CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — Good morning and happy Thursday! Anchors Bryan and Michelle Hofmann here with your KRIS 6 News Sunrise update. It’s shaping up to be another mild and breezy morning across the Coastal Bend as we keep an eye on both international and local developments. Today we’re following Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Israel, a major European summit in Brussels, new U.S. military operations in the Pacific, and changes underway at the White House. Closer to home, we’re tracking early voting numbers in Nueces County and a new community effort to help unpaid federal employees at the Corpus Christi International Airport.
Rubio Israel Visit
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives in Israel
- Meetings to focus on the ceasefire with Hamas
- Questions remain over long-term peace and governance
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to arrive in Israel today to discuss the country’s ongoing ceasefire with Hamas. Rubio will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit. While the fragile ceasefire has faced a few setbacks, U.S. officials say progress is better than expected.
There are still questions over the long-term plan for peace, including whether Hamas will disarm and who will govern Gaza after the war. Vice President J.D. Vance also visited Israel earlier this week and acknowledged that major hurdles remain in the peace negotiations.
E.U. Summit
- European leaders gather in Brussels for high-level talks
- Ceasefire discussions with Russia paused after Trump’s decision
- E.U. plans to use frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine’s defense
European Union leaders are meeting in Brussels, Belgium, today for a summit addressing a wide range of global issues, including the war in Ukraine. Ceasefire talks with Russia are on hold after President Donald Trump announced he would not be meeting with Vladimir Putin.
European leaders have accused Putin of using diplomatic talks as a delay tactic while seeking battlefield gains. In response, the E.U. is moving ahead with plans to use billions of dollars in frozen Russian assets to help fund Ukraine’s war effort.
U.S. Military Strikes another boat
- U.S. forces target what they call suspected drug vessels in the Pacific
- Five people killed in separate strikes this week
- Operation part of expanded campaign against drug trafficking
The U.S. military carried out extrajudicial airstrikes on what they are calling suspected drug-running vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean this week, killing two men on Tuesday and three more on Wednesday. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the operations, marking the first known U.S. military actions in the region since President Trump launched a new offensive against the drug trade.
The latest strikes add to at least seven others in the Caribbean, part of a wider campaign that has raised tensions between the U.S., Venezuela, and Colombia. At least 34 people have been killed in the American strikes on alleged drug boats.
Two men survived a strike last week, and were repatriated to Colombia and Ecuador. Ecuador's government later released one man - identified as Andrés Fernando Tufiño, saying there was no evidence of wrongdoing. The other man, from Colombia, reportedly remains hospitalized.
East Wing Demolition
- White House demolition continues for new ballroom project
- Entire East Wing expected to be rebuilt
- Preservation group raises concern about design impact
Demolition on the East Wing of the White House continues this week as part of President Trump's larger expansion project to make way for a new ballroom. Construction crews have been spotted on the grounds tearing down parts of the existing facade.
A White House official now says the entire East Wing will eventually be modernized and rebuilt, though the project remains in flux. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has warned that the planned ballroom could overwhelm the original character of the White House, and is larger in scope than what the president originally proposed.
Early Voting Turnout
- Early voting turnout remains low across Nueces County
- About 1,200 in-person ballots cast so far
- Election Day set for November 4
Early voting for the November state constitutional amendment election began Monday, but turnout remains low. In Nueces County, just over 600 people voted early on Tuesday, bringing the total to about 1,200 ballots so far. That represents roughly 0.61 percent of registered voters.
The numbers do not include mail-in ballots. Early voting runs through Friday, October 31, and Election Day is scheduled for Tuesday, November 4.
CCIA Donation Drive
- Corpus Christi International Airport collecting donations
- Drive supports unpaid TSA and FAA employees during shutdown
- Collection table open through October 31
The Corpus Christi International Airport is hosting a donation drive to support its federal employees affected by the ongoing government shutdown. Forty-five TSA officers and sixty FAA workers at CCIA have gone without pay for several weeks.
Crews are asking for donations of essential items, including food and pet supplies. A collection table is set up on the second floor of the airport terminal and will remain open 24 hours a day through October 31.
Thanks for spending part of your day with us, we appreciate it!
As always, stay safe, stay curious, and stay kind. We’ll see you tomorrow.
-Bryan and Michelle Hofmann
