(TOKYO and LONDON) -- A tsunami advisory has now been lifted after an earlier warning in the wake of a strong earthquake Monday off the coast of Japanâs Miyazaki Prefecture, officials said.
The U.S. Geological Survey put the quakeâs preliminary magnitude at 6.8. The Japan Meteorological Agency said it had an intensity of lower 5 on the Japanese scale of 0 to 7.
The quake began at around 9:19 p.m. local time, with its epicenter a few miles offshore at a depth of about 19 miles, Japanese and American officials said.
The Japanese weather agency had issued a tsunami advisory for Miyazaki and Kochi prefectures, with expected heights of about 1 meter. One tsunami wave measuring about 8 inches reached some coasts and ports at about 10 p.m., authorities said. They warned residents to continue staying away from the coast and other waterways.
In Kochi Prefecture, residents of some areas were advised to evacuate.
Japanese weather officials said about an hour after the quake that they were still gathering information about disruptions. Some train services were halted, and it was unclear when they would be restarted.
Authorities warned that aftershocks and other jolts may still arrive, so residents should stay in a safe place. Residents were cautioned be wary of broken glass or other debris.
Significant damage has not yet been reported, and there have been no abnormalities in the radiation levels or operations in regional nuclear power plants, officials said.
ABC News' Joe Simonetti contributed to this report.
(LOS ANGELES) -- At least 25 people have died as multiple wildfires, fueled by severe drought conditions and strong winds, rage across the Los Angeles area.
Thousands of firefighters are battling wildfires across 45 square miles of densely populated Los Angeles County. About 88,000 people remain under mandatory evacuation orders and another 84,000 are under evacuation warnings.
Status of Palisades, Eaton fires
The Palisades Fire, which began in the Pacific Palisades on Jan. 7, has destroyed about 5,000 structures. It's covered more than 23,000 acres and is at 19% containment.
The Eaton Fire north of Pasadena also began on Jan. 7 and has destroyed or damaged around 7,000 structures. It's burned over 14,000 acres and is at 45% containment.
LA County under air quality alert
A new air quality alert has been issued for Los Angeles County until 7 p.m. local time "due to harmful particle pollution levels from windblown dust and ash."
This pollution can embed deep into the lungs and cause health problems including heart disease symptoms, asthma attacks and an increased risk for respiratory infections.
Health experts and public officials have urged those impacted by the fires to protect themselves from air pollution carried by these winds by staying indoors, wearing protective equipment when needed and taking steps to purify air in the home.
Two people were arrested for arson in separate incidents just outside the fire zone on Wednesday, according to the LAPD.
In one incident, a citizen extinguished a fire in a tree and detained an arson suspect, police said. That suspect admitted to starting the fire because he "liked the smell of burning leaves," police said.
Later Tuesday night, crews responded to reports of a suspect setting trash on fire, police said. The fire was extinguished. That suspect said she set fires because she enjoyed causing "chaos and destruction," police said.
Critical fire weather conditions continuing through Wednesday evening
Thereâs been little to no fire growth at both the Eaton and Palisades fires over the last 24 hours, Cal Fire Incident Commander Gerry Magaña said.
But critical fire weather conditions will continue through Wednesday evening, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone warned.
Winds reached 30 to 40 mph overnight, LA City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said. Powerful 70 mph winds havenât happened yet but are possible, Marrone said.
Eaton Fire containment jumps to 45%
The Eaton Fire, which decimated home after home in Altadena, is 45% contained Wednesday morning.
With 7,000 structures damaged or destroyed, the Eaton Fire is the second-most destructive fire ever in California and the most destructive ever in Los Angeles.
At least 16 people have died from the Eaton Fire, making it the fifth deadliest in the state's history.
Newsom executive order targets 'greedy speculators'
Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order on Tuesday intended "to protect firestorm victims in the Los Angeles area from predatory land speculators making aggressive and unsolicited cash offers to purchase their property," his office said in a statement.
"Taking advantage of the disaster and associated trauma, these predatory and exploitative practices endanger the financial well-being and security of vulnerable victims," the governor's office said, vowing "stronger enforcement and prosecution" of those engaging in such activity.
"As families mourn, the last thing they need is greedy speculators taking advantage of their pain," Newsom said in a statement.
"I have heard first-hand from community members and victims who have received unsolicited and predatory offers from speculators offering cash far below market value -- some while their homes were burning," Newsom added.
"We will not allow greedy developers to rip off these working-class communities at a time when they need more support than ever before."
-ABC News' Marilyn Heck
Pacific Palisades residents sue Los Angeles
A group of Pacific Palisades residents and businesses impacted by the Palisades Fire has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles against the city's Department of Water and Power, alleging that the city and its agency were unprepared for the Palisades Fire.
"Plaintiffs are informed and believe that the water supply system servicing areas in and around Pacific Palisades on the date of the Palisades Fire failed, and that this failure was a substantial factor in causing plaintiffs to suffer the losses alleged," the lawsuit said.
"Further, despite dire warnings by the National Weather Service of a 'Particularly Dangerous Condition -- Red Flag Warning' of 'critical fire weather' which had the potential for rapid fire spread and extreme fire behavior, the LADWP was unprepared for the Palisades Fire," the suit added.
The suit was filed in the California Superior Court on Monday and seeks damages for the costs, repair and replacement of damaged or destroyed property; cost for alternative living expenses; loss of wages, earning capacity or profits and any other relief a court deems appropriate.
-ABC News' James Hill
LA medical examiner issues correction after reporting 25th fire victim
At least 25 people have died in the Los Angeles fires, the LA County Medical Examiner clarified Tuesday night.
The medical examiner issued a correction just hours after it had announced a 25th victim. In its update, the office explained that what it had counted as an additional death from the Eaton Fire was determined to be non-human remains.
Shortly after, the medical examiner reported an additional death from the Palisades Fire, bringing the total back to 25.
There have been at least 16 victims from the Eaton Fire and nine victims from the Palisades Fire.
Palisades Fire now 18% contained
The Palisades Fire, which has spread 23,713 acres, is 18% contained as of Tuesday evening, according to Cal Fire.
Death toll from Los Angeles fires rises to 25 The LA County Medical Examiner's Office said the suspected death toll from the Los Angeles fires now stands at 25.
Of the deaths, 17 are linked to the Eaton Fire in the Altadena area and eight are linked to the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades, the medical examiner's office said in an update Tuesday.
Red flag warnings in place through Wednesday evening
The "particularly dangerous situation" red flag warnings are in effect through noon on Wednesday as the high winds, low humidity and dry fuel cause a major risk for fires. The regular red flag warnings last until 6 p.m. Wednesday.
The dangerous, gusty winds will die down slightly Tuesday evening before picking up again overnight and Wednesday morning.
Gusts may climb to 45 to 70 mph, which could spark new fires, spread existing fires and topple trees and power lines.
-ABC Newsâ Melissa Griffin
Air quality alerts remain in effect
Air quality alerts remain in effect in Southern California as the wind-blown dust and ash from the Palisades and Eaton fires cause harmful pollution levels from Santa Monica and LA south to Newport Beach and inland to San Bernardino.
The poor air quality is expected to continue through at least Wednesday night.
Status of Palisades, Eaton fires
The Palisades Fire, which began in the Pacific Palisades on Jan. 7, has destroyed about 5,000 structures. It's covered more than 23,000 acres and is at 17% containment.
The Eaton Fire north of Pasadena also began on Jan. 7 and has destroyed or damaged around 7,000 structures. It's burned over 14,000 acres and is at 35% containment.
Super scooper damaged by drone ready to be back in the air
The super scooper firefighting plane that was damaged by a drone last week has been repaired and will be available to respond to fires as of 11 a.m. local time Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said.
Firefighters had 'never seen destruction like this'
LA City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said she and LA Mayor Karen Bass went on an aerial survey of the devastated areas to see the size, scope and complexity of the fires.
The "massive, massive destruction is unimaginable until you actually see it," Bass said. "I think of the families ⊠we are going to continue to stand with you."
Bass said after the aerial tour she spoke to firefighters who've been on the job for decades. She said the firefighters told her they'd "never seen destruction like this" or winds this fierce.
As the fire danger continues, the mayor said residents looking to help first responders can do so by being prepared.
Bass said residents under evacuation warnings, not evacuation orders, should consider leaving their homes when the warning is issued to avoid the traffic jams so many experienced last week.
Next 24 hours will be very dangerous, sheriff warns
The next 24 hours will be very dangerous as high winds blow through the Los Angeles area, LA County Sheriff Robert Luna warned.
He urged residents to follow evacuation orders, noting that many people who waited until the last minute to evacuate last week suffered significant burns.
"We donât want you to impact your own life or the life or your loved ones," Luna said.
The sheriffâs department is following 24 missing persons cases, all adults, Luna said. The LAPD said it has 13 active missing persons cases, two of whom are believed to be dead.
No more remains were found when crews searched the hard-hit Altadena area on Monday, the sheriff said.
Wind gusts reach 72 mph overnight
Dangerously high winds that could fuel wildfires are impacting the Los Angeles area Tuesday and Wednesday.
The highest wind gust recorded so far was 72 mph in the western San Gabriel Mountains, which is in northern LA County.
A 50 mph wind gust was recorded in Malibu Hills.
The gusty winds will spread from the mountains into the valleys and the canyons by Tuesday afternoon.
A slight break in the wind is expected Tuesday evening before the rough winds pick back up Wednesday morning.
The winds will stay strong into Wednesday afternoon and then finally begin to relax Wednesday night into Thursday.
'Dangerous' winds to pick up across Los Angeles, Ventura counties
A "particularly dangerous situation" with a red flag warning will go into effect in western Los Angeles County and most of Ventura County on Tuesday, weather officials said, with winds threatening to further fuel historic Southern California wildfires.
The warning begins at 4 a.m. local time. Winds are forecast to gust between 45 mph to 70 mph, with relative humidity as low as 8%.
Winds overnight and early on Tuesday have been gusting up to 67 mph in the mountains near Los Angeles. The West San Gabriel Mountains have seen gusts up to 67 mph, with the Central Ventura County Valley hit about 66 mph.
The strongest gusts are expected Tuesday morning and early afternoon, which will then be followed by a break in the evening. More gusty winds are expected Wednesday morning.
-ABC News' Max Golembo
Firefighters stop forward progress of Auto Fire
Firefighters stopped forward progress of the Auto Fire in Ventura County late Monday night, the Ventura County Fire Department said, with the blaze mapped at 55.7 acres with 0% containment.
Firefighting teams "remain on scene mopping up hotspots and working to increase containment," the department said. "The fire was confined to the river bottom and no structures were threatened. The cause of the fire Is under investigation."
-ABC News' Marilyn Heck
LA mayor issues executive order to expedite rebuilding
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order late Monday that her office said "will expedite the rebuilding of homes, businesses and communities" devastated by local wildfires.
"This order is the first step in clearing away red tape and bureaucracy to organize around urgency, common sense and compassion," Bass said in a statement. "We will do everything we can to get Angelenos back home."
The order was issued as dangerous wind conditions threatened additional homes across the Southern California area.
"This unprecedented natural disaster warrants an unprecedented response," Bass said.
A mayor's office press release said the executive order will coordinate debris removal from all impacted areas, expedite all building permit activity and take immediate action to make 1,400 units of housing available.
The order also set a one-week deadline for all city departments to list relief needed from state and federal authorities.
-ABC News' Tristan Maglunog
More firefighting resources being deployed ahead of extreme fire weather
Additional firefighting resources will be allocated in advance of the extreme fire weather forecast this week in Southern California, Gov. Gavin Newsom's office announced Monday.
That includes more than 300 additional firefighting personnel and 135 engines -- making for more than 15,000 personnel total and 1,900 fire engines, water tenders, aircraft and bulldozers combined in the ongoing fire response, the office said.
How the Palisades Village managed to survive the firestorm
The Palisades Village is largely unscathed amid the devastating Palisades Fire, even as buildings across the street burned to the ground.
That's because the owners of the outdoor mall hired private tankers to fend off the flames as the fire encroached, ABC News Chief National Correspondent Matt Gutman reports.
Tankers could be seen on Monday preparing for the next Santa Ana wind event forecast for this week.
Newsom proposes additional $2.5B in firestorm response
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed that the state provide an additional $2.5 billion in funding for its firestorm response and recovery efforts.
Newsom signed a proclamation on Monday that expands the scope of the state legislature's current special session "to further boost response and initial recovery efforts for Los Angeles," his office said in a press release.
The governor is requesting $1 billion to go toward the emergency response, cleanup and recovery in the Los Angeles wildfires, as well as $1.5 billion in funding to prepare for the threats of firestorms and other natural disasters, according to the proclamation.
Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas said in a statement that the assembly members "are listening to their residents and will bring feedback to the discussion as we consider the Governor's proposal."
9 people charged with looting in Palisades, Eaton fires: DA
Nine people have been charged with looting in connection with the Palisades and Eaton fires, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced Monday.
"There have been certain people that we have given a warning to because we anticipated that this was half was going to happen, and these are the criminals," Hochman said during a press briefing. "These are the people who are seeking to exploit this tragedy for their own benefit."
Among those charged are three people accused of stealing more than $200,000 in property in a burglary last week at a house in Mandeville Canyon during an "evacuation situation," Hochman said.
A man has also been charged with arson in a fire that occurred in the city of Azusa on Friday, Hochman said.
Homeowners, renters sue utility company over Eaton Fire
Four separate lawsuits were filed Monday against Southern California Edison, a utility company in California, by homeowners and renters who lost their homes in the Eaton Fire. The lawsuits each allege the company failed to de-energize all of its electrical equipment despite red flag warnings issued by the National Weather Service.
-ABC Newsâ Laura Romero
Over 80,000 without power as red flag warnings expand
More than 80,000 customers in California are without power as Southern California Edison starts shutting off power in parts of Southern California ahead of the next wind event, which begins Tuesday.
Areas under a high risk for rapid fire growth have expanded.
Biden: 'Our hearts ache for the 24 innocent souls we have lost'
President Joe Biden said in a new statement, "Our hearts ache for the 24 innocent souls we have lost in the wildfires."
Biden said he continues to be "frequently briefed" on updates. He said heâs "directed our team to respond promptly to any request for additional federal firefighting assistance," adding that his team is "laser-focused on helping survivors and we will continue to use every tool available to support the urgent firefight as the winds are projected to increase."
"To the brave firefighters and first responders working day and night to suppress these fires and save lives: our nation is grateful,â Biden said. âYou represent the best of America and we are in your debt."
-ABC Newsâ Molly Nagle
Areas for worst wind conditions this week
The National Weather Service has highlighted these three areas where officials believe thereâs the highest chance for explosive fire growth this week. The Hurst Fire is in the highlighted area and the Palisades Fire is near the highlighted area.
The extreme fire risk will last from 4 a.m. Tuesday to noon Wednesday.
Winds could climb as high as 45 to 70 mph and humidity could be as low as 8 to 15%.
-ABC Newsâ Max Golembo
Crews finding remains in Altadena: Sheriff
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said he knows displaced residents want to return to their neighborhoods, but he warned, "we are in the third day of grid searching" in Altadena.
"It is a very grim task," he said, noting that every day crews are finding peopleâs remains.
Twenty-three people have been reported missing: 17 from the Eaton Fire and six in the Malibu area, the sheriff said.
Severe fire conditions to continue through Wednesday
Severe fire weather conditions -- high winds with low humidity -- will continue through Wednesday, keeping the fire threat in all of Los Angeles County critical, LA Fire Chief Anthony Marrone warned at a news conference.
Amid the "unprecedented disaster," Marrone shared positive news that the Eaton Fire in Altadena didnât grow at all on Sunday.
The Eaton Fire has damaged or destroyed over 7,000 structures, Marrone said. He said damage inspections for dwellings are 26% completed.
The super scooper firefighting plane damaged by a drone last week has been repaired, Marrone said. Crews are waiting for the Federal Aviation Administration to give the OK to send the plane back in the air.
Ukraine offers aid
Ukraine may send rescuers to help fight the devastating fires in California, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
"The situation there is extremely difficult, and Ukrainians can help Americans save lives," Zelenskyy tweeted. "This is currently being coordinated, and we have offered our assistance to the American side through the relevant channels. 150 of our firefighters are already prepared."
Firefighters from Mexico and Canada have also been deployed to California.
Edison International canât rule out equipment role in wildfires, CEO says
Pedro Pizarro, the president and CEO of Edison International, told "Good Morning America" on Monday that the company cannot yet rule the possibility that its energy infrastructure played a role in sparking wildfires now raging around Los Angeles.
Fire agencies are investigating whether Southern California Edison -- a subsidiary of Edison International -- infrastructure sites caused fires in areas devastated by the Eaton and Hurst wildfires.
"You can't rule out anything ever until you can get your eyes on the equipment," Pizarro said.
"Typically, when there's a spark created by equipment, we will see the electrical anomaly -- we haven't seen that," Pizarro said of a possible incident involving Edison infrastructure and the Hurst Fire burning outside of San Fernando.
"That said, we have not been able to get close to the equipment," he continued. "As soon as we can get close to it, we'll inspect and be transparent with the public."
"We may find something different," Pizarro added.
Pizarro said Edison also recorded damage to equipment at the site of the Eaton Fire in the mountains north of Pasadena. "We don't know whether the damage happened before or after the start of the fire," he said.
Pizarro said that Edison International will be shutting off power to some California residents as a precaution amid red flag warnings.
"We have about 450,000 customers who we've warned they may need to have their power shut off," Pizarro said.
High winds threaten explosive fire growth
Weather officials have issued a "Particularly Dangerous Situation" red flag warning for western Los Angeles County and most of Ventura County beginning on Tuesday at 4 a.m. into Wednesday at noon.
Winds are forecast to be strong enough to potentially cause explosive fire growth.
A new Santa Ana wind event is forecast Monday through Wednesday with the strongest winds Tuesday into Wednesday.
On Monday morning and the rest of the day, winds will begin to pick up in the mountains and higher elevations, gusting 20 to 30 mph, locally as high as 50 mph.
By Tuesday morning at 4 a.m., when the "PDS" conditions begin, gusts in the mountains are expected to near 70 mph possibly and humidity could be as low as 8% for some of the area.
-ABC News' Max Golembo
68 arrested, many for burglary, in fire evacuation zones, police say
At least 68 people have been arrested in fire evacuation zones, according to law enforcement officials, as police work to secure devastated parts of Los Angeles and firefighters continue to battle wildfires.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said it recorded 29 arrests -- 25 in the Eaton Fire area north of Pasadena and four in the Palisades Fire area in western Los Angeles.
The Santa Monica Police Department reported 39 arrests in evacuated areas in its jurisdiction on Saturday night, including 10 for burglary and six for possession of burglary tools. None of those arrested lived in the area, the department said.
-ABC News' Marilyn Heck
Forecast calls for 'Particularly Dangerous Situation' for fires, Newsom warns
Gov. Gavin Newsom warned late Sunday that the week was beginning with a forecast for a "Particularly Dangerous Situation" for new wildfires, even as the firefight against the several fires still burning continued.
"Emergency responders are ready tonight. Pre-positioned firefighters and engines are spread around Southern California," he said on social media. "Stay safe. Be ready to evacuate if you get the order."
The warning, which comes from the National Weather Service, says that the fire risk is high in Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties amid strong winds, a lack of recent rainfall and relatively low humidities. The warning begins Monday night and runs through Wednesday morning, the service said.
It's is the fourth of its kind in three months, Newsom said. The first came ahead of the Mountain Fire in Ventura, which destroyed 243 structures. The second preceded the Franklin Fire in Malibu, which destroyed 20 structures.
And the third preceded the Palisades and Eaton Fires, which have now destroyed thousands of homes and structures, he said.
Death toll in Los Angeles fires rises to 24
There have been at least 24 fire-related deaths in the Palisades and Eaton Fires, according to the latest tally from the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner.
The number of fatalities is expected to rise as officials continue to battle the dual fires.
According to the medical examiner, there have been 16 confirmed deaths linked to the Eaton Fire and eight fatalities due to the Palisades Fire.
Los Angeles Unified School District reopening some schools Monday
Los Angeles Unified School District announced some schools are reopening Monday, depending on the location of the institution and the weather conditions.
LAUSD said school principals will contact communities directly.
ABC News confirmed that some community members received calls on Sunday about schools reopening.
The district has over 1,500 schools serving roughly 600,000 students in grades Kâ12. Schools across the district have been closed due to fires since Thursday.
(LONDON) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy predicted that his nation's forces would "undoubtedly" capture more North Korean troops, after sharing purported video of two prisoners of war detained after being wounded in fighting in Russia's western Kursk region.
"It's only a matter of time before our troops manage to capture others," Zelenskyy said in a post to social media, accompanied with brief video interviews with two North Korean soldiers.
The short videos showed the two apparently wounded men giving brief answers to a Ukrainian interviewer via a translator.
One said he was told by commanders that he was being deployed as part of a training exercise, according to the translation. The prisoner said he entered combat on Jan. 3, in an unsuccessful assault with heavy casualties. He hid in a dugout until Jan. 5 when he said he was captured.
Neither man appeared to know they had been taken to Ukraine. One said he wished to return to North Korea, while the other said he hoped to remain in Ukraine.
ABC News could not immediately verify the videos.
U.S., Ukrainian and South Korean officials have estimated that Pyongyang has sent up to 12,000 soldiers to Russia to assist Moscow in retaking parts of Kursk Oblast seized by Ukrainian forces in a surprise August 2023 offensive.
The deployment of troops represented a new level of North Korean support for Russia's war, Pyongyang having previously supplied Moscow with significant amounts of ammunition and weapons including ballistic missiles.
Zelenskyy said Sunday there should be "no doubt left in the world that the Russian army is dependent on military assistance from North Korea."
Russian President Vladimir Putin, he added, "started three years ago with ultimatums to NATO and attempts to rewrite history, but now he cannot manage without military support from Pyongyang."
Zelenskyy said Kyiv is "ready to hand over Kim Jong Un's soldiers to him if he can organize their exchange for our warriors who are being held captive in Russia."
"For those North Korean soldiers who do not wish to return, there may be other options available," he added. "In particular, those who express a desire to bring peace closer by spreading the truth about this war in Korean will be given that opportunity."
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov refused to comment on the proposal for a prisoner swap when asked by reporters on Monday. "We cannot comment in any way, we do not know what is true there," Peskov said, as quoted by Russian media.
Ukraine's Special Operations Forces, meanwhile, said it killed another 17 North Korean soldiers in Kursk, defeating a daylong assault by Pyongyang's troops.
The SSO said that one North Korean soldier also attempted to "mislead" Ukrainian forces and "blow himself up with them on a grenade." The North Korean was killed by the blast with no Ukrainians hurt, the SSO reported.
Zelenskyy previously reported that more than 3,000 North Koreans had been killed or wounded fighting in Kursk, while U.S. estimates put the figure at several hundred.
South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported on Monday that the country's spy agency believes that at least 300 North Korean soldiers have been killed and 2,700 injured since being deployed to Russia.
Rep. Lee Seong-kweun, of the ruling People Power Party, told Yonhap that the National Intelligence Service shared the information with lawmakers during a closed-door meeting of the parliamentary intelligence committee.
The NIS attributed the "massive" rate of North Korean casualties to a "lack of understanding of modern warfare," Yonhap said. That included "useless" attempts to shoot down long-range drones.
The NIS also said the North Korean military has ordered soldiers to kill themselves to avoid capture by Ukrainian forces.
(LONDON) -- A spate of alleged sabotage operations against undersea cables in the Baltic Sea has raised the prospect of a dangerous 2025 in NATO's northern theater, with allied leaders vowing closer surveillance of and tougher action against Russian- and Chinese-linked and other ships accused of nefarious efforts there.
"NATO will enhance its military presence in the Baltic Sea," alliance chief Mark Rutte said in late December, after the last such instance of suspected sabotage, condemning "any attacks on critical infrastructure."
Rutte's commitment came after the most recent of three alleged sabotage operations in the Baltic Sea -- the damaging of the Estlink 2 power cable and four internet cables on Christmas Day. The Estlink 2 cable -- along with the Estlink 1 cable -- transfers electricity from Finland to Estonia across the Gulf of Finland.
Finnish authorities quickly seized control of the ship suspected of the damage to the Estlink 2 cable -- the Eagle S. Though flagged in the Cook Islands, Finnish and European Union authorities said the Eagle S is part of Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" of tankers.
On Jan. 3, Finnish authorities said repair work on the cable had begun and forensic samples would be taken as part of the investigation. Eight sailors were still under a travel ban as the probe continued, they added.
NATO accuses Moscow of using tankers and other vessels to evade an international sanctions campaign on its fossil fuel exports prompted by the Kremlin's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The Atlantic Council described this "shadow fleet" as made up of ageing vessels often sailing without Western insurance, under opaque ownership and with regularly changing names and national registrations.
Allied officials say some of the ailing ships are doubling as low-tech saboteur vessels.
There may be as many as 1,400 ships in Russia's shadow fleet, according to the Windward maritime risk management firm. In December 2023, the energy cargo tracking company Vortexa calculated that 1,649 vessels had operated in what the Atlantic Council called the "opaque market" since January 2021, among them 1,089 carrying Russian crude oil.
Cat-and-mouse at sea
December's round of suspected sabotage prompted the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force -- a defensive regional bloc also including Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden -- to launch an advanced AI-assisted reaction system to "track potential threats to undersea infrastructure and monitor the Russian shadow fleet."
A Jan. 14 meeting of NATO's Baltic states in Helsinki, meanwhile, will focus on "measures required to secure the critical underwater infrastructure," Finnish President Alexander Stubb said, and the "strengthening of NATO's presence in the Baltic Sea and responding to the threat posed by Russia's shadow fleet."
But allies face a major challenge in surveilling some 145,560 square miles of sea crisscrossed by as many as 4,000 ships per day.
NATO tracking efforts are complicated by "the sheer scale of the global commercial shipping sector and the fact that ownership structures are often quite opaque and complex," Sidharth Kaushal -- the sea power senior research fellow at the British Royal United Services Institute think tank -- told ABC News.
"A vessel may have multiple beneficial owners, its owners may not necessarily be from the state where it's registered and so actually attributing its activity to a given state becomes very difficult," he explained.
Russian- and Chinese-linked vessels could play a role, but so could ships seemingly unconnected to Moscow or Beijing.
"The Russians have quite a broad spectrum of commercial vessels to choose from," Kaushal said. "It's actually quite odd, in some ways, that they opted for a vessel that's associated with their shadow fleet."
The Baltic Sea is also relatively shallow. Its average depth is around 180 feet, compared to 312 feet in the North Sea and 4,900 feet in the Mediterranean Sea.
Reaching cables or pipelines at the bottom of the Baltic is far easier than in the world's largest bodies of water, like the Atlantic Ocean with its average depth of 10,932 feet or the Pacific Ocean at 13,000 feet.
"In the Atlantic, for example, one has to use some pretty specialized equipment to go after undersea infrastructure," Kaushal said. In the Baltic, "much simpler tools -- things like dragging an anchor -- are perfectly feasible means of attack."
NATO's toolbox
Guarding specific sites appears more realistic than identifying and surveilling all potential saboteurs. After the damage to Estlink 2 was reported, for example, Estonia said it dispatched naval vessels to protect Estlink 1.
November's Bold Machina 2024 naval exercise in Italy also saw special forces divers test underwater sensors that NATO said could one day be used to protect underwater infrastructure.
"That's the only way to narrow the problem -- to focus on the critical infrastructure, rather than trying to achieve wide area surveillance over an area like the Baltic," Kaushal said.
But NATO ships will still be limited in what action they can take to stop damage occurring. "International freedom of navigation limits what navies can do on international waters, or even within their own exclusive economic zone," Kaushal said.
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea does note that freedom of navigation may be challenged if a ship's passage "is prejudicial to the peace, good order or security" of coastal states.
Historic agreements -- like the 1884 Convention for the Protection of Submarine Telegraph Cables -- might also offer allies some latitude to act against suspect vessels.
But challenging the passage of civilian shipping might have unwelcome consequences elsewhere. More muscular policing by NATO in the Baltic might encourage more assertive Chinese naval activity in the South China Sea, for example, or encourage more Iranian interdictions in the Persian Gulf.
"I think that's something that nations, particularly Western nations, have shied away from," Kaushal said.
Local allied leaders, at least, appear to be clamoring for action. December's alleged attack is only the most recent of a spate of suspected sabotage incidents in the Baltic.
In November, two intersecting submarine cables -- the BCS East-West Interlink connecting Lithuania to Sweden and the C-Lion1 fiber-optic cable connecting Germany to Finland -- were damaged in the Baltic Sea.
Authorities suspected the Chinese-flagged cargo ship Yi Peng 3 of causing the damage. German, Swedish, Finnish and Danish officials boarded the ship off the Danish coast to inspect the vessel and question the crew. The Yi Peng 3 later set sail for Egypt.
The first notable alleged cable sabotage incident in the Baltic Sea occurred in October 2023, when the Hong Kong-flagged Newnew Polar Bear vessel dragged its anchor across and damaged the Balticconnector gas pipeline linking Estonia and Finland. The nearby EE-S1 telecoms cable was also damaged.
Investigators recovered a damaged ship's anchor from the seabed close to the damaged cables, with gouge marks on either side of the cables indicating its trajectory. Finland's National Bureau of Investigation said the Newnew Polar Bear was missing one of its anchors.
In August, the Chinese government admitted that the vessel damaged the underwater infrastructure "by accident," citing "a strong storm."
2025 in the Baltic theater
Even before ships began damaging cables in the Baltic region, the strategic sea -- referred to by some allied leaders as the "NATO lake" after the accession of Sweden and Finland to the alliance -- played host to covert operations apparently linked to Russia's war on Ukraine.
The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines carrying natural gas from Russia to Germany were bombed in September 2022, marking the first notable incident of alleged sabotage in the Baltic Sea since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The pipelines had long been fiercely criticized by those in North America and Europe skeptical of Berlin's business dealings with Moscow, particularly leaders in Ukraine and the Baltic region who saw the pipelines as a plank of Russian hybrid warfare.
Investigators are yet to establish who was responsible for the apparent sabotage to the pipelines, with a series of unconfirmed reports variously accusing Russia, the U.S. and Ukraine for the blasts. All have denied involvement.
The Baltic, then, is already an important theater in the wider showdown between Russia and the West.
The potential value for Russia is clear. With a handful of tankers, Moscow can force its NATO rivals to commit significant time and resources to guarding undersea infrastructure. When sabotage does occur, the Baltic's relative ease of access and the energy needs of regional nations might amplify its impact.
"The gas grid in the area is not particularly well integrated with the rest of the European grid," Kashaul noted. "In much of Europe, this would be a bit of a nuisance, but in the Baltic Sea limited sabotage -- particularly to the gas pipelines -- can actually have some pretty disproportionate effects."
European nations are highly sensitive to gas outages given the knock on economic -- and thus polling -- effects. Energy insecurity has been one of the major themes undermining the continent's response to Russia's war. Moscow has been keen to exploit this weak spot.
But undersea escapades in the Baltic are not necessarily a free hit for Russia.
Moscow's shadow operators have "thus far enjoyed the freedom of navigation and the ability to move Russian oil at above price cap rates quite freely through NATO controlled waters," Kashaul said.
If NATO nations can demonstrate that sanctions-busting vessels are involved in sabotage, the ghost ships might yet face more tangible retaliation.
But that too could prompt escalation. A Danish intelligence report cited by Bloomberg, for example, noted that Russia may begin attaching military escorts to tankers transiting the Baltics.
Such a development is "quite plausible," Kashaul said, though noted the intensity of regular convoy operations may be beyond Russia's relatively small Baltic Fleet.
A more militarized approach, he added, may also unsettle the non-Russian nationals crewing the vessels.
"Whether the people on those ships want to take the risk, even if the Russians are offering escorts and convoys, is another factor," Kashaul said.
ABC News' Zoe Magee and Ellie Kaufman contributed to this report.
(LONDON) -- A ceasefire has been reached between Israel and Hamas, with the Qatari prime minister announcing the deal Wednesday afternoon.
Meanwhile, the November ceasefire in Lebanon is holding despite ongoing Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah targets, which Israeli officials say are responses to ceasefire violations by the Iranian-backed militant group. Israeli forces also remain active inside the Syrian border region as victorious rebels there build a transitional government.
Tensions remain high between Israel and Iran after tit-for-tat long-range strikes in recent months and threats of further military action from both sides. The IDF and the Yemeni Houthis also continue to exchange attacks.
Biden announces ceasefire deal
President Joe Biden released a statement saying Hamas and Israel had agreed to a deal, "after many months of intensive diplomacy," by the United States, Egypt and Qatar.
"I laid out the precise contours of this plan on May 31, 2024, after which it was endorsed unanimously by the UN Security Council," Biden said in the statement. "It is the result not only of the extreme pressure that Hamas has been under and the changed regional equation after a ceasefire in Lebanon and weakening of Iran â but also of dogged and painstaking American diplomacy. My diplomacy never ceased in their efforts to get this done."
Biden also highlighted the three living American hostages who are still being held, and the four remains of American hostages yet to be returned.
What comes next in ceasefire process?
While a ceasefire agreement has been reached between Hamas and Israeli negotiators, the Israeli government still needs to approve the deal.
The deal is expected to be approved, but it will take several votes.
Netanyahu says Philadelphi snag was resolved
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said in a statement that the snag about control of the Philadelphia axis -- the strip of land between Gaza and Egypt -- has been worked out.
However, his office said they are still working out several unresolved issues.
"In light of Prime Minister Netanyahu's firm stance, Hamas has backed down on its demand at the last minute to change the deployment of forces on the Philadelphia axis," the prime minister's office said in a statement. "However, there are still several unresolved clauses in the outline, and we hope that the details will be finalized tonight."
Trump celebrates ceasefire, takes credit for deal
President-elect Donald Trump immediately posted on Truth Social about the agreement on the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel.
He wrote, in all caps, "WE HAVE A DEAL FOR THE HOSTAGES IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THEY WILL BE RELEASED SHORTLY. THANK YOU!"
He then also followed that up with a post taking credit for the deal, though the Biden administration has also been involved in the negotiations.
"This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies," Trump wrote.
Israel and Hamas reach ceasefire agreement
A ceasefire agreement has been reached between Israel and Hamas, more than 15 months into the conflict.
A new round of ceasefire negotiations began on Jan. 3 in Qatar. Delegations from Israel and Hamas were dispatched to Doha to resume the negotiations, which were brokered by Qatari and Egyptian mediators. The Biden administration also helped broker the talks.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken had previously told reporters the United States wanted a ceasefire deal in Gaza and all remaining captives released before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20.
Blinken on Jan. 6 reported "intensified engagement," including by Hamas, on reaching a deal, though he added, "We are yet to see agreement on final points."
A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas has hit a last-minute snag, with both sides at odds over the Philadelphia axis, a piece of land separating the Gaza Strip and Egypt, according to an Israeli source with direct knowledge of the negotiations.
"The Israeli negotiating team was recently informed that the Hamas terrorist organization decided at the last minute to make new demands - this time regarding the Philadelphia axis, in contrast to the maps that have already been approved by the cabinet and American mediators. Israel strongly opposes any changes to these maps," the Israeli source told ABC News.
Hamas has given green light to ceasefire deal, sources say
Two sources close to the ceasefire negotiations tell ABC News Hamas has given the green light to the agreement.
"We are very close," the sources said. "The goal (is) an agreement today or tomorrow."
-ABC News' Jordana Miller
IDF attacks 50 Gaza targets as ceasefire deal nears
The Israel Defense Forces and Israeli intelligence agencies coordinated to attack around 50 targets across the Gaza Strip in the previous 24 hours, the IDF said in a Wednesday morning post to X.
The attacks targeted Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the IDF said.
It reported strikes in Gaza City in the north of the strip, Khan Younis in the south and Deir al-Balah in central Gaza.
The targets included "terrorist cells, weapons depots, underground infrastructure, anti-tank positions and military structures," the IDF said.
The latest wave of strikes came as ceasefire negotiators in Qatar reportedly neared a deal to pause -- and eventually scale down -- the 15-month-old war.
Israel, Hamas agree on core elements of Gaza ceasefire, but haggling over details: US officials
Israel and the highest ranks of Hamas have now agreed to the core elements of the hostage release-ceasefire deal on the table, but both sides are continuing to haggle over the details of the proposal, according to two officials familiar with the negotiations.
The outstanding differences are seen as relatively minor, but talks are expected to continue into Wednesday, the officials said.
Many of the items that are still being ironed out are tied to stubborn sticking points that have emerged in the past, like the operation of the Rafah border crossing and Israeli security concerns connected to the movement of displaced Palestinians back to their homes in northern Gaza.
The disagreements are unlikely to derail progress at this point, according to the officials.
Two of the three Americans that are possibly alive inside Gaza are poised to be released in the initial days or weeks of the ceasefire if an agreement is reached, but an official said they expect the releases will happen slower than they did during the truce in November 2023.
While they donât have recent proof of life for the two Americans, the assumption is that they and most -- but not all -- of the 33 hostages freed under the deal will be returned alive.
-ABC News' Shannon K. Kingston
Israel waiting to hear back from Hamas on ceasefire agreement
Israel is currently waiting to hear back from Hamas on the most recent draft language of a ceasefire deal, sources told ABC News.
The two sides are reportedly closer to an agreement than ever before, according to a spokesperson for Qatar Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim bin Jabr Al Thani.
"The ongoing talks in Doha regarding Gaza are fruitful, positive and focus on the final details. Meetings are underway in Doha between the parties to the agreement and we are awaiting updates from them," the spokesperson told ABC News.
Implementation of the agreement will begin shortly after it is announced, according to the spokesperson.
Qatar expecting ceasefire deal 'soon'
Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson said at a Tuesday briefing that participants in the ongoing Gaza ceasefire talks in Doha are close to a ceasefire deal.
"We expect the agreement to be announced soon," the spokesperson said during the press conference.
Qatar is a key mediator between Israel and Hamas and has hosted several rounds of ceasefire talks in the capital Doha.
-ABC News' Nasser Atta
61 Palestinians killed in Gaza as ceasefire talks continue
The Gaza Ministry of Health said Tuesday that Israel Defense Forces strikes killed at least 61 Palestinians in the previous 24 hours and injured 281 more in the Hamas-run territory.
The total number of Palestinians killed since the war broke out on Oct. 7, 2023, is now 46,645 with 110,012 people injured, according to the ministry.
-ABC News' Somayeh Malekian
Hamas says Gaza talks are in 'final stages'
Hamas said in a statement Tuesday that ceasefire, prisoner and hostage release talks with Israel are in their "final stages," adding it hopes "that this round of negotiations will end with a clear and comprehensive agreement."
In a statement posted to the group's website, Hamas said it held meetings and consultations with leaders of other Palestinian factions regarding the progress made in ongoing negotiations in Doha, Qatar.
"During these contacts, the leaders of the forces and factions expressed their satisfaction with the course of the negotiations, stressing the need for general national preparation for the next stage and its requirements," Hamas said.
-ABC News' Nasser Atta
Israel hoping for ceasefire announcement 'soon,' official says
An Israeli government official told ABC News on Tuesday morning they "hope we can announce something soon" regarding a potential ceasefire in Gaza.
The official said there had been "real progress" on every part of the negotiation in the last few days.
The official added that Hamas has changed and they are no longer "dictating" the terms, but are negotiating. "We are close, but not there yet," they said.
-ABC News' Jordana Miller
Sirens sound in central Israel after projectile launched from Yemen: IDF
A projectile was fired from Yemen towards Israel, the IDF said in a release early Tuesday morning local time.
Sirens were sounded in a number of areas in central Israel, the IDF said.
Latest on hostages in ceasefire deal
Thirty-three hostages, living and dead, are expected to be freed in the first phase of the ceasefire deal, according to a person with direct knowledge of the ongoing negotiations.
There are 94 abductees remaining in Gaza, including 34 who have been confirmed dead, according to Israeli officials.
-ABC News' Jordana Miller
'Real chance' of ceasefire success, source says
A source close to the ongoing Gaza ceasefire talks in Qatar told ABC News that Israel is waiting for Hamas to approve moving into a final "closing round of negotiations," adding there is a "real chance" for a "breakthrough" after a diplomatic blitz in Doha this weekend.
"We still have ahead of us a closing round of negotiations," the source added
Reuters reported Monday that mediators in Qatar handed both Israel and Hamas a final draft of the ceasefire proposal, citing an official briefed on the negotiations.
Reuters reported that the official said a breakthrough was reached after talks between Steve Witkoff -- President-elect Donald Trump's Middle East envoy -- the Qatari prime minister and Israeli spy chiefs.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, meanwhile, said Monday "there is progress," and that the situation "looks much better than previously."
"I don't want to say more than that because I realize there are families and they are sensitive to every word, and every sentence," Saar added. "I hope that within a short time we will see things happening, but it is still to be proved."
-ABC News' Jordana Miller and Guy Davies
Far-right minister says potential Gaza ceasefire deal represents 'catastrophe'
Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said he will not support the potential Gaza ceasefire deal currently being negotiated in Qatar, describing it as "a catastrophe for the national security of Israel."
"We will not be part of a surrender deal that would include releasing arch terrorists, stopping the war and destroying its achievements that were bought with much blood and abandoning many hostages," Smotrich wrote in a post to X on Monday.
"Now is the time to continue with all our might, to occupy and cleanse the entire strip, to finally take control of humanitarian aid from Hamas and to open the gates of hell on Gaza until Hamas surrenders completely and all the hostages are returned."
-ABC News' Dana Savir
Netanyahu spoke with Biden on ceasefire and hostage deal
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said he spoke with President Joe Biden on Sunday about progress in negotiating a ceasefire and hostage deal.
A senior White House administration official confirmed the call to ABC News.
"The Prime Minister discussed with the US President the progress in negotiations for the release of our hostages, and updated him on the mandate he gave to the negotiating delegation to Doha, in order to promote the release of our hostages," Netanyahu's office wrote in a release about the call.
According to the White House, Biden and Netanyahu "discussed the fundamentally changed regional circumstances following the ceasefire deal in Lebanon, the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, and the weakening of Iranâs power in the region."
The call comes as Brett McGurk, the White House Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, is in the Middle East for negotiations. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday that McGurk is there to hammer out the "final details" of an agreement.
-ABC News' Jordana Miller and Michelle Stoddart
100 days of Israel's north Gaza assault
Sunday marked 100 days since the Israel Defense Forces launched its military operation in northern Gaza, with the toll of dead and missing Palestinians now at 5,000 people, according to a report published by the Gaza media office in the Hamas-run territory.
Some 9,500 more people have been injured and 2,600 have been detained including women and children, the report said.
Israel continues striking targets across the strip. Over the last 24 hours, IDF attacks killed 24 Palestinians, according to data published by the Palestinian Health Ministry.
The report added that 46,565 Palestinians have been killed by Israel throughout Gaza since the war began in October 2023, with another 109,660 people injured.
Israeli attacks in the north of Gaza have targeted civilian infrastructures and hospitals, which combined with a siege of the area have worsened a humanitarian crisis there.
Calling for an end to the war, the Gaza media office report urged the international community -- including the UN -- to take immediate action to stop the assault and address the humanitarian crisis in the strip.
Israeli strikes on Gaza continued as Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dispatched senior negotiators to Qatar for ceasefire, prisoner and hostage release talks attended by President-elect Donald Trump's incoming Middle East adviser, Steven Witkoff, and President Joe Biden's outgoing adviser, Brett McGurk.
-ABC News' Samy Zyara and Jordana Miller
High-level delegations gather in Doha for Gaza talks
For the first time in months, Israeli sources are expressing cautious optimism that a Gaza ceasefire may be within reach before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20.
Officials close to the matter told ABC News on Sunday that a high-level Israeli delegation led by the head of the Mossad -- David Barnea -- arrived in Doha, Qatar, for a critical round of talks.
Others participating are Egyptian and U.S. officials including President-elect Donald Trump's incoming Middle East adviser, Steven Witkoff, and President Joe Biden's outgoing adviser, Brett McGurk.
Witkoff made a surprise visit to Israel Saturday and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
According to Israel's Channel 12, progress on some issues has been made -- including the ratio of Palestinian prisoners to be released and the details of the Israel Defense Forces' redeployment.
But some outstanding issues remain, including whether Hamas can provide Israel with a list of hostages who are alive. A Hamas official told Saudi media on Saturday that the group is ready to show flexibility.
The first phase of the deal is expected to last six to eight weeks, as the report suggests. A leaked hostage list by Hamas shows the names of two Americans to be released in the first phase. Seven Americans are among the 94 hostages, three of whom are presumed to still be alive.
A single cow in Mexico and a pest the size of a housefly have held up pens full of Texas-bound cattle worth millions of dollars for the past six weeks.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has banned Mexican cattle imports since November after a parasite known as screwworm, which wriggles into the flesh of livestock and kills them if left untreated, was discovered on a cow near Mexicoâs border with Guatemala. The ban on imports is a bigger problem than the screwworm itself, according to Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and some Texas cattle ranchers, who say closing cattle imports damages their livelihoods, bottlenecks beef production and could increase beef prices for consumers.
âI get calls every single day from people asking for cattle,â said Alvaro Bustillos, president of Vaquero Trading, a livestock procurement company in El Paso. âKey steps in the production value chain are being stopped because people cannot source cattle.â
Miller remembers a time when screwworm wreaked havoc in Texas â $132 million in damages in 1976 â but said the USDA prematurely closed imports and is hampering an industry still trying to recover from two years of widespread drought. âThereâs no way we are going to get screwworm,â Miller told The Texas Tribune. âWe have a very strict import process for these cattle.â
About 3% of U.S. cattle come from Mexico. But Mexican cattle play a disproportionate role in southern statesâ beef production. Approximately two-thirds of Mexican cattle imports remain in Texas, New Mexico or Oklahoma, according to an estimate from Ben Weinheimer, the president and CEO of the Texas Cattle Feeders Association, which represents the industry across those three states.
Cattle crossing between Mexico and the U.S. remains on hold while the USDA installs new inspection pins and enhanced safety protocols to ensure cattle are healthy. Keeping the U.S. free of screwworm saves livestock producers close to $1 billion a year, said Texas Animal Health Commission spokesperson Erin Robinson, pointing to a USDA estimate that accounts for costs of labor, treatment, veterinary care, eradication efforts and loss of production.
Shutting off Mexican cattle imports has contributed to a recent increase in cow prices, said David P. Anderson, a professor of agricultural economics at Texas A&M University AgriLife Extension. Prices of feeder steers, which make up a large portion of Mexican cattle imports, are forecast to rise by 8% in 2025, a USDA report states. If import restrictions continue for much longer, beef production could drop, pushing up prices for consumers.
âFewer cattle mean higher beef prices, increasing inflation at the checkout line,â Miller wrote in a Dec. 23 editorial, adding that the ban âcould send shockwaves through the beef market.â
Screwworm infestations occur when a female fly lays her eggs on an animalâs open wound or another area such as their eyes or mouth. The female can lay up to 300 eggs at a time, and any warm-blooded animal, including humans, although rare, can be affected. The eggs hatch into larvae that dig into the animal and feed on living flesh.
Screwworm was declared eradicated from the U.S. in 1966, but Texas experienced a more recent outbreak in 1976 that affected 20% of cattle.
When Bustillos found out the weekend before Thanksgiving that imports of Mexican cattle were to be halted because a single cow had screwworm, he was upset.
âBased on what is happening 3,000 kilometers down south, they are shutting us down,â Bustillos said. âI donât think itâs fair.â
Bustillos has a stake in both exporting and importing cattle. Heâs board chairman and president of the Chihuahua Cattlemenâs Association, which represents Mexican cattle producers. He also leads Vaquero Trading, which imports more than 200,000 Mexican cattle a year and supplies cows to feedlots in several states.
Bustillos says he has worked hard to build trust between the U.S. and Mexico, putting in place millions of dollars worth of sanitation practices that keep livestock safe and pest free on both sides of the border. Cattle entering the U.S. must have health certificates, vaccinations and testing to prevent diseases from entering the U.S, per requirements from the USDAâs Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
November and December are typically when the U.S. imports the largest number of cattle from Mexico. Most of those imports are small cows headed to ranches or feedlots, where they are fattened up before getting sent to packing plants for beef production.
The U.S. has steadily increased Mexican cattle imports over the years. In 2023, about 1.1 million cattle entered from Mexico, up from about 870,000 the year prior. An extended drought coupled with higher U.S. cattle prices contributed to that increase, said Anderson, the economist.
âWe have the smallest cow herd in the U.S. since 1961, so we have higher prices here,â Anderson said about Texasâ cattle industry. âThat makes us an attractive market for Mexico to sell to.â
Federal officials have not specified when cattle shipments will resume, but a USDA spokesperson said in late December that shipments would resume âincrementally after the New Year, with full resumption sometime after that.â
âProtecting American livestock from foreign pests is our top priority,â the spokesperson said in an email. Anderson said he does not expect consumers to see significant increase in beef prices if trade resumes this month.
For Bustillos, the longer the shutdown continues, the more concerned he grows about the market. Cows are imported at certain times of year based on their weight and the availability of grass for them to graze. If the border does not reopen soon, he says, cattle could start to lose value.
For now industry leaders are hopeful trade opens up soon. âThe hope is that in January weâll start to see some semblance of normal trade,â Weinheimer said.
Anderson has heard enough stories about screwworm from his father to know the damage they can bring. âEvery day they had to grab each pig and look for wounds and sores,â he said. âTheyâd clean them out and put medicine onâŠIt was horrible.â So Anderson says it makes sense for the USDA to address screwworm before itâs anywhere near the U.S.
âIt would cost more to eradicate them if you let the problem grow bigger,â he said.
The screwworm is eliminated by dropping sterile male flies from airplanes over large areas. Female screwworm flies mate only once in their lifetime, so the loads of sterile male flies caused the population to eventually die out. That method is the only way to eradicate the screwworm today, according to the USDA.
Jim Schwertner, who operates a ranch in Williamson County, was a young boy helping run his family business when the sterile fly technique was introduced in Texas. He said it was a game changer and eliminated the screwworm within a year. âWhen they finally eradicated it, life was a whole lot easier for my dad and his cowboys,â Schwertner said. Schwertner recalled treating cattle hit by screwworm. âYouâd put insecticide on with a paintbrush to keep the screwworm off the cattle,â he said. âIt was a lot of work and really expensive.â
The technique has been used to create a biological barrier against the screwworm in Panama. But the pest has exploded there and crept northward in recent years, spreading through Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala. Texas and U.S. animal health officials attribute the spread to new areas of farming and increased cattle movement. Federal officials approved a $165 million emergency investment last month to stop screwworm from entering the U.S. and to help partners in Mexico and Central America eradicate it.
The eradication of screwworm has likely preserved Texasâ wildlife population. As recently as 2016, a resurgence of screwworm in the Florida Keys killed more than 130 deer before the pest was eliminated from the region the following year using the sterile fly technique.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has asked hunters and outdoor enthusiasts in South Texas to monitor for animals affected by screwworm. Any wildlife with signs of screwworm are to be reported to a local biologist. No cases have been confirmed in Texas, a spokesperson for the Texas Animal Health said.
Article originally published by The Texas Tribune. To read the original article, click here.
Do you live in a red state, a blue state, or one where Republicans and Democrats share power?
Your answer might provide the best indicator of what to expect from your governor and state lawmakers as President-elect Donald Trump takes office and legislatures convene.
In many cases, political party identification has come to define public policy, percolating from the nationâs capital down to the 50 statehouses.
Many Republican state officials are aligning with Trump’s policies by pledging to help him crack down on illegal immigration, for example. Some Democratic state officials are mounting a resistance movement, looking for ways to shield their states from potential federal policies restricting abortion and transgender rights, among other things. Some prominent Democratic governors, meanwhile, have taken a more conciliatory approach in an effort to forge a working relationship with the new administration.
Here’s a look at what to expect in some policy areas:
Immigration
Governors and lawmakers in red states are lining up behind Trump’s pledge to crack down on illegal immigration and deport many who are living in the U.S. illegally. A joint statement from 26 Republican governors said they âstand ready to utilize every tool at our disposal â whether through state law enforcement or the National Guard â to support President Trump in this vital mission.â
Republican lawmakers in a growing number of states are proposing to give local law officers the power to arrest people who entered the country illegally, mirroring a recent Texas law that has been placed on hold while courts consider whether it unconstitutionally usurps federal authority. One bill in Missouri would offer a $1,000 reward to informants who tip off authorities about people in the country illegally and allow private bounty hunters to find and detain them.
Governors in some blue states are taking a wait-and-see approach to Trump’s immigration plans, willing to cooperate on deporting people who commit crimes but not in using the National Guard for widespread roundups of immigrants living in the U.S. illegally.
Other Democratic-led jurisdictions are bracing for a showdown. The California Legislature has convened a special session to erect shields against Trump’s policies on immigration and other issues.
Abortion
Most U.S. abortions are carried out using drugs rather than through surgical procedures, and that is where the current abortion fight is focused.
At least four states â Indiana, Missouri, New Hampshire and Tennessee â have bills introduced aimed at banning pills. None take the same approach as Louisiana, which last year classified the drugs as controlled dangerous substances.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing a New York doctor, claiming she wrongly prescribed via telehealth and sent pills to a Texas woman, even though a New York law aims to protect such prescriptions.
And the Republican attorneys general of Idaho, Kansas and Missouri are in court trying to roll back federal approvals of one of the pills usually used in abortion.
Education
Several efforts to expand the use of public money to pay for kids to attend private school suffered high-profile defeats in the November elections, including in Nebraska, Kentucky and Colorado.
But Trumpâs victory is seen as a boon for such efforts, which in recent years have exploded in popularity. A dozen states, almost all red, have programs allowing any student to apply for government funding for private education, including at religious schools.
With Trump in office, states could see more incentives such as block grants or tax benefits to adopt or expand models like vouchers, which subsidize private school tuition for families. Texas, for example, is expected to see momentum on the school choice front, with a number of voucher proponents winning seats in the Legislature.
Many conservative states also are pushing to bring Christianity into public K-12 education through moves such as requiring schools to teach the Bible and post the Ten Commandments. Trump has promised to promote prayer and Bible reading in schools, with current courts more amenable to religion in the public sphere, including schools.
In Texas, officials in November approved a curriculum that intertwines language arts with biblical lessons and the state education superintendent in Oklahoma has sought to require Bible-related lessons.
Diversity
Efforts to end diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, initiatives are expected to expand in Republican-led states under Trump, who has vowed to get rid of perceived âwokenessâ in education. More higher education institutions may join the ranks of those already dismantling diversity offices in states such as Florida, Kentucky, North Carolina, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska and Texas.
Attorneys general and legislatures in red states also are likely to put pressure on the private sector to pare back DEI initiatives. A Tennessee law provides one model, forbidding financial institutions from considering a customerâs participation in âdiversity, equity and inclusion training.â
Transgender issues
Republican lawmakers are expected to keep pushing for restrictions on the rights of transgender people, particularly transgender minors.
More than 30 such bills have been proposed in Texas. Although Texas and other states have bans on gender-affirming care for transgender minors, there are calls to go further, such as barring Medicaid and other state-funded government programs from spending on gender-affirming care for people of any age.
In his campaign last year, Trump leaned into attacks on transgender rights, suggesting a looming shift in federal policy.
The future of some of the measures could rest on a U.S. Supreme Court ruling expected this year on whether Tennessee had the right to ban gender-affirming care for transgender minors.
Most Republican-controlled states already have laws banning or limiting gender-affirming care for minors and participation in womenâs and girls sports for transgender women and girls. Several also dictate which school restrooms transgender people may use.
Public health
With an incoming presidential administration that has indicated fluoride and vaccines might be in its crosshairs, lawmakers in a few states have filed bills that would end fluoridation programs and further restrict COVID-19 mandates.
Health and Human Services Secretary-nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a lawyer with no medical or public health degrees, has called fluoride an âindustrial wasteâ and said in a Nov. 2 post on X that the Trump administration would âadvise all U.S. water systemsâ to stop putting fluoride in the water. The addition of low levels of fluoride to drinking water has long been considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the last century because it prevents tooth decay.
Arkansas lawmakers have filed bills to repeal a statewide fluoridation program and allow local public water systems to hold elections so residents can decide whether to put fluoride in the water. Montana also has a proposed bill to â ban the use of fluoride,â though the full text of the bill isnât available yet.
Vaccination laws and mandates are still in play in state governments, too. Alabama may consider changing its vaccination laws to require parental consent for any vaccine to be given to a minor age 14 or older; currently, children that age can decide whether they want medical services. Wyoming has a bill that would impose a civil penalty of up to $5,000 on a business or entity that gets state or federal money if found to discriminate based on whether someone is wearing a mask, has had a COVID-19 vaccination or has been tested for COVID-19.
Itâs not clear whether these or other bills will get consideration.
___
Associated Press writers Jesse Bedayn, Erica Hunzinger, Andrew DeMillo and Alia Wong contributed to this report.
UPDATE: The Houston County Sheriffâs Office said Joe Cryer was arrested on Tuesday and has been booked in the county jail.
HOUSTON COUNTY — The Houston County Sheriffâs Office is searching for a man wanted for violating his parole and evading arrest near the Anderson County line on US Highway 287 North. According to our news partner KETK, Houston County deputies, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Crockett Police Department are reportedly searching the area for Joe Cryer, 44.
Cryer was reportedly last seen wearing a camo jacket and could possibly be armed, the sheriffâs office warned. Anyone who sees Cryer is asked to not approach him and to call 911.
Officials asked the residents on US Highway 287 near the Anderson county line to make sure their cars are locked and to report any suspicious people to to the sheriffâs office at 936-544-2862.
BULLARD — Bullard residents will soon see an increase in their water bill. According to our news partner KETK, the City of Bullard has increased expenses for residents and businesses âdue to increasing expenses and high demand in providing quality water and treated water.â The rates will take effect beginning February and be reflected in the March billing cycle.
The city said the topic has been in discussion over the last few years as residential water and sewer rates have not been adjusted since 2018 and the new rate will be similar or some cases lower than other cities their size.
A technical assistant consultant was contracted by the city to study the billing rates of their water systems. The city said this study showed them the revenue theyâd need per customer to maintain their water system and how much theyâll need for a future water reserve. Continue reading Bullard raising water bill rates starting in March
NEW YORK (AP) â Walmart says customers should throw out a chicken broth product that was sold at stores in mostly Southern states late last year.
The retailer has recalled 48-ounce cartons of Great Value Family Size Chicken Broth that had been sold at 242 stores in nine states.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reported the recall in December affecting just over 2,000 cases of broth with a shelf life lasting until March 2026. The FDA said the containers had packaging problems that could lead to the broth spoiling. There have been no reports of illnesses.
Walmart says anyone who purchased the product at stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee or Texas should not consume the broth and can ask for a full refund. The company said it’s working with the supplier to investigate.
TYLER — The Tyler Water Department is working on a main water break Sunday morning. According to Tyler Police, as crews work on this issue, both north and southbound lanes of traffic Broadway between 7th and 8th Street will be shut down. Motorists are encouraged to avoid this area and seek alternate routes. Officials said an update should be released once the area is back open for normal traffic.
LONGVIEW — Thanks to a recent community petition, a portion of George Richey Road in Longview has been renamed in honor of Gregg County Judge Bill Stoudt. According to our news partner KETK, the part of George Richey Road between Gilmer Road and Judson Road will now officially be known as Bill Stoudt Parkway. The change comes after the Longview City Council approved a resolution to rename the road in their meeting on Thursday.
According to the agenda for Thursdayâs City Council meeting, more than 51% of the property owners along the road agreed to have the name changed in a petition that was submitted to the council.
Stoudt was chosen because of his past efforts to help expand the road and his many years of service in Longview and Gregg County. Thank you so much Judge Stoudt for your years of dedication, spearheading not only this effort but many others in our community,â Longview city councilwoman for District 5, Michelle Gamboa said in a recap of Thursdayâs meeting.
