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Straits Times
08-07-2025
- Climate
- Straits Times
Texas floods: How geography, climate and policy failures collided
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Texas's Hill Country sits in an area known as 'Flash Flood Alley'. WASHINGTON - 'There's no such thing as a natural disaster,' geographers like to say – a reminder that human choices turn hazards into tragedies. The Texas flash floods this weekend that left more than a hundred dead, including many children, offer a stark illustration. Here is a look at the intertwined forces that amplified this storm's impact. Flash flood alley Texas's Hill Country sits in an area known as 'Flash Flood Alley', explains Professor Hatim Sharif, a hydrologist at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Warm Gulf air rushes up the Balcones Escarpment – a line of steep hills and cliffs that arcs southwest down from near Dallas – cools, and dumps torrents onto thin soils that quickly give way to bedrock. Runoff then funnels through a dense web of creeks. 'Water will rise very, very quickly, within minutes or a few hours,' Prof Sharif told AFP. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. World 25% on Japan and Malaysia, 40% on Laos: Trump's tariff letters to Asia add pressure for deals by Aug 1 Singapore Grab to trial driverless shuttle for staff between Media Circle office and one-north MRT station Singapore Ong Beng Seng's new pre-trial conference date set for July 23 Multimedia 'I suspect he's cheating': She finds proof when spouses stray Singapore MRT services resume on 5-station stretch of North-South Line after track fault Asia Thai authorities vow crackdown on cannabis-infused products after toddler hospitalised World Netanyahu says he nominated Trump for Nobel Peace Prize Singapore Fastest charger to be added to Singapore's EV charging network by Q4 in 2025 The early hours of July 4 proved that. Around 3am (4pm Singapore Time), a gauge near Camp Mystic in Hunt showed the Guadalupe River rising nearly 30cm every five minutes; by 4.30am the river had surged more than 6.1m, National Weather Service data show. That is enough water to sweep away people, vehicles and buildings. An urgent NWS warning went out shortly after 1am, but most campers were asleep; phones are banned, coverage is patchy, and darkness makes escape routes hard to judge. Prof Sharif urges the use of hydrologic forecasts that convert rainfall into likely river levels. 'Rainfall needs to be translated into runoff,' he said. 'If you have 25cm, what will happen?' Summer camps have long been drawn to the region for its natural beauty. But with increasing risks, Sharif warns that treating these sites as safe or permanent is unwise. 'We need to adapt' A warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, loading the dice for heavier downpours. A new analysis by ClimaMeter finds that the meteorological conditions preceding the floods, which delivered more than twice the monthly average rainfall in a single day, could not be explained by natural variability alone. 'Climate change is already affecting us, so we need to adapt,' said Dr Mireia Ginesta, a climate scientist at the University of Oxford who co-authored the research, which is funded by the European Union and the French National Centre for Scientific Research. 'We also need to cut our emissions, and make sure that proper funding is provided to the forecast services and research in general on climate change.' The call comes as the National Weather Service (NWS), like other agencies, has experienced deep staffing cuts under President Donald Trump's administration. Experts stress, however, that NWS forecasters performed admirably under the circumstances. The real failure, wrote climate scientist Daniel Swain on Bluesky, 'was not a bad weather prediction, it was one of 'last mile' forecast/warning dissemination'. A search and rescue team looks for people along the Guadalupe River near a damaged building at Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, on July 7. PHOTO: AFP No warning system For years, commissioners in Kerr County, where the camps lie, considered flood sirens and digital alerts to replace the informal practice of summer camp staff getting on the radio and warning fellow camps. Minutes from a 2016 meeting show officials labeling even a feasibility study 'a little extravagant', suggesting sirens would mainly help tourists, and vouching for the word-of-mouth system. 'The thought of our beautiful Kerr County having these damn sirens going off in the middle of night, I'm going to have to start drinking again to put up with y'all,' Commissioner H.A. Buster Baldwin said in a transcript. The debate rolled on. Residents during meetings in 2021 expressed strident opposition toward relying on federal funds tied to the Biden administration. After the disaster, San Antonio mother Nicole Wilson – who almost sent her daughters to Camp Mystic – launched a petition on urging Governor Greg Abbott to approve a modern warning network. 'Five minutes of that siren going off could have saved every single one of those children,' she told AFP. AFP
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump's new terror prevention appointee is 22-year-old ex-gardener, Austin H-E-B worker
A 22-year-old former landscaper and grocery store worker with minimal national security experience is now leading the federal office charged with preventing domestic terrorism and targeted violence — an appointment that has sparked alarm among former officials and counterterrorism experts. Thomas C. Fugate, a 22-year-old University of Texas at San Antonio graduate, was recently appointed by the Trump administration to lead the Department of Homeland Security's Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships, the agency's flagship office for countering domestic violent extremism and administering multimillion-dollar community prevention grants. Experts have compared the new hire for the Trump administration as "putting the intern in charge," according to ProPublica, which reported on the new hire Tuesday. Following the announcement, The Daily Beast reported that Fugate had little to no relevant experience, citing a LinkedIn profile that has since been taken down. According to the outlet, the now-defunct profile listed a short stint as a 'Landscape Business Owner' in 2020 and a role as a 'Cross Functional Team Member' at an H-E-B grocery store in Austin. According to LinkedIn, he would 'perform various activities around every department of the store, fulfilling key duties contributing to store operations" in that role. Although his professional background bears little connection to counterterrorism or national security, he has quickly risen through the ranks in conservative political circles over the past year. His résumé includes internships at the Heritage Foundation — the think tank behind Project 2025 — service as a special assistant in a DHS immigration office and campaign work on Trump's 2024 presidential trail. He was also an intern for Texas Representatives Terry Wilson (R-Austin) and Steve Allison (R-San Antonio). This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Who is Thomas Fugate? Trump taps college grad to lead terror prevention
Axios
14-05-2025
- Axios
River Walk gets a taste of restaurant week
San Antonio's River Walk is getting its own culinary spotlight with a restaurant week event, just in time for graduation season. Why it matters: More than two dozen restaurants from Southtown to River North are offering specially priced, prix fixe menus until Sunday, showcasing the city's culinary scene with waterfront views. How it works: Prix fixe menus are available for $25 lunches, $35 lunch or dinner or $45–$55 dinners at more upscale restaurants. All of the menus have three courses. Diners can download a digital passport to earn points at each stop. Points can be redeemed for sweepstakes entries to win prizes like gift cards, tickets to VIP events and more. $1 from each prix fixe menu sold benefits the San Antonio Hospitality Foundation, which supports scholarships for culinary and hospitality students at St. Philip's College and the University of Texas at San Antonio. This River Walk event is separate from the long-running Restaurant Weeks organized by Culinaria. The vibe: Expect everything from white-tablecloth, special occasion spots to hidden neighborhood gems. Between the lines: UTSA and St. Mary's University graduations this weekend could make the River Walk a popular spot.
New York Post
05-05-2025
- New York Post
‘Social-justice advocate' professor allegedly had child porn streaming on bedroom TV when FBI raided his home
A Texas college professor and self-described 'social-justice advocate' has been arrested for allegedly streaming child porn — and even had one of the sick videos playing on his TV when the feds raided his home, according to prosecutors. Zaid Mashhour Haddad, a professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, is accused of accessing more than 180 child porn videos that he streamed from his computer to a TV mounted on the bedroom wall, according to the feds. 'One of the videos that allegedly depicted child pornography was displayed on Haddad's TV as the FBI executed a search warrant on his apartment,' the U.S. Attorney's Office said. That clip had been sent to him via a link on Telegram — an encrypted cloud-based messaging app, according to court papers. Zaid Mashhour Haddad, a professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, is accused of accessing more than 180 child porn videos, federal prosecutors allege. UTSA Haddad would then store the child porn material in the Telegram app on his phone, according to the feds. A probe determined that the links Haddad was accessing also often led to virtual Zoom meetings where child porn would be live-streamed, the filing alleges. Haddad, who was nabbed last Tuesday, has since been charged with one count of possession of child pornography and one count of knowingly accessing with intent to view any material that contained an image of child pornography. At the time of his arrest, Haddad was an assistant professor of interdisciplinary studies and curriculum and instruction at the public university, MySanAntonio reported. Haddad, who was nabbed last week, is a professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio. JHVEPhoto – His biography on UTSA's website describes him as a 'teacher educator and social justice advocate' and notes that his research interests include 'understanding the ways we negotiate our many intersecting identities as we encounter new and changing contexts.' Haddad was previously a high school social studies teacher and guidance counsellor, his bio states. He was also a doctoral student at the University of Nevada before joining UTSA. If convicted on the child porn charges, Haddad faces up to 20 years in prison, the feds noted. The university did not immediately respond to a message Monday.
Axios
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Texas and San Antonio leaders honor Pope Francis
San Antonio is joining global remembrances of Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff, following his death Monday. The big picture: Francis was treated for double pneumonia before being released from the hospital in March. The latest: The Archdiocese of San Antonio hosted a memorial mass Monday at San Fernando Cathedral. What they're saying: "We were inspired by the Holy Father's advocacy for migrants globally and of his commitment to provide services and minister to all of God's children," Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller said in a statement. "He emphasized that in welcoming the stranger we are welcoming Christ. He worked for the conversion of hearts and minds, to create a culture and practice of hospitality in receiving migrants." State leaders including Gov. Greg Abbott, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro celebrated the pope and mourned his passing. Between the lines: Joshua Thurow, professor of philosophy at the University of Texas at San Antonio, tells Axios that Francis' papacy is "deeply meaningful" for Hispanic Catholics. "He has consistently elevated care for the poor, marginalized and oppressed," Thurow says. "As pope he spoke forcefully about immigration — urging that immigrants are created in the image of God and deserve respect and should be greeted with a 'spirit of welcome.'" Thurow notes Francis' canonization of Oscar Romero and the pope's devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, whom he honored early and often in his papacy. Zoom in: About 29% of San Antonio area residents identify as Catholic, per a survey conducted in 2023-24 by the Pew Research Center. The next pope will be the church's 267th. How it works: The selection will follow a series of Vatican meetings and a papal election, called a conclave. In about 15 to 20 days, Cardinal electors will gather in St. Peter's Basilica for mass. Then, they will go to the Sistine Chapel to begin rounds of super secret voting on the next pope.
