KTBB News, Weather, Talk – Page 2 – KTBB News, Weather, Talk

‘Trust in President Trump,’ White House says, defending his tariffs amid backlash

Isaac Wasserman/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) -- The White House on Thursday was standing firmly behind President Donald Trump's sweeping tariff rollout despite markets nosediving, businesses recoiling and foreign leaders threatening retaliation.

While Trump had no public events on his schedule a day after his dramatic Rose Garden announcement, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and Vice President JD Vance were deployed to deal with the fallout on the morning news shows before the market selloff began.

Vance acknowledged that Trump's massive new tariffs, which will impact virtually all U.S. trading partners, will mean a "big change" for Americans, who Trump earlier had said would feel some short-term pain.

"President Trump is taking this economy in a different direction. He ran on that. He promised it. And now he's delivering. And yes, this is a big change. I'm not going to shy away from it, but we needed a big change," Vance told "Fox & Friends."

Leavitt, too, defended the policy as Trump "delivering on his promise to implement reciprocal tariffs" during an appearance on CNN.

"To anyone on Wall Street this morning, I would say trust in President Trump. This is a president who is doubling down on his proven economic formula from his first term," she said.

Neither Vance nor Leavitt, though, directly addressed the increased costs economists say U.S. consumers are all but certain to face or how they would help Americans in the short term.

"What I'd ask folks to appreciate here is that we're not going to fix things overnight," Vance said. "We're fighting as quickly as we can to fix what was left to us, but it's not going to happen immediately."

U.S. stocks plunged in early trading on Thursday hours after Trump's announcement of a minimum 10% tariff on all countries and more targeted "kind reciprocal" tariffs on dozens of nations he accused of treating the U.S. unfairly in trade relations.

Asked about negative business reaction, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick later told CNN, "they're not counting the factories" that he claimed would be built in the U.S. as a result.

Meanwhile, world leaders are weighing their response to Trump's historic levies, some of which go into effect on April 5 and others on April 9.

China, which is going to be hit with a whopping 54% tariff rate, urged the U.S. to "immediately cancel its unilateral tariff measures and properly resolve differences with its trading partners through equal dialogue."

The White House, though, says the tariffs aren't up for debate.

"The president made it clear yesterday, this is not a negotiation. This is a national emergency. He's always willing to pick up the phone to answer calls, but he laid out the case yesterday for why we are doing it this and these countries around the world have had 70 years to do the right thing by the American people, and they have chosen not to," Leavitt said on CNN.

"They have ripped off American workers. They have taken our jobs overseas. The president is putting an end to that," Leavitt continued.

"He is not backing off," Lutnick said.

President Trump on Wednesday, as he spoke in the White House Rose Garden, had a message for targets of the plan.

"If they complain, if you want your tariff rate to be zero, then you build your product right here in America because there is no tariff if you build your plant, your product in America," Trump said.

Florida deputy killed in shootout at a Dollar General

(MOSSY HEAD, Fla.) -- A Florida deputy has been killed in a shootout at a Dollar General store, according to Walton County Sheriff Mike Adkinson.

At approximately 2 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon, deputies received a call from a Dollar General store in Mossy Head, Florida, stating there was an individual "causing a disturbance and needed to be trespassed from the scene," Adkinson said during a press conference on Wednesday evening.

Deputy William May, 38, responded to that call. It was his last stop during his shift and he was planning on heading home afterward, Adkinson said. May was not even supposed to be working that day, but he "came in to volunteer to provide overtime and assistance," Adkinson said.

Upon arriving on the scene, May made contact with the suspect and proceeded to have a "brief conversation" with the individual, Adkinson said.

"Within 10 seconds of the suspect walking out of the store with Deputy May behind him, that suspect drew a firearm and fired multiple rounds, striking Deputy Will May," Adkinson said.

May, to his "great personal credit and courage," was able to draw his firearm and return fire, Adkinson said.

"This short, but violent gun fight resulted in at least 18 rounds being fired, with both individuals being killed," Adkinson said.

The suspect died on the scene and May was taken to the local hospital for his life-threatening injuries, according to Adkinson.

Paramedics attempted to airlift May from the scene, but "area conditions would not allow that to work," the sheriff said.

At 7:10 p.m. on Wednesday, May succumbed to his injuries, Adkinson said.

"Will fought the entire time, from returning fire on the scene to fighting for his own life," Adkinson said.

May was wearing a ballistic vest during the shootout, which stopped multiple rounds from injuring him, but one "went underneath the vest, which ultimately caused his death," Adkinson said.

The name of the suspect has not been released.

Adkinson said that this was an "interaction deputy sheriffs have every day in this county" and that there was "no indication whatsoever that this would have ended in that kind of violence."

"It is just unfathomable to me that Will is not here," Adkinson said. "It's unfathomable that this happened. But there's absolutely nothing that he could have done differently."

Officials are investigating whether the suspect's gun was legally purchased, but Adkinson said the individual did have a concealed weapons permit and additional weapons in his residence.

Police said the suspect had been living in the area for the past several years and authorities had dealings with him previously, but only for minor issues like welfare checks, Adkinson said.

May had been a member of the Walton County Sheriff's Office since 2014, starting as a communication officer, and was promoted to deputy sheriff in 2019, Adkinson said. Walton County is located on the Florida Peninsula, northeast of Pensacola.

May leaves behind a wife and two children.

According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, there was a 25% increase in the amount of line-of-duty deaths in 2024 with 147 officers killed, the report said.

ABC News’ Thomas Pierre contributed to this report.

Johnson says he won’t concede on parents proxy voting battle as impasse continues

(WASHINGTON) -- With the House of Representatives at a standstill, Speaker Mike Johnson is refusing to fold on his strong opposition to allowing new parents in Congress to vote remotely.

"I don't concede on something that I believe to be unconstitutional. I can't. I took an oath to uphold the Constitution. So, we're going to find a path through this. We're working on that," Johnson said Wednesday. "I talked to everybody who voted against the rule, and we'll work it out. So, we got time to do it, and those conversations continue."

Earlier this week, nine Republicans sided with Democrats to torpedo a procedural rule that included language to kill Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna's bipartisan discharge petition on proxy voting for new lawmaker parents.

The vote has thrown the House into disarray and paralyzed the chamber, leaving Johnson to find a way to break the impasse. The vote also called into question Johnson's ability to control Republicans' razor-thin majority.

House Republican leaders, including Johnson, had said they would take the unprecedented step to block Luna's petition on proxy voting, which gives both mothers and fathers the ability to vote remotely up to 12 weeks after the birth of a child.

After the vote, Johnson said because it failed, "we can't have any further action on the floor this week." The rule that lawmakers voted on included language to block proxy voting -- as well as other pieces of legislation.

"The reason that I said that the agenda was taken out for the week is because it was, it was all in one rule. We could have run the SAVE Act, but the rest of it would have to have been done in a different rule. And I had a big group of House Republicans who did not want to support a rule until we took care of the proxy voting situation," he claimed.

Johnson said he is "actively working" to accommodate young mothers serving in Congress.

"While I understand the pure motivations of the few Republican proxy vote advocates, I simply cannot support the change they seek," Johnson wrote in a post on X on Wednesday. "The procedural vote yesterday was our effort to advance President Trump's important legislative agenda while disabling a discharge petition that would force proxy voting and open a dangerous Pandora's box for the institution."

"To allow proxy voting for one category of Members would open the door for many others, and ultimately result in remote voting that would harm the operation of our deliberative body and diminish the critical role of the legislative branch," he added.

Johnson said that he wants a room for mothers to nurse right off the House floor even though there is currently one in the basement of the Capitol. He said leaders are also looking at allowing the use of government money for members to fly their infant babies to D.C. with their mothers and fathers.

"We want to accommodate mothers who want to serve in Congress, and we're the pro-family party, so we'll do that, but we can't do something that violates the Constitution or destroys the institution you serve," he said.

Texas- based RealPage sues California city over algorithm ban

BERKLEY, CA (AP) – Real estate software company RealPage filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday against Berkeley, California — the latest city to try to block landlords from using algorithms when deciding rents. Officials in many cities claim the practice is anti-competitive and is driving up the price of housing.

Texas-based RealPage said Berkeley’s ordinance, which goes into effect this month violates the company’s free speech rights and is the result of an “intentional campaign of misinformation and often-repeated false claims” about its products.

“Berkeley is trying to enact an ordinance that prohibits speech — speech in the form of advice and recommendations from RealPage to its customers,” RealPage attorney Stephen Weissman told reporters on a conference call.

The Department of Justice sued Realpage in August under former President Joe Biden, saying its algorithm combines confidential information from each real estate management company in ways that enable landlords to align prices and avoid competition that would otherwise push down rents. That amounts to cartel-like illegal price collusion, prosecutors said. RealPage’s clients include huge landlords who collectively oversee millions of units across the U.S.

In the lawsuit, the DOJ pointed to RealPage executives’ own words about how their product maximizes prices for landlords. One executive said, “There is greater good in everybody succeeding versus essentially trying to compete against one another in a way that actually keeps the entire industry down.”

San Francisco, Philadelphia and Minneapolis have since passed ordinances restricting landlords from using rental algorithms. The DOJ case remains ongoing, as do lawsuits against RealPage brought by tenants and the attorneys general of Arizona and Washington, D.C.

Berkeley’s ordinance, which fines violators up to $1,000 per infraction, says algorithmic rental software has contributed to “double-digit rent increases … higher vacancy rates and higher rates of eviction.”

RealPage said all these claims are false, and that the real driver of high rents is a lack of housing supply.

The company also denies providing “price fixing software” or a “coordinated pricing algorithm,” saying its pricing recommendations — higher, lower or no change — align with whatever property-specific objectives the housing providers want to achieve using the software.

And since landlords already are incentivized to maximize revenue, RealPage argues that real estate management software can show them how best to maintain high occupancy, and this in turn reduces constraints on the supply of homes.

The lawsuit accuses American Economic Liberties Project, an advocacy group that opposes monopolistic practices, of spreading falsehoods that have caused local officials to pursue misguided policies.

“AELP’s false narrative has taken root in certain municipalities that are particularly eager to find a scapegoat for their own hand in impeding the housing supply,” the lawsuit said.

Weissman said RealPage officials were never given an opportunity to present their arguments to the Berkeley City Council before the ordinance was passed and said the company is considering legal action against other cities that have passed similar policies, including San Francisco.

A spokesperson for Berkeley City Council did not comment on the lawsuit and said officials had not been formally served with the complaint. A spokesperson for the AELP did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Judge to hear arguments over whether Trump deportation flights defied court order

Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) -- Nearly three weeks after President Donald Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act to remove more than 200 alleged migrant gang members to El Salvador with little-to-no due process, a federal judge on Thursday is set to consider whether the Trump administration defied a court order by deporting the men.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg will consider what consequences the Trump administration should face if he deems that it willfully violated his March 15 orders that barred removals under the Alien Enemies Act and directed two flights carrying alleged Venezuelan gang members be returned to the United States.

Thursday's hearing could present the most consequential face-off yet between the executive and judicial branches of government since Trump took office in January, as Trump attempts to unilaterally implement parts of his agenda amid a flood of litigation.

"I'm just doing what the VOTERS wanted me to do," Trump said in a social media post last month after Judge Boasberg issued his order blocking the deportations.

Trump last month invoked the Alien Enemies Act -- a wartime authority used to deport noncitizens with little-to-no due process -- by arguing that the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua is a "hybrid criminal state" that is invading the United States.

An official with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has acknowledged that "many" of the men lack criminal records in the United States -- but said that "the lack of specific information about each individual actually highlights the risk they pose" and "demonstrates that they are terrorists with regard to whom we lack a complete profile."

Lawyers representing the class of migrants covered by the president's Alien Enemies Act proclamation have argued that the Trump administration violated the court's "unequivocal oral order" to return to the U.S. two flights carrying alleged Tren de Aragua gang members to El Salvador.

According to flight data reviewed by ABC News, both flights carrying the migrants had not yet landed when Judge Boasberg directed the flights be turned around, and Justice Department lawyers, when questioned by Judge Boasberg, confirmed that the directive was promptly communicated to federal officials overseeing the flights.

"Defendants admit they never attempted to return the individuals on the planes to the United States, despite having both notice and the ability to do so," the attorneys argued.

Lawyers with the Department of Justice have insisted that the Trump administration "complied with the law" while questioning the legitimacy of Judge Boasberg's order. According to the DOJ, Judge Boasberg's oral instructions directing the flight to be returned were defective, and his subsequent written order lacked the necessary explanation to be enforced.

Lawyers with the ACLU and Democracy Forward Foundation responded that "The government's arguments are also unsupportable on their own terms -- as a matter of basic textual analysis, of common sense, and in view of foundational separation-of-powers principles."

The Justice Department has also argued that the president acted within his authority when he removed the noncitizens -- which the Trump administration has alleged are dangerous gang members -- and that the government should not have to explain itself to the court because the matter concerns national security.

"Even without the challenged Proclamation, the President doubtlessly acts within his constitutional prerogative by declining to transport foreign terrorists into the country," the Justice Department argued.

The Justice Department recently invoked the rarely-used state secrets privilege to avoid disclosing further details about the flights on the grounds that it could harm national security, so it's unclear how DOJ attorneys will respond to Boasberg's lines of inquiry.

Trump’s targets for ‘reciprocal’ tariffs include uninhabited islands but exclude Russia and Iran

(WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trump's sweeping new set of tariffs impact friend and foe alike, but also on the list are uninhabited islands while some glaring omissions include Russia and Iran.

Trump on Wednesday unveiled "kind reciprocal" tariff rates on certain nations that the administration's deemed the worst offenders in trade with the U.S., in addition to a minimum 10% baseline tariff on all U.S. trading partners.

"If they complain, if you want your tariff rate to be zero, then you build your product right here in America because there is no tariff if you build your plant, your product in America," Trump said as he announced the policy at the White House.

"Likewise, to all of the foreign presidents, prime ministers, kings, queens, ambassadors and everyone else who will soon be calling to ask for exemptions from these tariffs, I say terminate your own tariffs, drop your barriers, don't manipulate your currencies," Trump added.

At the top of the list is China, which will be hit with a whopping 54% tariff rate once the additional levies are put into effect. High levies are also being placed on the European Union, Vietnam, Taiwan, Japan, India and more.

Israel is also a target of "reciprocal" tariffs, despite moving ahead of Trump's announcement to cancel all remaining tariffs on American imports (which there were very few of thanks to the Israel-United Staes Free Trade agreement that has been in place since the 1980s).

Israel, though, still got hit with a 17% rate. The Israeli government is already pushing back on the Trump administration's calculation that Israel somehow charged a 33% tariff to the U.S., with one official calling it "puzzling."

What else is on Trump's list

British Indian Ocean Territory -- The only inhabitants of the United Kingdom territory located in the Indian Ocean are American and British military personnel and contractors stationed at a joint defense facility.

Heard and McDonald Islands -- Australian external territory of mostly barren Antarctic islands; uninhabited with no imports or exports.

Norfolk Island -- This is another Australian external territory, but for some reason the Trump administration has set the reciprocal tariff rate at 29%. That is far above the 10% for Australia and other external territories. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has already expressed confusion over the area's inclusion, as there is very little trade between the U.S. and the tiny island, which has a population around 2,000.

Svalbard and Jan Mayen -- These are remote territories of Norway in the Arctic Ocean. The new tariff rate is just 5% less than it is for greater Norway, though an Mayen also has no permanent population.

Réunion -- The island is considered to be an overseas department and region of France, has similar status to its counterparts in metropolitan France and doesn't have its own bilateral trade agreements. It is generally treated by the U.S. as a part of France but the administration is setting the tariff rate for the island at 37% instead of the European Unions's 20 % rate.

What is notably not included on Trump's list

Russia -- Moscow was omitted from the list and the White House has been claiming this is because sanctions preclude any meaningful trade. This is false. Trade has fallen dramatically between the U.S. and Russia since the onset of the war in Ukraine but last year the U.S. imported around $3 billion in goods from Russia (many times the dollar amount between the U.S. and many of the small island territories that did make the list).

Belarus, Cuba and North Korea -- The White House made the same argument as it did for Russia for why they are not on the list, but in these countries' cases, there is much less trade with the U.S. Although it is still on par or surpasses trade with some of the island territories.

Iran -- There's not a whole lot of trade between the U.S. and Iran because of the many sanctions against the country, but amid the Trump administration's effort to impose "maximum pressure" against the regime, it's notable that Tehran is only getting hit with the baseline 10% tariff.

ABC News' Alexandra Hutzler contributed to this report.

Volleyball star from UT Tyler signs professional contract

TYLER – Two time All-Lone Star Conference middle blocker, Dakota Rogers-Hurtado, has signed a contract to play professional women’s volleyball with LiigaPloki of the Mestaruusliiga league in Finland.

Rogers-Hurtado is the first player in the program’s history to sign a professional contract, and she finished her career as the Patriot’s all-time leader in solo blocks. Standing at 6 foot 1, she accomplished 245 total blocks, 92 solo blocks, 378 total kills and a .299 attack percentage.

“I’ve always loved volleyball, and wanted to play professionally,” Rogers-Hurtado said. “One of my previous competitors actually plays in this league, and I reached out to her and she recommended me to her agent… from there he reached out to several teams throughout Europe before we landed on LiigaPloki. I chose LiigaPloki because I love the people and the culture of Finland. I spoke to one of my future teammates and she had nothing but positive things to say about the program and the coaching staff.” Continue reading Volleyball star from UT Tyler signs professional contract

US stocks sink in 1st trading after Trump’s tariffs announcement

(NEW YORK) -- U.S. stocks plunged in early trading on Thursday, just hours after President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs announcement touched off threats of countermeasures from foreign leaders.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted 1,600 points, or 3.75%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq declined 5.75%.

The S&P 500 tumbled 4.4%, setting it on pace for its worst trading day in more than two years.

The selloff hammered shares of some major multinational corporations with supply chains abroad.

Nike plummeted 11%, while Apple fell nearly 8%. E-commerce giant Amazon slid 6%.

Shares fell for each of the other so-called "Magnificent Seven," a group of large tech firms that helped drive stock market gains in recent years.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, dropped 7%. Chipmaker Nvidia slid 4.5%.

Tesla, the electric carmaker led by Trump-advisor Elon Musk, declined 4%.

Shares of U.S. retailers that depend largely on imported products also tumbled, with Dollar Tree down 11% and Five Below seeing 25% losses.

While Trump said the tariffs would free the U.S. from dependence on foreign goods, fears of a deepened international trade war appeared to influence the stock market reaction.

During the event at the White House on Wednesday, Trump unveiled a sweeping set of baseline tariffs on all trading partners and what he described as "kind reciprocal" tariffs on nations he claimed were the worst offenders in trade relations with the U.S.

"My fellow Americans, this is Liberation Day," Trump said from the Rose Garden. "April 2, 2025, will forever be remembered as the day American industry was reborn, the day America's destiny was reclaimed and the day that we began to make America wealthy again," he said.

The president announced the measures would include a minimum baseline tariff of 10% on all trading partners and, further, more targeted punitive levies on certain countries, including China, the European Union and Taiwan.

Trump held up a chart with a list of nations and what the new U.S. tariffs against them will be.

At the top was China, which Trump said was set to be hit with a 34% tariff rate as he claimed it charged the United States 67%.

The 34% reciprocal rate for China is in addition to a previous 20% tariff Trump slapped on the nation -- bringing the effective tariff rate on one of the U.S.'s biggest trading partners to 54% total.

While the longstanding effects of Trump's newly minted tariffs stand to be seen, some experts told ABC News ahead of Wednesday that the measures could threaten economic growth and employment since duties slapped on imports risk increasing costs for businesses that rely on raw materials from abroad.

"If both businesses and consumers start to worry and pull back their spending, that is what can tip the U.S. over into a recession," Kara Reynolds, an economist at American University, previously told ABC News.

Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics, described the tariffs as "the fodder for an economic downturn."

ABC News' Max Zahn contributed to this report.

Once-in-a-generation storm turns deadly: Where to expect tornadoes, dangerous flooding

(NEW YORK) -- A four-day, once-in-a-generation weather event turned deadly on day 1 on Wednesday -- and the risk for destructive storms and tornadoes will continue on Thursday, and the threat of flooding will increase.

Here's what you need to know:

Wednesday

The rare weather event began Wednesday with a tornado outbreak that led to at least 20 reported tornadoes from Arkansas to Indiana.

Matt Ziegler documented the moment a tornado ripped through his town of Lake City, Arkansas.

"I've always heard that they sound like a train on a track, but to be honest with you, it was eerily quiet," he told ABC News. "If you weren't looking, you wouldn't know that there was a major tornado just a field over from us."

At least four weather-related fatalities have been confirmed in Tennessee, according to state officials.

One death -- a local fire chief -- has been confirmed in Missouri. Garry Moore, 68, who was the chief of the Whitewater Fire Protection District, died in the line of duty, possibly while helping a stranded motorist, according to the fire department.

The governors of Tennessee and Kentucky have declared states of emergency.

"We are facing one of the most serious weather events we've had forecast," Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear warned on social media. "Please stay alert, take all precautions, and be prepared."

Thursday

On Thursday, the severe weather risk is a level 3 out of 5, bringing the chance for a few strong tornadoes from Little Rock, Arkansas, to Memphis, Tennessee, to Jackson, Tennessee.

The flooding threat ramps up on Thursday as the system begins to stall and dump heavy rain over the same areas.

Overall, more than 38 million people are under a general flood watch until Sunday morning, spanning 11 states from Arkansas to Ohio including the cities of Louisville, Kentucky; Indianapolis; and Cleveland.

Public schools in Nashville, Tennessee, are closed on Thursday.

A particularly dangerous situation, or PDS, flood watch is in effect until Sunday morning for about 4 million people in parts of Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky. Cities in the PDS flood watch include Memphis; Little Rock; Jonesboro, Arkansas; Union City, Tennessee; Paducah, Kentucky; and Evansville, Indiana.

On Thursday, a rare high risk (level 4 of 4) warning for excessive rainfall is in effect in northeast Arkansas, northwest Tennessee, as well as Memphis, and western Kentucky.

Friday

Friday’s severe weather threat is a level 3 of 5 for nearly all of Arkansas, with strong tornadoes possible.

A moderate risk (level 3 of 4) for excessive rainfall is in place for Friday from just east of Dallas to Fayetteville, Arkansas, to Springfield, Missouri, to St. Louis.

Saturday

Saturday’s severe weather threat is a level 3 of 5 for Arkansas, Louisiana, western Mississippi and eastern Texas, with strong tornadoes possible.

For flooding, a rare high risk threat is in effect on Saturday from Memphis to Jonesboro to Evansville.

Rain totals

The four-day event will dump 10 to 15 inches of rain or more over the area from Jonesboro to Paducah.

Seven to 10 inches of rain is possible from Little Rock to Memphis to Louisville to Cincinnati.

The system will finally move east Sunday afternoon, bringing rain to the Southeast on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

First PRCA rodeo coming to the East Texas State Fair

TYLER – Our news partner, KETK, reports that the East Texas State Fair announced Wednesday morning that PRORODEO will be coming to the 2025 fair in September.

The East Texas State Fair is partnering with Cavender’s to bring a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA)-sanctioned rodeo to Tyler, welcoming PRORODEO athletes across the country to East Texas. The rodeo will take place during the first weekend of the fair, Sept. 19 through Sept. 21 and will feature events including bull riding, barrel racing and team roping, along with entertainment for all ages. The Texas founded western store and fair sponsor, Cavender’s is also excited to be apart of this major milestone for the East Texas community. Continue reading First PRCA rodeo coming to the East Texas State Fair

Ariana Grande helps introduce new ‘Wicked’ footage in Las Vegas: ‘It’s been quite a year’

Wicked co-stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo traded their signature pink and green ensembles for plain black on Wednesday, as they appeared at CinemaCon in Las Vegas to debut footage from the second installment of the film, Wicked: For Good.

According to Variety, Ariana told the CinemaCon attendees -- who are movie theater owners -- “It’s been quite a year since we joined you here last time, and we cannot thank you enough for all of your support.” Fellow Oscar nominee Cynthia added, “And we get to do it all again.”

People quotes Cynthia as telling the crowd that she and Ariana already have their "tissues packed" for their next promo tour for the new film, but promised "less waterworks this time."

Deadline reports that attendees "went nuts" for the first look at the Jon M. Chu film, which showed Cynthia's Elphaba fully in control of her powers and waging a war against Jeff Goldblum's Wizard, while Ariana's Glinda, back in the Emerald City, is still looking out for her estranged school friend.

"Elphaba, I know you’re out there,” says Glinda at one point in the trailer. In another, she warns, "Elphaba, they’re coming for you. Think about what we can do together." "This is about the Wizard and I!" Elphaba exclaims, and skywrites, "Our Wizard Lies" with her broom.

In addition, the trailer introduces Dorothy, the Cowardly Lion, the Tin Man and the Scarecrow, who are ordered by the Wizard, "Bring me the broom of the Wicked Witch of the West!!” The footage ends with Elphaba flying off and declaring, "I'm off to see the Wizard!"

The trailer also showcased two fan-favorite songs: "For Good" and "No Good Deed."

Wicked: For Good is in theaters Nov. 22.

Officer once accused of excessive force confirmed for state board

AUSTIN – The Texas Senate, with the bare minimum number of votes, approved the nomination of a formerly indicted Austin police officer to a law enforcement watchdog agency on Wednesday, despite a Democratic effort to block his confirmation over misconduct allegations.

Justin Berry, a senior Austin Police Department officer who had been indicted on charges of aggravated assault during the racial justice protests in 2020, was confirmed Wednesday, 21-10, to serve a second term on the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, which sets standards for police training and conduct.

Senate Democrats, whose ranks had the potential to tank Berry’s nomination if they stayed united, had urged their colleagues to reject Berry on the floor Wednesday.

But state Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa — a Democrat from McAllen in South Texas, a region that has recently surged toward the right — broke with his party to provide the critical vote needed to confirm Berry to a second term. Hinojosa is one of the more conservative Democrats in the Senate.

In an interview, Hinojosa said that he “didn’t take the vote lightly,” and had reviewed the allegations against Berry and met with him one-on-one on Tuesday before deciding to approve his confirmation.

Hinojosa found insufficient evidence backing the accusations of misconduct, he said, and had spoken to other members of the law-enforcement commission who described Berry’s work on the board so far as “competent and professional.” Hinojosa alerted the Senate Democratic Caucus chair, Sen. Carol Alvarado of Houston, of his decision Wednesday morning.

“I didn’t feel there was any criminal behavior that would rise to the level of rejecting his nomination,” Hinojosa said, adding that he thought rejecting Berry would make him a “scapegoat” for failures at higher levels of police command. “It’s not an easy one, but at the same time, I’m not here to second guess the governor.”

Berry’s confirmation marked another failed attempt by Democrats to exercise power in a state government long dominated by Republicans. Gov. Greg Abbott nominated Berry in January 2024 for a second term, and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who tightly controls the Senate, was determined to win a confirmation vote.

In opposing Berry’s confirmation, Democrats cited past allegations against Berry that said he used excessive force and misused his police power. The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, according to Abbott’s announcement of Berry’s nomination, “establishes and enforces standards to ensure that the people of Texas are served by highly trained and ethical law enforcement, corrections, and telecommunications personnel.”

Abbott’s announcement of Berry’s nomination cited his over 16 years of experience in law enforcement and the “numerous awards, medals and commendations” he had received, including the Austin Police Department Honorable Conduct Medal and the Austin Police Department Meritorious Service Medal.

Before the confirmation vote, Sen. Sarah Eckhardt, D-Austin, said: “The governor’s selection of an officer with his history is evidence of a growing intolerance of dissent at the highest levels of our government. … There are more than 8,000 peace officers in the state of Texas. Why did the governor pick one with this very public record?”

Berry, who twice ran for the Legislature as a Republican, was indicted on charges of aggravated assault in February 2022 related to an incident in which a Black Lives Matter protester was shot in the face with “less-lethal” munitions. Austin District Attorney Jose Garza dropped the charges against Berry and most of the other 18 officers who were indicted on use of excessive force a year later.

Eckhardt, who led the effort to block Berry’s confirmation, said her teenage daughter was at the protest and witnessed the shooting.

“This incident alone should cause some question regarding his fitness to set the standards of conduct and training for peace officers in Texas,” she said during a committee hearing Monday, adding that other allegations against Berry of employing excessive force or misusing his police power over the past two decades caused her “additional concern.”

The political fight over Berry’s confirmation began when he did not appear for questioning before the Senate Nominations Committee at its March 10 hearing — when his nomination was listed on the agenda — as Democrats had requested.

All 11 Senate Democrats then signed onto a March 19 letter to state Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels and the committee chair, requesting that Berry appear for questioning.

“We are unaware of any prior instance in which a sitting committee member’s request for a nominee to appear has been denied,” the lawmakers said, adding that Berry’s nomination is “not uncontroversial,” and citing three individuals who were seriously injured by munitions during the 2020 protests and $18 million in civil settlements paid by the city of Austin to protesters as a result of police conduct.

“Although most of the indictments have been dismissed (four indictments remain active), questions regarding Mr. Berry’s actions that day go to the heart of his fitness to serve on the commission,” they said.

Berry later met privately with the committee’s three Democrats — Eckhardt, Alvarado and Borris L. Miles of Houston — but did not appear before the larger committee, whose Republican members on Monday unanimously sent his nomination to the full Senate.

On Monday, Eckhardt said that Patrick denied Democrats’ request last week that Berry appear before the committee.

“Senators offer their advice and consent through their deliberations and vote,” Patrick said in a Wednesday statement before the vote. “I will not allow any nominee to be subjected to an unfair process outside of that scope.”

Eckhardt had “made it clear she wanted to turn a committee room into a courtroom,” he added. “That is clearly outside the scope of offering advice and consent.”

The tension over Berry’s nomination came to a head in committee on Monday, as Eckhardt began explaining her concerns with his record and describing a packet of documents she had compiled and shared with lawmakers on the allegations against him.

Campbell quickly interjected. “Senator Eckhardt, you can make these very brief. You will have time to express your concerns on the mic, on the floor,” she said.

Eckhardt continued, and less than a minute into her remarks, Campbell cut her off again and tried to move the hearing forward. The two spoke over each other before Eckhardt, appearing exasperated, concluded.

Berry’s second term is set to conclude in August 2027.

Article originally published by The Texas Tribune. To read the originally published article, click here.

In brief: ‘South Park’ season 27 teaser trailer and more

Omigod, you guys! The first image from the Legally Blonde prequel series Elle has arrived. In the photo, obtained by Deadline, Lexi Minetree is in character as Elle Woods. Wearing all pink while laying on pink bedsheets and talking on her landline phone, Minetree evokes the character made famous by Reese Witherspoon ...

The release date for the upcoming 27th season of South Park has been revealed. The long-running animated series will return to Comedy Central on July 9. It has been over two years since the show aired new episodes. The network also released a teaser trailer for the new season, which features homes burning down and the Statue of Liberty being yanked down, among other things ...

The crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise returns in the official teaser trailer for season 3 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. The trailer teases 10 new adventures for the gang, which includes the return of Paul Wesley as James T. Kirk. While the season does not have a release date, it will drop sometime in summer 2025. The show has already been renewed for season 4, which is currently in production ...

Amazon joins bidding war for TikTok as deadline for sale approaches: Sources

(NEW YORK) -- With the clock ticking on TikTok's deadline to sell or face a ban in the U.S., the battle to buy the app has intensified.

Amazon has now sent a letter to the Trump administration to join the bidding war for TikTok, sources told ABC News.

President Donald Trump said over the weekend there are lots of potential buyers and said he'd like to keep the app alive. The administration has set an April 5 deadline for the app to be banned if it is not sold by it's Chinese-owned parent company, ByteDance.

On Wednesday, Trump and senior administration officials considered multiple proposals. It's unclear if a decision has been made on how to move forward.

The mobile tech company AppLovin and a group including tech giant Oracle have also made bids to buy the app. Even if Trump approves a deal, China will still need to sign off on it.

Trump has said publicly that if an agreement isn't reached by the deadline, he will just extend it.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Two meteor showers will happen simultaneously in April, astronomers say

(NEW YORK) -- April may be known for its rain showers -- but when the clouds part, nighttime skygazers can enjoy meteor showers and other dazzling displays all month long, according to astronomers.

Viewers in the Northern Hemisphere will be treated to simultaneous meteor showers this month. Fireballs from the Lyrids and the Eta Aquarids will be streaking through the sky at the same time from April 20 to 26, according to NASA.

The Lyrids originate from the Comet Thatcher and peak during late April, when they release about 18 meteors per hour, according to NASA.

Viewers should look for the Lyrids during the darkest hours, after moonset and before predawn, astronomers say. Lyrids appear to radiate near the star Vega.

The Eta Aquarids originate from the Comet Halley and typically peak during early May every year, releasing about 50 meteors per hour at their peak, according to NASA. They are also known for their speed, traveling nearly 41 miles per second through the atmosphere.

Astronomers recommend viewing the Eta Aquarids during the predawn hours. Look toward Aquarius, where the radiance of the Eta Aquarids appears to originate from. The Eta Aquarids will be active from April 20 to May 21.

Early April is also a good time to attempt the "Messier Marathon," a challenge in which observers attempt to view as many of the 110 Messier objects as possible -- including nebulae, star clusters and galaxies, according to Smithsonian Magazine.

Other notable events will take place in early April.

On Wednesday, the Pleiades star cluster appears near the Moon, according to EarthSky. On Thursday, the moon will align with Jupiter.

Several celestial objects will form a line in April. On Saturday -- as well as from April 11 to 12 -- the moon and Mars will come together and be joined by twin stars Castor and Pollux, according to EarthSky.

In addition, the sun's magnetic field is still in its solar maximum, making northern lights events more frequent. Peak solar activity is expected until March 2026.

The events will be visible from the Northern Hemisphere by both telescope and the naked eye, according to astronomers.