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First Thing: Texas floods death toll rises as search for survivors turns to recovery operation

First Thing: Texas floods death toll rises as search for survivors turns to recovery operation

The Guardian7 hours ago
Good morning.
Residents in central Texas observed a day of prayer on Sunday after at least 82 people were killed with dozens still missing after Friday's devastating flash flooding, as a search and rescue operation for survivors began to morph into a grim exercise of recovering bodies.
Relatives continued an anxious wait for news of 10 girls and one camp counselor still unaccounted for from a riverside summer camp that was overwhelmed by flash flooding from the Guadalupe River, which rose 26ft (8 meters) in 45 minutes on Friday morning after torrential pre-dawn rain north of San Antonio.
Camp Mystic confirmed on Monday that 27 campers and counsellors were killed, with the search continuing for the missing girls and their counselor along the river.
Why weren't people given more warning? Rainfall of this magnitude is exceedingly rare and difficult to predict, even for this flood-prone region, though questions are now being asked about preparedness and the emergency response.
Follow live updates here.
A jury in Australia has found Erin Patterson guilty of murdering three relatives and attempting to murder a fourth with a deadly beef wellington lunch almost two years ago.
As the trial entered its 11th week, a Victorian supreme court jury convicted Patterson of murdering her estranged husband's parents, Don and Gail Patterson, and his aunt, Heather Wilkinson. The 12-person jury also found Patterson guilty of attempting to murder Heather's husband, Ian Wilkinson, who survived the lunch after spending weeks in hospital.
As the verdicts were read out, Patterson looked ahead calmly. No members of the Patterson or Wilkinson families attended court for the verdicts.
How did the victims die? The guests were all diagnosed with amanita mushroom poisoning, caused by consuming death cap mushrooms, the trial heard.
What was the motive for the killings? The prosecution did not allege a motive and Patterson's defence barrister claimed she never intended to harm her guests.
Donald Trump has said his administration plans to start sending letters on Monday to US trade partners dictating new tariffs, amid confusion over when the new rates will come into effect.
With his previously announced 90-day pause on tariffs set to end on 9 July, the president was asked if the new rates would come into effect this week or on 1 August, as some officials had suggested.
Trump answered uncertainly and, sensing the confusion, his commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, jumped in to add: 'But they go into effect on August 1. Tariffs go into effect August 1, but the president is setting the rates and the deals right now.'
What did Trump say when asked? 'No, there are going to be tariffs, the tariffs, the tariffs are going to be, the tariffs,' the president said. 'I think we'll have most countries done by July 9, yeah. Either a letter or a deal.'
Israeli warplanes launched a wave of strikes in Gaza on Sunday, killing at least 38 Palestinians, according to hospital officials, as talks over a ceasefire in the devastated territory reached a critical point.
Shares in Tesla are heading for a sharp fall in the US as investors fear Elon Musk's launch of a new political party will present further problems for the electric carmaker.
The herbicide ingredient used to replace glyphosate in Roundup and other weedkiller products can damage organs in multiple ways, new research shows.
Two-time Oscar winner Michael Douglas has revealed he may be finished with acting, saying he has 'no real intentions' to return to the industry.
Scientists are just a few years from creating viable human sex cells in the lab, according to an internationally renowned pioneer of the field, who says the advance could open up biology-defying possibilities for reproduction. Speaking to the Guardian, Prof Katsuhiko Hayashi, a developmental geneticist at the University of Osaka, said his own lab was about seven years away from the milestone, but there were other frontrunners.
Looking like a teetering stack of washing machines perched on the edge of an elevated highway, the Nakagin Capsule Tower was an astonishing arrival on the Tokyo skyline in 1972. They had portholes, cutting edge mod cons – and the ultra luxurious models even came with a free calculator. As a piece of Japan's beloved building resurfaces at a new exhibition, Oliver Wainwright celebrates an architectural marvel.
Known as the 'cherry capital of the world', Traverse City's National Cherry festival draws 500,000 visitors over eight days to this picturesque Lake Michigan beach town to enjoy carnival rides and airshows, and to eat cherries. All the sunshine and festivities, however, can't hide an ugly truth: Michigan's cherry farmers are in dire straits. Climate change, development, labor shortages and tariffs threaten their ability to grow one of Michigan's signature crops.
As global population ages and dementia rates climb, scientists may have found an unexpected ally in the fight against cognitive decline. In a potential breakthrough for preventive health, researchers have found that owning a cat or dog is linked to slower cognitive decline by potentially preserving specific brain functions as we grow older.
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Nine more deaths confirmed in Texas floods - bringing total to at least 91
Nine more deaths confirmed in Texas floods - bringing total to at least 91

Sky News

time37 minutes ago

  • Sky News

Nine more deaths confirmed in Texas floods - bringing total to at least 91

At least 91 people have died in the flash floods that have left a trail of destruction across Texas, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. Ms Leavitt also warned that "the situation on the ground remains dangerous" and that there "could be additional public safety threats with additional incoming heavy rain". The White House press secretary went on to criticise people who have claimed the Trump administration's cuts to the National Weather Service (NWS) have played a role in the worsening the disaster. It comes after Texas officials criticised the NWS by claiming it failed to warn the public about the impending danger. Meanwhile, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer asked the Department of Commerce's acting inspector general on Monday to probe whether staffing vacancies at the NWS's San Antonio office contributed to "delays, gaps, or diminished accuracy" in forecasting the flooding. The NWS did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Mr Schumer's letter but earlier defended its forecasting and emergency management. Ms Leavitt has told reporters that claims Mr Trump was responsible for any issues responding to the flash floods were "depraved and despicable". "It is not [a political game], it is a national tragedy," she said. The press secretary also claimed, in relation to some NWS offices being reportedly understaffed, that one place actually had "too many people". "Any person who has deliberately lied about the facts around the catastrophic event, you should be deeply ashamed," she said. She also said that Mr Trump was going to visit Texas "later in the week". Previously, Mr Trump said it was likely he would visit on Friday. Ms Leavitt was speaking after Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said on Monday that 75 bodies had been recovered from the area, which is seven more than the previous figure for the county. Sheriff Leitha said the number of dead includes 48 adults and 27 children. The total figure is seven higher than the 68 deaths that had earlier been confirmed in Kerr County. In a separate news conference in Williamson County, officials there said a second person had been confirmed dead in the area. One official warned that debris was posing a threat to rescuers out searching for bodies, adding: "The bodies that we're looking for could be hidden beneath 20ft of mud, trees and debris." An official also warned rescuers had to be wary of "snakes and skunks" in the water. He asked people to keep away from the floodwater. One death had earlier been confirmed in Tom Green, while there had been four fatalities in Burnet, six fatalities in Travis County and two in Kendall. Mr Leavitt did not say where the 91st death had been confirmed. Sheriff Leitha has said 15 of the dead were still unidentified. In Kerr County, at least 27 deaths were confirmed after some of the worst flooding struck a girls' summer camp called Camp Mystic. Among those killed were campers as young as eight, a camp counsellor and the camp's director. At least 41 people are still missing in the state - including 10 girls from the camp. Texas Senator Ted Cruz spoke at the same news conference where the latest death figures were confirmed and said: "Texas is grieving right now, the pain, the shock of what has transpired these last few days has broken the heart of our state. "Those numbers [the number of dead] are continuing to go up... that's every parent's nightmare, every mum and dad." He said he had picked up his own daughter from a camp in the area last week. 3:25 Mr Cruz added: "Over the last several days, I've spoken to multiple parents, scared out of their minds. "There's still ten girls and one counsellor from Camp Mystic that are not accounted for. "And the pain and agony of not knowing your child's whereabouts, it's the worst thing imaginable." He added: "You know what I'd do? What I did when this happened? Just go hug your kids. "Because I've got to tell you, I hugged my girls with tears in my eyes." Apparently referencing people claiming the Trump administration's cuts played a role in worsening disaster, Mr Cruz said at the news conference: "I think this is not a time for partisan finger-pointing and attacks." Dalton Rice, the city manager of Kerrville in Kerr County, was asked whether evacuation warnings could have been issued earlier. He said: "It's very tough to make those calls because we also don't want to cry wolf. "You know, we want to make sure that we activated [it] at the right time." He added: "We had first responders getting swept away, responding to the first areas of rainfall. That's how quick it happened. "They were driving to these areas and one of them got swept off the road." Texas Game Wardens had arrived at Camp Mystic on Friday afternoon and began evacuating campers. A rope was tied so girls could hang on as they walked across a bridge, the floodwaters rushing around their knees. Elinor Lester, 13, said she was evacuated with her cabinmates by helicopter after wading through floodwaters. She recalled startling awake around 1:30am as thunder crackled and water pelted the cabin windows. Ms Lester was among the older girls housed on elevated ground known as Senior Hill. Cabins housing the younger campers, who can start attending at age eight, are situated along the riverbanks and were the first to flood, she said. "The camp was completely destroyed," she said. "It was really scary." Her mother, Elizabeth Lester, said her son was nearby at Camp La Junta and also escaped. A counsellor there woke up to find water rising in the cabin, opened a window and helped the boys swim out. 1:04 Camp La Junta and nearby Camp Waldemar said in Instagram posts that all campers and staff were safe. It comes after Texas agriculture minister Sid Miller told Fox News that cattle and livestock were found on the "tops of trees" in the state due to a "26ft wall of water".

Jury discharged due to 'matters beyond my control', judge says
Jury discharged due to 'matters beyond my control', judge says

BreakingNews.ie

time40 minutes ago

  • BreakingNews.ie

Jury discharged due to 'matters beyond my control', judge says

A judge at the Central Criminal Court has discharged a jury after two weeks of a murder trial, saying she was left with no alternative due to "matters beyond my control". Ms Justice Karen O'Connor today told the jury of five women and seven men in the trial of Joseph Lawlor that she was "very sorry" the trial could not continue, but it would not be appropriate to go into detail about what had happened. Advertisement Mr Lawlor (39) pleaded not guilty to murdering dad-of-three Michael Ryan (51) outside the accused man's home in Hampton Wood Way, St Margaret's Road, Finglas, Dublin 11 on June 20th, 2024. His trial began on June 19th. The jury had been told to expect the prosecution case to close early last week but issues arose that Ms Justice O'Connor told them needed to be dealt with in their absence. When the jury returned to court on Monday morning, Ms Justice O'Connor told them she had no alternative but to discharge. Ireland Court must avoid judiciary being dragged into supe... Read More She thanked them for their attentiveness and exempted them from further jury duty for five years. The trial had heard that Mr Lawlor and Mr Ryan had been drinking together in Mr Lawlor's home. A series of fights between them were captured on CCTV, by neighbours using their telephones and by a Ring doorbell. The final, fatal encounter occurred shortly after midnight and resulted in Mr Ryan suffering a single stab wound to the neck that severed an artery. Having discharged the jury, Ms Justice O'Connor put the matter back to July 22nd when a date will be fixed for a second trial.

Texas flooding live: At least 91 dead - as new pictures show devastation at children's camp
Texas flooding live: At least 91 dead - as new pictures show devastation at children's camp

Sky News

timean hour ago

  • Sky News

Texas flooding live: At least 91 dead - as new pictures show devastation at children's camp

18:50:26 'It was an act of god - not the administration's fault' More to bring you from the White House now. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked about the flood alerts being sent out while people were sleeping. There have been a number of questions over the flood alerts - whether they were sent quickly and widely enough, and if Donald Trump's cuts hampered the National Weather Service. Leavitt said: "The alerts were sent out before the flood when people were sleeping because the flood hit in the very early hours of the morning. "People were sleeping in the middle of the night when the flood came, that was an act of god, not the administration's fault. "But there were early and consistent warnings." She outlined when and who sent these warnings. 18:24:59 At least 91 dead in Texas floods White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt is holding her regular news briefing in the White House now. She started by confirming that 91 people have now died in the floods - one more than we previously knew. Leavitt talked up US President Donald Trump's response to the floods, and said the administration was "working hand in glove" with state and local officials. "The situation on the ground remains dangerous, and there could be additional public safety threats with additional incoming heavy rain," she said. 'Depraved lie' After laying out the updated death toll, Leavitt took aim at Trump's critics. She said it was a "depraved lie" that he was responsible for any issues responding to the flash floods. "Any person who has deliberately lied about the facts around the catastrophic event, you should be deeply ashamed," Levitt added. Trump to visit 'later in the week' She also said that Trump was going to visit Texas "later in the week." Previously, Trump said it was likely he would visit on Friday. Brian Glenn, read more on the right-wing reporter here, asking the first question, asked Leavitt about the US president's travel plans to head to Texas. Leavitt said: "The White House is currently arranging those travel plans, we hope that it will be later this week, likely on Friday. "But we want to do it for the most appropriate time on the ground for state and local officials, we don't want ot interrupt the local efforts. "We're planning tentatively for Friday." 'Depraved and despicable' Glenn then asked questions over whether Trump's cuts to the National Weather Service affected its forecasting and warning ability. Leavitt described such claims as "depraved and despicable". Such fierce criticism is something we often hear from her when targeting the media and Trump's political enemies. "It is not [a political game], it is a national tragedy," Leavitt said. The press secretary also claimed, contrary to some weather bases being understaffed, one place actually had "too many people". 18:22:47 In pictures: Destruction inside Camp Mystic where dozens died Here are some of the latest pictures from Texas. At Camp Mystic, at least 27 people died in the flash floods. Photographers have managed to access the site today, where the scale of the damage is becoming clear. Floodwater almost reached the tops of windows, and the colourful belongings of campers can be seen outside of the cabins. 17:48:05 Flood risk upgraded in parts of Texas A special update from the Weather Prediction Centre has upgraded the flood risk in parts of Texas. Areas in Texas Hill Country have been upgraded from Level 2 to Level 3 flash flood risk - out of four. It was found that conditions were forming that could bring more heavy rain and storms to the region. In the update, it warned that as much as three inches of rain would continue to fall an hour, with these rates climbing. "Any storms that move across this extremely vulnerable region will rapidly cause flash flooding," the Weather Prediction Centre said. The decision was made after the centre consulted with forecasters in San Antonio and San Angelo. 17:31:11 Bodies could be 'buried beneath 20ft of mud, trees and debris' - as another death confirmed Another news conference to bring you now, this time from Williamson County. Officials confirmed another person had died, our partner network NBC News reported. This means the death toll for the entire state has risen to 90. One official warned that debris was posing a threat to rescuers out searching for bodies. "The bodies that we're looking for could be hidden beneath 20ft of mud, trees and debris," an official said. Warnings 'were enough' One common thread throughout the aftermath of the flooding has been questions over whether warnings came early enough to save lives. When questioned on this, one Williamson official said that 1,500 notices had gone out to residents. He added: "In areas... the sheriff's office went door to door to warn citizens that the water's coming and you need to evacuate." The county made a "concerted effort" to warn people of the flash floods, he added. Snakes, skunks and fridges An official said that rescuers had to tread carefully with so much debris left by the flash floods. This, reporters were told, included branches and trees which were "unstable and very dangerous", and additional debris like "refrigerators, parts of mobile homes, cars, all kinds of dangerous things in the river, including snakes and skunks". He asked people to keep away from the floodwater. Of the more than 100 first responders trying to recover bodies, they were said to be in a "very dangerous situation". Rain hampering response efforts The weather continued to play a role, officials said. The clouds and rain were hampering ongoing response and rescue efforts. "Please stay away from the river, please do not drive around barricades, we have everyone focusing on the missing, we do not need to add to that." 17:17:49 Watch: Stricken areas of Texas are 'flash flood alley' Parts of Texas are "flash flood alley", a Texan meteorologist has told Sky News. Dan Schreiber described it as a "devastating time" in central Texas. Speaking to Sky News presenter Jayne Secker from the US state, he said the area was a "flash flood alley". "Central Texas is known as flash flood alley," he said. He added that the timing of the flash floods, late at night, and their speed, combined to make it so fatal. Watch the full interview below: 16:56:30 What you need to know after news conference from 'grieving' Texas Here are the main developments from the news conference that wrapped up earlier this afternoon. Scroll down for the full reporting, and catch up on the latest here. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha, Senator Ted Cruz and city manager of Kerrville, in Kerr County, Dalton Rice, spoke and answered questions from reporters. Here are the main takeaways: Seven more people were confirmed to have died in Kerr County; This brings the Texas-wide total from 82 to 89 - including at least 27 children; Sheriff Leitha said 15 of the 89 were still unidentified; Cruz warned against "partisan" finger-pointing and said some people blamed Donald Trump for natural disasters like the flooding; The US president has come under fire over cuts to the National Weather Service as part of Elon Musk's DOGE efforts; But it isn't clear if these actually hit the service's running; The senator also said "Texas was grieving" and told people to "go and hug your kids"; Meanwhile, Rice called the floods "unprecedented" and asked volunteers to keep "out of the way" of official rescue operations; And he also warned against "crying wolf" with overly preemptive flood warnings - amid questions over whether the alerts came soon enough. Stick with us throughout the evening for any further updates. 16:35:21 'Just go and hug your kids' Ted Cruz says there's a "time to have political fights" but says now is not that time. The Texas senator says those wanting to help should volunteer with the Salvation Army or their local church. "You know what I'd do? What I did when this happened? Just go hug your kids," he says. "Because I've got to tell you, I hugged my girls with tears in my eyes." The news conference has now finished, we'll bring you a summary of what happened shortly. 16:33:34 'We don't want to cry wolf' with evacuation warnings, official says - as he reveals how first responders were 'swept away' Dalton Rice, the city manager of Kerrville in Kerr County, is taking a question next. When pressed on whether there could have been evacuation warnings earlier, he said they didn't want to "cry wolf" by sending them out unnecessarily. He said: "It's very tough to make those calls because we also don't want to cry wolf. "You know, we want to make sure that we activated [it] at the right time." "We had first responders getting swept away, responding to the first areas of rainfall. That's how quick it happened," he added. "They were driving to these areas and one of them got swept off the road."

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