Mexico's president says air traffic controllers lost communication for 10 minutes with a small Mexican Navy plane on a medical mission before it crashed off the Texas coast.

Officials say a small Mexican Navy plane transporting a young medical patient along with seven others has crashed near Galveston.

Celebrations are being held around the country to commemorate the Juneteenth holiday marking the day in 1865 when Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Texas.

Former President Joe Biden will be attending a Juneteenth celebration at a historic African Methodist Episcopal church in Galveston, Texas.

Harmful bleaching of the world’s coral has now grown to include 84% of the ocean’s reefs in the most intense event of its kind in recorded history.

An endangered sea turtle has been released into the Gulf of Mexico after being found off the coast of the Netherlands, 5,000 miles from its home.

Coral reefs are in the midst of an ecological crisis and are at risk of extinction, according to the United Nations Capital Development Fund.

Scientists say temperatures that have gone “crazy haywire” hot, especially in the Atlantic, are close to making the current global coral bleaching event the worst in history.

The U.S. Coast Guard estimates that up to 2,000 gallons of oil may have spilled into surrounding waters when a barge carrying fuel broke free from a tugboat and slammed into a bridge near Galveston, Texas.

Officials say a barge has hit a bridge in Galveston, Texas, spilling oil into surrounding waters and closing the only road connecting the city to Pelican Island.

The world is not doing enough to protect coral reefs.

Reef scientists say coral reefs around the world are experiencing global bleaching for the fourth time due to prolonged warming of the oceans.

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the National Defense Authorization Act and it includes authorizations for a $34 billion plan to protect residents and the petrochemical industry near Galveston and Houston in Texas.

The greatest challenge in recent years for the only surviving battleship that served in both world wars has been a leaky hull that's raised concerns it could sink.

Cities in Central Florida are celebrating Juneteenth by hosting performances, block parties, festivals and more.

Several artists including Bun B, Lupe Fiasco and 6LACK have recorded songs honoring Juneteenth for Apple Music.

The Halloween pranks are coming early this year -- as “knife wielding maniac” Michael Myers was spotted in Galveston, Texas.

Tropical Storm Nicholas has weakened to a tropical depression as it slowed to a crawl over southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana as its heavy rains continued to drench the area, maintaining a flood threat.

A Carnival cruise on which 27 people tested positive for COVID-19 just before the ship made a stop in Belize City this week is headed back to Galveston, Texas.

It’s an occasion that’s recognized in most states and the District of Columbia, but it’s not as of yet a federal holiday.

This Aug. 7, 2018, photo provided by the Galveston, Texas, County Jail shows Suzanne Rivera. Rivera has been sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole for the death of her 4-year-old son, whose body was found on a beach in Galveston in October 2017. Court records show Rebecca Suzanne Rivera was sentenced Thursday, Fev. (Galveston County Jail via AP)GALVESTON, Texas – A 37-year-old Texas woman has been sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole for the death of her 4-year-old son, whose body was found on a beach in Galveston in 2017. Rebecca Suzanne Rivera was sentenced Thursday following her conviction on a charge of injury to a child by omission, according to court records.

After the United States Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved a new COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, the first shipments will arrive at AdventHealth Orlando on Tuesday, according to Florida Gov. | Pilot killed in Fla. gyroscope crash]“(Tuesday), Jackson Memorial in Miami will receive its shipment, as well as AdventHealth in Orlando,” DeSantis said. U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar said he expects about 20 million doses to go out across the U.S. this month. Seminole County leaders told News 6 they’re prepping now to possibly receive about 8,000 to 10,000 doses during a second shipment. However, AdventHealth leaders told us there should be more data before children receive it.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Carnival Cruise Line announced it has canceled sailings from Port Canaveral, Miami and Galveston through February due to the coronavirus. The company also said it will delay the inaugural sailing of Mardi Gras until April 24. The new ship will sail from Port Canaveral and includes a roller coaster on board. “As we implement our plans for the resumption of cruising in 2021, we have canceled select itineraries for specific operations including cruises in February in Miami, Port Canaveral and Galveston,” Carnival Cruise Line said in a statement.

A Texas man is suing the city of Galveston and its police department for $1 million. Video from August 2019 showed Donald Neely, arrested on criminal trespass charges, being led through town tied to two officers on horseback while handcuffed. Neely, a Black man, accuses the officers of “extreme and outrageous” conduct and says he “felt as though he was put on display as slaves once were.”[TRENDING: Trump holds rally in Sanford | Mystery space object may be old rocket | NFL coach: Virus outbreak shows who the ‘whiners are’]Neely also said one horse was acting dangerously and he was afraid of being dragged down the street. The trespassing case was dismissed, and the Galveston Police Department apologized to Neely. There’s been no word from the city or police department about Neely’s lawsuit.

HOUSTON – As Tropical Storm Beta neared the Texas coast Monday, the biggest unknown was how much rainfall it could produce in areas that have already seen their share of damaging weather during a busy hurricane season. Rain from Beta was already coming down Monday in the Houston area. Earlier predictions of up to 20 inches (51 centimeters) in some areas were downgraded Monday to up to 15 inches (38 centimeters). Forecasters and officials reassured residents Beta was not expected to be another Hurricane Harvey or Tropical Storm Imelda. Harvey in 2017 dumped more than 50 inches (127 centimeters) of rain on Houston, causing $125 billion in damage in Texas.

Coastal communities began preparing for Beta over the weekend, with both the city of Galveston and Galveston County on Saturday issued voluntary evacuation orders. Tropical Storm BetaTropics Forecast Cone at 10:57 Sunday Morning, September 20thTropical Storm Beta is about 180 miles southeast of Galveston, Texas. Little change in strength is forecast during the next couple of days before Beta reaches the Texas coast. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 80 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 205 miles, forecasters said. Tropical Depression WilfredTropics Forecast Cone at 10:45 Sunday Morning, September 20thTropical Depression Wilfred is 1,340 miles west of The Cabo Verde Islands.

Forecasters said Beta was not expected to bring the same amount of rainfall that Texas experienced during either Hurricane Harvey in 2017 or Tropical Storm Imelda last year. The first rain bands from Beta reached the Texas coast on Sunday, but the heaviest rain wasn't expected to arrive until Monday into Tuesday. If the system makes landfall in Texas, it would be the ninth named storm to make landfall in the continental U.S. in 2020. A tropical storm warning was in effect for Bermuda. Wilfred, which had been a tropical storm, weakened to a tropical depression earlier Sunday.

MIAMI – An exceptionally busy Atlantic hurricane season was churning along Saturday as the Texas coast prepared for a tropical storm that could strengthen into a hurricane before breaching its shores in the week ahead. Both the city of Galveston and Galveston County on Saturday issued voluntary evacuation orders ahead of Tropical Storm Beta, as did the city of Seabrook to the north of Galveston. Forecasters issued a tropical storm warning from Port Aransas, Texas, to Morgan City, Louisiana. Beta had maximum sustained winds at 60 mph (95 kph) and was moving north-northeast at 2 mph (4 kph) Saturday night. A tropical storm warning was in effect for Bermuda.

GALVESTON, Texas Forecasters Hurricane Laura is now expected to rapidly power up into a 'catastrophic' Category 4 hurricane an even stronger storm than previously expected as it churns toward Texas and Louisiana, gathering wind and water that now covers much of the Gulf of Mexico. Satellite images show that Laura has become a formidable hurricane" in recent hours, threatening to smash homes and sink entire communities. It has undergone a remarkable intensification, and there are no signs it will stop soon, with shear remaining low-to-moderate over the deep warm waters of the central Gulf of Mexico," the National Hurricane Center said in a briefing early Wednesday. Lauras maximum sustained winds have increased to near 110 mph (175 kph) with higher gusts, forecasters said early Wednesday. Homes and businesses will be damaged," said Donald Jones, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Lake Charles, Louisiana, which is near the bullseye of Laura's forecast track.

The Latest on Hurricane Laura (all times local):GALVESTON, Texas Hurricane Laura strengthened Wednesday into an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane," The National Hurricane Center said. Forecasters warn of catastrophic storm surge, extreme winds and flash flooding" and 20 feet (6 meters) of storm surge. Tropical storm winds Wednesday afternoon reached the coast of Louisiana where water levels started to rise. Laura is predicted to reach at least 145 mph (233 kph) winds, but may weaken ever so slightly before landfall. -GALVESTON, Texas Texas Gov.

(AP Photo/Jim Mone)MINNEAPOLIS A special session of the Minnesota Legislature ended Saturday without agreement on remaking policing in the state where George Floyd was killed. I'm deeply disappointed that Senate Republicans ended the special session before our job was done," Senate Minority Leader Susan Kent tweeted. Were not walking away from Minnesota here, but I think we could all benefit from a breather, Gazelka said just before adjournment, Minnesota Public Radio News reported. The special session was necessary for Democratic Gov. If Walz seeks to extend his emergency powers an additional 30 days, he's required to call another special session for July 12 to let lawmakers object.

It’s been 155 years since the last group of slaves in the nation got word that they were free men and women. June 19, 1865, marked the official end to slavery in the U.S., and that date, each year, has since been known as Juneteenth. “Galveston specifically is where the word was dropped and everybody found out,” Patricia Broussard, a law professor at Florida A&M University said. I remember with my education I was taught that once the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect that everyone who was enslaved was free. But it wasn’t until May 30, 1991, Florida became the second state after Texas to recognize Juneteenth as a state holiday.

Juneteenth, the holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, originated 155 years ago. (Stuart Villanueva/The Galveston County Daily News via AP, File)Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:1. YOUNG IMMIGRANTS STILL FACE UNCERTAINTY The Supreme Court rejected Trumps effort to end legal protections for 650,000 young immigrants, but activists say legislation giving them a path to U.S. citizenship remains elusive. SINGAPORE OPENS GYMS, DINING OUT The latest relaxation in the city-state comes as reopenings in many places around the world are touching off fresh spikes in coronavirus infections. BIDEN SEIZES ON BOLTON BOOK The Democrats top aides say Trump kowtowed to Xi Jinping and ignored human rights abuses while trying to get the Chinese presidents assistance with domestic politics.

The date - June 19th - is not a federal holiday, and many non-black Americans have only recently become of aware of the day. Several of her employees are spending the day volunteering for the Juneteenth Freedom Phonebank, an initiative encouraging Census participation. Declaring the date a federal holiday would add considerable momentum, and there is growing support for the idea. Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, introduced legislation Thursday to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. In contrast, 93% of employers close on Independence day, with similar rates for Labor Day, Christmas Day and Thanksgiving.