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Radioactive contamination in Indonesian imports likely to persist, US bulletin warns

Michael Esparza
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Radioactive contamination in Indonesian imports likely to persist, US bulletin warns

Homeland Security issues new intelligence assessment

U.S. officials are warning that imports from Indonesia contaminated with a radioactive isotope are likely to continue appearing in the coming weeks and months, according to a new Homeland Security intelligence bulletin obtained by ABC News.

The assessment follows a December recall of 84,000 bags of frozen raw shrimp that may have been exposed to cesium-137, a radioactive isotope.

Recall sparks broader concern beyond shrimp

Federal regulators announced the shrimp recall on Dec. 19 after determining the products may have been prepared, packed or stored under conditions that led to potential radioactive exposure.

The bulletin warns the contamination is likely to extend beyond shrimp to other Indonesian goods, including spices and consumer products such as sneakers.

Bulletin outlines scope and risks

“Due to the high number of factories and wide variety of goods produced at facilities in the area of the contamination, additional commodities from Indonesia will almost certainly test positive for Cs-137 in the coming weeks and months,” the bulletin states.

While officials said it is unlikely, the bulletin noted they cannot rule out the possibility that contaminated items could reach the United States through tourism or passenger travel.

Authorities say contamination not intentional

The bulletin emphasized that the U.S. government is “nearly certain” the contamination was not deliberate. Customs and Border Protection officials said they are well equipped to detect and stop affected bulk cargo shipments before they reach consumers.

Additional products flagged

The Food and Drug Administration said it previously recalled shrimp from the same Indonesian processor earlier this year and has also detected cesium-137 in a sample of cloves from an Indonesian spice company.

According to the bulletin, contaminated sneakers originating from Indonesia were intercepted at multiple U.S. ports last summer.

No contaminated products reached consumers

Federal officials said that, so far, no products that tested positive or triggered radiation alerts have entered the U.S. marketplace.

For more health guidelines, warnings, and updates, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.

Uvalde gunman fired 117 shots before officer entered school, testimony says

Michael Esparza
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Uvalde gunman fired 117 shots before officer entered school, testimony says

Key testimony details timeline of attack

The gunman who carried out the 2022 Uvalde school shooting fired 117 rounds inside two classrooms at Robb Elementary School during a two-minute span before a school police officer entered the building, a Texas Ranger testified Friday.

Ranger Nick Hill shared the timeline during the criminal trial of former Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District police officer Adrian Gonzales, who is charged with child endangerment.

Officer arrival and delayed entry

According to Hill, Gonzales parked outside Robb Elementary at 11:31:55 a.m. and radioed an active shooter alert seconds later. The gunman, Salvador Ramos, entered the school just over a minute later and began firing in a hallway before moving into two adjoining classrooms.

Hill testified that Gonzales entered the school at 11:35:48 a.m.—nearly four minutes after parking his vehicle and more than two minutes after the gunman began shooting inside the classrooms.

Prosecution and defense arguments

Prosecutors argue Gonzales failed to follow his training and endangered students by not intervening sooner. They allege he retreated after other officers were wounded and did not take action to stop the gunman.

The defense counters that multiple officers arrived around the same time and that Gonzales is being unfairly singled out for a broader law enforcement failure. Gonzales has pleaded not guilty.

Scope of the shooting

Hill testified that Ramos fired a total of 173 rounds during the attack, while law enforcement officers fired 25 shots. Nineteen students and two teachers were killed.

Officer testimony supports defense claims

Former Uvalde Police Sgt. Daniel Coronado testified that Gonzales warned other officers to be cautious, saying the shooter was believed to be nearby. Coronado said Gonzales appeared concerned for officer safety based on the information available at the time.

The trial continues as jurors weigh responsibility amid one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history.

For more on the Gonzales’s trial on his response in the Uvalde school shooting, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.

Bad Bunny excites fans with new trailer ahead of Super Bowl halftime show

Indira Zaldivar
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Bad Bunny excites fans with new trailer ahead of Super Bowl halftime show

The “world’s biggest stage” is getting ready to welcome three-time Grammy winner Bad Bunny ahead of his headliner performance during the big game’s halftime show on Feb. 8.

New trailer gets fans ready for a night of dancing

Set to the tune of “Baile Inolvidable,” the Puerto Rican artist’s salsa hit, the trailer—released by Apple Music in collaboration with Bad Bunny—invites millions of spectators to dance along to the reggaeton superstar’s highly anticipated performance.

“The film serves as an open invitation, welcoming the entire world — no matter who you are or where you are from — to join Bad Bunny for his monumental Super Bowl halftime performance,” a statement accompanying the trailer reads.

“Get excited for the rhythm, unity, and cultural richness that only Bad Bunny can bring to the global stage.”

Pushback to Bad Bunny as halftime show headliner

Despite Bad Bunny’s worldwide popularity and record-breaking success, the announcement naming the reggaeton superstar as the halftime show headliner was not without pushback.

Critics argued that because Bad Bunny, Spotify’s 2025 Top Global Artist, primarily sings in Spanish, he was not an appropriate choice. Others opposed the artist’s vocal support for immigrants in the United States amid President Donald Trump’s anti-immigration agenda.

NFL defends the choice of performer

Amid the criticism, an NFL spokesperson defended the decision to name Bad Bunny as the halftime show headliner.

“He’s one of the leading and most popular entertainers in the world,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said at the time, adding that the decision had been “carefully thought through.”

“I’m not sure we’ve ever selected an artist where we didn’t have some blowback or criticism,” he added. “It’s pretty hard to do when you have literally hundreds of millions of people watching.”

Bad Bunny’s upcoming performance perceived as a cultural win

Out of concern over potential ICE raids outside his concerts, Bad Bunny went as far as to leave the U.S. out of his “Debí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour.”

For many fans, Bad Bunny’s halftime performance represents a cultural and historical win during a tense political climate for immigrant and Latino/Hispanic families in the United States.

“What I’m feeling goes beyond myself. It’s for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown,” Bad Bunny said in a September 2025 statement. “This is for my people, my culture, and our history.”

Super Bowl LX is set for Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

Mexico seeks answers after death of citizen in ICE detention

Indira Zaldivar
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Mexico seeks answers after death of citizen in ICE detention

Mexican authorities are requesting detailed information after a Mexican citizen died this week while in U.S. immigration detention, raising renewed concerns over conditions inside ICE facilities.

Death reported at Georgia detention facility

Mexico’s consulate in Atlanta said Thursday it is closely monitoring the death, which occurred Wednesday at the Robert A. Deyton Detention Facility in Clayton, south of Atlanta. Consular officials said they are in constant communication with ICE’s Atlanta field office.

The consulate requested clarification on the circumstances surrounding the death and said it is working to ensure the investigation is conducted promptly and transparently. The individual’s name has not been released, but officials said arrangements are being made to return the remains to Mexico as soon as possible.

U.S. officials have not publicly commented on the incident.

Rising deaths amid growing ICE detention population

The death comes as ICE detention numbers continue to climb. More than 68,000 adults were held in ICE custody at the end of December, nearly double the approximately 36,000 detained in December 2023, according to agency data.

At least four people have died in ICE detention so far this year. In 2025, at least 30 detainees died, making it the deadliest year for ICE detention facilities in two decades.

Increased scrutiny of immigration enforcement

ICE has been a central player in President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign and is facing heightened scrutiny nationwide. Public attention has intensified following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good by an immigration officer in Minneapolis on Jan. 7, which sparked protests across the country.

The latest death is likely to further fuel calls for greater transparency and accountability within the immigration detention system.

For more on the investigation on the death-while-in-ICE-custody case, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.

Machado gifts Nobel Peace Prize medal to Trump, raising questions

Indira Zaldivar
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Machado gifts Nobel Peace Prize medal to Trump, raising questions

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado drew global attention after presenting her Nobel Peace Prize medal to President Donald Trump during a White House meeting, prompting debate over whether a Nobel Prize can be given away.

Why Machado gave the medal to Trump

Machado received the Nobel Peace Prize in October for her pro-democracy efforts, with the Nobel Committee praising her for keeping “the flame of democracy burning” in Venezuela. She dedicated the honor to the Venezuelan people and to Trump, citing his support for her cause.

In recent weeks, however, Machado has appeared sidelined by the Trump administration following U.S. efforts to pressure Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. In interviews, Machado said she wanted to “share” the prize with Trump, a move widely seen as an attempt to regain U.S. backing.

Trump, who has openly expressed interest in winning a Nobel Peace Prize, accepted the medal and called the gesture one of “mutual respect.”

What the Nobel Committee says

The Norwegian Nobel Committee and the Norwegian Nobel Institute have been clear that Nobel Prizes cannot be transferred. Once announced, a prize “cannot be revoked, shared or transferred to others,” the committee said, emphasizing that while a medal can change hands, the title of Nobel laureate remains with the original recipient.

Can a Nobel Prize be sold or given away?

While the honor itself cannot be transferred, Nobel medals can legally be sold or gifted as physical objects. Several laureates or their estates have auctioned medals over the years, often for charitable causes.

Notable examples include the sale of medals belonging to John F. Nash Jr., Francis Crick and James Watson. In 2022, journalist Dmitry Muratov sold his Nobel Peace Prize medal for more than $100 million, donating the proceeds to humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.

Can a Nobel Prize be refused or revoked?

Recipients may refuse a Nobel Prize, as Jean-Paul Sartre did in 1964 and Le Duc Tho did in 1973, but the award itself remains valid. Nobel Prizes cannot be revoked or reconsidered once granted, according to the Nobel Foundation’s statutes.

Past laureates have also symbolically distanced themselves from their prizes. Ernest Hemingway once said his Nobel Prize “belonged to Cuba” and reportedly placed his medal at a religious shrine there.

Bottom line

Machado’s gesture may carry symbolic and political weight, but under Nobel rules, she remains the sole Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Trump may possess the medal, but the honor itself cannot be gifted.

For more on this story, follow every update with Que Onda Magazine.

Duckworth introduces bill to limit political influence over inspectors general

Edward Saenz
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Duckworth introduces bill to limit political influence over inspectors general

Sen. Tammy Duckworth is introducing new legislation aimed at strengthening the independence of federal inspectors general by barring political appointees from serving in those watchdog roles.

What the Inspector General’s Independence Act would do

The proposed Inspector General’s Independence Act would prevent President Donald Trump and future presidents from nominating current or former political appointees from their administrations to serve as inspectors general. Duckworth argues the change is necessary to ensure IGs can operate without partisan pressure.

“Inspectors general are supposed to be calling balls and strikes,” Duckworth told ABC News, adding that political appointees may feel loyalty to the administration that selected them.

Context: firings and legal challenges

The bill comes nearly a year after the administration dismissed 17 inspectors general across multiple agencies at the start of Trump’s second term. The move sparked bipartisan criticism and ongoing lawsuits questioning whether the firings were legal.

Duckworth said the legislation would clarify the law rather than leaving the issue solely to the courts.

VA inspector general nomination cited as key example

Duckworth pointed to the confirmation of Cheryl Mason as Veterans Affairs inspector general as a case that highlights her concerns. Mason was serving as a senior adviser to VA Secretary Doug Collins when she was nominated to fill a vacancy created by the firing of the previous IG.

During her confirmation hearing, Democrats questioned whether Mason could function as an independent watchdog. While Republican Sen. Jerry Moran also raised concerns, he ultimately voted to confirm her along with the rest of the GOP.

Mason defended her independence

Mason told senators she would act independently, emphasizing her prior experience at the VA and her commitment to veterans. She acknowledged working for the president and the VA secretary, but said she would also work for congressional oversight committees.

The Senate confirmed Mason in July by a 53–45 vote, with no Democrats supporting her nomination.

Legislative outlook remains uncertain

Duckworth’s bill would have barred Mason’s nomination and aims to prevent similar appointments in the future. The legislation is co-sponsored by Democratic Sens. Dick Durbin, Richard Blumenthal, Adam Schiff, Kirsten Gillibrand and Peter Welch, but currently has no Republican co-sponsors.

Its prospects are uncertain in Congress, and it is considered unlikely that President Trump would sign the measure into law if it reaches his desk.

For more on this story, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.

Houston Dynamo open preseason training with new faces and plenty of options for 2026 season

ABC13 Houston
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Houston Dynamo open preseason training with new faces and plenty of options for 2026 season

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — New energy and new players highlighted the first day of the Houston Dynamo’s training.

“I am excited”, Head Coach Ben Olsen said. “I’m jazzed. Look, it’s been a long off-season.”

The club signed four significant players this week.

“All four of them captains, all four of them leaders, all four of them champions,” President of Soccer Pat Onstad said.

Midfielders Guilherme from Brazil and Agustin Bouzat from Argentina join defender Lucas Halter and Mexican superstar Hector Herrera, who returns to the Dynamo after 82 appearances from 2022-24.

“This club has always been home for me,” Herrera said. “They received my family and my objective is to come and objective is to come and help the team win.”

“He’s coming here to accept any role and to help this club get back into the postseason and to help me because I’ll need him,” Olsen said.

Hopes are high this year after failing to make the playoffs a year ago.

“This team that we put together, even at this point, and we’re still not finished, I think this team gives us a very good chance,” Onstad said. “I think Ben, reluctantly as a coach, will probably tell you the same, gives us a good chance to make the playoffs.”

The team blends the experience of the new players with a young core that is much deeper than it was a year ago, giving Head Coach Ben Olsen a nice problem to have.

“This will be probably one of the most competitive teams that we’ve had ever had in my time coaching,” Olsen said. “From a management standpoint, it’s going to make my life a little bit harder, but from a coaching standpoint and winning games, this is what you want. It gives you a bigger ability to adapt within games, which I don’t think we’ve necessarily had for a while.”

This story comes from our news partner ABC13 Houston.

For more Houston headlines, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.

Strong cold front arrives Friday evening, light freeze coming this weekend

ABC13 Houston
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Strong cold front arrives Friday evening, light freeze coming this weekend

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A strong cold front arriving Friday evening looks to bring Southeast Texas the first frost and light freeze of 2026 over the weekend.

We expect the sky to remain clear and the winds to stay fairly light Friday morning, lows in the 40s. A dry southwesterly wind will pick up Friday, pushing temperatures into the 70s during the afternoon. This will occur ahead of a stronger cold front arriving Friday evening. The front should pass through dry, but it will bring a big cool down for the holiday weekend.

What’s the coldest it will get this weekend?

We expect temperatures will get into light freeze territory Sunday morning for much of Southeast Texas. A high pressure cell from western Canada will move all the way down to Southeast Texas by Sunday morning, and with a clear sky and very dry air, a light freeze and frost are looking more likely. Beyond that, signals are growing that a colder pattern will develop across Canada and the United States near the end of January, but it remains to be seen if any of that arctic air will make a move down to Texas.

Is there any chance it could snow over the weekend?

It will certainly be cold enough to snow Saturday night, but right now it looks like the moisture is lacking. That said, we do have one computer model showing enough moisture for some brief, light snow showers, especially south of I-10. So we’ll throw in a 20% chance of some flurries for now, but don’t get your hopes up if you are dreaming for some of the fluffy stuff to fall from the sky. There is a decent chance it will snow along the Gulf coast around Mississippi, Alabama, and the Florida panhandle. That’s where there will be the necessary overlap of freezing temperatures and moisture.

How long does the cold air stick around?

It will stay seasonally chilly through Tuesday, then warmer weather arrives the second half of next week along with a chance for rain.

13 ALERT RADAR MAPS:
Southeast Texas
Houston
Harris County
Galveston County
Montgomery/Walker/San Jacinto/Polk/Grimes Counties
Fort Bend/Wharton/Colorado Counties
Brazoria/Matagorda Counties

Have weather tips, videos, and photos?

Send it to ABC13 using the form below. If you have a video or photo to send, terms of use apply. If you don’t, just hit ‘skip upload’ and send the details.

This story comes from our news partner ABC13 Houston.

For more Houston headlines, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine!

¡Que Onda! Magazine Houston – edition 1342

Que Onda Editorial
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¡Que Onda! Magazine Houston – edition 1342

Ocean Damage Nearly Doubles Cost of Climate Change, Study Finds

Indira Zaldivar
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Ocean Damage Nearly Doubles Cost of Climate Change, Study Finds

A new study finds that damage to the ocean nearly doubles the economic cost of climate change, after researchers included ocean impacts in the social cost of carbon for the first time.

The research, led by scientists at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, was published Thursday in Nature Climate Change.

The ‘Blue’ Cost of Carbon

By factoring in ocean damage — referred to as the “blue” social cost of carbon — researchers found an added $46.2 per metric ton of carbon dioxide. That brings the total cost to $97.2 per ton, a 91% increase over previous estimates.

With global carbon dioxide emissions estimated at 41.6 billion tons in 2024, the study suggests nearly $2 trillion in ocean-related damages in a single year are currently excluded from standard climate cost calculations.

Why the Ocean Was Missing

Researchers said the ocean has long been overlooked in climate economics, despite well-documented damage to coral reefs, fisheries and coastal infrastructure. Warming waters and changing ocean chemistry are disrupting ecosystems such as reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds and kelp forests.

Coastal ports and communities are also increasingly vulnerable to flooding and stronger storms linked to climate change.

Unequal Global Impacts

The study found the impacts are not evenly distributed. Small island nations and coastal economies are expected to face the greatest harm due to their reliance on fisheries, seafood-based nutrition and ocean-dependent industries.

Why It Matters for Policy

The social cost of carbon is a key metric used by policymakers to weigh the economic benefits and costs of climate action. Researchers said including ocean damage provides a more accurate picture of the true harm caused by greenhouse gas emissions — and could influence future climate and environmental policy decisions.

For more on this story, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.

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