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'He was so talented': US-born Olympic hopeful in kite foiling dies in diving accident

A rising U.S. born athlete who hoped to compete in the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games next month, died in a diving accident over the weekend, his family confirmed.

Jackson James Rice , who went by J.J., was 18 and competed in the sport kite foiling, according to information from his family and his Facebook page .

Kite foiling allows a person to "fly above the water on hydrofoils" attached to boards powered by large kites, according to the Royal Yachting Association , the national governing body for sports including sail cruising and sail racing. With a rider, boards can reach speeds up to 45 knots.

The athlete's father, Darren Rice, told the Matangi Tonga his son died of suspected shallow water blackout Saturday while free diving from a boat at Faleloa, Ha'apai.

Faleloa is in Tonga, an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania.

Other divers found his body on the seafloor underneath the boat at about 12:15 p.m., the outlet reported, and attempts to resuscitate him failed.

USA TODAY has reached out to Rice's family.

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'I was blessed with the most amazing brother'

According to the newspaper, the athlete was born in the United States, grew up in Ha'apai and represented Tonga in kite foiling at international events "for several years."

In a Facebook post late last month, the late athlete wrote he competed in The Last Chance Reggata in Hyeres, France .

"This is where the remaining 5 spots for the Olympic games were to be handed out and everybody was on the top of their game and pushing to the absolute limit to qualify," J.J. Rice wrote May 25. "After a few mistakes on my part and not being able to keep with the front pack my Olympics dream for this Olympics cycle has come to an end, that doesn't mean it is the end for me. With another cycle just around the corner in 2028 I will be training as hard as possible."

In a Saturday post on Facebook, the late athlete's sister, Lily Rice, remembered her brother as a loving, amazing funny and unique individual with a global host of friends "because he was so lovable."

"I was blessed with the most amazing brother in the whole world and it pains me to say that he’s passed away," his sister posted in a tribute to her late brother. "He was so talented... He was an amazing kite foiler and he would have made it to the Olympics and come out with a big shiny medal and a even bigger smile."

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.

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MAGA Boat Parade returns as Donald Trump set to visit Detroit

A “Make America Great Again” Boat Parade is scheduled to set sail from Lake St. Clair’s shore in Macomb County on Saturday, the same day former president and presumptive 2024 Republican nominee Donald Trump is set to make two appearances in Detroit.

“Michigan, as the Great Lakes State, knows how to show off its nautical enthusiasm,” Rosanne Ponkowski, a spokesperson for event organizers the Michigan Conservative Coalition, said in a press release. 

“In that regard, nothing will do better than a massive MAGA boat parade,” she said. 

The parade, a tribute to the former president’s 78th birthday on Friday, will embark the following afternoon at 1:01 p.m., precisely, from Lake St. Clair off the Nine Mile Tower Mark. Organizers expect the fleet to coast by Hart Plaza in downtown Detroit by 4:01 p.m. — and wrap up shortly after. 

A flotilla of some 300 boats participated in a similar boat-centric birthday bash during the 2020 election. Supporters flew American and Trump flags in tandem and donned campaign gear. 

“We have all seen television coverage of the Florida Trump flotillas and elsewhere. Frankly, the Michigan MAGA Boat Parade in 2020 was much bigger and more fun,” said Ponkowski. “Our 2024 Michigan MAGA Boat Parade is expected to be even larger!”

Headlining the event is a 74-foot flagship boat, accompanied by a privately owned 80-foot tug boat. Seaplanes, helicopters and drones are also expected to join a slew of water bound vessels. Bikers for Trump will ride parallel to the fleet on roadways along the parade route, and boats will join the kick-off crew as the parade passes marinas along the way, organizers said. 

Back on land, Trump is slated to speak at a roundtable discussion with constituents at a Detroit church . The candidate will also appear at Hungtington Place to deliver the keynote speech at The People’s Convention, a three-day conference run by the conservative nonprofit Turning Point Action. The list of speakers for the event boasts several prominent figures in the GOP, including members of Trump’s family and former Trump administration staffers. 

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In 2020, President Joe Biden received 94% of votes in Detroit , while Trump took just 5%. The city has a majority Black population — a key voting demographic in the nation. Biden won 92% of Black voters in 2020 , but polls show support has waned. In the current election cycle, both candidates are vying for the support of Black voters, and that is thought to be a target of Trump’s visit. 

Ukraine war latest: Russian officials 'thrown out of meeting' for breaking custom; new photos emerge of Putin and Kim's day out

Vladimir Putin has arrived in Vietnam for a state visit after he spent the day in North Korea yesterday, where he signed a defence pact with Kim Jong Un. Got a question on the Ukraine war? Submit it below for our specialists to answer.

Thursday 20 June 2024 19:16, UK

• Vladimir Putin arrives in Vietnam for state visit
• Russia and North Korea sign new defence deal
• Russian officials 'thrown out of meeting' for breaking custom
• South Korea condemns pact and says it will reconsider weapons for Ukraine
• New photos emerge of Putin and Kim's day out
• Analysis: Putin wants to prove he still has friends
• Listen to the Daily above and tap here to follow wherever you get your podcasts

Ask a question or make a comment

That's all of our live coverage on the conflict for now. 

We'll bring you any major developments overnight, and we'll be back with our regular updates in the morning. 

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he is "deeply grateful" for Joe Biden's decision to prioritise air defence deliveries for Ukraine. 

The Ukrainian president said his country was in critical need of the capabilities to protect its cities and civilians from Russian attacks. 

"The partnership between Ukraine and the United States is strong and unwavering. Together, we are protecting life against terror and aggression," he added. 

It comes after the US said a recent defence pact signed by Russia and North Korea was a "cause for concern". 

The recently signed defence pact between Russia and North Korea is a cause of concern but is no surprise, the White House has said.

Speaking to reporters, White House spokesman John Kirby said the agreement between the two countries was a sign of Russia's desperation for foreign assistance in the Ukraine war.

The deal has seen both countries vow to help each other if they faced armed aggression, and replaces previous treaties between the countries. 

Russia said the pact was needed because of "the deep evolution of the geopolitical situation in the world and the region".

Mr Kirby also said the US would reprioritise planned deliveries of foreign military equipment to go to Ukraine, which is in "desperate need" of more air defence capabilities.

Vladimir Putin has warned that South Korea would be making a "big mistake" if it decides to supply weapons to Ukraine. 

The Russian president's comments come after South Korea said a new defence agreement between North Korea and Moscow was "absurd" and it would reconsider sending arms to Kyiv as a result. 

Mr Putin said Seoul had nothing to worry about when it came to the mutual defence pact. 

Russian state media quoted him as saying that Moscow expected its cooperation with North Korea to serve as a deterrent to the West. 

He also refused to rule out supplying high-precision weapons to the country. 

Russia is considering making changes to its nuclear weapons doctrine, Vladimir Putin has said. 

The Russian president made the comments while speaking to reporters at the end of his Vietnam trip. 

The existing doctrine states that Russia may use such weapons in response to a nuclear strike or in the event of a conventional attack that poses an existential threat to the country. 

Ukrainian troops have been launching mid-range reconnaissance drones in Kharkiv.

Russian forces crossed into parts of the northeastern region last month, and officials claim they have seized at least a dozen villages.

But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Kyiv's forces are gradually pushing Russian troops out of the contested area.

A police search is under way for a woman who allegedly desecrated the graves of Ukrainian soldiers.

Kyiv city's prosecutor's office said the unknown woman vandalised the graves this morning. 

Commemorative plaques and lamps were torn off and broken, it said.

The Ukrainian flag was also "mutilated", it added.

"Operational investigations and searches are being carried out to establish the woman's identity," the office said in post on Telegram. 

If caught and found guilty, the woman could face up to five years in prison. 

We have been reporting today on Vladimir Putin's visit to Vietnam.

Here is a recap of what the Russian president has been up to: 

• Mr Putin signed a series of deals with his Vietnamese counterpart To Lam during his state visit;
• The two leaders signed agreements to further co-operation on education, science and technology, oil and gas exploration and health;
• They also agreed to work on a road map for a nuclear science and technology centre in Vietnam;
• Following the talks, Mr Putin said that the two countries share an interest in "developing a reliable security architecture" in the Asia-Pacific region based on not using force and peacefully settling disputes with no room for "closed military-political blocs";
• The Russian leader also met Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and is scheduled to meet Communist Party general secretary Nguyen Phu Trong - Vietnam's most powerful politician;
• The trip has resulted in a sharp rebuke from the US embassy in the country.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Romania's decision to provide his country with two Patriot air defence systems will strengthen security in Ukraine and throughout Europe.

"This crucial contribution will bolster our air shield and help us better protect our people and critical infrastructure from Russian air terror," the Ukrainian president said on X.

The Patriot, which stands for Phased Array Tracking Radar for Intercept on Target, is a surface-to-air missile defence system.

For months now, Ukraine has been calling for countries to provide more air defence systems to help protect it from Russian attacks. 

The next NATO leader is now all but certain after Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte's last rival dropped out of the race.

He's now the only person running to be Jens Stoltenberg's successor when he steps down from the secretary-general role in October. 

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis dropped out of the race earlier today and Hungary lifted its veto on Mr Rutte's candidacy, paving the way for NATO to put on a show of unity over support for Ukraine.

Mr Rutte's appointment could be sealed by a meeting of NATO ambassadors in the coming days, or by the leaders when they meet in Washington in July for the alliance's 75th birthday.

NATO secretaries-general are responsible for chairing meetings and guiding consultations among the 32 member countries to ensure that the organisation, which operates on consensus, can continue to function.

Mr Rutte has already had to assure Hungary that he will not force it to take part in NATO plans to provide support to Ukraine.

Turkey, which had voiced opposition to Mr Rutte's bid earlier this year, has also lifted its objections. 

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