Video Shows Paxton with Indicted Men

The Wall Street Journal released video of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Republican U.S. Senate nominee, spending New Year’s Eve 2024 in Dubai with two men under federal indictment.

Anosh Ahmed and Sameer Suhail had been indicted in Illinois for allegedly embezzling $15 million from a Chicago hospital and hadn’t returned to the U.S. Both are back now, and Suhail’s attorney blamed the delay on legal matters in Dubai.

The 37-second clip shows the men, along with Paxton and his girlfriend, Tracy Duhon, watching fireworks from a balcony in Dubai. Ahmed had donated $190,000 to Paxton, including $25,000 days after his indictment. Both Ahmed and Suhail deny the charges.

The video surfaces in the final weeks of the Senate race against Democrat James Talarico, who has targeted Paxton’s record in campaign ads. Paxton adviser Nick Maddux didn’t directly address the trip but said Paxton “has been politically persecuted for years.”

Wartime Law To Expand Tyler Refinery

Vice President JD Vance told a Republican midterm rally in Tyler on Tuesday that the Trump administration has used the Defense Production Act to expand the Delek refinery there, promising “hundreds of good-paying new jobs.”

The wartime law allows the president to boost production of goods vital to national security. Vance said the goal is millions of additional gallons of commercial-grade and military-spec fuel in the coming months and years. 

Gas averaged $4.34 per gallon nationally, with diesel at $6.28 per gallon on Tuesday. Oil analyst Andy Lipow has said that refineries are already maxed out on diesel, so any additional output from new investment would come “months and years down the road.”

FBI Raids North Korean Laptop Farms

Federal agents raided about 40 Texas homes in late September and seized more than 185 laptops and devices that officials say helped North Korean workers land remote jobs at American companies under fake identities.

The workers stayed overseas. U.S.-based helpers kept company-issued laptops at home, installed software that allowed the workers to log in and appear to be stateside, and then moved the earnings into North Korean-controlled accounts.

U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould cited a Treasury estimate that the scheme earned North Korea more than $800 million in fiscal year 2024. He promised indictments for anyone who knowingly hosted the laptops.

Agents found about 100 of the devices in North Texas. The raids were part of a nationwide crackdown that has resulted in charges against 14 people. Officials urged employers to vet remote hires using E-Verify.

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➤ Statewide: Texas appealed a federal judge’s order to air-condition all 104 state prisons before 2030, arguing it would throw “chaos and confusion” into its plans. About 90,000 inmates lack air conditioning. (More)

➤ Arlington: Six Flags Over Texas kept its rides open while the company shut nine coasters at six parks across North America Monday after a rider died at Six Flags Over Georgia. Witnesses said the man was ejected from the Goliath coaster. (More)

➤ Roma: The Army is moving hundreds more soldiers into the Rio Grande Valley this month, citing elevated cartel activity. (More)

➤ Austin: Police and health officials warned that an unidentified substance in the drug supply is causing overdoses that require multiple doses of Narcan to treat. Of 98 opioid calls in September, EMS said nine patients needed more than two doses. (More)

➤ Hidalgo: A court affidavit links a now-shuttered fuel depot to a cash laundering operation for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. Troopers traced it after stopping a Mexican trucker in August hauling 7,300 gallons of ethanol from the site without shipping papers. (More)

➤ Statewide: U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico’s campaign released security camera images it said show him at his Austin home Oct. 1-8. Republican opponent Ken Paxton had questioned his nearly two-week absence, which Talarico blamed on the flu. (More)

➤ Edinburg: Bobby Pulido, the Democrat challenging U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz in Texas’ 15th Congressional District, said Monday he lacks health insurance and has gone to Mexico for care. (More)

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➤ The Dallas Cowboys pulled former Browns head coach Mike Pettine, 60, out of retirement Monday to help their first-year defensive coordinator. Dallas, 2-3 after last Thursday’s loss to Tampa Bay, ranks 31st in the NFL in yards allowed. (More)

➤ The University of North Texas may again cancel classes if enough students claim free tickets for its next home game. Last year, when UNT ended classes early for the South Florida game, a crowd of 31,386 produced the first sellout in DATCU Stadium’s history. (More)

➤ The Dallas Stars’ proposed arena in Plano would cost about $1 billion, with the city paying $700 million, city figures show. Mayor John Muns said event-goers would pay through Proposition A’s hotel, parking, and ticket taxes, while opponents object to the cost and traffic. (More)

Yesterday’s Results: MLB | NHL | NBA | Tennis | NCAA Volleyball

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➤ Austin’s P. Terry’s Burger Stand was a huge hit as one of the lowest-priced food vendors at this year’s ACL (Austin City Limits) Fest. Owners Kathy and Patrick Terry are scheduled to appear on NBC’s Today show this morning. (More)

➤ Data center developers won approval from the city of Taylor to annex 664 acres east of town for a 500-megawatt data center and a 750-megawatt gas-fired power plant. Residents oppose it, but the city said that annexing would allow it to regulate noise, lighting, and setbacks. (More)

➤ Bryan’s BioCorridor is getting 279 apartments near Texas A&M’s RELLIS campus, with the first residents expected as early as February 2027. The Houston developer cited a report projecting 44% population growth for the surrounding area over the next decade. (More)

➤ Pumpkin sellers across East Texas are paying more for diesel and other supplies. A Mineola farm was wary of raising prices, while a Tyler church said its supplier warned of increases. (More)

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➤ Rainbow-colored clouds lit up Brazos Valley skies Monday evening as fading thunderstorms caught the sunlight. The rare effect, called cloud iridescence, happens when tiny water droplets or ice crystals scatter light like a prism. (See Photos)

➤ Texas Rose Festival events start Thursday in Tyler, marking the festival’s 93rd year. Highlights include Friday’s coronations, a 9 a.m. Saturday parade, and free rose displays at the Rose Garden Center through Sunday. (See Schedule)

➤ A Midland woman whose epilepsy returned said neurofeedback halted her seizures. Leigh-Anne Wacker said she was having eight seizures every 15 seconds before treatment at WTX Brain Gym, where scalp sensors help train the brain. (More)

➤ More Texas renters are staying put. The share of renters moving each year fell from 30.6% in 2014 to 26.8% in 2024, per Census data, likely partly because homeowners with low mortgage rates aren’t selling. (See Data)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. 

➤ Seven simple at-home tests may reveal your risk of death, and most take under a minute. (See Tests)

➤ Pope Leo XIV has lung cancer, the Vatican confirmed after surgeons removed part of his right lung, the first major health crisis of his 17-month papacy. (Hear Episode)

➤ German police have seized a humanoid robot after it allegedly groped a teenage girl while two suspects reportedly livestreamed the encounter. (Hear Details)

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