In a Facebook post, SAPD identified the suspect as 18-year-old Jaden Gutierrez.

Officers were dispatched to the shooting around 12:35 a.m. on March 15 in the 5900 block of White Cloud Street.

Upon arrival, SAPD said its officers found a 17-year-old girl and a 22-year-old man with gunshot wounds.

The girl, later identified as Josielynn Cordova, was pronounced dead. The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office said she died from a gunshot wound to the torso.

The 22-year-old man was taken to a local hospital with serious bodily injuries, police said. At this time, his condition is unknown.

Witnesses told SAPD that Gutierrez allegedly entered the location and retrieved a gun before shooting Cordova and the man, authorities said.

If you have any information on Gutierrez’s whereabouts, contact SAPD’s Homicide Unit at 210-207-7635.

READ ALSO:

• 1 killed, another seriously injured after shooting on Northwest Side, SAPD says
• Northwest Side neighbors shaken after woman killed in shooting

Fairfax, 47, and his wife, Dr. Cerina Fairfax, 49, were found dead in their home in the Washington, D.C., suburb of Annandale after their son called 911 shortly after midnight, Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said.

The couple appeared to be going through a messy divorce but still living in the same house with their two teenage children, who were home when the deaths occurred, he said.

Cerina Fairfax said in court filings that they separated nearly two years ago and that she filed for divorce last summer.

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EDITOR’S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org

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Justin Fairfax was recently served with paperwork telling him when next to appear in court, Davis said. In January, officers went to the home after Justin Fairfax alleged that his wife had assaulted him, he said.

“Apparently, Mrs. Fairfax, at some point during these divorce proceedings, set up a lot of cameras inside the home. We reviewed those cameras, and we corroborated that the alleged assault never occurred,” Davis said.

The couple, who met as undergraduates at Duke University, married in 2006. Cerina Fairfax ran a family dentistry practice. She also attended the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry, which honored her in 2015 as an outstanding alumna.

A profile page on her office website described her as an avid reader who liked to travel, practice yoga, go on trail runs with her Vizsla-breed dogs, and “spend time with her wonderful family.”

“It’s very sad for this community,” Davis said. “A lot of people who know the Fairfax family, everybody’s shocked. We’re shocked.”

For a brief period in 2019, Justin Fairfax seemed poised to become Virginia's second Black governor as Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam became engulfed in a scandal over a racist photo in his medical school yearbook that led to calls for his resignation. Fairfax would have automatically become governor if Northam had stepped down.

But then two women came forward accusing Fairfax of sexually assaulting them years earlier. He adamantly denied the allegations, saying they were part of a smear campaign. He was never charged.

An aide to Democratic vice presidential nominee John Edwards said Fairfax sexually assaulted her during the Democratic National Convention in 2004. Two days after she came forward, another woman accused him of raping her in 2000, when they were students at Duke.

Fairfax said the encounters were consensual and refused calls to resign. He later tried to run for governor in 2021, but was largely shunned by Virginia Democrats and defeated in the Democratic primary.

Court filings show that Fairfax had financial challenges following the sexual assault allegations, which prompted his resignation as a partner at a prestigious law firm. The IRS filed a lien against the couple for more than $91,000 in unpaid taxes that was resolved in 2021.

A former federal prosecutor and civil litigator, Fairfax first unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for attorney general in 2013, then won the race for lieutenant governor in 2017.

The deaths stunned political leaders throughout the state.

“We are keeping Cerina and Justin Fairfax’s family — especially their two children — in our prayers as we all process this shocking and horrifying news,” Virginia’s Democratic U.S. senators, Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, said in a joint statement.

Fairfax had served as co-chair for Warner’s 2014 reelection campaign.

Ghazala Hashmi, Virginia's current lieutenant governor, called the deaths devastating.

“My thoughts are with their children, loved ones, and numerous friends,” Hashmi said in a statement. “Along with so many in the Commonwealth, I am filled with sorrow; I await further insights from our law enforcement officials.”

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Biesecker reported from Fairfax County, Virginia. Associated Press reporters Sarah Brumfield in Cockeysville, Maryland, Jonathan Mattise in Nashville, Tennessee, Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington, Allen G. Breed in Wake Forest, North Carolina, and John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, contributed to this report.

Dončić played in 64 games and Cunningham played in 63. But the league and the union both agreed that each should be on the ballot based on the “extraordinary circumstances provision” in the collective bargaining agreement.

Dončić — who is one of the favorites to contend for MVP honors after winning the league's scoring title — missed two games to attend the birth of his daughter in Slovenia. Cunningham missed 12 games as a result of a collapsed lung that was diagnosed on March 17.

“The NBA and NBPA agreed that, taking into account the totality of the circumstances for Cunningham and Dončić, each player qualified for awards,” the league and the union said in a statement.

Dončić, in a statement posted to social media, said he is “grateful to the NBPA for advocating on my behalf and to the NBA for their fair decision," adding that it was important to him “to be present for the birth of my daughter in December.”

“This season has been so special to me because of what my teammates and I have been able to accomplish, and I am honored to have the opportunity to be considered for the league’s end-of-season awards,” the statement said.

Minnesota's Anthony Edwards, who played in 60 qualified games, also tried to get on the awards ballot through the extraordinary circumstances challenge — but sought his approval before an independent arbitrator. His challenge was denied.

The statuses of Dončić and Cunningham were a major topic toward the end of the season. San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama — an MVP candidate and the likely defensive player of the year — got to the 65-game mark in the Spurs' next-to-last game, and Denver's three-time MVP Nikola Jokic became qualified for this year's awards on the final day of the regular season. Jokic has been first or second in MVP balloting in each of the last five seasons and won the league's rebounding and assist titles this season.

Nuggets coach David Adelman said last week that he hopes the 65-game rule is changed, somehow, this summer. He said if players like Jokic can play 64 games, never wanting to come out, and not be award-eligible, then something is wrong.

“That’s not the spirit of what that rule is,” Adelman said.

A number of players will be ineligible for most major individual awards this season because of the 65-game rule, including the Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James — whose 21-year streak of making an All-NBA team will end. Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Golden State’s Stephen Curry have also missed too many games to be eligible.

With the decisions on Dončić, Cunningham and Edwards now complete, the NBA sent ballots to the panel of reporters and broadcasters who cover the league on Thursday — a few days behind the typical schedule from recent years.

It's unclear when the announcement of award winners will begin.

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

And Adebayo wants the league to look at how plays like that can be reviewed going forward.

Ball will play Friday for the Hornets in their play-in elimination game at Orlando — the reality that Charlotte coach Charles Lee hoped for, and something that Miami coach Erik Spoelstra didn't seem to have a problem with.

“I didn’t think that he needed to be penalized more moving forward. I don't think that would make sense," Spoelstra said Thursday as the Heat held their season-ending meetings — two days after being eliminated from the postseason with a 127-126 loss in Charlotte, a game that Adebayo missed much of after being injured on a play where Ball grabbed at his ankle as he was falling.

“I don’t think he’s a dirty player. I just think, in that moment, all things can be true,” Spoelstra said. “It was a dirty play and a dangerous play. It should have been caught at that moment. But it wasn’t and then, you know, you move on.”

The league said Ball made “unnecessary and reckless contact” with Adebayo. Ball was fined $35,000 for the foul, plus another $25,000 for using profanity in a postgame on-court interview.

“Everybody’s going to have their opinion on it," Adebayo said when asked his thoughts on the play. “Nobody’s really going to know the truth but LaMelo if it was dirty or not, obviously. Everybody's going to try to defend him or defend me. ... We move on at this point.”

The flagrant foul from Tuesday’s game, if called as a Category 2 in real time, would have resulted in Miami being awarded two free throws and possession of the ball — plus would have led to Ball's ejection.

An NBA investigation is standard after such plays; referee Zach Zarba even told a pool reporter Tuesday night that the league would be looking into the play further. The league's word came late Wednesday night, and only then could Lee exhale.

“I think the league handed out something that was what they deemed to be fair," Lee said in Charlotte on Thursday before the team's flight to Orlando. "And we’re glad that we still have him going on to the next game. I know he never has the intent to try to hurt anybody out there on the court. But I'm glad everything’s kind of settled now.”

Per NBA rules, the Heat could not challenge the ruling on the play because no foul was called. Play continued, leaving no opportunity for a replay review. Adebayo was diagnosed with a lower-back contusion as a result of the fall, and he wondered why mechanisms exist to take 3-point makes off the scoreboard after several more minutes of play — but incidents like the one Tuesday can't be reviewed unless immediately whistled.

“I think the officials handled it, I guess, by the rule book,” Adebayo said. “I feel like it'll be a change at some point. It doesn't make sense that three or four plays go by and you can review a 3-point shot but you can't review a hostile act.”

It's at least the second time Ball has been involved in such a play with Adebayo. During a game at Miami in January 2024, when Ball grabbed at Adebayo’s leg as the Heat star was running to the other end of the court. Adebayo stumbled but did not fall.

“There's never been any, like, bad blood between us. ... There's always been good conversations,” Adebayo said. “As far as those incidents, I can't tell you what goes through his mind.”

___

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

Taco Palenque will give out free breakfast tacos after every Spurs playoff win, according to a news release. Customers must use coupon code “SPURSWIN” in the Taco Palenque app or present it in the restaurant.

The Taco Palenque offer is available at all of its locations from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., even outside of San Antonio, the release said.

Eightball Coffee and La Panadería have also joined in to provide some free food or coffee.

La Panadería will give out Fiesta-themed mini conchas for free at every La Panadería location after a Spurs win. The promotion is only available for the first 50 customers who purchase an additional item.

Eightball Coffee, which is located at 1432 S. St. Mary’s Street, partnered with San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson to provide free coffee the following day after each San Antonio win from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.

The Spurs are set to compete in their first playoff game in seven years at 8 p.m. on Sunday against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Frost Bank Center.

Read more Spurs coverage from KSAT:

• Former Spur Tiago Splitter to face San Antonio in 2026 NBA Playoffs
• NBA announces tipoff times, TV networks for first 4 Spurs-Trail Blazers playoff games
• NBA playoff odds show Spurs as No. 2 favorite to take home title

An arrest warrant in Hennepin County, which includes Minneapolis, says Gregory Donnell Morgan Jr. is charged with two counts of second-degree aggravated assault. The warrant says Morgan was working as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in the Minneapolis area on Feb. 5 when he pointed a gun at the occupants of a vehicle on Minnesota State Highway 62.

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said she believes it is the first criminal case brought against a federal immigration officer involved in the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration enforcement that surged federal authorities into cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland and New Orleans.

Department of Homeland Security and Justice Department officials didn’t immediately respond to emails seeking comment. The Associated Press called a number associated with Morgan and sent a message to his possible email address but did not receive any immediate response.

Moriarty said during a news conference that Morgan was driving a rented, unmarked SUV on the shoulder of the highway when a car on the road moved into the shoulder to try to slow Morgan down, not knowing he was a federal officer. After the car returned into the legal lane, Morgan pulled up alongside and pointed his service weapon at the people in the car.

Morgan, 35, and his partner, who was not charged, were on their way to the federal building to end their shift when they were caught in traffic. Charging documents note Morgan did not say the incident occurred during an enforcement action.

According to the charging documents, Morgan told a Minnesota State Patrol officer that he pulled up alongside the victim’s vehicle, drew his firearm and yelled “Police Stop.” The warrant says the victims couldn’t hear him because their windows were up.

Morgan is charged with two counts of assault because he threatened both people in the vehicle, and there is a warrant out for his arrest, Moriarty said.

The charges could intensify a clash between the Trump administration and Minnesota officials over the crackdown. Todd Blanche, the acting attorney general, has warned that the Justice Department could investigate and prosecute state or local officials who arrest federal agents for performing their official duties.

Moriarty said she is not concerned about blowback from the Trump administration and that her office’s goal is to “hold people accountable if they violate the laws of the state,” she said.

She said Morgan’s actions were beyond the scope of a federal officers’ authority.

“There is no such thing as absolute immunity for federal agents who violate the law in the state of Minnesota,” she said.

In Minnesota, felony second-degree assault is punishable by up to seven years in prison, or up to 10 years imprisonment if the assault inflicted “substantial bodily harm.”

The Department of Homeland Security deployed about 3,000 federal officers to the Minneapolis-St. Paul area from December through February in what the agency called its “ largest immigration enforcement operation ever.” The Minnesota operation led to thousands of arrests, angry mass protests and the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens.

Backlash over the aggressive tactics mounted, and two of the crackdown’s most high profile leaders were soon gone. Trump fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in March shortly after the Minnesota surge ended. That same month, Gregory Bovino, the Border Patrol sector chief who led immigration operations in several large cities, announced his retirement.

In a letter to California officials last year, then-Deputy Attorney General Blanche wrote that “the Justice Department views any arrests of federal agents and officers in the performance of their official duties as both illegal and futile.”

“Numerous federal laws prohibit interfering with and impeding immigration or other law-enforcement operations,” Blanche wrote. “The Department of Justice will investigate and prosecute any state or local official who violates these federal statues (or directs or conspires with others to violate them).”

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Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia. Associated Press reporter Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington, D.C., contributed.

Democrats voiced concern that the United States is becoming further entrenched in another lengthy conflict in the Middle East. They promised to keep raising the issue through more war powers votes in the coming weeks.

The 213-214 vote came one day after a similar effort failed in the Senate. The U.S. and Israel struck Iran on Feb. 28, and a fragile ceasefire is now in its second week.

Democrats overwhelmingly supported the attempt to rein in Trump's use of military force.

“We're standing at the edge of a cliff and Congress must act before the president pushes off,” said New York Rep. Gregory Meeks, the ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. “Every day we delay, we inch closer to a conflict with no exit ramp.”

Republicans tried to cast the effort as hypocritical.

Florida Rep. Brian Mast, the committee chairman, said Congress never voted on a war powers resolution when the U.S. attacked Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen in 2024 while Democrat Joe Biden was president.

“When Joe Biden was responding to merchant marine vessels being attacked, it was OK. No war power needed. It went on for about a year,” Mast said. “President Trump responds — war power, war power, war power. ... That's the hypocrisy.”

Under the War Powers Act of 1973, Congress must declare war or authorize use of force within 60 days — a deadline in the Iran war that will arrive at the end of April. The law provides for a potential 30-day extension, but lawmakers have made clear that they want the Republican administration to soon lay out a plan for the war's end.

While the House vote failed, it gave Democrats an opportunity to highlight some of the most negative effects of the war: the billions of dollars spent, the death of at least 13 service members, the soaring gas prices and fissures with long-standing allies who do not support Trump's actions.

“Gas prices at home are up to $7 in my home state, and families are hurting," said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash. “Another 10,000 U.S. troops are being sent in to join 50,000 already stationed in the Middle East with absolutely no strategy, no plan and no exit.”

Republicans defended Trump as taking decisive action against an Iranian government that has long terrorized the Middle East and its own people.

“President Donald Trump has sent a message that those who threaten the United States and our partners will be ultimately held accountable," said Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C.

In Thursday's vote, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky was the only Republican to cross party lines and vote for removing U.S. forces from the war. Rep. Jared Golden of Maine was the only Democrat to vote against the measure.

The first House vote to curb Trump's miliary action with Iran failed in early March, 212-219.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 10-day pause in fighting between Israel and Lebanon starting on Thursday at 5 p.m. ET, following “excellent” conversations he had with each nation’s leader. Trump also said he’s inviting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to the White House for the leaders’ first direct talks in over 30 years. Nearly 2,200 people in Lebanon have been killed by Israeli air strikes.

The U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports continued as U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Trump administration would ramp up economic pain on Iran with new economic sanctions on countries doing business with it, calling the move the “financial equivalent” of a bombing campaign.

The White House said any further talks with Iran would likely take place in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, though no decision had been made on whether to resume negotiations. Pakistan has emerged as a key mediator after it hosted direct talks between the U.S. and Iran in Islamabad.

In a development in the war's other front, Trump wrote late Wednesday on Truth Social that leaders from Israel and Lebanon would speak the next day in a renewed effort to broker a ceasefire after the countries’ first direct talks in decades ended the previous day in Washington without a deal.

Here is the latest:

Northern Israeli leaders criticize proposed Lebanon ceasefire

Two local leaders in northern Israel criticized a proposed ceasefire with Lebanon, warning it would leave communities vulnerable.

Moshe Davidovich, head of the Mateh Asher Regional Council, said agreements may be signed in Washington but “the price is paid here in blood, in destroyed homes and shattered communities.”

He warned that a ceasefire without strict enforcement against Hezbollah and a buffer zone up to the Litani River, some 30 kilometers (18.64 miles) north of the Israeli border, would amount to “waiting for the next massacre.”

Eitan Davidi, head of the Margaliot moshav, called the move “a surrender” and “a political defeat.” He told the N12 news site it was made without coordination with northern residents and contradicts the stated goal of dismantling Hezbollah’s capabilities.

China’s UN envoy calls US blockade of Strait of Hormuz ‘a dangerous and irresponsible move’

Ambassador Fu Cong said the strait “should be safeguarded” for international navigation and called on Iran to take ‘proactive measures’ to open the waterway, used to ship about 20% of the world’s oil.

“The issue of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is a spillover effect of the conflict in Iran,” he said. “Only a complete ceasefire can fundamentally create conditions for easing the situation.”

Fu told the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday that Beijing is engaged “in intensive mediation with all parties to actively promote talks for peace”’ and an end to the war in Iran.

The 193-member world body was meeting to hear China and Russia explain why they vetoed a Security Council resolution backed by the U.S. and Gulf nations aimed at opening the Strait of Hormuz.

Fu claimed the resolution would have given “a carte blanche for the continuation of aggressive actions and further escalation” rather than de-escalate the conflict and promote negotiations.

Lebanese prime minister welcomes Trump announcement of ceasefire

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said the ceasefire was Lebanon’s first goal in landmark talks that took place with Israel in Washington on Tuesday between the country’s ambassadors to the U.S.

“While I congratulate all Lebanese on this achievement, I offer my condolences to the families of the martyrs who fell, and I affirm my solidarity with their families, with the wounded, and with the citizens forced to flee their cities and villages,” Salam said.

Trump said he’ll invite Aoun and Netanyahu to continue diplomatic talks at the White House

Trump said it would be “the first meaningful talks between Israel and Lebanon since 1983.”

“Both sides want to see PEACE, and I believe that will happen, quickly,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Lebanon and Israel signed an agreement in 1983 saying Lebanon would formally recognize Israel and Israel would withdraw from Lebanon. The deal fell apart during Lebanon’s civil war and was formally rescinded a year later.

Iranian official criticizes US economic threats

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei criticized economic threats by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, saying they harm “innocent people” and reflect an “inhumane mindset.”

“These are nothing short of economic terrorism and state-sponsored extortion,” he wrote on X, referring to Bessent’s Wednesday remarks about potentially carrying out the “financial equivalent” of a bombing campaign.

US releases list of contraband Iranian goods

The U.S. military has released an expansive lists of goods it considers contraband as part of its blockade of Iran and declares it will seize from merchant vessels “regardless of location.”

In a notice published Thursday, the U.S. military says any “goods that are destined for an enemy and that may be susceptible to use in armed conflict” are “subject to capture at any place beyond neutral territory.”

The list includes items like arms, ammunition and military equipment that are classified as “absolute contraband.” However, it also lists items like oil and iron, steel, and aluminum as well as some civilian goods, as “conditional contraband” and argues these items can be put to military use.

The notice says that otherwise innocuous items like electronics or heavy machinery can be seized if “circumstances indicate intended military end-use.”

14 ships turn around from the Iran blockade, US military says

U.S. Central Command says those vessels have turned around in the first three days of the blockade on Iranian ports at the direction of American forces.

At a Pentagon news briefing earlier Thursday, U.S. defense leaders said more than 10,000 American troops are helping enforce the blockade on Iranian ports and that no ships have yet needed to be boarded.

Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon on social media

He said it followed “excellent” conversations he had with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Lebanon and Israel held their first direct diplomatic talks in decades Tuesday in Washington after more than a month of war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group.

Trump said he’s directed U.S. Vice President JD Vance others to work with Israel and Lebanon to “achieve a Lasting PEACE.” He added: “so let’s, GET IT DONE.”

Trump calls Lebanese president in ongoing diplomatic scramble over war between Israel and Hezbollah

The office of Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun said President Trump was thanked by the Lebanese head of state to reach a ceasefire in the devastating war.

Aoun earlier spoke to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio where he refused to have a direct call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and has insisted on achieving a ceasefire ahead of continued direct talks. Israel hasn’t made a decision regarding a ceasefire.

The statement said Trump stressed “his commitment to fulfilling the Lebanese request for a ceasefire as soon as possible.”

Neither the State Department nor the White House immediately issue a statement on the calls with the Lebanese president.

More on why Lebanese President Joseph Aoun declined to talk with Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu

A second Lebanese official said Aoun explained to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio that direct talks with Netanyahu at this point would be inappropriate given the ongoing airstrikes and destruction in Lebanon and the lack of a ceasefire in place.

The official also spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.

— Kareem Chehayeb

Fuel costs and labor strife lead Lufthansa to shut down CityLine feeder airline

Lufthansa said Thursday that labor disputes and high fuel prices are forcing it to immediately shut down its feeder airline CityLine earlier than planned and take its 27 older, less fuel efficient planes out of service. The decision accelerates a shutdown that had been expected for next year.

CityLine’s primary role was bringing passengers to Lufthansa’s mid- and long-haul hubs in Frankfurt and Munich, Germany. Fuel prices have soared since the outbreak of the Iran war in February and the blocking by Iran of the Strait of Hormuz, a key passage way for crude oil and fuel products from Persian Gulf producers.

CityLine will halt operations Saturday.

Houthi leader in Yemen blames the US in Iran talks

Abdul Malik al-Houthi, leader of the Iran-backed Yemeni rebel group, said that in negotiations with Iran, the U.S. is making “impossible demands for any independent country to accept.”

During a video speech Thursday, he said the ongoing two-week ceasefire was a result of “failures” by the U.S. and Israel to achieve their goals in the Iran war.

“If negotiations succeed, it will either result in a longer period of stability or an end to the aggression,” he said, adding that the U.S. entered negotiations based on their own terms built on “arrogance and pride.”

Death toll of Lebanese killed in Israeli strikes increases to 2,196

Lebanon’s Health Ministry says that among the killed are 260 women and 172 children since the latest war between Israel and Hezbollah began March 2. Another 7,185 have been wounded.

Israel’s latest military escalation started after Hezbollah fired rockets towards northern Israel in solidarity with its key ally and patron Iran.

Lebanon and Israel started direct talks Tuesday, the first of their kind since 1993. Lebanon hopes those talks can end the war.

Pakistan says second round of US-Iran talks not yet scheduled

“There are no dates yet,” Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi told reporters Thursday.

“We will announce the timing of these talks as and when it is decided,” he said, urging the media to avoid speculation.

Andrabi said Pakistan’s role as a mediator and facilitator did not end when the first round of talks concluded over the weekend.

“It continued,” he said.

He said Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, is visiting Iran with a delegation, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is also traveling to regional countries to promote peace.

“We will continue to advocate for peace, prosperity and stability,” he said.

Asked about the first round of talks, Andrabi said there was “certainly not a major breakthrough in terms of any concrete document emanating from these talks, but there was no breakdown as well.”

‘Difficult days and weeks’ for sailors trapped on ships unable to travel through Strait of Hormuz

Germany’s largest shipping company Hapag-Lloyd says it’s feeling the impact of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz as 150 sailors are trapped there on six of its vessels.

“Five and a half weeks in a war zone — that’s something relatively new. And of course, these are difficult days and weeks for our colleagues,” Hapag Lloyd spokesperson Nils Haupt told The Associated Press.

“We’ve been able to rotate some of them in the meantime, but you can easily imagine that after such a long time, monotony naturally sets in on board and the most important thing now in this situation is to maintain that team spirit,” he added.

Hapag-Lloyd is in contact with the captains and crews at least once a day asking how the crew is doing and what they can do to help.

It’s helpful, Haupt says, that thanks to modern satellite technology, the sailors are able to keep up communication with their families.

Pentagon urges Iran to make a deal

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters at the Pentagon that “ultimately, they need to come to the table and make a deal.”

He said the U.S. will ensure Iran never has a nuclear weapon.

“We’d prefer to do it the nice way through a deal led by our great vice president and negotiating team. Or we can do it the hard way,” Hegseth said.

Iran has repeatedly insisted that it doesn’t seek a nuclear weapon and that its program is for peaceful purposes.

Later in the news briefing, Hegseth said to Iran’s government: “I pray you choose a deal, which is within your grasp for the betterment of your people and for the betterment of the world.”

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has refused to speak to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

That’s according to a government official familiar with the developments.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said the remarks were made during a call with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and that Washington was “understanding of Lebanon’s position.”

Aoun’s office acknowledged a call with Rubio in a public statement, but did not mention the possibility of talks with Netanyahu. Netanyahu’s office did not do so either.

— Kareem Chehayeb

Israeli defense minister says Iran faces a stark choice

The minister, Israel Katz, warned Tehran it could opt “between a bridge to the future and an abyss of isolation and destruction.”

If Iran chooses the latter, it will “quickly discover that the targets we have not yet struck until now are even more painful than what we have already struck.”

Katz sought to frame Israel’s campaign against the militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon as part of a wider confrontation with Iran.

He was speaking at a memorial ceremony at the ministry Thursday.

Europe has ‘maybe six weeks’ of jet fuel left, energy agency head tells the AP

Europe has “maybe six weeks or so (of) jet fuel left,” the head of the International Energy Agency said Thursday in a wide-ranging Associated Press interview, warning of possible flight cancellations “soon” if oil supplies remain blocked by the Iran war.

IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol painted a sobering picture of the global repercussions of what he called “the largest energy crisis we have ever faced,” stemming from the pinch-off of oil, gas and other vital supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.

“In the past there was a group called ‘Dire Straits.’ It’s a dire strait now, and it is going to have major implications for the global economy. And the longer it goes, the worse it will be for the economic growth and inflation around the world,” he said.

The impact will be “higher petrol (gasoline) prices, higher gas prices, high electricity prices,” Birol told the AP, speaking in his Paris office looking out over the Eiffel Tower.

▶ Read more

Caine says the US will pursue Iranian ships broadly

Speaking at the Pentagon, he said U.S. forces “will actively pursue any Iranian flagged vessel or any vessel attempting to provide material support to Iran” — anywhere in the world.

He issued a clear warning to any targeted vessel attempting to circumvent a U.S. blockade: “Turn around or prepare to be boarded. ... We will use force.”

Caine described the effort as a “blockade of Iran’s ports and coastline” with enforcement “inside Iran’s territorial seas and in international waters.” He noted that U.S. forces in other areas of the world, including the Pacific, also would pursue vessels tied to Iran.

The blockade “applies to all ships, regardless of nationality, heading into or from Iranian ports” and includes “dark fleet vessels carrying Iranian oil.” He defined those as “vessels or those illicit or illegal ships evading international regulations, sanctions or insurance requirements.”

Joint Chiefs chairman says no ships boarded yet under blockade of Iranian ports

Gen. Dan Caine says more than 10,000 sailors, marines and airmen using ships, planes and helicopters are working to enforce the blockade.

Any vessel that approaches the blockade is first warned to turn around or be boarded. Warning shots and other escalatory tactics could also be used, Caine said.

Caine says that so far no ships have had to be boarded.

“Thirteen ships have made the wise choice of turning around,” he said.

Joint Chiefs chairman likens Iran blockade to supermarket parking lot

President Trump’s top military advisor described Navy warships maintaining the blockade against Iran “like driving a sports car through a supermarket parking lot on a pay day weekend.”

Gen. Dan Kaine, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, went on to say these maneuvers are being performed “with thousands of kids in that parking lot” as they position themselves to get to ships that would attempt to run that blockade.

Hegseth says Americans ‘see the success’ in Iran, but polling reflects concern

The defense secretary touted public support for the war during remarks at the Pentagon on Thursday, contrasting that with what he said was an overly critical press.

“They see the success. They see the reality. And they don’t demand perfection,” Hegseth said of the public, after criticizing the press.

“You only seek the negative,” Hegseth said of the press.

Hegseth is overstating public support for the conflict. A recent AP-NORC poll shows nearly 60% of Americans say U.S. military action in Iran has been excessive. Meanwhile, 45% are “extremely” or “very” concerned about being able to afford gas in the next few months.

US Navy is using a fraction of its total power to enforce Iran blockade, defense secretary says

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the U.S. navy is employing “less than 10% of America’s naval power” to enforce the blockade against Iran during a briefing Thursday.

“The math is clear. We’re using 10% of the world’s most powerful navy, and you have 0% of your Navy,” Hegseth said.

The Navy currently has 16 warships, including 11 destroyers, three amphibious assault ships, an aircraft carrier, and a littoral combat ship in the Middle East out of a battle force of roughly 300 total warships.

US defense secretary says Iran is moving military assets but not replenishing

At the Pentagon, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters Iran is moving around its assets but is unable to replenish its military power almost seven weeks into the war.

The secretary pressed that idea repeatedly in the opening minutes of his morning briefing.

“You can move things around, but you can’t actually rebuild,” Hegseth said, speaking directly to Tehran’s leaders and telling them they no longer have a viable defense industry.

“As you expose yourself with your movement to our watchful eye, we are locked and loaded on your critical dual use infrastructure, on your remaining power generation and on your energy industry,” Hegseth said, telling Iran the war “is not a fair fight” given U.S. power.

Lebanese president says Rubio affirmed efforts to reach a ceasefire

The office of Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said he spoke to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio ahead of anticipated direct talks with Israel.

Lebanon has insisted on a ceasefire to stop the fighting between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group before engaging in direct talks. Its top political leaders have vowed to commit to disarming the group.

The president’s office said that during Thursday’s call, Rubio “affirmed his continued efforts to reach a ceasefire as a prelude to establishing peace, security, and stability in Lebanon.”

Washington has not publicly stated its support of a ceasefire in Lebanon as a precondition, and the Israeli government has framed the prospective meeting as peace talks with a focus on disarming Hezbollah.

Aoun’s office made no mention of speaking to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Iranian parliament leader stresses importance of Lebanon ceasefire

Iranian website NourNews has reported that Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, the powerful speaker of Iran’s parliament, stressed the importance of a ceasefire in Lebanon when he spoke with his Lebanese counterpart Nabih Berri by phone.

The report by the site, which has close contacts with Iranian security officials, said Qalibaf emphasized that Iranian authorities were closely monitoring developments in Lebanon and pushing for a permanent ceasefire in the Mideast war.

“A ceasefire in Lebanon is as important to us as a ceasefire in Iran,” he reportedly said.

Israeli forces destroy bridge in southern Lebanon, report says

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency has reported that the Israeli military struck and entirely destroyed the Qasmiyeh Bridge over the Litani River in southern Lebanon.

The Israeli military said it did not strike the bridge but “struck adjacent to it.”

Stocks rise as hopes grow for more US-Iran talks

Shares around the world rose as investors grew optimistic of a ceasefire extension in the Iran war.

In Europe, Britain’s FTSE 100, France’s CAC 40 and Germany’s DAX were all up by around 0.5%.

In Asia, Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 closed 2.4% while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 1.7% to 26,394.26. The Shanghai Composite index ended 0.7% higher.

Police in Waukesha, west of Milwaukee, said the “area was experiencing heavy rainfall accompanied by significant thunder and lightning” when someone reported seeing the man on the ground Wednesday evening.

“Preliminary information indicates the individual was struck by lightning while walking through the parking lot during the storm,” police said.

A weather pattern combining very moist air with a strong jet stream has been stretching from as far south as central Texas into the Midwest and east across the Great Lakes. From Monday through Wednesday, the National Weather Service has received more than 1,100 reports of large hail, winds above 60 mph (96 kph) and tornadoes as part of the storm system, said Bill Bunting, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Storm Prediction Center.

Teams were out Thursday surveying damage to determine the exact number of tornadoes, Bunting said.

The storms have rumbled across a number of states for the better part of this week and could continue into the early weekend.

“There's been a tremendous amount of lightning with these storms over the last few days,” said Mark Gehring, a meteorologist with the weather service in Milwaukee.

“We've had the temperature and humidity of summer and it's lasting an entire week — in mid-April,” he added. “In addition to a very stormy pattern, nearly every day we're having heavy rain. We've had tornadoes nearly every day, very large hail.”

Five tornadoes have been confirmed across southern and parts of central Wisconsin, according to Gehring.

“But there are more out there. We are going out to do storm surveys,” he said Thursday, adding that storms expected Friday evening could be severe.

In addition to lightning, hail and tornadoes, the storms have brought rain — lots of it, with scores of flood warnings and flood watches issued by the weather service over multiple states.

Crews were hurriedly pumping water from a dam in Cheboygan, Michigan, this week, even removing floodgates to relieve pressure. Residents and businesses in the city were told Monday to prepare a “go bag” containing medications, documents and other important items, monitor official updates and “be ready to act" because of the threat of flooding.

In northern Michigan, Bellaire, population 1,000, said Thursday that its wastewater treatment system was being overwhelmed, forcing the release of partially treated waste into area swamps. The village urged residents to reduce home water use.

Carl Johnson, 59, has a home on the rapidly rising Muskegon River in western Michigan. He went on Facebook to tell people that his boats are ready if someone needs help.

“It’s out of the banks everywhere. It’s really bad,” he told The Associated Press. “It’s not supposed to crest until Saturday.”

People living in the river’s flood plain below the Croton Dam in Newaygo County were ordered to evacuate. It wasn’t immediately known how many people were affected.

The Wisconsin River is at major flood stage in Portage, Wisconsin, and is forecast to reach or surpass the 20.7-foot (6.3-meter) record sometime Friday morning, meteorologist Gehring said.

“Right now, it's at 19.9 feet (6 meters), not that far off,” he said. “In Portage, there's a large area of low-land flooding. Many roads are flooded. There's a levee there. It's important that the levee holds.”

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers declared a state of emergency earlier this week.

Cars were stranded Wednesday night in high floodwater on a highway in Milwaukee and the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office posted online to urge people not to drive in southeast Wisconsin.

But at least in Wisconsin, a respite could be near.

“We have one more severe, heavy rain event coming this way before we get a good break,” Gehring said. “That's going to be on Friday evening. That's going to be the last gasp of severe rain.”

Bunting said the storm system will continue to move north and east and likely will take three to four days to finally move off the U.S. east coast.

“Probably, the most concerning day in terms of intense thunderstorm potential and tornadoes is Friday, extending from northern Oklahoma into central Wisconsin and far eastern Illinois,” he said.

___

Williams reported from West Bloomfield, Michigan. White reported from Detroit.

Weighing a mere 673 grams (1.4 pounds), Yuji represents the most recent case of assisted rearing at the Guadalajara Zoo in western Mexico.

The story of Yuji has captured the attention of the Mexican public, drawing parallels to Punch, the Japanese macaque that went viral on social media after growing up clinging to a stuffed orangutan following his mother’s rejection.

Unlike Punch, Yuji has not yet had physical contact with other members of his species; he spends most of his time inside a monkey crate at the Guadalajara Zoo’s Comprehensive Center for Animal Medicine and Welfare, CIMBA, where he is under the care of 12 veterinarians and biologists.

No date has been set for Yuji’s transfer to a habitat shared by 12 other adult patas monkeys and three other infants. That will depend on when he is weaned from a milk-only diet and starts an adult diet complete with fruits and vegetables, said veterinarian Iván Reynoso Ruiz, head of the primate section at the Guadalajara Zoo. That could happen when Yuji is around 6 months old, he said.

Just hours after giving birth on March 3, Kamaria began exhibiting irregular behavior. She struggled to hold her firstborn correctly, leaving the infant unable to secure a grip on its mother.

After noticing a problem, keepers separated the mother from her newborn, who weighed just 443 grams (less than a pound) and required immediate placement in an incubator at CIMBA to stabilize his temperature and safeguard his health, Reynoso Ruiz said.

This was the start of the infant's assisted rearing, a process often used by zoos to protect the health and development of at-risk offspring. A caregiver named him Yuji after a popular Japanese manga character.

During his first few weeks, Yuji was under round-the-clock supervision and was bottle-fed fortified milk.

From the start, Yuji was given a stuffed animal for comfort. Reynoso Ruiz explained that the toy fulfills the role of a mother by serving as his primary source of security. To maintain hygiene, staff rotate the original stuffed dog with two other toys — a bear and a monkey — to ensure he always has a clean companion.

To stimulate his development, caregivers outfitted Yuji’s crate with a small hammock and ropes. As he began gaining weight and sleeping for longer intervals, his team adjusted his feeding schedule. Yuji now receives the first of his four daily bottles at 7:00 a.m.

While the stories of Punch and Yuji have been popular on social media, some animal rights advocates oppose the practice of assisted rearing.

Diana Valencia, an animal rights activist, argues that there is no substitute for a natural habitat, and that animals “have the right to be born, grow, develop, and die where they belong.”

Responding to these criticisms, the Guadalajara Zoo’s primate expert emphasized that modern zoos provide a unique opportunity to protect species from global threats. He said the intervention was a matter of life or death, and that Yuji likely would have perished in the wild without a “second chance” at survival.

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

The S&P 500 rose 0.2%, a day after topping its prior all-time high set in January for its 10th gain in 11 days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 68 points, or 0.1%, as of 12:47 p.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.4% higher.

U.S. stocks have leaped more than 10% since hitting a low in late March, driven by hopes for an end to the war or something that could avert a worst-case scenario for the global economy. Now, the wait is on to see if such hopes were prescient or just wishful thinking.

Pakistan’s powerful army chief met Thursday with Iran’s parliament speaker as part of efforts to press for an extension to a ceasefire that has paused almost seven weeks of war between Israel, the U.S. and the Islamic Republic.

Oil prices climbed, showing that caution still remains in financial markets. The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil, the international standard, rose 4.3% to $99.08. It’s gone from roughly $70 before the war to as high as $119 at times on uncertainty about how long the war will keep oil stuck in the Persian Gulf area and away from customers.

“The key upside risk for the market is that peace talks between the US and Iran break down,” ING Bank strategists Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey wrote Thursday. “This isn’t an unrealistic scenario, given that US and Iranian demands remain fairly wide apart.”

In the meantime, big U.S. companies are continuing to deliver growth in profits for the start of 2026 that’s even better than analysts expected. Such growth is the lifeblood of the stock market, whose level tends to follow the track of corporate profits over the long term.

PepsiCo rose 2.3% after reporting better results for the latest quarter than analysts expected. Customers bought more snacks during the quarter, after the company said in February it would cut prices on Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos and Tostitos chips to win back people frustrated by high prices.

J.B. Hunt Transport Services rumbled 8.6% higher, and Marsh & McLennan climbed 4.5% after both likewise delivered stronger results than expected.

Technology stocks also broadly got some support after Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., an industry heavyweight, reported stronger revenue and profit for the start of 2026 than analysts expected. TSMC’s Chief Financial Officer Wendell Huang said the company expects strong demand to continue into the spring.

On the losing end of Wall Street was Abbott, which fell 6.5% even though it reported slightly better results than analysts expected. The health care company cut its forecast for profit over the full year, mostly because of its purchase of cancer-screening company Exact Sciences.

Allbirds slumped 29%, but that gave back only a portion of its 582% surge from the day before. The company formerly known for sneakers is pivoting to the artificial-intelligence industry and hopes to rent out the use of high-powered AI chips as a service.

In stock markets abroad, indexes climbed across much of Europe and Asia. Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 2.4%, South Korea’s Kospi rallied 2.2% and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 1.7% for some of the world’s larger moves.

China on Thursday reported 5% economic growth for the January-March quarter, an acceleration from the previous quarter. While economists say China has largely shrugged off the initial impacts of the Iran war, some are warning its massive export engine could be hit more significantly in the coming months on slower global economic growth.

In the bond market Treasury yields eased a bit after a report showed fewer U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury edged up to 4.30% from 4.29% late Wednesday.

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AP Business Writers Chan Ho-him and Matt Ott contributed to this report.

IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol painted a sobering picture of the global repercussions of what he called “the largest energy crisis we have ever faced,” stemming from the pinch-off of oil, gas and other vital supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.

“In the past there was a group called ‘Dire Straits.’ It’s a dire strait now, and it is going to have major implications for the global economy. And the longer it goes, the worse it will be for the economic growth and inflation around the world,” he told The Associated Press.

The impact will be “higher petrol (gasoline) prices, higher gas prices, high electricity prices,” said Birol, speaking in his Paris office looking out over the Eiffel Tower.

Economic pain will be felt unevenly and “the countries who will suffer the most will not be those whose voice are heard a lot. It will be mainly the developing countries. Poorer countries in Asia, in Africa and in Latin America,” said the Turkish economist and energy expert who has led the IEA since 2015.

But without a settlement of the Iran war that permanently reopens the Strait of Hormuz, “Everybody is going to suffer,” he added.

“Some countries may be richer than the others. Some countries may have more energy than the others, but no country, no country is immune to this crisis,” he said.

'Slow growth or even recession'

Nearly 20% of the world’s traded oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz in peacetime. Birol warned that not reopening the waterway within weeks could compound the repercussions for global energy supplies.

“In Europe, we have maybe six weeks or so (of) jet fuel left,” he said. “If we are not able to open the Strait of Hormuz ... I can tell you soon we will hear the news that some of the flights from city A to city B might be canceled as a result of lack of jet fuel.”

Dutch airline KLM and London-based budget carrier easyJet said Thursday that they were not experiencing current fuel shortages, without commenting further on the IEA’s warning. Both airlines are among those that have already seen higher costs eat into their budgets.

KLM has already said it will cut 160 flights to and from Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport next month, accounting for about 1% of its total European routes. The airline cited “rising kerosene costs” and said that a limited number of flights are “no longer financially viable to operate.”

Travelers are already paying the consequences. Beyond flight cancellations, some other carriers are increasing ticket fares and add-on fees.

Birol added: “Many government leaders tell me that if Hormuz is not open until (the) end of May, many countries — starting from the weaker economies — are going to face huge challenges, and this will go from the high inflation numbers to coming close to slow growth or even to recession in some cases.”

Birol spoke out against the so-called “toll booth” system that Iran has applied to some ships, letting them travel through the strait for a fee. He said allowing that to become more permanent would run the risk of setting a precedent that could then be applied to other waterways, including the vital Malacca Strait in Asia.

“If we change it once, it may be difficult to get it back,” he said. “It will be difficult to have a toll system here, applied here, but not there.”

“I would like to see that the oil flows unconditionally from the point A to point B,” he said.

Damage for Persian Gulf energy facilities

More than 110 oil-laden tankers and over 15 carriers loaded with liquefied natural gas are waiting in the Persian Gulf and could help ease the energy crisis if they could escape through the Strait of Hormuz to world markets, Birol said, adding: “But it is not enough.”

Even with a peace deal, war-damage to energy facilities means it could be many months before pre-conflict levels of production are restored, he said.

“Over 80 key assets in the region have been damaged. And out of these 80, more than one third are severely or very severely damaged,” he said.

“It will be extremely optimistic to believe that it will very quick,” Birol said. “It will take gradually, gradually, up to two years to come back where we were before the war.”

‘Dark shadow’ of geopolitics

Birol said it is incomprehensible that “a couple of hundred men with guns” — apparently referring to Iranian forces — are able to hold hostage the global economy. He said his Paris-based agency, which advises governments on energy policy and helped coordinate a record release of emergency oil reserves earlier in the crisis, has warned for years about the critical importance of the Strait of Hormuz.

The global shock could spur the embrace of other energy technologies, including nuclear power, and “will reshape the global energy map for the next years to come,” he said.

On his office shelves, Birol has a couple of soccer balls — he's a devoted supporter of the Turkish club Galatasaray — and other memorabilia, including a photo of his late father playing soccer, and reams of books. One in particular stood out for its timely title: Oil, Power and War.

“Energy and geopolitics have been always interwoven,” Birol said. “But I have never, ever seen ... such a dark and long shadow of geopolitics.”

He added: "Unfortunately, energy is at the heart of many conflicts which, again, makes me, as an energy person, rather sad, to be honest.”

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AP Business Writer Wyatte Grantham-Philips contributed from New York.

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon in Washington issued his latest ruling in a lawsuit over the ballroom project several days after an appeals court instructed him to reconsider the possible national security implications of stopping construction.

Government lawyers had argued that the project includes critical security features to guard against a range of possible threats, such as drones, ballistic missiles and biohazards.

Leon had barred work from proceeding without congressional approval, but his March 31 order suspended enforcement of that order for two weeks. The appeals court extended that stay until Friday, but Leon stayed his latest decision for another week, which gives the administration more time to seek Supreme Court review.

Leon, who was nominated to the bench by Republican President George W. Bush, said he is ordering a stop only to above-ground construction of the planned ballroom, apart from any work needed to cover or secure that part of the project. Otherwise, the Trump administration is free to proceed with construction of any excavations, bunkers, military installations, and medical facilities below the ballroom.

“Defendants argue that the entire ballroom construction project, from tip to tail, falls within the safety-and-security exception and therefore may proceed unabated," the judge wrote. “That is neither a reasonable nor a correct reading of my Order!”

On Saturday, a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said it didn't have enough information to decide how much of the project can be suspended without jeopardizing the safety of the president, his family or the White House staff.

Leon said he recognizes the safety implications of the case, but stressed that “national security is not a blank check to proceed with otherwise unlawful activity.” He also said he has “no desire or intention to be dragooned into the role of construction manager.”

On April 2, two days after Leon's previous ruling, Trump’s ballroom won final approval from the 12-member National Capital Planning Commission, which is charged with approving construction on federal property in the Washington region.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued in December, a week after the White House finished demolishing the East Wing for a 90,000-square-foot (8,400-square-meter) ballroom that Trump said would fit 999 people. The administration had said above-ground construction on the ballroom would begin this month.

Trump says the project is funded by private donations, although public money is paying for the bunker construction and security upgrades.

The group’s endorsement by Republican governors — at least eight so far — has stirred debate about free speech in America’s schools, with critics arguing many of the same conservative leaders have sought to silence others with measures to restrict what teachers can say on sex education, LGBTQ+ issues and other topics.

Adding to the divisions has been some governors’ invocation of Christian religion in their support of the clubs.

At her news conference last month announcing a partnership with Turning Point USA, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said God had worked through Kirk to grow the conservative group and that she hoped it would spark “the exact type of civic engagement that we want to see” among high school students.

“It’s never too early to learn the values of faith and freedom that power our country,” she said.

For Fayetteville High School student Lily Alderson in Arkansas, that crossed a line. Alderson, president of the school’s Young Democrats club, said the governor’s endorsement violates the requirement that governments not favor a particular religion.

“We’re a public school,” Alderson said. “We shouldn’t be a school — or a state, even — that is telling people what they should believe in.”

At the same high school, Lukas Klaus leads the local Turning Point USA chapter. As he sees it, the Republican governors are ensuring conservative voices like his are allowed to be heard.

“I’ve heard numerous other stories from around the states of Club America chapters trying to get started where they’re having serious problems with the administration straight-up saying ‘no,’ ” said Klaus. He said he has never heard of a public school disallowing a Young Democrats club.

The push gained momentum after Charlie Kirk’s death

In recent months, the Republican administrations of Nebraska, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Montana, Florida, Tennessee and Indiana have each announced partnerships with Turning Point USA to promote school chapters, called Club America, in every high school in those states.

Already, there are nearly 3,400 Club America chapters across the 50 states, according to Turning Point USA, which says it has more state partnerships in the works.

While the partnerships don’t require schools to establish the conservative clubs, they do make clear that efforts to start the clubs can’t be rejected by school administrators.

Turning Point USA got its start in 2012 on college campuses, promoting itself as a hub for young people committed to conservative values. Kirk was the co-founder and the face of the group, known best for his “ Prove Me Wrong ” events on college campuses where he invited students to challenge his conservative views on political and cultural issues. Kirk was killed by a sniper in early September while speaking on a college campus in Utah.

While Kirk was praised by conservatives as a champion of free speech, he was also criticized for comments that many other Americans found hateful toward LGBTQ+ communities, non-Christians, people of color and women.

Some of those critics faced a backlash from Republicans who saw them as dishonoring Kirk, leading to firings by universities, sports teams and media companies. Florida’s education commissioner also promised to investigate teachers over objectionable comments about Kirk. In Texas, a teachers union has sued the state’s education department, accusing it of an improper “wave of retaliation” against public school employees over their social media comments following the assassination.

Critics say governors are elevating Turning Point over other clubs

The governors’ endorsements of Turning Point USA, to the exclusion of other student clubs, has come under criticism from teachers unions and civil liberties groups.

Tim Royers, president of the Nebraska State Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union, said he could only imagine how Republican leaders would react if a Democratic governor announced they were calling for a democratic socialist club in every high school.

“They would be running to the press to talk about how awful that is,” Royers said. “How is this fundamentally any different?”

The American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas said the state’s support for the clubs amount to “differential treatment based on the content or viewpoint of the clubs, and a problem under the First Amendment.”

Turning Point USA spokesman Matt Shupe called objections from the ACLU hypocritical, noting the civic organization’s mission to protect free speech rights.

“The state of Arkansas is not forming our chapters; they’re not doing our job or our students’ jobs for us, nor are they saying other groups can’t be formed,” Shupe said in an email. “They’re simply stating students cannot be blocked from forming a Club America or a TPUSA college chapter when students want to start one.”

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Akbarzai reported from New York. ___

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Segovia, better known online as ArnieTex, has built a massive following by sharing Texas-style barbecue and Mexican American recipes across platforms like YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.

Now, he’s adding “New York Times best-selling author” to his resume.

Segovia’s new cookbook, “ArnieTex: Over 100 Recipes for Mexican-American Cooking and Texas-Style BBQ,” has quickly gained national recognition.

Before becoming a social media personality, Segovia said he spent more than two decades in the competitive barbecue circuit. His digital journey began as a way to promote his spice blends, but it quickly evolved into something much bigger.

“We started to make cooking videos on YouTube to promote our spices,” Segovia said. “People liked our recipes and it just took off.”

ArnieTex and his team continued making reels and videos, and YouTube promoted a video featuring Segovia and his mother.

“In a couple of years’ time, you know, we had a little over 50,000 followers on YouTube,” said ArnieTex. “But after that video, when they promoted it, I mean, we shot up from 50,000 to about 115,000 within a month. And then after that, it was just like this giant snowball, and it just kept rolling.”

Although Segovia had long considered writing a cookbook, it was his audience that pushed the idea forward.

“People were asking for it in the comments,” he said. “They’re saying, ‘You should write a cookbook.’”

The opportunity became reality when DK Publishing reached out with an offer to collaborate.

“‘We think you have great recipes. We’d like to help you write a cookbook,’” Segovia recalled. “It was like serendipity.”

ArnieTex and his team spent 14 months refining recipes, translating his instinctive cooking style into clear, step-by-step instructions.

“I cook like grandma and mom — just a pinch of this, a dash of that,” he said. “That’s the way I’ve cooked my whole life, you know, you taste and you adjust.”

But for the cookbook, that approach had to be carefully measured to ensure the recipes were easy to follow, so readers could recreate the dishes at home.

Segovia will be among the featured authors at Saturday’s festival, where attendees can meet writers and attend panels. There will also be activities for kids.

The San Antonio Book Festival runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

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The truce that Trump said was scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. Eastern follows more than a month of war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon.

Lebanon has insisted on a ceasefire to stop the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah before engaging in more talks, while vowing to commit to disarming the group.

The president also invited the leaders of Israel and Lebanon to the White House for what he said would be “the first meaningful talks" between the countries since 1983.

“Both sides want to see PEACE, and I believe that will happen, quickly,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Lebanon and Israel signed an agreement in 1983 saying Lebanon would formally recognize Israel, and Israel would withdraw from Lebanon. The deal fell apart during Lebanon’s civil war and was formally rescinded a year later.

Trump said the pause in fighting followed “excellent” conversations with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Pakistan army chief meets with Iranian parliament speaker

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s powerful army chief met Thursday with Iran’s parliament speaker as part of international efforts to press for an extension to a ceasefire that has paused almost seven weeks of war between Israel, the U.S. and the Islamic Republic.

It was unclear whether the frantic diplomacy could lead to a lasting deal as the two-week ceasefire passes the halfway mark. The Iran war has killed thousands of people and upended global markets by disrupting the flow of oil.

Iranian state television did not provide details on the meeting between Pakistani Army Gen. Asim Munir and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who has emerged as his country’s chief negotiator.

There was no immediate comment from Pakistan, which has become a key mediator after hosting direct talks between the U.S. and Iran that authorities said helped narrow differences between the sides. Mediators are seeking a new round before the ceasefire expires next week.

The White House said any further talks regarding Iran would likely take place in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, though no decision had been made on whether to resume negotiations. The fragile ceasefire is holding despite a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports and Iranian counter-threats to target regional ports across the Red Sea.

The war has jolted markets and rattled the global economy as shipping has been cut off and airstrikes have pounded military and civilian infrastructure. Oil prices have fallen amid hopes for an end to fighting, and U.S. stocks on Wednesday surpassed records set in January.

Lebanese president refuses to speak with Israeli PM

During the fragile ceasefire with Iran, fighting has continued in Lebanon between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

Trump had announced that the leaders of Israel and Lebanon would speak about halting the fighting. If that were to occur, it would be the first direct conversation between the leaders of the two countries in more than 30 years.

But at one point Thursday, Aoun refused to speak to Netanyahu, a government official familiar with the developments told The Associated Press.

The government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said the remarks were made during a call with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and that Washington “understands Lebanon’s position.”

Washington has not publicly stated its support of a ceasefire as a precondition, and the Israeli government has framed the talks as peace negotiations with a focus on disarming Hezbollah.

Israel and Hezbollah exchanged fire across the border, with Hezbollah targeting towns in northern Israel with rockets and drones. Israeli fire against southern Lebanon intensified, especially around the cities of Tyre, Nabatieh and the strategic town of Bint Jbeil near the border with Israel.

Israel and Lebanon have technically been at war since Israel was established in 1948, and Lebanon remains deeply divided over diplomatic engagement with Israel.

Israeli troops have pushed deeper into southern Lebanon to create what officials have called a “security zone,” which Netanyahu has said will extend at least 8 to 10 kilometers (5 to 6 miles) into Lebanon.

Officials say US and Iran are making progress

Even as the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports and renewed Iranian threats strained the ceasefire, regional officials reported progress, telling AP that the United States and Iran had an “in-principle agreement” to extend it to allow for more diplomacy. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiations.

But tensions simmered.

The commander of Iran’s joint military command, Ali Abdollahi, threatened to halt trade in the region if the U.S. does not lift its naval blockade, and a newly appointed military adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said he does not support extending the ceasefire.

Mediators seek compromise on sticking points

Mediators are pushing for a compromise on three main sticking points: Iran’s nuclear program, the Strait of Hormuz and compensation for wartime damages, according to a regional official involved in the mediation efforts.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Iran is open to discussing the type and level of its uranium enrichment, but his country “based on its needs, must be able to continue enrichment,” Iranian state media reported.

The Pentagon urged Iran to make a deal, with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth telling reporters at the Pentagon that “ultimately, they need to come to the table.”

He said the U.S. will ensure that Iran never has a nuclear weapon.

“We’d prefer to do it the nice way through a deal led by our great vice president and negotiating team. Or we can do it the hard way,” Hegseth said.

Iran has repeatedly insisted that it does not seek a nuclear weapon and that its nuclear program is for peaceful proposes.

The fighting has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, more than 2,100 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Thirteen U.S. service members have also been killed.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Trump administration would ramp up economic pain on Iran with new economic sanctions on countries doing business with it, calling the move the “financial equivalent” of a bombing campaign.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, during a visit to Doha, his office said, as part of a regional visit aimed at discussions on the ongoing U.S.-Iran peace process.

China calls for Strait of Hormuz to reopen

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the window of peace was opening during a phone call with his Iranian counterpart, according to a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Wang told Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi that the situation has reached a critical juncture, and said Iran’s sovereignty, security and legitimate rights should be respected, while freedom of navigation and safety through the Strait of Hormuz should be ensured.

Since the war began, Iran has curtailed maritime traffic through the strait, which a fifth of global oil transited through in peacetime. Tehran’s effective closure of the strait sent oil prices skyrocketing, raising the cost of fuel, food and other basic goods far beyond the Middle East, and the U.S. has responded with a blockade on Iranian shipping.

U.S. Central Command said Wednesday that no ships had made it past the blockade since it was imposed two days earlier, while 13 merchant vessels complied with direction from U.S. forces to turn around and reenter Iranian waters.

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Lidman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel and Chehayeb reported from Beirut. Associated Press writer Munir Ahmed in Islamabad, Elena Becatoros in Athens, Greece and Ben Finley in Washington contributed to this report.

Attorney Doug Duncan said this week in a court filing that Woods has a constitutional right to privacy when it comes to his prescription medications. The attorney asked a judge overseeing the case in Martin County, Florida to hold a hearing to determine if the drug records are necessary for the criminal investigation.

If the judge determines the drug records are necessary, Duncan asked for a protective order limiting their release only to prosecutors, law enforcement officers, state experts and Woods' defense team.

Woods has pleaded not guilty to driving under the influence. A sheriff’s office report said deputies found two pain pills in his pocket and he showed signs of impairment after his SUV clipped a truck's trailer and rolled over on its side.

Woods was traveling at high speeds on a beachside, residential road on Jupiter Island with a 30 mph (nearly 50 kph) speed limit when his Land Rover caused $5,000 in damage to the truck, according to an incident report. Woods agreed to a Breathalyzer test that showed no signs of alcohol, but refused a urine test, authorities said.

Prosecutors told the court they would issue a subpoena seeking copies of all prescription medication records for the legendary golfer on file at Lewis Pharmacy in Palm Beach, Florida from the start of the year through the end of last month.

Prosecutors also demanded in court papers on Wednesday that Woods reveal the names and locations of any witnesses he plans to present in his defense.

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Follow Mike Schneider on the social platform Bluesky: @mikeysid.bsky.social.

House Republicans approved the resolution last month despite conservationists' warnings that the move would lead to devastating pollution in one of the country's last remaining wild areas. The Senate followed suit Thursday, voting 50-49 to send the measure to Trump for his signature.

Democrats argued on the Senate floor that lifting the ban would set a dangerous precedent that could lead to lifting protections on public lands across the country. Minnesota Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith warned Republicans were stealing part of their state's identity.

Klobuchar, who has supported iron mining in the past but is now running for Minnesota governor, called the Boundary Waters a place of “mist over meadows” and “sunlight on leaves.” Smith said the GOP was ignoring Minnesotans who don't want to see the wilderness area destroyed.

“You can support mining, but that does not mean you support every mine in every place,” Smith said.

No Republicans spoke on the lifting the ban.

Stars, solitude and silence

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness stretches for about 150 miles (about 240 kilometers) in the Superior National Forest along Minnesota's border with Canada.

It's a land of crystalline lakes, vast forests of pine, spruce and birch, striking sunsets and clear, star-dusted nights. For those willing to paddle and portage off the most-traveled routes, the region offers solitude and a silence broken only by the cries of loons and the occasional howl of a wolf.

Logging is prohibited, planes passing over it can dip no lower than 4,000 feet (1,220 meters) except in emergencies and motorized watercraft are limited to only certain areas. Tens of thousands of canoeists, kayakers and campers explore the wilderness each year, according to U.S. Forest Service data.

Company eyes region's metals

Part of the national forest that encompasses the wilderness area sits on what's known as the Duluth Complex, a rock formation that contains copper, nickel, lead, zinc, iron, silver and gold, according to the Forest Service.

Twin Metals Minnesota LLC, a subsidiary of Chile-based Antofagasta Minerals, submitted a plan to the U.S. Department of the Interior in 2019 to mine copper, nickel and other precious metals in the national forest. Company officials said in an operational plan that year that the mine would create hundreds of union jobs, more than a thousand “spinoff jobs" and tax revenue for struggling communities in northeastern Minnesota.

“With this Project, Minnesota can be a model for modern, sustainable and environmentally and socially responsible mining,” the plan said.

The first Trump administration renewed the company's mineral leases on the site in 2019, but Biden interior officials terminated the deals in early 2022. The next year the administration imposed a 20-year moratorium on mining across 400 square miles (103,600 hectares) in the forest. The administration said the ban would protect the watershed and canoe wilderness.

Twin Metals has filed a federal lawsuit seeking a declaration that the leases remain valid. A judge threw the case out in 2023. A company appeal is pending.

Trump looking to jump-start mining projects

The president has called to boost domestic energy and mineral production, declaring an energy emergency days after retaking office in January 2025. His administration last fall reinstated a 2017 legal opinion that allowed Twin Metals to renew its leases in the Superior National Forest. Minnesota regulators approved the company's exploratory plans in December.

U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber, a Duluth Republican, introduced the resolution to lift the moratorium in January. He said the ban has cost Minnesota jobs and put the country's mineral security at risk. He remarked on the House floor ahead of the vote in that chamber that it's better to mine in Minnesota than deal with China or Russia for key minerals.

Environmentalists, outdoor enthusiasts push back

Lifting the moratorium would allow mining in the national forest along the edge of the Boundary Waters, not in the wilderness area. But eliminating the ban has hit a sore spot with environmentalists and outdoor enthusiasts. They warn that pollution from mining operations will flow through the wilderness area's watershed and contaminate the region with mercury and sulfides, chemical compounds that contain sulfur. They maintain that fish, wildlife and plants will suffer, particularly the wild rice that plays a crucial role in Minnesota's Chippewa tribal culture.

Teddy Roosevelt's great-grandson and other relatives wrote a letter to Republican senators urging them to keep the moratorium in place. The Friends of the Boundary Waters, a group that works to protect the area, has orchestrated a demonstration in front of Stauber's office in Hermantown, Minnesota, and staged a rally at the Capitol building in St. Paul to protest lifting the moratorium. The issue has become another flashpoint of contention between the state and the Trump administration after federal immigration officers shot and killed two Minneapolis residents in January.

Twin Metals promised an environmentally safe project

The company argued in its 2019 plan that mine would carry on a tradition in northeastern Minnesota, noting the area around the site was once home to 11 mines. The company also insisted that new low-carbon technologies designed to combat climate change need precious metals. Wind turbine construction requires copper, lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles need cobalt and nickel is a key part of corrosion-resistant alloys in desalinization plants.

The $1.7 billion mine would operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, according to the proposal. But the plan was laced with pledges to protect the environment. The company said the mine would be underground and that no waste rock would be stored above ground, eliminating a potential source of acid drainage, and the area would be revegetated after the mine closed, among other promises.

Company needs permits and could face court challenges before mining can begin

Trump is expected sign the resolution, but even without a moratorium it could be years before a mine opens. Twin Metals said in its 2019 proposal that construction could take two to three years, but that could be optimistic.

Trump could quickly renew the company's federal leases and push federal agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to issue permits. Twin Metals would still need as many as 18 permits from state officials, according to the 2019 proposal, and would face an uphill battle if voters pick Klobuchar as governor in November.

And environmental groups could challenge any of those permits in court, blocking construction for potentially years while the cases are resolved.

Celebrity deaths — including Chadwick Boseman in 2020 and James Van Der Beek earlier this year — have highlighted the increase in colorectal cancer deaths among younger adults, but the new paper was called the first to parse which people are most affected by the alarming rise.

The researchers found that over the last 30 years, the rise in colorectal cancer deaths in young adults occurred almost entirely among people without a four-year college degree.

Of course, getting a college degree doesn't protect you from getting colon cancer. Rather, experts say it's a marker for other issues: People without degrees tend to earn less money, have poorer diets, exercise less and get less medical care.

It’s not totally unexpected that the death risk is concentrated in the less advantaged, but the paper published Thursday in JAMA Oncology is the first national study to actually show the connection, said Dr. Paolo Boffetta, a researcher at Stony Brook Cancer Center in New York who wasn’t involved in the work.

American Cancer Society researchers used government data on more than 101,000 younger adults, ages 25 to 49, who died of colorectal cancer from 1994 through 2023.

Overall, the colorectal cancer death rate rose from about 3 per 100,000 in that age group to about 4 per 100,000. But for people who only made it through high school, the rate rose from 4 to 5.2 per 100,000, while the rate for people with at least a bachelor's degrees did not change from 2.7 per 100,000.

Ahmedin Jemal, the study’s first author, said the findings underscore the need for public awareness about colorectal cancer and for younger adults to heed screening recommendations. Symptoms can include blood in stool or rectal bleeding; changes in bowel habits, such as diarrhea, constipation or narrowing of stool that lasts more than a few days; unintended weight loss; and cramps or abdominal pain.

The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 158,000 cases of colorectal cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. this year. Overall, it’s the nation’s second leading cancer killer, behind lung cancer, and is expected to claim more than 55,000 in 2026.

The number of deaths for adults younger than 50 is around 7% of the total — about 3,900. Earlier this year, cancer society researchers reported that colorectal cancer mortality in Americans under 50 had increased by 1.1% a year since 2005, making it now the deadliest cancer in that age group.

Scientists don't know what's behind that increase. But they note risk factors include obesity, lack of physical activity, a diet high in red or processed meat and low in fruits and vegetables, and a family history of colorectal cancer. The American Cancer Society changed its screening guidelines in 2021, lowering the age U.S. adults should start getting screened from 50 to 45.

Why did the researchers behind Thursday's study look at education level and not other factors?

Death certificates don’t detail how much money a person had, or most other aspects of their life. But they do note how much schooling someone completed. And other research has found that data often aligns with statistics about income, health insurance, physical activity and chronic disease. So education serves as a proxy, but can't speak to other factors, like whether the person had health insurance.

“The focus on education is really (due to) something which was available in the data,” Boffetta observed.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

HARLINGEN — For more than a decade, Diana Padilla has been teaching Texans in the Rio Grande Valley how to farm.

For four hours on Sundays, she and her husband, Saul Padilla, would help their student farmers at a community garden the couple had set up on their farm by preparing the soil for them, teaching them how to use the space, and telling them what would be good to plant and what wouldn’t be.

“We were mostly there for, like, pep talk,” Padilla said.

The idea for the community garden came from their weekends spent at the farmer’s market where some people couldn’t afford their organic vegetables. If the people couldn’t afford them, Padilla thought, maybe she could teach them how to grow their own. .

Her mission dramatically expanded when, in the summer of 2023, she learned she had been awarded a federal grant to teach the rest of the state how to till the land.

Her nonprofit, HOPE for Small Farm Sustainability, had received $7.5 million to educate Texans interested in farming. As part of the grant, Padilla could hire educators in other regions outside the Valley and purchase land to harvest.

Her first hire lived about 500 miles away in Kaufman County, near Dallas.

Padilla was on the cusp of hiring three more people in Central Texas. But his plans to expand came to a sudden halt last month when the U.S. Department of Agriculture notified her that the government was terminating the grant as part of President Donald Trump’s pledge to eliminate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs.

“It was heartbreaking,” Padilla said.

In a March 23 letter, the USDA said it canceled the grant following a review of the Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access Program, which was started during the Biden administration. The USDA alleged that the program was “rife with DEI preferences” and an example of wasteful spending.

Padilla vowed to appeal the decision. She said there was nothing about her program — which is open to anyone interested in learning about farming — that explicitly focused on DEI. She was adamant her organization would debunk allegations of wasteful spending.

Now, HOPE has a slim window to convince the federal government to restore funding. If Padilla cannot, at risk are her efforts to empower would-be farmers amid a dramatic trend of farm loss across Texas, and to ensure the agriculture economy persists outside of big farming.

“We are going to appeal, but we’re going to need everybody’s support,” Padilla said. “We have an obligation to safeguard our food system for the future of Texas.”

One-on-one training

Jamie Cumming had been teaching local residents in Kaufman County about gardening and foraging. She ran a small homestead academy she led from her home and small farm.

As a struggling small farmer with six children, she couldn’t afford to teach all the skills she wanted to pass on for free, so she was excited to learn about HOPE and that it was looking to hire educators across the state to teach aspiring farmers what they needed to know to build a sustainable farm. She took the job in October 2024 and has held workshops a few times a month that are open to anyone who wants to learn how to farm, along with classes at the community garden.

But because of the USDA’s decision to pull the grant, the programming and Cumming’s job in Kaufman County ended.

“It’s a big disappointment, because it was going so well,” Cumming said.

HOPE had paid for equipment such as a tiller, drip line, landscape fabric and seeds. It’s also paid for water, a classroom and educational guest speakers.

About 27 people had been assigned a plot of land in Kaufman County that the county is allowing them to use. The aspiring farmers ranged from young families to a 78-year-old woman who farmed when she was younger.

Cumming said she didn’t collect demographic data from the people who attended her workshops. She estimated she had about four Black or Hispanic participants among the 27 farmers.

What most had in common was that they had full-time jobs and were trying to learn how to farm during their free time. Part of their education included learning about the right season for certain plants to grow, how to irrigate, how to identify plants, and how to mix seed-starting soil.

“That one-on-one training has really been a blessing for so many who are trying “to do this,” Cumming said. “We need to help that and let that flourish.”

Funding for the USDA’s Increasing Land program came from the American Rescue Plan Act, a Biden-era COVID-19 relief bill, to improve access to land. However, the agency, which is now under the Trump administration’s leadership, concluded that the grant awards did little to improve land access.

“Under the guise of increasing land access for producers, the Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access Program included no minimum requirement for direct producer support,” the USDA said in a statement to The Texas Tribune. “Instead, the program permitted the abuse of federal funds, including expenditures on the purchasing of a barbeque smoker, construction of a gazebo, massages, and for one awardee, a $20,000 budget for ink pens alone.”

The agency did not respond to questions specifically about HOPE and its activities.

Padilla insists she spent the money correctly. Of the $7.5 million grant, HOPE had spent less than 10%. Most of the $700,000 that has been spent was used for equipment and education for farmers.

The majority of the grant funds, 59%, were budgeted to purchase additional land, but none of those transactions had been completed.

Padilla said HOPE had identified and was close to purchasing four properties in Central Texas — close to Houston, San Antonio, and Austin — for people in those areas who were interested in farming. The land would have been used for community farming that early-stage farmers could share and continue learning.

Losing farm land

Padilla and her husband started their own farm, Yahweh’s All Natural Farm and Garden, in 2008. Her husband is the farmer and she is the entrepreneur and, together, they made a business of his passion.

It took a lot of hard work, knowing how to grow and knowing how to market their products.

She knew if early-stage farmers weren’t persistent, they would likely quit, so they set out to teach people how to do that with the help of other USDA grants.

They started their first community gardens on their 75-acre farm where aspiring farmers could learn from the couple. Then in 2014, they officially launched HOPE.

Padilla’s effort to increase the number of farmers faces staggering odds. In the 25 years between 1997 and 2022, Texas lost more than 3.7 million acres of working land, according to data from Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute. Working land is privately-owned farms and ranches that produce food and provide wildlife habitat. Of those, 1.8 million acres were lost in the final five years.

Within that same 25-year period, the Rio Grande Valley, where Padilla is based, lost 751,000 acres of farmland.

Small family farms are the most prevalent type of farm. In 2024, they made up 86% of all farms in the U.S. That’s down from 2021, when they made up 89%.

Salomon Torres, projects and grants adviser for HOPE, said the loss of farmland is a disturbing trend. It contributes to illiteracy among the general public about where their food comes from, among other consequences.

“Agriculture has always been a contributor to a local economy, as far as jobs, as far as keeping land productive,” Torres said. “If land becomes completely urban, it’s going to desensitize people about the source of their food.”

The accessibility of land for locally-sourced food is considered significant for people’s health but also for their well-being, said Judith McGeary, executive director of Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance.

“I think it’s a threat to national security,” McGeary said. “Because when we cannot raise food in this country, we are reliant on imports, which we already are, to a great extent — far more than most people realize.”

The loss of small farmers was not due to a lack of interest, McGeary said. There has been a growing interest in farming among young people, but what is less discussed, she said, is how often those young farmers fail because of the lack of land, infrastructure and hands-on support.

“Very smart, talented, motivated people often cannot make a go of it,” she said. “And that’s not just a problem for them, it’s a loss for all of us.”

Advocates for small farmers in Texas say educational programs like the one HOPE was providing are needed across the state.

P. Wade Ross, director of the Texas Small Farmers and Ranchers Community Based Organization, said the fundamental issue is that many government bureaucrats don’t know the farming landscape. They make decisions like cutting off funding for HOPE, not realizing the consequences.

“Why do you need to do that when this is a program that’s helping you achieve all the initiatives that you say are your initiatives?” Ross said.

“What happens a lot of times is people who are the decision-makers get so caught up in what they don’t want,” he said“and they don’t realize they’re cutting their arm off to get rid of what they don’t want.”

Reporting in the Rio Grande Valley is supported in part by the Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc.

Zhen Qin, 30, was taken into custody for aggravated assault against a public servant, Bexar County court records show.

Authorities were called for a welfare check around 9:50 a.m. Wednesday in the 15600 block of Market Hill Boulevard, near North Loop 1604 West.

Police said Qin had lived at the apartment, which was supposed to be vacant at the end of March.

Management attempted to contact Qin multiple times and called for a welfare check to make sure she was OK.

Police and the San Antonio Fire Department arrived at the complex to breach the door. As authorities attempted to breach the door, police said Qin started swinging a knife, striking a San Antonio firefighter.

The firefighter sustained minor injuries and was taken to a hospital as a precaution.

Qin then barricaded herself in a room in the apartment complex. SAPD said negotiators were contacted, and she was later taken into custody.

There have previously been other calls to the location, according to police.

A woman who told KSAT she is the former roommate of Qin said she reported the suspect multiple times.

“They still wouldn’t do anything. It took one of my roommates being assaulted by her to have all of us, besides (the suspect), move to other apartments,” the former roommate said.

Qin was booked into the Bexar County Adult Detention Center on a $40,000 bond, according to jail records.

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Friar and other company executives are banking OpenAI's future on more of the latter as it shifts its focus to business-oriented products while shedding some of its consumer offerings as a pathway to profitability.

OpenAI says it will introduce a new artificial intelligence model for “high-value professional work” as the company faces heightened competition with rival Anthropic in attracting corporate customers to adopt AI assistants in their workplaces.

“You’ll see a new model coming from us in short order. We feel very excited about it,” Friar said in an interview with The Associated Press.

OpenAI boasts of more than 900 million weekly users of its core ChatGPT product, and Friar said about 95% of them “don't pay anything” for the popular chatbot. But while all those interactions build habits and reliance, they also strain the costly computing resources needed to power the company's AI systems and highlight the need for big business customers to help pay the bills.

OpenAI, valued at $852 billion, and Anthropic, valued at $380 billion, both lose more money than they make, putting the privately-owned San Francisco-based AI research laboratories in a fierce competition to generate more revenue as they race toward becoming publicly traded on Wall Street.

A push to improve performance and sales of OpenAI's business-oriented products — already Anthropic's bread and butter — has driven OpenAI to abandon some consumer initiatives, like the AI video generator app Sora.

“I think it was a little heartbreaking, but we’re like, OK, it’s not the main event right now," Friar said. "We need to make sure that our new model that’s coming has enough compute.”

Codenamed Spud, OpenAI says its “smartest model yet” offers “stronger reasoning, better understanding of intent and dependencies, better follow-through and more reliable output in production.” It will be part of OpenAI's answer to Anthropic's new Claude Mythos, which Anthropic claims is so “strikingly capable” that it is limiting its use to select customers because of its apparent ability to surpass human cybersecurity experts in finding or exploiting computer vulnerabilities. While most people can't use Mythos, Anthropic also on Thursday released Opus 4.7, describing it as its most powerful “generally available" model.

Friar, the former CEO of neighborhood social platform Nextdoor, said business customers accounted for about 20% of OpenAI’s revenue when she was hired in 2024 as chief financial officer. She said it’s now 40% and expected to account for half of OpenAI’s sales by the end of the year.

It's a sharp turnaround from late last year, when OpenAI co-founder and CEO Sam Altman was promoting a now-shuttered Sora partnership with Disney, launching a plan to sell ads on ChatGPT and floating the idea of letting ChatGPT engage in erotica with paid adult users.

Altman said on the “Mostly Human” podcast earlier this month that a sharper focus was needed — and Friar agrees.

“Tech companies, when they’re growing, it’s just this natural thing that happens. There’s so many cool things you could do,” she said, adding that companies can end up doing “really badly” if they do too many things, while "great companies are very good at, in a reasonable period of time, kind of doing that winnowing down and refocusing and it’s super painful.”

Signaling that shift was the hiring three months ago of Slack CEO Denise Dresser to be OpenAI's first chief revenue officer.

Dresser said in a recent AP interview that she has been laser-focused on meeting with corporate leaders and positioning OpenAI as the go-to platform for workplaces employing AI agents to automate a variety of computer-based job tasks.

“It’s really clear to me that companies are past the experimentation phase and they’re into using AI to do real work,” Dresser said. “Leaders at companies are recognizing that AI is probably the most consequential shift of their lifetime.”

But those leaders also have a choice, namely Anthropic's Claude that has become widely used by software professionals. Founded in 2021 by a group of ex-OpenAI leaders who said they wanted to prioritize AI safety, Anthropic has positioned itself as the more responsible AI vendor. The distinction drew attention when President Donald Trump's administration punished the startup after a contract dispute over AI use in the military, and Altman used the opportunity to cement OpenAI's own deal with the Pentagon.

Consumer interest in Anthropic surged and the company said its annualized revenues hit $30 billion, a higher number than what OpenAI has reported, though they measure it differently. Friar and Dresser declined to reveal OpenAI's latest sales but both have suggested that Anthropic's number is inflated because it doesn't account for revenue it must share with cloud computing providers Amazon and Google.

Even so, it remains a tight competition that's also tied to the health of the stock market and the future of the economy.

“They’re likely quite close,” said Luke Emberson, a researcher at nonprofit institute Epoch AI. "Certainly the trends show Anthropic is growing much faster than OpenAI. If that continues, they’re likely to cross soon.”

The urgency led Dresser to send a memo to OpenAI employees on Sunday, first reported by The Verge, that asserted that Anthropic's coding focus “gave them an early wedge” but expressing confidence that OpenAI has the “real structural advantage” as AI usage expands beyond software developers and OpenAI builds enough computing capacity to operate its AI systems.

“Their story is built on fear, restriction, and the idea that a small group of elites should control AI," Dresser's memo said of Anthropic. “Our positive message will win over time: build powerful systems, put in the right safeguards, expand access, and help people do more.”

But for skeptics of the financial viability of the AI industry, the trajectory of both money-losing companies is alarming as smaller startups increasingly become dependent on their AI tools. Anthropic has imposed rate limits on heavy users, forcing some to wait for hours to use Claude, and both companies have set up service tiers that reward premium payers, said author and AI critic Ed Zitron.

“It’s what I call the subprime AI crisis,” Zitron said. “People built their lives and they built their businesses on top of these companies that, as they try and save money, will start turning the screws.”

One thing that both AI leaders and critics agree on is that it is an expensive technology, though whether it is worth the cost in electricity-hungry AI computers remains to be seen.

“People will say, well, ‘Once they go public, they’re safe.’ That’s not true,” Zitron said. “Public companies can and will die, especially ones that are dependent on $100 billion to $200 billion every year or so, just to keep breathing.”

Thomas Pellecier was taken into custody after Drug Enforcement Administration agents executed a search warrant on April 13 in the 6800 block of Montgomery Drive.

Agents later found methamphetamine, marijuana, THC, a gun and cash amid the search warrant, court documents said.

Pellecier allegedly had 97 grams of crystal meth, 301 grams of marijuana, and 959 grams of THC, the affidavit stated.

Agents also discovered 269 grams of crystal meth actively being flushed down the toilet and 1818 grams of liquid meth being put down a shower drain, court documents stated.

Pellecier told agents that the drugs and the gun were his. He also allegedly said that he was waiting for a larger shipment of meth from Mexico, the affidavit said.

Pellecier admitted to authorities that he obtained the gun from an individual in exchange for methamphetamine, court documents said.

If convicted, a criminal complaint document said Pellecier faces five to 40 years in prison.

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The arch is one of several projects that the Republican president is pursuing alongside a White House ballroom to leave his lasting imprint on Washington.

The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts voted to approve the concept design for the arch. The seven commissioners, all appointed by Trump, will review an updated version of the design before taking a final vote at a future meeting.

Trump said last week on social media that the arch “will be the GREATEST and MOST BEAUTIFUL Triumphal Arch, anywhere in the World” and a "wonderful addition to the Washington D.C. area for all Americans to enjoy for many decades to come!”

Also on the agenda for the commission's monthly meeting was his plan to paint the gray granite exterior of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, which is next to the White House, white.

A third White House-related project, construction of an underground center to conduct security screenings of tourists and other guests, was also up for consideration.

Triumphal Arch

The arch would stand 250 feet tall (76 meters) from its base to a torch held aloft by a Lady Liberty-like figure atop the structure. That figure would be flanked up top by two eagles and guarded at the base by four lions — all gilded. The phrases “One Nation Under God” and “Liberty and Justice for All" would be inscribed in gold lettering atop either side of the monument.

The commission's vice chairman, architect James McCrery II, said he preferred the arch without the figure and eagles on top. McCrery also objected to the lions on the base.

The arch would be built on a human-made island managed by the National Park Service on the Virginia side of the Potomac River at the end of Memorial Bridge from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. The arch would dwarf the Lincoln Memorial, which is 99 feet (30 meters) tall, and be close to half the height of the Washington Monument, an obelisk that is about 555 feet (169 meters) tall.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that the arch's 250-foot height will honor America's 250 years of existence.

A group of veterans and a historian has sued in federal court to block construction on the grounds that the arch would disrupt the sightline between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington House at Arlington National Cemetery, among other reasons.

Underground screening center for White House visitors

The U.S. Secret Service, Interior Department, National Park Service, and the Executive Office of the President want to start construction in August on a 33,000-square-foot (3,066-square-meter) center to screen tourists and other visitors to the White House.

It would be built beneath Sherman Park, federal land southwest of the White House, to provide a more secure place to screen those going on White House tours or attending events. The new facility would have seven lanes to ease processing and reduce wait times.

Officials want it operating by July 2028, six months before Trump’s term ends.

Eisenhower Executive Office Building paint job

Trump said the Executive Office Building is beautiful, but he does not like its gray exterior.

“It’s one of the most beautiful buildings anywhere in Washington," Trump said in August. “I think it’s just incredible, but you have to get past the color because the stone they used was a really bad color.”

Two proposals were given to the commission: Cover the entire building in bright white or paint most of it white while leaving untouched the granite on the exposed basement and subbasement.

In written materials, the White House said the building has been largely neglected since its construction. It said the building's color, design and massing do not “align visually with the surrounding architecture” and lack ”any symbolic cohesion with the White House.”

The paint job is also the subject of litigation in federal court.

The building sits across a driveway from the West Wing. It was completed in 1888 after 17 years of construction, and its granite, slate, and cast iron exterior makes it one of America’s best examples of the French Second Empire style of architecture.

It originally housed the departments of State, War and Navy. It currently houses offices for the vice president and the National Security Council, among others.

The building is a National Historic Landmark and is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

For a host of reasons, Hatzenbuhler and other ranchers across the country are reluctant to grow the national herd — now its smallest in more than 75 years — and until they do so, demand will outweigh supply, and beef prices will likely remain high.

Adding cattle makes sense for some ranchers, but others are struggling to stay afloat with the cattle they have, Hatzenbuhler said.

“They’re good times, and they’re bad times,” she said. “It’s a combination of both.”

Why is the beef herd so small?

Hatzenbuhler will make her choices as cows give birth to about 700 calves this spring on her family's Diamond J Angus ranch on more than 2,000 wind-swept acres (809 hectares) near Mandan, North Dakota. Does she opt to increase her herd, or does she offset the new arrivals by selling an equal number of cattle to be slaughtered?

The national herd size isn't the only factor that determines what beef costs at the grocery store. Still, the dwindling number of cattle is a key reason the average price of all uncooked ground beef in the U.S. was $6.86 per pound in March, 3 cents off the record high set in February, according to federal statistics. That price in March is up nearly 48% from March 2021.

The U.S. cattle herd reached a high of 132 million head in 1975, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and that figure has gradually fallen to 86 million this year.

Thanks to changes in cattle genetics and feeding techniques, ranchers now produce far more meat from each animal, so despite the much smaller herd, the country's beef production hit a record 28.4 billion pounds in 2022, said Tim Petry, a North Dakota State University livestock marketing specialist. About 26 billion pounds of beef are expected in 2026.

About 2.5 billion pounds of beef were exported to other countries in 2025, and the tight remaining supply, along with the high demand, has caused record prices.

Ranchers acknowledge the higher prices, but they face plenty of challenges weighing against growing herds, especially from drought.

Drought limits land for grazing

Dry conditions have persisted across much of cattle country, with about 63% of the U.S. cattle herd in drought areas, according to the USDA. Some areas have also seen giant wildfires that left no grass for grazing.

“You’ve got to have rain. You’ve got to have grass to keep cows on because they’re out on pastures for over half the year, and so that’s been the dilemma, is we had forced liquidation of cows,” Petry said.

This time of year, as calves arrive, ranchers decide whether to retain young cows called heifers and calves for breeding herds, and a big factor is pasture conditions, said Bernt Nelson, an American Farm Bureau Federation economist.

Feed is the highest cost for ranchers, and due to drought in spots like Texas and Oklahoma, they have had to truck in supplies from elsewhere. Those extra costs make it hard to increase a herd.

“When these pasture conditions deteriorate, and water becomes an issue, some of these states have to go as far as to haul hay, haul water from other regions of the country that have grass and easy access to water, and that adds a significant cost to operations,” Nelson said.

Even if ranchers opted to raise more cattle, it takes 15 to 24 months for a calf to mature before it can be slaughtered.

Role of meat processors in beef prices

Ranchers often blame the concentrated meat processing systems — primarily driven by four companies — for high beef prices, but the picture is complicated.

In a statement and market updates, the Meat Institute, a meat processors trade group, noted that retailers and food service companies, not packers, set prices for consumers. And the organization said livestock producers were “earning record profits” while packers were losing money.

The Meat Institute also argued that the concentration ratio hasn’t “changed appreciably” over the past 30 years.

“Rhetoric about beef industry concentration implies that consolidation in the beef packing sector is ongoing and that market power is becoming increasingly concentrated. That is not the case,” the group said.

John Robinson, a spokesman for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, said he sees many reasons for high prices, and in some cases, meat processors are responsible, but that “it’s far more complicated than most people will give it credit for.”

A pest forces border closure

Another driver of high prices is the closure of the U.S.-Mexico border to livestock imports to slow the spread of a flesh-eating parasite called the New World screwworm. The closures that began in late 2024 have stopped about 1 million cattle from being hauled from Mexico into the U.S., said Warren Rusche, an extension feedlot specialist at South Dakota State University.

The border closure particularly affects cattle feedlots and ranchers who graze cattle in the southern plains.

President Donald Trump has called for increased beef imports from Argentina, but the country's expanded quota would be only a tiny percentage of U.S. beef production, Rusche said.

Are ranchers getting rich?

Hatzenbuhler, the North Dakota rancher, isn't getting rich, but for ranchers who own their land and equipment, she said it's a good time to raise cattle. It's not as good for people looking to break into the business, given the high cost of everything from equipment to fertilizer and the difficulty of finding workers.

“If you’re a young guy and want to get in, it’s probably not the time to do it, but if you’re kind of established and been doing this for a while, you’re doing good,” she said.

California rancher Mike Williams said he wouldn't discourage someone from getting into ranching but would caution them, “don't get too far upside down.”

“I would say that we're finally maybe getting a fair price,” Williams said. “I think people are starting to realize the value of beef, and they're finding that they're willing to pay maybe a little more than they have in the past for the quality of the product that they're getting.”

The 6-foot-11 forward arrived in Lawrence before the spring semester in 2025 and redshirted before playing last season, when Tiller was a regular in the starting lineup. He averaged 7.9 points and 6.1 rebounds, and one of his best games for Kansas came against the Tigers, when he had 13 points, five rebounds and five blocks in an 80-60 rout at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

Missouri has been active in the transfer portal, landing Tennessee forward Jaylen Carey and Providence forward Jamier Jones.

Tiller visited the Tigers on Sunday and made the decision to join coach Dennis Gates over interest from Michigan, Georgia Tech, NC State, Arizona and others. He visited Miami but canceled a planned visit to Arizona.

Kansas already lost another big man, Flory Bidunga, who decided to transfer to Louisville.

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

Robinson debuted for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947. He went on to win Rookie of the Year honors, become a six-time All-Star and the 1949 National League MVP. He played in six World Series, and won his only championship in 1955 with the Dodgers.

“Every player of color who now enjoys our great sport, they owe it to this man,” said Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri.

Robinson made his pro debut with the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues in 1945. He was there five months before Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey interviewed him for possible selection to Brooklyn's International League farm club. Rickey wanted to make sure Robinson could withstand the racial antagonism without reacting angrily.

“What he did was incredibly difficult under some of the most harsh circumstances you could ever imagine," Kendrick said. "He had to go out there and deal not only with the racial hatred but he was carrying 21 million Black folks on his back when he walked across those lines. Had he failed, an entire race of people would have failed. That's an enormous amount of pressure. How he did it with such grace, class and dignity is absolutely incredible. And no, we should never forget Jackie Robinson."

The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets gathered around the centerfield statue of Robinson stealing home at Dodger Stadium. Among the Dodgers were Tyler Glasnow, Teoscar Hernández, Will Smith, Roki Sasaki, Alex Vesia and Will Klein. Shohei Ohtani, who has attended previously, was not there ahead of pitching against the Mets later.

“A special day, especially for me as a Latino. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't because of him,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Talk about dealing with pressure at this level, imagine what he dealt with back in the day."

Dave Roberts, one of just two Black managers currently in the majors, told the teams Robinson would be proud that they reflect his dream and vision of what equality and unity would look like.

“My ask is that we remember how we got here,” Roberts said.

In New York, Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. wore his pinstriped pants loose and blousy and rolled at the knees the way many players did in the 1940s, including Robinson.

A video commemorating Robinson and narrated by former Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia was played on the stadium scoreboard before the team’s game against the Los Angeles Angels.

“You look at the diversity in our game as far as now, worldwide, and Jackie was the start of opening those doors to not just Black players being able to play but Latin America,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said, "and now we have people from all over the globe playing this, and Jackie was the start of all that.”

In Pittsburgh, Pirates manager Don Kelly said, “It doesn’t seem like one day is enough to really give back to Jackie and what he meant to baseball and to people.”

Two of Robinson's granddaughters joined the teams at Dodger Stadium, not far from Robinson's adopted hometown of Pasadena. He was a four-sport star at Pasadena Junior College before going on to UCLA, where the Georgia native was better known for football than baseball.

Last year, a historical marker honoring the Robinson family was unveiled by the city of Pasadena at their former home.

“We’re really carrying the legacy now and it’s an incredible honor,” said granddaughter Ayo Robinson, whose father David is Robinson's youngest son. "It’s a weight that feels good because it keeps you grounded in what is so important. I feel like the legacy is just as important today as it has ever been.”

Robinson's widow, Rachel, turns 104 in July. She lives in New York and still visits the Jackie Robinson Museum.

“She's the strong matriarch of our family, surrounded by love and intention to continue to allow her to live a life that she wanted,” said granddaughter Sonya Pankey Robinson, whose father was Jackie Robinson Jr.

Also on hand in Los Angeles were recipients of scholarships from the Jackie Robinson Foundation.

For the first time in at least two decades, the percentage of Black players on opening day rosters increased in consecutive years this season. Major League Baseball says 6.8% of players on opening day rosters, injured lists and the restricted list were Black, up from 6.2% at the start of the 2025 season and 6.0% at the start of 2024.

“He’s an icon,” Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “To take this day and make it something special says a lot about the character of the game.”

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This story has been corrected to clarify that 2026 is the first time the percentage of Black players on opening day rosters increased in consecutive seasons in at least two decades. A previous version incorrectly said this season marked the first time the percentage had increased in at least two decades.

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AP Sports Writers Will Graves in Pittsburgh, Steve Megargee in Milwaukee and Mike Fitzpatrick in New York contributed to this report.

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

In the first three days of the military action, 14 ships have turned around rather than confront the naval blockade, according to U.S. Central Command, which oversees the Iran war.

Some Iran-linked or sanctioned vessels that have left the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial waterway for energy shipments, have appeared to halt their movements, turn off their radio transponders or head back toward Iran's coast, shipping data firms say.

Vessels that approach the blockade, which is being enforced in Iran’s territorial seas and international waters and not in the Strait of Hormuz, are given a warning, Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters at the Pentagon.

“Any ship that would cross the blockade would result in our sailors executing pre-planned tactics designed to bring the force to that ship — if need be, board the ship and take her over,” he said.

U.S. Central Command released a recording of a radio broadcast sent to vessels in the region that said the military was ready to use force if needed to compel compliance with the blockade.

“Vessels will be boarded for interdiction and seizure transiting to or from Iranian port,” the message said.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters that “less than 10% of America’s naval power” is being used to enforce the blockade. The Navy has 16 warships — 11 destroyers, three amphibious assault ships, an aircraft carrier, and a littoral combat ship — in the Middle East out of a battle force of roughly 300 total warships.

Also supporting the blockade is a series of different aircraft as well as surveillance, reconnaissance and intelligence operations designed to give the Navy the latest information on the vessels it is encountering.

Restricting Iran's sea access is a global effort, Caine said, and U.S. military assets in other parts of the world, including in the Pacific, would pursue vessels illegally shipping Iranian oil or trying to provide material support to Tehran.

Caine noted the congestion of the area around the blockade, likening it to a crowded parking lot and U.S. destroyers to high-powered sports cars.

“There is a lot out there," Caine said. "It is like driving a sports car through a supermarket parking lot on a payday weekend, with thousands of kids in that parking lot, as you attempt to maneuver through there to get to that ship that would attempt to run that blockade.”

But during Leo’s epic four-nation trip to Africa, being inside the Vatican “bubble” has been an almost surreal experience, as an unprecedented back-and-forth plays out between U.S. President Donald Trump and history’s first American pope.

Every morning this week, waking up to developments in Washington from the evening before, the questions have abounded: Will Leo bite? How will he address the latest criticism, if at all, while focusing on the Africa program he has planned?

That was certainly the case on Wednesday, as Leo, the Vatican delegation and a pool of around 70 accredited reporters boarded the ITA Airways charter for the second leg of Leo’s 11-day odyssey — the flight from Algiers, Algeria to Yaounde, Cameroon.

Much to the reporters’ delight, Leo had responded head-on to Trump at the start of the trip when he gamely came to the back of the plane and greeted journalists traveling April 13 from Rome to Algiers. He responded to those who asked him about Trump’s Truth Social post a day earlier, in which the U.S. president had accused him of being soft on crime, cozy with the left and owed his papacy to Trump.

Trump was responding to Leo’s calls for peace, in reference to the Iran war, and comments that Trump’s threat to annihilate Iranian civilization were “truly unacceptable.”

Stopping to chat as he made his way from row to row that first day, Leo had told journalists that he was merely preaching the Gospel when he called for peace and criticized war, and that he didn’t fear the Trump administration.

A comment about peace

On Tuesday, on the short flight from Algiers to Annaba, the ancient city of Hippo, Leo stayed in the front of the plane where the Vatican delegation sits, dashing the Vatican pool's hopes for another Trump vs. Leo news cycle.

On Wednesday, with a five-hour flight ahead of us to Cameroon, excitement grew in economy class when Vatican personnel came to the back of the plane, readied the microphone and did sound checks to make sure the whole cabin could hear.

Emerging from behind the curtain, Leo didn’t take questions from reporters and kept his remarks focused on his just-concluded visit to Algeria, where he honored the legacy of his spiritual inspiration, St. Augustine of Hippo.

In brief remarks standing at the front of the cabin, Leo didn’t refer to war or Trump. But he spoke in terms that could suggest the latest overnight lobs from Washington certainly hadn't gone unnoticed. Perhaps tellingly, he spoke exclusively in English.

Trump had kept up the criticism on Truth Social, while U.S. Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, said that Leo should “be careful” when speaking about theology.

For starters, Leo noted the sign of “goodness,” “generosity,” and “respect” that the Algerian government showed him in welcoming him on the first-ever papal visit. He said that the Algerian honors had included a full military aerial escort of the papal plane through Algerian airspace.

He also recalled his visit to the Great Mosque in Algiers, which he said was a significant way to show that “although we have different beliefs, we have different ways of worshipping, we have different ways of living, we can live together in peace.”

He said that St. Augustine’s message of searching for God, searching for truth, building bridges and seeking unity and community “is something which the world needs to hear today and that together we can continue to offer in our witness as we continue on this apostolic voyage.”

A papal press pool

Like other heads of state, the pope travels internationally with both his own media team as well as a group of external news organizations that pay, oftentimes handsomely, to have their reporters travel aboard the papal plane and have special access to cover his events. The Associated Press is always on the plane, paying for as many as four journalists per trip.

Being inside the Vatican bubble has journalistic advantages and disadvantages. You get the best access and are traveling under the Vatican’s security umbrella, meaning there’s little or no hassle from local security organizers. The Vatican facilitates visas and local SIM cards in advance, and arranges hotels and local transportation, allowing reporters to focus on the news rather than logistics.

Journalists in the bubble get the pope’s speeches ahead of time and have occasional access to delegation members, as well as other information in real time from the Vatican spokesman.

But the real reason news organizations choose to spend thousands of dollars per journalist, per trip, to be on the papal plane is to be on hand for the pope’s news conferences. The only time a pope holds such briefings with journalists is at an altitude of 35,000 feet (around 10,000 meters)

Who could forget Pope Francis’ famous line on his maiden trip as pope, in 2013 to Rio de Janeiro, when he uttered the line “Who am I to judge,” when he was asked about a purportedly gay priest.

The downside of being in the Vatican bubble is obvious for many of the same reasons it’s helpful: You are removed from local reality, whether in Algeria or Alaska, and rarely have time to do the type of on-the-ground reporting that makes a news report balanced.

Those news organizations that have the resources have teams on the ground producing such content, or journalists within the bubble break away to do their own reporting, so that the end result is a healthy combination of official Vatican information and local input.

But when the real drama involving the pope is occurring thousands of miles and time zones away, being in the Vatican bubble is a somewhat jarring experience. The news everyone wants to know isn’t necessarily what the pope has on his agenda.

But on this trip, the first by an American pope to Africa, being in the Vatican bubble certainly had its advantages. The next stop is Angola. Who knows what Leo will have to say.

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

A Democratic victory in the Democratic-leaning district would further narrow the slim majority Republicans hold in the chamber.

The major party nominees to replace Sherrill are Democrat Analilia Mejia, a longtime progressive organizer and former Labor Department official, and Republican Joe Hathaway, a member of the Randolph Township Council.

Mejia, who had the early backing of progressive Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, narrowly won the Feb. 5 Democratic special primary against a crowded field that included former Rep. Tom Malinowski and former Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way. Malinowski was attempting a comeback after losing a neighboring House seat in 2022.

Hathaway ran unopposed for the Republican nomination.

The war in Gaza, which began with the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and support for Israel has been a major issue in the campaign. A super PAC affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee spent more than $2.3 million to defeat Malinowski, who had questioned providing unconditional aid to the Israeli government. During a primary campaign forum, Mejia was the only candidate to indicate she believes Israel committed genocide in Gaza. She has also called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a war criminal. Hathaway has said the U.S. should stand “ in lockstep ” with Israel and opposes putting conditions on aid to an ally.

Mejia had raised about $1.1 million for the special primary and special election and had about $374,000 in her campaign account as of March 27. Hathaway had raised about $525,000 for his campaign and had about $109,000 in the bank.

Democrats have held an advantage in general elections in the district. Sherrill won reelection in 2024 with about 57% of the vote, while Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris carried the district with 53% at the top of the ballot.

More than half of the district’s 588 precincts are in Morris County, with about 39% in Essex County and 9% in Passaic County. The district’s portion of Essex County is heavily Democratic: Harris carried the area with 64% in 2024. President Donald Trump narrowly won the district’s share of Morris County by about 1 percentage point. He carried the district’s small portion of Passaic County with about 57% of its vote.

The Associated Press does not make projections and will declare a winner only when it’s determined there is no scenario that would allow the trailing candidates to close the gap. If a race has not been called, the AP will continue to cover any newsworthy developments, such as candidate concessions or declarations of victory. In doing so, the AP will make clear that it has not yet declared a winner and explain why.

New Jersey does not have automatic recounts, but candidates and voters may request and pay for them, with the cost refunded if the outcome changes. The AP may declare a winner in a race that is subject to a recount if it can determine the lead is too large for a recount or legal challenge to change the outcome.

Here are some of the key facts about the election and data points the AP Decision Team will monitor as the votes are tallied:

When do polls close?

Polls close at 8 p.m. ET.

What’s on the ballot?

The AP will provide vote results and declare a winner in the special congressional election in the 11th District. In addition to the candidates named on the ballot, voters also have a write-in option.

Who gets to vote?

Any voter registered in the 11th District may participate in the special election.

What do turnout and advance vote look like?

As of April 1, there were about 603,000 registered voters in the 11th Congressional District. Of those, about 230,000 were Democrats, about 165,000 were Republicans and about 204,000 were not affiliated with any party. The remainder were registered with various minor parties.

More than 68,000 ballots were cast in the Feb. 5 Democratic special primary and about 16,000 in the Republican contest.

About 394,000 votes were cast in the 2024 general election, with nearly half cast before Election Day.

As of Tuesday, about 58,000 votes had already been cast, including about 36,000 from Democrats, about 15,000 from Republicans and nearly 8,000 from unaffiliated voters.

How long does vote-counting usually take?

In the Feb. 5 special primary, the AP first reported results at 8:04 p.m. ET, or four minutes after polls closed. The last update of the night was at 10:30 p.m. ET with about 91% of total votes counted. The AP called the race at 5:34 p.m. on Feb. 12.

When are early and absentee voting results released?

All counties in New Jersey release most or all the results from early and absentee voting in the first vote update of the night, before any in-person Election Day results are released.

Are we there yet?

As of Thursday, there will be 201 days until this seat is up again in the 2026 midterm elections.

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Follow the AP’s coverage of the 2026 election at https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/.

Leo traveled to the western Cameroon city of Bamenda, where jubilant crowds clogged the roads, blowing horns and dancing. They were overjoyed that a pope had come so far to see them and put a global spotlight on the violence that has traumatized this region for nearly a decade.

Leo presided over a peace meeting involving a Mankon traditional chief, a Presbyterian moderator, an imam and a Catholic nun. The aim was to highlight the interfaith movement that has been seeking to end the conflict and care for its many victims.

In his remarks in the St. Joseph Cathedral, on land donated by the Mankon, Leo praised the peace movement and warned against allowing religion to enter conflicts. It's a theme he has been echoing amid the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran and the religious justifications for it by U.S. officials.

“Blessed are the peacemakers!” he said. “But woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic and political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth.”

He called for a “decisive change of course” that leads away from conflict and the exploitation of the land for military or economic gain.

“The world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants, yet it is held together by a multitude of supportive brothers and sisters!” he said.

Leo's comments were directed at Cameroon's separatist conflict. But Vatican officials have made clear that on this trip, he is preaching the Gospel message of peace that surpasses borders and continents, and is meant for all those responsible for the wars and exploitation ravaging Earth.

Leo said Bamenda was a model for the rest of the world. “Bamenda, today you are the city on the hill, resplendent in the eyes of all!” Leo said in English, using a phrase often understood as referring to American exceptionalism.

It wasn’t immediately clear if any of Cameroon's separatist fighters, who announced a three-day pause in fighting to allow the pope safe passage to Bamenda, attended.

A conflict rooted in colonial history

The conflict in Cameroon’s two Anglophone regions is rooted in Cameroon’s colonial history, when the country was divided between France and Britain after World War I. English-speaking regions later joined French Cameroon in a 1961 U.N.-backed vote, but separatists say they have since been politically and economically marginalized.

In 2017, English-speaking separatists launched a rebellion with the stated goal of breaking away from the French-speaking majority and establishing an independent state. The conflict has killed more than 6,000 people and displaced over 600,000 others, according to the International Crisis Group.

Leo arrived to a raucous welcome in Bamenda, where blasting music from loudspeakers gave the event a concert-like vibe.

“We are so overjoyed, so overwhelmed,” said Felicity Cali, a Catholic student. “Say thank you, God, for this extraordinary day and for making us be alive to see this day.”

Leo kept up the theme in his homily before an estimated 20,000 people who gathered for his afternoon Mass at Bamenda’s airfield, where they went wild when he looped around the crowd in his covered popemobile. Leo pointed to the “moral, social and political corruption,” that afflicts Cameroon, stifling its development.

Added to these internal problems of conflict and corruption “is the damage caused from outside, by those who, in the name of profit, continue to lay their hands on the African continent to exploit and plunder it,” he said.

It was a cry that echoed the words of Pope Francis when he traveled to Congo in 2023. “Hands off Africa!” he exhorted the foreign interests plundering the continent.

Cameroon's separatist movement is believed to be backed by several actors abroad. In December, a federal jury in U.S. convicted two individuals for conspiracy to provide funds and equipment to the separatist fighters. Belgian authorities in March also announced they had arrested four people as part of investigations into Belgian residents suspected of being among the separatist leaders and raising money for them there.

“Those who rob your land of its resources generally invest much of the profit in weapons, thus perpetuating an endless cycle of destabilization and death,” Leo said. “It is a world turned upside down, an exploitation of God’s creation that must be denounced and rejected by every honest conscience.”

Cameroon sits atop significant reserves of oil, natural gas, cobalt, bauxite, iron ore, gold and diamonds, making resource extraction one of the pillars of its economy.

While French and English companies have long dominated the extraction industry in Cameroon, Chinese companies have established a significant presence in recent years, particularly in the gold mining regions of the east.

Though the number of deadly attacks by separatists has decreased in recent years, the conflict shows no sign of resolution. Peace talks with international mediators have stalled, with both sides accusing each other of acting in bad faith.

Morine Ngum, a mother of three whose husband was shot dead in 2022 by Cameroonian soldiers while fighting as a separatist, expressed doubt that the pope’s visit and peace meeting would lead to meaningful change. She said any real progress must begin with those in power.

“Nothing is going to change,” said Ngum, 30. “This conflict has turned my children into orphans and me into a widow. Many families have been rendered homeless.”

Testimony to pope about the toll of the conflict

The archbishop of Bamenda, Andrew Nkea Fuanya, told Leo that the people there had suffered from “a situation they did not create,” losing their livelihoods, homes and education: Children were not allowed to go to school for years.

“Most Holy Father, today that your feet are standing on the soil of Bamenda that has drunk the blood of many of our children,” he said.

The Right Rev. Fonki Samuel Forba, emeritus moderator of the Presbyterian church in Cameroon, said the Vatican had joined other faith groups in trying to bring the separatists to the negotiating table with the government, and meeting with their supporters abroad.

Biya’s government has been accused of shunning dialogue with the separatists.

“There is a proverb in Africa that ‘When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers,’” Forba said.

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Akua reported from Yaounde, Cameroon. Associated Press writer Chinedu Asadu in Abuja, Nigeria, contributed to this report.

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

The memo, a copy of which was sent to The Associated Press, followed a long day of reports suggesting Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund was on the verge of cutting its financial backing of the upstart league.

The newsletter Money in Sport reported in February that LIV Golf already had spent $5.3 billion and was projected to surpass $6 billion by the end of the year.

“I want to be crystal clear: Our season continues exactly as planned, uninterrupted and at full throttle,” O'Neil said. “While the media landscape is often filled with speculation, our reality is defined by the work we do on the grass. We are heading into the heart of our 2026 schedule with the full energy of an organization that is bigger, louder, and more influential than ever before.”

Left unclear was how long the funding would last for LIV Golf, which launched in June 2022 by paying roughly $1 billion in signing bonuses to some of the PGA Tour's biggest names, such as Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm.

Prize money for individuals and the 13 teams was raised to $30 million this year.

Koepka since has left LIV and was allowed to rejoin the PGA Tour this year with stipulations. Patrick Reed also left LIV and is playing a European tour schedule this year. He is virtually certain to be eligible to return to the PGA Tour in 2027 through the European tour points race.

Questions about LIV's future funding were raised as the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia revealed a new five-year investment strategy.

“The 2026-30 strategy marks a natural evolution as PIF moves from a period of rapid growth and acceleration to a new phase of sustained value creation, with a strengthened focus on maximizing impact, raising the efficiency of investments, and applying the highest standards of governance, transparency and institutional excellence,” the PIF said in a release.

The plan was developed before the U.S.-Israel war against Iran. Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the PIF governor who loves golf and was behind LIV Golf, told the London-based Financial Times, “Of course the war would add more pressure to reposition some priorities.”

LIV players at Chapultepec Golf Club for LIV Golf Mexico that starts Thursday did not have answers as speculation ran rampant throughout the day.

One player said Al-Rumayyan met with players the first week of March in Hong Kong and said funding for LIV was set through 2032. The player spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting was private. The player also said O’Neil arrived in Mexico City Wednesday and was to meet with the players.

LIV Golf promoted the Mexico event Wednesday evening on social media with the message, “Slow news day? We are ON.”

LIV has played five events this year, in Saudi Arabia, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Africa. It celebrated an inspirational victory at its biggest event in Australia when Anthony Kim won after the American had been away for 12 years while battling drug and alcohol addiction.

DeChambeau won the last two events in playoffs, and this week tries to become the first LIV player to win three in a row. DeChambeau, a two-time U.S. Open champion, missed the cut in the Masters last week.

LIV's focus has been on a global reach, with its first U.S. tournament not scheduled until May 7-10 at Trump National in northern Virginia.

“The life of a startup movement is often defined by these moments of pressure,” O'Neil said. “We signed up for this because we believe in disrupting the status quo. We have faced headwinds since the jump, and we’ve answered every time with resilience and grace. Now, we answer by doing what we do best: putting on the most compelling show in sports.”

He ended his note to the staff by saying, “We are pioneers, and while the road isn’t always smooth, the destination is worth every mile. Let’s go out and show the world why LIV Golf is the future of the game.”

LIV is in the second year of a Fox Sports television deal, with network putting it on various platforms like FS1. The opening round of the Mexico event has three hours on the Fox Sports app. The previous two years, its U.S. broadcast partner was the CW.

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

Amariae Lamari Washington, 19, was arrested and charged with capital murder by terror threat on Tuesday, six days after Davonta Dantrell Love Jones was taken into custody.

Both Washington and Jones are accused of fatally shooting Devin Farias on March 11 at an apartment complex in the 7600 block of West U.S. Highway 90, court documents show.

Prior to the shooting, the affidavit said that Farias communicated with one of the suspects on his cellphone. He later allowed Washington, Jones and another suspect to enter an apartment unit.

The warrant did not specify which of the three suspects was in communication with Farias.

When Washington, Jones and the third suspect entered the apartment, however, the affidavit states that they all pulled out guns.

According to both Washington’s and Jones’ arrest warrants, a witness told SAPD that both suspects had one gun in each of their hands.

Washington pointed one of the guns at a witness and the other at Farias in the apartment, court documents said.

One of the men robbed and assaulted Farias while the two other suspects held two witnesses at gunpoint, the warrant stated.

Farias followed the three men out of the apartment’s front door at some point. Then, according to the warrant, the suspects shot Farias.

Farias was pronounced dead at the scene.

A tip provided to authorities said that Washington admitted to robbing and shooting Farias, the affidavit said.

Both witnesses identified Washington as one of the shooters in a six-photo lineup, according to court documents.

Washington was booked into the Bexar County Adult Detention Center on a $750,000 bond, jail records show.

More coverage of this story on KSAT:

• 18-year-old man accused of capital murder in connection with West Side shooting, affidavit says
• Man fatally shot at far West Side apartment complex, SAPD says
• SAPD, Crime Stoppers seek tips in connection with capital murder of 19-year-old man

Revenue jumped 8.5% to $19.44 billion in the January-March period compared to the same period a year ago, the Purchase, New York, company said Thursday. That handily beat Wall Street’s forecast of $18.95 billion, according to analysts polled by FactSet.

“The consumer is coming back multiple times to our brands, responding to our holistic value plus execution, plus advertising, plus innovation strategy,” PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta said Thursday during a conference call with investors.

PepsiCo leaned heavily into price increases to combat inflation in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic. The company hiked prices by double-digit percentages for eight straight quarters in 2022 and 2023 before settling into more moderate price increases.

That took a toll on sales. Consumers stopped buying Frito-Lay snacks or shifted to cheaper store brands. PepsiCo's market value has fallen by more than $40 billion from 2023.

PepsiCo began cutting prices on value brands like Chester's and Santitas last spring to win back exasperated customers. Then, last September, activist investor Elliott Investment Management took a $4 billion stake in the company and began pressing for further price cuts and other changes. PepsiCo agreed to accelerate its price cuts late last year.

In February, ahead of the Super Bowl, PepsiCo slashed U.S. prices on Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos and Tostitos chips by up to 15%. At a Michigan Walmart on Thursday, a 9.25-ounce bag of Doritos was advertising a price rollback to $3.97, down from $4.48.

PepsiCo said new products like Cheetos NKD and Doritos NKD, which have no artificial ingredients, and snacks with trendy ingredients, like Smartfood FiberPop and Doritos Protein, are also attracting shoppers, both in the U.S. and internationally.

On the beverage side, PepsiCo is seeing new customers thanks to its recent acquisition of Poppi, a gut health soda, and a new lower-sugar version of Gatorade that has no artificial ingredients. On Thursday, PepsiCo announced that it will shift Gatorade's packaging and marketing to focus more on hydration for general consumers and less on athletes.

“So two types of consumers are coming into the category, because both of a stronger core and also innovation,” Laguarta said. “And I think we’re going to continue to play both levers.”

Net income rose 27% to $2.33 billion for the quarter. Adjusted for one-time items, the company earned $1.61 per share. That also beat Wall Street’s forecast of $1.54 per share.

PepsiCo shares rose 2% in morning trading.

The jet power from this relatively close black hole-star system is equivalent to 10,000 suns, an international research team reported Thursday. They also tracked the jet speed: roughly 355 million mph (540 million kph) — half the speed of light.

Located 7,200 light-years away, Cygnus X-1 features not only a black hole — the first one ever identified more than a half-century ago — but a blue supergiant star, its constant companion. A light-year is nearly 6 trillion miles (9.7 trillion kilometers).

The University of Oxford’s Steve Prabu and his team based their findings on 18 years of high-resolution radio imaging obtained by a global telescope network. He conducted the research while still at Australia’s Curtin University, which led the study published in Nature Astronomy.

Prabu and his colleagues were able to measure the swift power of these “dancing jets” as he calls them, as they were pushed in opposite directions by the star’s wind. The group based its calculations on how much the jets were bent by the stellar wind as well as computer modeling.

Until now, a black hole’s jet power had to be averaged over tens of thousands of years, the researchers said.

Prabu said a key finding is that 10% of all the energy released as matter falls toward the black hole is carried away by the jets.

On the skimpy side as black holes go, the one in Cygnus X-1 is continually pulling gases from its stellar playmate as they orbit one another. Discovered in the 1960s, the binary system is located in our Milky Way’s Cygnus, or swan, constellation.

The supergiant star feeds material to the black hole, giving it “something to ‘eat’ and launch as jets,” Prabu said in an email.

These jets can help scientists better understand how black holes help shape galaxies and other cosmic structures through large-scale shocks and turbulence.

Prabu plans to apply similar techniques to other black holes. “It would be exciting to measure jet power in many more systems,” he said.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Our question of the day: What is your best Fiesta fit? Send it here then look it this morning on the show.

Need some custom gear for Fiesta? Happy Chick Beauty has you covered, literally with custom hair accessories, flower crowns, jewelry and shoe designer.

Cat’s that play instruments, drive tiny cars and circus acts. Known as the Acrocats you have to see these talented kittens.

We’re live at TruFit getting pumped up this morning.

Jada gets to visit a Toyota plant with Miss Fiesta. We’re learning about the importance of rear axle’s and all about this new plant.

If your feeling the pinch in your wallet, RBFCU has some tips for you this Fiesta.

It's still jazzing up iceberg and romaine. But ranch now competes with the likes of ketchup and other condiments, a creamy dip for everything from hot wings and fried pickles to — perhaps most controversially — pizza.

It's ubiquitous, a versatile staple of American foodways easily found in grocery stores, recipes and on menus. There are entire cookbooks and a restaurant dedicated to the flavor.

Beloved and maligned, ranch also turns up in the country's cultural intangibles. Writers have labeled it the “Great American Condiment,” and less flatteringly, “extravagant and trashy.” It carries a nostalgia, said Nick Higgins, an executive for Hidden Valley Ranch's parent company, which taps into that sentimentalism and fosters the ranch fandom.

The viral food fights their product inspires? They embrace those, too. “We love it," he said. “It's one of the things we can debate as people and it's OK.”

How ranch got to that mountaintop is an American story, a difficult feat that evokes the country's entrepreneurial spirit.

“What started out almost as a lark became a multimillion-dollar industry,” the late Steve Henson explained in a Los Angeles Times piece about his famous dressing and Hidden Valley Ranch, the mail-order business he launched in the 1950s and sold to The Clorox Company two decades later.

As a plumbing contractor in Alaska, Henson first served it to workers. His herbs, spices, buttermilk and mayo concoction then became such a hit with guests at Hidden Valley, the dude ranch he and his wife opened in California, that he sold it as a DIY dry mix. Eventually, Clorox bottled a shelf-stable version, and competitors like Ken's, Kraft Foods and Wish-Bone joined in.

Debbie Wilson Potts loves ranch. Her family owns Cold Spring Tavern in California, the first to serve Henson's dressing outside of his dude ranch. Her late aunt, who knew Henson, once described her first taste: “It took off in my mouth like a freight train.”

It also took off across America. In his book “American Cuisine and How It Got This Way," Paul Freedman lists ranch dressing alongside sushi, arugula and other food fads and fashions of the 1980s, the same decade that gave the country Cool Ranch Doritos. After 40 years of popularity, ranch, he said, is likely here to stay.

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As AP’s religion news editor, Holly Meyer has years of experience documenting faith in American life. This story is part of a recurring series, “American Objects,” marking the 250th anniversary of the United States. For more stories on the anniversary, click here.

Today on Texas Eats NOW:

LA CARNICERIA MEAT MARKET

8771 TX-151 Ste 101, San Antonio, TX 78245

Tia’s Taco Hut hosted a lively medal giveaway as part of the 2026 Fiesta season, drawing eager locals who lined up as early as 5 a.m. to collect a limited “Texas Eats Fiesta 2026” medal. The event, sponsored by Tia’s and Pepsi, brought the community together to celebrate one of the city’s most anticipated traditions leading up to Fiesta.

Known for its fast-casual Tex-Mex offerings, Tia’s Taco Hut continues to expand across the San Antonio area with a menu featuring breakfast tacos served all day, carne guisada, barbacoa, and classic plates like enchiladas and fajitas. With fresh, in-house recipes, budget-friendly options, and a bright, festive atmosphere, the restaurant remains a popular stop for locals looking for flavorful meals at any time of day.

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

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

Fiesta 2026 will carry the theme “Fiesta Together” as San Antonio marks the festival’s 135th anniversary.

KSAT will be live from Fiesta Fiesta at Travis Park from 8-10 p.m. You can catch the official kickoff party, Fiesta Fiesta, on KSAT 12, KSAT Plus (our free streaming app), and KSAT.com.

Wondering what’s happening each day of the 11-day celebration? Make sure to keep up with KSAT on air and online!

Here’s a list of events for the first day of Fiesta 2026 on April 16:

• Coronation Gallery Open House at The Witte Museum: Fiesta-goers can visit the open house from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 3801 Broadway St. The museum houses more than 280 coronation robes and Fiesta finery. To purchase tickets, click here.
• Fiesta Carnival: Take the family to enjoy thrilling rides and a variety of food and snacks. The carnival is scheduled from 5-11 p.m. at the Alamodome Parking Lot C, 100 Montana St. The event runs daily throughout Fiesta.
• Fiesta Fiesta: The free event, presented by Toyota, is the official opening ceremony for Fiesta. Fiesta fans can wear their shiny Fiesta medals, enjoy live entertainment and food from 4-10 p.m. at Travis Park, 301 E. Travis. The festival will also feature a military salute spotlighting the Fiesta Military Commander from the U.S. Air Force.
• First Tee Invitational Golf Tournament: The golf tournament, hosted by the Canyon Springs Senior Men’s Golf Association, enters its ninth year as an official Fiesta event. The event will take place from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 24405 Wilderness Oak. Team registration starts at $800 for a four-person team. For more details, click here.
• Pin Pandemonium: Located at Fiesta Fiesta, guests can stop by the Pin Pandemonium to purchase or trade Fiesta medals from 4-10 p.m. at Travis Park. The pandemonium, presented by Monarch Trophy Studio, also helps support the Fiesta nonprofit organizations.
• Taste of the Republic: Since 2017, Taste of the Republic has helped kick off Fiesta. Attendees can enjoy and stroll through six culinary regions of Texas from 5-9 p.m. at the Jack Guenther Pavilion at the Briscoe Art Museum, 210 W. Market St. Tickets are $150 per person. This event is only for guests 21 and over.

Click here to see more events scheduled for Fiesta 2026.

Before you head out to Fiesta, check out the forecast from KSAT’s Weather Authority team to help plan your Fiesta adventure.

Watch Fiesta coverage on KSAT

KSAT will offer live coverage of Fiesta 2026’s biggest events.

Take a look at when you can catch some of the biggest events on KSAT 12, KSAT Plus (our free streaming app), YouTube and KSAT.com.

To get more information about how to stream KSAT 12 for free, click here.

• Thursday, April 16: Fiesta Fiesta, 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Travis Park — On KSAT 12, KSAT.com and KSAT Plus.
• Monday, April 20: Texas Cavaliers River Parade and River Parade en Español, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. followed by the SA Live Fiesta After Party, 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. — On KSAT 12, KSAT.com and KSAT Plus.
• Thursday, April 23: Battle of Flowers Band Festival, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. — On KSAT.com and KSAT Plus.
• Friday, April 24: SA Live Battle of Flowers Pre-Party, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. — On KSAT 12, KSAT.com and KSAT Plus.
• Friday, April 24: Battle of Flowers Parade and Battle of Flowers en Español, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. — On KSAT 12, KSAT.com and KSAT Plus.
• Saturday, April 25: Pooch Parade, coverage starts at 7:30 a.m. — On KSAT.com and KSAT Plus.
• Saturday, April 25: King William Parade, coverage starts at 9 a.m. — On KSAT.com and KSAT Plus.
• Saturday, April 25: Battle of Flowers Band Festival, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. (rebroadcast) — On KSAT 12, KSAT.com and KSAT Plus.
• Saturday, April 25: KSAT Flambeau Pre-Party, 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. — On KSAT 12, KSAT.com and KSAT Plus.
• Saturday, April 25: Fiesta Flambeau Parade and Flambeau en Español, 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. — On KSAT 12, KSAT.com and KSAT Plus.

This is just a partial list. As Fiesta gets closer, we will update our plans, which may include covering even more events live.

Stay tuned and viva Fiesta!

KSAT will help kick off the 11-day party with a purpose on Thursday, April 16, with live coverage from Fiesta Fiesta.

KSAT anchors Myra Arthur and Ernie Zuniga will be live from Travis Park for the official kickoff.

You can watch live coverage in this article starting at 8 p.m. If there’s not a livestream available, check back at a later time.

For anyone interested in attending any other Fiesta event, KSAT has everything you need to know about the 11-day celebration on our Fiesta page!

Also, be sure to check the weather forecast from the KSAT Weather Authority team before heading out to Fiesta events so you can dress appropriately.

If you’re planning to head to Fiesta, submit your photos and videos on KSAT Connect!

Watch Fiesta coverage live on KSAT

Here’s when you can watch some of the biggest events on KSAT 12, KSAT Plus (our free streaming app), YouTube and KSAT.com.

• Thursday, April 16: Fiesta Fiesta, 8-10 p.m. at Travis Park. — Watch on KSAT 12, KSAT.com and KSAT Plus.
• Monday, April 20: Texas Cavaliers River Parade and River Parade en Español, coverage starts at 7 p.m., followed by the SA Live River Parade After Party. — Watch on KSAT 12, KSAT.com and KSAT Plus.
• Thursday, April 23: Battle of Flowers Band Festival, coverage starts at 7 p.m. at the Alamo Stadium. — Watch on KSAT.com and KSAT Plus.
• Friday, April 24: Battle of Flowers Parade and Battle of Flowers en Español, coverage begins at 10 a.m. — Watch on KSAT 12, KSAT.com and KSAT Plus.
• Saturday, April 25: Fiesta Pooch Parade, coverage starts at 7:30 a.m. at Heights Pool in Alamo Heights. — Watch on KSAT.com and KSAT Plus.
• Saturday, April 25: King William Fair Parade, coverage begins at 8 a.m. — Watch on KSAT.com and KSAT Plus.
• Saturday, April 25: Battle of Flowers Band Festival, 2-5 p.m. (rebroadcast) — Watch on KSAT 12, KSAT.com and KSAT Plus.
• Saturday, April 25: Fiesta Flambeau Parade and Flambeau en Español, coverage starts at 7 p.m. — Watch on KSAT 12, KSAT.com and KSAT Plus.

You can get more information about how to stream KSAT 12 for free here.

This is just a partial list. As Fiesta gets closer, we will update our plans, which may include covering even more events live.

Stay tuned!

Find more news on KSAT’s Fiesta page. You can also sign up for our free Things To Do and Fiesta newsletters.

Read also:

• Fiesta’s biggest event no longer free; city council approves $5 gate fee for Fiesta de los Reyes
• Cone zones may not disappear even after ‘completion’ of downtown street project, city says

Speaking at CNBC’s Invest in America Forum, Infantino said it is important that Iran participates in the World Cup even though its participation has been in doubt since the U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes on the country.

“The Iranian team is coming for sure, yes,” Infantino said. “We hope that by then, of course, the situation will be a peaceful situation. As I said, that would definitely help. But Iran has to come. Of course, they represent their people. They have qualified. The players want to play.”

Infantino met with the Iranian national team in Antalya, Turkey, two weeks ago and said Wednesday he was impressed.

“I went to see them. They are actually quite a good team as well," Infantino said. "And they really want to play and they should play. Sports should be outside of politics now.”

Infantino acknowledged it's not always possible to achieve the separation of sports and politics.

“OK we don’t live on the moon, we live on planet Earth," Infantino said. "But you know if there is nobody else that believes in building bridges and in keeping them, you know, intact and together, well we are doing that job.”

The United States will co-host the World Cup with Canada and Mexico.

Iran is scheduled to play two group-stage games in Inglewood, California, and one in Seattle.

The war has raised doubts about Iran’s participation in the World Cup. There have been conflicting public comments from Iranian government and soccer officials. U.S. President Donald Trump discouraged the Iranian team from attending the tournament, citing safety concerns.

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

Wasserman put his talent agency up for sale in February, shortly after the release of documents from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation that included flirtatious emails between Wasserman and Epstein's confidant, Ghislaine Maxwell, from more than 20 years ago.

USOPC chair Gene Sykes said the federation's board of directors discussed the issue at its quarterly meeting Wednesday and that “we take the concern seriously.” There has been no move to remove Wasserman from his role in leading the Olympic effort. Decisions about Wasserman's future are up to LA's board, not the USOPC's.

LA organizers said they had no comment about the USOPC meeting.

The LA committee previously said it investigated Wasserman's relationship with Maxwell, found the relationship “did not go beyond what has already been publicly documented” in the Epstein files and concluded he “should continue to lead LA28 and deliver a safe and successful Games.”

In 2021, Maxwell was convicted on five counts of sex trafficking and abuse of minors. She is serving a 20-year prison sentence. Epstein killed himself in a New York jail cell in August 2019, a month after being indicted on federal sex-trafficking charges.

Though the LA board would make any decision, the USOPC's opinion would likely carry some weight in any discussion. There is crossover between the two; USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland and members David Haggerty and Anita DeFrantz are on the LA board.

“We’re stewards of the Olympic and Paralympic movement in the United States, and we’re committed to upholding and consistently demonstrating its values,” Sykes said.

He then shifted to discussing progress LA has made involving public support and corporate interest.

“I think (that's) very encouraging,” Sykes said. “The ongoing committee is executing effectively and we’re very happy to work with them.”

Prices of LA28 tickets raise eyebrows; more inexpensive seats will be available

Tickets for the 2028 Olympics went on sale earlier this month, and though organizers have touted more than 1 million for sale for $28, there were none close to that price on its website Wednesday.

The cheapest tickets left among the first major release of tickets, for which people who register are given dedicated time slots to purchase up to 12 seats, were in the $170 range for field hockey preliminaries. The cheapest tickets for an evening of medal events on a night at track and field were $1,100.

In an interview last week with The Associated Press, LA executive Allison Katz-Mayfield acknowledged the wide range of pricing and said cheaper tickets would be released later.

“It goes back to our ethos that we want to ensure there's something for everyone, whether it's someone who just wants to get in the door and experience the Games or someone who has a very specific sport or session and they want to sit in the absolute best seat,” she said. “We tried to approach our inventory mix to replicate that and replicate what we saw in terms of demand from the research we did.”

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

Dalton Rushing, who replaced Ohtani as designated hitter, hit his first career grand slam off Mets closer Devin Williams in the eighth. Kyle Tucker added a two-out solo shot — his first at home as a Dodger — off Austin Warren, making it 8-1.

Ohtani (2-0) had tossed 33 consecutive innings without an earned run before MJ Melendez's RBI double in the fifth trimmed New York's deficit to 2-1. It was his first earned run allowed since Aug. 27 against Cincinnati.

Ohtani wasn't in the batting lineup during a mound start for the first time since May 28, 2021, with the Los Angeles Angels. Manager Dave Roberts said it was because Ohtani was still sore after getting hit in the back of his right shoulder by Mets pitcher David Peterson on Monday.

Ohtani's strikeouts were a season high by a Dodgers pitcher. He twice fanned Francisco Lindor in a battle of All-Stars. The second time, Lindor laughed as Ohtani blew a 99 mph fastball past him on his 11th and last pitch to end the third. Ohtani smiled wryly.

Ohtani walked two on 95 pitches, 63 for strikes. He struck out the side in the sixth to end his outing. Ohtani had 22 swing and misses, his most with the Dodgers.

The Dodgers (14-4) swept the Mets at home for the first time since June 19-22, 2017. Along with sweeps of Arizona and Washington, the Dodgers are 9-0 against National League opponents this season.

The Dodgers led 2-0 on Hyeseong Kim's two-run homer off Mets starter Clay Holmes (2-2) in the second. Teoscar Hernández added an opposite field solo shot leading off the sixth against reliever Tobias Myers.

The Mets managed five hits playing their 11th game without injured slugger Juan Soto (calf). They were outscored 14-4 in the series.

Melendez was the only Met with any success against Ohtani, going 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles after being called up from Triple-A Wednesday.

The Dodgers improved to 18-4 on Jackie Robinson Day — best mark in the majors — since MLB first declared a special day in 2004 for the player who broke baseball's color barrier in 1947 with Brooklyn.

Up next

Mets RHP Kodai Senga (0-2, 7.07 ERA) starts Friday against Chicago Cubs RHP Edward Cabrera (1-0, 1.62). Also Friday, Dodgers RHP Tyler Glasnow (1-0, 4.00) starts at Colorado against Rockies RHP Tomoyuki Sugano (1-0, 2.16).

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

Russia launched nearly 700 drones and dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles, primarily targeting civilians, in its biggest aerial barrage in almost two weeks, authorities said.

Tetiana Sokol, a 54-year-old resident of Kyiv, said two missiles hit near her home and she took cover with her dog in the hallway as flashes lit up the night and windows shattered from the blast wave.

“On the third attack everything broke, everything flew, we were shocked, we didn’t know where to run. I grabbed whatever came to hand and ran away with the dog,” she told The Associated Press. “I still can’t find the cats in the house, they climbed out somewhere, I don’t even know. No windows, nothing, the dog is still walking around in stress.”

Moscow's forces have hit civilian areas almost daily since its all-out invasion of its neighbor more than four years ago, with the regular assaults occasionally punctuated by massive attacks. More than 15,000 Ukrainian civilians have died in the strikes, the United Nations says.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the operation was launched “in retaliation” for Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russia, where long-range drones and missiles have hit Russian oil refineries and war-related manufacturing plants. The Russian barrage was aimed at facilities associated with the Ukrainian armed forces, the Defense Ministry claimed.

European Council President António Costa described it as “yet another horrendous attack” while people slept in their homes.

Zelenskyy on a mission to improve air defenses

The latest bombardment came in the wake of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's 48-hour trip this week to Germany, Norway and Italy in an urgent search for more air defense systems that can stop Russian missiles.

Ukraine has developed a significant domestic arms industry, especially in the production of drones and missiles, but it can’t yet match the sophistication of U.S. Patriot air defense systems. Ukraine’s top diplomatic priority is securing allies’ help to buy and build more and better air defenses, Zelenskyy said this week.

Yuriy Ihnat, the head of communications for the Ukrainian air force, said the Russian attack made extensive use of ballistic missiles, which only Patriot systems can reliably shoot down.

“We desperately need more missiles for the Patriot systems," Ihnat told Ukraine’s private TV channel 1+1.

Cash-strapped Ukraine also needs the speedy disbursement of a promised loan from the European Union of 90 billion euros ($106 billion) that has been blocked by Hungary.

Ukraine fears the Iran war is burning through stockpiles of the advanced American-made air defense systems it needs, and has argued against a U.S. temporary waiver on Russian oil sanctions that Kyiv says is helping finance the Kremlin's war effort.

“Another night has proven that Russia does not deserve any easing of global policy or lifting of sanctions,” Zelenskyy said on X.

He thanked Germany, Norway and Italy for new agreements this week on supporting Ukraine's air defense. Officials are also working with the Netherlands on additional supplies, he said.

At the same time, he noted that some partner countries haven't followed through on pledges of military support.

“I have instructed the Commander of the Air Force to contact those partners who earlier committed to providing missiles for Patriot and other systems,” Zelenskyy said.

Other areas of Ukraine and Russia were also hit

The bombardment was the biggest in weeks. Last month, Russia fired 948 drones and 34 missiles in the space of 24 hours in the largest assault of the war on civilian areas.

At least four people were killed overnight in Kyiv, including a 12-year-old, with more than 50 others injured, according to authorities. Officials said the attack damaged 17 apartment buildings, 10 private homes, as well as a hotel, office center, car dealership, gas station and a shopping mall in the capital.

Nine people were killed and 23 injured in the southern port city of Odesa, three women were killed and around three dozen injured in the central Dnipro region, and one person was killed in Zaporizhzhia in the south.

“Such attacks cannot be normalized. These are war crimes that must be stopped and their perpetrators held to account,” Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on X.

Ukraine’s air force said air defenses shot down or disabled 667 out of 703 incoming targets, including 636 Shahed-type drones and other uncrewed aerial vehicles.

It said 20 strike drones and 12 missiles hit 26 locations.

Meanwhile in Russia, Krasnodar regional Gov. Veniamin Kondratyev reported that a 14-year-old girl and a woman were killed in Ukrainian strikes in the Black Sea port of Tuapse.

He said that attacks damaged six apartment buildings, 24 private houses and three schools. Drone fragments also fell near Tuapse.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said that its air defenses downed 207 Ukrainian drones overnight.

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

The end of Maryland's legislative session this week marked the demise of Democratic efforts to reshape the state's U.S. House districts. But Virginia voters are deciding Tuesday on a Democratic redistricting plan that could help the party win several additional House seats in this year's election. And Florida lawmakers are to begin a special session April 28 for a Republican attempt at congressional redistricting.

Voting districts typically are redrawn once a decade, after each census. But President Donald Trump triggered an unusual round of mid-decade redistricting last year when he urged Texas Republicans to redraw House districts to give the GOP an edge in the midterm elections. California Democrats reciprocated, and redistricting efforts soon cascaded across states.

So far, Republicans believe they could win nine additional seats in states where they have redrawn congressional districts, while Democrats think they could gain six seats elsewhere because of redistricting. But that presumes past voting patterns hold in November. And that’s uncertain, especially since the party in power typically loses seats in the midterms and Trump faces negative approval ratings in polls.

Democrats need to gain just a few seats in November to wrest control of the House from Republicans, potentially allowing them to obstruct Trump’s agenda.

Where redistricting remains in play

Officials in more than a dozen states debated or floated redistricting proposals. The immediate focus is on two states — one led by Republicans, the other by Democrats.

Florida

Current map: eight Democrats, 20 Republicans

Proposed map: Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has called a special legislative session to begin April 28 on congressional redistricting. Republicans haven't yet publicly released a specific plan.

Challenges: The state constitution says districts cannot be drawn with intent to favor or disfavor a political party or incumbent.

Virginia

Current map: six Democrats, five Republicans

Proposed map: A new U.S. House map passed by the Democratic-led General Assembly could help Democrats win up to four additional seats. For the map to take effect, voters would have to approve a constitutional amendment allowing mid-decade redistricting. That amendment is on Tuesday's ballot.

Challenges: The state Supreme Court ruled the referendum can proceed, but it has yet to rule whether the effort is legal. The court is considering an appeal of a Tazewell County judge’s ruling that the amendment is invalid because lawmakers violated their own rules while passing it.

Where new House districts were approved

New U.S. House districts have been adopted in six states since last summer. Four took up redistricting voluntarily, one was required to by its state constitution and another did so under court order.

Texas

Current map: 13 Democrats, 25 Republicans

New map: Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed a revised House map into law last August that could help Republicans win five additional seats.

Challenges: The U.S. Supreme Court in December cleared the way for the new districts to be used in this year’s elections. It put on hold a lower-court ruling that blocked the new map because it was “racially gerrymandered.”

California

Current map: 43 Democrats, nine Republicans

New map: Voters in November approved revised House districts drawn by the Democratic-led Legislature that could help Democrats win five additional seats.

Challenges: The U.S. Supreme Court in February allowed the new districts to be used in this year’s elections. It denied an appeal from Republicans and the Department of Justice, which claimed the districts impermissibly favor Hispanic voters.

Missouri

Current map: two Democrats, six Republicans

New map: Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe signed a revised House map into law last September that could help Republicans win an additional seat.

Challenges: A Cole County judge ruled the new map is in effect as election officials work to determine whether a referendum petition seeking a statewide vote complies with constitutional criteria and contains enough valid petition signatures. The Missouri Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit claiming mid-decade redistricting is illegal. It's scheduled to hear arguments in May on claims the new districts violate compactness requirements and should be placed on hold pending the potential referendum.

North Carolina

Current map: four Democrats, 10 Republicans

New map: The Republican-led General Assembly gave final approval in October to revised districts that could help Republicans win an additional seat.

Challenges: A federal court panel in November denied a request to block the revised districts from being used in the midterm elections.

Ohio

Current map: five Democrats, 10 Republicans

New map: A bipartisan panel composed primarily of Republicans voted in October to approve revised House districts that improve Republicans’ chances of winning two additional seats.

Challenges: None. The state constitution required new districts before the 2026 election, because Republicans had approved the prior map without sufficient Democratic support after the last census.

Utah

Current map: no Democrats, four Republicans

New map: A judge in November imposed revised House districts that could help Democrats win a seat. The court ruled that lawmakers had circumvented anti-gerrymandering standards passed by voters when adopting the prior map.

Challenges: A federal court panel and the state Supreme Court, in February, each rejected Republican challenges to the judicial map selection.

Where redistricting efforts were denied

Governors, lawmakers or partisan officials pushed for congressional redistricting in numerous states. In at least five states, those efforts gained some initial traction but ultimately fell short in either the legislature or court.

Maryland

Current map: seven Democrats, one Republican

Proposed map: The Democratic-led House in February passed a redistricting plan backed by Democratic Gov. Wes Moore that could help Democrats win an additional seat.

Challenges: The legislative session ended in April without the Democratic-led Senate voting on the redistricting plan. The state Senate president said there were concerns it could backfire on Democrats.

New York

Current map: 19 Democrats, seven Republicans

Proposed map: A judge in January ordered a state commission to draw new boundaries for the only congressional district in New York City represented by a Republican, ruling it unconstitutionally dilutes the votes of Black and Hispanic residents.

Challenges: The U.S. Supreme Court in March granted Republicans' request to halt the judge’s order, leaving the existing district lines in place for the 2026 election.

Indiana

Current map: two Democrats, seven Republicans

Proposed map: The Republican-led House passed a redistricting plan in December that would have improved Republicans’ chances of winning two additional seats.

Challenges: Despite pressure from Trump to adopt the new map, the Republican-led Senate rejected it in a bipartisan vote on Dec. 11.

Kansas

Current map: one Democrat, three Republicans

Proposed map: Some Republican lawmakers mounted an attempt to take up congressional redistricting.

Challenges: Lawmakers dropped a petition drive for a special session on congressional redistricting in November, after failing to gain enough support.

Illinois

Current map: 14 Democrats, three Republicans

Proposed map: The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in October proposed a new U.S. House map that would improve Democrats’ chances of winning an additional seat.

Challenges: The Democratic-led General Assembly declined to take up redistricting, citing concerns about the effect on representation for Black residents.

The whale, which has been nicknamed Timmy by local media, is lying in shallow waters near the eastern German town of Wismar and has barely moved for days. Many fear it may soon die.

Timmy was first spotted swimming in the region on March 3. It is not clear why the whale swam into the Baltic Sea, far from its natural habitat. Some experts say the animal may have lost its way while swimming after a shoal of herring or during migration.

The animal faces long odds in finding its way back out into the North Sea, a journey of several hundred kilometers (miles), and then to the Atlantic Ocean.

Previous rescue efforts have failed

Attempts to refloat the mammal with the help of police boats, excavators and inflatable boats had temporarily freed it. But the whale, which measures 12 to 15 meters (39 to 49 feet) long, never found its way back to the North Sea and was stranded again while becoming weaker and sicker.

Local media have started dayslong livestreams to feed the outsized public attention to the fate of the whale, which is lying in shallow waters and only breathing slowly and heavily. Online newspapers have pushed alerts with the smallest developments about Timmy's health including updates on its bad skin condition, which is related to the Baltic Sea's low salt content.

Activists have staged protests on the beach in Wismar calling for the animal's liberation, while influencers have debated whether the best way to help the animal was to let it die in peace or keep trying to assist its return to the Atlantic Ocean.

Timmy getting police protection and expert assistance

Interest has been so strong that police had put up a 500-meter (1,640 foot) protection zone to keep curious bystanders from getting too close and stressing the stranded whale even more.

Despite these efforts, a 67-year-old woman jumped off a boat on the weekend trying to get close to the whale before she was stopped.

Experts have come up with a sophisticated plan to use air cushions to lift the animal onto a tarp, which will be secured to two pontoons and attached to a tugboat.

State officials have approved a private initiative to transport the whale back to the North Sea and possibly further to the Atlantic. If everything goes according to plan, the tugboat carrying Timmy will have left the Baltic Sea by Friday.

“He’s not active, and he’s certainly not agile, but he shows that there’s still life in him,” Till Backhaus, the environment minister of the state of Mecklenburg-Pomerania, where Wismar is located, said Wednesday as he announced the new rescue plan. “He’s definitely suffered serious damage, that’s for sure.”

Greenpeace, which has been involved in previous rescue operations, said it wasn't supporting the latest one.

“We do not support the rescue operation because, according to all the information we have, this whale is sick and severely weakened,” a spokesperson for the environmental organization told German news agency dpa,

The number of Americans applying for jobless aid for the week ending April 11 fell by 11,000 to 207,000 from the previous week’s 218,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That’s less than the 217,000 new applications analysts surveyed by the data firm FactSet were expecting but within the range of the past several years.

Filings for unemployment benefits are considered representative of U.S. layoffs and are close to a real-time indicator of the health of the job market.

The Iran war, now in its seventh week, has injected a large degree of uncertainty about how it will affect the U.S. and global economies even as Iran and the U.S. agreed to a ceasefire last week.

U.S. financial markets have rebounded in recent weeks and oil prices have settled in around $92 per barrel, better than last week’s $112 but still 37% higher than before the war began. Gas prices also remain elevated, saddling businesses and consumers with higher costs.

The largest monthly jump in gas prices in six decades sent consumer prices up 3.3% in March from a year earlier, the Labor Department said Friday. That’s up sharply from just 2.4% in February and the biggest yearly increase since May 2024. On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.9% in March from February, the largest such increase in nearly four years.

This comes at a time when U.S. inflation was already above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target, further diminishing the chances of an interest rate cut by central bank officials any time soon.

Fed officials voted to raise the rate three times to close 2025 out of concern for a weakening job market but have held off lowering rates further this year.

The Labor Department reported earlier this month that U.S. employers added an unexpectedly strong 178,000 new jobs in March, nudging the unemployment rate back down to 4.3%. That followed a surprisingly large loss of 92,000 jobs in February. Revisions also have trimmed 69,000 jobs from December and January payrolls, a sign that the labor market remains under strain.

A number of high-profile companies have cut jobs recently, including Morgan Stanley,Block, UPSand Amazon.

Weekly jobless aid applications have stabilized in a range mostly between 200,000 and 250,000 since the U.S. economy emerged from the pandemic recession. However, hiring began slowing about two years ago and tapered further in 2025 due to President Donald Trump’s erratic tariff rollouts, his purge of the federal workforce and the lingering effects of high interest rates meant to control inflation.

Employers added fewer than 200,000 jobs last year, compared with about 1.5 million in 2024, according to the data firm FactSet.

The American labor market appears stuck in what economists call a “low-hire, low-fire” state that has kept the unemployment rate historically low, but has left those out of work struggling to find a new job.

The Labor Department’s report Thursday showed that the four-week moving average of jobless claims, which evens out some of the weekly volatility, rose by 500 to 209,750.

The total number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits for the previous week ending April 4 rose by 31,000 to 1.82 million, in line with analyst forecasts.

Thursday, April 16

Multiple lanes are currently closed on U.S. Highway 281 southbound at Winding Way after a crash, according to the Texas Department of Transportation.

Drivers should take an alternate route to avoid delays.

NISD school bus crash on FM 1560

No injuries were reported after a Northside Independent School District bus was involved in a crash on Farm-to-Market 1560, an NISD spokesperson said.

Three elementary school students were on the bus, the spokesperson said. Parents were notified and went to the crash scene to pick up their children.

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

He was released on appeal, which will be heard at a later date.

If the verdict and sentence are upheld, Malema will be disqualified as a lawmaker. South African law bars anyone from serving in Parliament if they have been convicted of an offense and sentenced to more than 12 months in prison without the option of a fine.

Malema was convicted in October on five counts, including unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, discharge of a firearm in a built-up area and reckless endangerment.

Malema addressed hundreds of his party supporters, popularly known as “fighters," many of whom traveled from various provinces to attend the sentencing. Clad in their red party regalia, they chanted and sang before and after the sentence was delivered.

A defiant Malema criticized the magistrate, claiming she was biased against him throughout the case. “We were tried by a magistrate who doesn't read, who uses emotions, who speaks politics. We are done with her, we are going to a higher court,” he said.

The fiery lawmaker, who leads the leftist Economic Freedom Fighters party, was charged alongside his bodyguard Anton Snyman, after the video of the incident went viral. Snyman was found not guilty.

Delivering the sentence, Magistrate Twanet Olivier said she considered the magnitude of the offense when she determined his sentence. “We hear daily, or weekly, of children playing in the front yards, in the street, who are caught in crossfire, random shots fired, killing people. It’s just the first time that we hear, it’s being called celebratory shots,” Olivier said.

During his trial and sentencing, Malema said that the charges against him were politically motivated as they were brought by Afriforum, a lobby group for the white Afrikaner minority group that has been at odds with Malema for years.

Olivier said the sentence and verdict was based solely on his actions on the day.

Malema, whose party is the fourth-biggest in the country, is a divisive figure, mainly because of his party policies, which include the expropriation of white-owned land without compensation and the nationalization of mines and banks.

He appeared in a video shown by U.S. President Donald Trump during a tense meeting with South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa last year, where he was singing a controversial anti-apartheid song that has been interpreted by some as calling for violence against Afrikaners.

No U.S. personnel were harmed, the U.S. Southern Command said in a social media post.

Several such strikes have been announced in recent days as the Trump administration continues its aggressive anti-cartel actions in international waters. At least 178 people have been killed in the strikes since the effort began in early September, months before the U.S. raid in January that captured then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

The Southern Command described the attack Wednesday as a “lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization." It said the vessel was transiting along "known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific.

The announcement did not name the organization or the three men killed in the strike or offer a more precise location. Nor did it provide evidence of the men's ties to drug trafficking.

We’re so close to Fiesta San Antonio and we’re live at WellMed giving away those coveted KSAT medals.

A Taste of New Orleans brings Mardi Gras to San Antonio with face painting, bounce houses, clowns and activities for all ages.

Espinoza and Brock stop by to talk about workers rights and one of their most recent cases that earned their client $20 million. We learn what that means for the rest of us.

Jewelry, apparel, food, drinks, home decor, art and much more. Get your tickets now and stop by the Boerne Handmade Market this weekend.

The 10th annual Crunchyroll anime awards are coming up and you get to vote on the best animes of the year.

San Antonio Animal Care Services (ACS) and San Antonio Police Department officers arrived at the owner’s home, identified as Julius L., in the 3000 block of Vera Cruz Street and rescued 11 dogs living on the property.

The City of San Antonio limits households to a maximum of five dogs, according to city documents. Julius had 15.

Julius told KSAT that he rescued all the dogs from the Valley and nearby areas in his West Side neighborhood.

“There’s at least one or two strays on every block of 78207,” Julius said.

“I pick some up from a local pound (small town) south of here,” Julius said. “Some are from the street. I make sure to get them fixed.”

ACS officer Joni Canavacholo said the agency was notified of constant 311 calls about animal bites at Julius’ home, which spearheaded the search-and-seizure warrant.

As she and other ACS officers walked through the property to rescue the dogs, they noticed “unsanitary living conditions” throughout the property, and some dogs “were also not in the best shape.”

However, Julius told KSAT that “there’s no feces, no trash” in the house, and the dogs “have their vaccines, they eat pretty well.”

ACS only rescued 11 dogs because Julius grabbed the remaining four and put them into his vehicle.

“They said they’re gonna come back for these. I put them in here so they wouldn’t take them,” Julius said. “I don’t trust ACS; they kill numbers every day.”

Canavacholo said the investigation began in March, and Julius faces criminal charges.

“Owner is facing animal cruelty charges that connect to failure to provide humane care for each rescued dog,” ACS spokesperson Lisa Norwood said.

“We’re gonna take them back to ACS, they’re gonna receive care from on-staff veterinarians,” Canavacholo said.

Norwood said animal shelters are always full and in urgent need of foster parents.

“To create space for these incoming dogs, the shelter is asking for a 3-week foster commitment for pets currently in shelter care,” Norwood said in an email sent to KSAT.

April is animal cruelty awareness month, and becoming a short-term foster parent is easy, according to Norwood.

“Fosters don’t have to pay for food or medical care. We take care of that for you,” Norwood said.

She said the shelter located at 4710 State Highway 151 will have staff to assist interested foster parents.

ACS is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. throughout the week and closes at 5 p.m. on the weekend.

Read also:

• Dog jumps fence, bites woman multiple times on West Side, ACS says

The detailed report from Human Rights Watch said the heightened pressure was part of a decade-old campaign to ensure that religious denominations and independent churches are loyal to the officially atheist Communist Party, a claim the Chinese government rejected, saying the group is “consistently biased against China.”

China’s Catholics have been divided between an official, state-controlled church that didn’t recognize papal authority and an underground church that remained loyal to Rome through decades of persecution.

Pope Francis, in 2018, sought to ease Vatican-China tensions with a deal giving the state-controlled church a say in naming bishops — a task traditionally exclusive to the pope.

Despite that deal, “Catholics in China face escalating repression that violates their religious freedoms,” said Yalkun Uluyol, a China researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Pope Leo XIV should urgently review the agreement and press Beijing to end the persecution and intimidation of underground churches, clergy, and worshippers.”

The Vatican spokesman, Matteo Bruni, didn’t immediately respond Wednesday when asked to comment on the report.

In a statement sent to The Associated Press, the Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson's Office said Human Rights Watch “fabricates all manner of lies and rumors, and lacks any credibility whatsoever.” It added that the government “oversees religious affairs in accordance with the law and protects citizens’ freedom of religious belief and normal religious activities.”

Human Rights Watch said its researchers are not allowed into China. It said its report is based on input from people outside China “who had firsthand knowledge of Catholic life in China,” as well as experts on religious freedom and Catholicism in China.

Under the 2018 agreement, Beijing proposes candidates for bishop that the pope can then veto, though the agreement’s full text has never been made public.

Last June, a month after becoming pope, Leo made his first appointment of a Chinese bishop under the agreement. And in a subsequent interview, Leo specified that he would continue with the agreement “in the short term.”

“I’m also in ongoing dialogue with a number of people, Chinese, on both sides of some of the issues that are there,” Leo said. “ It’s a very difficult situation. In the long term, I don’t pretend to say this is what I will and will not do, but after two months, I’ve already begun having discussions at several levels on that topic.”

Since 2018, according to Human Rights Watch, Chinese authorities have pressured underground Catholic communities to join the state-controlled Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association "by arbitrarily detaining, forcibly disappearing ... and subjecting underground Catholic bishops and priests to house arrest.”

The report described some of those actions, attributed to people who had left China and who were not named in the report.

The government has also intensified ideological control, surveillance, restrictions on religious activities, and foreign ties in official churches, according to Human Rights Watch. It said that regulations adopted in December subject foreign travel by Catholic clergy to state approval.

The Chinese government officially recognizes five religions — Buddhism, Taoism, Catholicism, Protestantism and Islam — and tightly supervises them.

In 2016, President Xi Jinping said he would “Sinicize” the country's religions — increasing oversight and ideological control in a bid to align religious practice with the Communist Party’s ideology and leadership.

Since then, Human Rights Watch asserted, the authorities have demolished hundreds of church buildings or the crosses atop them, prevented adherents from gathering in unofficial churches, restricted access to the Bible, and confiscated religious materials not authorized by the government.

The Sinicization campaign has also meant severe repression of Tibetan Buddhism and Islam , Human Rights Watch said.

In October, a pastor of a prominent underground Christian church was detained, according to his daughter, a church pastor and a group that monitors religion in China.

They said Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri of the Zion Church was detained at his home in Guangxi province, along with dozens of other church leaders across China.

Zion Church is among the largest so-called underground or house churches that are unregistered with the Chinese authorities. They defy government restrictions requiring believers to worship only in registered congregations.

Last month, ChinaAid — a U.S.-based group advocating for religious freedom in China — urged U.S. President Donald Trump to demand Mingri’s release ahead of his planned meeting with Xi in May.

“The Chinese Communist Party has escalated its systematic campaign to eradicate independent religious life,” said Bob Fu, ChinaAid’s president. “The United States must respond with consequences — not just concern.”

___

AP Vatican correspondent Nicole Winfield in Yaounde, Cameroon, and E. Eduardo Castillo, in Beijing, contributed to this report.

___

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

Yutaka Matsushige, the actor who plays main character Goro Inogashira, expected the show to end quietly in a short time. It didn't. “Kodoku no Gurume,” the show's title in Japanese, steadily gained popularity across Japan and beyond and just began its 11th season this month.

Based on a popular comic by writer Masayuki Kusumi and artist Jiro Taniguchi, “The Solitary Gourmet” last year became a film directed and written by Matsushige, who also stars in the big screen version.

“The drama is about a man just eating food," Matsushige said during a news conference in Tokyo on Thursday marking the start of the latest season. "But the simple notion of 'delicious' can go beyond the differences of language or ethnicity, something everyone can easily relate to."

The show has become a phenomenon across Asia and Matsushige has acquired a huge fan base in South Korea, Taiwan and China. After filming the movie in Japan, South Korea and Paris, he hopes to share the drama with people around the world.

Each episode starts with Inogashira visiting a client, such as a downtown mom-and-pop store. When he finishes working, he suddenly feels hungry and looks for a local restaurant. His eating scenes are documentary style, with his inner monologue describing his happiness and sense of freedom in searching out and finding places that appeal to him and serve good food.

“To me, eating is about telling a story,” Matsushige said, adding that his job as an actor is to show the story behind the eatery, highlighting the dishes and how they taste. “What I intend to do in this drama is to show the audience to watch, imagine and enjoy.”

At a time of global friction, the simple act of eating can help understanding between countries, said Matsushige, who is developing ideas for future projects outside Japan.

Asked who would be a good candidate to play his character in a Hollywood remake, Matsushige suggested Nicolas Cage based on his appearance, which he said is closer to the original manga comic than his.

Joking with the audience, he added, "George Clooney could also be a good candidate."

The bill expected for a vote Thursday would require the Trump administration to extend for three years Temporary Protected Status for Haiti, which would allow hundreds of thousands of qualifying immigrants to remain in the U.S. without fear of deportation. House Democrats forced the bill forward Wednesday, joined by a small number of Republicans, over the objections of House Speaker Mike Johnson and GOP leadership.

Trump’s attempt to end the status for Haiti, Venezuela, Syria, and other nations in crisis "is cruel, unlawful, & life-threatening,” said Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., on social media. She is co-chair of the House Haiti Caucus and represents one of the largest Haitian communities in the country.

The congresswoman said deporting people back to Haiti would be a “death sentence” in a country ravaged by natural disaster and gang violence.

"This is common-sense policy that will save lives," she said during Wednesday's floor debate. "Congress can help. Congress can do the right thing."

Congress races ahead of Supreme Court action

The outcome is the latest effort by House Democrats to maneuver past the Republican majority using a so-called discharge petition — once a rare tool that is being increasingly wielded to form bipartisan coalitions.

The effort to help the immigrants from Haiti comes as President Donald Trump's administration is working to end Temporary Protected Status for several groups of immigrants, exposing them to the possibility of deportation.

In a matter of days, the Supreme Court is prepared to consider a fast-track case that would end the protected status for Haitian and Syrian immigrants in a challenge that is widely seen as threatening the broader program. The Trump administration filed emergency appeals after lower courts stopped the immediate end of the program for 350,000 people from Haiti and 6,000 people from Syria.

It's part of the administration's efforts to strip certain immigrant groups of legal status as the White House works to fulfill Trump's campaign promise of conducting the largest mass deportation operation in history. Some 1.3 million people fleeing countries around the world have been granted temporary protected status.

Protections for Haitians were first granted in 2010 after a devastating earthquake that has displaced more than 1 million people, according to court documents. The protections have been extended multiple times as the country has experienced violence and upheaval.

The conservative-majority court has sided with the Trump administration on the issue before and allowed the end of temporary legal status for a total of 600,000 people from Venezuela while lawsuits play out, leaving them to face potential deportation.

Trump has described migrants from poorer countries in vulgar terms, and he has falsely accused Haitian migrants in Ohio of eating their neighbors’ cats and dogs.

Rep. Laura Gillen, D-N.Y., whose district includes Long Island's Haitian community, said she promised constituents she would work to protect their status and introduced the legislation as soon as she took office last year.

“It's cruel to expect Haitians to be forced to return to these deadly, dangerous conditions,” she told a press conference. “Human lives are at risk.”

Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., said the hundreds of thousands of Haitian status holders in the U.S. have become an inseparable part of the fabric of the nation.

“They have built businesses, built families, built up their communities," she said during debate. She hoped the House action would become a “blaring beacon” against the Trump administration's deportation policies.

Once rare, a discharge petition is becoming a powerful tool to force votes

The discharge petition process forces the bill to the House floor for consideration. It is the same tool bipartisan lawmakers used to pass legislation that required the Justice Department to release the files of the sex trafficking investigation of Jeffrey Epstein.

A discharge resolution needs majority support in the House, where Republicans hold slim control and are typically able to swat back such efforts from Democrats. But increasingly Democrats have pulled a few Republicans to their side.

Pressley's effort won support from four Republicans on the initial petition, and several more on Wednesday's vote to consider the measure.

If the bill is approved in the House, the measure would next go to the Senate, where the outcome is uncertain.

On a January afternoon, Tony Carter returned from work to a South Austin encampment he had called home for six months, only to find much of his and his friend’s belongings gone.

“I was devastated,” Carter, 66, recalled. “Even though it was a tent, it’s still a house … That was my house. They took my house.”

Carter had an apartment for a year, but despite working two jobs, he said he was evicted after he couldn’t make rent. He’s been unhoused since, now sleeping under a bridge in Southwest Austin, and has been on a waitlist for city affordable housing since February.

“If you’re going to come in and sweep us, move us into something that y’all got already up and going,” Carter said. “We still have to pay taxes … Just to come in and just knock us out like that. That ain’t right.”

Austin voters reinstated a ban on public encampments in 2021, but the sites remain widespread throughout densely wooded areas or under bridges across the city. Homeless officials report they field hundreds of 311 calls related to the encampments each month. Now, as pressure to enforce the ban continues, the Homeless Strategy Office is advancing a new plan to expand encampment abatements, even as the city acknowledges it lacks enough shelter for those displaced.

It’s a complex issue facing major Texas cities, each responding differently and under different constraints. In Dallas, officials recently reported a surge in 311 complaints tied to encampments, while the city has comparatively fewer funding limits when it comes to creating housing for people displaced from those sites. In Houston, a city often cited for its homelessness response, its City Council approved an ordinance effectively banning homeless people from downtown sidewalks, a change that has led to more frequent citations for unhoused people, according to Houston Public Media.

A plan to expand enforcement without enough housing

Austin advocates and people experiencing homelessness argue the city lacks viable alternatives if encampments are eliminated. Citing funding constraints, city leaders acknowledge there aren’t enough shelters or temporary housing for everyone living unsheltered, raising persistent questions about where unhoused people are supposed to go.

“I think this is going to be the new normal. They’re planning to sweep people who have nowhere to go. The shelters are full,” said Cate Graziani, co-director of Vocal Texas, an advocacy group for people experiencing homelessness. “It feels like [HSO is] prioritizing planning for sweeps and not for housing, and we know that the best way to get people off the streets is through housing and health care services.”

According to a document obtained by Austin Current, the Homeless Strategy Office plans to establish full-time encampment abatement teams, with 42 city staff members across six teams. Three would respond to encampments in North, South and Central Austin, while others would focus on transportation corridors, waterways and encampment-related litter cleanup. The first five teams would include two Austin police officers, a move activists worry could increase citations and arrests of unhoused people.

Graziani is concerned that by including Austin Police Department officers, they will more often “issue tickets, do arrests,” she said.

Homeless Strategy Officer Director David Gray said APD officers must be included in these operations to ensure the safety of both cleanup teams and people living in the encampments.

“The second reason is that, if we go into an encampment and somebody is having a mental health crisis and they need to be transitioned to a mental health facility, by state law, [law enforcement] is the only entity that’s able to do a mental health evaluation followed by a mental health detention,” Gray said.

Funding constraints shape the city’s response

Gray said there are not enough shelter beds for everyone living unhoused in Austin. Had voters had approved Proposition Q, a tax rate hike on the November ballot, it would have generated more than $35 million to address affordability and homelessness.

“The citizens of Austin decided that that was not something that they wanted to invest in at the time,” Gray said. “Unfortunately, we’re not going to have a large net increase in new shelter beds by the time this operation begins.”

Gray said his office is still trying to expand options, including plans for a second housing navigation center and City Council’s recent allocation of state funding for more than 300 additional beds at the Esperanza Community.

“Prop Q failed, and that’s put the city in a position now where not only can we not fund an expansion, but we’re also at risk of maybe even having to cut some things,” Gray said. “Our office is trying to figure out how we navigate that while still upholding the voter-approved camping ban, but doing all this work with the spirit of getting people housed.”

Gray said HSO is trying to keep the cost of increased encampment cleanups low by reallocating existing staff to the new teams.

The plan is also not yet final. HSO will meet with city staff and community members in the coming weeks to gather feedback, and Gray is expected to present the plan to the Austin City Council at a work session in early May.

Another component of the plan is expanded staff training.

Carter said when city staff moved through his south Austin encampment, some important belongings, including his birth certificate, were lost or thrown away.

“They just start tearing up stuff and putting it in the dump truck,” Carter said. “When they take your identification, that’s hard to try to get back.”

Gray said staff are being trained to better handle people’s belongings, avoid discarding important documents and ensure sites are not cleared until outreach has been conducted.

“We want to make sure that we’re doing our part to do no harm,” Gray said. “That begins with training and preparation, making sure that we have experienced staff attached to each of these crews, so that they can also kind of monitor and make sure that people are doing the cleanups with fidelity.”

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

If passed, the bill would fast-track a 2023 law mandating 33% reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures. It would be one of the most consequential shifts in political representation since India’s independence and potentially widen female participation in a system where women remain underrepresented.

The quota, however, is linked to a controversial separate bill to change voting boundaries, a process that could increase the number of seats in the lower house from 543 to about 850.

While there appears to be a broad bipartisan support for putting more women into Parliament, opposition parties have raised concerns over changing voting boundaries, warning it could tilt the political balance in favor of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.

The bills are being taken up during a three-day special session of Parliament and will require a two-thirds majority in both houses to pass. Modi’s ruling National Democratic Alliance holds 293 seats in Parliament, while a two-thirds majority would require 360 seats.

Women’s representation will close gender gap

Several Asian countries, including India’s neighbors like Nepal and Bangladesh, have similar quotas for women in national legislatures. India already mandates that one-third of seats be set aside for women in local governance bodies, but women currently hold only about 14% of seats in the lower house of Parliament.

The quota could bring hundreds more women into legislative politics, which supporters say could redirect policy attention toward women’s health, education and gender-based violence. It is unclear how seats would be allocated to women in an expanded Parliament.

Ranjana Kumari, a women’s rights advocate, said the move would make India’s “democracy truly representative” and force political parties to field more female candidates.

“(The) door is little open. Women will enter and fill the room slowly,” Kumari said.

For many young Indian women, the change also carries symbolic weight.

Pranita Gupta, a 23-year-old law graduate, said it will instill “a sense of confidence that we can participate in politics and we can be part of Parliament not only as an exception but as well as a norm.”

Redrawing of electoral boundaries sparks concerns

The rollout of the quota is tied to a population-based redrawing of voting boundaries using data from the last completed census in 2011. While the timeline for this process remains unclear, the proposal has already triggered political debate.

Opposition parties warn that basing constituencies on population could shift political power toward faster-growing northern states, while diminishing the parliamentary representation, seat share and overall influence of southern regions. They also argue it could benefit Modi’s party, which has strong support in the northern states.

India’s Constitution mandates that parliamentary seats be allocated by population and revised after each census. However, boundaries have not been redrawn since the 1971 census, as successive governments delayed the process over concerns about uneven population growth.

Leaders in southern states, where birthrates have declined more sharply, say a population-based delimitation exercise could increase seats in the north and disadvantage southern regions that have slowed population growth and built stronger economies.

Political backlash mounts as opposition warns of protests

Modi’s party has pushed back on the criticism of the bill and said it would implement a uniform 50% increase in seats across all states, maintaining proportional representation nationwide. However, the draft legislation does not explicitly spell this out.

Speaking in Parliament, Modi said the legislation is “not discriminatory” and “will not do injustice to anyone.”

But early opposition surfaced Thursday, as Tamil Nadu chief minister M.K. Stalin burned a copy of the bill and raised a black flag in protest. He urged people across the state to do the same.

Some leaders from southern states also turned up in Parliament dressed in black as a mark of protest.

India’s opposition leader Rahul Gandhi alleged the exercise could be used to “gerrymander” parliamentary constituencies in favor of Modi’s party ahead of the 2029 national elections.

“Delimitation should be based on a transparent policy framework, developed after wide consultations with a consensus,” he wrote Wednesday on X.

Luis Díaz and Michael Olise scored late for the Bavarian powerhouse to beat Madrid 4-3 and advance to the Champions League semifinals on Wednesday.

In the last four two-legged ties between the sides, the Spanish giant had prevailed each time.

The second-leg quarterfinal game ended in acrimony with Madrid’s players furious that referee Slavko Vinčić sent off substitute Eduardo Camavinga in the 86th minute with a second yellow card for an innocuous challenge on Harry Kane.

Díaz fired inside the right post three minutes later and Olise ended the contest definitively with a spectacular strike in stoppage time to give Bayern a 6-4 win on aggregate after the Bavarian powerhouse won the first leg of their quarterfinal 2-1 in Madrid last week.

Madrid’s players surrounded Vinčić after the game. Arda Guler, who scored two brilliant goals to spark the visitors’ hopes of a famed “remontada” (comeback), was shown a red card for his vehement complaints.

“Everything was over with the red card,” Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa said of Camavinga's sending off. “It’s unbelievable. You cannot send off a player for this action.”

Bayern will play defending champion Paris Saint-Germain in the semifinals. Also Wednesday, Arsenal advanced past Sporting Lisbon to set up a last-four showdown against Atlético Madrid.

Blistering start in Munich

Guler opened the scoring after just 34 seconds thanks to a mistake from Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer – who was outstanding in the first leg – whose attempted pass went straight to the 21-year-old Turkey star, who fired the ball into the empty net from distance.

Bayern seemed unfazed and Aleksandar Pavlović equalized with a point-blank header from a Joshua Kimmich corner in the sixth minute. Bayern maintained its dominance with Madrid patiently looking for breaks.

Konrad Laimer did well to block Kylian Mbappé, who had an adhesive bandage above his right eye after getting a heavy blow to his face last weekend.

Guler beat Neuer with a brilliant free kick in the 29th, but Bayern had legitimate complaints it should not have been awarded with Brahim Díaz going down after minimal contact from Laimer.

Bayern again seized control and it was no surprise when Harry Kane equalized in the 38th inside the right post after being left free by English compatriot Trent Alexander-Arnold.

It was the England captain’s 12th goal in the competition this season and his 50th across all competitions for Bayern.

Vinícius Júnior then struck the crossbar before setting up Mbappé to restore Madrid’s lead on the night in the 42nd.

Bayern coach Vincent Kompany was booked for complaining about an foul from Antonio Rüdiger on Josip Stanišić in the buildup. It means he’s suspended for the semifinal first leg.

There were no more goals, however, until the late drama.

“I hope all the kids in Germany were allowed stay awake a little longer,” Kimmich said. “I hope my wife let my son stay up a bit longer and then late to school tomorrow.”

Bayern targets treble

Bayern, which smashed the Bundesliga goals record last weekend, can clinch yet another German league title on Sunday — the 13th in 14 years — if Borussia Dortmund drops points the day before.

Bayern also faces Bayer Leverkusen in the semifinals of the German Cup on April 22 as it chases a repeat of the treble it won in 2013.

Madrid and Mbappé empty-handed again

The Champions League was Madrid's best remaining chance of salvaging a trophy from a troubled season. The 15-time European champion is now facing a second year without a trophy after its fourth match without a win across all competitions.

Madrid was held 1-1 at home by Girona in La Liga last weekend, allowing Barcelona to open a nine-point lead, while it was knocked out of the Spanish Cup by second-division side Albacete in Arbeloa's first game in charge in January.

Unless Barcelona squanders its sizable lead in the remaining seven rounds of the league, Kylian Mbappé's drought in major trophies since joining the club in 2024 will continue.

Arsenal in semifinals again

A 0-0 draw with Sporting Lisbon at the Emirates Stadium saw Arsenal advance 1-0 on aggregate.

Arsenal has never won the European Cup and only once reached the final. But it is now just two games away from this year’s showpiece in Budapest, Hungary.

Kai Havertz’s late winner in the first leg of the quarterfinals in Portugal last week proved to be decisive as Sporting failed to find a breakthrough in London.

It is the fourth time Arsenal has advanced to the semifinals, having lost to eventual winner Paris Saint-Germain at that stage last season.

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This story has been corrected to say Arbeloa was Madrid coach when the team lost to Albacete in the Spanish Cup, not Xabi Alonso.

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

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp., a key supplier for Apple and Nvidia and the largest contract chipmaker in the world, reported a record net quarterly profit of 572.5 billion new Taiwan dollars ($18.1 billion) for the first three months of the year, better than analysts had expected.

Profit for the quarter was 58.3% higher compared to the 361.6 billion new Taiwan dollars ($11.5 billion) booked the same period a year earlier. It was also 13.2% higher compared with the previous quarter in October-December.

Revenue increased 8.4% in the January-March period from the previous three months to $35.9 billion, the company said. For the current April-June quarter, TSMC expected revenue to further grow to between $39 billion and $40.2 billion.

As AI-related demand continues to surge, TSMC has been expanding chip fabrication plants in the U.S., Japan and Taiwan, with a focus on making more advanced 3-nanometer semiconductors that are used in smartphones and AI products.

“AI-related demand continues to be extremely robust,” C.C. Wei, TSMC’s CEO and chairman, told an earnings conference on Thursday. “Our conviction in the multi-year AI megatrend remains high, and we believe the demand for semiconductors will continue to be very fundamental.”

TSMC also warned of potential impacts from the Iran war, which has not only pushed up global supply chain costs but is also disrupting the world’s supply of chemicals and gas such as helium essential for chipmaking.

Wendell Huang, TSMC’s chief financial officer, said while rising costs stemming from the Iran war could weigh on profitability, the company has “prepared safety stock inventory on hand” including for helium and is not expecting “any near-term impact" on operations.

TSMC has pledged huge investments in expanding its manufacturing capacity in Taiwan and abroad, including $165 billion of commitments in building plants in Arizona. The company said Thursday its capital spending for the next three years will be “significantly higher” than the past three years as it ramps up capacity to meet customers’ growing demand.

The chipmaker had earlier announced plans to raise its capital expenditure budget to $52 billion-$56 billion for this year from about $40 billion in 2025. It said Thursday it now expects capital spending in 2026 to be toward the higher end of that.

The activists, all of whom were Kazakh nationals, protested near the border with China in November, burning Chinese flags and portraits of Chinese leader Xi Jinping and calling for the release of a Kazakh citizen detained in Xinjiang last year.

Eleven activists were sentenced to five years in prison for “inciting discord,” while the other eight were given restrictions on their movement. Shinquat Baizhan, a lawyer representing the activists, confirmed the sentences, which were also reported in local media.

Though Kazakhs speaking out against China’s policies in Xinjiang have long faced pressure, advocacy groups say this is the first time such a large group of Xinjiang activists has been imprisoned in the country.

“This is unprecedented,” said Yalkun Uluyol, China researcher at Human Rights Watch. “It signals that Kazakhstan is willing to sacrifice freedom of its people to maintain good relations with Beijing.”

The Chinese government launched a brutal crackdown in Xinjiang starting in 2017, sweeping a million or more Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and other predominantly Muslim ethnicities into prisons and internment camps. Though many have since been released, the region remains under tight control, with strict limitations on religious and cultural practices.

Xinjiang has long been a touchy issue in neighboring Kazakhstan, a Central Asian country of 20 million people that relies on China as a major trading partner. The Kazakh government opened criminal investigations targeting the protesters after receiving a diplomatic note from the Chinese consulate in Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city, Uluyol said.

The note, which The Associated Press obtained and reviewed, called the protest “an open provocation against the national dignity of the People’s Republic of China and an insult to the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese people.”

In a statement, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the sentencing an “internal affair” and praised Kazakhstan as a “friendly neighbor” that is “familiar with China’s policies on governing Xinjiang."

The Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond to a request for comment.

The protesters were members of Atajurt, an organization that advocates for the rights of Chinese-born Kazakhs facing repression in China. Xinjiang is home to over a million ethnic Kazakhs, thousands of whom were detained and many more who face restrictions on their movement to this day.

Atajurt has long faced pressure from the Kazakh government, an authoritarian state with little tolerance for dissent. Authorities arrested Atajurt’s founder Serikzhan Bilash in 2019, releasing him into exile after extracting a promise not to engage in political activities.

But the Kazakh government remained tolerant of the organization’s activities to a certain extent, mindful of widespread sympathy in Kazakhstan toward the Chinese-born Kazakh population,

That appears to have changed, Uluyol said, as Kazakhstan has edged closer to China and authorities in Kazakhstan show less tolerance for groups protesting Beijing's policies.

Bilash, Atajurt’s founder, says the arrests would have widespread ramifications. The group's work included providing financial support for the relatives of people who were detained in Xinjiang, writing letters supporting them to embassies and the United Nations, and taping hundreds of testimonies by people looking for missing loved ones.

“The world will lose more than just a human rights organization; it will lose the biggest window into the humanitarian disaster in neighboring Xinjiang,” said Bilash, who is now living in exile in the United States.

Christian, a Republican and one of three members of the Railroad Commission, is listed as a member of the board of directors and chair of the advisory board of Energy Substantiation, the company launching the West Texas Intermediate Coin, or $WTIC, according to materials obtained by The Texas Tribune that the company shared with prospective investors as recently as October.

Christian pitched prospective investors on $WTIC ahead of the coin’s public launch later this year, according to an email from Christian that also was obtained by the Tribune.

“We are now inviting a limited group of early participants to learn more and consider getting involved at the founding stage,” Christian, who also works as a financial advisor, wrote in the email. “After more than 40 years as a financial advisor, I’ve learned that the biggest opportunities are often those recognized early. I believe this one is worth serious consideration.”

Government watchdogs said Christian’s involvement in the company — especially if he trades in the coin or maintains a financial stake in Energy Substantiation — gives rise to potential conflicts of interest between his duties as a regulator and his personal business and financial interests.

“Regardless of how the commissioners’ financial interests might influence their decision-making, the potential for a conflict of interests remains,” said Virginia Palacios, executive director of Commission Shift, a nonpartisan organization focused on reforming the Railroad Commission. “Texans deserve elected officials free of potential biases, especially when financial interests are obvious.”

In a statement, Christian defended his involvement in the company, calling it “separate” from his work at the Railroad Commission and carried out in his personal time and without the use of state resources.

“The Commission does not regulate cryptocurrency or oil markets, so there is no overlap with my regulatory responsibilities,” Christian said. “Any suggestion otherwise stems solely from the fact that the concept is related to energy.”

Christian declined to answer a question from the Tribune about how he would ensure that his business interests remain separate from his government responsibilities. He also declined to answer questions about whether he owns or plans to trade $WTIC tokens, if he has a financial stake in Energy Substantiation and whether he’s paid to advise the company. His personal financial disclosure statement, which may answer some of those questions, is due to the Texas Ethics Commission on April 30.

An Energy Substantiation spokesperson said the company invited Christian’s involvement “because of his extensive knowledge of the energy sector,” adding that his role was “advisory in nature.” The spokesperson declined to share whether Energy Substantiation pays Christian in any way, calling compensation arrangements with advisors “private company matters.”

“As with any company operating in an emerging space, we have assembled advisors and board members with deep expertise in energy markets, public policy and commodity finance,” the spokesperson said. “We take regulatory compliance seriously and structure all of our relationships, including those with advisors and board members, to comply with applicable law.”

The Railroad Commission oversees oil and gas drilling, gas utilities, pipeline safety and coal and uranium surface mining in Texas. The agency’s stated mission is to “serve Texas by our stewardship of natural resources and the environment, our concern for personal and community safety and our support of enhanced development and economic vitality for the benefit of Texans.”

The agency has for years been the target of calls for reform, from changing the name of the body — it no longer regulates railroads — to tightening rules around campaign fundraising.

Commissioners routinely accept campaign contributions from companies, executives and groups in the industries they regulate and that have cases before the agency. Though commissioners are allowed to maintain personal financial interests in companies they regulate, commissioners must recuse themselves in cases in which they have a “personal or private interest.” Those rules do not apply to political donors.

“It does point to, will the regulator make the right decision for the people of Texas, or will they just make the right decisions for their pocketbook?” Palacios said. “There’s a lot of decisions that the railroad commissioners make that may constrict revenues for oil and gas companies, but the important thing is that they do their job to protect groundwater supplies, to protect air quality and to protect the future of the people of Texas.”

Tokenizing oil

$WTIC is a new crypto token whose value is tied, one-to-one, to the value of a barrel of West Texas Intermediate crude oil, one of three main global benchmarks for oil pricing. While investors typically trade on oil price changes, $WTIC allows investors to take direct ownership of oil itself, with each token serving as a digital representation of an actual barrel of oil in storage and traded on the blockchain, according to Energy Substantiation’s website and online documentation. The token has not publicly launched yet, according to the company spokesperson.

Christian, in his email to prospective investors, touted the venture as “an opportunity that brings together two of the most powerful forces shaping the global economy today: energy and blockchain finance.”

He wrote that as a member of the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission — a multistate government agency to which he was appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott — he participated in discussions about “the growing threat to the U.S. dollar’s role as the world’s petro-currency” as “key players like Saudi Arabia have begun accepting alternative currencies from nations like China, Russia and Iran.”

“Texas has an opportunity to lead by unlocking a new dimension of America’s energy inventory through next-generation financial technology,” he wrote, arguing that the United States needed to “reinforce its leadership in energy markets tied to dollar-based systems.”

For investors, he wrote, an oil-backed token offered their portfolios direct exposure to the “value of a resource that has powered the global economy for more than a century.” For oil and gas producers, Christian wrote, the venture could “expand access to global capital.”

In pitch materials, Energy Substantiation said Texas “has led the energy revolution,” arguing that the “global petrocurrency should be from Texas.”

“Texas business is good business for the US; if not the US, who will step in?” the presentation reads.

Unanswered questions

Christian declined to answer a question about whether he earns a commission or other form of compensation from Energy Substantiation for investors he brings into the fold.

Ethics experts noted that if Christian has a financial stake in Energy Substantiation or personally trades in $WTIC, he would stand to earn more if oil prices were high.

Though oil prices are driven by a range of factors outside the Railroad Commission’s jurisdiction, such as geopolitics and financial markets, the agency has the power to curtail oil and gas production in Texas — giving commissioners the ability to shape supply and, thus, prices.

The Railroad Commission “has the power to regulate oil and gas production” in Texas, said Andrew Wheat, an editor at the Austin Free Press who previously served as research director of Texans for Public Justice, a nonpartisan watchdog group. “By exercising that power — or not — it wields great influence over oil prices. Are prices not the intersection of supply and demand?”

Commissioners, including Christian, have long supported near-unfettered oil production, largely viewing robust environmental regulations and tighter restrictions on practices like flaring as unwelcome limits on the industry and the market — meaning any moves to constrain oil production and supply would mark a significant departure from their typical postures.

“If it ever came down to it, I just don’t see Christian trying to limit supply to increase costs,” Wheat said. “But that would be a conflict if, in fact, he had a substantial monetary interest in this product.”

Andy Cates, a Texas ethics attorney, said any push by Christian to restrict drilling permits or otherwise constrain oil supply “could have follow along effects” on $WTIC and help prop up the token’s value.

“That, I would think, would be some sort of market manipulation, some sort of potentially, call it essentially insider trading,” Cates said.

Christian declined to say whether he would recuse himself from regulatory decisions by the Railroad Commission that could impact the token’s value and Energy Substantiation’s revenue. Recusals by commissioners from cases related to companies in which they have financial interests have been rare.

Government watchdogs also raised concerns that Christian’s official title was included in Energy Substantiation’s materials for prospective investors, which could lend credibility to the venture and suggest state backing for the product. Christian was the keynote speaker at Energy Substantiation’s launch in Houston in November, according to a LinkedIn post.

“It does seem like something that an elected official shouldn’t be getting involved with,” Palacios said. “It gives the impression of favoritism for a specific financial product.”

Christian was listed as a board member and advisor on Energy Substantiation’s website as recently as last week. After the Tribune reached out to Christian for an interview, the company’s website was overhauled, removing mention of its advisors, including Christian.

A presentation deck the company used to pitch investors described Christian as a “Texan politician heavily involved in energy, oil and gas policymaking,” a “member and former chair of the Railroad Commission of Texas since 2017,” and “Vice Chair, Interstate Oil & Gas Commission.”

“The inclusion of any advisor’s professional background in company materials reflects their individual qualifications and expertise,” Energy Substantiation’s spokesperson said. “It does not represent or imply endorsement by any government body, agency or office.”

The materials also described state Sen. Tan Parker, R-Flower Mound and a member of the Senate Natural Resources Committee, as a member of Energy Substantiation’s advisory board. Parker’s Capitol office did not respond to a request for comment. Frank Thorwald, chair of Arizona’s oil and gas regulator, also was named as the vice chair of the board of directors.

Just over a year earlier, the family had followed the rules the Biden administration had established to enter the U.S.: They made an appointment through the CBP One cellphone application, met with a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent to request asylum, and received “parole” — permission to live and work in the country while their case was pending.

But at the court hearing in June, the judge dismissed the family’s case without hearing any testimony, following a Trump administration order that immigration judges dismiss cases en masse so officers could arrest immigrants before they walked out of courtrooms — a policy the U.S. Department of Justice later said was made in error.

As soon as they walked out of the El Paso courtroom, U.S. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement agents arrested them and took them to the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, a privately-run facility operated by CoreCivic where the family said their 14-year-old daughter quickly fell into depression and was vomiting for days.

In April 2025, the Trump administration terminated the legal status of the more than 900,000 people who entered the country using the CBP One app — most had received permission to live and work in the U.S. for up to two years while their cases were pending. And it sent notifications to immigrants who had entered using the app that they needed to return to their home countries or they would be arrested.

Last year, El Paso ranked second in the nation for such courthouse arrests, after New York City, according to an analysis by Joséph Gunther, a mathematician who analyzes federal immigration data.

José and his family spent a month in the detention center, which has faced persistent accusations by advocacy groups of “inhumane conditions, routine mistreatment, and due process violations.” When they were released and allowed to return to Las Cruces, N.M., where they had lived for eight months, they had to check in with ICE every three months and received a new court date for June 2027.

Instead, the family bought one-way plane tickets back to Venezuela.

“What I don’t understand is how can someone do everything right and still get treated like this?” said José, who asked that he and his wife be identified only by their first names because they fear being targeted by the Venezuelan government. “I feel like it doesn’t make sense because we entered legally but yet we ended up locked up.”

Last month, U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs in Massachusetts said in a 25-page ruling that the Trump administration illegally revoked the legal status of those who used the cellphone application. Burroughs ordered the Trump administration to reverse its actions, saying her order applied to immigrants who used the app between May 2023 and January 2025.

But for José and his family, the treatment they’ve received since last year has convinced them that they’re better off dropping their dreams of making a life in America.

“Honestly, my time here made me disillusioned,” Carolina said. “As soon as we got out [of detention], I told my husband, we’re leaving this country, I don’t care where we end up, but we’re not staying here.”

Fleeing Venezuela

In Venezuela, José worked as a mechanic and fixed used vehicles to resell at a profit.

One afternoon in 2022, José and his two younger brothers went to the capital city of Caracas to pick up three motorcycles that José planned to repair and resell. They noticed a man in a blue pickup truck watching them, he said.

At a military checkpoint a few miles down the highway, José said a soldier fired a round in the air, yelling at José’s brothers to pull over. Instead, José said, his brothers turned around and fled. A few other soldiers stepped out of the building and began shooting toward his brothers as they rode off, he said.

José threw himself on the ground. One round went through his motorcycle’s speedometer, he said.

“I thought I was shot, and because I was wet from the rain, I thought I was bleeding from my stomach,” he said.

José said his brothers escaped, but the soldiers grabbed him and ordered him to call his brothers to return to the checkpoint.

Before long, he said, his wife, sister-and-law, and some friends arrived at the checkpoint, demanding to know where José was.

“When the sergeant saw they came for me, his attitude immediately changed, he began treating me nicely,” José said. He was released and allowed to go home. He said his brothers were afraid to report the incident, but José decided to file a complaint with local prosecutors.

A few weeks later, he and his wife saw the same blue pickup truck driving past his home, José said.

“We started discussing if maybe we should leave the country,” he said.

From 2015 to the end of 2022, more than 7 million Venezuelans fled the country during an economic and political crisis that resulted in many not having access to basic needs such as food and medicine, a crisis blamed on an authoritarian government accused of corruption and persecuting dissidents.

In 2022, they fled to Brazil, where they lived for nearly two years, until the country elected a new president who reopened diplomatic relations with Venezuela.

“We were afraid that this meant that this would open up a way for someone from Venezuela to come after us,” José said.

They traveled to Colombia, where they joined other Venezuelans who were also fleeing to the United States.

After a four-day hike through the Darien Gap, a 66-mile roadless stretch of jungle, mountains and rivers between Colombia and Panama, they arrived in Mexico in late 2023. It took three months to book an appointment through the CBP One app in McAllen. In February 2024, they were allowed to enter the country, according to José’s immigration documents.

They first moved to Kansas, where José and his wife spent six months working at a meat processing plant. José would cut cow carcasses into quarters as they passed on a conveyor belt, he said. Then he injured his shoulder and needed surgery.

The workplace injury resulted in a $25,000 settlement with his employer, money they used to resettle in Las Cruces, N.M., where his sister-in-law had moved with her family. He bought a car and began delivering Walmart groceries. Carolina would sometimes deliver groceries but mostly stayed home to help her pregnant sister, while their daughter enrolled in middle school.

For the next eight months, the parents worked while their daughter went to school, as they waited for their court date in June.

“I’m here to deport you”

Following their arrest at the El Paso courthouse, as agents transported them to Dilley, the family said they peppered agents with questions about why their case was dismissed and why they were being detained if they didn’t enter the country illegally.

“I can’t tell you anything else, other than I’m here to deport you,” José recalled an agent telling him.

At the detention center, roughly 75 miles southwest of San Antonio, they were given blue jumpsuits and immediately separated, with Carolina and their daughter sleeping in a wing for mothers and children while José went to the men’s wing.

They said they had to sleep with the lights on because the facility didn’t turn them off at night. Breakfast was served at 7 a.m. each morning: boiled eggs and oatmeal.

In the evenings, after the 5 p.m. dinner, José was allowed to take his daughter to an outdoor recreational area where they played volleyball with other detainees.

One evening after dinner, their daughter threw up. Her parents took her to the facility’s medical center, where they gave her some pills for nausea, but for the next three days, she kept throwing up when she tried to eat, José said.

“Every day she kept asking me, when are we going to get out? And would complain that she wasn’t sleeping in her own bed,” José said.

“I was scared I was going to spend months there, like other people,” their daughter said.

Carolina grew frustrated with each passing day. She couldn’t hug or touch her husband, she said. She tried to comfort her daughter, but it was hard to keep the teenager’s spirits up when she felt so overwhelmed.

“I’d try to distract her, I’d comb her hair or just be with her, but there were times where I couldn’t even stand myself, so I’d stay in my room by myself,” Carolina said.

During their second week in the detention center, José called a lawyer who represented detained immigrants. The lawyer told José that according to a 1997 settlement between advocacy groups and the federal government, children could not be held in a detention center for more than 20 days.

That gave them some hope. Their daughter began to count down the days, jokingly telling her parents that if it wasn’t for her, her parents would stay in the detention center longer.

Later that week an asylum officer interviewed the family by phone for seven hours — it was the first time the daughter learned the reason they had fled Venezuela. She begins to sob as she hears the details, her father said.

“We tried to keep those things from her because we didn’t want to scare or traumatize her,” José said.

The asylum officer found their story credible, allowing them to stay in the U.S. to continue with court proceedings. On July 5, they were released and dropped at a bus station in Laredo, where they caught a bus back to Las Cruces.

They could continue their lives in the U.S. But they didn’t want to.

“It’s hard living in fear”

On a recent Friday morning, after packing their luggage and organizing their immigration paperwork, José went to deliver one last grocery order. Around 10 a.m. Carolina heard a vehicle pull into the apartment complex’s parking lot. At first she thought it was her husband returning in a hurry, she said.

It was six masked ICE agents.They arrested the brother of a neighbor who also had recently immigrated from Venezuela.

Carolina immediately called her husband. She told him to stay put.

“I’m nervous,” she said, as she recorded the arrest from inside her bedroom. She called other neighbors to warn them to stay inside. “I never want anyone to go through the same experience we went through inside the detention center.”

After the ICE agents left, José returned home.

“It’s because of stuff like this we’re returning home,” he said. “It’s hard living in fear.”

They flew to Miami earlier this week, then caught a flight on Wednesday to Venezuela on Wednesday.

“I’m really nervous,” José said in a text message as they prepared to meet with Venezuelan immigration officials.

Two hours later he texted: “They let us go, thank God. We’re happy but really tired.”

The honor was bestowed by the Roosevelt Foundation that was created in 1982 to present awards honoring the Four Freedoms outlined by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt in his 1941 State of the Union address — freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.

“We pay the highest tribute to the unwavering courage and enduring perseverance of the Ukrainian people and to the steadfast and resolute leadership of their president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy,” Hugo de Jonge, chair of the foundation, said Thursday.

Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten paid tribute to Zelenskyy at the ceremony, saying, “It speaks volumes that you only agreed to accept this award if you could do so on behalf of all the people of Ukraine.”

After receiving a standing ovation, Zelenskyy asked for a moment of silence for the victims of a deadly overnight barrage by Russia that killed at least 16 people and wounded many more.

“Dozens of people have been injured and, sadly, so sadly, there are also lives lost in Odesa, Kyiv, Dnipro. Just ordinary people, children, civilians, killed by Russian madness,” he said, as he called for those responsible for war crimes in Ukraine to be held accountable under international law.

“Do not let Russia go unpunished," he said.

Previous winners of the international award include Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, Germany's former Chancellor Angela Merkel, and organizations including the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

French rape survivor Gisèle Pelicot was receiving the Freedom from Fear Award; the Committee to Protect Journalists received the Freedom of Speech Award; Isidora Uribe Silva from Chile, who has cerebral palsy, earned the Freedom from Want Award for her years of campaigning for inclusion, equal human rights, and gender equality.

The winner of the Freedom of Worship Award was not announced publicly by the foundation, citing security concerns.

After the ceremony, Zelenskyy was meeting with Jetten. The Netherlands has been a strong supporter of Ukraine since the Russian invasion, including providing Patriot missiles and fighter jets. On Wednesday, Defense Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius announced that the Netherlands was spending 248 million euros ($292 million) on drones for the Ukrainian military.

With no plans announced for further U.S.-mediated talks with Russia, Zelenskyy had already visited three European capitals in 48 hours this week to try to secure promises of further military and financial support from Germany and Norway and Italy. Germany and Ukraine agreed a defense package valued at 4 billion euros ($4.7 billion), and Norway has pledged 9 billion euros in assistance, Ukrainian officials said.

The Four Freedoms awards are presented in the New Church in Middelburg, in the province of Zeeland, where Roosevelt's ancestors hail from.

• THU/FRI: Temps near 90, heat index
• SATURDAY: Mid-morning cold front, windy, 60s by afternoon; plus scattered rain
• SUNDAY: A small temp rebound, some peeks of sunshine
• MONDAY: Showers likely, cool temps

FORECAST

Brace yourselves. Fiesta is always an interesting weather stretch, but 2026 may be more interesting than most. Don’t cancel your plans, but do be prepared to face various kinds of weather. VIVA!🎉

TODAY & FRIDAY

After a cloudy morning, temperatures will reach to near 90 this afternoon. It may feel a few degrees warmer due to thick humidity. While a stray storm along the Rio Grande can’t be ruled out, any rain will stay west of San Antonio. Friday will play out very similarly.

SATURDAY

A mid-morning to midday cold front will take temperatures from the 70s in the morning into the low-60s by the afternoon. Here’s what you’ll want to plan for:

• Gusty north winds of up to 30mph
• Chilly temperatures (low-60s by the afternoon)
• Scattered rain. Mostly light showers, but a few rumbles of thunder are possible.

SUNDAY

Cool temperatures in the morning will give way to a mild day. Some sunshine is possible late in the day, which should get us into the 70s. Any rain appears to stay to our west of San Antonio until Sunday night.

MONDAY

A disturbance will roll through, giving us good chances for light rain. Because it’ll be cloudy and damp, temperatures will struggle to warm. Low-60s are a good bet most of the day. It’s possible that the rain could wind down a bit in time for the River Parade, but you’ll still want to plan for cool and damp conditions.

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The program serves girls in third through eighth grade and creates a supportive space where participants can develop both physically and emotionally.

A Girls on the Run practice is more than just an after-school activity; it’s a lesson in confidence.

“It’s a group of 10 girls doing a lesson from our new curriculum that helps them learn how to be bold, have confidence and be good friends to each other,” said Executive Director Minka Misangyi at a practice at Los Reyes Elementary, which is one of the dozens of sites that the organization has partnered with this year.

Through guided discussions and team-building exercises, students learn how to navigate challenges, build friendships and believe in themselves.

Natalie Schultz is a Girls on the Run Junior Coach at Los Reyes Elementary. She was once a student at the school and participated in the program.

“It’s a full circle moment because I was a part of the Girls on the Run at this school, Los Reyes,” said Schultz. “It’s my elementary school, and it was something that I really enjoyed when I was in the program, and it’s something I wanted to do, to come back.”

Schultz credits the program with teaching her valuable life skills at a young age.

“It definitely taught me to listen to others, to be more confident in myself, and how to make friends,” she said.

This year marks a significant milestone for the organization. Over the past 15 years, it has reached nearly 9,000 girls across 31 schools in Bexar, Kendall, and Comal counties.

The impact has been made possible with the help of nearly 800 volunteer coaches.

“It makes me really proud of the community here in San Antonio,” Misangyi said. “It’s taken a whole community to really get this program going and bring it together, and it’s exactly the kind of community we’re trying to create, where people feel that they’re a part of something.”

Each season of Girls on the Run builds toward a celebratory 5K event, which provides participants with a tangible goal and a sense of accomplishment. This year, that milestone run carries even more meaning for Schultz, whose younger sister is now part of the program.

“It’s fun to watch her grow up and do the exact same thing that I did and have a great time with it and do it with her friends,” she said.

The season will wrap up with a community 5K on May 2, where participants will put their training and confidence to the test. Click here for registration details.

Whether this will be your first Fiesta or your 50th, share your pictures on KSAT Connect!

We want to see Fiesta photos of your:

• Medals
• Pets
• Decorations
• Hats

Fiesta starts on Thursday, April 16 and concludes on Sunday, April 26.

>> 🎊 ¡Viva! Your guide to Fiesta 2026 in San Antonio

KSAT will provide live coverage of the biggest events at Fiesta 2026. For a guide on how to watch, click here.

Here are some Fiesta memories KSAT viewers shared in the past:

To submit a photo, check out our guide below.

• Open the KSAT Weather Authority app OR visit the KSAT Connect web page. We recommend using the app for regular access to KSAT Connect!
• If you’re on the KSAT Weather Authority app, click the camera icon on the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen. You can also upload from the KSAT News app. Click here for instructions.
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• The last step is to click the orange button at the bottom to upload.

More Fiesta coverage on KSAT.com:

• Fiesta parades: How to choose where to sit?
• Pickup Lines: Miss Fiesta 2026 embraces role while advocating for legal access in San Antonio
• Fiesta’s biggest event no longer free; city council approves $5 gate fee for Fiesta de los Reyes

Marles released the latest two-year update of Australia’s defense strategy and said an additional 53 billion Australian dollars ($38 billion) in spending on defense was planned over the next decade.

Australia’s defense budget would grow from 2.8% of GDP this year to 3% by 2033 as “Australia faces its most complex and threatening strategic circumstances since the end of World War II,” Marles said.

Asked how much more complex and threatening Australia’s circumstances were since the United States and Israel attacked Iran in February, Marles told reporters: “I don’t think anyone could honestly answer that question.”

“It greatly complicates the global strategic landscape,” Marles said. “The world feels less safe.”

“Having said that, we do very much support the strategic objective of denying Iran a deployable nuclear weapon,” Marles added.

The latest strategy expands the military's adoption of autonomous and uncrewed systems on land, sea and air, including the Australian-developed Ghost Bat uncrewed jet aircraft and Ghost Shark underwater drone.

The strategy also expands the military's long-range strike capabilities and accelerates the introduction of intergrated air and missile defense systems.

Marles said his government’s decision to increase defense spending to 3% of GDP was not a response to pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.

The Pentagon released its own National Defense Strategy in January that chastised U.S. allies to take control of their own security.

The Australian government was making its own resourcing decisions, Marles said.

“What that has yielded to date is, under our government, the biggest peacetime increase in defense spending that our nation has seen,” Marles said.

The latest spending strategy would focus on Australian self-reliance, which should not be confused with military self-sufficiency, Marles said.

“This is not about jettisoning alliance relationships. To the contrary, alliances, especially with the United States, will always be fundamental to Australia’s defense,” Marles said.

Australia’s largest-ever defense investment is expected to be a fleet of at least eight submarines powered by U.S. nuclear technology provided through the AUKUS partnership with the United States and Britain.

Australia expects the subs would cost between AU$268 billion ($193 billion) and AU$368 billion ($264 billion) over three decades.

Curry's seventh 3-pointer broke a tie with 50.4 seconds to play for the 10th-seeded Warriors, who erased a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

Golden State finished on a 16-6 run and held Kawhi Leonard scoreless in the fourth until the final 16 seconds.

After this time-defying rally, Curry, Draymond Green and the postseason-tested Warriors are one game from another playoff berth despite going 37-45 in the regular season and losing Jimmy Butler for the season in January.

The Warriors will travel to face Phoenix on Friday, with the winner moving on to face defending champion Oklahoma City in the first round.

Leonard scored 21 points for the Clippers, who missed the playoffs for the first time since 2022 and only the third time during their streak of 15 consecutive winning seasons. Bennedict Mathurin led Los Angeles with 23 points and Darius Garland had 21 points and eight assists while battling foul trouble.

The Clippers led 98-85 with 9:53 to play, but the 38-year-old Curry led Golden State's furious comeback alongside Kristaps Porzingis, who scored 20 points, and the 39-year-old Horford.

Golden State got a classic second-half barrage from Curry, who returned only five games ago from a 27-game absence with a knee injury. He scored 16 points in a six-minute span of the third quarter to keep the Warriors in it while the Clippers nearly pulled away.

After Horford hit three 3-pointers down the stretch in the fourth quarter, Gui Santos’ layup with 2:45 to play trimmed the Clips’ lead to 115-114. Horford’s fourth 3-pointer put the Warriors up 117-115 with 2:12 left.

The Clippers rallied from a chaotic 6-21 start to finish 42-40 in this once-woebegone franchise's 15th consecutive winning season — the NBA's longest active streak. But two late-season losses to Portland dropped Los Angeles to the No. 9 seed, requiring the Clips to get two play-in victories instead of one to make the playoffs.

After managing just eight points on 2-for-9 shooting in the first half, Curry scored 16 points and hit three 3-pointers in six electrifying minutes of the third quarter.

Referee Ben Taylor left shortly after halftime with an injury. He was replaced by alternate referee Sean Corbin.

___

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

Cars were stranded in high floodwater on a highway in Milwaukee and video shared by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel showed a woman and child being rescued from a vehicle.

The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office posted online to urge people not to drive in southeast Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers declared a state of emergency after storms, which had started moving through the state Monday, brought strong winds, hail and heavy rain. At least three tornadoes were confirmed and more severe weather was expected.

Meanwhile, communities in Michigan were recovering after powerful overnight storms damaged two ice arenas, flooded streets and uprooted trees.

Wind gusts as strong as 70 mph (113 kph) were reported at the University of Michigan football stadium, with similarly strong gusts at the Willow Run Airport, meteorologist Sara Schultz said. National Weather Service crews were surveying damage in places including Ann Arbor to determine whether one or more tornadoes touched down.

Another round of strong storms with potentially damaging winds was moving into the area Wednesday from states to the west.

Schools and ice arenas damaged

Some public school buildings in Ann Arbor suffered structural damage and many lost power. The district was closed because of a fiber outage impacting fire, phone and camera systems, and building access.

Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor said structural engineers were assessing damage to a wall at the city's Veterans Memorial Park Ice Arena. Part of the roof was torn from the university's Yost Ice Arena.

The storm uprooted a hulking tree outside Seungjun Lee's home in Ann Arbor, barely missing his upstairs bedroom.

“If the tree fell down a couple more feet, I would not be standing here,” said Lee, a 20-year-old junior at U-M.

Lee and his roommates were awakened by a siren, then an alert blasted from their phones between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m., urging them to take shelter.

More rain and dead fish

The storms dumped as much as 2.5 inches (6.3 centimeters) of rain across parts of southeastern Michigan by Wednesday morning, and more was expected across the Midwest, Great Lakes and Ohio Valley regions. Flood watches were issued for a big chunk of Michigan's eastern Lower Peninsula, southeastern Michigan, northern Indiana, northwestern Ohio, the Chicago area and Wisconsin.

In northern Michigan, a power outage during a storm killed 1,750 steelhead trout at a state facility where eggs and milt are collected to produce more fish. Scott Heintzelman of the state’s fisheries division said it was a “devastating event” involving “big, beautiful fish.”

Heintzelman said staff discovered Tuesday that a loss of electricity had stopped the flow of oxygenated water, dooming the fish.

Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources said it was watching levees around Portage, a city of about 10,000 people, as the Wisconsin River rises. As of Wednesday morning, the river there swelled to nearly 19 feet (5.7 meters), about 2 feet (0.6 meters) over flood state, and could rise to about 20 feet (6.1 meters), they said.

After days of rainfall and winter snow melt, a “significant influx of water” is also entering Black Lake, in northern Michigan, the sheriff's office said.

The lake empties into the Black River and feeds the Cheboygan River, which flows through the city into Lake Huron. Officials have been managing that flow through the city’s Cheboygan Dam by raising gates, adding pumps, raising a bridge and closing some riverfront to the public.

Flooding and unsafe travel forced Cheboygan Area Schools to cancel classes and athletic events for Thursday and Friday.

"Conditions are not improving significantly and, in some areas, continue to worsen,” the district said.

Where's all this weather headed?

Bill Bunting, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Storm Prediction Center, described a “very dynamic weather pattern” that combines very moist air with a strong jet stream across the central United States and Great Lakes to create conditions for severe thunderstorms.

By Wednesday afternoon, the weather service had received more than 400 reports of hail, winds above 60 mph (96.5 kph) or tornadoes, he said.

The system was stretching northward Wednesday night from central Texas into Iowa and southern Wisconsin and then eastward across parts of Michigan, Illinois, northern Indiana and Ohio on its way toward upper Pennsylvania and the Buffalo, New York, area, Bunting said.

Further east, it is expected to be as hot as a furnace, threatening record high temperatures in New York, Philadelphia and Washington through the weekend, forecasters say.

___

Williams reported from West Bloomfield, Michigan. Associated Press writers Ed White in Detroit, Todd Richmond in Madison, Wisconsin, and Hallie Golden in Seattle, contributed to this story.

His 22 swing and misses against the New York Mets were a career high with the Dodgers. He struck out the side in the sixth inning on 14 pitches in the Dodgers' 8-2 victory. The right-hander allowed one run and two hits in six innings.

“It was really good to watch him just focus on one thing,” manager Dave Roberts said. “Just channeling all that energy into pitching was helpful. The last couple outings I felt he was fighting himself a little bit at times, but tonight he was unusually good.”

It was the first time since May 28, 2021, with the Los Angeles Angels that Ohtani has not been in the batting lineup during a mound start.

“In between innings felt a little longer than normal. That was really the only difference,” Ohtani said through a translator. “I had pretty productive time being able to spend time on the game-planning side of things.”

Ohtani is still sore from being struck on the back of his right shoulder by a pitch from the New York Mets' David Peterson on Monday. The Japanese superstar let out a howl, but stayed in the game.

“If it weren’t for the hit by pitch, he would’ve been DHing and pitching tonight,” Roberts said before the game. “But I do think that just to be able to pitch and focus on that will be a benefit for the mind and the body, and hopefully, we’re just in a little moment of fatigue and we can get past it.”

Ohtani didn't ice his shoulder after the game, which Roberts said was a good sign.

Roberts said Ohtani has felt progressively better since Monday. But the training staff, coaches and Roberts felt it was better for him not to hit in the series finale, although Ohtani was initially surprised to hear the decision.

“Because I’ve never asked him to pitch and not hit,” Roberts said. “I think that he understands that I’m making a decision that’s best for the player, for him, and for the team.”

Ohtani is 0 for 7 at the plate since getting hit.

His career-best on-base streak reached 48 games after he was intentionally walked in the eighth inning Tuesday. It's the fourth-longest streak in franchise history.

Roberts expects Ohtani to be back hitting and pitching in his next start, although he said he would consider giving Ohtani a hitting break again on a night when he's pitching at some point in the future.

“It's got to make sense to not have your best hitter not in the lineup,” Roberts said. “Then the question is when he does hit, on days that he pitches, where’s the best for him to hit in the order? I think there’s fair arguments to both, to moving him down a little bit, give him a breather, let him get into the game. But I’m not prepared to make that decision quite yet. But it is something that I’m mindful of it.”

Dalton Rushing replaced Ohtani at designated hitter, and blasted a grand slam in the eighth inning.

“I'm not getting used to it,” Rushing said, chuckling. “He told me to hit a homer for him. I guess it worked out in the end.”

Asked if he would be a one-way player again, Ohtani smiled and said, “Yeah, totally. We have a really good DH hit today, so I’m very open to that.”

On the mound, Ohtani had his streak of 28 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run snapped on MJ Melendez's RBI double in the fifth.

“Just added a little more intensity after they scored a run,” Ohtani said. “But overall it felt really nice and easy and loose throughout the whole outing. So I think that’s the reason why I threw a little harder.”

Roberts noticed Ohtani dig deeper after giving up a second double to Melendez.

“It was 98 all night, some 99s and then in the fifth inning reaches back for 100,” Roberts said. “That's nice.”

Ohtani made his Dodgers pitching debut last season, going 1-1 with a 2.87 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 47 innings over 14 starts. His four-seam fastball averaged a career-best 98.4 mph last year.

Ohtani owns the longest on-base streak by a Japanese-born player at 48 games, surpassing Hall of Famer Ichiro Suzuki, who reached in 43 straight games in 2009.

___

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

The January-March data released by the government, covering a period during which the Iran war began, was better than what economists expected and was up from the 4.5% growth seen in the October-December quarter.

On a quarter-on-quarter basis, China's economy grew 1.3% in the first three months from the final quarter of last year, the fastest pace in a year.

Economists expect China, the world's second largest economy, to be able to weather short-term impacts from the Iran war, now in its seventh week. The war is pushing energy prices higher, worsening inflation and impacting global economic growth. But longer term, areas including global demand for Chinese exports could take a hit.

The International Monetary Fund this week trimmed its economic growth estimates for China to a 4.4% expansion for 2026 as it lowered its global growth forecasts over Iran war shocks. Chinese leaders last month set an economic growth target of 4.5% to 5% for this year, the slowest since 1991.

“China can likely weather short term disruptions, but a protracted war and higher for longer energy prices would likely start to bite into growth by the second half of the year,” said Lynn Song, chief economist for Greater China at Dutch bank ING.

Also on Thursday, government data showed industrial output in China rose 5.7% in March year-on-year, better than market expectations, as global demand for Chinese exports of electronic equipments, autos, semiconductors and robotics remained strong.

Retail sales were up 1.7% from a year earlier, worse-than-estimates and slower than the 2.8% growth in January and February, reflecting sluggish domestic demand for consumer goods.

A years-long real estate sector slump in China has dragged consumer and investor confidence, but the country managed to achieve its targeted “around 5%” growth last year, powered by robust exports that drove its trade surplus to a record nearly $1.2 trillion despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s higher tariffs.

China's exports will continue to be key in propelling its economy this year, economists believe, but reliance on export growth could now increasingly become a problem.

"The lack of a speedy resolution to the Iran war is likely to dent global growth, which will negatively impact other economies’ ability to absorb Chinese exports,” said Eswar Prasad, a professor of economics and trade policy at Cornell University.

“At a time when all countries are trying to protect their firms, households and economies from the fallout of the Iran war, the appetite for Chinese imports is clearly shrinking,” he explained.

On Tuesday, China reported its exports grew 2.5% in March from a year ago, significantly slowing from the previous two months although some analysts partly attributed that to seasonal distortions.

China could likely still attain its full year economic growth target of 4.5% to 5% for 2026 through policy stimulus measures, economists say, but there are other concerns.

A boost in public sector investment, Prasad said, would stabilize headline growth but, unless household demand strengthens significantly, could intensify underlying deflationary pressures and increase the economy’s reliance on exports down the line.

The back-to-back Israeli attacks on the southern village of Mayfadoun, near the bigger town of Nabatiyeh, hit the first group of medics responding to a distress call from wounded civilians, a second group trying to assist their wounded colleagues and a third group rushing to aid the first two teams that had been targeted.

The Israeli military did not respond to a request for comment on the strikes beyond saying it was “looking into” what happened. It has previously accused the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group of using ambulances as cover for militant activities, without offering evidence.

The Lebanese Health Ministry condemned the attacks as a “blatant violation” of international law.

Abou Haidar Hayya, an official with the Islamic Health Committee involved in the rescue operation, said he feared such direct targeting of medics meant that “there are no more red lines in this war."

“Ambulances are protected under all international laws and conventions. It is forbidden to target them. And when those prohibitions collapse, we have nothing left,” he said by phone from the health center in Nabitiyeh.

Since the Israel-Hezbollah war began on March 2, at least 91 Lebanese medical workers have been killed by Israel, the ministry said, underscoring the intensity of the ongoing strikes and strain on Lebanon's health system. The overall death toll from the war in Lebanon jumped to 2,167 on Wednesday.

A succession of Israeli attacks on medics

Israel first struck a team from Lebanon’s Islamic Health Committee, a major healthcare provider that is affiliated with Hezbollah’s political movement, killing two paramedics, the group said. A second team from the committee headed to the site and was struck in another Israeli attack that wounded three medical workers, the ministry reported.

The Nabatiyeh Emergency Services as well as the Islamic Risala Scout Association, a paramedic group affiliated with the Amal movement, a Hezbollah ally, mounted a third rescue attempt. They were hit by a strike that killed two more medics.

Most of the wounded medics remain in moderate condition except for one medic in serious condition after being hit in the chest by shrapnel, the Islamic Health Committee said.

Footage captured by the Nabatiyeh Emergency Services and shared with The Associated Press shows the second team of medics wearing their uniforms and riding in clearly marked emergency vehicles struggling to pull their bloodied colleagues out of wrecked ambulances that had veered onto the side of the road.

Rescue workers are seen administering aid to two wounded colleagues on stretchers in the back of an ambulance when an Israeli strike smashes into the vehicle, blowing out its windows and sending glass shattering everywhere. The camera shakes, and the medic who was treating his colleagues screams in pain. The video then shows a third team arriving to help the others before being attacked.

Hayya, from the Islamic Health Committee, said he doesn't regret dispatching one team after another into the line of fire.

“We went in three times because we refuse to leave our paramedics behind, even if it costs all of us our lives," he said.

He promised that the Islamic Health Committee and other paramedic groups would continue to carry out their duties in southern Lebanon despite the increasingly impossible conditions.

Israel presses its ground invasion

Across southern Lebanon, Israeli forces said they had struck more than 200 Hezbollah targets over the past 24 hours. Hezbollah claimed rocket attacks on military targets in northern Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video address late Wednesday that he had ordered the military to expand its so-called “buffer zone” in southern Lebanon toward the east. He said that Israel is pursuing negotiations with the Lebanese government alongside its military campaign against Hezbollah in hopes of disarming the militant group and achieving a “sustainable peace" with its northern neighbor.

In Lebanon, those negotiations have drawn backlash from Hezbollah and its supporters. Al Akhbar, a Lebanese newspaper that is closely allied with Hezbollah, declared the government to be a “regime of shame” in its front-page report about Tuesday's talks in Washington.

Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah castigated Lebanese authorities for what he called the “disgraceful image” of direct negotiations with Israel “at a time when it is killing Lebanese people and committing massacres."

He urged the government, which has long sought the disarmament of Hezbollah to no avail, to hold a popular referendum on the future of Hezbollah's arsenal rather than decide its fate in talks with Israel.

“We are ready for a referendum on these choices,” Fadlallah told reporters, saying he expected the results of any such vote to show that a majority of Lebanese people support Hezbollah's militant activities.

On the streets of Beirut, Lebanese were divided. Some agreed with Hezbollah that Israel can only be stopped through military force. Others welcomed the talks in Washington as a possible step toward ending the war.

“The negotiations are more in our interest than in Israel’s interest because we are the ones whose country is being destroyed, we are the ones suffering losses,” said Mohamed Saad, a Beirut resident.

A refuge of last resort

The Israeli military has issued evacuation warnings for wide swaths of southern Lebanon. But tens of thousands of people have stayed — either because they don’t want to leave their homes or because they have nowhere to go.

Many displaced families see the coastal city of Tyre as the last remaining refuge in southern Lebanon, removed from the heaviest clashes closer to the border.

Increasingly, though, residents say nowhere feels safe. Across the normally bustling beach town, the war is visible in shattered buildings, mounds of rubble and debris-strewn streets.

___

DeBre reported from Beirut. Associated Press writer Fadi Tawil contributed to this report.

In the first three months of the year, Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico’s campaign said he brought in $27 million, while vulnerable incumbent Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia said he raised $14 million. Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper’s campaign said he’ll report $13.8 million and former Sen. Sherrod Brown will report $12.5 million in his comeback bid in Ohio.

The money will help Democrats make their case to voters and counter Republican attacks, but it doesn’t change the fundamental fact that control of the Senate will be decided in territory that favors Republicans. Except for Maine, where Democrats Graham Platner and Janet Mills are still battling for the party's nomination to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins, all of the top battleground races are in states President Donald Trump won in 2024.

While Democrats touted their totals, they offer only a snapshot of overall fundraising, as campaigns had until the end of the day Wednesday to file with the Federal Election Commission.

Republicans lagged

In races where Republicans had reported their fundraising by Tuesday evening, Democrats were far outpacing them.

In Texas, incumbent Sen. Jon Cornyn and state Attorney General Ken Paxton — who are locked in a bitter runoff for the GOP nomination — raised $2.5 million combined, less than 10% of Talarico's revenue for the quarter. Two of the three main Republicans in Georgia — Derek Dooley and Buddy Carter — combined for about $1.1 million. The third, Mike Collins, had not yet reported his fundraising as of Wednesday evening.

Former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley raised $2.1 million in North Carolina and Sen. Jon Husted raised $2.9 million in Ohio.

Collins, a top target for Democrats, raised $3.1 million in Maine. Mills, the governor who is preferred by much of the Democratic establishment, said she’ll report raising $2.6 million, while Platner, an oyster farmer backed by progressive leaders including Sen. Bernie Sanders, said he raised $4 million.

In Alaska, Democratic former Rep. Mary Peltola said she'll report raising $8.9 million, compared with $1.7 million for Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan.

Money isn't everything

Republicans said flush coffers don't guarantee victory.

Retiring Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina pointed out that his opponent in 2020 also celebrated successful fundraising quarters but didn't win.

Democrats Beto O'Rourke in 2018 in Texas and Jaime Harrison in 2020 in South Carolina shattered fundraising records and still lost to their Republican rivals.

"We don’t have to outraise them," Tillis said. "We just got to out run them.”

There's an imbalance in Republicans' favor at the national committee level. The Republican National Committee reported roughly $109 million cash on hand in its most recent FEC filing, compared with roughly $16 million for their Democratic counterpart, plus Democrats are carrying about $17 million in debt.

Waiting in the wings for Republicans is a super political action committee tied to Trump — MAGA Inc. — which has more than $300 million cash on hand, according to the FEC.

The rosy first-quarter contributions carry some advantages for Democrats, namely the ability to buy limited advertising slots ahead of the election to get on the air early and make an impression with voters. Candidates also get favorable rates for television ads so their money goes further than independent expenditures by outside groups, though that advantage is eroding as ad spending increasingly shifts toward digital streaming.

“Winning in Texas will require unprecedented resources,” Talarico campaign manager Seth Krasne said in a statement. “This grassroots fundraising haul puts our movement in a strong position to spread our message in some of the most expensive media markets in the country.”

Talarico will face the winner of the GOP runoff on May 26 between Cornyn and Paxton.

___

Associated Press writer Joey Cappelletti in Washington contributed to this report.

Separately, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that the U.S. is preparing to ramp up economic pain on Iran by levying secondary sanctions on financial institutions that do business with the Middle Eastern nation. Bessent called the measure the “financial equivalent” of the bombing campaign.

Mediators’ efforts to extend a U.S.-Iran ceasefire made progress as the two sides are expected to hold another round of negotiations, regional officials said. But a senior U.S. official said Washington has not formally agreed to extend the ceasefire. A Pakistani delegation arrived for talks in Tehran in the latest diplomatic move.

Israel, meanwhile, is pressing ahead with its aerial and ground war against the militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon, a day after the two nations held their first direct talks in decades.

Trump says leaders of Lebanon and Israel to speak

Trump wrote late Wednesday on Truth Social that leaders from Israel and Lebanon would speak the next day in a renewed effort to broker a ceasefire after the countries’ first direct talks in decades ended the previous day in Washington without a deal. It was not clear what leaders Trump was referring to. The Israeli prime minister’s office did not immediately respond for comment, which was posted before dawn in Israel and Lebanon.

Chinese foreign minister says reopening of Hormuz an international demand

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Iranian counterpart that reopening the Strait of Hormuz was a unanimous demand from the international community.

Wang Yi told Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in a phone call that Iran’s sovereignty, security, and legitimate rights should be respected as a littoral state of the Strait of Hormuz, but freedom of navigation and safety through the strait should be ensured.

“Working to resume normal passage of the strait is a unanimous call from the international community,” Wang was quoted as saying in a government statement late Wednesday.

Wang noted that the current situation had reached a critical juncture between war and peace and also said that the window of peace was opening .

Consecutive Israeli strikes kill 4 Lebanese medics

Paramedic groups say a fourth Lebanese rescue worker has died after three consecutive, targeted strikes by the Israeli military Wednesday that also wounded six others.

The back-to-back Israeli attacks on the southern village of Mayfadoun, near the bigger town of Nabatiyeh, hit the first group of medics responding to a distress call from wounded civilians, a second group trying to assist their wounded colleagues and a third group rushing to aid the first two teams that had been targeted.

The Israeli military did not respond to a request for comment on the strikes beyond saying it was “looking into” what happened. It has previously accused the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group of using ambulances as cover for militant activities, without offering evidence.

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Fire damages Australian oil refinery, further reducing nation’s fuel supply threatened by the Iran war

Officials say there were no suspicious circumstances behind the blaze that broke out late Wednesday at the Viva Energy Geelong refinery southwest of Melbourne, and no one was injured.

The facility is one of two refineries in Australia and provides 10% of the nation’s gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.

Australia has agreed to underwrite two companies buying fuel at prices inflated by the war. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese warned last week that supply disruptions would “have a long tail” even if the Iran ceasefire holds.

The government had agreed to terms with Australia’s largest suppliers Ampol and Viva Energy to underwrite contracts for gasoline and diesel bought on the spot market for prices above normal commercial rates, Albanese said.

Energy Minister Chris Bowen said Thursday it was too early to tell the extent of the fire’s impact on gasoline production.

“The refinery is still producing diesel and jet fuel at reduced levels as a safety precaution,” Bowen told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

On gasoline, Bowen said, “It’s not a positive development. It will have an impact.”

Firefighters said the blaze had been contained to the gasoline plant.

Sharif praises Saudi restraint

According to the statement, Sharif assured the Kingdom of Pakistan’s “full solidarity and support” and praised what he described as Saudi Arabia’s restraint under the crown prince’s leadership.

Pakistan has a defense agreement with the Kingdom, which has faced retaliatory attacks from Iran in recent weeks, causing damage.

Pakistan’s prime minister briefs Saudi crown prince on efforts to ease US-Iran tensions

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a visit to the Kingdom, briefing him on Pakistan’s efforts to ease U.S.-Iran tensions and assuring him of Islamabad’s “full support,” his office said before dawn Thursday.

Wednesday’s meeting lasted more than two hours, and Sharif was accompanied by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

The statement said the crown prince praised what it described as the constructive role played by Sharif and Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, in the peace process.

Sharif dispatched Munir to Tehran for talks with Iranian leaders.

Pakistan has long maintained close ties with Saudi Arabia while also keeping relations with Iran.

Military adviser to Iran’s supreme leader says he does not support extending ceasefire, according to state media

“We are subject to the decisions of the relevant officials, but personally I do not agree to extend the ceasefire,” said Mohsen Rezaei, formerly a commander in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps who now advises Mojtaba Khamenei on military affairs, Iranian state media reported.

Rezaei also urged officials to be more cautious than they had been before in negotiations over economic matters with the U.S.

He said Iran was setting the preconditions in the next round of talks, not the U.S.

“Unlike the Americans who are afraid of continuous war, we are fully prepared and familiar with a long war,” he said, according to the report.

Blockade ‘has been fully implemented,’ US admiral says

That’s according to Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, who says: “U.S. forces have completely halted economic trade going in and out of Iran by sea.”

The command said Wednesday that no vessels have made it past its forces during the blockade’s first 48 hours. The blockade began Monday.

Central Command noted that 10 vessels have complied with directions to turn around and return toward an Iranian port or Iran’s coastal area.

The blockade is being enforced “impartially against all vessels of all nations entering or leaving coastal areas or ports in Iran,” the Command said. Vessels avoiding Iranian ports are not affected.

The action could put serious pressure on the Iranian economy, while Tehran’s earlier cutoff of the waterway crucial to oil and gas supplies has sent energy prices higher.

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Wall Street hits a record on hopes for an end to the Iran war

The U.S. stock market hit a record Wednesday after adding to its two-week rally built on hopes the war won’t create a worst-case scenario for the global economy.

The S&P 500 rose 0.8% and eclipsed its prior all-time high set in January. After falling nearly 10% below its record in late March, the index at the heart of many 401(k) accounts has since roared more than 10% higher.

Much of the rally was due to expectations for calming tensions in the war and a resumption of the full flow of oil from the Persian Gulf. Hopes remained high as regional officials told The Associated Press that the U.S. and Iran had an “in principle agreement” to extend a ceasefire to allow for more diplomacy.

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US aircraft carrier sets deployment record

The world’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, broke the U.S. record Wednesday for the longest post-Vietnam War deployment, a nearly 10-month span that saw it take part in both the military raid that captured Venezuela’s leader and the Iran war.

The ship’s 295th day at sea surpassed the previous longest modern deployment by an aircraft carrier, when the USS Abraham Lincoln was sent out for 294 days in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to data compiled by U.S. Naval Institute News, a news outlet run by the nonprofit U.S. Naval Institute.

Sen. Tim Kaine said the record-breaking deployment has taken “a serious toll” on the mental health and well-being of the crew.

“They should be home with their loved ones, not sent around the world by a President who acts like the U.S. military is his palace guard,” the Virginia Democrat said.

Iran’s imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize laureate in ‘critical’ condition after heart attack

Narges Mohammadi ’s family and lawyers visited her in Zanjan prison twice in the last month, a statement by the Narges Mohammadi Foundation said on X Wednesday, finding that her health condition was dire. She is weak, pale and has lost weight, said the statement.

The report comes after Mohammadi had a heart attack in the prison on March 24, according to a cardiologist she saw soon after, according to the statement.

The statement said that following the heart attack Mohammadi was unconscious without anyone resuscitating her for over an hour.

Her brother, Hamidreza Mohammadi, said in the Wednesday statement that the cardiologist who saw her after the collapse told the family it was partially due to the medicines she’d been prescribed by prison doctors.

He added that she was being kept in a cell with people convicted of murder and that she’d faced threats from them on numerous occasions.

Mohammadi is a rights lawyer who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023 while in prison. She was arrested in December during a visit to the eastern Iranian city of Mashhad and sentenced to seven more years in prison.

Iranian state media says Iran-Pakistan talks have started

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi took part in a preliminary meeting with the Pakistani Army Chief of Staff, Asim Munir, in Tehran Wednesday, according to a report on IRIB, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting.

The report said more extensive talks would continue Thursday to discuss latest communications with the US.

Pakistan is mediating talks between Washington and Tehran.

US official says Trump would welcome an end to the Israel-Hezbollah conflict

A U.S. official says President Donald Trump would welcome an end to the Israel-Hezbollah conflict as part of a broader peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon but has not specifically asked for one.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the Trump administration’s position during closed-door talks between Israel and Lebanon, said an Israel-Hezbollah truce is not part of peace negotiations the U.S. is having with Iran.

Iran has demanded a truce between Israel and its proxy Hezbollah as a condition to return to talks with the United States.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday hosted the first talks in decades between high-level Israeli and Lebanese officials.

Israeli prime minister says forces will continue push in south Lebanon

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the current fighting is concentrated in the strategic south Lebanon town of Bint Jbeil, where Israeli troops are about to “eliminate this great stronghold of Hezbollah.”

Netanyahu, in a video address Wednesday evening, said he has given instructions for the military to continue to widen the security zone in south Lebanon — a reference to areas close to the border that the Israeli army now occupies — and to spread it eastward.

He said Israel is concurrently negotiating with Lebanon, with two central goals: disarming Hezbollah and a sustainable peace. “Peace through strength,” he added.

He also said the U.S. was updating Israel on the talks with Iran and that Israel was prepared for any scenario, should the fighting with Iran resume.

Senate Republicans again reject effort to halt Trump’s Iran war

The Republican-led Senate on Wednesday rejected the latest Democratic attempt to halt President Donald Trump’s war in Iran, turning aside a resolution that would require the U.S. to withdraw forces from the conflict until Congress authorizes further action.

The 47-52 vote was the fourth time this year that the Senate has voted to cede its war powers to the president in a conflict that Democrats say is illegal and unjustified. Republicans say they will keep faith in Trump’s wartime leadership, for now, citing Iran’s nuclear capabilities and the high stakes of withdrawal. But GOP lawmakers are also anxious for the conflict to end — and they may not defer to the executive branch indefinitely.

Some Republicans have already made clear that they are eyeing future votes that could become an important test for the president if the war drags on.

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Treasury sanctions Ali Shamkhani-linked network, warns of secondary sanctions

The U.S. is imposing sanctions targeting an Iranian oil smuggling network tied to the deceased senior Iranian security official Ali Shamkhani.

Sanctions include dozens of individuals and companies accused of transporting and selling Iranian and Russian oil through front companies, many of which are in the UAE.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement, that banks “should be on notice that Treasury will leverage all tools and authorities, including secondary sanctions, against those that continue to support Tehran’s terrorist activities.”

US ready to hit Iran with economic pain equivalent to bombings, top Trump official says

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned on Wednesday that the U.S. is preparing to ramp up economic pain on Iran, saying the Republican administration is preparing action that will be the “financial equivalent” of the bombing campaign.

Bessent said the administration has “told companies, we have told countries that if you are buying Iranian oil, that if Iranian money is sitting in your banks, we are now willing to apply secondary sanctions, which is a very stern measure. And the Iranians should know that this is going to be the financial equivalent of what we saw in the kinetic activities.”

The warning comes the day after Treasury Department sent a letter to financial institutions in China, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman, threatening to levy secondary sanctions for doing business with Iran.

White House says talks with Iran are ongoing

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the U.S. had not “formally requested an extension of the ceasefire” with Iran.

The ceasefire announced on April 7 is currently slated to expire next Tuesday.

“At this moment, we remain very much engaged, in these negotiations, in these talks,” Leavitt said, adding that there are “discussions” about more talks being held unperson “but nothing is official until you hear it from us here at the White House.”

She said that the possible next rounds of talks “would very likely” be in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad as they were previously.

Bessent says Americans can choose if they want to use their tax refunds to buy increasingly pricey gasoline

Asked if the tax refunds would go toward gasoline averaging more than $4 a gallon, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the public is free to spend its money however it wants.

“Americans have more money. They can decide how they want to spend it,” Bessent said.

Higher prices at the pump because of the Iran war has created the risk that President Donald Trump’s tax cuts will offset the cost of fueling up autos to go to work and run errands, instead of boosting spending in ways that could help overall economic growth.

Bessent ‘optimistic’ that gasoline prices going back to $3 a gallon this summer

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters that he believes gasoline prices will be closer to $3 gallon this summer, saying pumping oil can resume within a week of the Strait of Hormuz opening.

“I’m optimistic that sometime between June 20th and September 20th that we can have $3 gas again,” said Bessent.

Gas prices are averaging $4.11 a gallon, up from $3.17 a year ago, according to AAA.

US Navy says it will use force to compel compliance with Iran blockade

U.S. Navy warships are telling merchant ships in and around Iran that they are ready to board them and use force to compel compliance with the blockade on ships trading with Iran.

“Vessels will be boarded for interdiction and seizure transiting to or from Iranian port,” a Navy radio message, posted to social media by U.S. Central Command, said. A military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing military operation, confirmed the message is currently being broadcast to all ships in the region.

“If you do not comply with this blockade, we will use force,” the radio message added.

—- Konstantin Toropin

Iranian and Emirati officials discuss de-escalation efforts

UAE Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Iran’s parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf discussed regional developments on a phone call and ways to de-escalate tensions, UAE state-run news agency WAM reported, without further details.

UN allocates $12M for Iran aid

UN Relief Chief Tom Fletcher said $12 million has been allocated for humanitarian support in Iran.

“Thousands of civilians killed. Infrastructure destroyed. Essential services disrupted. This funding will help our partners deliver life-saving assistance at scale,” he wrote on X.

Israel to convene security cabinet to discuss developments with Lebanon

An Israeli official said the meeting would be held Wednesday evening. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

The meeting comes a day after Lebanon and Israel held their first direct diplomatic talks in decades in Washington, following more than a month of war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group.

—- Melanie Lidman

No ships have made it past U.S. naval blockade, military says

U.S. Central Command said in a statement Wednesday that no vessels have made it past U.S. naval forces during the first 48 hours of the blockade on ships entering and exiting Iranian ports.

Central Command also said nine vessels have complied with direction from U.S. forces to turn around and return toward an Iranian port or Iran’s coastal area.

First crude tanker passes Strait of Hormuz since US blockade

A Malta-flagged vessel is the first crude oil carrier to head west through Strait of Hormuz since the United States blocked Iranian ports, according to a global shipping tracking monitor.

The Malta-flagged VLCC Agios Fanourios I is expected to arrive on Thursday in Basra, Iraq, where ports are not under U.S. blockade. Marine Traffic said the vessel attempted again a transit after anchoring in the Gulf of Oman for nearly two days.

US called on Iran to halt uranium enrichment for 20 years

The negotiating team led by Vice President JD Vance called for Iran to agree to a uranium enrichment moratorium as part of a potential deal to end the war, according to a regional official involved in the mediation efforts and a person briefed on the matter.

The Iranians rejected the U.S. plan laid out during last weekend’s talks in Islamabad and came back with a counteroffer to suspend enrichment for five years, the regional official and a person briefed on the matter. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly on the negotiations.

The White House rejected the Iranian proposal that was conveyed by Tehran’s negotiators earlier this week.

The White House and the vice president’s office did not respond to requests for comment about the proposals.

The U.S. and Iranian proposals were first reported by the New York Times.

Democrats grill US envoy in first opportunity to question Trump administration on Iran

Attending a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on reforms to the United Nations, ambassador Mike Waltz unintentionally became the highest-level U.S. official to testify before Congress since U.S. and Israeli strikes started a war against Iran.

Democratic senators, including Chris Coons, Chris Murphy and Tim Kaine, took that opportunity to express their frustration with the Trump administration’s decision not to consult or further brief Capitol Hill on military action it is taking against Tehran.

“Those of us on the Democratic side do find it amazing that we still have not had an open hearing on this committee or the Armed Services Committee on this conflict,” Murphy, who represents Connecticut, told Waltz.

Asked several times about Trump’s threats last week to end Iranian civilization, Waltz defended it as “tough talk” and a “mean tweet” that yielded diplomatic results.

“They clearly got the message, and they clearly came back to the table,” he said.

Workers who earn tips and overtime are seeing bigger returns this tax season, but those savings and others resulting from the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” that Trump signed last year have been eaten away by higher gas pricesdriven by the Iran war.

The president’s rare trip out West comes as Trump faces growing political pressure to wrap up the war and focus on a message that helps his party as they try to defend their congressional majorities in November’s midterm elections.

On Friday, Trump will hold an event in Phoenix with conservative political group Turning Point USA. But his first stop is in Las Vegas where he will hold a roundtable with several police officers who have benefited from new tax breaks on overtime, along with a barber and a casino pit supervisor, who got to claim the new tax breaks on tips.

The Treasury Department said Wednesday that the average tax refund this year has been over $3,400, up about $340 from a year ago.

Vegas, once known for affordable living, feels economic pain

Trump has said he first conceived of his “no tax on tips” in Las Vegas, a city where entertainment is the financial lifeblood and many workers depend on gratuities from visitors.

But it’s also a city of commuters, including the tipped workers who drive to their jobs at glitzy casinos. Gasoline is averaging $5 a gallon in Las Vegas, up 28% from a year ago, according to AAA.

Nicholas Delaney, an airline attendant who lives in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson and said he did not vote for the president in 2024, said he thinks Trump is doing a “terrible” job when it comes to the cost of living. He thought the tax break for tips was a good policy, but is concerned about the cost of groceries and gas.

“I gotta spend over $100 for a full tank of gas, 13 gallons? Crazy,” Delaney said.

Paula Goodman, a bartender in a Henderson casino, said the cost of living is her biggest concern right now, adding that she spends more than $400 a week on groceries for her family.

But Goodman, who voted for the president, said she thought he is “doing a pretty good damn job,” and doesn’t blame him for high gas prices, which she portrayed as just a fluctuation. As a bartender, she said she personally appreciated the tax savings on tips she brings home.

“Every little penny nowadays is, like, huge,” she said. “You’ve seen diesel, right? $6.11.”

Tax refunds are offset by gas prices

The White House said Trump is focused on tax cuts, deregulation and boosting U.S. energy production to drive down prices, and describes high gas prices as a temporary disruption from the war in Iran.

“Tens of millions of Americans are benefiting this tax season from the president’s signature provisions” in the tax law, said White House spokesman Kush Desai, saying that shows “how the administration hasn’t lost focus on delivering on our affordability agenda at home.”

Even so, the conflict has made things less affordable. The Bank of America Institute looked at its deposit and spending data and in a Tuesday analysis concluded that “the average increase in tax refunds could cover the average increase in gasoline spending for at least five months.”

Kathy Bostjancic, chief economist at Nationwide, the insurance and financial services company, said last week in an analysis that “the steep rise in gasoline prices looks likely to completely offset the increased tax funds windfall with households,” stressing that the money back would likely prevent a sharper drop in consumer spending.

Trump's economic message focusing on the tax breaks has also been drowned out this week by distractions from the president himself, who angered even some of his own supporters when he got into a public fight with the pope and posted a now-deleted image on social media depicting himself as Jesus.

GOP strategist Ron Bonjean said among Republicans, “the frustration and concern is growing every week about whether or not we will be able to hold onto the House this November.”

It takes a lot of repetition for a message like promoting the tax bill to break through to voters, but Trump’s tendency to drift into other subjects can dilute that, Bonjean said. Trump, who has at times dismissed affordability concerns as “a hoax,” and “con job” from Democrats, has to acknowledge the economic realities people are facing now if he wants to help his party this November, Bonjean said.

“He absolutely has to talk about his plan to bring down high gasoline costs, or else he’s lost his own message. It won’t be credible just to talk about no taxes on tips,” Bonjean said.

When will gas prices come down?

While the president has said he thinks the war with Iran will end soon, a deal to resolve it has not yet emerged, with the U.S. and Iran still proffering stances that are far apart.

Trump on Sunday said in a Fox News Channel interview that gas prices “could be the same or maybe a little bit higher” by the November midterms.

By Wednesday, in another Fox News interview, Trump walked back that comment. “I think they'll be much lower” before the election, on the assumption the war will be long over.

“When that’s settled, gas prices are going to go down tremendously,” Trump said.

Hours later at the White House, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was less rosy, predicting that gas prices will fall sometime this summer, depending on how the negotiations with Iran go.

“I’m optimistic that sometime between June 20th and September 20th, that we can have $3 gas again,” Bessent told reporters.

___

Price reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Josh Boak in Washington contributed to this report.

One can find it in the country’s name — the UNITED States of America — and in the sentiment of the motto written in Latin on its coins and one-dollar bills: E Pluribus Unum, or “out of many, one.”

The effort has been optimistic and unrealistic, successful and a failure, enduring as an American ideal during moments when citizens struggled — and struggle today — to practice it.

How has the notion of unity in American society evolved in 250 years and more? What does it mean — and what doesn't it mean, particularly in fraught and troubled moments? “It's a question,” says one scholar, “that every society has to answer.”

I. The beginnings of these ‘United’ States

From the milestone moment of the nation’s beginning, the founders emphasized that unity would be a vital component of the new country, where government would be based not on a king and monarchy as in Europe but instead, as the Declaration says, “on the consent of the governed.”

“It is of infinite moment that you should properly estimate the immense value of your national union to your collective and individual happiness; that you should cherish a cordial, habitual, and immovable attachment to it … indignantly frowning upon the first dawning of every attempt to alienate any portion of our country from the rest,” George Washington said as he stepped down from two terms as the first American president.

At the start of the experiment, the fabric of a nation first stitched together from 13 original colonies, defining what unity meant was far from settled.

Even as the founders spoke of high-minded ideals, they put limits on who they allowed to take part, who had rights and freedom and who didn't. All these years later, determining the meaning of unity can still be a challenge. Do we interpret that Latin motto to mean a blending of different perspectives to create a country that is greater than the sum of its parts, or does it mean there can only be one, that unity requires sameness?

Either way, here’s the thing about aspirations, as anyone who’s ever quit on a New Year’s resolution can tell you: They don’t turn into reality without effort and commitment, or come out of just a sole moment, no matter how singular.

Our individual lives are built not just from the milestones but from the everydays in between. How could the life of a nation be any different?

II. Aspiration vs. reality

Even as unity has stood among the ideals, the on-the-ground experience of life in America for the last 2½ centuries has reflected the reality that in this created nation, there’s never been just ONE America, where everyone lived in the same way or had the same access to power and prosperity.

It wasn't there at the country's inception. And in the moment the U.S. is living now, it certainly isn't either.

“I think the United State has had a more volatile history in terms of how it deals with questions of inclusion and exclusion, how it draws the line and polices the line of who’s in and who’s out,” says Daniel Immerwahr, a professor of history at Northwestern University.

“It’s a question that every society has to answer … who’s on the inside, who’s on the outside,” he says. “I would say that what’s interesting about the United States in this regard is how changeable and nonobvious some of the answers to those questions are.”

Sometimes the differences have been straightforward — like geography (rural vs. urban, plains vs. mountains) and climate (heat vs. snow, wildfires vs. flooding). Sometimes they were, and remain, cultural — people from different countries of origin, newcomers vs. generations deep, speaking different languages, following different denominations of Christianity or other religions entirely. And of course, the differences have been economic; rich and poor have always lived differently.

But sometimes, the differences have been travesties — like enslaved Africans and their American-born descendants, forced to live under the lash as they worked in the fields and elsewhere for the benefit of white owners. Even after slavery was outlawed, they were subject to discrimination and worse under racism that was legalized in systemic ways into the 20th century and that echoes still.

The Indigenous tribes whose populations were decimated by death and disease as the American experiment moved westward and newly arrived settlers hankered after their tribal lands, and whose cultures were stripped from generations as the U.S. government tried to force “unity” through brutal efforts at assimilation.

Communities of people barred from possibility because of gender, sexual orientation or other characteristics.

There have also been persistent efforts across eras to create a country where the opportunities available to some — say, voting, economic growth, or access to education — would be made available to all. That came gradually through protest movements, legal action, and callbacks to those same American founding ideals and aspirations of unity and equality.

“It provided a language for the groups that were challenging these exclusions to draw on … invoking the ideals of the Revolution and the Declaration and saying, ‘Look, this is what the nation is supposed to be about,’” says Eileen Cheng, a professor of history at Sarah Lawrence College. “They could challenge the system and yet claim that they were being the true Americans.”

III. What could ‘unity’ even look like?

One of the things about ideals, though, is that they can be somewhat abstract.

What does it mean for a country to be ‘united'? Does unity mean uniform? Is it, to borrow a reference from one of satirist Terry Pratchett's books, that people are on the same side, or can they be on “different sides that happen to be side by side.” Is unity overall even a good thing in the context of a raucous democracy?

A look around the globe and through the history books shows there's no single answer. There have been countries with a single official language, others that have recognized multiple languages, and some, like the United States, that for generations have never officially designated any. At times, countries have chosen official religions. Nations have different standards and processes for naturalizing new citizens.

“There are always tensions between the unity and the separateness,” said Paul Wachtel, a psychology professor at the City College of New York. “There’s no society that is just one or just the other … what’s really most essential is that we learn how to negotiate those tensions.”

The United States experienced that firsthand in its infancy. The Constitution we live under is the second attempt at a framework for government. The first, the Articles of Confederation, kept the federal government weaker and the individual states stronger. It quickly became clear that having such a weak central government — i.e., less unity — wasn't effective for the new country, leading to the Constitution.

For some countries, like many in Europe, those negotiations have taken place under the weight of centuries of history and geography, and other established backdrops like the existing form of government, which impacted the direction they decided to go. The U.S., from the founders' perspective, was a new entity.

“What it is to be of the United States is to adhere to a set of principles rather than to have a certain kind of lineage,” Immerwahr says. “Sometimes that makes the United States remarkably open, and then sometimes that gets the leaders of the United States in all kinds of weird contradictions as they try to explain why they’re doing some forms of inclusion and not others.”

The United States has a decidedly mixed history when it comes to dealing with those tensions. Things have fluctuated.

Take migration, for example. There have been eras when the influx of people coming to these shores was seemingly a never-ending stream, but also times when much of the world was barred. In politics, the idea that there would be different factions represented by different parties was loathed by some, even as it became embedded in the political culture. Groups that were once looked down on are later brought into the fold, and vice versa.

“What have we learned over the last 250 years is that things change,” says Cindy Kam, professor of political science at Vanderbilt University. “We are inclined to be social animals, but what those groups are is culturally constructed. So political elites, social elites, cultural elites, they do that work in identifying what the groups are, who is part of ‘us’ and who is a part of the ‘other.'”

By no means is it settled; if anything, the demographic, technological, economic and other changes of the last several decades are making discussions about unity more relevant than ever. In recent years, Americans have lived in a country where polarization is rampant, and serious — sometimes dire — questions abound over what the future holds. That's probably more in line with the country's beginnings than people realize.

“This polarization, people talk about it like it’s a new thing. But I think it’s really a return back to the way that we were at the beginning of the country,” Cheng says. “It’s not like this kind of linear development where we’re growing more and more accepting of difference. I think it’s up and down.”

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This story is part of an Associated Press package looking at the United States at age 250. For more stories, click here.

Fiesta starts on Thursday, April 16 and ends on Sunday, April 26, bringing 11 days of food, music and culture to San Antonio.

The Alamo City’s biggest party will once again feature dozens of events, including Fiesta’s signature parades, family-friendly festivals and can’t-miss traditions.

Whether you’re heading downtown or celebrating from home, KSAT will provide comprehensive, multi-platform coverage — on TV, online, streaming and social — so you don’t miss a moment.

KSAT will also stream Spanish broadcasts of the Texas Cavaliers River Parade, the Battle of Flowers Parade and the Fiesta Flambeau Parade.

Here’s what to know.

📅 Daily event guides

Planning your Fiesta schedule? KSAT once again provides daily guides for each day of Fiesta 2026:

• Fiesta events for April 16: Fiesta Fiesta, Taste of the Republic
• Fiesta events for April 17: Oyster Bake, Fiesta De Los Reyes, A Taste of New Orleans
• Fiesta events for April 18: OLLU Confetti 5K Fun Run, Fiesta De Los Niños, Chanclas Y Cervezas
• Fiesta events for April 19: A Day in Old Mexico, Fiesta Flotilla, UT San Antonio Fiesta Arts Fair
• Fiesta events for April 20: Texas Cavaliers River Parade, Pilgrimage to the Alamo
• Fiesta events for April 21: NIOSA, Fiesta Especial Celebration Day, Fiesta Cornyation
• Fiesta events for April 22: Coronation of the Queen, Fiesta Gartenfest
• Fiesta events for April 23: Battle of Flowers Band Festival, Fredstock, La Semana Alegre
• Fiesta events for April 24: Battle of Flowers Parade, Fiesta Jazz Festival, Incognito
• Fiesta events for April 25: Fiesta Pooch Parade, Flambeau Parade, Fiesta De Animales
• Fiesta events for April 26: Festival De Cascarones, MissionFest

📺 Watch Fiesta anywhere with KSAT

Here’s when you can watch some of the biggest events on KSAT 12, KSAT Plus (our free streaming app), YouTube and KSAT.com.

• Thursday, April 16: Fiesta Fiesta, 8-10 p.m. at Travis Park. — Watch on KSAT 12, KSAT.com and KSAT Plus.
• Monday, April 20: Texas Cavaliers River Parade and River Parade en Español, coverage starts at 7 p.m., followed by the SA Live River Parade After Party. — Watch on KSAT 12, KSAT.com and KSAT Plus.
• Thursday, April 23: Battle of Flowers Band Festival, coverage starts at 7 p.m. at the Alamo Stadium. — Watch on KSAT.com and KSAT Plus.
• Friday, April 24: Battle of Flowers Parade and Battle of Flowers en Español, coverage begins at 10 a.m. — Watch on KSAT 12, KSAT.com and KSAT Plus.
• Saturday, April 25: Fiesta Pooch Parade, coverage starts at 7:30 a.m. at Heights Pool in Alamo Heights. — Watch on KSAT.com and KSAT Plus.
• Saturday, April 25: King William Fair Parade, coverage begins at 8 a.m. — Watch on KSAT.com and KSAT Plus.
• Saturday, April 25: Battle of Flowers Band Festival, 2-5 p.m. (rebroadcast) — Watch on KSAT 12, KSAT.com and KSAT Plus.
• Saturday, April 25: Fiesta Flambeau Parade and Flambeau en Español, coverage starts at 7 p.m. — Watch on KSAT 12, KSAT.com and KSAT Plus.

You can get more information about how to stream KSAT 12 for free here.

This is just a partial list. As Fiesta gets closer, we will update our plans, which may include covering even more events live.

🎉 What to expect at Fiesta 2026

Fiesta continues its legacy as one of the nation’s largest festivals, drawing millions each year. Expect:

• Iconic parades like the Texas Cavaliers River Parade, Battle of Flowers and Fiesta Flambeau
• Food favorites like chicken-on-a-stick, tamales and oyster delicacies
• Cultural celebrations across San Antonio neighborhoods
• Live music, art and family-friendly events

KSAT will highlight the biggest moments, hidden gems and community stories throughout the 11-day celebration.

🥳 Parade routes and start times

If you’re planning your Fiesta parade strategies this year, we’ve got you covered.

For those planning to attend some of Fiesta’s signature parades, these are the start times and routes for the 2026 Texas Cavaliers River, Battle of Flowers and Fiesta Flambeau parades.

Texas Cavaliers River Parade

The 80th annual Texas Cavaliers River Parade will come to life from 7-9 p.m. on Monday, April 20.

The theme for the river parade is “Through the Decades: A Centennial Celebration,” which coincides with the organization’s 100-year anniversary. Leon McNeil, the founder of City Kids Adventures, is this year’s grand marshal.

The Texas Cavaliers consist of about 600 businesses and community leaders. The organization was founded in 1926, and in 1989, the Texas Cavaliers developed the Texas Cavaliers Charitable Foundation to support local charities.

The parade attracts more than 250,000 spectators every year, and according to the Texas Cavaliers website, the organization has only 18,000 tickets available.

Tickets are available for purchase online.

Battle of Flowers Parade

This year, the Battle of Flowers Parade will take place on Friday, April 24. The vanguard will kick off at 9:55 a.m. and the parade will follow at 10:30 a.m.

Tim Morrow, the president and CEO of the San Antonio Zoo, was announced as the grand marshal. This year’s theme is “From Pages to Possibilities,” celebrating storytelling, imagination and the magic of books.

The Battle of the Flowers is the second-oldest parade and the only parade in the United States produced entirely by women, and all of them are volunteers. The parade attracts more than 350,000 spectators from across the nation.

The parade steps off on North Main Street near San Antonio College. It will travel on Lexington Avenue, North St. Mary’s Street, Brooklyn Avenue, Avenue E, Houston Street, Alamo Plaza, Commerce Street and Santa Rosa, where it will end near West Martin Street.

Click here for tickets.

Parade Map 2024 by akmoreno on Scribd

Fiesta Flambeau Parade

The Fiesta Flambeau Parade will be held on Saturday, April 25. The vanguard will kick off at 7:15 p.m. and the main parade will follow from 7:45-11 p.m.

The theme is “Adventures in Toyland.” Shamu and Crew are the grand marshals.

The parade features more than 200 entries, and more than 800,000 spectators watch along the 3.1-mile route. It’s also broadcast and livestreamed (on KSAT!) to about 1.5 million more people.

Tickets are available online.

The Flambeau Parade travels the same route as the Battle of Flowers Parade.

🌦️ Before you head out

Our weather can change quickly — be sure to check forecasts from the KSAT Weather Authority before attending events so you can dress comfortably and safely.

>> Check the latest forecast

And don’t forget: share your photos and videos on KSAT Connect for a chance to be featured!

🚗 Getting around Fiesta

With large crowds and street closures expected, plan ahead:

• Consider using VIA Metropolitan Transit’s Park & Ride during peak events. Click here for more information.
• Allow extra travel time downtown.
• Follow event-specific guidance for parking and access.

🎊 A San Antonio tradition

Fiesta began in 1891 when a group of San Antonio citizens honored the heroes of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto with the first Battle of Flowers Parade.

It was founded by a group of women volunteers and the inspiration came from the flower parades of Spain.

Children dressed up as flowers and horse-drawn carriages were adorned with flowers. Parade participants threw blossoms at each other, a tradition that hasn’t been passed down.

The success of the Battle of Flowers Parade led to more events every year, thus Fiesta was born.

Fiesta has been celebrated every year since, except 1918 during World War I, 1942-1945 during World War II, and 2020 and 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

🌮 Fiesta Foodies

What’s a Fiesta celebration without the amazing variety of foods the 11-day festival serves up to Fiesta-goers?

Take a look at the breakdown of food consumed, according to the Fiesta Commission:

• 32,000 chicken-on-a-sticks
• 25,000 tortillas
• 15,000 oysters at Oyster Bake
• 5,000 tamales
• 3,000 turkey legs

Here’s what the Conservation Society says the “Night in Old San Antonio” crowd consumes during an average year:

• 17,000 pounds of beef
• 15,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables
• 11,000 pounds of chicken
• 5,000 pounds of sausage
• 2,000 pounds of masa
• 1,000 pounds of guacamole

📲 Stay connected with KSAT

This is just the beginning. As Fiesta 2026 gets closer, KSAT will expand coverage with:

• More live event broadcasts.
• Special features and behind-the-scenes stories.
• Streaming exclusives and rebroadcasts.

Stay tuned to KSAT across all platforms for the most complete, up-to-date Fiesta coverage in San Antonio.

¡Viva Fiesta!

Read also:

• Fiesta’s biggest event no longer free; city council approves $5 gate fee for Fiesta de los Reyes
• Cone zones may not disappear even after ‘completion’ of downtown street project, city says

Just last season, as a junior, she had 400 strikeouts, which is the most in program history.

Lopez said while that’s just a statistic, keeping up with it led her to where she is now.

“I’m super excited. I just hope I get to prove what I have out there. It’s important just knowing where I stand in ERA, walks, strikeouts, hit by pitch, homeruns. Very, very important to me,” Lopez said.

At Oklahoma Wesleyan University, she plans to study pre-med. Lopez is a certified medical assistant after passing her CMA.

Her head coach, Juan Guerrero, is proud of what she does for the Bulldogs on the field, but especially off the field.

“I want my girls to succeed at the next level, and that’s going to be our focus at Burbank High School, is that they’re going to play, yes. But really, signing and getting their academics,” Guerrero said.

The Bulldogs play their final district game at 7 p.m. on Friday against Lanier.

Read also:

• Wagner girls basketball coach Annissa Jackson’s journey from adversity to greatness

Savanna is a four-year member of the varsity volleyball, basketball and softball teams. She’s also a three-year member of varsity golf.

During her senior year, she was named Offensive MVP for volleyball and Defensive MVP in basketball and named to the San Antonio Sports All-Star Basketball Team.

She’s a member of the National Honor Society, the Student Council, the Interact Club, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and is the treasurer of the senior class.

Savanna maintains a 4.0 grade point average and is ranked second in her class. Savanna has already been accepted to Texas A&M University where she plans to major in architectural engineering.

The 7-foot-4 center, in his third NBA season, is set to make his postseason debut when the No. 2-seeded Spurs host the No. 7-seeded Trail Blazers on Sunday at the Frost Bank Center.

San Antonio finished the regular season 62-20, while Portland advanced by beating Phoenix in the play-in tournament.

“I’ve missed playing in high-stakes games,” Wembanyama said.

In his third year since being drafted first overall in 2023, Wembanyama has been the focal point of the Spurs’ rise back to contention.

The franchise last made the playoffs in 2019 and is seeking its first deep run since the Gregg Popovich-Tim Duncan era.

“This moment is what you work on all year, but also your whole career,” Wembanyama said. “We were dreaming of playoffs as kids.”

The Spurs won the season series against Portland 2-1, most recently a 112-101 victory in early April, when Wembanyama did not play due to injury.

On Sunday, Wembanyama is ready to face the T-Blazers for the first time this season.

“I can’t really help it, but dream about it,” Wembanyama said. “We have to stay grounded and stay in the moment. And before even thinking about a Game 1, I have to think about showing up the right way.”

The series opens with Games 1 and 2 in San Antonio, followed by Games 3 and 4 in Portland.

Read also:

• Former Spur Tiago Splitter to face San Antonio in 2026 NBA Playoffs
• Spurs hold first practice ahead of playoffs, leaning on 2 NBA champions to prepare young core

The White Sox said Gerald Chaney, a longtime anthem performer, was “doing well” while continuing to be evaluated. He collapsed while performing “Lift Every Voice and Sing," and the team said he was alert before leaving Rate Field.

Chaney was a few words into the hymn considered the Black national anthem when he stopped. He started again and collapsed.

“I'm really glad to hear that he is doing well,” White Sox manager Will Venable said after his team's 8-3 loss. “But obviously a scary moment. I think everyone did a great job in responding and did the best to make sure he's all right. Really good news to hear that he is all right. That's the most important thing, obviously.”

Emergency medical technicians tended to Chaney for several minutes before he was loaded onto a gurney and taken from the field. The teams watched from their dugouts.

Chaney was also scheduled to sing “The Star Spangled Banner” after performing “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” The start of the game was delayed 12 minutes.

“The entire White Sox family is sending love to Gerald and his family for a full and speedy recovery,” the team said in a statement.

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

FORECAST HIGHLIGHTS

• ISOLATED RAIN TONIGHT: One or two storms are possible again tonight - mainly dry though
• THURSDAY & FRIDAY: Warm & humid. Near 90°.
• SATURDAY COLD FRONT: Light rain, falling temps from 70s to upper-50s
• DAMP RIVER PARADE: Light rain possible again on Monday, with cool temps

FORECAST

QUIET, HOT START TO FIESTA

Expect a hot Thursday and Friday, with generally rain-free conditions. With highs near 90 and humid conditions, prepare to sweat as Fiesta gets underway. These conditions will not last...

SATURDAY COLD FRONT

A stout cold front, at least by April standards, will slide through Saturday morning. With the front, we’ll see spotty light rainfall throughout the day and falling temperatures. We’ll go from 70s in the morning to 60s and even 50s by the evening.

What does this mean for Fiesta events? The rain should be light enough where it won’t be a washout, but an umbrella is a good idea. So is a jacket. It’ll get chilly by the day’s end!

CHILLY, DAMP MONDAY

After a cloudy and cool Sunday, showers return to the forecast on Monday. This will keep us well below average with regards to temperatures. In fact, some spots will struggle to escape the 50s! Spotty light rain will be possible throughout the day. If you are headed to the Texas Cavaliers River Parade, prepare for chilly and potentially damp conditions.

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.

Still, city officials say they should be able to place 15,600 people in “approved” jobs by 2030 while also spending the rest of the nearly $236 million collected in sales tax.

Voters approved the 1/8 cent sales tax funding the program in November 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, as a way to provide free job training.

Estimates for the program ahead of the election focused on 10,000 people getting training every year of the four-year program, for a total of “up to 40,000″ people served.

But after voters had approved the plan, the city presented a different picture: 39,000 people interviewed, 28,000 enrolled in approved training, and 15,600 placed in quality jobs.

The city announced the opening of enrollment in May 2022. According to numbers on the program’s dashboard, about 25,600 people have finished the intake process. Of that number, about 15,600 had been enrolled in a training course, and 6,600 had finished it.

However, only about 4,600 had gotten an “approved” job — one that pays at least $15 an hour in a target field, with access to benefits.

In a Wednesday briefing, though, Workforce Development Office Executive Director Mike Ramsey told council members they expected to hit the 15,600 job placement target by the spring of 2030.

City staff have also advised council members to begin strategic conversations about what should exist after that.

“Right now, the plan is to scale the program down to sunset the program when the funding runs out in 2030,” Assistant City Manager Alex Lopez told KSAT after Wednesday’s meeting. “But we need to know what’s the new role of the city going to be in this space. There’s a lot interest in continuing this kind investment, but it’s important that we understand how and where that will be most meaningful for us.”

The program was funded with a 1/8 cent sales tax that collected nearly $236 million before expiring in December.

According to budget documents, the city has not yet spent even half that, but Ramsey told council members it would be “fully expensed” by the 2030 fiscal year.

There have been success stories, too.

Sebastian Oberg graduated Texas A&M University in late 2024 with a computer science degree. Despite months of searching, he was unable to land a job.

After undertaking a three-month training through Ready to Work, he came away with some IT-related certifications and landed a “great” job as a system administrator for a bank.

Oberg said he believes the program is “very reliant” on participants’ own motivation to get them through.

“If I had no intention of going to school and I didn’t have the drive to get that job, I think it would have been really hard,” he said. “But ultimately I think the person that is applying to it, that’s using the resources, it’s their job to make sure that they complete the program."

Read also:

• San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones delivers State of the City address
• Splashtown Drive rename request filed by District 2 councilman to honor former NFL player
• San Antonio police union pauses contract talks after ‘slap in the face’ pay offer from city

Russian strikes hit more than a half-dozen areas of Ukraine behind the front line on Tuesday and Wednesday. An 8-year-old boy was killed in the central Cherkasy region and a woman was hit in southern Zaporizhzhia, according to Zelenskyy and local officials.

“Every day we need air defense missiles — every day Russia continues its strikes,” Zelenskyy said in a post on the Telegram messaging app.

With no plans announced for further U.S.-mediated talks with Russia, Zelenskyy was visiting three European capitals in 48 hours to try to secure promises of further military and financial support. Germany and Ukraine agreed on a defense package valued at 4 billion euros ($4.7 billion), and Norway has pledged 9 billion euros in assistance, Ukrainian officials said.

“Italy in particular is very interested in developing joint production, especially in the area of drones, a sector in which we know well that Ukraine, in recent years, has become a leading nation," Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni told reporters after meeting with Zelenskyy in Rome.

After more than four years of fighting Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine has battle-tested drone interceptor expertise and has developed groundbreaking air defense technology, but it lacks the money to scale up production to levels that would press its advantage.

Zelenskyy said he is asking European countries to keep adding money to a fund that allows the purchase from the United States of American-made weapons for Ukraine, especially the Patriot air defense system that can stop Russian cruise and ballistic missiles.

Between November and March, Russia launched 27,000 Shahed-type drones, nearly 600 cruise missiles and 462 ballistic missiles at Ukraine, Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said.

Zelenskyy is also championing joint weapons production agreements, including for drones and missiles, while pushing for the European Union to move quickly on providing a promised 90 billion euro ($106 billion) loan.

‘Unpredictable consequences’

Defense leaders from about 50 nations who regularly gather to coordinate weapons aid for Kyiv held an online meeting Wednesday chaired by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and British Defense Secretary John Healey. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte also attended.

Ahead of the meeting, Britain announced it will send 120,000 drones to Ukraine this year, its biggest delivery of the weapons so far. Officials didn’t say how soon they will be sent.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the European nations' decision to ramp up drone production for Ukraine was a “deliberate step leading to a sharp escalation of the military-political situation across the entire European continent and the creeping transformation of these countries into Ukraine’s strategic rear area.”

The ministry warned that attacks on Russia involving the drones manufactured in Europe for Ukraine are fraught with “unpredictable consequences.”

“Instead of strengthening the security of European states, the actions of European leaders are increasingly drawing these countries into a war with Russia,” it said.

It published a list of branches of Ukrainian drone-producing factories in the U.K., Germany, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland and the Czech Republic as well as factories producing components in Germany, Spain, Italy, the Czech Republic, Israel and Turkey.

“The European public should not only clearly understand the true causes of the threats to their security but also know the addresses and locations of ‘Ukrainian’ and ‘joint’ enterprises producing drones and components for Ukraine on the territory of their countries,” the ministry said.

Dmitry Medvedev, the hawkish deputy head of Russia's Security Council, followed up with a more explicit threat on social media: “Russian Defense Ministry’s statement must be taken literally: the list of European facilities which make drones and other equipment is a list of potential targets for the Russian armed forces. When strikes become a reality depends on what comes next.”

Ukrainian deep strike operations

Ukraine’s war effort has gained momentum in recent weeks, according to Western officials and analysts. Its short-handed troops have disrupted Russia’s spring offensive, thanks in part to drones and ground robots, and its long-range strikes have dented Russian oil exports and some manufacturing output.

Ukraine’s top military commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said Wednesday that last month Ukrainian troops recaptured nearly 50 square kilometers (20 square miles) of territory from Russian forces. Also in March, Ukrainian deep strike operations hit 76 Russian targets, including 15 oil refining facilities, he said.

But the Iran war drains stockpiles of advanced air defense missiles that Ukraine needs, and Kyiv’s money is running short.

“We cannot lose sight of Ukraine” amid the Middle East conflict, NATO chief Rutte said.

Russia and Ukraine continue strikes

Russia launched 324 drones and three ballistic missiles at Ukraine overnight, the Ukrainian air force said, in its biggest barrage in almost two weeks. Air defenses intercepted 309 of the drones.

Russia also fired a powerful FAB-1500 glide bomb, weighing 1.5 metric tons, at the central part of Sloviansk before dawn Wednesday, the Sloviansk City Military Administration head Vadym Liakh said. The blast destroyed a children’s sports facility that was a city landmark, he said.

In a strike on the southeastern city of Dnipro, Russian hit two universities overnight, damaging academic buildings, dormitories and nearby homes, Mayor Borys Filatov said. The blast wave shattered more than 1,000 windows in surrounding buildings, he said, adding that there were no military targets in the area.

Ukraine proceeded with its long-range drone attacks, with the Russian Defense Ministry reporting Wednesday that its air defenses intercepted 85 Ukrainian drones overnight.

Ukrainian drones targeted an industrial facility in Sterlitamak, a Russian city about 1,300 kilometers (roughly 800 miles) east of the border with Ukraine, local authorities said.

Radiy Khabirov, governor of the Bashkortostan region where Sterlitamak is located, said in an online statement Wednesday that several drones were shot down over Sterlitamak’s “industrial zone,” and debris fell on one of the facilities there, starting a fire. One person died in the attack, he said.

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Associated Press writers Jill Lawless in London, Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin, Colleen Barry in Rome and Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed to this report.

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

The only hospital on Saipan, an island in the archipelago, suffered severe flooding and there were reports of major resorts that lost backup generators, said Ed Propst, a former lawmaker who works in the governor’s office.

“It’s pretty bad conditions right now,” he said, adding that residents were bracing for a long stretch without electricity and water.

Authorities were just beginning to assess the damage left behind by Super Typhoon Sinlaku. The storm first hit the islands Tuesday night local time and continued with a barrage of fierce winds and relentless rains for hours Wednesday that flipped over cars, toppled utility poles and ripped away tin roofs. So far, there have been no reports of deaths.

Power and water were out and many of the roads were impassable across Saipan and Tinian, islands in the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, home to about 45,000 people, according to officials.

“We still have a shelter in place so first responders have not been able to do a full damage assessment,” Bernard Villagomez, public information officer for the territory’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, said in a text message to The Associated Press on Thursday.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency planned to send more personnel to the region and ramp up shipments of supplies.

The storm also battered Guam, another U.S. territory and the site of several American military bases, with tropical force winds.

The typhoon — the strongest tropical cyclone this year — was packing sustained winds of up to 150 mph (241 kph) when it made landfall on the islands, the National Weather Service said.

The monster storm still had winds of 125 mph (201 kph) late Wednesday night as it pulled away to the north from the islands of Saipan, Tinian and Rota, the weather service said. Sinlaku is expected start curving toward sparsely populated volcanic islands in the far northern Marianas.

The storm was about 170 miles (274 kilometers) northwest of Saipan on Thursday, the weather service said. Many sensors on the island were down, but the weather service estimated winds were about 60 to 70 mph (97 to 113 kph).

The winds made it unsafe to go outside, but some stores were open on Tinian on Thursday and people were rushing to purchase supplies, said resident Mathew Masga.

"While driving around, I noticed numerous wooden and semi-concrete houses with damaged rooftops due to the passing typhoon," he said in a Facebook message to the AP. “Notably, many of our power poles and power lines are down.”

Images from Saipan and Tinian showed residential lots littered with debris and mangled trees. Winds crumpled metal bleachers at a sports field.

Resident Dong Min Lee shot video of a car sitting on top of two others in his apartment building’s parking lot. The winds tore off part of his balcony railing.

The American Red Cross and its partners were sheltering more than 1,000 residents across Guam and the Northern Marianas, agency spokesperson Stephanie Fox said.

___

Associated Press writers Audrey McAvoy in Honolulu and Gabriela Aoun Angueira in San Diego contributed to this report.

Among those getting ready are officers assigned to the department’s bike patrol unit, who play a key role in navigating congestion and responding quickly during one of the city’s busiest times of the year.

Officer Cassandra Bernal said bicycles offer a major advantage, especially in heavily congested areas.

“Being on a bike, you can hop a curb, get on the sidewalk, bypass traffic, go around cars, go through parks and take shortcuts through trails,” Bernal said.

That mobility allows officers to respond more quickly when streets are gridlocked, a common occurrence during Fiesta events. This helps them maintain a visible presence among large crowds.

Bike patrol officers are tasked with handling calls as they come in, but they also proactively address issues they encounter while moving through the area.

“We’ll address calls as they come out in our area, but we also have the capability to address things as we see them,” Bernal said.

As attendance increases, so do interactions with the public. Officers often stop to assist pedestrians with questions, directions or concerns.

“Pedestrians either with questions or issues that they need assistance with, we’ll handle it as they come along,” she said.

Authorities said some of the more common issues during Fiesta include thefts and fights. Bernal said that bike patrol officers can often respond quickly and pursue suspects effectively.

“Catch our suspect, which we’re really good at because we’re on a bike, so it’s easier,” Bernal said, adding that officers can access areas like the River Walk where vehicles cannot go.

Throughout Fiesta, bike patrol officers will be stationed across downtown and move through event areas. At large gatherings such as A Night in Old San Antonio (NIOSA), officers may ride bikes when possible or dismount and continue on foot, depending on crowd size.

“It just depends on the crowd that day,” Bernal said.

Officials encourage anyone attending Fiesta to approach officers if they need help, or even just to say hello, as SAPD works to keep the celebration safe.

The 11-day celebration will kick off in the Alamo City on Thursday, April 16 and end on Sunday, April 26.

More Fiesta coverage on KSAT:

• Fiesta De Los Reyes’ $5 gate fee not in effect for first two days of event
• 🎊 ¡Viva! Your guide to Fiesta 2026 in San Antonio
• LIST: Singers, bands performing during Fiesta 2026
• Spurs’ playoff return coincides with Fiesta, igniting San Antonio spirit

After chastising Pope Leo XIV, Trump turned his ire on Meloni, long one of his closest European allies, for calling his papal broadside “unacceptable” and not backing the U.S.-Israel war on Iran.

“I thought she had courage,’’ Trump said in an interview with leading Italian daily Corriere della Sera. “I was wrong.”

Meloni has not directly responded to Trump’s attacks. But they may be to her advantage as she recovers from a decisive referendum defeat last month and as she seeks to dull the impact of the deeply unpopular Iran war, including higher energy prices.

“I actually think this is a godsend for her,’’ said Nathalie Tocci, a professor at Johns Hopkins SAIS Europe and the director of the International Affairs Institute. “Trump has become completely toxic across Europe, across much of the world, including Italy.”

Trump doubled down on Wednesday, saying their bond had frayed. “She’s been negative,” Trump told Fox News. “Anybody that turned us down to helping with this Iran situation, we do not have the same relationship.”

The Meloni-Trump arc

The only European Union leader invited to Trump’s second inauguration, Meloni was expected to leverage her strong ties with him once he returned to office 15 months ago. The two had a perceived natural alliance, with nationalistic tendencies and similarly hard-line stances on immigration.

But Italy was not spared the pain of Trump’s tariffs, and some may argue she has gotten little out of the relationship. When asked if they had spoken this month, Trump told Corriere, “No, not in a long time.''

After an uncomfortable appearance in the Oval Office a year ago when she avoided directly confronting Trump on tariffs, the distance grew over the Iran war. Meloni has stated Italy will not participate in the war and the country last month refused U.S. bombers the authorization to land at a pivotal air base in Sicily.

Meloni’s statement this week calling Trump's attack on the pope “unacceptable” was the most direct criticism of the president yet.

“It's been building up over time, not so much because she is moving away from him but because he has become increasingly unhinged,’’ Tocci said.

Alliance strained but standing

Cabinet minister Adolfo Urso, a member of Meloni’s far-right Brothers of Italy, said U.S.-Italy relations would not be shaken by the flap.

“Italy and the United States are allied countries and maintain their relationship and alliance within international institutions, starting obviously with the Atlantic Alliance,’’ he told Radio 24, adding that the church’s moral teachings “cannot crack relationships consecrated in alliances signed a few decades ago.”

Mariangela Zappia, president of the ISPI think tank and a former Italian ambassador to the U.S., said Trump’s “hot-blooded” reaction could be attributed to his frustration with Europe, not just Italy. Besides not getting support for the Iran war, Trump lost a strong ally with Viktor Orbán’s electoral defeat in the Hungarian elections this weekend.

Still, she said Trump's personal outburst aimed at Meloni should not be construed as damaging the alliance as a whole.

“Europe absolutely considers the United States its historic ally, but in some way wants to be involved in the decisions that are taken,’’ Zappia said.

Trump, on the other hand, is realizing “this European Union is not easy to dismantle,” she said. “We are different, we react differently. Some are clearly anti-Trump, some are pro-Trump but in the end, destroying the European project, separating us on the things on which we see as our future, that is very difficult.’’

Meloni focused on Italy

Meloni has sought to shore up support after the referendum loss, which became a de facto confidence test of her leadership. She made a two-day whirlwind solo tour of three Gulf states to shore up Italy’s gas and oil supply from the region during a growing energy crisis but returned home without any formal deals.

On Tuesday, she announced Italy would not automatically renew a defense agreement with Israel, after warning shots hit an Italian convoy that is part of the U.N. peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, a move that analysts say is driven more by domestic politics than a strategic shift.

“The Gulf tour was a way to show public opinion that she was being proactive. The fact it didn’t actually lead to anything is beside the point,’’ Tocci said. The Israel move “substantively is rather meaningless because there is not much in this agreement but symbolically it helps because Israel has become just so unpopular in Italian public opinion.”

No matter what damage control she has done after the referendum loss, Roberto D’Alimonte, a professor at the LUISS school of government, predicts a difficult last year and a half of her mandate before elections due in 2027, largely due to the economic impact of the Iran war.

“People want to see their gas bills go down, not just see Meloni talk about gas. What matters are the bills you get every month,’’ he said.

The Vatican had said fighting corruption in the mineral-rich central African country would be one of the themes of Leo’s visit, and the American pope didn’t hold back in addressing Biya and government authorities in an address at the presidential palace.

“In order for peace and justice to prevail, the chains of corruption — which disfigure authority and strip it of its credibility — must be broken,” Leo said. “Hearts must be set free from an idolatrous thirst for profit.”

Biya, who at 93 is the world’s oldest leader, sat passively as Leo read his speech in French. Cameroonian television halted its live feed for parts of Leo’s speech, but it wasn’t clear if technical issues were to blame.

The Vatican has made clear that Catholic social teaching disapproves of the types of authoritarian leaders that Leo is encountering on his four-nation African visit.

The highlight of Leo’s visit will be a “peace meeting” on Thursday in Cameroon’s northwest city of Bamenda, which has been plagued by separatist violence.

Pope calls for a ‘bold leap’

Biya has led Cameroon since 1982 and just Tuesday signed into law a bill that reintroduces the vice president position, a move the opposition says will further strengthen his grip on power.

Cameroon’s opposition has contested the result of the Oct. 12 election that secured another victory for Biya. His rival Issa Tchiroma Bakary claims to have won and has called on Cameroonians to reject the official result.

Leo told Biya that Cameroon needed to take “a bold leap forward” to impose transparency in public finances and integrate civil society organizations into the fabric of daily life.

Young people in general — and women in particular — had a vital role to play in bringing Cameroon into a new dawn, he said.

“Their commitment to education, mediation and the rebuilding of the social fabric is unparalleled and serves to curb corruption and abuses of power. For this reason, too, their voice must be fully recognized in decision- making processes,” Leo said.

The pope, who wrote his canon law dissertation on the wielding of authority by Augustinian religious superiors, cited St. Augustine on the correct role of political leaders that he said was relevant today.

“Those who rule serve those whom they seem to command; for they rule not from a love of power, but from a sense of the duty they owe to others,” he said, quoting Augustine.

He added: “From this perspective, serving one’s country means dedicating oneself, with a clear mind and an upright conscience, to the common good of all people in the nation.”

'Light entering a dark room'

Cheering Cameroonians gave Leo a raucous welcome, the first pope to visit since Pope Benedict XVI in 2009. They lined the road into the capital Yaounde from the airport, two and three deep in places, dancing and waving palm fronds as the pope's motorcade whizzed by.

Many women dressed in identical bright dresses and stood behind banners announcing the name of their parish, while billboards splashed posters of the pope and Biya under the banner “Land of Hope.”

Gerald Mambeh, a Catholic teacher in Yaounde, said the pope’s visit needs to spark genuine dialogue and accountability to achieve lasting peace.

“This visit feels like light entering a dark room … but peace will not come from symbolism alone,” said Mambeh. “In a country where many feel abandoned, his presence feels like God has not forgotten us. Let the pope hear this beyond the politics: Cameroonians are not asking for miracles, we are asking for fairness, dignity, and a future.”

'Share in the national cake'

Cameroon has significant reserves of oil, natural gas, cobalt, bauxite, iron ore, gold and diamonds. The extractive sector accounts for nearly a third of the country’s exports, according to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.

But rights groups and the Catholic Church say revenues from extraction rarely reach the rural and indigenous communities that live closest to mining and drilling operations, while foreign companies and a small national elite capture most of the profits.

Leo said such a status quo cannot remain.

“Transparency in the management of public resources and respect for the rule of law are essential to restoring trust,” he said. “It is time to examine our conscience and take a bold leap forward.”

Public official Angelica Ambe Mundi said she was touched by Leo's message. After he finished, she stepped forward and gently touched his chair before pressing her hand to her chest. She then knelt in quiet reverence.

“He spoke about the even distribution of state resources… violence comes when people feel disgruntled, when they are marginalized,” she told The Associated Press.

For her, his words cut to the core of Cameroon’s unrest: “People get violent when they are hungry. To stop violence, every Cameroonian must feel they belong — and share in the national cake.”

Pause in fighting

English-speaking separatists launched a rebellion in 2017 with the stated goal of breaking away from Cameroon's French-speaking majority and establishing an independent state. The conflict has killed more than 6,000 people and displaced over 600,000 others, according to the International Crisis Group, a think tank.

On the eve of Leo’s arrival, the English-speaking separatists announced a three-day pause in fighting to allow “safe travel” for his visit.

The Unity Alliance, which includes several separatist groups, said in a statement Monday that the pause reflects the “profound spiritual importance” of the pope's visit and is intended to allow civilians, pilgrims and dignitaries to travel safely.

Biya, who has shunned dialogue with the English-speaking separatists, spoke of a world in need of tolerance and hope as a replacement for “the voice of arms.”

“The world needs the message of peace, justice, tolerance, forgiveness, and love that you embody,” he told Leo.

___

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

The killing of the DHS worker, Lauren Bullis, and shootings of the two other victims on Monday led Homeland Secretary Markwayne Mullin to issue a statement raising concerns that the 26-year-old defendant, U.K.-native Olaolukitan Adon Abel, was granted U.S. citizenship in 2022, when Democrat Joe Biden was president.

“These acts of pure evil have devastated our Department and my prayers are with the families of the victims,” Mullin wrote in a statement posted on social media, cataloging a litany of the defendant's previous alleged crimes but not specifying whether they happened before he was granted citizenship.

Court records show that Olaolukitan Adon Abel, whose name appears in different variations in court and government records, pleaded guilty in California in October 2024 to assaulting two police officers with a deadly weapon and attacking another person when he was stationed at Naval Base Coronado.

Authorities have said they believe at least one victim in this week's shootings was targeted at random, and possibly more.

A morning of violence

The first victim was found with multiple gunshot wounds near a restaurant in the Decatur area at around 1 a.m. Monday. She was taken to a hospital but died, DeKalb County Police Chief Gregory Padrick said at a news conference. Police have not publicly identified her.

About an hour later in Brookhaven, an Atlanta suburb about 12 miles (19 kilometers) northwest of the first attack, a 49-year-old homeless man sleeping outside of a grocery store was shot multiple times, Brookhaven Police Chief Brandon Gurley said. The man, whose name hasn't been released, remains hospitalized in critical condition.

“It is apparent to us that it was a completely random attack on a member of our unhoused community,” Gurley said.

Just before 7 a.m. and more than 10 miles (16 kilometers) away in the suburb of Panthersville, officers responding to a call found Bullis with gunshot and stab wounds, Padrick said. She died at the scene.

Investigators in Brookhaven determined that the three attacks were connected, Gurley said.

Adon Abel was taken into custody later Monday during a traffic stop in Troup County, which borders Alabama. He is charged with two counts of malice murder, aggravated assault and firearms counts, court records show. He waived an initial court appearance Tuesday, and a public defender listed as his attorney did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Toyin Adon Abel Jr., the defendant's brother, said he did not want to talk about his brother when reached by phone but expressed sympathy for the victims. “I feel terrible for the victims, their families and their connections,” he said. “It’s a horrible thing.”

Remembered for her warmth and compassion

Bullis served in multiple roles at DHS Office of Inspector General, including as an auditor in the Office of Audits and as a Team Leader in the Office of Innovation, DHS posted on social media, saying she brought “warmth, kindness, and a genuine sense of care to her colleagues each day.”

Relatives said in a statement, that she loved her family, running, reading and traveling, and “her warmth and generosity touched everyone surrounding her.”

Fellow DHS auditor Ashley Toillion of Denver said she met Bullis at a work conference last year. The two became fast friends as they bonded over running and quickly made plans to do a race at Walt Disney World.

“You couldn’t meet her and not be her friend,” Toillion said, choking back tears. “She was just the nicest, sweetest, most encouraging person I’ve ever met.”

Naval service and criminal case in California

Military records show the defendant enlisted in the Navy in 2020, last serving in the Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron in Coronado, California, and as a petty officer received a Navy “E” Ribbon for superior performance for battle readiness.

But in 2024 he was arrested and charged with assaulting two Coronado police officers and attacking another person. He pleaded guilty, court records show, and he was kicked out of the Navy in September of that year.

Mullin says suspect had criminal record

Mullin said Adon Abel has a criminal record that includes a sexual battery conviction.

Online court records show that someone listed with a similar name and the same birth date pleaded guilty last June in Chatham County, Georgia, to four misdemeanor counts of sexual battery.

Mullin also noted that since President Donald Trump took office, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which DHS oversees, has worked to ensure that people with criminal histories don’t attain citizenship. But the U.S. has long barred people convicted of most violent felonies from becoming citizens, and it wasn't immediately clear if Adon Abel had a criminal record that predated him becoming a citizen in 2022.

In response to a request for further details about the case and the defendant's criminal history, DHS referred The Associated Press to its post about Bullis and her death.

___

Brumfield reported from Cockeysville, Maryland, and Watson from San Diego. Associated Press writers Rebecca Boone in Boise, Idaho, and John Hanna, in Topeka, Kansas, contributed.

Branden Javier Rosario faces multiple charges, including manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance, delivery of marijuana and prohibited substance in a correctional facility.

Just after 2 p.m. on Tuesday, staff at the Karnes County Detention Center notified the sheriff’s office about a suspicious person who fled the scene after attempting to throw items into the fence line of the detention center.

The sheriff’s office said Rosario dropped items at the location, including a ghillie suit he was wearing.

Rosario was quickly found and detained, the sheriff’s office said.

When deputies searched the area they found “various forms” of drugs.

The sheriff’s office said Rosario was coordinating with people inside the Karnes County Detention Facility to recover the drugs.

Rosario was arrested and booked into the Karnes County jail. The sheriff’s office said additional charges and arrests are expected.

Read also:

• Leon Valley police arrest man in connection with deadly hit-and-run crash; held on $250K bond
• SAPD confirms identity of suspect, 82, arrested in connection with North Side stabbing

In the letter sent to Frio County commissioners, city council members allege non-Pearsall taxpayers are experiencing an unspecified level of favoritism compared to Pearsall residents.

“Our request is straightforward: the City of Pearsall is seeking the same level of service, benefits and flexibility afforded to the unincorporated areas and other law enforcement agencies that utilize the Frio County Jail,” a portion of the city council’s letter read.

In the letter, council members agreed that they made multiple attempts to discuss the contract with the county but “little to no action has been taken to meaningfully respond to the City’s requests.”

The letter, which was sent on Tuesday, serves as an official notice to the county.

At this time, it is unclear when Pearsall inmates will be transferred from the Frio County Jail and where they would go next.

In a statement sent to KSAT on Wednesday, a city spokesperson said “conditions and operational changes” at the jail have continued to worsen since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The City determined that it was necessary to move in a different direction to ensure reliable and efficient services,” the spokesperson said.

According to the City of Pearsall, it is currently working to implement a plan for the inmate housing situation.

The city’s decision prompted Frio County Sheriff Peter Salinas to share his disappointment and concern in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

“As a taxpaying citizen of the City of Pearsall and your elected Sheriff, I am deeply concerned about the lack of transparency and the absence of clear plans for addressing the issue of suspected criminals in our city,” Salinas said in the post. “I am now concerned about the potential impact of the city’s decision on the safety and security of our citizens.”

Salinas, the former police chief in Pearsall, said he is fully aware and “navigated the contract and had no problems abiding by it.”

“The agreement for jail services has been in place since 2012, and it has been a successful partnership that has provided law enforcement services to our community without any changes, cost increases, or issues,” Salinas said.

The sheriff said Frio County Sheriff’s deputies and EMS officials will continue to serve the community, despite the city’s decision.

“It is my privilege to serve as your Sheriff, and I am committed to breaking through the unnecessary burdens that the administration is placing on the people who pay their salaries,” Salinas said.

More recent news coverage on KSAT:

• SAPD confirms identity of suspect, 82, arrested in connection with North Side stabbing
• How much caffeine is too much for teens? San Antonio cardiologist shares warning signs

“At first they bit her hand and then they went on to biting the rest of her body, knocking her down,” the woman’s niece, Melina Sada, said.

According to Animal Care Services, the two dogs were described as unsterilized male American Staffordshire Terriers. The dogs bit Sada’s aunt while she was in her own yard.

“When her husband heard the crying and everything — because nobody else heard, nobody knew — he opened the door, started screaming, shouting at them to get out of here and stuff,” Sada said. “It’s really scary, I’m not going to lie.”

Sada’s aunt is recovering after the April 9 attack on Hollyridge Drive. She cannot go back to work as she heals, so her family set up a fundraiser for her.

“I’m just kind of hoping that we raise enough money to help her with her bills that she’s falling behind on and all the medical bills that are coming about,” Sada said.

ACS is investigating the attack.

“The owner of the animals, who are in quarantine, has received 6 criminal citations connected to the bite incident and investigators are also pursuing a Serious Bodily Injury case in court,” ACS told KSAT in a statement.

Read also:

• Nearly a dozen dogs rescued at West Side home with ‘unsanitary living conditions,’ ACS says

Darius Patric Torres, 26, was taken into custody on Tuesday. Court records show Torres has been charged with capital murder of multiple people.

Officers were dispatched to a shooting call just before 10:15 p.m. on June 18, 2022, to a home in the 2500 block of Patron Drive.

At the time, SAPD said a dark-colored SUV pulled up in front of the home and opened fire on people who attended a family barbecue. Authorities said between 20 and 30 shots rang out before the SUV fled the scene.

In all, seven people were hit. Authorities said two men — Juan Gomez, 46 and Alejandro Gomez-Soliz, 45 — were killed. Five others were treated for injuries at a local hospital.

Torres, who was 22 at the time of the shooting, has had his bond set at $750,000. As of Wednesday night, he remains in custody at the Bexar County Adult Detention Center.

Another shooting moments later

According to Torres’ October 2023 arrest affidavit, officers were dispatched to a nearby convenience store for a shooting in progress call six minutes after the Patron Drive shooting call.

The store, located at the intersection of South Zarzamora Street and Gillette Boulevard, is approximately 1.3 miles from the Patron Drive shooting.

Police said surveillance video from the store showed a dark-colored vehicle pull in and “shoot multiple rounds at a specific vehicle.” Despite the gunshots also striking other vehicles and nearby buildings, no one was injured by gunfire, the affidavit states.

After the suspect vehicle fled the convenience store, surveillance video and accompanying audio showed the driver of the “specific vehicle” went inside the store and told someone that a person named “Nate” was the person who opened fire on them.

Based on the surveillance video and shell casings recovered on Patron Drive and the convenience store, investigators said they determined the same dark-colored vehicle — a Dodge Durango — was present at both shooting scenes.

A potential connection to a third shooting

One day later, on June 19, 2022, SAPD investigators said they spoke to a victim of an alleged drive-by shooting four days before the Patron Drive and convenience store shootings.

The victim shared video of a potential suspect vehicle, a gray-colored Dodge Durango, with police. They told officers they believed a male named “Christian” and another male in the Dodge Durango were involved in the June 14, 2022, shooting as well as the two drive-by shootings, on June 18, 2022.

According to the victim, the Dodge Durango was known to frequent the Hunter’s Glen Townhomes, which are located in the 9200 block of Somerset Road.

Later, on June 19, 2022, SAPD observed a 2011 Dodge Durango committing a traffic violation and pulled the vehicle over at the intersection of Southwest Military Drive and Bynum Avenue.

Officers said three people — Torres, Nathan Martinez and Christian Jimenez — were in the vehicle at the time of the traffic stop. Investigators said Torres matched the description of the other male who was accused of being in the Dodge Durango with a male named “Christian” in the June 14, 2022 drive-by shooting.

When officers approached the Dodge Durango, “several” handguns and “narcotics” were visible in the vehicle. Two of the handguns also had a “switch” on them. A “switch” can turn a typical handgun into an automatic weapon, investigators said.

Torres, who admitted to police two of the guns in the Dodge Durango were his, was originally taken into custody along with Martinez and Jimenez on weapons and drugs charges.

After the vehicle was impounded and a search warrant was executed, SAPD crime scene investigators said they found shell casings inside the Dodge Durango that “matched” the same shell casings found after the Patron Drive shooting, according to the affidavit.

Additionally, police said one of the weapons that belonged to Torres matched the “type and caliber” of shell casings recovered on Patron Drive.

On June 20, 2022, one day after Torres, Martinez and Jimenez were arrested, a surviving victim of the Patron Drive shooting spoke to San Antonio police from the hospital.

The victim told SAPD he “received threats” weeks earlier from a male named “Christian” that “Christian” and another male named “Nate” were planning to “shoot up” the home on Patron Drive.

Martinez’s capital murder arrest

Torres is not the first capital murder arrest connected to the Patron Drive shooting.

Martinez, who was 18 at the time of the Patron Drive shooting, was arrested in November 2023 and also charged with capital murder in connection with the case.

At the time of the November 2023 arrest, an SAPD spokesperson said officers linked Martinez to two separate August 2023 shooting investigations.

According to updated county court records, Martinez, 22, was taken back into custody on March 23. He is currently held without bond before his capital murder trial is scheduled to begin on May 4.

Martinez’s trial will take place before presiding Judge Stephanie Boyd in Bexar County’s 187th Criminal District Court.

While the October 2023 affidavit states Torres, Martinez and Jimenez were all initially charged with capital murder, current online court records only show capital murder charges filed for Torres and Martinez.

It is unclear if Jimenez is still facing capital murder charges. KSAT reached out to SAPD and the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office on Wednesday night for clarification on Jimenez’s current status.

Torres’ next court appearance has yet to be determined.

More related coverage of this story on KSAT:

• Ballistic evidence ties teen to multiple shootings, deaths, SAPD says
• 2 dead killed in drive-by shooting at family BBQ on Southwest Side identified

The league said Ball made “unnecessary and reckless contact” with Adebayo on Tuesday night. Ball was fined $60,000 for the foul and for using profanity in an interview, but he remains eligible to play in the Hornets' elimination game Friday against Orlando.

The flagrant foul from Tuesday’s game, if called in real time, would have resulted in Miami being awarded two free throws and possession of the ball. The Heat wound up losing 127-126 in overtime, ending their season.

The NBA said a flagrant foul, penalty two, was merited. If that had been called, Ball would have been ejected.

Adebayo was hurt early in the second quarter and did not return, leaving Miami without its best player. Ball made the decisive layup for the Hornets in overtime.

While he lauded the way Charlotte played, Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said he felt Ball should have been ejected and wondered how officials Zach Zarba, Curtis Blair and Gediminas Petraitis all missed the incident.

“I don’t think that belongs in the game, tripping guys, shenanigans,” Spoelstra said. “Curtis was there. It’s his responsibility to see that. And if it’s not his responsibility, then Zach’s got to see it. Somebody’s got to see that. He should have been thrown out of the game for that. I don’t know him from anyone. There’s no place in the game for that.”

Per NBA rules, the Heat could not challenge the ruling on the play because no foul was called. Play continued, leaving no opportunity for a replay review.

“The play wasn’t whistled in real time,” Zarba told a pool reporter. “Play continued with a fast break. And because play wasn’t stopped immediately, and there was no whistle on the play, the window to review the play was closed.”

Ball was fined $35,000 for the foul on Adebayo. He was fined $25,000 for using profanity in an on-court postgame interview. The league did not publicly address a separate incident where Ball struck Charlotte’s mascot during the postgame celebration.

Tuesday's play was reminiscent of one during a game at Miami in January 2024, when Ball grabbed at Adebayo’s leg as the Heat center was running to the other end of the court. Adebayo stumbled but did not fall.

___

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

Police responded just after 12:30 p.m. to the 1000 block of Donaldson Avenue after it received a call from the homeowner, saying a relative told the homeowner there was a shooting inside their home.

The homeowner told police they were not home at the time and reached out to police after they reached out to a resident who lives on the property and did not hear back.

On Wednesday, the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victim as Sheri Tolosa, 44.

She died of multiple gunshot wounds, according to the medical examiner’s office, and her death was ruled a homicide.

An SAPD spokesperson said the investigation remains ongoing, but there are no people in custody or persons of interest at this time.

Read also:

• Man charged with attempted capital murder after shooting Del Rio PD officer, police say

The robbery happened around 2:50 p.m. March 30 in the 6500 block of Rosethorn Drive.

USPIS said the three robbers were wearing dark-colored face masks, hoodies and sunglasses, and were armed with a handgun at the time of the robbery.

The robbers were seen traveling in a silver four-door sedan, believed to be a Kia Optima.

USPIS said they are offering up to $150,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of all three robbers.

Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455.

Read also:

• Woman arrested after standoff at Northwest Side apartment complex, police say
• San Antonio man arrested for attempting to throw drugs into Karnes County Detention Center, KCSO says

While details remained sketchy, Bangladesh Coast Guard spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Sabbir Alam Suzan told The Associated Press on Wednesday that nine people, including three Rohingya and six Bangladeshis, were rescued on April 9. Suzan said that the Bangladesh flag carrier M.T. Meghna Pride rescued the nine people when the crew found them floating at sea after the capsizing.

The status of any search on Wednesday or when the boat sank weren't immediately clear.

UNHCR, the U.N. refugee agency, and the International Organization for Migration, or IOM, said in a joint statement on Tuesday that the trawler departed from Teknaf in the southern Bangladeshi district of Cox’s Bazar carrying a large number of passengers to Malaysia.

The IOM said Wednesday in a new statement that the boat reportedly sank on April 9.

Overcrowding, strong winds and rough seas caused the vessel to lose control and sink, the agencies said.

A Rohingya woman who survived the capsizing and was rescued narrated her ordeal on Wednesday. The survivor said that she set out for Malaysia on April 4, and about 20 women were on board when the boat sank.

“I drifted in the sea for two days and one night," said Rahela Begum, who was brought to a refugee camp. "There were many people on the trawler, but after it sank, I have no idea what happened to them or where they went,"

“After drifting in the sea for two days and one night, the piece of wood I was holding onto also flipped over and I lost it. At that point, I lost consciousness. When I regained consciousness, I saw that Allah had sent a ship. The ship rescued me," she said.

Shari Nijman, a UNHCR communication officer in Cox’s Bazar, said Wednesday that the agency had no other updates.

Another coast guard media official told the AP by phone Wednesday that the rescued people, eight men and one woman, were all safe, after being handed over to the coast guard, which brought them to the police in Teknaf.

The official said that the rescue wasn't part of any official search operation, because the area is outside Bangladeshi territory, and that the crew of the M.T. Meghna Pride saved the people while it was on its way to Indonesia from Bangladesh's Chittagong.

The official spoke by phone on condition of anonymity in line with official policy.

UNHCR and IOM said that the disappearance reflected the protracted displacement of Rohingya people and the absence of durable solutions.

They said that ongoing violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine state has made the Rohingya’s safe return to Myanmar uncertain, while limited humanitarian assistance, as well as restricted access to education and employment in refugee camps, continue to push vulnerable Rohingya refugees to choose risky sea journeys, often based on false promises of higher wages and better opportunities abroad.

“This incident is a stark reminder of the grave risks people continue to face when undertaking dangerous sea journeys in search of safety and better opportunities,” IOM spokesperson Mohammedali Abunajela said in a statement on Wednesday. “No one should have to choose between remaining in situations of profound hardship or embarking on a journey that may cost them their lives.”

UNHCR and IOM urged the international community to strengthen funding and solidarity to ensure lifesaving assistance for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, which has sheltered more than 1 million Rohingya from Myanmar.

In 2025, more than 6,500 Rohingya refugees embarked on dangerous maritime journeys from Bangladesh and Myanmar, almost 900 of whom lost their lives, the IOM said. On the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal specifically, deaths and disappearances increased by more than 40% compared with 2024 figures, the U.N. organization said.

___

Suzauddin Rubel reported from Cox's Bazar.

Several replacement officials have completed hiring steps including background checks and will soon progress to undergoing physical exams, per a memo sent to teams on Wednesday that was obtained by The Associated Press. Training sessions with NFL officiating supervisors would then begin as early as next month.

The league has undertaken these steps because negotiations with the referees’ union have been unsuccessful, two people with knowledge of the discussions told The Associated Press last month. Both people spoke on condition of anonymity because the conversations are private.

The NFL's collective bargaining agreement with the NFL Referees Association is set to expire on May 31.

NFL senior vice president of officiating Perry Fewell informed head coaches and general managers in the memo that teams will receive further information in the coming weeks about when replacement refs would be able to work offseason workout programs and minicamps, which begin in June.

The league and the union have been negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement since the summer of 2024.

“The league remains committed to reaching a fair and reasonable agreement with the NFLRA but will be prepared in the event the NFLRA permits the current agreement to expire,” Fewell said in the memo.

The NFL has increased its offer to a 6.45% annual growth rate in compensation over a six-year labor deal, but the NFLRA wants 10% plus $2.5 million for marketing fees, the two AP sources said last month.

NFLRA executive director Scott Green told the AP “those numbers are not accurate.” He said negotiations with the league are similar to 2012 when a stalemate resulted in a 110-day lockout and replacement referees were used. ___

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

Allen West, the Dallas County Republican Party chair, resigned Wednesday, according to Dallas County Elections Department officials. 

The announcement comes after West said on March 17 he agreed to use countywide polling sites for the May 26 runoff election, a decision that drew opposition from some party members.

Dallas Republicans initially planned to hand count primary ballots before scrapping the plan due to lack of staffing. Instead, they chose to require voters to report to precincts instead of countywide vote centers for the March 3 primary, causing chaos and confusion across the county. More than 12,000 voters from both parties showed up at the wrong polling location on Election Day.

West’s resignation, however, was not tied to the Election Day confusion but followed his later decision to support a return to countywide voting for the May runoff.

West did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a statement, the Dallas County Elections Department said West informed county elections administrator Paul Adams of his resignation Wednesday afternoon. The department declined to comment further. 

West had for months supported the use of precinct-based sites for the primary and the elimination of the countywide polling place program, which allows voters to cast ballots anywhere in the county and had been used for years. But in a March 17 statement he said that using assigned precincts again for the runoff would expose the county party to “increased risk and voter confusion.”

“To then shift for the one day runoff election to precincts would bring about large-scale disruption,” West said in that statement in March.

West expected pushback from his own party for that decision. 

In a blog post on the party’s website April 6, he said that continuing to use precinct-based voting for the runoff election would expose the county party to “a most dangerous course of action.” He said the party would face a lawsuit “alleging willful and intentional voter disenfranchisement.” 

“The decision that I made was one rooted in years of understanding leadership and its responsibilities, namely, protecting your Troops,“ West, a former Florida congressman and Army veteran, wrote. “If there are those who do not see this as noble and honorable, that is fine with me. I have stated my position and under my watch as Chairman of the Dallas County Republican Party will not expose this organization to potential damaging legal efforts.”

Some Republicans in Texas have for years pushed to eliminate the countywide polling place program to eliminate the use of electronic voting machines and instead hand count ballots. It’s a push that began soon after the 2020 election and the lies President Donald Trump spread about the outcome. 

Republican critics of countywide voting claim it makes elections less secure because it could allow people“to double or triple vote, though there’s no evidence that countywide voting is less secure. Texas election officials use procedures to prevent double voting, including the use of technology that tracks in real time who has voted and where.

Texas election officials say the countywide voting program, which has been in use in Texas for more than 20 years, allows counties to save money by operating fewer, centralized polling locations with fewer workers and less equipment.

Natalia Contreras is a reporter for Votebeat in partnership with The Texas Tribune. She is based in Corpus Christi. Contact Natalia at ncontreras@votebeat.org.

“‘The Odyssey’ is a story that has fascinated generation after generation for 3,000 years,” Nolan said from the stage. “It’s not a story, it’s the story.”

He introduced an extended clip from the film showing the arrival of the Trojan Horse and the intense nighttime infiltration of the city of Troy. Or, as Jon Bernthal’s Menelaus calls it, “the story of the horse.”

“The Odyssey” is the first motion picture shot entirely on IMAX film, thanks to the development of new cameras that aren’t quite so noisy, fulfilling a dream Nolan said he's had since he was 16.

The film boasts a massive ensemble with Anne Hathaway playing Odysseus’s wife Penelope, Tom Holland as their son Telemachus, Zendaya as the goddess Athena and Robert Pattinson as Antinous, one of Penelope’s suitors. Nolan said it would be quicker to say who isn’t in “The Odyssey,” his first feature since “Oppenheimer,” which won best picture and best director at the Oscars in 2024.

“It’s always been a film, first and foremost, about this idea of family, this idea of homecoming,” Nolan said, adding that it is almost done.

The footage was shown as part of the Universal Pictures presentation to exhibitors where the studio also has a new “Minions” movie and Steven Spielberg’s original science fiction film “Disclosure Day" coming to theaters this summer.

“I’m just really glad not to be following Steven Spielberg,” Nolan said.

Later, Spielberg, like Nolan, got a rousing, retrospective montage of his films and a big standing ovation from the audience as well. For Spielberg’s first visit to the convention, the Motion Picture Association even gave him an award. Colman Domingo, who co-stars in “Disclosure Day,” led a discussion with Spielberg about his 35th feature, which opens on June 12.

Spielberg said he’s always been fascinated by what’s happening in the sky, and, particularly, the UFO phenomenon. And 50 years after “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” he said he's convinced that there’s more truth to it than fiction. The movie, which also stars Emily Blunt and Josh O'Connor, has been kept quite secretive. Spielberg said he was adamant about not spoiling the third act.

"All I can say is it's an experience," Spielberg said. “And all you need to get from the beginning to the end is a seat belt.”

He also spoke about the industry at large and the importance of giving the audience original stories.

“That is what’s going to keep this business alive,” Spielberg said.

Snoop Dogg kicked off the presentation performing “Drop It Like It’s Hot” and announcing that he’s partnered with Universal “to finally tell my story.” Craig Brewer will direct and it’s aiming to be in theaters next year.

“My movie will be rated R, you can believe that,” he said. “So kids, get your parents’ permission.”

Universal currently has the year’s biggest box-office hit in theaters with “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” which has only been out for 15 days and has already made over $631 million worldwide. It is on its way to being the year’s first billion dollar movie, said Donna Langley, the NBC Universal Entertainment chairperson. Last month the studio also pledged to extend the exclusive theatrical window for all its movies to 45 days starting in 2027.

“We’ve always been a theatrical first studio,” Langley said.

For decades the standard exclusive window was 90 days in theaters, but the pandemic and the rise of streaming led to drastic shifts from all the major studios. Universal experimented with 17-day windows during the pandemic era, as well as some day-and-date releases, but for its biggest movies they had already settled into the 45-day model.

It’s an important guarantee for theater owners and operators with the box office still at a 20% deficit from its pre-pandemic highs. Disney, by contrast, has a 60-day window, the longest in the industry but still quite depleted from the old 90-day norm.

“Audiences will find what they want to watch whether they’re big or small,” Spielberg said. “But studios need to help us by expanding their exclusive windows like Donna Langley just did.”

He added: “But today I’ve got to be greedy: Do I hear 60 days? ... We can all make it happen; we have to insist on making it happen."