas will prepare for this week’s flood threat
• How school districts plan for inclement weather during athletic events

And no matter which way they go, the bond vote could also effectively put the Spurs arena project back onto the ballot, albeit in a roundabout way.

The city’s five-year bond programs are typically crammed with major infrastructure projects like overhauling failed streets, drainage projects, park improvements, new greenway trails, and fire and police stations. Across the city, staff estimate there are 304 potential projects worth $5.8 billion.

“Our need will always outweigh our capacity,” City Manager Erik Walsh said during a Wednesday council briefing.

This time, the gap is especially noticeable.

The bond programs, which require voter approval, are backed by city property taxes. But because of sagging property values, the city estimates it only has the capacity for a $442 million bond program in 2027. That’s compared to the $1.2 billion program voters approved in 2022, which also included the city’s first housing bond.

Staff also recommended raising stormwater fees on residents’ San Antonio Water System bills to make room for another $175 million worth of drainage projects outside of the bond program. That would be in addition to the SAWS rate increase the council is also considering.

Staff say if property values recover sooner than expected, the city could put together another bond program before the five-year program is over.

Some councilmembers, miffed that needed projects may have to sit on the back burner even longer, want to pursue a larger bond program — perhaps $1 billion or more.

“People on our sides of town are demanding more things, their fair share, and they haven’t been getting that,” Edward Mungia (D4) said.

But under that approach, if property values don’t rise quickly enough to cover debt payments, which the city doesn’t expect they will, the property tax rate would have to go up instead.

And any increase would be on top of the 3.9% tax hike the City Council just approved as part of its regular operating budget and another increase planned for next year.

“If we go and we raise the amount of this bond by increasing taxes, we’re going to have something of a holy war on our hands over this bond package,” said Marc Whyte (D10), who was one of four votes against the budget tax increase.

Walsh promised staff would provide councilmembers with “worst case scenarios” to see how much residents could see their tax bills go up.

Project Marvel infrastructure

Part of that bond could include $35 million worth of infrastructure needs around the city’s planned downtown sports and entertainment district, known as Project Marvel. That amount assumes the Texas Department of Transportation provides about 80% of the funding for several projects.

That’s a dramatic drop from the $220 million to $250 million staff initially presented in June 2025, but city officials say they’ve dropped or scaled back some of the major projects.

For instance, there is no plan for a new parking garage within the new proposal and no complicated “single-point urban interchange” for Durango Boulevard and I-37. Work on Durango Boulevard would include improvements, but not a complete overhaul.

Part of the non-binding term sheet for the Spurs arena deal, though, says the city’s $489 million share is subject to voter approval passage of a bond program to support infrastructure improvements for the district.

If that fails, Walsh told KSAT, “We would have to reexamine where we’re at with the whole thing.”

At least one council member said they wanted to see those projects separated into their own proposition for voters to consider, and Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones asked about dipping into a pool of hotel-related state tax dollars the city’s using to fund the arena, known as the Project Finance Zone (PFZ), instead, to fund those downtown projects, and possibly others.

She also asked about using city-controlled tax capture districts known as Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones (TIRZ) to fund potential bond projects.

“I think as we’re, you know, all looking at how do we get as much done here, looking at all the various pots, we want to also explain to folks, ‘Hey, we have taken those things that can be paid for with other pots of money. We’ve done that to protect as much of the bond capacity as possible,’” she said.

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The laws ban employers from using the technology to predict a worker's emotional state by using their biometric data, require employers to send written notices to workers if AI is responsible for mass layoffs and ban employers from relying on AI to decide to fire someone.

The Democratic governor also signed an executive order to require state agencies to continue to refer to the technology as “artificial intelligence” instead of the term “ super intelligence ” President Donald Trump recently ordered U.S. diplomats to use.

“AI should expand opportunity — not come at the expense of workers and families,” Newsom said in a statement. “As this technology reshapes the workplace, California is putting people at the center.”

He sharply criticized Trump at an hourlong event with reporters Wednesday for not passing comprehensive federal AI regulations at a time when industry leaders are warning about the technology’s risks. Trump said Tuesday that top tech leaders signed a voluntary accord to “self-police” AI development.

The governor signed a law this month requiring operators of AI chatbots to perform risk assessments before rolling them out and an executive order requiring the state to consult with experts to further improve oversight over the industry.

“We have to do a lot more in the absence of federal leadership,” Newsom said, leaving the door open for the possibility of calling lawmakers back for a special session to further tackle the issue.

The news conference came on Newsom's last day to sign or veto bills before he terms out in January. He started the event by signing a law creating a tax credit program aimed at helping local news organizations — including newspapers, digital outlets and TV stations — hire and retain journalists. Newsom criticized what he called Trump's assault on a free press, pointing to the president's barring of news organizations from the White House.

Newsom also spoke about the upcoming midterms, which will decide control of Congress. He involved himself early in that fight by leading Democrats last year in a redistricting battle to improve their chances of winning more House seats. He's said repeatedly that the stakes are high if his party doesn't succeed in November.

“There will not be a free and fair election in 2028 unless we take back the House of Representatives,” he said Wednesday.

Asked if he's set a deadline for himself to decide whether he'll run for president in 2028, Newsom hedged, saying “that moment will arrive when it arrives.”

Former Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, who, like Newsom, hails from the San Francisco Bay Area, has also said she’s considering running for the job in 2028. Newsom told CNN recently that he wouldn’t run for president if she entered the race. He said the two haven't spoken since that interview aired.

Newsom weighed in on a proposal to temporarily raise taxes on billionaires that will be on the ballot in November, which he's consistently opposed. He said he respects supporters of the measure, including Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who are committed to addressing income inequality in the country.

“He's spot on about the balance between the rich and the poor,” Newsom said. “On this issue, we fundamentally disagree.”

Newsom's remarks came hours before a gubernatorial debate between Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton.

“You're going to ask me, ‘Are you going to watch the debate?’” he said. “No.”

The last U.S. troops left an air base in northern Iraq under a deal between Baghdad and Washington.

Trump, in a social media post, described the withdrawal by a Sept. 30 deadline as “orderly." Appearing soon after at a White House event celebrating Hispanics, he spoke at length about the withdrawal and said, “It’s been a long time with very bad decision making that got us involved in this quagmire in the first place. It was a quagmire. For many, many years it lasted. But soon that part of history will be over.”

He said the shift was a victory for the U.S., Iraq and a sign of victory over the Islamic State group.

The withdrawal, agreed on two years ago, comes against the backdrop of the ongoing war between the United States and Iran that has also sometimes spilled over into Iraq, with Iran-backed militias firing on U.S. troops and the U.S. striking the groups' strongholds.

Trump’s comments came as his own decision earlier this year to launch the war with Iran has been compared to the Iraq war for its undefined mission as it nears its seventh month.

Appearing at the White House, Trump made that comparison, arguing both that his one-day military action in Venezuela earlier this year to capture now former President Nicolás Maduro and the Iran war compared favorably, taking far less time and with fewer deaths of U.S. troops.

In recent years, Washington has sought to shift its focus from the Middle East toward Asia, but that shift has been inconsistent, with the Pentagon alternating between reducing its Mideast presence and then finding itself engaging in new conflicts — including the ongoing war in Iran.

Baghdad touted the end of the U.S. mission as a sign of the country's increasing strength and sovereignty.

The withdrawal was also celebrated by Iran-backed groups but raised concerns among some other Iraqis, particularly in the Kurdish region, where many fear a resurgence of the Islamic State group as well as more attacks by Iran-linked groups, possibly emboldened by the departure of U.S. forces.

Meanwhile, questions loom around the future of the Iraqi militias, which the Baghdad government has sought to disarm, with little success so far.

A new phase in Iraq after decades of US involvement

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement that U.S. troops and equipment had completed an “orderly departure” from the air base in Irbil, in northern Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region.

“This milestone reflects the success of a 12-year campaign that defeated ISIS as an organized military threat in Iraq and across the region,” he said. “It also marks a transition from a wartime coalition mission to an Iraqi-led security effort supported by a more normal bilateral security relationship.”

He added that the U.S. military “will continue to provide targeted training and intelligence support to our Iraqi partners.”

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi presided over the handover ceremony and described the U.S. withdrawal as the beginning of a “new phase, one defined by Iraq’s sovereignty, the strength of its institutions, the readiness of its forces, the unity of its decision-making, and balanced partnerships with its friends.”

He said Iraqi security forces will continue the fight against IS and the government will ensure that non-state groups no longer hold weapons.

Trump in his remarks on Wednesday lavished praise on al-Zaidi, calling him “outstanding,” a “fantastic guy, friend of mine,” and someone who “will hopefully be able to handle things very well.” He also appeared to try to take credit for al-Zaidi's leadership, saying that the Iraqi leader was “running for election” and “wasn’t given even a chance and I endorsed him and politicked for him a little bit, and he ended up winning in a virtual landslide.”

Al-Zaidi was not on the ballot but was selected as prime minister when Iraq’s dominant parliamentary bloc nominated him after weeks of internal debate among its member parties and Trump publicly announcing his opposition to the coalition's previous choice.

U.S. troops invaded Iraq in 2003 to topple Saddam Hussein. They departed in 2011, but three years later, Iraqi authorities invited a smaller U.S.-led mission to fight the Islamic State group, which had rampaged across Iraq, seizing large swaths of territory.

With the extremist group reduced to scattered sleeper cells, Washington and Baghdad agreed in 2024 to wind the mission down.

U.S. troops pulled out of bases in most areas of Iraq last year but maintained a small presence of hundreds of troops in the semiautonomous northern Kurdish region. Bases there have regularly come under attack since the U.S. and Israel launched their war against Iran on Feb. 28. Iran-backed Iraqi militias also have coordinated with Yemen’s Houthi rebels to attack Saudi Arabia.

The future of militias remains unclear

The Iraqi government initially linked the Sept. 30 deadline for U.S. withdrawal to the disarmament of non-state armed groups by that date.

While a handful of less-influential militias have agreed to turn over their weapons, powerful groups close to Iran rejected the prospect or set conditions for disarming that the government would be unlikely to meet.

Al-Zaidi has since walked back the deadline. He told The New York Times earlier this month that the deadline for militia disarmament has been pushed to June 2027.

The effects of the U.S. withdrawal may not be immediately visible, particularly since the U.S. military presence had already been scaled down. But officials in Iraq's Kurdish region have expressed anxiety about the departure and particularly about the removal of U.S. air defense systems.

The Kurdish regional government's Peshmerga Ministry said the Kurdish region had faced more than 1,000 drone and ballistic-missile attacks during the recent U.S.-Iran conflict.

“The departure of the United States from the Kurdistan Region under these complex regional circumstances, without the provision of a defense system, is a matter of concern,” the statement said.

Iran-allied groups in Iraq, meanwhile, have celebrated the U.S. withdrawal.

“The expulsion of the occupation forces, defeated, from the land of Iraq is the beginning of full sovereignty,” Abu Mujahid al-Assaf, a security official with the powerful Kataib Hezbollah militia, said in a statement.

He added a warning to al-Zaidi and his government not to carry out American plans, threatening that “any government that does not work for the benefit of the people will be overthrown by all means.”

Kataib Hezbollah leader Ahmad al-Hamidawi took a somewhat more conciliatory tone, calling on the group's fighters to halt their military activities “with the exception of targeting hostile aircraft violating the country’s airspace.”

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed militias, said in a statement that negotiations with the government over the regulation of weapons have not resulted in an agreement and that it was “not bound by any timeline or agreement” announced by the government or political entity. The group said it is open to “any dialogue that guarantees Iraq’s sovereignty and dignity.”

___

Price reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Abby Sewell in Istanbul contributed to this report.

Noem, who was tasked with leading President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown from January 2025 to March 2026 and previously served as South Dakota's governor, is seeking a divorce from Bryon Noem in their home state. The two married in May 1992 and have three children.

The filing, submitted to the court in April but posted online on Monday, comes after questions arose earlier this year about the nature of Kristi Noem's relationship with a top adviser. The complaint, filed in Hamlin County, South Dakota, notes “irreconcilable differences” as grounds for the divorce.

Kristi Noem's attorney, Michael Sabers, confirmed that she has filed for divorce and said she will reserve further comments for the legal process.

Tim Bottum, Bryon Noem's attorney, said his client is “saddened that the marriage is ending" and will welcome the opportunity to share his perspective if court proceedings become necessary.

“Bryon’s priority is to protect the family and move forward as loving parents and grandparents,” Bottom said in a statement.

A day before Noem was ousted from her post in Trump's cabinet, members of Congress questioned her about an alleged extramarital affair with Corey Lewandowski, a special government employee and one of her lead advisers at the time. He was Trump’s first campaign manager in 2016 and appeared to play an outsized role in Noem's department, even though his position was supposed to have a limit on days worked.

Noem denied the allegations that they were having an affair, dismissing them as “tabloid garbage.”

Once a close ally to Trump, Noem became a liability for the Republican president as questions arose over her conduct following the shooting deaths of two protesters in Minneapolis at the hands of immigration officers. Noem characterized both Renee Good and Alex Pretti as aggressors, contradicting videos from the scene and descriptions of their deaths from bystanders. She also faced criticism from fellow Republicans for her spending at her department.

Trump nominated Markwayne Mullin, then a U.S. senator from Oklahoma, in Noem's place and made her a special envoy for The Shield of the Americas, a new security initiative focused on the Western Hemisphere.

___

Schoenbaum reported from Salt Lake City.

With new faces on the coaching staff and on the hardwood, the Spurs said the team is focused on taking the right steps early in the preseason.

Veteran guard Devin Vassell and second-year forward Carter Bryant spoke with reporters after practice Wednesday. Vassell acknowledged the discipline it takes to approach the preseason day by day and not look too far ahead.

“It’s human nature. You want to be back in that situation, but you can’t skip a day, you can’t skip training camp, you can’t skip preseason, you can’t skip opening night, you can’t skip the long back-to-backs,” Vassell said. “You can’t sit here and just say, ‘Ah, you snap your fingers and you’re back in the Finals.’ It just doesn’t work like that.”

Even though the Spurs are coming off a Finals season, a return to that stage is not guaranteed.

“We can’t fast-forward anything, so we just take it day by day,” Vassell said.

Bryant said he is focused on staying present.

“I’m just trying to win basketball games. Just understanding what I can provide to this team and how I can be successful and how we can be successful as a collective,” Bryant said.

Both players said the team’s chemistry has picked up where it left off, including with the new additions.

The Spurs will host their first preseason game Oct. 8 against the Atlanta Hawks at the Frost Bank Center.

Don’t forget to catch KSAT Sports’ preseason special that day, starting at 6:30 p.m. Our KSAT crew will be live at the Frost Bank Center.

More Spurs coverage on KSAT:

• Spurs Media Day: ‘Haunting’ NBA Finals emotions fuel Spurs entering 2026-27 NBA season
• Spurs reflect on NBA Finals loss, desires to win a championship on media day 2026
• What Spurs fans should know about ticket resale and dynamic pricing

It was an electric scene for fans at Truist Park — at least for those who decided to show up.

There has been a noticeable number of empty seats in Atlanta and Houston for day games during this week's Wild Card Series, with the Braves drawing 30,127 fans for Game 1 on Tuesday that started at 2 p.m. local time, well below the 41,108 capacity. The Astros announced that 34,011 fans attended Tuesday's 4 p.m. Game 1 at Daikin Park, also well below its 41,168-seat limit.

It's not the first time this has happened.

Since MLB permanently expanded the playoffs to a 12-team bracket in 2022, just six of 26 afternoon Wild Card Series games through Tuesday have reached or exceeded stadium capacity. Seven games failed to reach even 85% capacity. The Braves-Phillies game on Tuesday was 73.2% full, which is the lowest since the postseason expanded, according to research from Sportradar.

On Wednesday, the crowds were slightly better. Game 2 of the Braves-Phillies series had an announced crowd of 37,150 while Game 2 of the White Sox-Astros matchup had 36,015 in attendance.

The main issue for day games is obvious: It's hard for fans to attend day games during the week — particularly in late September and October — because people have to work and children are back in school. It doesn't help that those game times are announced with only a few days' notice.

Still, it's a less-than-ideal atmosphere for some of the most important contests of the year.

Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm shrugged off the smaller crowds before Wednesday's game, saying his team just wants to win games and advance.

“I don’t think anybody on our team is really focused on how many people are showing up here," Bohm said. "It’s just kind of -- I think, like you said, it’s a 2 o’clock game in the middle of the week, so I think that might have something to do with it.

“That doesn’t take away from what’s going on on the field and kind of the stakes of all that in our minds.”

All three ALWCS games in Cleveland last year between the Guardians and Detroit Tigers started at 1:08 p.m., and none drew more than 30,000 fans. The Tampa Bay Rays had just 19,704 for an ALWCS opener against Texas in 2023 that started at 3:08 p.m., the lowest attendance for a non-COVID MLB postseason game since the 1919 World Series.

MLB declined to comment on the attendance numbers, but the league spreads its wild-card games throughout the day on purpose so they have their own television window and capture the largest viewing audience possible. NBC is paying the league roughly $200 million per year to host “Sunday Night Baseball” and the Wild Card Series during a three-year deal agreed to last November.

The Astros fans who did attend Tuesday's game were in a bit of a foul mood, peppering the team with boos as they fell behind 5-0 by the fifth inning on the way to a 6-3 loss. Astros manager Joe Espada said he understood the fans' frustration but hoped for a better atmosphere on Wednesday.

“I do want our fans to know that we love them and we need them,” Espada said. “They’re part of what we are trying to accomplish here. They’re part of our family.”

___

AP Sports Writers Charles Odum in Atlanta and Kristie Rieken in Houston contributed to this story.

___

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Shili Chen and Shouyong Zhang, both 77, were briefly in court Wednesday for an arraignment on the charges that was postponed until Thursday. Jennie Otis, a public defender representing Zhang, declined to comment. Chen told the judge through an interpreter that she didn’t have the money to hire an attorney. A public defender will be assigned to her case Thursday, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Diane Meier told her.

Jonathan McKinsey, a 40-year-old gaming engineer for The New York Times, was shot to death in the parking lot of a sports complex in Dublin, east of San Francisco. A police sergeant was driving nearby and saw him on the ground as witnesses began calling 911 and pointing out the couple in their vehicle, who were still near the scene, Dublin Police Services said in a news release.

Police detained the couple as they were driving away in the parking lot and found a gun in Chen's possession. Prosecutors said Zhang admitted to shooting McKinsey during a later interview, and another firearm was found in the car that he admitted to using during the crime.

Prosecutors also said surveillance video was recovered showing both Chen and Zhang shooting the victim.

Chen and Zhang's murder charges included additional allegations of lying in wait and using a firearm.

Court records show McKinsey's killing came during a contentious divorce with Jang and a custody battle over the couple's three young children. In petitions for restraining orders filed last year, the couple accused each other of physical, emotional and psychological abuse going back more than a decade. McKinsey, who is transgender, alleged that both Jang and her parents were verbally and physically abusive regarding a gender transition he underwent years ago.

In his petition for a protection order, McKinsey alleged that Chen had directed anti-LGBTQ slurs at him and his oldest child.

He also accused Jang of being physically and emotionally abusive during medical procedures related to his transition. He alleged Zhang punched him in the chest while he was recovering from double mastectomy surgery.

Victim had been charged with misdemeanor child abuse

McKinsey was arrested last October and charged with misdemeanor child abuse for allegedly hitting their oldest son. Police said he acknowledged having slapped the child. Prosecutors also charged him with endangering their youngest child after deputies responded to the family’s home to talk with him and found their 2-year-old had been left home alone, according to court documents.

McKinsey pleaded not guilty to the charges and alleged in court records that he had been set up by his wife, who had left the house without telling him the child was sleeping in a crib upstairs. He was released from jail on the condition that he complete 12 parenting classes. At the time of his killing, McKinsey was out on bail and had been trying to enter a mental health diversion program.

It was also in October that Jang obtained a domestic violence protection order against McKinsey.

Jang said in her filing that in 2010 McKinsey had grabbed her by the forearms during one argument and caused her to hit the corner of a coffee table, fracturing a vertebra in her upper back. She also said that in 2023 she called the police to their home after McKinsey pushed their oldest son hard on the head. Jang also accused McKinsey of emotionally abusing her mother.

Victim filed a competing protective order request

McKinsey in December filed his own request for domestic violence protection against Jang, alleging years of abuse that included her hitting him in the head with a frying pan. He later filed for divorce and sought more time with the three children, noting that he had been limited to two hours of supervised visits per week since last fall, Alameda County court documents show.

In late August, McKinsey was granted unsupervised visits in public twice a week.

The killing occurred a week before a hearing was scheduled in McKinsey and Jang’s divorce case. The couple had been married since July 2011.

McKinsey joined The New York Times in January 2023. He was director of engineering for New York Times Games and based in the San Francisco Bay Area, the paper said. A spokesperson declined to comment further.

In a Wednesday order, U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín ruled that the proposed consent decree was a “fair, reasonable, and good faith approach to address the competitive harms” alleged by the states' lawsuit. Paramount, which was bought by Skydance just last year, previously called the antitrust challenge the last hurdle ahead of closing its Warner merger.

The companies now expect to complete the deal on Oct. 6. Shortly after Martínez-Olguín's ruling Wednesday afternoon, Paramount also announced Ynon Kreiz — who is toy giant Mattel's current chief executive — will soon join as co-CEO alongside David Ellison.

In a statement, Ellison said Paramount's merger with Warner marks a “transformational moment for our industry” and that he and his new co-CEO will lead a business that is “creator-first, tech-forward and built to scale globally.”

A Paramount-Warner marriage will bring together two of Hollywood’s last five legacy studios. HBO Max, a library full of titles including “Harry Potter” and cable networks such as CNN will also find themselves under the same roof with CBS, the likes of the “Top Gun” franchise and the Paramount+ streaming service.

That further concentrates power in an industry already run by just a handful of major players. And many critics of the deal have decried the states' settlement, arguing the terms are too weak.

The final antitrust fight

Paramount touted clearances for its Warner acquisition from regulators worldwide over recent months, including the Trump administration's Justice Department in the U.S.

But in July, top prosecutors from 12 states — led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta — sued to block the merger altogether. They alleged a Paramount-Warner combination would “extinguish competition” in Hollywood and lead to fewer choices for consumers, particularly movie theatergoers and cable customers.

Last week, the states agreed to settle those claims through new commitments from Paramount, including pledges to increase film production in the U.S. over the next five years, grant millions of dollars to a fund aimed at supporting workers displaced by the merger and establish new editorial monitoring of CNN and CBS.

Martínez-Olguín didn't greenlight the terms right away — maintaining at a Thursday hearing that the court isn’t merely a “rubber stamp” on a settlement of this kind and that she, like many others, had questions. The judge granted outside critics of the settlement (including members of the Block The Merger coalition and the League of United Latin American Citizens) a brief window to share their opposition. She also instructed Paramount and the states to respond to concerns raised by Democratic Sen. Cory Booker.

By Wednesday's order, however, she concluded that the hopes for settlement terms to go further "do not rise to the level of legal violations upon which the Court can reject the parties’ negotiated resolution.”

The Writers Guild of America, which had filed its own suit shortly after the states in July, also reached a settlement agreement with Paramount last week — concluding that it couldn’t continue its legal fight alone.

Ongoing criticism of the deal

The Block the Merger coalition on Wednesday maintained the states' settlement was a “toothless” deal.

“In years to come, we’ll be able to point to this failure to put consumers over the monied interests of corporate consolidation as the tipping-point moment for media in this country," Block the Merger said in a statement. But, the group added, “if there is one discernible benefit to the approval of this corporate takeover, it’s that people are now wide awake and paying attention — and their anger is not going to fade away."

Before agreeing to settle, Bonta previously said the states would only consider “robust” structural remedies. The bulk of the eventual settlement outlined behavioral requirements, at least in the immediate future, with some potential “court enforceable” penalties if Paramount breaks promises down the road.

Even so, most of the company’s new commitments only last five years. Paula Blizzard, an attorney for California, said in Thursday's hearing that the states eventually settled on terms that didn’t “last forever” because the industry is changing — while immediate divestments, or even the complete blocking of the deal that they initially demanded, could open the door to further acquisitions.

Among those new commitments include a pledge from Paramount to increase spending on film production in the U.S. — by at least an additional $1.5 billion over the next five years — and promises to release at least 30 films each year, a figure Ellison already touted earlier in his quest for Warner.

The states’ settlement would require Paramount to distribute 30 films in theaters each year for the next two years — and 32 films in each of the three years after that. The fine print notes that only 50% of those movies would have to be “produced or jointly produced” by the combined company. If Paramount fails to meet these film outputs, the states say it will have to divest from Miramax Studios and pay $30 million for each missed film toward healthcare and retirement trust funds associated with the Writers Guild of America and other industry unions.

Paramount also agreed to commit $47.5 million to help fund training and career development for workers displaced by the merger, again over the next five years ($9.5 million each year).

Meanwhile, when it comes to cable, the states' settlement orders the company to negotiate deals for current Paramount-owned and Warner-owned basic cable channels separately over the next five years. If Paramount violates those terms, a court may order future divestments.

The company must also form a “News Editorial Independence Board” to monitor news operations at CBS and CNN within 180 days of completing its Warner acquisition. But critics point to editorial turmoil already seen at CBS under Skydance ownership — and aren’t convinced this new body will move the needle much.

Per court documents outlining the settlement’s terms, Paramount’s new editorial body will be made up of five “active or retired” journalists with at least 10 years of experience — all appointed by, and reporting to, the combined company’s board of directors for three-year terms. Beyond his CEO title, Ellison is Paramount’s current chairman and is set to remain in the top spot after the Warner acquisition closes.

While joining the rest of the states in the wider settlement, Colorado and Washington declined to sign off on the editorial board terms. And prosecutors like Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, who wanted a full divestiture of CNN and CBS, said last week he wished the deal could have gone further.

Including billions of dollars in debt, Paramount’s buyout of Warner is currently valued at about $111 billion based on outstanding shares.

The hearing comes as the governor, lieutenant governor and Texas House speaker have said greater transparency and accountability for district attorneys will be a focus of the 2027 legislative session.

The issue has gained attention in Texas following investigations into the Wren Collective’s relationships with prosecutors and questions about how outside organizations may influence local prosecutorial policies.

In 2024, KSAT obtained thousands of emails and text messages involving Gonzales, his then-first assistant district attorney, Christian Henricksen, and Wren Collective founder Jessica Brand.

The messages showed discussions about prosecutorial policies involving marijuana, bail, sentencing and plea guidelines, among other issues.

More than a dozen people testified before the committee, including family members of crime victims and representatives of public safety organizations.

Sean Kennedy, of the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund, told lawmakers that Brand communicated directly with Gonzales and Henricksen about prosecutorial policies.

Kennedy alleged that Brand provided policies involving marijuana, bail, sentencing and plea guidelines and directed the office to drop a death penalty case and charges against a man who assaulted a police officer and was later shot by that officer.

Those claims were part of a broader focus on the Wren Collective’s relationship with Travis County District Attorney José Garza, whose office has also worked with the organization.

Brand was invited to attend the hearing but did not appear. In a statement to KSAT on Wednesday, Brand said she “never received a formal invitation to testify.”

“When the Chairman called me yesterday toward the end of day to invite me, I could no longer move a work obligation,” Brand said.

Gonzales’ name was also discussed during the hearing, although the committee’s focus was largely on Garza and Travis County.

Gonzales is not seeking reelection and is scheduled to leave office at the end of 2026.

The committee’s examination could lead to additional proposals during the 2027 legislative session.

KSAT will continue to follow the issue as lawmakers consider potential changes involving district attorneys and prosecutorial oversight.

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The crash happened around 9 a.m. near mile marker 102 on southbound I-37.

The victim, a 52-year-old man, was taken to a hospital with serious bodily injuries, the Texas Department of Public Safety said.

Atascosa County Deputy Chief Eric Kaiser told KSAT the man was on the shoulder of the highway changing a flat tire when he was hit by a passing vehicle.

Dash camera footage obtained by DPS shows the vehicle involved may be a newer-model white Dodge utility van with damage to the passenger-side mirror, according to DPS.

The crash caused an hours-long closure of the highway, which has since reopened.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact DPS at 210-531-2280.

The investigation is ongoing.

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During the 2025-2026 school year, 619 districts across the state implemented the instruction materials for the first time. The TEA reports on average, those districts saw “better year-over-year achievement change than non-Bluebonnet districts.”

A greater percentage of those students met grade level on Spring 2026 STAAR assessments compared with Spring 2025 results — an improvement other districts did not see, according to the TEA.

Seventy-two districts using at least one Bluebonnet Learning program during the 2025-2026 school year earned an “A” rating, including 26 that had scored below an “A” the previous year.

“Bluebonnet Learning is an important resource to help our schools focus on the fundamentals of literacy and numeracy,” said Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath. “With insights from year one, we will continue our investments in rigorous curriculum to make Texas number one in public education.”

The TEA says the instructional materials save taxpayers money. Print costs for Bluebonnet are lower than other instructional materials, the agency reports.

“For example, over a four-year period, Bluebonnet Learning Grade 2 math is $1,350.88 less expensive per classroom than the next comparable available material approved by the SBOE (State Board of Education), and Grade 2 RLA is $498.48 less expensive,” a TEA news release states.

San Antonio-area districts opted-in

When Bluebonnet Learning was first approved by the state in 2024, South San Independent School District was the first district in San Antonio to adopt the materials.

The state-endorsed teaching materials grew “controversial” amongst First Amendment advocates who have raised concerns that the curriculum may blur the distinction between educating about religious texts and promoting a specific faith, while potentially enticing financially challenged districts.

South San ISD Superintendent Saul Hinojosa said he worked with a committee to review the curriculum before it was taught in the district’s public schools.

“If there was anything that the committee felt was inappropriate by their standards, they took a vote, and we took their feedback and put it into action,” Hinojosa told KSAT in August.

Among the changes, South San ISD removed or modified several readings from the curriculum because of their focus on religion.

After the first year, South San ISD boosted its TEA accountability rating from a “D” to a “C.” When asked whether that progress is tied to Bluebonnet Learning, Hinojosa didn’t hesitate.

“Absolutely. I mean, your curriculum is a driving force,” Hinojosa said.

San Antonio Independent School District joins South San ISD who adopted the instructional materials at some schools at the beginning of the 2026-2027 school year.

“The Bluebonnet curriculum provides a high-quality, standards-aligned foundation for teaching reading and math and is the curriculum most closely aligned to the STAAR assessment,” a SAISD spokesperson told KSAT in August. “By consistently implementing Bluebonnet throughout the year, we give students the strongest opportunity to demonstrate ongoing growth, build mastery of essential skills, and achieve academic success.”

Bluebonnet designed for ‘transparency,’ TEA says

The TEA says the instructional materials are designed for “total transparency,” with every unit including a take-home letter for parents to know exactly what their children are learning.

“TEA works closely with Texas teachers who use Bluebonnet materials in their classrooms to make improvements based on teacher feedback,” the release states. “In this way, the benefits that one district experiences with Bluebonnet can be more easily spread to others across the state as district adoption of Bluebonnet Learning continues to grow.”

Read also:

• San Antonio ISD students begin Bluebonnet Learning, which critics have described as controversial

The high gas prices took center stage in Ohio on Wednesday, as lawmakers passed a 90-day state gas tax holiday with broad bipartisan support. Including Ohio, about one-third of U.S. states have implemented some form of fuel tax relief, with many taking action within the past week, according to an Associated Press review.

Some states have suspended their fuel taxes. Others have temporarily reduced taxes. And still more have targeted relief only to farmers, loggers and others who use a special type of diesel fuel.

The average price of regular gasoline stood at $4.43 a gallon on Wednesday, up roughly 50% since the war with Iran began, according to the AAA motor club. The average price of diesel was $6.41 a gallon — just a few cents shy of a record high set last week.

Here's what to know about states’ actions on fuel taxes:

Ohio governor's race at center of fuel tax action

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine's office said he plans to sign legislation that will suspend the 38.5-cent-per-gallon gasoline tax and 47-cent-per-gallon diesel tax through the remainder of this year. The plan taps $725 million from the state's general fund to pay for roads and bridges typically funded by fuel taxes.

Republican legislative leaders scrambled to recall lawmakers to the Statehouse after Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton called for a gas tax holiday last week and rival Republican Vivek Ramaswamy announced a plan to do the same a few hours later. The two are locked in a closely fought contest to succeed DeWine, a term-limited Republican. Democrats criticized Ramaswamy for taking credit for Acton's idea, while Ramaswamy's allies said his plan had substance and Acton's consisted of “tweets.”

Ramaswamy's running mate, Rob McColley, is the Ohio Senate president. On Wednesday, McColley used a technical maneuver to quickly close debate on the measure, suggesting Democrats were preparing for nothing more than “theatrics.” Senate Democratic Leader Nickie Antonio said one proposal would have called for an end to the Iran war.

Republican state Sen. Michele Reynolds, a co-sponsor of the legislation, said it "will provide much-needed relief to Ohioans at a time when they are feeling the pressure of gas prices continuing to rise.”

In the House, Democratic state Rep. Allison Russo, a candidate for secretary of state, accused Republicans of an election-year “stunt” that will save Ohioans an average of $55 over the next three months.

Several states have already halted or reduced gas taxes

In March, Georgia became the first state to suspend its fuel taxes after the war in the Middle East sent prices spiraling. Republican Gov. Brian Kemp extended the tax break into June. More recently, he announced a 30-day resumption of the motor fuel tax holiday, which began Tuesday.

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun, a Republican, has extended a fuel tax exemption multiple times since spring, with the current version running through Oct. 5.

A six-month, 6-cent reduction in Utah's fuel tax is in effect through the end of this year. Illinois and Kentucky have more modest fuel tax breaks in effect, delaying increases that were due to take effect in July.

Some states have relaxed diesel fuel regulations

In the past week, governors in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Texas all have taken steps to provide fuel tax relief for the agricultural industry amid the harvest season.

The executive orders target dyed diesel fuel, which is exempt from state taxes but normally can be used only for off-road machinery like tractors, logging equipment and irrigation pumps. The orders temporarily waive enforcement of those rules, allowing the tax-exempt diesel fuel to be used in vehicles driven on highways.

Some governors noted that reduced costs for transporting crops could affect grocery prices.

California ends restrictions on cheaper fuel blends

The Environmental Protection Agency allowed an annual switch to cheaper, winter-blended fuels beginning Sept. 1, a couple of weeks earlier than normal. The change could save up to 15 cents a gallon, according to data from the National Association of Convenience Stores.

But California sets its own stricter environmental fuel standards. In many parts of the state, summer-blended fuel is required through Oct. 31. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom ended the summer fuel requirement Monday, citing a recent state law that requires a reevaluation of regulations when retail gas prices rise substantially.

Fuel tax changes may have a delayed effect for consumers

State actions intended to provide relief from high fuel prices don't always have the effect some consumers expect. That's partly because fuel price volatility could cause costs to rise even as tax rates fall. But that's also because taxes typically are charged at the wholesale level, not at the retail pump.

“Customers expect the day that a gas tax holiday takes effect that the price at every pump will be reduced by that amount. But it’s way more complicated than that,” said Jeff Lenard, a spokesperson for the National Association of Convenience Stores.

“The costs and the changes happen further upstream," he said. "The retailer may also have product that has already been paid for with taxes that needs to be sold before you can acquire the new fuel that is not taxed and you can lower the price.”

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Lieb reported from Jefferson City, Missouri.

“The Texas Division of Emergency Management has activated over 1,900 state emergency responders and over 1,500 pieces of equipment, including aircraft and boats and high-profile vehicles, to ensure that local officials across the state in those areas that we’re concerned about have equipment and resources and personnel in those communities,” Texas Department of Emergency Management spokesperson Wes Rapaport said.

The State Emergency Operations Center is also coordinating with Texas A&M Task Force 1, the Texas National Guard and the Texas Department of Transportation.

Rapaport said high-profile vehicles, boats and aircraft can be used to support rescue and response operations if flooding develops. He added the goal is to make sure local emergency managers have the resources they need before conditions worsen.

“A lot of the disaster response can be handled at the local level,” Rapaport said. “We have resources that are staged in and around the threat areas to ensure that if a request for state assistance comes, we have the resources nearby.”

Residents in areas at risk for severe weather and flooding should monitor local forecasts and follow guidance from emergency officials as the storm system moves through Texas.

“We want you to understand what your risks are,” Rapaport said. “Stay informed, pack an emergency supply kit with food and water and clothes and maybe a weather radio if you have one, extra chargers and batteries and flashlight and those kinds of things. Don’t forget about medications and don’t forgot about your pets. But we also encourage Texans to make a plan. Now is the time to make that plan. You don’t want to be scrambling in the middle of an incident when you are being given directions by local officials and you can’t find your emergency kit or you’re not sure who to call or what to do or where to go. Now is the time to sort all of that out so that if you are given directions or action by your local officials that you’re ready to do so.”

Alec Bohm put Philadelphia ahead with a two-out homer in the 10th inning, and the Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 4-3 on Wednesday to force a decisive third game in their NL Wild Card Series.

The Phillies rallied with back-to-back homers from Kyle Schwarber and Harper in the eighth after trailing 3-1 in the seventh. Harper's homer made up for a crucial fielding mistake an inning earlier.

“I wasn’t not trying to hit a homer, I can tell you that,” Harper said with a smile.

Andrew Painter (1-0), a starter in the regular season, saved the Phillies’ beleaguered bullpen with three scoreless innings to close things out. Painter stranded two runners in the 10th when he struck out Dominic Smith with a successful ABS challenge.

Playing under traditional extra-inning rules that don't include automatic runners at second base like in the regular season, Bohm delivered his third career postseason home run, a 357-foot shot to right field off right-hander Didier Fuentes (0-1).

For Bohm, who has faced criticism during a rocky season in which he hit .249 and is facing free agency, the homer may have extended his time with the Phillies.

“I've been trying not to think about that,” Bohm said. “I really don't want the season to end.”

The Phillies will try to continue their postseason dominance over the Braves in Thursday's Game 3. Philadelphia beat Atlanta in the 1993 NLCS and the 2022 and 2023 NLDS.

In the seventh, Drake Baldwin's double glanced off Harper's glove in right field, driving in Sean Murphy to give Atlanta a 2-1 lead. Harper, who resumed playing the outfield late this season for the first time since 2022, got a poor jump and was leaping for the ball near the warning track. He was not charged with an error. Matt Olson added a sacrifice fly.

“I didn’t think he hit it very hard," Harper said. “I thought it was going to be a pop fly just right at me and then it kind of kept traveling. Obviously a ball I should have caught. ... And obviously I was hearing it pretty good from Braves and Phillies fans in the dugout, so got to show up in that situation.

“But how quickly can I turn the page and just get past that moment, knowing that I’m still coming up to the plate to hit and knowing that in the postseason, it doesn’t matter what you did the at-bat before, the inning before. It’s what you do in that moment.”

The Phillies pulled even with eighth-inning home runs by Schwarber and Harper off Dylan Lee, the winning pitcher in the Braves’ 5-3 opening win on Tuesday. Schwarber’s drive carried 447 feet and Harper followed with a 418-foot shot.

“Some big home runs late by some really good hitters,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said. “That’s what got us.”

Tyler Mahle allowed one run on six hits in seven innings for Atlanta. Cristopher Sánchez allowed three runs in 6 2/3 innings for Philadelphia while throwing a career-high 116 pitches.

Painter gave up a one-out single to Mauricio Dubón in the 10th, then struck out Austin Riley before giving up a bloop single to Michael Harris II. Painter's 0-2 fastball to Smith was called inside by plate umpire Adam Beck, but Painter and catcher J.T. Realmuto immediately called for a robo-ump challenge. ABS confirmed the ball clipped the strike zone, the first time a postseason game has ended with a strike-zone appeal.

Atlanta's Ronald Acuña Jr. walked, stole second and then stole third with Edmundo Sosa not covering the bag before scoring on Olson’s single in the first.

Sánchez didn’t allow another hit until Sean Murphy doubled to center field with one out in the fifth.

Mahle kept pace, though he didn’t have a perfect inning until the fifth, when he struck out Schwarber and Harper. Sánchez issued an intentional walk to Acuña with two outs before Baldwin’s grounder to second base ended the inning.

Injury scare for Mahle

Weiss said the Braves had a major scare when Mahle felt an abdominal pull during his pregame warmup.

“We didn't know if he could make the start,” Weiss said, adding the scare came "right at game time when he came out of the bullpen.

“He ended up working through it and got better as the game went on. We were scrambling.”

Sosa leaves with injury

Sosa left the game after reaching on an infield single to open the ninth. He appeared to aggravate a leg injury and was replaced by pinch-runner Derek Hill. Phillies manager Don Mattingly said the injury did not appear to be serious.

Up next

Braves RHP Grant Holmes (10-6, 3.44) is expected to either start or pitch in bulk relief in Game 3 on Thursday against Phillies RHP Aaron Nola (7-12, 4.67).

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See AP’s full MLB coverage here

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

On Wednesday, a federal judge ruled Wednesday that Garces Perez will remain in federal custody and determined that he is a flight risk. He appeared in a federal courtroom in Austin in a wheelchair with his left arm in a sling.

Magistrate Judge Dustin M. Howell made the ruling after federal prosecutors argued Garces Perez was a flight risk because he fled the original scene of the traffic stop and because of his family ties to Venezuela. The judge did not agree with the government’s argument that Garces Perez was a danger to the community.

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

In a sworn affidavit, federal prosecutors say that Garces Perez was first pulled over by ICE officers after they had observed him exiting a restaurant and identified him as having a final order of removal. Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Rick Bazan testified Wednesday that the officers were running license plates through a database and saw Garces Perez’s final order of removal.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Garces Perez entered the U.S. legally through a port of entry in San Ysidro, California, in December 2023 and applied for asylum via the CBPOne app. Records show that he had received a removal order in August 2025, which Lincoln-Goldfinch says was sent to the wrong address. A motion to reconsider was denied in July 2026. The attorney added that his work permit expired in December 2025.

If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison, according to the Department of Justice.

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

The 41-year-old Ronaldo said that “in time” he would “tell the Portuguese people the truth about the reasons” behind his departure.

“Following the national team coach’s news conference, and after a conversation with the president of the Portuguese football federation, I decided to leave the national team’s training camp,” he said on Instagram, adding that he has always “dedicated” himself to the side.

“Now is the time to wish good luck to Portugal and to all my teammates, without exception.”

The Portuguese federation said only that Ronaldo left the training camp and that the team's preparations would continue with the remaining 24 squad members.

“The entire delegation remains fully focused on the national team’s upcoming fixtures and on achieving our goals,” the federation said.

Jesus had said in the pre-game news conference he was not planning to start Ronaldo, but dismissed the notion there was a feud between the pair.

Jesus said every player knows the coach makes the decisions, and that Ronaldo told him he would abide by whatever choices he makes.

The coach added the “rules are the same for everyone” and that Gonçalo Ramos would start up front against Denmark if everything went to plan.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen in the game,” Jesus said. “If we need him (Ronaldo) to play (at some point), he’ll play. If not, he won’t.”

Ronaldo, the all-time leading scorer in men’s international soccer with 146 goals and pursuing the milestone of 1,000 career goals, didn’t play on Sunday in Portugal’s 2-1 win over Norway. He has not trained with the rest of the group since, sparking widespread rumors about a possible feud with Jesus.

Jesus had said Al-Nassr forward Ronaldo would practice normally with the rest of the squad on Wednesday, but the player ended by leaving the training camp after the coach's words during the news conference.

Ronaldo, who has 979 career goals, had said recently that this Saudi Pro League season is likely to be the last of his professional career.

Earlier this year, he said the 2026 World Cup would be the last of his career but did not specify when he would stop playing for Portugal.

Jesus, who worked with Ronaldo for about a year in Saudi Arabia, said the player did not refuse to practice after having been left on the bench against Norway.

“It seems like there was an issue between us, but there was no issue,” Jesus said. “I’m the one who makes the decisions and everybody knows that.”

Jesus acknowledged he had told Ronaldo he would likely play against Norway, but changed his mind because of the circumstances of the match.

He said it was a mistake to send Ronaldo to warm up for as long as he did and then not use him. Jesus added “any player” would be upset about that.

But Jesus did not apologize for telling Ronaldo that he was likely to play.

“I can promise whatever I want, I’m the coach,” Jesus said. “No player will ever make a decision for me.”

Jesus said, though, that someone with the stature of Ronaldo deserved a different type of attention from coaches “because of his career and history in soccer.”

Jesus, who took over the squad from Roberto Martínez after the World Cup, said he ended up being “obligated” to have a meeting with Ronaldo because of the noise created in Portugal over the situation.

But he maintained there was no “Ronaldo case” to talk about and there was nothing to solve between him and the player because nothing was wrong.

Jesus said it was normal that the federation president, Pedro Proença, also met with the pair.

“We had to talk the three of us, but I had already talked with Chris and the president didn’t have to solve anything because there was nothing to solve,” Jesus said.

Ronaldo started Portugal’s 1-0 win over Wales last Thursday but was substituted in the 67th minute. On Tuesday, he posted on Instagram a photo of him wearing the kit accompanied by the country’s flag and a heart emoji.

Portugal leads Group A4 of the Nations League with six points from two matches, three points more than Denmark and Norway. Wales is last with no points.

Portugal also hosts Norway on Sunday.

It was not immediately clear whether Ronaldo’s departure would extend beyond the current international break.

Wednesday's news comes just as Ronaldo's long-time rival, Lionel Messi, is set for his farewell match with Argentina next week.

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See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Marie-Célestin Karondwa, a local official with Congo’s ruling Union for Democracy and Social Progress party, was attacked Sunday at his home in Butembo, an Ebola hotspot in the eastern North Kivu province, after defending the government’s response efforts during a radio program, the party said.

“They beat him up and then set the house alight,” Sagesse Kavira, Karondwa’s granddaughter, told The Associated Press at his funeral on Wednesday. He later died from his injuries at a local hospital.

The killing follows a series of attacks on health workers and other responders as the Central African nation battles its 17th and deadliest Ebola outbreak, which has so far recorded over 8,000 cases including nearly 4,000 deaths.

Authorities this month launched a village-centered approach to fight the Ebola outbreak. But those efforts continue to face resistance from some residents who dismiss Ebola as a hoax amid a widespread distrust in the country’s government for various reasons, ranging from how it’s managed past Ebola outbreaks to chronic corruption.

Responders say skepticism about the disease has complicated efforts to work with residents, including in remote communities and emerging hot spots that already face shortages of medical supplies and healthcare workers.

The mistrust is particularly difficult to overcome in eastern Congo's rebel-controlled territories, where decades of conflict with rebels as well as human rights abuses have left many residents wary of outsiders and state authorities.

The local politician killed in Butembo had been using the radio show to call on the public to obey response measures, particularly social distancing and handwashing, Jean-Baptiste Katsongo Lwatswa, first federal vice-president of UDPS in Butembo, told the AP.

“That is believed to have provoked the anger of certain young people,” he said.

Enoch Muhindo Balimatangi, a resident of Butembo, said there's fear and mixed feelings about Ebola among locals. "Some say that the illness exists, while others refuse to accept that it does. That’s frightening!” he said.

A key challenge in slowing this particular outbreak is the absence of approved vaccines or treatments for the rare Bundibugyo virus that is causing it. Clinical trials for those are currently ongoing in Ituri province, the epicenter.

In its latest situation report, the World Health Organization warned the disease remains serious and there are “persistent challenges in timely case detection and access to early and adequate patient care.”

WHO has also said the outbreak continues to outpace efforts to track and slow it, and is on track to exceed the deadliest on record, West Africa’s regional outbreak between 2014 and 2016, which killed 11,000 people.

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Brennan reported from Dakar, Senegal. Justin Kabumba in Goma, Congo, contributed.

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For more on Africa and development: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-pulse

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The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The 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.

Salah Sarsour was detained in Milwaukee in March by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. A federal judge ordered Sarsour’s release in June, saying he raised a “substantial” claim that the Trump administration was targeting him for speaking out against Israel and advocating for Palestinian rights.

Sarsour called the ruling “deeply disappointing,” but said he intends to appeal.

“I will continue fighting to defend the right to free speech and to stay in the country I have called home for more than three decades,” Sarsour said in a statement.

Government attorneys say Sarsour’s decades-old convictions in Israel make him a threat to national security and accuse him of lying on his green card application and falsely claiming citizenship to vote. Judge Jayme Salinardi, with the Chicago Immigration Court, found him removable on foreign policy grounds but tossed out the government's claim that Sarsour lied to immigration authorities.

“All illegal aliens receive due process,” the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. “If a judge finds an illegal alien has no right to be in this country, we are going to remove them. Period.”

Sarsour says his life will be at risk if he is deported to the West Bank

Sarsour, who was born in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, was imprisoned in Israel in 1988 after being convicted of throwing stones at Israeli military personnel. DHS has said he was also convicted of throwing a Molotov cocktail. His defense team says he was accused of that but not convicted. In 1995, he was convicted of attempting to possess weapons. Sarsour denies committing those crimes and his attorneys say he was tortured and coerced into confessing in both instances.

Sarsour, the president of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, does not have a criminal record in the U.S., where he has lived since 1993. His attorneys say the U.S. government has known about Sarsour’s convictions in Israel since he arrived.

Deportation to the West Bank “means the end of my life,” Sarsour told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

One of his attorneys, Patrick Taurel, said Sarsour’s treatment by Israeli authorities is “probably a good indicator of what awaits him” if he is deported.

At a status hearing Wednesday, Taurel pressed the judge to specify that Sarsour can only be deported to Israel or the Palestinian territories. Jordan, a country to which Sarsour has no connection, is listed as a possible destination on the order of removal.

Sarsour was instructed by immigration officers to list Jordan as his home country on an immigration form because his preferred entry — “Palestine” — is not a fully independent, unified state. But he “has no right to reside in Jordan,” Taurel said.

Salinardi declined, saying that can be addressed on appeal.

If sent to Jordan, Sarsour “would just be immediately handed off to Israel,” Taurel said during a news conference Wednesday.

Attorney says Sarsour will fight deportation

Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a memo in June 2025 invoking a rarely used immigration provision saying Sarsour could be deported on the same grounds as Mahmoud Khalil and Mohsen Mahdawi, both advocates for Palestinian rights whom the Trump administration has tried to expel, according to court documents.

DHS said in its statement that Rubio “has reasonable grounds to believe Sarsour’s presence would have adverse foreign policy consequences for the U.S., and he has engaged in terrorist activity or supported a terrorist organization.”

Salinardi found Rubio's letter singling out Sarsour as a foreign policy risk was “presumptive and sufficient evidence” that the government can remove him, Taurel said Wednesday, reading from the judge’s decision. The judge gave “extreme deference” to Rubio and to Israel, which has “collaborated” with DHS in the effort to deport Sarsour, the attorney said.

Taurel has said Sarsour will need to demonstrate that he could be tortured again if he were deported, calling it a “very high bar” that he believes his team “can meet in this case.”

A notice of appeal is due within 30 days, and Sarsour has 60 days to file an application for relief. The government cannot deport Sarsour until he has exhausted all available legal avenues. Salinardi, who did not schedule a new hearing, announced he is retiring and that Judge Craig Defoe will oversee the case going forward.

Sarsour says he was tortured and coerced into confessions

Jawad Boulos, who represented Sarsour when he was convicted in Israel, testified in August that Sarsour was coerced into confessing and that he wasn’t convicted of any charge tying him to a terrorist organization. He said Sarsour was tortured by Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security agency.

The Department of Homeland Security challenged Boulos about the torture allegations, questioning how he could know it was true.

Sarsour’s defense team has repeatedly asked why the government waited until this year to detain him, saying it has known of his imprisonment in Israel for decades.

Experts on forced confessions and the treatment of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons also testified in Sarsour’s defense. Israeli military courts have faced repeated scrutiny over allegations of limited due process and the high conviction rate of Palestinians. Israel rejects the claims.

In June, U.S. District Judge James Patrick Hanlon ordered Sarsour released from ICE custody saying he could have a case arguing the U.S. government detained him in retaliation for protected speech. Further, Hanlon said, government attorneys had not explained why Sarsour was suddenly considered a threat after decades as a lawful permanent resident.

The Trump administration has appealed Hanlon’s ruling.

Sarsour, who has Type 2 diabetes, lost more than 30 pounds (14 kilograms) while detained by ICE, and his blood sugar levels were checked only once a month, putting him at risk of organ failure or death, his attorneys said.

An investigation by KFF Health News and The Associated Press found that hundreds of detainees in at least 33 states have filed federal lawsuits with similar allegations of medical neglect.

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Mayes-Osterman is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

The Pentagon also will launch an effort to study the future of warfare that will be led in part by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Hegseth said. The Defense Department will create an Office of Religious Affairs and plans to build a new base for the first time in 40 years, he added.

Hegseth made the announcements to junior officers and enlisted leaders at the Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia — the second year in a row that he has given such an address. But this time, the U.S. military is seven months into a war with Iran with no clear end in sight, has captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and killed more than 200 people in strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats in Latin America, among other actions worldwide.

The speech is not a usual fixture among Pentagon leaders. While Hegseth’s predecessors have regularly addressed troops and top officers, they have traditionally done so in small or private settings.

The Pentagon chief, however, again led with how he has drastically retooled the U.S. military by targeting what he calls “woke” culture — through a rollback of diversity programs, a review of ground combat units with female troops and a new screening program for “testosterone deficiency” among male personnel — as well as attacks on the media for the coverage of the military.

Hegseth announces a new drone-focused warfare command

The Pentagon chief announced the intention to create a new four-star command to oversee the rollout of autonomous and robotic capabilities in what he called “the fastest peacetime shift in modern military history.”

He acknowledged that “the pace of war is changing faster than the process to support it.” Iran commonly uses cheap drones, including those that have killed U.S. troops during the seven-month war. Hegseth pointed to Ukraine's pioneering use of drones to combat Russian forces — something American forces have learned from firsthand.

“Ukraine’s lesson is not that one type of drone wins wars, but rather the need for a purpose-built system that maximizes the ability to adapt,” Hegseth said.

However, a U.S. Army unit based in Europe that specialized in drone warfare was ordered recently to end its efforts and return to being a traditional infantry battalion.

A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers subsequently asked the Army to explain the order, given that the world’s battlefields are rapidly evolving and military tactics increasingly rely on uncrewed systems to fight.

The plans for a drone command come as the U.S. is in a stalemate with Iran over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy shipping corridor. The war has forced American forces in the region to expend hundreds of expensive missile interceptors to defend against Iran’s missile and drone attacks, which have still managed to kill and wound U.S. troops.

Hegseth repeated claims that the U.S. military has destroyed Iran's navy, air force and defense systems as well as many of its leaders and its industrial base. But Tehran has continued intermittently to launch drone and missile attacks against at U.S. or allied bases, while maintaining its ability to strike commercial and military ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

During his speech, Hegseth touted the Trump administration’s major investments in the defense industry and push for contractors to speed up their work to expand the nation’s weapons arsenals. But experts say U.S. military contractors will need at least three years to replenish stockpiles of key weapons systems used heavily in the Iran war.

Hegseth faces questions from lawmakers over cuts to general ranks

Hegseth said he directed the military services to double the 10% reduction he ordered last spring for roughly 800 flag and general officer positions, to a 20% decrease to be completed by Jan. 1, 2027.

“I call it accountability and long overdue,” he said.

Some members of Congress have criticized the war and the drawdown of munitions stockpiles, while calling the latest cuts to the general ranks a “purge” that will take years to rebuild.

“He’s got some kind of like deep-seated grievance about leadership in the military,” said Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., a former Navy combat pilot who has been critical of Hegseth. “He’s purging a generation of great leaders of the military, and it’s going to take a generation to recover from it.”

Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he wanted to understand Hegseth’s reasoning.

“If it’s simply a matter of eliminating a very heavy top, there may be some validity to it, but I want to see it first,” Rounds said.

Musk and Gingrich to lead a study of future warfare

In innovating the next wave of weapons systems, Hegseth announced an effort to study the future of warfare led by Musk, Gingrich and Palmer Luckey, co-founder of Anduril Industries.

Hegseth said the work “will be focused on discovering, developing and fielding the weapons and systems that our children and our grandchildren will need in their lifetimes.” He pointed to the need to dominate "any future battlefield, from under the Earth to beyond the moon.”

This month, the U.S. confirmed for the first time that it had deployed weapons in space, a remarkable revelation after previous warnings about countries such as Russia possibly weaponizing a global frontier long agreed in treaties to be used for only peaceful purposes.

Among the other announcements was the unveiling of a plan to build a new military base, with Hegseth inviting all 50 states to compete for the chance to play host to 15,000 to 25,000 service members. He also announced a plan to make every military base self-powered.

___

Finley reported from Washington, and Kinnard from Columbia, South Carolina. Associated Press writer Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed to this report.

The bill, proponents argue, would cut down the arduous timeline for getting big energy projects off the ground at a time when demand is rising because of mushrooming data centers for artificial intelligence. The bill would ensure AI data centers are forced to pay for the increased electricity they use and would mark a significant change to a landmark environmental law that critics say slows the process of building energy projects.

Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee, called the bill “a major step toward making it faster and more efficient and easier to build infrastructure projects” of all types while maintaining important environmental protections.

Vote on the bill won't happen until after the midterms

“The American people sent us here to do big things. This is a big thing. It’s monumental and it’s legacy-setting,” Capito said at a news conference at the Capitol where she was joined by Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah and Democratic Sens. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island. The four senators lead the chamber's energy and environment panels.

Heinrich said the bill “will mean more energy on the grid, more good-paying jobs, and lower electricity costs for families and businesses. And as data centers drive demand for more power, it will ensure they pay their fair share of the grid upgrades they require — not leave that bill to American families.”

A vote on the bill won’t happen until after the midterm elections — reflecting the fraught political reality as elections loom that could change partisan control of both chambers. But the bill represents a rare instance of bipartisanship over the country’s energy policy as lawmakers from both parties agree on the need to build new energy projects of all types.

Lee, who chairs the energy committee, said he is confident the bill will be approved in a lame-duck session in November, noting its bipartisan support and encouragement from business and environmental groups.

Whitehouse, the top Democrat on the environment panel, also was hopeful but said Democrats were still seeking clarity on how the bill will prevent President Donald Trump's administration from blocking wind and solar projects.

He and Heinrich, the top energy Democrat, have decried what they call Trump's “reckless and vindictive assault on wind energy” that includes repeated actions to block large-scale wind projects under construction off the East Coast. The administration suspended five offshore wind projects in December, citing unspecified national security concerns.

The projects later moved forward after federal judges intervened. A federal judge also struck down Trump’s executive order blocking wind energy projects early in his second term.

Brad Campbell, president of the Conservation Law Foundation, an environmental advocacy group, panned the deal, saying it “appears to adopt a fossil fuel industry wish-list.” He said the bill could roll back protections for clean water and endangered species, limit judicial review and curtail the power of the Environmental Protection Agency and states to consider impacts of energy projects.

Drew Maloney, president and CEO of the Edison Electric Institute, which represents for-profit utilities, said he was encouraged by provisions to streamline environmental permitting and “create project certainty.” The group is reviewing the transmission provisions to see how they affect efforts to deliver electricity to its 250 million customers, he said.

In a statement, the White House said the bill would “deliver transformative policies to lower Americans’ energy and housing costs, drive new construction and investment in American infrastructure, and create American jobs.”

Trump's wind opposition played a role in delaying a deal

Trump's opposition to wind power has been a consistent stumbling block to a deal on permitting reform, which Democrats say can only go forward if the administration agrees to allow previously approved projects to move forward.

Trump recently offered to ease his administration’s holdup on renewable energy projects, in part to entice Democrats to agree to a permitting deal. But it was unclear how long the offer would last and whether it would change after the election results are known.

Whitehouse called the administration's proposal reasonable but said the overall issue remains “unresolved.”

Manish Bapna, president and CEO of the Natural Resources Defense Council, said his group was studying the bill’s details, but said: “Ensuring the agreement puts an end to the Trump administration’s war on clean energy — the cheapest and fastest sources of energy — will be a necessary element to any deal.”

Capito was confident such obstacles can be overcome.

Both parties recognize that for far too long, “America has had a permitting system filled with delays, expenses, red tape, uncertainty,'' she said. “Too long, too expensive. And we’ve seen projects that should be finished more quickly (take) decades” to complete.

The Senate bill would limit legal challenges under the National Environmental Policy Act, a bedrock environmental law that requires federal agencies to consider a project’s possible environmental impacts before it is approved. The law has increasingly been blamed for stalling projects of all types.

Challenges under the National Historic Preservation Act also would be restricted. The law protects Native American cultural treasures and other important artifacts.

The bill would ease siting of interstate transmission lines and strengthen the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s authority to review major projects at the same time as state reviews, helping needed projects move through the overall permitting process more quickly.

The bill also would require data centers to pay for all associated transmission costs, preventing costs from being passed on to families or businesses.

___

Associated Press writer Jennifer McDermott contributed from Providence, R.I.

Dionisiah Edwards-Carpeal, 36, was arrested moments after the crash Monday evening in the Medical Center area.

She faces charges of murder and aggravated assault.

A preliminary police report says Edwards-Carpeal intentionally hit a 37-year-old woman and 39-year-old man in a parking lot on Data Point Drive, not far from Wurzbach Road.

It says she initially began following the pair in her car as they left a nearby restaurant, then arguing with them from her car window.

At some point, police believe she purposely aimed the car at them.

The female victim died later at a hospital.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the Bexar County Medical Examiner still had not positively identified her.

Police did not give an update on the man’s condition, nor did they explain whether the suspect and victims knew one another.

Read also:

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He says his old team did not do much to try to keep him when he left in free agency for Baltimore.

“They shipped me out,” he said Wednesday, before walking that back a little. “No, I don't want to say it like that. It's always love. But no, they didn't offer nothing at all.”

Tennessee was 6-11 in 2023, Henry’s final season there. He turned 30 in January 2024. It’s hard to know what it would have taken for him to stay, and after his final game there he was given a microphone and thanked the fans.

“I knew the writing was on the wall throughout that season, and they were ready to move on,” he said. “Good things don't last forever, so it was time for me to find a new home.”

Joining Lamar Jackson on a contending team in Baltimore has been great for him.

Henry rushed for 1,167 yards in his final season with the Titans, but he averaged a career-low 4.17 yards per carry. His first two full seasons with the Ravens: 1,921 yards in 2024 and 1,595 in 2025 — with a career-high 5.91 yards per carry in '24 and 5.2 last season.

“Lamar was a big reason why I came here,” Henry said. “It kind of takes the pressure off of the running back just because of who he is. So, whenever I came out for free agency, this was the No. 1 spot I wanted to go to, even during that season before I got here.”

Baltimore hosts Tennessee on Sunday. It's the first time the teams have met since Henry's move.

“I’ve never coached with him, but I’ve always gotten a chance to see him from afar and go against him,” Titans coach Robert Saleh said. “He’s an animal still running like he’s 25 years old. So he’s a tremendous challenge and anytime you’re trying to replace a Hall of Famer, it’s not easy.”

The Titans are 6-31 since Henry left, 0-3 this season.

Baltimore is coming off a last-second win over Dallas in Brazil. That was not the easiest game for Henry, who struggled in short-yardage situations behind an injury-plagued offensive line.

“Got to have them. I've got to be better. Can’t stop thinking about them,” Henry said. “Not saying it’s like living rent-free in my head, but just very hard on myself and very critical of myself. I’m my worst critic, so I got to be better. I ain't looking at nobody else, nobody to blame, the play call — if it’s called to give me the ball, I got to get a yard or got to get in the end zone, it's got to happen.”

Henry may want to take responsibility, but this past weekend was not the best rushing situation for him. Tackle Ronnie Stanley missed the game with a toe injury. He was back at practice Wednesday but limited. At center, Baltimore's top three options are now injured, and none is expected back anytime soon.

Rookie guard Vega Ioane is capable of moving over to play there, and coach Jesse Minter indicated that may be the short-term solution. It would leave Andrew Vorhees and Emery Jones Jr. competing for a guard spot, and Baltimore also signed guard Kyle Hergel and center Andre James to the practice squad.

The Ravens also signed safety K’Von Wallace to the 53-man roster.

Jackson, meanwhile, was not at practice when reporters were present at the beginning, but he eventually made it onto the field. He was listed as limited with a back issue.

He did talk to reporters before practice and said the team is motivated to help Henry to a win over the Titans.

“It will mean a lot to him, but to us too,” Jackson said. “We want him to win versus those guys, which is going to be a rival game.”

___

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Today on Texas Eats NOW:

EAT IT OR LEAVE IT | MURF’S BETTER BURGERS

2922 West Ave, San Antonio, TX 78201

David Elder traveled out to Murf’s Better Burgers to try out their double cheeseburger combo, which includes fries and a drink, only for the affordable price of $8.99. The fries were alright as they could’ve used some more salt, but the cheeseburger was great, and the drink is a generous size as well. While the meal as a whole was very filling for only $8.99, Elder would leave the fries, but he’d eat the double cheeseburger any day of the week. There’s a half price deal every Thursday, which makes an already affordable meal, even cheaper. As an institution in San Antonio’s fast food scene, Murf’s lives up to it’s reputation as a cheap option to load up on a juicy cheeseburger.

FOOD NEWS | MIGRATORY MONTH

monarchfest.org

The 11th annual Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival caps off Migratory Month in San Antonio, a September celebration of the birds, butterflies, bats, bees and other pollinators that travel through the region. Throughout September, nine San Antonio restaurants, bars and cafes featured special dishes and drinks built around ingredients made possible by pollinators, including Liberty Bar, Best Quality Daughter, Farm Table, Southwest Elixirs, Howdy Child, Geranium Club, Fine and Dandelion, Miss Chickpea’s Bake Shop, and Mesquite. Guests who spot the Made Possible by Pollinators logo can snap a picture and tag @MonarchFestSATX along with the participating restaurant for a chance to win a goodie basket.

MEAL DEALS | CHICKEN WINGS

sa.gov/health

Just in time for football season, San Antonio Metro Health shared food safety guidance for cooking chicken wings at home. The first step happens before the package is even opened: clean your counters and cutting boards and wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. Metro Health also recommends keeping raw poultry separate from other foods to prevent cross-contamination, and thawing poultry completely before it hits hot oil, either in the refrigerator a couple of days ahead or by buying it already refrigerated.

The wings used for this recipe were Hill Country Fair chicken wingettes, $7.10 per pack with roughly 12 to 14 wingettes inside. They soak in a brine of a quarter cup of kosher salt to one quart of water for one to two hours, covered and kept on the lowest shelf of the refrigerator. They then get drained, patted dry, and dusted with cornstarch for crisp skin. Frying happens outside on a stable surface, with the oil brought to at least 380 degrees so it settles near 350, and the wings cook about 7 to 10 minutes to an internal temperature of 165. From there they get tossed in butter, then Cajun seasoning, then buffalo sauce.

CHOP IT UP | JOHNNY HERNANDEZ

This episode of Chop It Up welcomes chef Johnny Hernandez, a name that comes up in nearly every conversation about the city’s culinary scene and someone who has spent years promoting both his own brand and San Antonio itself. The set for this episode, including the chairs, rug, coffee table and side table, was furnished by La-Z-Boy of San Antonio, with more at SouthTexasFurniture.com.

Hernandez traced his start back to the family business his father opened when he was about five years old, where everyone pitched in and he gravitated to the back of the house, washing dishes, peeling potatoes and chopping onions. His father closed the business when Hernandez was around 14, but by then the kitchen had already claimed him.

DAYCATION DESTINATION | STATE FAIR OF TEXAS

The State Fair of Texas is officially underway in Dallas, running 24 days with a Ferris wheel spinning, plenty to do and an enormous lineup of food. The Cotton Bowl sits on the fairgrounds, hosting Texas OU on October 10. Prices range from $15 to $25 a person depending on the day and time, some kids get in free, and fairgoers are encouraged to check prices online before heading out.

This year’s savory winner is the Burger Chop Tater Taco, a shell made of flattened tater tots with a crunchy cheese crust, filled with ground beef, coleslaw, cilantro, onions and a chipotle sauce. Also in the mix is the Flamin’ Crunch Pizza, a top five bite topped with hot Cheetos over cheese pizza, with a creaminess and crunch that hold up to the over-the-top presentation.

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

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A variety of missteps by the Fed's Board of Governors and staff inflated the cost of the $2.4 billion renovation, the Fed’s inspector general said. The board did not secure a comprehensive cost estimate at the beginning of the project, nor did it nail down a maximum overall cost, a step that could have forced the building contractor to absorb the impact of inflation, the IG said in a 120-page report. Prices spiked after construction began in 2022.

“Our review found that the Board has not effectively managed and executed its ... contract and repeatedly deviated from its cost-management provisions,” the report said.

The building project became a high-profile flashpoint in the Trump administration’s efforts to pressure the Fed into cutting its key interest rate. President Donald Trump even visited the construction site last July, when then-Chairman Jerome Powell corrected Trump’s estimate of the project’s expected costs as the two stood in hard hats before TV cameras.

Criticism of the project also mounted in Congress, leading Powell to request in July 2025 that the inspector general, Michael Horowitz, investigate the renovation.

The building project then became the focus of a criminal investigation by Trump’s Justice Department, specifically into whether Powell had committed perjury during brief testimony about the renovation before a Senate committee. That investigation was dropped in April after a judge quashed subpoenas issued by Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. Pirro said then she would await the outcome of the inspector general’s investigation before deciding whether to take any further action.

“At no point during our evaluation did we find reasonable grounds to believe that a violation of federal criminal law had occurred requiring a referral to the U.S. Attorney General,” the IG’s report said.

Tim Lauer, a spokesperson for Pirro's office, said the report is under review.

Powell's term as chair ended in May, but he took the highly unusual step of remaining on the board as one of seven governors. His term as a governor lasts until January 2028. Powell said earlier this year he would remain on the board at least until he is convinced that Pirro's investigation is done. By keeping his seat, Powell has also prevented the Trump administration from filling another spot on the board.

Trump on Wednesday afternoon seized on the report to renew his call for Powell to resign from the Fed.

“He can’t manage a Building, and he certainly shouldn’t be allowed to manage his High Interest Rate Policy,” Trump wrote on his social media site, Truth Social. “And no, I do not want this Building named after President Donald J. Trump, ME!”

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee and a frequent critic of Powell's, said the report “confirmed that Trump lapdogs U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and Attorney General Todd Blanche have no basis to restart the President’s witch hunt against former Fed Chair Jerome Powell.”

Current Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh, who took office last May, welcomed the IG’s findings in a letter and said the General Services Administration, a federal agency that oversees most government buildings, would take on a consulting role with the Fed to help oversee the project.

He also said the Fed would engage an independent auditor to evaluate the building project and all its costs. The Fed, with the GSA, will review all the project's contracts and “pursue appropriate remedies,” including seeking reimbursement for any work paid for but not performed, the letter said.

The report said that the construction costs to renovate two Fed buildings more than doubled from an original estimate of $921 million in February 2020 to $2.018 billion by December 2024. Construction is expected to last until December 2027, long past its originally slated completion date of mid-2024.

Some aspects of the project that were criticized by the Trump administration and Republican members of Congress for being luxurious — water fountains, private elevators and marble facades — were not significant drivers of the excessive costs of the project, the report said.

Instead, the IG said that a design change by the Fed in 2023 from a mostly open workspace to one with mostly closed office space caused a significant delay in the project's design. It also delayed the Fed from seeking a maximum cost ceiling for the project at that time.

The Fed has long blamed a range of factors for the cost overruns, including a spike in inflation that occurred as the economy emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic, unexpected expenses such as asbestos remediation, and additional demands from review agencies. For example, Trump appointees to a planning commission from his first term pushed the Fed to add more marble to the exterior of the renovated buildings, in keeping with Trump's preference for classical architecture.

The report said those factors all played a role, but added that they “do not account for the effect of key project management and contract execution decisions” that effectively transformed the contract to "a cost-plus reimbursement contract with a pay-as-you-go approach.”

“Inflation does not change the Fed’s responsibility to manage its resources prudently and be accountable to Congress,” Sen. Tim Scott, chairman of the Senate Banking Committee and a South Carolina Republican, said.

The S&P 500 slipped 0.3% to close out its third losing month in the last four. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 443 points, or 0.9%, and the Nasdaq composite added 0.2%.

Stocks turned lower after data reports suggested the U.S. economy was even stronger during the spring than earlier thought. That helped yields remain high in the bond market, which in turn kept up the pressure weighing on stocks and all financial markets.

The day began with gains for stocks following an encouraging report that said inflation wasn’t as bad across the United States last month as economists expected. It said the cost of living for U.S. consumers was 3.4% higher overall in August than a year earlier. That was not as high as the 3.7% inflation rate that economists expected, even if it remained worse than the Fed’s 2% target.

The report followed others from earlier in the month about inflation during August, but it’s the one that the Federal Reserve prefers to use.

Shorter-term Treasury yields fell as traders pared bets that the Fed will raise its main interest rate next month to get inflation further under control. They now see just a 37% chance of that, down from the coin flip’s chance seen a day earlier, according to data from CME Group.

That helped the yield on the two-year Treasury briefly fall toward 4.83% before it pulled back to 4.89%, where it was late Tuesday.

But longer-term yields rose in the bond market. That’s in part because worries about high inflation are just one of the reasons longer-term yields have jumped in the United States and around the world.

The seemingly solid U.S. economy is another. Besides Wednesday's better-than-expected report on the overall U.S. economy, another update said growth in business activity in the Midwest was also stronger than economists expected.

Much of the strength in the U.S. economy is due to consumers, who are increasing their spending by more than their incomes are rising.

“The consumer remains resilient, in a much better position than previously thought,” according to Gary Schlossberg, global strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute.

Other factors sending Treasury yields higher are also continuing to churn, including worries about the big debt loads that Washington and other governments worldwide are supporting.

Oil prices, meanwhile, rose in their latest swings amid uncertainty about when the war with Iran will allow the flow of crude to be fully restored. Brent crude, the international standard, climbed 1.9% to settle at $98.03 per barrel.

It all helped the yield on the 10-year Treasury, which is the centerpiece of the bond market, drop as low as 5.20% in the morning before rising to 5.29%. That’s up from 5.26% late Tuesday, and it’s back to where it was more than two decades ago in 2002.

The 30-year Treasury yield, which takes into account expectations for inflation and economic growth many years down the line, climbed to 5.64% from 5.59% late Tuesday.

Higher yields slow the overall economy by making borrowing money more expensive for everyone, while undercutting prices for all kinds of investments.

On Wall Street, Cal-Maine Foods dropped 0.7% after the country’s largest egg company reported a larger loss for the latest quarter than analysts expected. With plenty of eggs available in the market, Cal-Maine Foods saw a sharp drop in prices it could charge, compared with a year earlier.

Helping to limit the market's losses was Hewlett Packard Enterprise, which rose 3.9%. It increased its forecast for revenue from its networking business, which is benefiting from the boom in artificial-intelligence technology.

MongoDB climbed 3.4% after the database company’s board boosted its program to send cash to shareholders by $1 billion through buybacks of its own stock. That helped MongoDB recover some of its sharp loss from earlier in the week, after it said Chirantan “CJ” Desai was stepping down as CEO for a senior role at Meta Platforms.

All told, the S&P 500 fell 19.30 points to 7,651.54. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 443.87 to 50,906.05, and the Nasdaq composite added 63.52 to 26,861.06.

In stock markets abroad, indexes dipped in Europe following a mixed finish in Asia. Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 1.9%, while France’s CAC 40 fell 0.9% for two of the world’s bigger moves.

___

AP Business Writers Yuri Kageyama and Michelle Chapman contributed to this report.

The complaint alleges the seven judges — nominated by Democrats and Republican presidents — violated judicial ethics by speaking to The New York Times about their experience dealing with a flood of cases during last winter’s Operation Metro Surge crackdown that led to thousands of arrests in the Twin Cities.

The complaint escalates the department's battle with the federal judiciary, which has halted administration priorities, dismissed high-profile prosecutions and accused government lawyers in some cases of failing to comply with court orders.

The department is demanding that the judges recuse themselves from all criminal or civil cases involving the Department of Homeland Security, Attorney General Todd Blanche told reporters, because of what he described as “obvious bias they have shown" in their remarks to the newspaper.

“When we have a situation like we have now, where you have a judge, a couple of judges, just not only violating the canons in our view, but also showing bias in what they’re saying, we have no choice but to act to defend not only our prosecutors, but also DHS,” Blanche said.

The judge at the center of the story, Patrick Schiltz, accused the government in January of failing to comply with nearly 100 court orders. He said in a ruling that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a part of DHS, "is not a law unto itself.”

Schiltz, who was nominated by Republican President George W. Bush and served as a law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, told the newspaper that what happened in Minnesota's federal court last winter “created a grave threat to the rule of law.”

In a statement Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Minnesota court said legal experts have confirmed that the judges were acting “well within the ethical rules that apply to federal judges” in speaking to the newspaper. Schiltz also said in a statement that his comments did not violate any ethical rules.

“Indeed, in February of this year, the Committee on Codes of Conduct issued an advisory opinion to emphasize that federal judges" may speak or write "on core judiciary matters such as advocacy for the rule of law and judicial independence,'" Schiltz said in a statement. “That is exactly what I did."

The complaint was filed with the chief judge of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which oversees federal judges in Minnesota.

The Republican administration has railed against what it describes as “activist judges” who officials say are intent on thwarting Trump’s agenda. Yet some of the most critical and unfavorable court rulings have come from judges nominated by Trump and other Republican presidents.

A crash has closed southbound Interstate 37 just south of Pleasanton, according to the Texas Department of Transportation.

The crash was reported Wednesday afternoon. Drivers are being detoured at SP 199 and reenter the main lanes at FM 541, TxDOT said in a 12:45 p.m. X post.

Atascosa County Deputy Chief Eric Kaiser told KSAT a man on the shoulder of the highway was changing a flat tire when a passing vehicle hit him. Kaiser directed KSAT to the Texas Department of Public Safety for more information.

Closure expected for several hours. Drivers should expect possible delays and seek alternate routes, if possible.

For more information on traffic, you can click here to view our traffic page on KSAT.com. To view more on the current weather conditions, click here.

Click the links below for current road closures.

• San Antonio road closures
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• TxDOT highway conditions

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed the names of detainees with final removal orders from its Online Detainee Locator System on Sept. 15 in an apparent effort to speed up their deportations. The change, which ICE did not announce and has not explained, applies to more than 16,000 of the nearly 69,000 detainees who are in ICE custody.

The move has interfered with detainees' ability to challenge looming deportations by impeding access to their lawyers while devastating families who lost track of their loved ones, immigration lawyers say.

A coalition of more than 30 groups who advocate for noncitizens in the U.S. petitioned the U.N.’s Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances to declare the policy a violation of international law and to push for its end.

“A system with no transparency is a system with no accountability, and that should terrify all of us,” said Sarah Decker, an attorney at the Robert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center, one of the petition's signatories. “Disappearing people into a network of remote detention sites, hiding their whereabouts, and cutting off their access to outside help is the definition of an enforced disappearance."

Separately, on Wednesday, more than 45 House Democrats led by Reps. Luz Rivas and Veronica Escobar urged ICE to restore the names to the locator, calling the practice of concealing them “contrary to foundational principles of the American legal system.”

ICE's parent agency denied Wednesday that its practices amount to disappearing people, saying all detainees “have opportunities to communicate with their family members and lawyers.”

“The appropriate process due to an illegal alien with final deportation orders is removal, plain and simple,” the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. “That said, DHS has a stringent law enforcement assessment in place that abides by due process under the U.S. Constitution.”

Detainees can typically call relatives if they have money in their commissary accounts, while calls to their legal representatives are supposed to be free.

Approximately 1.4 million people living in the U.S. are subject to final orders of removal. That typically means an immigration judge has ruled they should be deported and the decision has been upheld on appeal or not appealed. They still have several legal options to challenge their detention and deportation. Federal judges have ruled thousands of times that detainees should be released or granted bond hearings.

The petition to the U.N. said the policy has already “obstructed legal counsel from accessing their clients in detention, preventing interventions to seek immigration relief, challenge unconstitutional detention, and block unlawful deportations.”

It cited examples of several detainees, including a mother and 7-year-old daughter who were challenging their detention at a Texas facility but lost access to their lawyers as they faced deportation to Venezuela. Only after a judge ordered ICE to disclose their whereabouts did the agency do so, about 18 hours later, and release them from custody, the petition said.

One man reported intense stress and that the “darkest thoughts imaginable went through" his mind after the whereabouts of his elderly disabled mother were abruptly removed from the system, according to the petition.

The petition said ICE's online locator, launched in 2010, has become “an even more crucial tool” as President Donald Trump's administration has carried out a sweeping campaign to arrest and deport people who are in the country illegally. It noted that the U.N. working group had lobbied for the locator’s creation and its 2024 expansion to include people detained by the Border Patrol.

The petition asked the U.N. group to urge ICE to publicly list all detainees’ locations within an hour of their arrest and give detainees’ lawyers 24 hours’ notice before a transfer. The U.N. group, which was formed in 1980, helps families locate loved ones who have reportedly been subjected to enforced disappearance by government agents. It has five members and is currently chaired by Grazyna Baranowska of Poland.

The punches will come later, on Dec. 11 in Cardiff when the two former two-time world champions square off for the first time, and on UK soil to boot.

“Ten years in the making,” Joshua said at a press conference in London, the first time the two fighters squared off since the fight was announced last week. “We’re here now … it had to happen at some stage and there’s no better time than now.”

It is being billed as the biggest fight in British boxing history. The only question is whether it comes too late to settle the dispute over who is the better fighter.

Fury is 38 and has come out of retirement a handful of times already. Joshua turns 37 in two weeks and his only fights since losing his IBF world title clash with Daniel Dubois in 2024 were against YouTuber Jake Paul and Kristian Prenga.

“People say is it too late? (Expletive) too late,” Fury said. ”It’s the icing on the cake.”

Both men praised Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority and president of the Saudi Boxing Federation, for finally making the fight happen.

Alalshikh said he wanted to stage it at Wembley Stadium in London but settled for Cardiff because he couldn’t get permission to have the iconic venue stay open until 2 a.m.

“In the end, Wales delivered,” Alalshikh said. “And still it is UK.”

The prize money for the fight has not been announced, but British media reports have put the collective purse at close to $200 million.

"They’re getting extremely well paid.” said Frank Warren, the promoter in Fury's camp.

Tickets go on sale Oct. 9.

And the fighters are saving their heavy punches for the big event. The press conference was mostly full of smiles and laughter as the two exchanged a few verbal barbs about a famous sparring session more than 10 years ago, when Joshua was still an amateur.

A few hundred fans had been granted tickets and a vast majority were loudly in Joshua’s camp.

But it was Fury who did most of the talking, although he mainly had good things to say about his opponent.

“He’s been a role model and a poster boy for British boxing for years. I find myself defending my archrival to fans I meet in the street,” Fury said. “That aside, obviously we’re here to fight, and fight we will.”

That’s all boxing fans — especially in Britain — have wanted to see for so long.

“I know in pubs, people have had proper fights about who’s going to win between me and Tyson,” Joshua said. “I know family members have fell out with each other about who’s going to win … I’m just happy to be here, fighting, and fulfilling my destiny before I depart this world.”

Fury also pointed out the vastly contrasting physiques and styles of the two fighters.

“I stand here today as the most awkwardly built world heavyweight champion in the history of sport,” Fury said. “I’m a bald, fat, bearded, ugly, slow and ponderous, all of the above.”

At which point Joshua cut in: “It’s true.”

Fury then continued: “And we’ve got this guy here. He’s carved in stone like an Olympian, from marble. But every time he gets cracked on the jaw he falls over.”

Fury had less nice things to say about Eddie Hearn, the promoter in Joshua's camp, and briefly tried to stoke a bit of animosity by making fun of his ring opponent having referred to himself as “the landlord” in the buildup.

“Now it’s come time to collect the rent, and I’m not (expletive) paying,” Fury said. “Because I’m No. 1.”

The two fighters also bickered over why Fury's name is first in the “Fury vs. Joshua” promotional material for the bout — which will be shown on Netflix — and whether the fight should be staged in Britain.

But they never seemed close to getting physical as they squared up on stage, and Fury is already preparing to take his opponent out for a beer after the bout.

“I don't know if you're a a drinking man, but I hope that after this fight we can have a pint of Guinness together. Win, lose or draw," Fury said. "Have a fight first, then have a beer. How does that sound?"

Replied Joshua: “I don't know if I can trust you.”

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

Passengers, many of them Israelis, feared for their lives as the FlyDubai aircraft lost half its altitude in about a minute.

As Israel scrambled fighter jets out of concern for a possible hijacking, a passenger and crew member burst into the cockpit to subdue the attacker, enabling other crew members to gain control of the aircraft, which landed safely in Saudi Arabia.

It was not clear what motivated Wednesday's attack.

The terrifying flight occurred just days before the anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that launched the war in Gaza. It has rekindled anxieties about airline security and focused attention on an unsettling question: Are pilots a significant threat to the flying public's safety?

Here’s what we know — and don’t know — about what happened on FlyDubai flight FZ1073:

A fight, an alert and a rapid descent

The distress call came at 8:44 a.m. local time, about two and a half hours after the flight with about 170 passengers left Dubai and headed to Tel Aviv.

The captain and first officer had been fighting in the cockpit after one stabbed the other and tried to crash the aircraft, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The aircraft swiftly lost altitude — dropping from 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet (around 10,000 meters to 5,100 meters) in the span of about a minute. It then circled close to the Jordanian border before landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, about an hour later.

A person who heard the flight’s communications with air traffic control described the plane being turned away by Saudi Arabia and Jordan before eventually landing in Tabuk, while passengers screamed in the background. The person who heard the communications spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Aviation experts said they were surprised that the plane did not crash after a descent so extreme that most of the rudder was ripped off the tail.

Both pilots suffered injuries that required hospital treatment, according to a statement from Tabuk's Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport. Netanyahu said Saudi Arabia had arrested one of the pilots.

A plane carrying passengers from the flight landed Wednesday evening in Israel.

Passengers and crew wrest control

A passenger and a crew member managed to enter the cockpit, enabling other crew members to fly the plane to a safe landing, according to Netanyahu, who cited a passenger he had spoken to.

The cockpit door on all aircraft is locked during flight for security reasons — a measure that became the industry standard after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, in which hijackers broke into the cockpits of four domestic flights in the United States.

Netanyahu said on X that the pilot who had been stabbed opened the cockpit door, which "enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker — preventing a catastrophic mid-air disaster.”

What security checks do pilots undergo?

One question surrounding this incident is how anyone on the aircraft — especially a pilot — was able to get a knife onboard. It's unclear how big the knife was that was used in the attack.

Pilots undergo rigorous screening, including passing through metal detectors, at checkpoints at all airports. It's also standard for airlines to vet their pilots' background for criminal and employment history, their physical and mental health, as well as having them undergo intelligence and security screening.

Israel has some of the most stringent airline security measures worldwide. Passengers on Israel-bound flights regularly are taken aside for questioning and baggage searches after passing through normal airport security. It's unclear whether the pilots of the FlyDubai flight had been screened as vigorously.

There have been extremely rare occasions when airline security protocols fail. In 2015, the co-pilot of Germanwings Flight 9525 locked the captain out of the cockpit and deliberately set the plane on a collision course with a mountainside, killing all 150 people aboard.

Growth in gross domestic product — the nation’s output of a goods and services — decelerated from a 2.5% pace from January through March, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday. The second-quarter growth was an improvement on the department’s previous estimate of 1.5% — a surprise to economists who had expected little or no change in the GDP number.

Consumer spending — which accounts for about 70% of U.S. economic activity — increased at a healthy 3.8% annual pace, up from 0.7% in the January-March period. Spending has been helped by a strong stock market, which reflects enthusiasm over the prospects for artificial intelligence and which enriches wealthy investors and gives them more money to buy things with.

The overall growth number was dragged down by imports. They are subtracted from growth because GDP is only supposed to count domestic production. Imports rose at a 12.6% annual pace from April through June, partly due to a surge in shipments of computer chips and other products that support artificial intelligence investment, and slashed nearly 1.7 percentage points off second-quarter growth.

The U.S. economy has proven surprisingly resilient in the face of fighting with Iran and the energy price spike it caused.

Business investment, excluding housing, rose at a 9% clip in the second quarter, reflecting the AI investment boom. And a measure of the economy’s underlying strength — which strips out volatile government spending and trade numbers — grew at a strong 4.6% rate, up from 1.8% in the first quarter.

“The economy is increasingly reliant on AI gains and the corresponding wealth effects boosting higher-income households’ spending power to fuel recent growth,” said Michael Pearce, chief U.S. economist at Oxford Economics. "The economy remains sensitive to a sudden reversal of optimism on AI.''

Investment in housing rose 2.8% ticking up for the first time since the end of 2024. The housing market has been depressed by high mortgage rates.

Wednesday’s report was the last of three Commerce Department estimates of second-quarter GDP growth. The first look at third-quarter growth is due Oct. 29.

This year, the festival will feature two processions and five stages with more than 50 performances.

Muertos Fest opens Friday, Oct. 23, with “Presente: A Night to Remember,” a quieter evening built around the community altar exhibition.

A sensory-friendly altar viewing will also take place from 5-7 p.m., followed by a performance from Tejano and Chicano orchestra LA 45, with special guest Sunny Ozuna.

Grupo Metal, featuring Chris Pérez, headlines Saturday night. Tejano musician Michael Salgado closes the festival Sunday.

Organizers said Max Baca y Los Texmaniacs will pay tribute to Texas Tornadoes musician Augie Meyers, the San Antonio musician who died earlier this year.

Other performers include:

• Girl in a Coma
• Los Carnales
• El Dusty y Los Homies
• Vanita Leo
• Santiago Jiménez Jr.
• Campanas de América
• Mariachi Las Alteñas
• Guadalupe Dance Company

The two processions, which take place one on Saturday evening and one on Sunday afternoon, will include more than 15 groups honoring San Antonians who have died.

Muertos Fest, which honors the traditions of Día de los Muertos through art, live music and more than 80 altars created by community members, draws more than 100,000 attendees each year.

Organizers said Muertos Fest has an annual economic impact of more than $5.3 million.

If you can’t make it, that’s alright! You can watch a recap of all the fun, as KSAT will air a two-hour primetime Muertos Fest special at 8 p.m. on Oct. 28 on all KSAT platforms.

Read also:

• Muertos Fest to bring Día de los Muertos traditions to Hemisfair

Taxpayers have asked the city to stop the contract with the AI company. After the governor called for a pause on all new contracts for Flock cameras, some cities have stopped the contracts altogether.

KSAT reached out to Kerrville to see if they had any intent to stop, and a spokesperson said:

“The City is aware of the recent action regarding automated license plate readers and is continuing to monitor developments at the state level.

“Based on the information currently available, the Texas Department of Transportation’s action pauses new permits for automated license plate readers along state-owned roadways. It does not appear to require local governments to discontinue existing LPR systems or prohibit their use generally.

“Because the TxDOT action applies to automated license plate readers broadly, rather than solely to a specific manufacturer, the brand of equipment would not necessarily determine whether a future installation within a state right-of-way is affected.

“At this time, the City has no additional changes regarding its use of LPR technology to announce. As with other public-safety technology, the City will continue to monitor applicable state requirements and evaluate its practices as necessary.”

A community protest against the AI cameras in Kerrville is set for Friday; the Kerr Freedom Coalition is leading it.

The protest is happening at the corner of Junction Highway and Harper Highway from 4:30-7 p.m. Organizers say they are standing up for freedoms and protest government invasion of privacy. A similar rally was held a week prior.

Read also:

• Leon Valley installs 6 license plate reader cameras using state grant

The AI giants and other tech companies in recent months have disclosed examples of their AI agents going beyond human instructions, finding their way onto the internet and hacking external websites.

An FTC spokesperson confirmed the investigation but declined further comment. The investigation was first reported by the New York Post, which said it has been underway for months.

Representatives for Anthropic and OpenAI did not immediately respond to messages for comment on Wednesday.

Concerns around the dangers powerful AI models may pose to humanity have led some of the top AI developers to call for a slowdown. The CEO of Anthropic, Dario Amodei, said this month that the industry should slow its fast-moving development to give safety measures time to catch up. Without such a slowdown, Amodei warned that within six to 12 months AI could be capable of leading a swarm of agents that could take over the entire internet.

OpenAI, meanwhile, recently delayed the launch of its newest model this week over safety concerns.

Now Flores is one of several candidates in tougher races than originally envisioned as Republican-run states heeded Trump's call to begin an unusual round of redistricting to help retain control of the U.S. House.

Republicans hoped to pick up as many as nine seats combined in Texas and Florida. But even though the districts were redrawn to make them easier to win for Republicans, the party is weighed down by the public's dissatisfaction with Trump, the economy, the war with Iran that has raised gas prices, and the president's deportation agenda.

The political landscape is competitive enough that Vice President JD Vance was in Texas on Wednesday, appearing with Flores and promoting him up as “a fighter." Acknowledging the broader discontentment with high prices, Vance blamed it on the “hole that Joe Biden left us," saying the previous Democratic administration "created the problems and we’re solving them.” Vance plans to visit Florida on Thursday.

The House Democrats' national campaign chair, Rep. Suzan DelBene, recently was in Florida districts that Republicans are hoping to claim.

“Republicans arrogantly thought they were going to redistrict seats to pick up more,” DelBene said in an interview during her trip. “Instead, what they have is people across the state souring on the Republican agenda.”

Mike Marinella, the House Republicans’ campaign spokesman, said the party can still capitalize this year “with a more favorable map, historic fundraising and spending advantages, stronger candidates and a common-sense agenda.”

House seats are up for grabs in Texas

Republicans won 25 of Texas’ 38 seats in the U.S. House as Trump returned to the White House two years ago. Partially using that election as a baseline, the redrawn map was intended to help Republicans win up to 30 seats.

Key to this plan was the Rio Grande Valley, a heavily Latino region on the southern tip of Texas that had shifted toward Trump.

The 34th Congressional District, where Flores is running, includes some of the valley, and it went for Trump by 10 percentage points over Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. But Flores said he expected his race to be close, which he credits to his opponent's five terms in office.

Flores received Trump's endorsement and it is still pinned to his X account, and he spoke at his unusual midterm convention in Dallas. But Flores also removed from his website a promise to “SUPPORT PRESIDENT TRUMP’S AGENDA" as he looked toward general election voters and widening his base of support.

“If I tell them the red meat issues or I tell them, you know, oh, Republican, Democrat, or anything like that, you lose them,” he told The Associated Press. “I just sell them myself, sell them what I stand for.”

Republicans in Washington acknowledge that inflation, Trump's tariffs and the war in Iran have made their path harder. Latino voters’ discontent with Trump’s immigration agenda further scrambles their efforts.

Republicans are also facing the potential loss of an incumbent who represents a redrawn district. Rep. Monica De La Cruz, who is running for a third term, has a strong challenge from musician Bobby Pulido. A Latin Grammy winner whose top song on Spotify has 619 million streams, Pulido does not face the usual first-time candidates’ challenge of establishing name ID.

“I want a picture!” Eloise Ibarra, 42, exclaimed as Pulido walked through the crowd at a high school football game. Ibarra later said she “probably” would vote for Pulido after sitting out the last presidential race.

“I don’t really like his policies,” she said about Trump. “It’s very expensive, I go to the grocery store and buy $50 worth of stuff and it’s like five items.”

Democrats argue that Republicans miscalculated this year.

“I think Republicans counted on Hispanics, and they counted on rural Texas, to deliver votes for them, and these are the two places that are hurting the most,” said Terri Burke of the Texas Democratic Party. Speaking of redistricting, she said, "this is really no longer such a slam dunk for the Republicans anywhere.”

Democrats see opportunity in Florida

Republicans already had 20 out of Florida's 28 House seats, and they wanted to boost that to 24 with their new congressional map. But much like in Texas, their plan was based on 2024 results, when voters, including many Latinos, were dissatisfied with Biden on the economy and immigration.

Republicans went after Rep. Kathy Castor in metro Tampa and Rep. Darren Soto in the Orlando area, while putting South Florida Reps. Jared Moskowitz and Debbie Wasserman Schultz into the same district.

Moskowitz shifted to a nearby Republican-leaning district, and Wasserman Schultz ran for another term in a separate, heavily Democratic district. Castor and Soto face longer odds in their redrawn districts, though DelBene believes they have a shot in the current environment.

The new map did not stop Pia Dandiya, an Ivy League-educated school principal whose parents immigrated from India, from making her first House campaign for Congress.

She is running in the 22nd Congressional District, where Trump won by double digits in 2024 and where Republicans had hoped to pit Moskowitz against Wasserman Schultz.

But Dandiya notes that Biden outpaced Trump in the same collection of precincts in 2020, and she calls herself “a happy road warrior” as she travels 150-plus miles between campaign stops.

“The way this district has been drawn just shows yet again that we are living in a world where elected officials are choosing voters instead of voters choosing elected officials, and it should never be that way,” she said. DelBene and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee tapped her as one of their “Red to Blue” priority candidates.

Dandiya said voters' current circumstances matter more than how they voted two years ago.

“Cost of living is not an issue that is exclusively impacting Democrats. It is an issue that is ubiquitous,” she said, adding that she hears the same concerns even in her district's more conservative communities.

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Barrow reported from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Atlanta.