The five-member Florida Public Service Commission met on Thursday in Tallahassee for a hearing about the Andytown-Oasis project to place four 30-mile-long transmission lines from Broward to Miami-Dade.

A representative of the Environmental Defense Fund, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization based in New York, was critical of the proposal.

“FPL did not conduct a full evaluation of alternatives,” David Cranston, EDF’s Florida clean energy manager, said during the meeting.

Ted Thomas, a Florida-based energy consultant who is a former chairman of the Arkansas Public Service Commission, highlighted issues with cost and technology.

“FPL is asking you to approve a nearly billion-dollar capital expenditure based on an outdated silo approach to transmission planning,” Thomas said during the meeting.

Despite the controversy, Gov. Ron DeSantis’s appointees to the Florida PSC, Gabriella Passidomo Smith, Mike La Rosa, Gary F. Clark, Ana Ortega, and Bobby Payne did not have any questions during the meeting.

The Florida PSC members will receive post-meeting notes next week, and they will have to decide if there is a public need for FPL’s proposed project.

FPL reported that the transmission lines are meant to deal with “an increase of approximately 220,000 new customers” from 2026 to 2033 in Miami-Dade, which will translate into an 11% load increase.

One of the four transmission lines would start at FPL’s existing Andytown substation in Broward and end at FPL’s planned Oasis substation in Miami-Dade, according to the Florida PSC.

In Miami-Dade, a second line would start at FPL’s Quarry substation and end at the Oasis substation. Two other lines would start at Oasis, but one would end at Quarry and the other at the Levee substation.

According to FPL, after completing the designing and permitting stage in 2028, construction is set to begin in 2029 and end in late 2033.

Location

Fernando Mendoza, a former Indiana Hoosiers star and standout at Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, is widely expected to be selected first overall by the Las Vegas Raiders following a Heisman Trophy-winning, national championship season.

The 22-year-old quarterback has remained in South Florida in recent days and is expected to celebrate the moment with family in Coral Gables rather than attend the draft in person.

Police have blocked off a portion of the street for a private party that soon will be filled with celebration.

Attention is also on the Miami Hurricanes, who could have as many as three — or even four — players taken in the first round.

Defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. and offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa are alos projected to be taken in the first round, while EDGE Akheem Mesidor and defensive back Keionte Scott could also hear their names called later in the round.

Meanwhile, the Miami Dolphins enter the night with two first-round picks, Nos. 11 and 30, giving new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley an opportunity to add immediate impact players.

Miami has seven picks in the Top 100 of the draft as of Thursday afternoon.

Miami could look to bolster its roster with local talent, depending on how the board falls.

The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m.

Smalley and Springers matched the tournament record with a 58.

Shane Lowry and Brooks Koepka, who comprise the most accomplished team at the par-72 TPC Louisiana this week, shot a 66 to leave them outside the top 40 and in danger of missing the cut — unless they can make a strong push Friday in alternate-shot play.

The format returns to better ball Saturday, and back to alternate shot Sunday.

Davis Thompson and Austin Eckroat were a shot behind after a round in which they followed Eckroat's eagle on the par-5 seventh with eight straight birdies.

Two teams were tied for third at 60: Sam Stevens and Zach Bouchou, along with Eric Cole and Hank Lebioda. Billy Horschel — the only player to win the Zurich in both single-play and team formats — was again in the hunt when after he and Tom Hoge shot a 61 to put them in a seven-way tie for fifth.

Aaron Rai and Sahith Theegala each made eagles — Rai by spinning in a 106-yard approach shot on the par-4 13th — and posted a 62.

Smalley, who has never won on the PGA Tour, made a 19-foot eagle put on the par-5 second hold after sinking a 16 1/2-footer to bridie No. 1. His tee shot on No. 3 landed within 7 feet to set up another birdie to put his team at 4 under.

The pair of 29-year-old Americans then combined to birdie 10 of their final 14 holes. Springer, also seeking a maiden tour triumph, accounted for the final four birdies, highlighted by his 36-foot putt on the par-3 17th.

A large gallery gathered at the first hole to watch the Fitzpatricks tee off in the same group with Lowry and Koepka on a sunny, breezy, 80-degree afternoon.

Koepka — in his first season back on the PGA Tour after four years with LIV Golf — entered the week needing a good showing to earn his first exemption for a signature event, the next of which takes place next week at Trump National Doral in Miami.

Lowry carried their team early, with birdies on five of the first eight holes. Koepka finally pitched in with a 31 1/2-foot birdie putt on 10, but the pair did not better that par the rest of the way.

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

The Lakers made the designation on their high-scoring guard Thursday while the team flew to Houston. Los Angeles has a surprising 2-0 series lead heading into Game 3 on Friday night despite playing without Luka Doncic and Reaves, its top two scorers.

Reaves hasn't played since he strained his oblique muscles and Doncic strained his hamstring in a game at Oklahoma City on April 2, but Reaves returned to on-court basketball activities over the past few days. Before the Lakers' flight, coach JJ Redick said he had no update on the schedule for his injured starters' return to play.

Reaves averaged 23.3 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds during an impressive regular season for the Lakers, although he played in only 51 games due to two lengthy injury absences. In his fifth season with Los Angeles, the former undrafted free agent cemented his status as a prolific secondary scorer and dependable offensive facilitator while the Lakers won 53 games and the Pacific Division.

But Reaves and NBA scoring champion Doncic were both injured during the Lakers' blowout loss to the Thunder three weeks ago.

Doncic is still out for Game 3, but Redick said earlier this week that the Slovenian superstar is expected to begin initial on-court work soon. The Lakers haven’t publicly speculated on the date of either guard’s return.

After losing three straight games following the injuries, the Lakers have regrouped and won five in a row. Los Angeles stunned the NBA by claiming the first two games of its first-round series at home over the Rockets, who were perceived as the strong favorites in the series due to the Lakers' injury problems.

Although 41-year-old LeBron James is leading the way, Luke Kennard and Marcus Smart also have stepped up impressively in the absence of the Lakers' starting backcourt. Kennard scored 27 points in Game 1 and 23 in Game 2, and Smart scored 25 points with five 3-pointers in Game 2 while leading Los Angeles' impressive defensive effort against Kevin Durant, who managed only three points after halftime.

Reaves will be eligible for a big new contract this summer if he declines his option for next season, as expected. Both Reaves and team officials have said they believe the guard will remain with the Lakers, his favorite team since childhood.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

During a Thursday event announcing a deal with drugmaker Regeneron to lower the cost of its pharmaceutical products, Trump defended his past claims that prices on prescription medications had been cut by well over 100% — something that is mathematically impossible without manufacturers dropping prices to zero and then presumably paying consumers to use their product.

Trump acknowledged having boasted that his efforts to lower drug prices had reduced what consumers pay by “500%, 600%.” But he added, “We also sometimes say 50%, 60%” and called it a "different kind of calculation" that could go up to "70, 80 and 90%."

“People understand that better,” Trump said. “But they're two ways of calculating” and “either way, it doesn't make any difference.”

There could indeed be two ways of calculating such things — but the difference is very important. One is correct. The other is nonmathematical.

It was one of several times Trump used his own — but incorrect — math during the drug pricing event. He claimed the 7 1/2-week-and-still-going Iran war actually fell within the four- to six-week timeline he predicted early on. The president also brought up the crowd size for his 2017 inauguration — a subject that led onetime top Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway to unwittingly make the phrase “ alternative facts ” famous.

Trump’s incorrect take on percentages — something he has long repeated — came just after his health chief, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., brought up the issue on his own during the same Oval Office event Thursday.

Kennedy noted that he was reminded of his exchange the previous day with Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., at a congressional hearing when she said that claiming price cuts exceeding 100% might suggest “companies should be paying you to take their drugs.”

Kennedy said during the hearing that Trump “has a different way of calculating.”

On Thursday, Kennedy argued that drug manufacturers had raised prices on popular medications by more than 100% and that Trump was then cutting the price down substantially — meaning he was wiping out percentages of costs worth more than 100%.

“If the drug was $100, and it raised the price to $600, that would be a 600% rise,” Kennedy said. Then he continued, “And the president used that mathematical device.”

But no such device exists for the way Trump characterizes it — at least not when math is done correctly.

Something can increase in price by more than 100%. A product that increases from $1 to $2.10 has increased by 110%. But prices cannot be reduced by more than 100% without being pushed to a value of $0 — or reduced 100% of the full price — and then into negative territory, where consumers presumably would need to be paid for using a product.

In a subsequent question-and-answer session with reporters during the price announcement event, meanwhile, Trump offered another dash of fake math for how long the war in Iran, which began Feb. 28, had been going on.

Asked about the war having exceeding the four to six weeks he originally suggested it would last, Trump argued that he'd actually met his own timeline because Iran's military was “decimated” by then.

The U.S. and Iran agreed to a ceasefire this month, and Trump announced this week that he was extending it. But neither side says the war is over, and a conclusion that hasn't been achieved certainly didn't occur in the four to six weeks that have already elapsed.

Trump also brought up his 2017 inaugural crowd size issue on Thursday, when talking about renovations at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. He noted that Martin Luther King Jr. had drawn hundreds of thousands of people to the National Mall for his “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963 and claimed: “I had the same exact crowd. Maybe a little bit more,” arguing that pictures of both events backed him up.

“I actually had more people," Trump added. “But that’s OK.”

Commissioner Roberto J. Gonzalez, an attorney who was elected in 2024 to represent District 11, which includes parts of West Kendall, stood in opposition.

“West Kendall is already burdened with congestion, and adding more without a clear, realistic mitigation plan is not responsible,” Gonzalez wrote in a statement released on X after the vote.

The redevelopment project has been at the center of a long and tedious fight between a group of residents trying to protect their neighborhood’s quality of life and an influential group of investors.

“I have been advocating for seven years now,” Amanda Prieto, the leader of Save Calusa, a nonprofit grassroots residents’ organization, told commissioners during the meeting on Thursday.

The Calusa Country Club, at 9400 SW 130th Ave., opened in 1968 with a legally-binding land covenant that banned redevelopment until 2067.

“This is designated parks and rec land that was intended to be preserved for 100 years,” Prieto told commissioners during the meeting.

Facundo Bacardi, of the family-owned spirits company founded in Cuba, purchased the 169-acre golf club in 2003 and closed it in 2011. Commissioners lifted the covenant in 2020.

In 2021, Bacardi sold the golf course to Sunrise-based GL Homes for $32 million, and commissioners voted to rezone it in favor of the redevelopment’s vision of a community of single-family homes.

“In 2021, the commission passed it, this was a reconsideration of that,” Richard Norwalk, a senior vice president at GL Homes, said about the commissioners’ vote on Thursday.

Prieto filed a lawsuit against the county to invalidate the 2021 rezoning vote. The Florida Supreme Court sided with Prieto, who had claimed the county had failed to notify residents about the hearing.

“I am proud of my community,” Prieto said about Save Calusa’s efforts to protect the golf course. “We made tremendous progress over the last seven years.”

After the court’s ruling, Norwalk went back before the commission and had the application reheard.

“Notice wasn’t done correctly, so we are glad that once again they saw their way to approving this community and providing more housing for Miami-Dade,” Norwalk said after the commissioner’s zoning vote.

The developers’ proposals have ranged from 1,300 houses to the most recent 524, which makes up three units per acre.

Aside from traffic, Prieto and the Save Calusa members have also raised concerns about a loss of green space and impacts to local wildlife, including a bird rookery.

Wildlife expert Ron Magill sided with Save Calusa over concerns about bonneted bats and tricolored herons. The developer hired environmental consultants.

There were some concessions. The developer also committed to working with the Tropical Audubon Society to protect the rookery.

“The revised plan expands the lake,” Norwalk told commissioners during the meeting.

The development is within Commissioner Raquel A. Regalado’s District 7.

“I am very happy with the agreement with Audubon, and I think that a lot of the concessions that have been made make this a very different and much better application,” Regalado said during the meeting before moving the item.

Commissioner Oliver G. Gilbert seconded the item with Kendall Associates I, 9800 Calusa Club Drive, and Home at 9810 as the applicants.

Prieto said she was disappointed that she couldn’t agree with the developer on density, and that despite this, eight commissioners bent to the will of the developer.

“We got some rookery protections. I think our voices were heard, but ultimately, this decision, and their legacy, will lie on the shoulders of the commissioners that voted today,” Prieto said.

Related document: County staff recommendations summary (553 pages)

THE 8-5 VOTE

Eight who voted to pass it: Gilbert, Regalado, and Commissioners Keon Hardemon, Vicki L. Lopez, Natalie Milian Orbis, Marleine Bastien, Juan Carlos “JC” Bermudez, and Kionne L. McGhee

Five who voted against it: Gonzalez, and Commissioners René Garcia, Danielle Cohen Higgins, Anthony Rodriguez, and Micky Steinberg.

Watch the meeting

Related stories

• Kendall’s Calusa development proposal postponed after community concerns
• Florida Supreme Court hands victory to Calusa homeowners
• Worried residents hope Miami-Dade County mayor can save Calusa
• New drone video of construction on Calusa golf site causes concern among residents

Related social media

Statement on the Calusa Development Application… pic.twitter.com/BpEuNnx4x7

— Commissioner Roberto J. Gonzalez (@RobJGonzalezFL) April 23, 2026

Trump also announced that a ceasefire in Lebanon would be extended by three weeks.

His post on social media about the small boats came shortly after the U.S. military seized another tanker associated with the smuggling of Iranian oil, ratcheting up a standoff with Tehran over the strait through which 20% of all crude oil and natural gas traded passes.

“I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat, small boats though they may be, ... putting mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump posted, adding that U.S. minesweepers “are clearing the Strait right now.”

“I am hereby ordering that activity to continue, but at a tripled up level!” he added.

The decision to extend a pause in fighting between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon came during a meeting at the White House between representatives from Israel and Lebanon.

Meanwhile, it was still unclear when, or if, the U.S. and Iran would meet again in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, where mediators are trying to bring the countries together to reach a diplomatic deal ending that conflict.

Negotiations initially planned this week have not happened. Iran insists it will not attend until the U.S. ends its blockade on Iranian ports and ships. America insists it will not take part until Tehran opens the strait to international traffic.

Pope Leo XIV, returning home from a trip to Africa, urged the U.S. and Iran to return to talks to end the war.

Footage shows US forces on deck of tanker

The Defense Department released video footage earlier Thursday of U.S. forces on the deck of the Guinea-flagged oil tanker Majestic X, which was seized in the Indian Ocean.

The footage emerged a day after Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard attacked three cargo ships in the strait, capturing two of them, in an assault that raised new concerns about the safety of shipping through the waterway.

The powerful head of Iran’s judiciary, Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei, said three “violating ships” in the strait were “subject to enforcement” Wednesday.

“The show of strength by the armed forces of Islamic Iran in the Strait of Hormuz is a source of pride,” he wrote Thursday on X, claiming the Americans “lack the courage” to approach the strait.

Ship-tracking data showed the Majestic X in the Indian Ocean between Sri Lanka and Indonesia, roughly the same location as the oil tanker Tifani, seized earlier by American forces. It had been bound for Zhoushan, China.

Majestic X previously was named Phonix and had been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2024 for smuggling Iranian crude oil in contravention of U.S. sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

There was no immediate response from Iran about the seizure.

Trump claims leadership rift in Iran

Trump this week extended a ceasefire to give the Iranian leadership more time to come up with a “unified proposal” on ending the war, while maintaining an American blockade of Iranian ports.

In a post Thursday, Trump claimed a leadership rift between moderates and hard-liners was confounding Iran. “Iran is having a very hard time figuring out who their leader is! They just don’t know!” Trump said.

Trump has repeatedly said during the ceasefire that began April 8 that his team is dealing with Iranian officials who want to make a deal, while acknowledging that his decision to kill several top leaders has come with complications.

Iran’s president and its parliament speaker posted statements on social media declaring the country has no hard-liners or moderates.

“We are all Iranians and revolutionaries,” they said.

A spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry said Trump’s claim of a leadership rift was a “deflection.” Other Iranian officials said on social media that the country was united.

Trump, while speaking to reporters at the White House, pushed back against questions about the conflict exceeding the four-to-six-week timeline that he and aides previously set for the war.

“I don’t want to rush myself,” Trump said, adding that the U.S. “took the country out” militarily in the first four weeks.

“Now all we’re doing is sitting back and seeing what deal” can be made. ”And if they don’t want to make a deal, then I’ll finish it up militarily,” Trump said.

He said he would not use a nuclear weapon against Iran.

In other developments, three aircraft carriers were in the region after the USS George H.W. Bush arrived in the Indian Ocean. One carrier was in the Arabian Sea and another was in the Red Sea, military officials said.

Second round of talks between Lebanon and Israel

Trump said a second round of talks between Israel and Lebanon in Washington “went very well” after they resulted in a ceasefire extension for Israel and the Hezbollah militant group.

“The United States is going to work with Lebanon in order to help it protect itself from Hezbollah,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

The latest war between Israel and Hezbollah started after Israel and the U.S. launched attacks on Iran and the Tehran-backed militants fired rockets into northern Israel.

However, in a new show of the fragility of the ceasefire that first took effect for a 10-day period starting Friday, Hezbollah said it attacked Israeli positions in southern Lebanon, targeting Israeli soldiers in the village of Taybeh.

Later, the Israeli military said its air defenses intercepted rocket fire from Lebanon, and Hezbollah said it fired at the town of Shtula in response to Israeli attacks on the Lebanese village of Yater.

Each side has accused the other of breaching the truce.

Also on Thursday, Iran’s exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi was splattered with red liquid as he left a building after a news conference in Berlin. The person believed responsible was detained by police.

Pahlavi criticized the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, arguing the agreement assumes the Iranian government’s behavior will change and “you’re going to deal with people who all of a sudden have become pragmatists.”

Pahlavi, 65, has been in exile for nearly 50 years. His father, Iran’s shah, was so widely hated that millions took to the streets in 1979, forcing him from power. Nevertheless, Pahlavi is trying to position himself as a player in his country’s future.

Threats to shipping persist

Since the Feb. 28 start of the war between Iran, Israel and the United States, over 30 ships have come under attack in the waters of the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman.

The threat of attack, rising insurance premiums and other fears have stopped traffic from moving through the strait. Iran’s ability to restrict traffic through the strait, which leads from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean, has proved a major strategic advantage.

Jakob Larsen, the head of maritime security for BIMCO, the largest international association representing shipowners, said in a note Thursday that most shipping companies need a stable ceasefire and assurances from both sides of the conflict that the strait is safe for transit.

The threat of mines, he wrote, was a “particular concern” if traffic might return to normal levels one day.

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Madhani reported from Washington, and Keaten reported from Geneva.

In a Thursday memo, Michael Kratsios, the president's chief science and technology adviser, accused foreign entities “principally based in China” of engaging in deliberate, industrial-scale campaigns to “distill,” or extract capabilities from, leading AI systems made in the U.S. and “exploiting American expertise and innovation.”

The administration, Kratsios wrote, will work with American AI companies to identify such activities, build defenses and find ways to punish offenders.

The memo arrives at a time when China is challenging U.S. dominance in artificial intelligence, an area where the White House says the U.S. must prevail to set global standards and reap economic and military benefits. But the U.S.-China gap in performance of top AI models has “effectively closed,” according to a recent report from Stanford University's Institute for Human-Centered AI.

China's embassy in Washington said it opposed “the unjustified suppression of Chinese companies by the U.S.”

“China has always been committed to promoting scientific and technological progress through cooperation and healthy competition. China attaches great importance to the protection of intellectual property rights,” said Liu Pengyu, the embassy spokesperson.

Kratsios' memo also came the same week that the House Foreign Affairs Committee offered unanimous, bipartisan support for a bill to set up a process to identify foreign actors that extract “key technical features” of closed-source, U.S.-owned AI models and to punish them with measures including sanctions.

“Model extraction attacks are the latest frontier of Chinese economic coercion and theft of U.S. intellectual property,” said Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Mich., who sponsored the bill. “American AI models are demonstrating transformative cyber capabilities, and it is critical we prevent China from stealing these technological advancements.”

Last year, the Chinese start-up DeepSeek rattled U.S. markets when it released a large language model that could compete with U.S. AI giants but at a fraction of the cost.

David Sacks, then serving as President Donald Trump's AI and crypto adviser, suggested that DeepSeek copied U.S. models. “There’s substantial evidence that what DeepSeek did here is they distilled the knowledge out of OpenAI’s models,” Sacks said then.

In a February letter to U.S. lawmakers, OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, made similar allegations and said China should not be allowed to advance “autocratic AI” by “appropriating and repackaging American innovation.”

Anthropic, the maker of the Claude chatbot, in February accused DeepSeek and two other China-based AI laboratories of engaging in campaigns to “illicitly extract Claude’s capabilities to improve their own models” using the distillation technique that “involves training a less capable model on the outputs of a stronger one.”

Anthropic said distillation can be a legitimate way to train AI systems but it's a problem when competitors “use it to acquire powerful capabilities from other labs in a fraction of the time, and at a fraction of the cost, that it would take to develop them independently.”

But it can go both ways. San Francisco-based startup Anysphere, maker of the popular coding tool Cursor, recently acknowledged that its latest product was based on an open-source model made by Chinese company Moonshot AI, maker of the chatbot Kimi.

Kyle Chan, a fellow at the Washington-based think tank The Brookings Institution and an expert on China's technology development, said it will be like “looking for needles in an enormous haystack” to separate unauthorized distillation from the vast volume of legitimate requests for data. But information sharing and coordination among U.S. AI labs could help, and the federal government can play an important role in facilitating anti-distillation efforts across labs, Chan said.

It's hard to assess how far the House bill can go, but Chan said Trump may not want to rock the boat with Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of a planned mid-May state visit to Beijing.

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AP Technology Writer Matt O'Brien contributed to this report from Providence, Rhode Island.

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The extension is for a proposed 20-year operating agreement for the annual downtown event.

Commissioners passed the item after amending it to examine the 20-year extension at five-year intervals.

“Originally the proposal was for two 10-year periods, so it was amended for four five years with a check-in every five years” said Ultra Chief of Security Ray Martinez. “So we have to present a report to the commission so they have to take action. Remember it is a revocable license so they are able to do it as a commission as a whole.”

The Downtown Neighbors Alliance pushed for the city to delay their vote so that residents have an opportunity to voice their concerns about continuing the partnership.

“Residents are not asking for the impossible, we are asking for a seat at the table,” said James Torres, president of the Downtown Neighbors Alliance. “A deferral is not only reasonable, it is necessary to set the right tone. If a 20-year deal is approved without engagement, what incentive will there be for Ultra to listen to residents afterward?”

Additionally, the DNA has filed a complaint against Ultra “related to its obligations under the existing settlement agreement.”

Local 10 News reached out to Ultra for comment, and their full statement can be read below:

Ultra will vigorously defend against the lawsuit filed by the Downtown Neighbors Alliance, Inc. (“DNA”).

Ultra has complied with all applicable requirements governing sound level, including those set forth in the Revocable License Agreement (“RLA”) with the Bayfront Park Management Trust and applicable City of Miami ordinances. The event has operated within the parameters established by the City, supported by continuous monitoring and real-time coordination.

Ultra has also participated in multiple community meetings, including those requested by neighborhood associations and those convened at the direction of City Commissioners, consistent with its longstanding practice of community engagement.

 For nearly three decades, Ultra has operated in the City of Miami in partnership with the City and other stakeholders, setting the standard for responsible, large-scale event production. Ultra is a signature event that has become synonymous with Miami’s culture.

Ultra’s efforts to mitigate impacts are community-wide, reflecting a commitment to all Downtown stakeholders. That approach has earned the support of the Miami DDA, the Bayfront Park Management Trust, and other significant stakeholders.

Ultra looks forward to continuing its long-standing parentship with the City and the Bayfront Park Management Trust.

Ultra will continue to act as a responsible neighbor, independent of any formal agreement or arrangement with the DNA or any other resident group, and irrespective of this lawsuit.

Ultra Music Festival

ADDITIONAL LINKS

City commission meeting agenda

Agenda summary and legislation

Pickens has yet to sign the one-year, fully guaranteed contract but intends to put the issue to rest as the Cowboys go into the NFL draft, the people told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the signing isn't official.

The move by Pickens comes a day after executive vice president of personnel Stephen Jones said the Cowboys planned for Pickens to play on the tag this season. The sides would have had until July 15 to try to reach agreement on a long-term deal.

By signing the agreement, Pickens can be fined for not showing up at mandatory minicamp in June or for training camp in July. But getting under contract allows the 25-year-old to participate in the offseason program, which starts Monday.

Pickens, acquired last offseason in a trade with Pittsburgh, had career highs in catches (93), yards receiving (1,429) and touchdowns (nine) for one of the best offenses in the NFL last season. Dallas had one of the worst defenses in the league and finished 7-9-1, missing the playoffs for the second year in a row.

The 2022 second-round pick out of Georgia thrived alongside CeeDee Lamb, who is going into the second year of a $136 million, four-year contract that currently ranks him third among NFL receivers with an average annual value of $34 million.

There is incentive for Pickens to take the guaranteed money under the tag because it's a huge payday compared to the total earnings of $6.8 million on his four-year rookie deal.

Quarterback Dak Prescott and defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence played a season under the franchise tag within the past eight years for Dallas before reaching long-term deals. Tight end Dalton Schultz and running back Tony Pollard also played under the tag before leaving in free agency the next year.

Jones said the “newness” of Pickens' tenure with the Cowboys was a factor in the decision to stick with a one-year deal for now and not a longer contract.

Pickens’ talent was on display during three seasons with the Steelers, but so were enough instances of petulant or indifferent behavior for then-coach Mike Tomlin to question his maturity.

Brian Schottenheimer never took issue with Pickens publicly in his first season as a head coach after a quarter-century as an NFL assistant. But Pickens and Lamb were benched for the first series in Las Vegas after missing curfew following a casino visit the night before the game.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

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On Thursday, Broward County prosecutors filed a third-degree felony case with 41 charges against Jamar Clair, a convicted felon who was born in Fort Lauderdale and lives in Oakland Park, records show.

Clair is “believed to be the owner of 9 adult pitbull and pitbull mix dogs, 14 pitbull puppies/dogs estimated to be between 3-4 weeks old,” a deputy wrote, according to an arrest report in the case.

Clair refused to appear in bond court on Thursday morning. Broward County Circuit Judge Corey B. Friedman, who was presiding, allowed his relatives to speak during the bond court hearing.

“My dad is a caring and supportive person ... Those were not his dogs, and I do not believe that he harmed any animals,” Clair’s daughter Jamilia Clair told Friedman in court.

Relatives said Clair was doing the dogs’ owner a favor. A prosecutor told Friedman during the hearing that “once someone accepts the responsibility of caring for animals, it is their responsibility whether they were the original dog owner or not.”

Friedman said BSO deputies reported Clair refused to cooperate during the investigation, and he ordered him to stay away from animals.

“This was going on for months involving many different dogs,” the prosecutor told Friedman.

Deputies reported there was a “strong odor of animal feces” inside Clair’s house and “piles of dog feces” in the yard, according to the deputy’s arrest report.

“Some of the dogs you could see their rib cage. One of the pit-bull dogs had a severe eye infection,” a deputy wrote, according to the report.

A deputy reported there were 13 puppies inside a medium-sized cage.

“The cage had no water, and fresh feces scattered throughout,” the deputy wrote. “The inside was so small the puppies were having to climb over each other.”

Deputies reported visiting the house and returning the next day to learn that someone had removed 14 puppies and three adult dogs, and there were still four adult dogs in the backyard and two adult dogs inside.

“There was still evidence of ongoing abuse and neglect,” a deputy wrote, according to the arrest report.

Clair was the subject of animal control complaints in the last few years. On July 28, 2025, Broward County’s Animal Care Division issued Clair a citation for cruelty to animals in Fort Lauderdale, according to court records. The case remained open on Thursday.

“A dog was tethered on a short chain, kept in a crate outside, sores on the ears, and flies all over him,” a deputy wrote about a visit to the house in 2025, according to a deputy’s report.

In 2024, the Broward County Animal Care removed a puppy and three adult dogs from Clair’s home that were neglected, according to an arrest report.

The Florida Department of Corrections released Clair from prison on Oct. 17, 2020, after he was convicted of a robbery in Broward County and sentenced to six years and eight months in prison, records show.

On Thursday evening, Clair was at the Broward County Main Jail in Fort Lauderdale.

Clair is facing 18 counts of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, a third-degree felony.

Clair is also facing 23 counts of tormenting, depriving of sustenance, mutilating, or killing an animal, a first-degree misdemeanor.

Clair’s bond was $75,500. Broward County Circuit Judge Francis I. Viamontes was set to preside over the case.

Watch the bond court hearing

Local 10 News Assignment Editor Carson Merlo contributed to this report.

Deputies later identified the pair involved.

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Investigators with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said the shooting happened in a home near Southwest 168th Street and 92nd Avenue, where deputies were called to just after 4:45 p.m. in reference to a reported domestic dispute.

They said they took David Ronald McPeck, 75, into custody outside of the home after he fatally shot his 47-year-old son, David Dylan McPeck.

Deputies said Thursday afternoon that they later released the elder McPeck “and at this time no formal charges have been filed.”

Deputies said they’ve responded to the house before for mental health calls.

A woman who identified herself as David Dylan McPeck’s sister told Local 10 News that her family has “seen this coming for years.“

“We’ve made plenty of phone calls, trying to get help,” she said.

She returned to the family home Thursday morning.

“I’m sorry that it has come to this. I don’t know what else to say,” the woman said. “This is so tragic that it ended this way. I can’t even begin to tell you what this is doing to my family.”

Deputies still haven’t elaborated on exactly what led up to Wednesday’s shooting.

“(I’m) very shocked, because Mr. McPeck is very nice,” neighbor Victoria Delgado said. “They care a lot about the house and with us, we talk.”

Delgado said she last saw MDSO deputies at the home months ago. She said she would frequently see the younger McPeck outside, yelling.

“I know they have kind of some problem, because the day before yesterday, he was running and screaming, very high,” she said.

Records show that in a 2021 incident, the younger McPeck was accused of attacking his father and violating a restraining order.

Deputies said the investigation into the shooting continued Thursday afternoon.

Gannon Ken Van Dyke was part of the operation to capture Maduro in January and used his access to classified information to make money on the prediction market site Polymarket, the federal prosecutor’s office in New York said.

He has been charged with unlawful use of confidential government information for personal gain, theft of nonpublic government information, commodities fraud, wire fraud, and making an unlawful monetary transaction. He could face years in prison.

Van Dyke, 38, was involved in the planning and execution of capturing Maduro for about a month beginning Dec. 8, 2025, according to the federal prosecutor’s office. He signed nondisclosure agreements promising to not divulge “any classified or sensitive information” related to the operations, the office said.

Officials allege that Van Dyke created a Polymarket account toward the end of December and made about 13 bets that took the “Yes” position on such wagers as U.S. Forces being in Venezuela and Maduro being out by Jan. 31, 2026.

FBI Director Kash Patel said the announcement makes it clear that no one is above the law.

“Any clearance holders thinking of cashing in their access and knowledge for personal gain will be held accountable,” he said in a statement.

Officials allege that shortly after the operation, Van Dyke put most of the funds he won in a foreign cryptocurrency vault and then into a new brokerage account. He also asked Polymarket to delete his account, saying he had lost access to his email associated with the account, according to the federal prosecutor’s office.

Van Dyke was a senior enlisted soldier who was part of the special forces community and stationed at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, North Carolina, according to the indictment, but it offers little other details about his military service.

However, the document says that Van Dyke was photographed following the raid on the deck of a ship “wearing U.S. military fatigues, and carrying a rifle, standing alongside three other individuals wearing U.S. military fatigues.

The Pentagon referred questions on the case to the Army and the Department of Justice. US Special Operations Command did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Van Dyke joined the Army in 2008 and, in 2023, was promoted to the rank of Master Sergeant, the second-highest enlisted rank in the Army, according to the indictment.

Earlier this month, The Associated Press reported that a group of new accounts on Polymarket made highly specific, well-timed bets on whether the U.S. and Iran would reach a ceasefire on April 7, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits for these new customers. On the same day the AP published the report, the White House warned staff against using private information to trade on prediction markets.

Many can be surgically repaired, but for really large tears, there’s a minimally invasive way to get patients back in the game.

Fifty-year-old Jon Kikel is no weekend warrior. For him, physical activity happens seven days a week.

He played both high school and college hockey.

“I love playing hockey, it’s been a passion of mine since I was five years old,” he said. “I do that one or two times a week in a men’s league. I love to go to the gym, be outdoors, go to the beach.”

Last year, when Kikel experienced a painful rotator cuff injury after a bike accident, the result was devastating.

“After that, it got to the point that I could barely lift a plate and get it on a shelf,” he said. “I couldn’t go to the gym or play hockey. I knew I had to seek some help.”

Several doctors told Kikel that because the rotator cuff tear was so large, he would need a full shoulder replacement, an invasive surgery that would greatly limit his activity.

Then Kikel met Dr. Keith Hechtman with Baptist Health Orthopedic Care, and he had another option: a tuberoplasty.

“It gave him the option that he could still live the life you want to live without the restrictions or fear that he has a prosthetic there, something that is very delicate,” said Hechtman.

Since the bone touching bone is what causes the pain, in a tuberoplasty, the doctor actually reshapes the bone to improve function and reduce pain.

“We actually shave the ball, so that it doesn’t hit at the top,” said Hechtman. “It shaves the edge here so it doesn’t stick up.”

After surgery, Kikel did physical therapy and was back on the ice about three months later.

“I’d say I’m about 90%,” he said. “I still have some rebuilding to other parts of my shoulder, but I’m extremely happy and I feel very blessed that I found this solution.”

The tuberoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that is done arthroscopically, where a tiny camera and shaving device is inserted through small buttonhole sized incisions.

Kikel went home the very same day he had the surgery.

The 4-year-old named Appie was shot while responding to a burglary in Fort Lauderdale neighborhood of Lauderdale Manors. While running after the suspect, he was shot.

Fast forward to Thursday, where Appie was met with thunderous applause as he exited Blue Pearl Pet Hospital.

“Today, needless to say, is a powerful and emotional day for out department and community as we welcome home K-9 Appie,” said Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Bill Schultz.

Schultz said the K-9 was a hero.

“Appie represents the very best in law enforcement,” he said. “Courage, loyalty, steadfast commitment to protect protecting others at great personal risk.”

On Saturday, Appie was rushed to an emergency veterinary clinic after being shot in the shoulder while chasing down a suspect.

“There was some blood loss and he did have some life-threatening changes to his heart rhythm,” said veterinarian Dr. Sagen Woolery. “The team did an amazing job at keeping him safe. He underwent surgery to repair a fractured arm. “

Despite the lengthy five-hour surgery, the bone was repaired almost back to perfect, medical staff says.

“We’re hopeful that Appie is going to make a full recovery,” said Woolery. “We hopeful he’ll be able to go back to work when this time is done.”

While recovering, Appie received plenty of love from his partner, Officer Guzman.

Meanwhile, suspect Christian Bouie is facing several charges, including possible federal charges, in connection to the shooting that injured Appie.

“Most people look at them as dogs, but he’s one of us,” said Fort Lauderdale Police Sgt. Don Geiger. “He’s an officer with us. He’s a partner.”

Medical officials believe Appie will be recovering for around three-to-four months.

Meanwhile, PETA sent the department a letter urging Appie to be retired.

PETA said it wants FLPD to “replace K-9s with state-of-the-art policing technology, such as tactical robots, drones, and/or portable mass spectrometers.”

Schultz was asked about PETA’s letter.

“It’s totally up to the handler,” he said. “Appie, his recovery, his ability to return to full duty, we do give the option. Regarding the entire program, our animal partners are extremely important to our agency.”

En una ceremonia en el palacio presidencial donde no hubo presencia de la prensa, Balcazar juramentó a Carlos Pareja, un diplomático de carrera que fue embajador en Estados Unidos entre 2016 y 2018, que abarcó parte de los gobiernos de los presidentes Barack Obama y la primera gestión de Donald Trump.

La víspera, el mandatario nombró en Defensa a Amadeo Flores, un abogado cercano al partido Fuerza Popular, que lidera la candidata Keiko Fujimori. También ha sido asesor de la legisladora fujimorista Rosangela Barbarán y de una comisión parlamentaria dirigida por Fuerza Popular en 2018.

El miércoles, Hugo de Zela renunció al cargo de canciller, mientras Carlos Díaz al ministerio de Defensa. Ambos discreparon con Balcázar quien buscaba aplazar para el siguiente gobierno la decisión de comprar 24 aviones F-16. Los renunciantes revelaron que militares firmaron la compra de las aeronaves el lunes, sin obedecer los pedidos de Balcázar.

Balcázar había declarado a radios locales que al ser presidente interino no tenía “legitimidad” para endeudar a la próxima gestión, que asumirá a fines de julio, por 3.500 millones de dólares.

Lockheed Martin dijo el jueves en un comunicado que con la compra “Perú se une a otras 29 naciones y a una flota mundial de más de 2.800 F-16 que operan actualmente". El embajador de Estados Unidos en Perú Bernie Navarro indicó a la radio local Exitosa que las primeras unidades de la flota de F-16 será entregada en 2029.

En 2024, durante la gestión de la impopular presidenta Dina Boluarte (2022-2025), se anunció que Perú había decidido destinar 3.500 millones de dólares a la compra de los aviones de combate por un “endeudamiento interno” de 2.000 millones de dólares en 2025 y 1.500 millones de dólares en 2026. Entre las compañías que presentaron ofertas estaban, además de Lockheed Martin, la sueca Saab y la francesa Dassault Aviation.

Las compras precedentes de aviones de caza en la década de 1980 y 1990 estuvieron manchadas por escándalos de corrupción por los que fueron condenados varios funcionarios y jefes militares.

Messi, who opened the scoring when he converted a penalty kick in the 13th minute, scored the go-ahead goal in 79th minute. After a Colorado turnover near midfield, Messi cut back near the right corner of the penalty box and flicked a rising shot that split a pair of defenders and slipped inside the back post.

Messi has seven goal this season, tied with Sam Surridge and Petar Musa for most in MLS.

Miami (4-1-3) hasn’t lost since a season-opening 3-0 defeat to Los Angeles FC.

Yannick Bright was shown a straight red car in the 87th minute and Miami played a man down the rest of the way.

The Rapids (4-4-0) had won back-to-back games and three of their last four

Bright drew a penalty conceded by Josh Atencio and Messi converted from the spot to open the scoring.

Mateo Silvetti, along the right end line, played an arcing cross to the back post where Berterame slammed home a header to make it 2-0 in the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time.

Bertarame made his first career start and scored his first goal in MLS last time out in a 2-2 tie with the New York Red Bulls.

Rafael Navarro scored in the 58th minute for the Rapids. The 26-year-old forward scored two goals in a 6-2 win over Houston last time out and has six goals this season.

Darren Yapi subbed on for Hamzat Ojediran and, moments later, scored on the counter-attack to make it 2-2 in the 62nd minute.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer

It’s previously been blocked by Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.

Company representatives said their development project, located in west Miami-Dade near Northwest 137th Avenue and the end of the Dolphin Expressway, will bring much-needed jobs.

Company owner Chris Kelly added the county has allowed another private business to develop a property right next to the proposed location of their development project.

“The county commission three years ago passed the Tamiami 137, which is a truck terminal with plans show a terminal with parking for trucks, and so we kind of followed that application because it’s pretty much right next door to ours,” Kelly said.

Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins pushed back on that comparison.

“So if it’s good for the goose, it’s good for the gander? He is operating under logic that’s rather linear,” Cohen Higgins said. “That application was different. It’s not the exact same application. The difference with that truck parking application is that we really did at that time have a true need for legal truck parking in our community.

“Our residents were experiencing heavy truck parking that was unauthorized and that in and of itself created extraordinary environmental damage, not to mention disruption in traffic and quality of life.”

While some commissioners raised concerns over the proposal, others expressed support, including Commissioner JC Bermudez.

“I don’t think there’s any problem with this project,” Bermudez said.

Some commissioners expressed concern about the process this application took to reach County Hall — via text amendment — which, in effect, moves the county’s Urban Development Boundary designed to prevent urban sprawl and protect natural resources, including the county’s aquifer, in an area flanked by “two environmental extraordinary precious resources,” Cohen Higgins said — the Everglades and Biscayne Bay.

“We need to put a stop to this,” Cohen Higgins said. “And my concern regarding precedent is that if we continue to have applications that come in the form of text amendments, as opposed to applications to move the Urban Development Boundary, we’re going to get a plethora of them. And our Urban Development Boundary is going to cease to exist.”

Levine Cava, in vetoing the amendment, said the project should have been a UDB proposal, which would have required more data and specifics.

The item was deferred to the full board meeting on May 5.

“The applicant would need nine votes, as opposed to the general majority votes, as long as the mayor vetoes,” Bermudez said. “If the mayor vetoes, you need a supermajority to override the veto. So that’s the real issue at hand.

“But in the end, we need to make a decision and we need to move on.”

According to the Hold the Line Coalition, the project will remove “247 acres of land available for agriculture” located “within the North Trail Basin and contains Wetlands of Regional Significance.”

It’s also within “the core foraging area of the federally threatened wood stork, within consultation area for the endangered Florida bonneted bat as well as just east of the (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) Florida Panther Focus Area,” according to the group.

Commissioner Raquel Regalado pitched a different path forward to protecting the wetlands and mitigating disruptions to the county’s aquifer.

“My request at the last meeting (was) to create a habitat with a corridor to protect the wetlands, to increase the covenant, and to give ownership of the wetlands to Miami-Dade County is the path forward,” she added. “We cannot prevent property owners from wanting to do things on their property, even if that is outside the UDB, including building homes. They can do certain things.

“We need to preserve our wetlands for our aquifer. And that I agree with the mayor on. We just disagree on how we get there.”

That comes as an NCAA panel has discussed the revamp that would give athletes five years of eligibility with the clock starting when an athlete turns 19 or graduates from high school, whichever is earliest.

“Coach perspective is vital to any legislative reform – on matters of eligibility that immediately impact roster management, the NABC views collaboration and communication with coaches as non-negotiable," Robinson said in Thursday's statement. "As the NCAA expedites this review, the NABC urges that all stakeholders be brought to the table – coaches included – to identify potential unintended consequences and to ensure these generational changes are structured correctly.”

The rule would offer limited exceptions, such as for injuries in what has been a common reason for athletes to ask for and receive extra eligibility.

NCAA president Charlie Baker talked at the men's Final Four in Indianapolis earlier this month, pointing to the need to build a simpler eligibility process.

He backed the plan weeks later in a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, saying: "It became pretty clear, pretty quickly, that a lot of people really appreciated the simplicity of (the concept) and the fact that it creates kind of a clock.”

___

AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

The entire department has been shut down since mid-February as Democrats have demanded policy changes in the wake of fatal shootings of two protesters by federal agents. Republicans are now trying to fund the two immigration enforcement agencies through the complicated, time-consuming process called budget reconciliation, a maneuver that they also used to pass President Donald Trump’s package of tax and spending cuts last year with no Democratic votes.

“We have a multistep process ahead of us, but at the end Republicans will have helped ensure that America’s borders are secure and prevented Democrats from defunding these important agencies,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D.

The budget process only requires a simple majority in the Senate, bypassing filibuster rules that require Republicans to find 60 votes on most bills when they only hold 53 seats. But it also comes with increased scrutiny from the Senate parliamentarian and a long, open-ended series of amendment votes at the beginning and the end of the process.

The Senate held the first series of votes through the night, starting Wednesday evening and into early Thursday morning, with Democrats proposing amendments to lower health care expenses and other costs in an effort to contrast with Republicans’ focus on Trump’s campaign of immigration enforcement.

“Instead of pumping hundreds of billions of dollars into ICE and Border Patrol, Republicans should be working with Democrats to lower out-of-pocket costs,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

The Senate adopted the final resolution 50-48, just past 3:30 a.m.

A lengthy effort to reopen Homeland Security

Once the House approves the framework and the Senate Parliamentarian approves it, the two chambers can then move to pass the measure.

The Senate has already voted on a bipartisan basis to reopen the rest of the department, but Republican leaders in the House say they won’t take that bill up until the Senate shows progress toward funding ICE and Border Patrol, as well.

The $70 billion budget resolution would fund the two agencies for three years, through the rest of Trump’s term. Thune and other GOP leaders say they hope to keep the bill narrowly focused on ICE and Border Patrol and get it to Trump’s desk in the coming weeks, along with the rest of Homeland Security Department funding that has already passed the Senate.

But that could prove difficult as many in the party see the budget bill as the last real chance this year to enact their priorities. Republicans in both the Senate and House have pushed to add other items, including money for farmers and Trump’s proof of citizenship voting bill, called the SAVE America Act.

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., briefly held up the vote series late Wednesday, frustrated that the bill would not include parts of the SAVE America Act or other legislation.

“This is the last train leaving the station,” Kennedy said, predicting they would not be able to pass any other major bills ahead of November’s midterm elections. But he withdrew his objections and allowed the voting to proceed.

Democrats say reform needed at ICE and Border Patrol after shootings

Democrats say any funding bill for the Homeland Security Department should place restraints on federal immigration authorities, including better identification for federal officers and more use of judicial warrants, among other asks.

After federal agents shot Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis in January, Trump agreed to a Democratic request that the Homeland Security bill be separated from a larger spending measure that became law. But bipartisan negotiations went nowhere, and the DHS funding lapsed with no agreement on changes to the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement tactics.

In March, the Senate passed the legislation by voice vote that would separate out ICE and Border Patrol and fund the rest of the department, including the Transportation Security Administration as security lines grew long at some airports. But Republicans in the House refused to consider it, saying they wouldn’t support any bill that didn’t include money for immigration enforcement.

Congress then left town for a two-week recess, leaving the issue unresolved. Trump has used executive orders to pay some department salaries in the meantime, but the future of those paychecks is uncertain.

Potential roadblocks in the House

During the recess, Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson announced that they would pursue a two-track approach — pass the Senate bill that includes most of the department’s funding through regular order and use the party-line bill to pass ICE and CBP funding.

Weeks later, though, Johnson has still not said when the House will take up the Senate’s legislation that would fund the rest of the department. And it is unclear if members of his GOP conference will unite behind the narrowed budget bill as some House Republicans have argued, like Sen. Kennedy, that they should add other priorities to the legislation.

Johnson said this week that the sequencing of the two bills is important. House lawmakers don’t want to see the rest of the department funded without ICE and Border Patrol, he said.

But Thune warned after the Senate vote that other parts of the Homeland Security Department may run out of money before they are able to finish the winding budget process and fund those two agencies. He said he hopes the adoption of the budget resolution is a signal to the House that “we’re going to be following through.”

“We’ll see what they can do with it,” Thune said. “And if they can’t, I guess we will go to the next plan.”

___

Associated Press writer Kevin Freking contributed to this report.

Carlos Ruiz Massieu told reporters after briefing the U.N. Security Council that staggered deployments from Chad and other countries are expected to continue in the coming months with all 5,500 members on the ground “between the fall and the end of the year.”

The United States and Panama proposed the new gang suppression force in early September 2025 to replace a Kenya-led multinational force plagued by a lack of funding. Its strength hovered around 1,000, rather than the desired 2,500. The U.N. Security Council authorized the 5,500 strong force on Sept. 30, with the new power to arrest gang members.

More than $200 million has been pledged by 13 U.N. Security Council member states, of which $59 million has been disbursed, according to a report released Thursday by the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti, known as BINUH. U.N. spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said Thursday that Qatar confirmed a pledge of $30 million to the trust fund for the force, with $10 million to be paid over three years.

‘Expectations remain high’

Jacques Christofides, the force’s special representative, told the U.N. Security Council meeting that the framework for how the mission will operate has been finalized, and that the multinational force is working with Haitian National Police to establish procedures for operations, detentions and other actions.

“Expectations remain high. Many view the GSF as a potential turning point,” he said, referring to the gang-suppression force.

More than 2,400 people were killed across Haiti between December and February, many of them suspected gang members as police operations intensify, according to a new report released Thursday.

The number represents a 23% increase in killings compared with the previous period, with anti-gang operations killing at least 158 civilians and injuring more than 100 others, according to the BINUH report.

Overall, more than 1,300 suspected gang members were killed and 140 firearms seized.

Ongoing gang violence has displaced a record more than 1.45 million people, more than half of them children.

Last year, more than 9,000 people were killed across Haiti, with the country now reporting a homicide rate of 76 per 100,000 inhabitants, one of the world’s highest, according to the report.

“The people of Haiti have endured far too much for far too long,” Christofides said. “The scale of violence and displacement are simply unacceptable.”

Gangs have grown in power since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021 at his private residence. Police say they control more than 70% of the capital and have expanded their activities, including looting, kidnapping, sexual assaults and rape, into the countryside. Haiti has not had a president since the assassination.

Christofides, a longtime U.N. expert on peace-building from South Africa, said efforts are continuing to broaden participation in the force and ensure it is equipped with the capabilities and expertise it needs. He said maritime and border support will be particularly important to help Haiti manage its ports and commercial entry points.

He stressed the importance of effective coordination with the United Nations — which will provide logistical and operational support to the force — the Haitian government, and the region, including the neighboring Dominican Republic.

Looming elections

Special envoy Ruiz Massieu told reporters the government's current idea is to have the first round of elections at the end of the year and the second round early next year, but he said that depends on improved security and freeing areas under gang control so candidates can campaign and Haitians can vote freely.

“We have reasons to be an optimist that the situation can improve in the short and medium term,” Ruiz Massieu said.

In a video posted Thursday, Haiti’s National Police said it was seizing territory once under gang control, including a large school that was severely damaged.

An official narrating the video asserted that a growing number of Haitians were returning to their communities after police cleared them of gangs.

“It’s been over six months since I last came to this area,” said one unidentified man who was videotaped by police. “We’re going to start cleaning to see if I can come back home.”

Meanwhile, Ruiz Massieu noted that the council of ministers have been meeting at Haiti’s National Palace in downtown Port-au-Prince, which has been largely controlled by gangs. He said the location of those meetings “is not only symbolic. It is also a powerful signal of the State’s gradual return.”

Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé said the transition government “remains fully committed to help Haiti emerge from this crisis" and noted that it plans to increase the number of police officers and soldiers.

“The state is taking up its rightful place again,” he said. “Haiti shall not perish.”

U.S. Deputy Ambassador Jennifer Locetta told the council that operations to fight back gangs have shown measurable but fragile progress.

“We are not measuring success by what international forces can achieve in Haiti,” she said. “We are measuring success by how quickly Haiti will no longer need them.”

___

Coto reported from Havana.

Fancy Johnson was last seen around 5 p.m. on March 20 in the 1400 block of Northwest 72nd Street, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators said she has not contacted her family since.

They said Fancy is 5 feet 2 inches tall, weighs about 110 pounds, and has brown eyes and black hair. She was last seen wearing a white shirt, white and black shorts, and white slides.

Authorities said she may be in need of services.

Anyone with information is urged to contact MDSO Deputy D. Guzman at 305-715-3300 or Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.

At Fire Station No. 5 -- the busiest in the city -- the problems are hard to miss. Built 50 years ago, the fire chief says it’s so outdated that modern fire trucks can barely fit inside. There are visible signs of decay throughout, and the air conditioning is out.

Staff brought in a portable unit, but that required a generator because the electrical panel is also outdated.

“The circuitry is so old they don’t make the parts anymore. We have to go online and find used parts,” Miami Fire Chief Robert Hevia said.

Conditions appear even worse at Fire Station No. 1. Built in 1964, the building has rust, mold and leaks.

Miami Mayor Eileen Higgins has proposed taking out a nearly $450 million loan to build new facilities, saying voters should decide on the issue in August.

A separate measure under consideration by the city commission could address other stations currently operating out of trailers -- including Fire Station No. 16 in Brickell and Fire Station No. 15 near Bayside.

At Station 15, firefighters must run from a trailer, down a dock, to reach their fire boats -- a setup sources say delays response times.

But Thursday afternoon, as commissioners prepared to vote on putting the bond measure on the ballot, the mayor made an unexpected request to delay.

“I’ve had a number of conversations, as the city manager has, about the bond referendum. I would respectfully ask that we defer this item to the next commission meeting,” she said.

After it launched in December, Lutnick said that the government had sold $1.3 billion “worth” in just several days, as Trump stood by holding up the gilded ticket and said, “essentially it's the green card on steroids.”

Lutnick did not address the apparent discrepancy in an exchange with a congresswoman at Thursday's committee hearing.

Trump pushed the idea last year, initially suggesting a cost of $5 million, and arguing that it would entice foreign talent to U.S. shores and fill out federal coffers. It's meant to replace the EB-5 program, a decades-old program that offered U.S. visas to people who invested about $1 million in a company with at least 10 employees.

Though only one person has been approved, “there are hundreds in the queue that they are going through,” said Lutnick, appearing pleased with the program's results, at a congressional committee hearing Thursday.

“They’ve just set it up, and they wanted to make sure they did it perfectly,” he said.

A year ago, Lutnick said at a cabinet meeting that the gold card would raise $1 trillion in revenue and help “balance the budget.” The publicly held debt is $31.3 trillion and outside projections by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget are that this fiscal year’s annual budget deficit will be roughly $2 trillion.

The commerce secretary noted that each applicant pays a $15,000 fee, on top of their million bucks, which allows for “rigorous vetting” of those applying to the program that eventually opens a path to U.S. citizenship. It also allows corporations to spend $2 million for a foreign-born employee, along with a 1% annual maintenance fee.

It boasts a glitzy government website with the phrase “Unlock life in America” above a depiction of a gold card: Trump’s stern visage, aside a bald eagle, the Statue of Liberty, and his squiggled signature. The website also touts the upcoming $5 million “Trump Platinum Card,” which offers up to 270 days in America without being taxed on non-U. S. income.

While Trump has created a presidential identity partially around deporting immigrants without legal status, he has repeatedly supported skilled immigration to the U.S., which the gold card program could facilitate.

When asked how the proceeds will be spent, Lutnick said: “That will be determined by the administration, and its terms are for the betterment of the United States of America.”

The idea is relatively common around the world, with dozens of countries offering versions of “golden visas” to wealthy individuals, including the United Kingdom, Spain, Greece, Malta, Australia, Canada and Italy.

Police officers arrested Kiara Johnson, of Hollywood, on Wednesday at Target, at 21265 Biscayne Boulevard, in Aventura, according to a police report.

The victim told police officers that she was inside her parked car when Johnson parked her car next to her, according to a police arrest report.

The victim reported that Johnson had parked so close to her car that she decided to move, which upset Johnson, and there was an argument, according to police.

The victim reported Johnson then “pulled out a firearm from her purse” and told her to get out of the car, according to the police report.

The victim called 911, and she “described the firearm as black with either yellow or orange on it” after “feeling her life was in danger,” according to police.

Johnson walked out of Target and she “admitted to having a firearm inside her purse,” which “she normally carries,” according to police.

“She confirmed both parties got into an argument over the close parking,” but she denied using the gun to threaten the victim, according to police.

Corrections booked Johnson at 5:10 p.m. on Wednesday at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where she remained on Thursday evening.

Johnson faced a charge of aggravated assault with a firearm. Her bond was $5,500.

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According to ESPN, as part of the deal, Pearce must stay away from his ex-girlfriend, WNBA player Rickea Jackson, and participate in therapy.

The outlet reported that Pearce attended Thursday’s hearing via videoconference.

His next court date to finalize the details of the deal is scheduled for May 7.

A spokesperson for the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office confirmed that the case will remain open until the pre-trial diversion program is completed.

Pearce was arrested in February and charged with three felonies -- aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, fleeing and eluding police and resisting an officer with violence. A fourth charge of stalking was brought as a misdemeanor and an additional charge of aggravated battery of an officer was dropped.

According to Doral police, Jackson told authorities she attempted to drive away from Pearce on Feb. 7, and was driving toward the Doral police station to seek help when Pearce “intentionally collided into the rear of her vehicle with his SUV” before police arrived.

Pearce allegedly refused an initial order from police to “get on the floor,” according to details of the arrest in an affidavit. The police account said Pearce then drove away and hit a police officer’s left knee with his vehicle “intentionally in an attempt to evade arrest.”

According to police, Pearce wrecked his vehicle and then continued in his attempt to elude police by running before being apprehended following a “short struggle.”

Jackson, in a petition for protection against Pearce filed in February, expressed fears for her safety that predated the incident for which he was arrested and charged.

“Due to his obsessive, insecure, violent and aggressive behavior, ending the relationship has been difficult and I am afraid for my life,” Jackson said in the petition filed in the 11th Judicial Circuit in Miami-Dade County. “James has threatened to kill me, James has threatened to harm me, James has threatened to injure me, James has threatened to place a bag over my head, and James has verbally and physically abused (me).”

Jackson in the petition said Pearce snatched her phone, pulled her hair and took her belongings, at which point she decided to end their relationship.

She described a pattern of harassing behavior leading up to Feb. 7, including Pearce offering her $75,000 to visit him and $200,000 to remain in a relationship with him, according to the petition. Jackson said she was driving when she noticed Pearce following her in his car before he “began driving his vehicle erratically, at high speeds chasing after me.”

Jackson said in the petition she began driving to the Doral Police Department because she feared Pearce would hurt her. She said Pearce repeatedly struck her vehicle with his before she got to the station.

Jackson, 24, is two years into her WNBA career. She said she and Pearce began dating when they were at the University of Tennessee together.

Pearce, 22, was the No. 26 pick in the NFL draft last year. He had 10 1/2 sacks and his 45 quarterback pressures set a Falcons rookie record.

The 22-year-old right-hander rebounded to win his debut, leading the Atlanta Braves over the Washington Nationals 7-2 on Thursday for their eighth win in nine games.

“One pitch into it I was like, ‘Oh no,’ but after that I bounced back really well,” Ritchie said. “Honestly, probably for the next year I will hate it. Then after that it will be like a funny, ‘Hey, first pitch of my big league career I gave up a nuke.’”

Ritchie, who was selected 35th in the 2022 amateur draft, allowed just one more run over seven innings. He gave up five hits, struck out seven and walked two, throwing 54 of 89 pitches for strikes. Ritchie averaged 94.4 mph with 24 fastballs and also mixed in 25 curves, 19 changeups, 10 sliders, seven cutters and four sinkers.

Ritchie (1-0) became the first Braves pitcher to allow two runs or fewer over seven-plus innings in his debut since Matt Wisler in 2015.

“Kids got a lot of weapons man, for right and left handed hitters,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said. “He’s in total control out there. That’s got to shake you up a little bit, first pitch you throw in the big leagues and it gets hit for a homer. But right back on the mound and attacking with all his stuff.”

Ritchie got a call from Triple-A Gwinnett manager Kanekoa Texeira at 8 p.m. Wednesday night telling him of the promotion, and he arrived in Washington around 2 a.m.

Wood homered on a 93.5 mph fastball down the middle and CJ Abrams went deep on a changeup below the strike zone in the fourth.

Washington did not get a hit after Daylen Lile’s two-out single in the fourth.

Ritchie started the season at Triple-A Gwinnett and went 3-1 with a 0.99 ERA in five starts. Atlanta selected the contracts of Ritchie and right-hander Carlos Carrasco from the Stripers before the game, optioned right-hander Didier Fuentes to Gwinnett and placed left-hander Dylan Dodd on the 15-day injured list retroactive to Wednesday because of left spine inflammation.

When asked whether Ritchie will make another start for Atlanta, Weiss said the team will make a decision in the next day or two.

“The kid did a heck of a job and made a great case for himself," Weiss said with a smile.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

The groups said the advisory was necessary “in light of the deteriorating human rights situation in the United States and in the absence of meaningful action and concrete guarantees from FIFA, host cities, or the U.S. government.”

The advisory says visitors may be arbitrarily denied entry to the country, detained in “inhumane” conditions or subjected to invasive phone and social media searches. It points to the aggressive immigration surges in cities including Los Angeles, Chicago and Minneapolis that led to accusations of racial profiling and the violent suppression of protests.

The message was condemned by tourism officials, who said the groups were threatening the livelihoods of service industry workers in an attempt to achieve their political goals.

Geoff Freeman, president & CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, said there are legitimate concerns about U.S. entry policies but they're being blown out of proportion. There were 67 million international travelers to the United States last year, he said in a statement.

“The notion that visiting America poses a meaningful safety risk is not a good-faith warning, it’s a political tactic designed to cause economic harm,” Freeman said.

A FIFA spokesperson pointed to several statements and policies, including the federation's governing documents, which say, “FIFA is committed to respecting all internationally recognized human rights and shall strive to promote the protection of these rights."

The U.S. has seen a decline in international travelers since Trump returned to the White House last year and offended U.S. allies with talk of making Canada a U.S. state, taking control of Greenland and questioning the value of NATO. The tourism industry is counting on a major boost from World Cup visitors, even as Trump's travel ban for citizens of 19 countries has injected further uncertainty.

The administration is betting that its push to expedite visa processing for visitors and excitement about the tournament will outweigh concerns that Trump’s immigration messaging undercuts the theme of global unity that the World Cup is meant to represent.

The tournament kicks off June 11 with games spread across North America, including 11 stadiums in the U.S. along with two in Canada and three in Mexico.

“The New England Patriots fully support Mike Vrabel’s decision to prioritize his family first, as well as his own well-being," the team said in a statement released before the first round of the draft. "Mike has been open with us about his commitment to being the best version of himself for his family, this team and our fans, and we respect the steps he is taking to follow through on that commitment.

“We are confident in the leadership and communication Mike has established with our personnel staff throughout this pre-draft process. While he will not be present at the facility on Saturday, we know the draft evaluations are complete and Eliot Wolf and his personnel staff are prepared to execute our draft as planned this weekend.”

Vrabel said at a news conference earlier this week that he’s had “difficult conversations with people I care about,” including his family, his coaching staff, team officials and players, following the publication of the photos by the New York Post.

The photos of Vrabel and Russini were taken in Sedona before the annual NFL meetings that began in Phoenix on March 29, according to the Post. The NFL has said it is not investigating Vrabel’s behavior. Vrabel and Russini are both married. Russini resigned from The Athletic last week.

Vrabel declared his intension to sit out the final day of the draft in a late-night statement Wednesday.

The Patriots entered the draft holding 11 picks. That includes the Super Bowl runner-up’s one scheduled pick (No. 31) in Thursday’s first round. They have one pick each in rounds 2 and 3 on Friday.

But the bulk of their selections will be on Saturday when Vrabel won't be in the draft room. That’s when they are scheduled to select twice in the fourth round, once in the fifth, four times in the sixth and once in the seventh round.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL

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The dispute centers on a $3,001.90 reimbursement tied to a business class upgrade during a Sept. 14 through 19, 2025 trip to Japan for a Sister Cities program.

City records show the reimbursement was issued Dec. 4, 2025, but a later internal review found the expense fell outside the parameters of Florida law and city policy governing travel spending, according to a letter sent to the mayor.

In that April 1 letter, the city demanded repayment within 30 business days, stating the upgrade was not authorized and must be personally covered.

By the April 21 commission meeting in North Miami Beach, the money still had not been repaid, prompting Vice Mayor Fortuna Smukler to introduce a resolution to reprimand the mayor.

“I brought this forward because the city has been asking for and I’m going to round it up by 10 cents, for $3,002 for a travel upgrade that was never approved when the trip to Japan was approved. It is not something the city has ever done, at least to my knowledge had never done in the past,” Smukler said.

She pressed the mayor directly.

“So Mayor Joseph are you going to pay this back or is this…?”

Joseph said he does not oppose repayment, but objected to how the issue is being handled.

“Well the request was made on the first of April. Then you made this resolution for today for 30 business days. This is related to that investigation. I gave that initial request to my attorney, who said this can have further implications.”

He added he did not want repayment to be seen as an admission of wrongdoing.

“I have no problem putting money in escrow because I have no issues with that, but what I don’t want is to have us make it appear like I am admitting to something that I know I didn’t do,” he said.

Joseph also disputed any suggestion he refused to pay.

“The letter says I refused to pay but that hasn’t even happened,” he said.

Commissioners made clear they believe repayment should have already occurred.

“The point is we shouldn’t have to ask you, you should just pay it back,” Smukler said. “Regardless, it doesn’t matter of the outcome. The money still needs to come back to us.

“Either way the money belongs to the city of North Miami Beach. Either way the money is ours. That’s it.”

Commissioner Phyllis Smith pointed to public reaction.

“What I find to be unsettling is you hear the rumble, you are not deaf,” she said. “You have been out in the public. You hear the rumble of the disdain of spending $3,000, not 30, not 300, but $3,000 on quite a luxury.

“That was something that maybe you should not have done and the public thinks you shouldn’t have done so pay it. Just pay it and be done with this conversation.”

Commissioner Jay Chernoff said the issue comes down to policy.

“We, as commissioners and mayor, know the policy of travel. The policy of travel is to travel in the middle, in coach, not in first class,” he said. “You paid it out of your pocket, I understand. You asked for it to be reimbursed. You should have said no. It was wrong.”

When Joseph questioned that, Chernoff responded, “Technically you have,” later adding the issue is “not paying it back.”

Joseph said he initially paid for the upgrade himself.

“I myself used my Amex card to pay for the upgrade because of the long hours, 14-plus hours between Atlanta and Seoul,” he said. “I paid that up front.”

Joseph said the reimbursement came later after being told it might qualify.

“Then finance tells my aide because it’s a 14-hour flight you can possibly get this reimbursed,” he said. “I’m like whatever, here are the receipts. I get reimbursed.”

Law and policy at issue

Florida law does not explicitly require officials to choose the absolute cheapest airfare, but it does require travel expenses to be authorized, necessary, and reasonable under Florida Statute 112.061.

City policy goes further, requiring the use of the most economical travel options and placing the cost of upgrades for personal convenience on the traveler.

Commissioners said the upgrade was never approved and should not have been submitted for reimbursement.

Questions about the trip

Commissioner Lynn Su said more than $9,000 in taxpayer funds were spent, but she still does not know what was accomplished.

“We don’t have a new sister city. We don’t know what the mayor did while he was in Japan,” Su said, calling the upgrade “excessive luxury under the taxpayers dime.”

Ongoing investigation

Joseph confirmed during the meeting that he is under investigation, though details have not been publicly released.

“This is related to that investigation,” he said.

According to reporting by the Miami Times, an interim investigative report commissioned by the city includes allegations from employees accusing the mayor of bypassing government procedures and attempting to influence procurement decisions.

That report has been referred to the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office and the Florida Commission on Ethics for further review, and the matter is also being examined by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Public Corruption Unit, according to the same report.

Joseph has denied the allegations and has pushed for the release of supporting documents, arguing the lack of transparency undermines public trust.

Joseph said he intends to repay the money.

“I have no issues, let me be very clear, paying though,” he said.

He later indicated repayment would be made by the end of the month.

Commissioners voted to table the reprimand resolution until then, but made clear their position that the reimbursement was improper and should already have been returned.

La disputa se centra en un reembolso de $3,001.90 USD relacionado con una mejora a clase ejecutiva durante un viaje del 14 al 19 de septiembre de 2025 a Japón por un programa de Ciudades Hermanas.

Registros de la ciudad muestran que el reembolso se emitió el 4 de diciembre de 2025, pero una revisión interna posterior encontró que el gasto estaba fuera de los parámetros de la ley de Florida y la política de la ciudad que rige los gastos de viaje, según una carta enviada al alcalde.

En esa carta del 1 de abril, la ciudad exigió el reembolso dentro de 30 días hábiles, indicando que la mejora no estaba autorizada y debía ser cubierta personalmente.

Para la reunión de la comisión del 21 de abril en North Miami Beach, el dinero aún no había sido devuelto, lo que llevó a la vicealcaldesa Fortuna Smukler a presentar una resolución para reprender al alcalde.

“Presenté esto porque la ciudad ha estado pidiendo, y voy a redondearlo a 10 centavos, $3,002 USD por una mejora de viaje que nunca fue aprobada cuando se aprobó el viaje a Japón. No es algo que la ciudad haya hecho nunca, al menos que yo sepa, nunca se había hecho en el pasado”, dijo Smukler.

Ella presionó directamente al alcalde.

“Entonces, alcalde Joseph, ¿va a devolver este dinero o esto es…?”

Joseph dijo que no se opone al reembolso, pero objetó la forma en que se está manejando el asunto.

“Bueno, la solicitud se hizo el primero de abril. Luego usted hizo esta resolución para hoy por 30 días hábiles. Esto está relacionado con esa investigación. Le di esa solicitud inicial a mi abogado, quien dijo que esto puede tener implicaciones adicionales.”

Añadió que no quería que el reembolso se viera como una admisión de culpa.

“No tengo problema en poner el dinero en depósito en garantía porque no tengo problema con eso, pero lo que no quiero es que parezca que estoy admitiendo algo que sé que no hice”, dijo.

Joseph también cuestionó cualquier sugerencia de que se negó a pagar.

“La carta dice que me negué a pagar, pero eso ni siquiera ha ocurrido”, dijo.

Los comisionados dejaron claro que creen que el reembolso ya debería haberse realizado.

“El punto es que no deberíamos tener que pedírselo, usted simplemente debería devolverlo”, dijo Smukler. “Independientemente, no importa el resultado. El dinero aún tiene que regresar a nosotros.

“De cualquier manera el dinero pertenece a la ciudad de North Miami Beach. De cualquier manera el dinero es nuestro. Eso es todo.”

La comisionada Phyllis Smith señaló la reacción pública.

“Lo que encuentro inquietante es que se escucha el murmullo, usted no es sordo”, dijo. “Ha estado en público. Escucha el murmullo del descontento por gastar $3,000 USD, no 30, no 300, sino $3,000 USD en un lujo.

“Eso fue algo que tal vez no debió hacer y el público cree que no debió hacerlo, así que páguelo. Simplemente páguelo y terminemos con esta conversación.”

El comisionado Jay Chernoff dijo que el tema se reduce a la política.

“Nosotros, como comisionados y alcalde, conocemos la política de viajes. La política de viajes es viajar en clase económica, no en primera clase”, dijo. “Usted lo pagó de su bolsillo, lo entiendo. Solicitó el reembolso. Debió haber dicho que no. Estuvo mal.”

Cuando Joseph cuestionó eso, Chernoff respondió: “Técnicamente lo ha hecho”, y luego añadió que el tema es “no devolverlo”.

Joseph dijo que inicialmente pagó la mejora él mismo.

“Yo mismo usé mi tarjeta Amex para pagar la mejora por las largas horas, más de 14 horas entre Atlanta y Seúl”, dijo. “Yo lo pagué por adelantado.”

Joseph dijo que el reembolso llegó después de que le dijeron que podría calificar.

“Luego finanzas le dice a mi asistente que, como es un vuelo de 14 horas, posiblemente puede ser reembolsado”, dijo. “Yo dije, como sea, aquí están los recibos. Me reembolsan.”

Ley y política en cuestión

La ley de Florida no exige explícitamente que los funcionarios elijan el pasaje aéreo más barato, pero sí requiere que los gastos de viaje sean autorizados, necesarios y razonables bajo el Estatuto de Florida 112.061.

La política de la ciudad va más allá, exigiendo el uso de las opciones de viaje más económicas y colocando el costo de mejoras por conveniencia personal en el viajero.

Los comisionados dijeron que la mejora nunca fue aprobada y no debió presentarse para reembolso.

Preguntas sobre el viaje

La comisionada Lynn Su dijo que se gastaron más de $9,000 USD de fondos públicos, pero aún no sabe qué se logró.

“No tenemos una nueva ciudad hermana. No sabemos qué hizo el alcalde mientras estaba en Japón”, dijo Su, calificando la mejora como “lujo excesivo a costa de los contribuyentes”.

Investigación en curso

Joseph confirmó durante la reunión que está bajo investigación, aunque los detalles no se han hecho públicos.

“Esto está relacionado con esa investigación”, dijo.

Según reportes del Miami Times, un informe investigativo provisional encargado por la ciudad incluye acusaciones de empleados que acusan al alcalde de eludir procedimientos gubernamentales e intentar influir en decisiones de contratación.

Ese informe ha sido remitido a la Fiscalía Estatal de Miami-Dade y a la Comisión de Ética de Florida para una revisión adicional, y el asunto también está siendo examinado por la Unidad de Corrupción Pública de la Oficina del Sheriff de Miami-Dade, según el mismo reporte.

Joseph ha negado las acusaciones y ha pedido la publicación de documentos de respaldo, argumentando que la falta de transparencia socava la confianza pública.

Joseph dijo que tiene la intención de devolver el dinero.

“No tengo problema, déjenme ser muy claro, en pagar”, dijo.

Posteriormente indicó que el reembolso se realizaría antes de fin de mes.

Los comisionados votaron aplazar la resolución de reprimenda hasta entonces, pero dejaron claro su postura de que el reembolso fue inapropiado y ya debería haber sido devuelto.

The person spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because no hire had been announced. ESPN first reported that the Bucks were finalizing a deal with Jenkins.

Jenkins coached the Memphis Grizzlies from 2019-25 and posted a 250-214 record that included three straight playoff appearances from 2021-23. The playoff-bound Grizzlies fired him with nine games left in the 2024-25 season and went on to get swept by eventual champion Oklahoma City in the first round of that year’s playoffs.

This would represent a return to Milwaukee for Jenkins, who was an assistant coach on Mike Budenholzer’s staff during the 2018-19 season. The Bucks posted an NBA-best 60-22 record that season before blowing a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals to the eventual champion Toronto Raptors.

Jenkins would be taking over a Bucks team that is entering a critical summer after going 32-50 this season, ending a streak of nine straight playoff appearances.

The Bucks announced Rivers’ departure as coach on April 13, the day after their season ended. The 64-year-old Rivers had mentioned during the final stages of the season that he wanted to spend more time with his grandchildren.

Rivers went 97-103 in 2 1/2 seasons with the Bucks. He owns a 1,194-866 overall record and ranks sixth in NBA career coaching wins.

Milwaukee’s main offseason concern regards the future of two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has spent his entire 13-season NBA career with the Bucks.

Antetokounmpo, 31, is eligible to become a free agent after next season if he doesn’t sign a four-year, $275 million contract extension in October. Or the Bucks could trade him beforehand if they don’t believe he will sign that extension.

Antetokounmpo was asked after the Bucks’ season finale whether he’d sign an extension.

“It’s something I have to sit down with my family and see what’s best for me, what’s best for my family,” he replied.

By the end of the season, Antetokounmpo and the Bucks were at odds over the nine-time All-NBA forward's health status. Antetokounmpo played a career-low 36 games this season.

Antetokounmpo said late in the season that he wanted to play and was healthy enough to do so, while the Bucks were ruling him out due to a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise. The NBA was investigating the matter.

Jenkins worked with Antetokounmpo during his earlier stint with the Bucks. He had been on Budenholzer's staffs both in Atlanta and Milwaukee before the Grizzlies hired him in 2019, the same year they selected Ja Morant with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft.

Memphis reached the second round of the playoffs under Jenkins in 2022 and lost in the first round in 2021 and 2023. Jenkins' 250 career coaching wins with the Grizzlies are the most in franchise history.

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AP Pro Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds contributed to this report.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

The Marlins signed Slater, 33, on March 25 to a one-year, $1 million contract, two days before the club opened its season at loanDepot park against the Colorado Rockies.

It was a disappointing showing for the veteran, who finished his tenure with the Marlins with a .174 average, four hits in 23 plate appearances - all singles - four walks and one RBI in 12 games.

Slater is expected to clear waivers and, because of his MLB service time, has the right to reject an outright assignment to the minor leagues and become a free agent.

With no minor league options remaining, the Marlins decided it was best to move on, allowing the club to open a roster spot for outfielder Esteury Ruiz (oblique), who has been on the injured list and has yet to play this season.

Sources say Ruiz will join the club in San Francisco, where the Marlins open a three-game weekend series Friday at 10:15 p.m. ET against the Giants.

The Marlins officially made both moves Thursday afternoon.

Georgia Republican Rep. Rich McCormick said Thursday he introduced the Make DC Square Again Act, a bill that would undo the 19th century return of the southwestern part of the district to the state of Virginia, known as retrocession.

“The Make DC Square Again Act restores the original ten-mile-square District and ends the artificial advantage Virginia Democrats have recently gained from all the federal bureaucrats moving into Virginia," McCormick said in a statement.

The measure's prospects are unlikely in a Congress that can barely keep the lights on. But it's the latest partisan salvo in an effort to gain the upper hand in the closely divided House ahead of this year's contested midterms elections.

Proponents of statehood for the federal district are critical of the measure, saying it shows how Washington can be used as a “political football.”

“The residents of the district are not fully participating in the democracy of this country because we are not allowed to,” said Alicia Yass, advocacy director at the American Civil Liberties Union of D.C. “Bills like this that mess around with the district just show how important it is for D.C. to have the full benefits and rights of a democracy.”

Critics of Virginia’s referendum are calling on President Donald Trump to issue an executive order declaring the pre-Civil War return of Alexandria and Arlington to Virginia unconstitutional.

“This order would be on better legal footing than many of President Joe Biden ’s most egregious orders,” former Trump Justice Department chief of staff Chad R. Mizelle wrote in a Fox News opinion article.

Here's a closer look at the issue.

What even is this? Retro-retrocession?

Retrocession refers to the reincorporation into Virginia of the land it gave for the federal capital. Beginning in 1846, Congress voted to allow 31 square miles (80 square kilometers) of the District of Columbia to return to Virginia. That included the City of Alexandria and the areas that now include the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery.

Virginia and Maryland had given over the land decades before to form the nation’s capital, but resident's rumblings over a trailing local economy and fears that Congress would ban slavery in the district fueled the return to Virginia in 1847, according to the City of Alexandria. Virginia would go on to secede from the United States, with the Confederacy’s capital in Richmond.

The discussion over reversing retrocession has kept up in the decades since. Proponents argue that Congress never had the power to cede back the land and that the local referendum failed to meet the voting requirements outlined by Congress for retrocession.

Whether Congress could vote to bring parts of Virginia back into the federal district isn't clear. George Derek Musgrove, an associate professor of history at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, was skeptical of McCormick's effort because the congressman said the measure stemmed from the results of the Virginia referendum, which could benefit Democrats.

“It’s not even a retrocession bill. It’s really a Virginia voter suppression bill,” he said.

The text of the measure wasn't immediately available.

Why does it matter now?

The area holds the separate municipalities of the City of Alexandria and Arlington County, which are packed with Democratic voters. In the 2024 presidential election in both places, Democratic candidate Kamala Harris won 77% of the votes cast, with Donald Trump pulling only about 20%.

The region's blue voters helped bolster Virginia's redistricting referendum, approved by voters Tuesday to boost Democrats' chances of winning four additional seats in the U.S. House. But if the entire area was ceded back to the District of Columbia, the electoral advantage in the new districts would be dulled and new districts would be drawn in light of the state's shrunken footprint.

The region's approximately 400,000 residents would also likely lose full representation in both the U.S. Senate and House.

Other possible pathways

McCormick's legislation invokes making the district “square” again and refers to how the boundaries would look on the map if they're restored. It's not the only proposal out there.

The American Capital Project, a little-known group that advocates for the land to be returned to the District of Columbia, says the path forward is through a presidential executive order declaring the original law void. That would eventually push the question in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, forcing it to rule on the legality of the original law.

It's unclear who funds or manages the American Capital Project. Its website does not list any contact information nor the names of the people or groups behind it.

There have also been efforts, pushed by Democrats, to grant the district statehood. In 2021, the Democrat-led House passed such a bill, but it did not advance out of the Senate. At the time some Senate Republicans suggested returning the current district to Maryland as a way to give voters their a chance for full representation in Congress.

The president confirmed his continued interest in offering Spirit a financial lifeline after a lawyer told a U.S. Bankruptcy Court that the airline was in advanced talks with the U.S. government on a financing deal that would allow Spirit to emerge from Chapter 11 protection.

“They have some good aircraft and good assets, and when the prices of oil goes down, we’ll sell it for a profit,” Trump said, speaking at an unrelated Oval Office event. “I’d love to be able to save those jobs. I’d love to be able to save an airline.”

Trump stoked speculation of a deal to save Spirit on Tuesday when he encouraged a buyer to rescue the airline and suggested the federal government could help keep it afloat.

The White House has attempted to blame Spirit’s predicament on the Biden administration, which in 2023 sued to stop JetBlue Airways from buying Spirit for $3.8 billion. A little more than a year before Trump replaced Joe Biden as president, a federal judge in Dallas blocked a proposed Spirit-JetBlue merger, saying it would drive up airfares for passengers.

Trump said he had “a smart person” in mind who could potentially run Spirit and that he believed the airline could get back on solid financial footing.

“And they have some very good slots too, which are pretty valuable,” the president added, referring to scheduled times allocated for airlines to take off or land at airports when demand exceeds available capacity.

Spirit has struggled with losses for years. The airline filed for Chapter 11 protection in November 2024 and again in August 2005. With the Iran war driving up jet fuel costs for all airlines, creditors earlier this month expressed doubts about Spirit’s ongoing viability, raising the possibility the airline recognized for its bright yellow planes would be forced to sell its assets and cease operating.

Before Trump's comments about the government buying the airline outright, Marshall Huebner, a lawyer with Davis Polk who is representing Spirit, said during a U.S. Bankruptcy Court hearing in New York that government financing would a reorganization possible and help Spirit be more competitive.

Details of a potential deal were shared with all three of the company’s primary creditor groups, Huebner said.

It was not immediately clear how a federal acquisition would differ from the terms that were under discussion. The size and terms of the financing aid were not shared publicly. The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, citing unnamed sources, both reported an amount of $500 million that would give the government an option to acquire a sizable stake in the airline, which has its headquarters in Florida.

Earlier this week, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy voiced skepticism about the government stepping in to keep Spirit alive. In a CBS interview that aired Tuesday night, Duffy questioned whether a deal would set a broader precedent.

“Then who else comes to my door?” he said, referring to other airlines potentially requesting government aid. “The question will be, can we do anything to save Spirit and make it viable, or would we be putting good money into a company that inevitably is going to be liquidated?”

Several lawmakers, both Republican and Democrats, also balked at the idea of a bailout. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas wrote on X on Wednesday that a deal for Spirit would be a “terrible idea.”

“If Spirit’s creditors or other potential investors don’t think they can run it profitably coming out of its second bankruptcy in under two years, I doubt the US Government can either,” Tom Cotton, a senator from Arkansas, posted. “Not the best use of taxpayer dollars.”

The union that represents the airline's pilots, on the other hand, voiced “strong support” for a rescue deal.

“Spirit is the reason so many Americans can afford to visit family, travel for work, or take a vacation,” said Capt. Ryan P. Muller, chair of the Spirit Airlines ALPA Master Executive Council. “When Spirit enters a market, fares go down.”

Spirit’s relatively young fleet has made it an attractive acquisition target. But previous buyout attempts from budget rivals like JetBlue and Frontier were unsuccessful both before and during Spirit’s first bankruptcy.

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Madhani reported from Washington. AP writers Josh Boak in Washington and Rio Yamat in Las Vegas contributed to this report.

Wind farms are taking shape and operating along the East Coast, even as President Donald Trump seeks to end the U.S. offshore wind industry. He often talks about his hatred of wind power and calls turbines ugly.

The Associated Press traveled roughly 100 miles (161 kilometers) and saw three of the five wind farms in the area. Two of the five are fully operational, two are nearly done, and one is about halfway built.

The first turbines from the Revolution Wind project were clearly visible from about 5 nautical miles away, and can be seen from farther away on clear days. They stretched across the horizon, massive structures evenly spaced in rows, some spinning in the light winds.

The enormity of the turbines was evident from even a mile out.

Wind farms under construction

Revolution Wind and Sunrise Wind are offshore wind projects being built to power about 1 million homes across Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York.

It took about an hour and a half to reach the Revolution Wind site, more than 15 miles (24 kilometers) south of the Rhode Island coast.

Some of the blades started to turn as the early morning winds picked up. Workers were inside the central hub of the wind farm, a large gray substation.

Revolution Wind is more than 90% complete. It recently began delivering power to New England’s grid, and it’s on track to be completed this year.

Nearby at Sunrise Wind, construction is nearly 50% complete. Orsted is developing both projects. Sunrise Wind is a mix of installed turbines and empty yellow foundations that still await their towers and blades. A vessel with giant cranes to install the offshore wind components was parked nearby.

The tip of a spinning turbine appeared to touch the clouds.

The first large U.S. offshore wind farm

The first large U.S. offshore wind farm to open, South Fork Wind, borders the Revolution Wind site.

Now in its second year of operating commercially, its 12 turbines can send enough power to New York for more than 70,000 homes.

A ship that serves as a floating home base for technicians working on wind farms was next to one of the turbines on Thursday. The technicians had used the ship's gangway to walk onto the turbine and stood at its base, or foundation.

When South Fork opened in 2024, Biden administration officials said it was just the beginning — major new wind farms would dot U.S. coastlines to confront climate change, create jobs and accelerate the nation’s transition to clean energy.

Less than a year later, Trump returned to office and ordered a temporary halt to leasing and permitting for wind energy projects. His administration has paused work wind farms under construction, arranged a $1 billion payout to a French energy company to walk away from U.S. offshore wind development and added an extra layer of review for wind and solar projects. Federal judges have struck down some of his orders blocking wind energy development, including a ruling Tuesday stopping the administration from implementing some of the policies slowing the development of clean energy.

At the same time wind energy is being held back, the demand for electricity in the United States is skyrocketing and there are limited options in land-constrained coastal states for new, large energy projects in the next few years, which drives up utility bills, said Hillary Bright, executive director of the offshore wind advocacy group Turn Forward.

“These energy policies are really hitting people at home, in their pocketbooks,” she said. “Offshore wind ultimately can be a part of that solution.”

The first five turbines

The closest site to the coast is the Block Island Wind Farm. It's in state waters near Block Island, Rhode Island.

These five turbines began spinning in 2016, making this the first offshore wind farm in the United States. Its turbines are shorter than those installed at successive projects, but still look enormous up close. They replaced polluting diesel generators that were powering Block Island.

The first wind farm to finish construction during Trump's tenure

Construction finished on Vineyard Wind in March. It was the first wind farm to reach this stage during Trump’s time in office.

It is expected to reach full operations in the coming months, to power over 400,000 Massachusetts homes and businesses.

There are two other major U.S. offshore wind farms under construction: a New York offshore wind project, Empire Wind, and a Virginia offshore wind project, Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind.

“This is a major commercial industry in the United States of America," Jason Grumet, CEO of the American Clean Power Association, said in an interview. “Whether the president is enthusiastic about it or not, we have massive energy projects that are either bringing power to the grid or near completion.”

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The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Majority of it will miss South Florida to the south, but we still expect some spotty showers moving through. This means the Keys will have the highest chance of rain and some of the downpours could be heavy there.

Only a few showers will be around for the weekend with temperatures noticeably warmer in the middle 80s. This warming trend will continue into next week with our first 90s in the forecast.

Police said they responded to the Macy’s at Broward Mall, located at 8000 W. Broward Blvd., on April 9 after receiving reports of an unknown suspect allegedly recording a woman inside a fitting room.

Investigators said CCTV footage showed Derrick Jordan Wright Jr. walking away from the dressing room area and exiting the store around 4:40 p.m.

The victim told police she was inside a changing room when she noticed a man, who police identified as Wright, recording her over the top of the partition.

She said she attempted to confront Wright, who was in an adjacent dressing room, but he denied the allegation and left the store, according to the report.

Investigators added that Wright had previously been arrested in Plantation for “the same behavior.”

The report states the victim later met with police and identified Wright in a photo lineup.

In a prior case reported in December 2025, Wright was arrested after Plantation police said he secretly recorded a woman inside a fitting room at a Kohl’s store, later allegedly showing her a video and fleeing before being tracked down and taken into custody.

Jail records show he is facing one count of digital voyeurism of a victim 19 years or older.

As of Thursday, Wright was being held at the Broward County Main Jail on a $15,000 bond under conditions that prohibit contact with the victim, bar him from returning to the incident location, and prevent him from possessing or using any recording devices.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Cuban Ambassador to the U.N. Ernesto Soberón Guzmán said internal issues regarding detainees “are not on the negotiating table.” The release of political prisoners was a key U.S. demand as the longtime adversaries held discussions in Cuba this month for the first time in a decade.

“We have our legal system, like here in the U.S., they have their legal system,” he said. “So we have to respect both of our internal affairs.”

In response, the State Department said in a statement that the administration remains “committed to the release of all political prisoners.”

“The Cuban regime should stop playing games as direct talks are occurring. They have a small window to make a deal,” the statement continued.

An American delegation arrived for secret meetings in Havana on April 10 in a diplomatic push to urge Cuba to make major changes to its economy and political governance or face continued economic pressure and potentially risk U.S. military escalation. Neither side has named who took part, but Guzmán said it was at the undersecretary of state level for the Americans and deputy foreign minister level for the Cubans.

Despite the recent revival in diplomatic relations, tensions between the two countries have steadily increased in the last few months over a U.S. energy blockade that has further strained economic and other crises in the Caribbean country.

Trump has threatened tariffs on any country that sells or supplies oil to Cuba and said the U.S. might have “the honor of taking Cuba” following military operations in Venezuela and Iran. The State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Guzmán's remarks.

The blockade, coupled with the island’s severe water and power shortages, has deepened poverty and increased hunger across Cuba as severe blackouts persist.

In late March, a Russian tanker carrying 730,000 barrels became the first fuel shipment Cuba had received in three months. Guzmán said that the shipment has been able to fulfill only a fraction of what the country needs to operate.

Other concerns the U.S. raised during the meeting this month centered on the influence of foreign powers on the island, the AP has reported. The Americans also discussed proposals to compensate hundreds of thousands of legal claims by Cuban Americans whose homes, businesses and land were seized after revolutionary leader Fidel Castro took power in 1959.

Guzmán confirmed that such compensation was among the topics at the meeting and that Havana is receptive to it. But, he added, that it could only happen in conjunction with reciprocal economic relief for the decadeslong economic embargo against Cuba.

“There is not only this claim but also the claim from our side because the embargo has an economic impact,” he said. “This is a highway with two directions.”

Asked whether Cuban officials can trust diplomatic efforts amid U.S. threats, Guzmán said that while they are optimistic about creating a “new approach” to U.S.-Cuban relations, the Trump administration's foreign policy approach in the last year has put them on high alert.

“We have been seeing what is happening all around the world, in our region, in the Middle East, so we are not a naive person,” he said. “We are preparing for all the scenarios. And I insist, our first option — what we really want — is a successful dialogue with the U.S. government.”

But, he added, if U.S. military aggression were to happen, “we are ready to fight back.”

The company said it was making the cuts for the sake of efficiency and to allow new investments in parts of its business, as first reported by Bloomberg, which also said the company will leave about 6,000 jobs unfilled.

Also Thursday, Microsoft said it was offering voluntary buyouts to thousands of its U.S. employees.

The software giant plans to make the offers in early May to about 8,750 people, or 7% of its U.S. workforce, according to two people familiar with the plan who were not authorized to speak about it publicly.

While an alternative to the sudden layoffs removing tech workers from peers like Meta and Oracle, the savings are likely tied to a similar industry upheaval that is requiring huge spending on the costs of artificial intelligence. Meta has already warned investors that its 2026 expenses will grow significantly — to the range of $162 billion to $169 billion — driven by infrastructure costs and employee compensation, particularly for the artificial intelligence experts it’s been hiring at eye-popping pay levels.

Wedbush analyst Dan Ives welcomed Meta’s cuts in a note to investors Thursday.

He said he sees it as part of a strategy of using AI tools to “automate tasks that once required large teams, allowing the company to streamline operations and reduce costs while maintaining productivity driving an increased need for a leaner operating structure.”

Microsoft, based in Redmond, Washington, has spent billions of dollars operating an ever-expanding global network of data centers powering cloud computing services, AI systems and its own suite of productivity tools, including the AI assistant Copilot.

CNBC reported earlier Thursday on a memo from Microsoft's chief people officer, Amy Coleman, announcing the voluntary retirement plan.

“Our hope is that this program gives those eligible the choice to take that next step on their own terms, with generous company support,” Coleman wrote, according to CNBC.

Según el Departamento de Policía de Hialeah, el abuso se produjo después de que la madre de la niña permitiera que Enrique Domínguez Rodríguez, de 48 años, viviera con su familia en una habitación del Casanovas Boutique Motel, ubicado en 1775 W. Okeechobee Road.

La policía informó que las acusaciones salieron a la luz después de que la madre de la niña fuera arrestada por negligencia infantil, luego de que sus abuelos encontraran a los niños solos en el motel. Las autoridades indicaron que todos terminaron en un hogar de acogida.

Después de que el Departamento de Niños y Familias de Florida denunciara el caso a la policía, las autoridades dijeron que programaron una entrevista forense para el 19 de marzo con el personal de Kristi House, que se especializa en el tratamiento de víctimas de abuso sexual infantil.

La policía informó que la niña, que ahora tiene 10 años, describió al entrevistador forense cómo Domínguez, a quien solo conocía como “Ricky”, la agredía y abusaba de ella en el motel.

Según un informe de arresto del Departamento de Policía de Houston (HPD, por sus siglas en inglés), la niña le dijo al entrevistador que los incidentes ocurrieron entre 10 y 20 veces y que le causaban mucho dolor.

La policía dijo que la niña hizo un dibujo espontáneo que mostraba lo que “Ricky” le haría.

Las autoridades indicaron que la madre de la niña identificó a Domínguez durante una entrevista el miércoles, y afirmó que lo conocía como cliente habitual de su lugar de trabajo y que lo dejó vivir con su familia después de que se quedara sin hogar.

La mujer dijo que, al enterarse de las acusaciones, empezó a preguntar y a buscar a Enrique y descubrió que había sido arrestado recientemente por una pelea.

Las autoridades indicaron que una revisión de los registros reveló que Domínguez había sido arrestado en Hialeah el 11 de abril por un cargo de agresión y que aún permanecía recluido en el Centro de Detención Metrowest.

Ahora se enfrenta a cargos adicionales de violación y abuso sexual de menores.

Los registros muestran que un juez ordenó su detención sin fianza y que permanecía en el MWDC hasta el jueves por la mañana.

La policía dijo que llevó a cabo el operativo en un hotel no revelado con la ayuda del Grupo de Trabajo contra la Trata de Personas de la Fiscalía Estatal de Miami-Dade.

Según los informes de arresto, los detectives publicaron un anuncio en línea haciéndose pasar por la madre de dos niñas, de 13 y 15 años, y dijeron a quienes respondieron que “estaban disponibles para servicios sexuales a cambio de dinero”.

Las autoridades dijeron que organizaron reuniones con los hombres para pagar por sexo con una o ambas niñas y los arrestaron después de que entraron a la habitación del hotel.

La policía dijo que arrestó a los siguientes sospechosos por cargos de tráfico sexual infantil y delitos informáticos:

• Josue Donis Castanon, 20, de Fort Lauderdale
• Edgardo Arturo Donaire, 49, de Miramar
• Roberto Antonio Guido Rojas, 38, de Miami
• Miles Simyon, 22, de Sweetwater
• Marvin Geovanny Torres, 43, del suroeste de Miami-Dade

Los investigadores señalaron específicamente que Torres llevó más de una docena de condones, varios lubricantes y lociones, así como múltiples objetos sexuales, incluidos artículos de “bondage”.

“Él seguía repitiendo, en español, ‘yo lo sabía’, ‘yo sabía’, ‘yo sabía que era esto’”, escribió un detective en el informe de arresto de Torres.

Castanon, un nacional guatemalteco; Donaire y Torres, ambos nacionales hondureños; Guido Rojas, un nacional nicaragüense; y Simyon, un nacional de Botsuana, estaban todos detenidos en el Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center hasta la tarde del jueves.

Castanon y Guido Rojas además tienen retenciones de inmigración.

La policía dijo que respondió al Macy’s en Broward Mall, 8000 W. Broward Blvd., el 9 de abril tras recibir reportes de un sospechoso desconocido que presuntamente grababa a una mujer dentro de un probador.

Los investigadores dijeron que imágenes de cámaras de vigilancia mostraron a Derrick Jordan Wright Jr. alejándose del área de los vestidores y saliendo de la tienda alrededor de las 4:40 p.m.

La víctima dijo a la policía que estaba dentro de un probador cuando notó a un hombre, identificado por la policía como Wright, grabándola por encima de la partición.

Indicó que intentó confrontar a Wright, quien estaba en un vestidor adyacente, pero él negó la acusación y salió de la tienda, según el informe.

Los investigadores añadieron que Wright había sido arrestado previamente en Plantation por “el mismo comportamiento”.

El informe señala que la víctima posteriormente se reunió con la policía e identificó a Wright en una rueda fotográfica.

En un caso previo reportado en diciembre de 2025, Wright fue arrestado después de que la policía de Plantation dijera que grabó en secreto a una mujer dentro de un probador en una tienda Kohl’s, y luego presuntamente le mostró un video antes de huir, siendo posteriormente localizado y detenido.

Los registros de la cárcel muestran que enfrenta un cargo de voyeurismo digital de una víctima de 19 años o más.

Hasta el jueves, Wright permanecía detenido en la cárcel principal del condado Broward con una fianza de $15,000 USD bajo condiciones que le prohíben tener contacto con la víctima, le impiden regresar al lugar del incidente y le prohíben poseer o usar cualquier dispositivo de grabación.

The child was returned to their biological mother this week when President Donald Trump’s administration took the unusual step of sending a government plane to Cuba to retrieve the child. Federal officials cited concerns that the child had been taken to Havana for gender transition surgery.

It's not clear from court documents if the defendants, Rose Inessa-Ethington — a transgender woman and the child's biological father — and partner Blue Inessa-Ethington actually planned on getting the child surgery, which isn't legal for children in Cuba.

A Canada camping trip turns into a flight to Cuba

Rose Inessa-Ethington had shared custody under a court agreement and had arranged to take the child along with Blue Inessa-Ethington and Blue's 3-year-old child to Calgary, Canada, last month, ostensibly to go camping, authorities said.

Instead they went hundreds of miles away to Vancouver, Canada, and boarded a flight to Mexico City. On April 1, they flew to Cuba, authorities said.

When the group failed to return as expected on April 3, the child's mother contacted police in Logan, Utah, alleging Rose Inessa-Ethington, her ex-spouse, had violated their custody agreement. Police found out the group had not gone to Calgary, and reached out to the Department of Homeland Security's investigations branch for assistance, according to court documents.

Investigators, who determined the group had walked into Canada at the Peace Arch Bridge south of Vancouver, obtained search warrants for Rose and Blue Inessa-Ethington's emails, cellphones and social media accounts. Then investigators used their internet activities to track the group to Cuba.

On April 8, at the request of Cache County Attorney Dane Murray, a Utah state judge issued arrest warrants for the couple alleging custodial interference, a third-degree felony. Judge Brian Cannell set bail at $5,000 each.

Logan City Police spokesperson Sgt. Brandon Bevan said that during interviews with the family of the child, one person raised the possibility that the missing child could be subjected to gender affirming surgery. Bevan said there was no physical evidence offered.

On April 13, Cannell issued an order for the child to be returned immediately and granting the biological mother sole custody.

How did this become a federal case?

Three days after Cannell's order, an FBI agent filed an affidavit in U.S. District Court in Utah alleging Rose and Blue Inessa-Ethington were likely not planning to return to the U.S.

The affidavit requested a federal warrant for Rose and Blue Inessa-Ethington's arrest on charges of international parental kidnapping.

The return of kidnapped children taken overseas often is settled through negotiations, or by the aggrieved parent filing a civil petition under an international agreement, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

But in the Utah case, federal officials worked with Cuban law enforcement to locate and deport Rose and Blue Inessa-Ethington. DOJ officials sent one of its aircraft to Cuba to retrieve the child.

The use of the plane came as the Trump administration has sought to block access to gender-affirming care for minors and pressured health care providers over the issue.

What evidence has been released showing surgery was the goal?

The child, identified in court documents as MV 1, was assigned male at birth but identifies as a girl because of what family members believed to be “manipulation” by Rose Inessa-Ethington, according to the affidavit.

The affidavit stated that “concerns exist that MV 1 was transported to Cuba for gender reassignment surgery prior to puberty.”

The FBI said that Blue Inessa-Ethington withdrew $10,000 from her checking account before leaving. Agents also found at the couple's home a note with instructions from a mental health therapist in Washington, D.C., “to send the therapist the $10,000.00 and instructions on gender affirming medical care for children.” The note didn’t mention Cuba.

Officials have not said whether the couple actually planned on getting the child gender-affirming surgery in Cuba or how they would get it.

Federal officials have declined to comment on the case beyond what’s contained in court documents and a news release issued upon the child’s return.

Gender-affirming surgery is rare among U.S. children, research shows. Among the youngest patients, the most common surgeries are breast and chest procedures — most likely transgender males who graduated from high school and have breast removals. Major medical organizations call for caution around surgery for minors.

In Cuba, gender-affirming surgeries are performed for adults through the public health system under strict supervision. They must be authorized by a medical commission following a comprehensive review of the patient’s file. That process often takes years and requires a wide range of medical and psychological evaluations.

Back to Utah to face charges

After being flown back to the U.S., the two defendants made an initial appearance Tuesday in federal district court in Richmond, Virginia, and were ordered to be detained.

A court-appointed attorney for Blue Inessa-Ethington declined to comment. The Associated Press left email and telephone messages for Rose Inessa-Ethington’s public defender.

Richmond is only a temporary stop until the defendants are returned to Utah to face charges. The timing for that is uncertain.

Authorities described the shooting inside the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge as a confrontation between two groups of people and not a random attack. Police Chief TJ Morse said five people were in custody and there was no ongoing threat to the public.

Three high school seniors from Ascension Episcopal School were among the victims of the shooting, according to a Facebook post from Lafayette Parish President Monique Blanco Boulet.

“We are heartbroken by the senseless violence that happened today at the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge,” she said, adding that she was asking her community to “join us in holding all of these families close in prayer.”

Rachel Delcambre, a spokesperson for the school, said in an email that the school would not be giving additional information at this time “out of deep respect for the families and the sensitivity of this situation.”

Authorities initially said as many as 10 people had been injured but later revised that number. Morse did not immediately say what set off the shooting at the mall in the Louisiana capital.

Alex Theriot, a commercial electrician, was working on a construction project in the mall a few hundred feet from the food court when gunfire erupted and he heard what sounded like plates of glass shattering. Thinking a shooter might be going store to store, he quickly screwed the door shut of his work site and hunkered down with two other workers. They waited and hoped for the best.

“Everybody was running and screaming,” Theriot told The Associated Press. “I thought it could have been a terrorist attack.”

Desire Batton, who works at a clothing store, said she and other workers dashed inside a breakroom to protect themselves.

“We hid in there until cops came and got us,” Batton said.

The shooting began around 1:30 p.m. when the two groups argued inside the food court and started shooting at each other, Morse said. The chief made public appeals for witnesses to come forward with any video of the shooting.

By late afternoon, dozens of police cars still were clustered in the parking lot, multiple helicopters hovered overhead and armed officers in bulletproof vests patrolled the area.

Mall spokesperson Lindsay Kahn called it a “frightening day” for everyone there and said the mall would not reopen Thursday.

Kennedy Barnum, 22, said she had gone to the mall to get lunch at the food court when she heard a woman on the phone outside say, “I’ll call you back. There’s an active shooter in the mall.”

Within five minutes, Barnum said, law enforcement had swarmed the mall. She saw people running and crying, including one girl she described as “hysterical.”

“We spoke to a security guard there and she told us that there was an active shooter there, people were shot and injured, and we should leave immediately,” Barnum said.

It’s at least the second high-profile case of gun violence in Louisiana this week. A father fatally shot eight children, including seven of his own, in an attack on his family Sunday morning that stretched across two houses in a Shreveport neighborhood, police said. Two women, including the gunman’s wife who was the mother of their children, were critically wounded.

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AP reporters Jack Brook in New Orleans and Jim Mustian in Natchitoches, Louisiana, contributed to this story.

Vestidas con sus trajes regionales y con la vara —símbolo de autoridad indígena— marcharon hasta la sede del Ministerio Público para pedir que se termine con la criminalización de los pueblos indígenas. Luego fueron a la Corte de Constitucionalidad donde exigieron que se declare inconstitucional un pasaje del Código Penal que se utilizó, según ellos, para solicitar las detenciones de los dirigentes y la presidencia donde fueron atendidos por el mandatario Bernardo Arévalo.

Luis Pacheco y Héctor Chaclán, que en 2023 eran presidente y tesorero de la organización los 48 Cantones de Totonicapán —una de las organizaciones indígenas más grandes de Guatemala— fueron detenidos el 23 de abril de 2025 tras varios allanamientos ordenados por la fiscalía, que los acusó de los presuntos delitos de terrorismo, asociación ilícita y obstaculización a la acción penal en relación con las protestas en 2023 que paralizaron el país durante 20 días.

Ambos líderes, que siguen a la espera de un juicio, afirmaron la víspera a The Associated Press que son inocentes y que no cometieron actos de terrorismo. Señalaron que las protestas de ese año fueron en defensa de la institucionalidad y democracia en el país ante las acciones de la fiscalía que buscaban impedir el arribo al poder de Arévalo.

“No vamos a permitir que la prisión preventiva (que tienen Pacheco y Chaclán) se convierta en una condena anticipada”, dijo Eduardo Crecencio Tax, actual presidente de 48 Cantones, en declaraciones junto al presidente Arévalo.

El mandatario señaló que la detención de ambos activistas indígenas por parte del Ministerio Público fue “por defender nuestra democracia, por personas cuyo régimen de abuso y miedo está por terminar”. Fue una referencia al fin del mandato de Porras previsto para mediados de mayo.

“La criminalización ha causado dolor a muchas familias”, afirmó el presidente. Durante la gestión de Porras, que lleva ocho años en el cargo, por lo menos 130 ex operadores de justicia, periodistas, defensores de derechos humanos se han exiliado del país.

Pacheco y Chaclán permanecen en un centro de detención preventiva dentro de un complejo militar en Ciudad de Guatemala, vigilados por guardias penitenciarios.

“No hay ningún arrepentimiento, nunca hicimos nada malo”, sostuvo Pacheco a la AP el miércoles. “No fue algo personal, fue una acción delegada por la comunidad en asamblea, un servicio al pueblo”, y que ”gracias a ellas muchas autoridades lograron tomar posesión de sus cargos y los ejercen hoy”.

En diciembre del año pasado, la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos advirtió sobre una crisis institucional, especialmente por acciones de la fiscalía y la persecución judicial a operadores de justicia, periodistas, defensores de derechos humanos y líderes sociales, mencionando en particular el caso judicial de Pacheco y Chaclán.

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Police said they conducted the sting at an undisclosed hotel with the help of the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office Human Trafficking Task Force.

According to arrest reports, detectives posted an online advertisement posing as the mother of two girls, aged 13 and 15, and told those responding that they “were available for sexual services in exchange for money.”

Authorities said they arranged meetings with the men to pay for sex with one or both of the girls and arrested them after they entered the hotel room.

Police said they arrested the following suspects on child sex trafficking and computer crimes charges:

• Josue Donis Castanon, 20, of Fort Lauderdale
• Edgardo Arturo Donaire, 49, of Miramar
• Roberto Antonio Guido Rojas, 38, of Miami
• Miles Simyon, 22, of Sweetwater
• Marvin Geovanny Torres, 43, of southwest Miami-Dade

Investigators specifically noted that Torres brought along more than a dozen condoms, several lubricants and lotions as well as multiple sexual objects, including “bondage” items.

“He kept repeating, in Spanish, ‘I knew it,’ ‘I knew,’ ‘I knew that it was this,’” a detective wrote in Torres’ arrest report.

Castanon, a Guatemalan national; Donaire and Torres, both Honduran nationals; Guido Rojas, a Nicaraguan national; and Simyon, a Botswanan national, were all being held in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center as of Thursday afternoon.

Castanon and Guido Rojas additionally have immigration holds.

WK Kellogg Co. said Thursday it's including toys with some of its breakfast cereals for the first time in more than a decade.

Starting on Sunday, special edition boxes of Frosted Flakes, Froot Loops, AppleJacks and Corn Pops will have plastic toys shaped like characters from Disney and Pixar's “Toy Story 5.” The movie is scheduled to hit theaters in June.

Plastic toys used to be a mainstay in breakfast cereal. On Ebay Thursday, collectors were selling a Batman coin bank from a 1989 box of Ralston cereal, a miniature stuffed bear from a 1980s box of Post Super Golden Crisp and even a tiny plastic “atomic submarine" from a 1950s box of Kellogg's Corn Flakes.

But the toys gradually disappeared as manufacturers tried to cut costs and consumers worried about choking and other hazards. Kellogg was criticized in 2004 for including Spider-Man watches with mercury batteries in its cereal boxes, for example. And in 1988, the company recalled “cool flute” and “binoculars” toys after the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission deemed them a choking hazard.

Toys do occasionally make a limited-time comeback. General Mills introduced a “Cereal Squad” set of toy figurines in 2020, for example.

Kellogg said it thought “Toy Story 5" was a good fit for the reintroduction, since it explores the role of toys in a tech-driven world.

“Bringing toys back inside the box reintroduces that sense of discovery through a simple, screen-free moment of play that parents can now share with their own kids,” said Laura Newman, a vice president of brand marketing at Kellogg.

U.S. District Judge Fred Biery in San Antonio said Hayam El Gamal and her five children can be released from a family immigration detention center in Dilley, Texas, as long as El Gamal and her oldest child, who is 18, wear electronic monitoring. Biery denied the government's request to stay his ruling so it could appeal.

El Gamal was born in Saudi Arabia and is an Egyptian national. She and her family have been in immigration detention since June after her husband, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, was accused of throwing two Molotov cocktails at people demonstrating for awareness of Israeli hostages in Gaza. An 82-year-old woman who was injured in the attack later died. El Gamal has said she was shocked by the attack.

Soliman is an Egyptian national who federal authorities say was living in the U.S. illegally. He is being prosecuted in both state and federal court for the attack, which prosecutors say injured a total of 13 people. Investigators say he planned the attack for a year and was driven by a desire “to kill all Zionist people.” He has pleaded not guilty to state charges, including a murder charge, and federal hate crimes charges.

After the attack, the Trump administration claimed the family was being rushed out of the country. The White House said in social media posts that they “COULD BE DEPORTED AS EARLY AS TONIGHT” and that six one-way tickets had been purchased for them, with their “final boarding call coming soon.”

Biery decided to release the family even though an immigration appeals court had dismissed their case to stay and issued a deportation order for them. That came after a federal magistrate judge recommended on Monday that they should be released.

Lawyers for the family claim the deportation order was directed by the “political leadership” in Washington, which the government's lawyer, Anne Marie Cordova, denied. People who have final deportation orders are normally subject to mandatory detention.

Biery had barred the family from being deported until he could hold Thursday's hearing. One of the family's lawyers, Chris Godshall-Bennett, told Biery they will also ask the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans to stop the family from being deported while they seek asylum and permission to remain in the United States.

Another federal judge blocked their immediate removal after the attack. Since then, the family has tried several times to be released on bond and return to Colorado while their asylum application is considered.

The magistrate judge recommended this week that they be released after their attorneys argued they have not been treated fairly in immigration proceedings.

A complaint filed in federal court charges the suspects — Huang Xing Shan and Jiang Wen Jie — with wire fraud conspiracy. They’re accused of managing the industrial-scale Shunda Park compound in the village of Min Let Pan before it was seized in November 2025 by armed forces in Myanmar.

Cyberscam centers have proliferated near Myanmar’s border with Thailand. And they have persisted despite a vow by Myanmar’s military leadership to wipe them out, The Associated Press has found.

Both suspects charged in Washington are in government custody in Thailand for illegally entering that country, a court filing says. They had relocated to another scam compound in Cambodia but were arrested by Thai authorities on immigration charges earlier this year, the filing alleges. It's unclear when they could be brought to the U.S. for prosecution.

FBI agents reviewed thousands of electronic devices found at the Shunda compound and interviewed some of its former workers. Scammers posing as law-enforcement or bank officials used fraudulent websites disguised as legitimate investment platforms to defraud victims across the globe by duping them into sending cryptocurrency, according to an FBI agent's affidavit.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, who announced the charges at a news conference in Washington, said the type of scam perpetrated at the Shunda compound is among the fastest-growing and most financially devastating forms of cybercrime, costing Americans billions of dollars in losses.

“This isn't abstract. It is hitting your neighbors', your friends' and your parents' retirement accounts,” Pirro said. “Some of these victims are so distraught that they end up taking their own lives. This is economic homicide.”

Compound workers told the FBI that they were held against their will and forced to participate in the scams under the threat of violence.

“The criminal syndicates behind these compounds often lure unsuspecting persons to travel to nearby Thailand with the offer of high-paying technical jobs. However, many of these persons instead have their identification documents seized and are trafficked to (Myanmar) to work in these scam compounds,” the FBI affidavit says.

Online court records don't list any attorneys for the defendants, Huang and Jiang.

Pirro also announced Thursday that authorities have taken down hundreds of scam-related websites and seized a channel on the Telegram messaging app that she said was used to recruit human trafficking victims to a compound in Cambodia.

“These criminals thought they were untouchable because they were overseas,” Pirro said. “Today, we are proving them wrong, and we are just getting started.”

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According to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, the stabbing was reported at 12:37 p.m. at the bus stop located at 1176 NW 79th St.

Deputies responded to the scene and found a man suffering from stab wounds.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded and transported the victim to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center in critical condition.

The suspect was taken into custody a short time later.

No other details were immediately released.

Según la Oficina del Sheriff de Miami-Dade, el incidente fue reportado a las 12:37 p.m. en la parada ubicada en 1176 NW 79th St.

Agentes respondieron al lugar y encontraron a un hombre con heridas de arma blanca.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue acudió a la escena y trasladó a la víctima al Ryder Trauma Center del Jackson Memorial Hospital en condición crítica.

El sospechoso fue detenido poco tiempo después.

No se han revelado más detalles de inmediato.

El canciller boliviano Fernando Aramayo recibió en la mañana a su homólogo chileno Francisco Pérez Mackenna en la frontera boliviano-chilena antes de una reunión en La Paz, la sede de gobierno de Bolivia.

Pérez Mackenna mencionó que en el encuentro se abordará un tratado de libre comercio bilateral y la seguridad en la frontera en momentos que ambos países necesitan luchar en conjunto contra la delincuencia transnacional.

La cancillería boliviana agregó en un comunicado que además hablarán de libre tránsito, conectividad logística y asuntos consulares.

Por su parte, Aramayo señaló que la visita de su par chileno marca “un hito fundamental en esa decisión en el camino de poder restablecer relaciones”.

“Es un nuevo comienzo con mucha esperanza y con mucho optimismo”, agregó Perez Mackenna.

Bolivia y Chile se enfrentaron en una guerra entre 1879 y 1883 en la que los bolivianos perdieron su litoral en el Pacífico. En 2013 el gobierno del entonces presidente boliviano Evo Morales (2006-2019) demandó a Chile ante la Corte Internacional de Justicia para obligar a Santiago a negociar una salida al mar para Bolivia. Chile a su vez demandó a Bolivia por aguas fronterizas en disputa.

En 2018 el máximo tribunal de las Naciones Unidas rechazó la solicitud de Bolivia para que sus jueces ordenen a Chile negociar una forma de concederle al país un acceso Pacífico, lo que supuso una dura derrota para el país y para Morales.

Cuatro años después la misma corte desestimó la demanda presentada por Bolivia contra Chile por las aguas de un río fronterizo.

Tras casi 20 años de gobiernos de izquierda, el centroderechista Rodrigo Paz asumió en noviembre la presidencia de Bolivia y entre sus primeras medidas se acercó a Chile, aunque dejó en claro que no renunciará al anhelo de los bolivianos de recuperar la salida al mar. A su vez asistió en marzo a la toma de juramento del ultraderechista chileno José Antonio Kast.

Al día siguiente de asumir el poder en Chile, Kast ordenó construir zanjas en la frontera con Perú y Bolivia como parte de su plan para frenar la inmigración ilegal y el crimen organizado.

Paz expresó su molestia y el 23 marzo en el Día del Mar, fecha en la que los bolivianos reivindican su reclamo por el litoral marítimo, sostuvo que “nosotros no hacemos zanjas, nosotros hacemos puentes de integración económica".

El encuentro de los cancilleres de produce días después de la expulsión de Chile de 12 bolivianos con antecedentes penales.

The Chiefs said they were aware of the arrest but had no comment. Merritt was due in court later Thursday.

The 54-year-old Merritt spent several years playing linebacker in the NFL before becoming one of the best defensive backs coaches in the league. He has been with the Chiefs since 2019, and including his time with the Giants, has helped teams win five Super Bowls.

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En un comunicado, la misión —con más de 150 observadores—, hizo “un llamamiento a la moderación en el discurso político”, pero no señaló a ningún candidato en particular.

Tres candidatos presidenciales se disputan el pase a la segunda vuelta programada para el 7 de junio. El conteo de las actas de la primera vuelta presidencial muestra primera a la conservadora Keiko Fujimori, seguida del nacionalista Roberto Sánchez y del ultraconservador Rafael López Aliaga.

López Aliaga dijo la víspera en una transmisión por sus redes sociales que la Oficina Nacional de Procesos Electorales (ONPE) ha sido tomada por una “maquinaria del fraude”, que su renunciante jefe Piero Corvetto es un “criminal”, que lo perseguirá “hasta que se muera” y que dentro de esa oficina hay ”delincuentes”.

El exalcalde de Lima también le dijo la víspera al presidente del Tribunal Electoral, Roberto Burneo, que debe convocar a elecciones en varios centros de Lima donde hubo personas que no votaron, “si no, arde Troya”. Después de los comicios López Aliaga propinó repetidos insultos contra Burneo y amenazó con convocar a una insurgencia. A su vez pidió que la misión de la Unión Europea salga del país “de una vez”.

La primera vuelta se extendió un día, un hecho inédito en la historia electoral, luego de que 13 centros electorales no abrieron el 12 de abril debido a que no habían recibido a tiempo las papeletas de votación.

El martes Corvetto renunció pese a que la ley prohíbe de forma expresa la dimisión durante procesos electorales.

Just seconds earlier, the controller had cleared the fire truck to cross the runway, but the truck started moving while warning lights that act as a stop sign for crossing traffic were still lit, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a preliminary report on the March 22 crash.

Because the truck lacked a transponder, a surface monitoring system in the control tower was unable to reliably determine its position, “did not predict a potential conflict” with the landing plane and did not generate an audio or visual alert, the report said, pointing to a series of failures that contributed to the crash.

“There were so many opportunities where this accident could have been prevented,” aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti said after reviewing the report.

In addition to the control tower and truck driver, he said the report suggests the pilots had a chance to recognize the danger and pull up. But, he said, they may have been too dialed into landing.

After the air traffic controller's initial stop warning, the fire truck's turret operator heard the controller say, “Truck 1, stop, stop, stop,” and realized he was telling the truck to halt, the report said. By then, the truck was already on the runway as Air Canada Express Flight 8646 was landing and speeding toward it.

Aviation safety consultant John Cox, CEO of Safety Operating Systems, said it might be understandable that the truck driver didn't recognize the first “stop” call was meant for him because the controller had just been directing a plane on a taxiway and didn't say Truck 1 at the start of the command.

The turret operator, one of two crew members in the fire truck, told investigators that as the vehicle turned left, he saw the airplane’s lights on the runway, the report said. The plane registered a speed of 104 mph (167 kph) just before the collision. The truck was going about 30 mph (48 kph).

The fire truck was leading a convoy of vehicles, including four fire trucks, a police car and a stair truck, responding to an emergency involving a strong odor that was making flight attendants feel ill aboard a departing United Airlines jet.

The air traffic controller cleared the truck to cross the runway just 12 seconds before the plane touched down, investigators said. About eight seconds later, the controller frantically began calling for the truck to stop.

Pilots killed, 39 people hurt, including fire crew members

The plane, a CRJ900 regional jet from Montreal, was carrying 76 people. Pilots Antoine Forest, 30, and Mackenzie Gunther, 24, were killed. It was the first deadly crash at LaGuardia in 34 years.

In addition, 39 people were taken to hospitals, including six described as seriously injured. The two fire truck crew members are recovering at home after being released from the hospital, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates LaGuardia.

A flight attendant still strapped in her seat survived after being thrown onto the tarmac.

Another flight attendant reported taking his seat in the rear of the plane for landing and described the flight as normal until he felt an impact, the report said. He didn't know what had happened and attempted to call the pilots but received no response, the report said.

The Port Authority said it is conducting a comprehensive review of the NTSB's initial findings. “Our focus is straightforward: ensure our safety procedures and protocols are as strong as they can be and take action to strengthen them as needed,” the agency said.

LaGuardia was busier than usual the night of the crash because flight delays pushed the number of arrivals and departures after 10 p.m. to more than double what was scheduled, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. Two air traffic controllers were on duty, consistent with normal scheduling, the report said.

Planes were landing every few minutes, with a dozen flights arriving between 11 p.m. and when the crash happened less than 40 minutes later. At the same time, the controllers had to shuffle their duties because of the odor issue on the United plane.

While the more senior controller coordinated the United emergency response, the other controller took over directing vehicles on the ground while continuing to authorize takeoffs and landings.

“These controllers were just way busy, just too busy,” Guzzetti said.

Airport had technology designed to prevent crashes

The warning lights — known as runway entrance lights — were lit until the fire truck reached the edge of the runway, about three seconds before the collision, the report said. By design, they turn off two or three seconds before a plane reaches a runway intersection, the report said.

The runway warning lights in place at 20 of the nation’s busiest airports are one of the backup systems designed to help prevent a crash. Cox said the truck should have never entered the runway while the warning lights were illuminated.

“That’s an automated system so even though the controller says you’re cleared to cross, the lights mean that there’s an airplane that is either on the runway or about to be,” Cox said. “So the truck driver is going to have some questions to answer there.”

LaGuardia is one of 35 major U.S. airports with an advanced surface surveillance system that combines radar data with information from transponders inside planes and ground vehicles to help prevent runway incursions. Controllers have a display in the tower that’s supposed to show the location of every plane and vehicle.

The system, known as ASDE-X, didn’t sound an alarm partly because the radar had trouble distinguishing the closely spaced trucks and the radar targets intermittently merged on the display. Only two targets were displayed just before the crash, even though there were seven vehicles. None were equipped with transponders that would have helped the system to precisely track their movements.

According to air traffic control transmissions, Flight 8646 was cleared to land on Runway 4 at 11:35 p.m.

About two minutes later — and 25 seconds before the crash — the fire crew asked to cross the same runway, which was between the airport’s fire station and where the United Airlines jet had parked.

Five seconds later, with Flight 8646 approaching the runway a little more than 100 feet (30 meters) above the ground, an air traffic controller cleared the fire truck to cross.

Then, just nine seconds before the crash, the controller frantically told the fire crew: “Stop, stop, stop, stop. Truck 1. Stop, stop, stop, stop.” A second later, the plane’s landing gear touched down.

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Funk reported from Omaha, Nebraska. ___

This story has been corrected to show that pilot Antoine Forest was 30, not 24; and pilot Mackenzie Gunther was 24, not 30.

The $2,299,998.85 seats for the July 19 match at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, are located behind a goal in the lower deck in block 124, row 45, seats 33-36.

FIFA does not control the asking prices on its Resale/Exchange Marketplace but takes a 15% purchase fee from the buyer of each ticket and a 15% resale fee from the seller.

An aisle seat 33 in block 146, row 32 of the lower deck listed as easy access standard was listed at $207,000, while a category two seat in the last row of the uppermost third deck was listed at $138,000 for block 310, row 26, seat 23. A few feet away, seat 21 has an asking price of $23,000.

The lowest-priced tickets for the final listed Thursday on the Marketplace were $10,923.85 for four seats four rows from the top of the upper deck behind a goal, in block 323, row 23, seats 13-16.

“FIFA has established a ticket sales and secondary market model that reflects standard ticket market practices for major sporting and entertainment events across the host countries," the governing body said in a statement. “The applicable resale facilitation fees are aligned with industry standards across North American sports and entertainment sectors. FIFA’s variable pricing ticketing approach aligns with industry trends across various sports and entertainment sectors, where price adaptations are made to optimize sales and attendance and ensure a fair market value for events.”

FIFA says it reinvests World Cup revenue among its 211 members to develop the sport.

FIFA put new blocks of tickets on sale Wednesday on its direct tickets site. Available tickets for the final cost $10,990.

Tickets were available from FIFA at $11,130 for the July 14 semifinal in Arlington, Texas, and at $9,660 and $4,360 for the July 15 semifinal in Atlanta.

Prices for the U.S. opener against Paraguay on June 12 at Inglewood, California, were listed at $4.,105, $2,735, $2,330 and $1,940, while seats for the Americans' second match against Australia on June 19 at Seattle cost $2,715. Tickets for the U.S. group stage finale against Turkey on June 25 at Inglewood cost $2,970 and $1,345.

Canada's opener vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 12 at Toronto was available for $3,360, $2,240, $1,645 and $980.

No tickets were listed directly by FIFA for the June 11 tournament opener between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City.

For the quarterfinals, available tickets were $4,200 and $1,610 for the July 9 match at Foxborough, Massachusetts; $5,730 for the July 10 game in Inglewood; $4.770 and $1,815 for the July 11 match at Miami Gardens, Florida, and $4,080 for the July 11 game at Kansas City, Missouri.

Tickets for the third-place game at Miami Gardens on July 18 could be purchased at $1,125.

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"No podrán detener el crecimiento que se viene para el País. VIVA LA LIBERTAD CARAJO...!!!”, dijo el mandatario en X. El Ministerio de Capital Humano informó a su vez que la medida tomada por la Cámara Nacional de Apelaciones del Trabajo “revocó la decisión del juez (Raúl) Ojeda” de marzo de suspender provisoriamente la aplicación de más de 80 artículos de la ley que modificó las relaciones laborales en Argentina.

De esta manera, la iniciativa aprobada por el Congreso a fines de febrero está en vigencia hasta que el tribunal de alzada resuelva la disputa de fondo sobre la reforma, que fue aprobada a instancias del oficialismo y con el apoyo de partidos aliados con el fin de modernizar el mercado laboral, atraer inversiones y reducir el poder de los sindicatos y los costos laborales.

El juez Ojeda, del fuero laboral, había hecho lugar a una medida cautelar solicitada por la Confederación General del Trabajo (CGT), la principal central sindical del país, que considera que la reforma es inconstitucional porque avanza sobre derechos consagrados, como el derecho a huelga.

Pero la cámara dispuso “otorgar efecto suspensivo” a la apelación presentada por el gobierno contra ese fallo de primera instancia que había admitido la medida cautelar solicitada por la CGT.

Algunos de los puntos de la reforma más resistidos por los sindicatos —que había suspendido el juez laboral—son los que hacen referencia a la nueva base para calcular las indemnizaciones excluyendo pagos adicionales en el año como el aguinaldo, vacaciones y horas extras, y establecen que las sentencias indemnizatorias se abonen en cuotas. También el referido al Fondo de Asistencia Laboral, creado para que los empleadores financien despidos de personal con una contribución de entre 1% y 3% sobre los salarios.

Él fue uno de los negociadores clave del acuerdo alcanzado a finales de 2024, que entra en vigor de manera provisional el 1 de mayo.

“En un momento en que el mundo lo necesitaba mucho, en una época de proteccionismo, un mundo duro, esto envía el mensaje de que es posible abrir mercados”, expresó Alckmin el miércoles, durante una entrevista con medios —entre ellos The Associated Press— en el palacio presidencial en Brasilia. “Es el mayor acuerdo entre bloques comerciales del mundo. Un mercado de 22 billones de dólares y 720 millones de personas”.

La férrea oposición de agricultores y ambientalistas retrasó el acuerdo en diciembre. Luego se topó con otro obstáculo después de que legisladores de la UE enviaron el acuerdo al poder judicial del bloque. La Comisión Europea, el brazo ejecutivo de la UE, respondió diciendo que aplicaría el acuerdo de manera provisional, lo que evita al Parlamento Europeo. Después de que el acuerdo comercial se implemente, se detendrá si el Tribunal de Justicia de la UE falla en su contra.

Alckmin señaló que no concluir el acuerdo con la UE habría significado quedarse atrás mientras otros competidores concretaban otros acuerdos.

“Es un ganar-ganar. Ganan las sociedades de los países del Mercosur y también los 27 países de la UE”, añadió Alckmin, quien espera un aumento de las exportaciones brasileñas al bloque de alrededor del 13% por año.

El acuerdo comercial transatlántico se firmó el 17 de enero. La presidenta de la Comisión Europea, Ursula von der Leyen, rindió homenaje en repetidas ocasiones a la administración del presidente brasileño Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva por sus esfuerzos para concretar el acuerdo pese a la oposición en Europa. Brasil es, por mucho, la mayor economía del Mercosur, con un producto interno bruto estimado en más de 2,3 billones de dólares en 2025.

Alckmin confirmó que se negocian otros posibles acuerdos con Emiratos Árabes Unidos y Canadá.

Cambio de postura y de época

Hace dos décadas, Alckmin y Lula estaban en bandos opuestos en casi todos los temas, incluidas las negociaciones de un acuerdo entre la UE y el bloque que integran Brasil, Argentina, Paraguay y Uruguay. Mientras el hombre que entonces era gobernador del poderoso estado de Sao Paulo defendía un pacto con naciones europeas, Lula no lo hacía.

Avanzando hasta 2022, ambos unieron fuerzas para sacar del poder al entonces presidente Jair Bolsonaro, a quien consideraban un riesgo para la democracia de Brasil. Los dos se acercaron al centro político. Lula nombró a Alckmin su ministro de Industria y Comercio, uno de los principales negociadores del gobierno en cualquier frente.

La victoria de Lula en 2022 para un tercer mandato no consecutivo y su intento de reelección este año no aseguraban que el acuerdo comercial Mercosur- UE siguiera adelante, pero las conversaciones cobraron un nuevo impulso después de que el presidente de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, asumió el cargo el año pasado e impuso aranceles contra varios países, incluido Brasil.

El presidente francés Emmanuel Macron, uno de los críticos del acuerdo, ha exigido salvaguardas para monitorear y frenar una gran disrupción económica en la UE, un aumento de regulaciones en las naciones del Mercosur —como restricciones a pesticidas— y más inspecciones de importaciones en los puertos de la UE.

Alckmin rechazó la acusación de que los países del Mercosur se preocupan menos por la preservación ambiental, como han dicho algunos agricultores de la UE.

“Si hay un país que es un modelo de preservación ambiental, ese es Brasil… Brasil redujo la deforestación en 50%”, aseguró Alckmin.

“Así que nadie está demasiado asustado en ninguno de los dos lados; si hay un auge de importaciones, cualquiera de los dos (bloques) puede pedir salvaguardas”, agregó.

La implementación completa del acuerdo podría tardar hasta 12 años, algo que Alckmin considera clave para que las empresas del Mercosur mejoren la productividad y la calidad de miles de productos. Indicó que las industrias de frutas, carne de res y azúcar del bloque sudamericano estarán entre las primeras en beneficiarse, pero muchas más lo harán con el tiempo.

“Es mejor hacerlo gradualmente que no hacerlo en absoluto. Este fue un acuerdo muy bien construido”, expresó.

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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.

New analyses of fossilized jaws reveal that massive, kraken-like octopuses once hunted alongside other marine predators. They boasted eight arms and long bodies that extended more than 60 feet (18 meters), rivaling other carnivorous marine reptiles.

“These krakens must have been a fearsome sight to behold,” University of Alabama paleontologist Adiel Klompmaker said in an email. He had no role in the new research.

Dinosaur fans know that late Cretaceous-era waters were ruled by sharp-toothed sharks and sea reptiles known as mosasaurs and plesiosaurs.

Why do octopuses get left out of the mix? Scientists have studied giant octopus relatives that roamed when dinosaurs were around, and researched some small octopuses that drilled into clams. But since their soft bodies don't preserve well, it's hard to figure out exactly how big the creatures got.

There's also a perception that squishy invertebrates — creatures without backbones — weren't formidable enough to join the ranks of top predators. But octopus' beaks made of stiffened chitin are tough enough to crush shelled and bony critters.

In the new study, researchers studied the jaws of 15 ancient octopus fossils that were previously found in Japan and Canada's Vancouver Island. They also identified 12 more jaws from Japan using a technique they created called digital fossil mining, which closely scans rocks in cross-sections to reveal fossils hiding inside.

They compared the jaws to that of modern-day octopuses to estimate how large the creatures may have been, and determined that the ancient octopuses ranged from 23 to 62 feet (7 to 19 meters) in length. The largest jaw was substantially bigger than that of any modern octopus, said co-author and paleontologist Yasuhiro Iba with Hokkaido University in an email.

They also found that the largest creatures' jaws had significant wear and tear including scratches, chips and rounded edges, suggesting that “the animals repeatedly crushed hard prey such as shells and bones,” said Iba.

The findings were published Thursday in the journal Science.

Without access to the octopuses' stomach contents, it's hard to know for sure what they were eating or whether they truly competed with other top predators for their meals. They could have snacked on fish or snails, snatching prey with flexible arms and breaking it apart with their beaks.

Looking for octopus fossils in other places might help scientists get a clearer idea of how they factor into ancient food webs, said paleontologist Neil Landman with the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

“It's a big old planet,” said Landman, who wasn't involved with the new research. “So we have lots to look at to piece together the marine ecosystem through time.”

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

“Mr. Pearce Jr. will be entering a six-month diversion program. Upon completion of the six months without violation, the state will dismiss all felony and misdemeanor charges,” one of Pearce’s attorneys, Jacob Nunez, said Thursday in a statement provided to The Associated Press.

“James is focused on moving forward, rejoining his teammates and the Atlanta Falcons organization as a whole, performing at the highest level, and continuing to be a team player on and off the field,” Nunez and another attorney, Yale Sanford, said in another statement.

The Falcons did not immediately respond to an inquiry about Pearce's status with the team.

Atlanta's WSB-TV first reported the agreement for Pearce to enter the intervention program.

The resolution came on the opening day of the NFL draft, one year after the Falcons made Pearce the No. 26 pick in the 2025 draft. Pearce led Atlanta with 10 1/2 sacks. His 45 quarterback pressures set a Falcons rookie record.

The felony charges, however, have left his status with the team uncertain. First-year coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed on April 8 Pearce was not at the practice facility for the start of the team's voluntary offseason program.

General manager Ian Cunningham said Monday there was no update on Pearce. “Everything is status quo,” Cunningham said.

On March 13, the Florida State Attorney’s Office in Miami-Dade County filed charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, fleeing and eluding police and resisting an officer with violence. A fourth charge of stalking was brought as a misdemeanor.

An additional charge of aggravated battery of an officer was dropped.

According to the police account, Jackson told authorities she attempted to drive away from Pearce and was driving toward the Doral police station to seek help when Pearce “intentionally collided into the rear of her vehicle with his SUV” before police arrived.

Pearce allegedly refused an initial order from police to “get on the floor,” according to details of the arrest in an affidavit. The police account said Pearce then drove away and hit a police officer’s left knee with his vehicle “intentionally in an attempt to evade arrest.”

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In rounds of calls immediately following the indictment, advocates discussed how to support the SPLC, a Montgomery, Alabama-based civil rights group founded in 1971 that has tracked white supremacist groups and been outspoken on voting rights, immigration and policing. Organizers on one call agreed that winning in the court of public opinion would be crucial as judicial proceedings began, leading to dozens of public statements of support and planned rallies.

And legal advisors to civil rights groups urged organizers to prepare for similar criminal indictments, protracted legal action that may exhaust their resources and audits of their staff and internal documents.

The flurry of behind-the-scenes coordination represented a marked mobilization by activist groups that, like many universities, law firms and non-profits, have been at odds with the federal government since President Donald Trump's return to the White House last year.

“There’s a muscle that has been built among these organizations learned from the law firm debacle,” said Vanita Gupta, a former associate attorney general of the Justice Department during the Biden administration, referring to deals some major law firms made with the administration. Gupta led one of the calls that convened activists.

“The government's goal is often to shut down and paralyze an organization, so that their work has to stop while they defend themselves. And the hope here is that with this broad effort to defend the SPLC, that will not happen,” said Gupta.

Organizers say they are prepared to back the SPLC in its legal fight.

“It’s a blatantly obvious attack on civil rights and civil liberties to whitewash the foot soldiers of the great replacement theory and other extremists. This coalition isn’t going silent,” said Maya Wiley, president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, an umbrella organization of hundreds of civil rights groups.

Without addressing the indictment, a coalition of more than 100 activist groups on Tuesday published a letter vowing solidarity with groups that are “unjustly targeted” by the federal government. SPLC was a signatory to the pact.

“An attack on one is an attack on all,” the coalition declared. “We will share knowledge, resources, and support with any organization threatened by abuses of power.”

DOJ alleges criminal conduct in SPLC's longtime informant network

The Justice Department alleges that the SPLC, which rose to prominence for its work prosecuting and tracking hate groups like the Ku Klux Klan, violated federal law through its network of paid informants in extremist groups. The DOJ claims the payments funded hate groups and misled the SPLC’s donors.

The SPLC now faces charges of wire fraud, bank fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in the case brought in the federal court in Alabama, where the organization is based.

“The SPLC is manufacturing racism to justify its existence,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche at a press conference announcing the charges. Blanche promised the department “will hold the SPLC and every other fraudulent organization operating with the same deceptive playbook accountable.”

Longtime civil rights activists found the claims to be a disingenuous and partisan move that may empower extremist groups.

“The indictment is nakedly political and represents the Justice Department turning on itself,” said Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League. “It places the Justice Department in the posture of, in effect, defending white supremacist groups like the Ku Klux Klan and others.”

Advocates also view the indictment as part of the administration's broader upending of civil rights law and the Justice Department's prosecution of Trump's political opponents.

The SPLC in recent years became a bogeyman among conservatives who resented that the watchdog designated several rightwing organizations that engage in Republican politics as hateful or extremist.

Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, which the SPLC has designated as a hate group, said the government should not only pursue convictions, but also restitution for those the SPLC has harmed.

“For years, the SPLC has used its platform to label and target organizations with whom it disagrees, often blurring the line between legitimate concern and ideological attack,” Perkins said in a statement. “That kind of reckless characterization doesn’t just damage reputations, it has put lives at risk.”

In October, FBI Director Kash Patel cancelled the agency’s longtime anti-extremism partnerships with the SPLC and the Anti-Defamation League, which combats antisemitism. Patel at the time called the SPLC a “partisan smear machine.”

The Justice Department and SPLC did not respond to requests for comment.

Indictment represents marked shift for civil rights work

Advocates dispute the DOJ's characterization of the SPLC's work.

“The problem is that the indictment essentially claims that it was a fraud on SPLC’s donors to use their funds to fight the Klan, the Neo Nazis and other white supremacist groups, when that is exactly why people gave to the organization,” said Norm Eisen, founder of Democracy Defenders Action, a group that works with organizations in legal disputes with the Trump administration.

Eisen added: “The notion that there’s something wrong with using informants and protecting their identities to prevent white supremacist violence is belied by the fact that that is not only what the SPLC did, but it is also the stock and trade of the FBI itself.”

Civil rights organizations are now preparing for further legal action. Organizations have reviewed their document retention, tax compliance and auditing policies over the last year to safeguard against any probes or lawsuits.

Some civil rights organizations have also floated creating new organizational structures that may better withstand legal scrutiny. On another recent call, activists floated restructuring some groups into for-profit entities, or potentially crafting new financial conduits for donors to ensure that staff could receive pay if an organization's assets were seized or frozen.

The preparations represent a marked shift for many civil rights leaders, who in recent years counted the Justice Department under both Democratic and Republican administrations as a reliable ally in key civil rights battles.

“What we are seeing in real time is an administration seeking to leverage its position to target individuals and organizations that do not agree with its political thought,” said NAACP President Derrick Johnson, who said the Justice Department has been “weaponized by dangerous forces."

But for other leaders, the SPLC indictment raised the specter of a return to a previous era, when the Justice Department monitored civil rights leaders to disrupt their activities.

“We're not backing down, but we are clear-eyed. Everyone could be in some form of jeopardy if you're in the crosshairs of this administration,” said Juan Proaño, CEO of the League of United Latin American Citizens, a civil rights group suing the Trump administration over executive orders addressing birthright citizenship and mail-in voting.

“That's what they’re looking for; they want this to have a chilling effect," Proaño said.

Cuba atraviesa un cerco petrolero impuesto en enero por el presidente estadounidense Donald Trump --que agudizó la profunda crisis económica del último lustro— y que implicó cortes masivos de energía.

A fines de marzo un barco ruso cargado con 730.000 barriles de crudo desafió la prohibición impuesta por Trump. Se espera un segundo navío para las próximas semanas, pero hasta ahora se desconoce su fecha de llegada.

Trump dijo explícitamente que busca la caída del gobierno cubano y un cambio de modelo político y aseguró que estaba listo para “tomar” a Cuba.

“La difícil situación del país es consecuencia directa del recrudecimiento del bloqueo y del cerco energético decretado por el gobierno estadounidense”, escribió el canciller cubano Bruno Rodríguez en su cuenta de la red social X.

Agregó que “basta con ver cómo se aprecia una mejoría de la situación del Sistema Electroenergético Nacional con la entrada de un petrolero ruso".

Esta semana los partes diarios de la estatal Unión Eléctrica indicaron que el déficit de generación estuvo entre el 36% y 37%.

Hasta la llegada del buque ruso la nación caribeña pasó tres meses sin importar combustible de Venezuela, Rusia o México, sus habituales proveedores.

Las consecuencias se hicieron sentir en apagones de hasta 20 horas diarias, reducción del transporte y las jornadas laborales y cancelaciones de vuelos. Desde el bombeo de agua a los eventos culturales se vieron afectados.

Procesamiento del petróleo ruso

Durante una comparecencia el miércoles por la noche en la televisión cubana el ministro de Energía y Minas, Vicente de la O Levy, dio algunos detalles sobre la forma en que se ha procesado el crudo ruso para obtener diferentes subproductos como gas, gasolina o diesel.

El funcionario destacó que un buque es apenas un parche para las necesidades del país, que produce sólo el 40% del combustible que necesita.

“¿Cuánto dura un barco? Ocho barcos se necesitan mensualmente”, sostuvo el ministro. “Ocho barcos mensuales para la economía y la generación”, agregó.

Según expertos internacionales la carga del barco ruso duraría apenas dos semanas.

El gobierno desarrolla un programa de energías renovables, en especial fotovoltaica, para mitigar la falta de petróleo. El ministro De la O indicó que Cuba comenzó 2025 con una participación del 3% de estas fuentes alternativas en la generación eléctrica y cerró con el 10%.

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Siga a Andrea Rodríguez en X: https://x.com/ARodriguezAP

Walker, in his 14th major league season, exited the Phillies clubhouse a couple of hours before Thursday’s contest. He was in the final year of a four-year, $72 million contract and let go after outfielder Nick Castellanos was released by the Phillies in February as he entered the final year of a five-year, $100 million deal.

The Phillies had optioned right-hander Alan Rangel to Lehigh Valley following Wednesday’s 7-2 loss to Chicago, their eighth straight.

The 33-year-old Walker was an All-Star with the New York Mets in 2021 and peaked with a 15-6 record and 4.38 ERA with Philadelphia in 2023. But he’s slid ever since, starting 2026 at 1-4 with a 9.13 ERA in five games, and has a combined 9-19 record with a 5.67 ERA over the past three seasons.

Walker gave up five runs (four earned) on eight hits in four innings of bulk relief and took the loss at Wrigley Field on Wednesday. With ace Zack Wheeler set to return on Saturday, Walker was bumped out of the Phillies rotation.

Dave Dombrowski, the Phillies’ president of baseball operations, said the team tried to trade Walker’s contract “various times,” but found no takers.

“We know and he knows that he gave every effort that he possibly could to try to get people out and it just wasn’t working,” Dombrowski added. “Maybe a change of scenery will help him."

Philadelphia owes Walker $15,208,556 of his $18 million salary this year. Any team can sign him for a prorated share of the $780,000 minimum, with the Phillies remaining responsible for the remainder of the money.

Manager Rob Thomson said: “It's just all performance based. I hope that people understand."

“We had a really good year out of him the first year (2023) with the 15 wins,” Thomson added. “With the injuries we had last year, this guy took down 125 innings and basically helped us get to the playoffs.”

Thomson praised Walker's presence and work ethic.

“He's one of the best teammates and one of the best people I've been around," Thomson said. “This guys a pro, performance aside.

“He tried everything, being the opener and trying to get some velo back, which he did. It didn't work out, but it wasn't for a lack of effort on his part.”

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This story has been corrected to show that Walker pitched in relief on Wednesday, not as the starter.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

La extensión propone un acuerdo operativo de 20 años para el evento anual en el centro de la ciudad.

Mientras tanto, la Downtown Neighbors Alliance está presionando para que la ciudad retrase la votación para que los residentes tengan la oportunidad de expresar sus preocupaciones sobre la continuidad de la asociación.

“Los residentes no están pidiendo lo imposible, estamos pidiendo un lugar en la mesa”, dijo James Torres, presidente de la Downtown Neighbors Alliance. “Un aplazamiento no solo es razonable, es necesario para establecer el tono correcto. Si se aprueba un acuerdo de 20 años sin participación, ¿qué incentivo habrá para que Ultra escuche a los residentes después?”

Además, la organización presentó una demanda contra Ultra “relacionada con sus obligaciones bajo el acuerdo de conciliación vigente”.

Local 10 News contactó a Ultra para solicitar comentarios, pero no había recibido respuesta al momento de la publicación de esta nota.

ENLACE ADICIONAL

Agenda de la reunión de la comisión de la ciudad

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Scott Nelson Nida, 55, of Pompano Beach, was arrested Tuesday and is facing charges including false imprisonment of a person, robbery without a firearm or weapon, domestic violence battery and grand theft auto, according to jail records.

Deputies said just before 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, they responded to the intersection of Southeast 54th Street and 19th Terrace in Pompano Beach after a bystander called 911 reporting that Nida had battered the victim and taken her vehicle.

When deputies arrived, they spoke with the victim, who “appeared to have a bloody and bruised face, and was not wearing any shoes,” according to the report.

The report states that the victim told deputies she wanted to press charges against Nida.

Investigators said the victim and Nida have been in a relationship for about 16 years and previously lived together. They have no children in common.

According to deputies, the incident began earlier that morning when the victim took her daughter to school in Boca Raton.

Before leaving, they said she was speaking with Nida, who had asked her to print a child support document related to a child from another relationship. She agreed and planned to meet him after the school drop-off.

During the drive, deputies said the victim received multiple calls from Nida demanding to know her location.

As she turned near his Pompano Beach home, she saw Nida standing nearby, then pulled over after telling him she was on the phone with her father, according to the report.

Once inside the vehicle, Nida became “very agitated” and instructed her to drive to his home, the report states.

After she provided the documents, deputies said he began questioning her about the previous night and accused her of infidelity.

While the victim was driving westbound on Southeast 15th Street, deputies said Nida “forcibly grabbed the back of her head and began to punch her face and head multiple times.”

The victim then honked the horn in an attempt to get attention and tried to escape, but deputies said Nida grabbed the steering wheel and tried to take her phone.

Shortly after, they said Nida then pulled her back into the vehicle and continued the attack.

The victim eventually escaped, ran down Southeast 54th Street and flagged down a passerby, who called 911 after seeing Nida drive away in her vehicle with her belongings and cellphone inside, according to the report.

Authorities said Nida did not have permission to take the vehicle. The victim later told deputies she was “extremely in fear” of Nida and feared for her life, the report states.

After Tuesday’s arrest, deputies said Nida admitted that a domestic violence incident occurred inside the vehicle but denied striking the victim, claiming she was “erratic.”

He acknowledged she was bleeding but could not explain how she sustained her injuries. He also denied taking her phone or vehicle, though deputies said he admitted driving away in the victim’s car and hearing her call for help.

In a prior January arrest, Nida faced charges of domestic battery by strangulation and false imprisonment after deputies said he attacked the same victim during an argument over infidelity.

According to deputies, the victim said Nida grabbed her by the neck and face, pushed her to the ground, dragged her across a lawn and forced her into a vehicle before driving away.

The victim later waived prosecution, and the no-contact order was dismissed. She told investigators she “felt coerced into dropping the charges” because Nida allegedly said he would “lose his job and pension.”

Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony released a statement to Local 10 News back in January in regard to Nida’s first arrest.

“Domestic violence is unacceptable especially from someone who is sworn to uphold the law,” Tony wrote at the time. “When a sworn member is accused of this type of crime, they are held to the same standards as any member of the public.”

Authorities said Nida was hired by BSO on Jan. 18, 2005. He was then placed on administrative investigative leave without pay.

A BSO spokesperson responded to Nida latest arrest in a statement to Local 10 News on Wednesday.

“Sgt. Scott Nida is currently on administrative investigative leave with pay, and he was first placed on administrative leave following his arrest on Jan. 7, 2026. The BSO internal investigation is ongoing. He was hired on Jan. 18, 2005,” the statement read.

Nida was released from the Broward County Main Jail on Wednesday night after posting his $47,500 bond.

He was also ordered to wear a GPS monitor, have no victim contact, must stay away from anywhere the victim frequents, no firearms, weapons, or ammunition, and must have a third party surrender any guns within 24 hours of release.

Domestic violence victims can contact BSO Victim Services at 954-321-4200, Women in Distress at 954-761-1133 or the Florida Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-500-1119.

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Corruth, born Feb. 14, 1930, enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1947 and deployed to Korea in 1950. That same year, he was declared missing in action.

He was 20 years old when he died in service to the country.

His remains were recovered three years later near a South Korean village but remained unidentified for more than 70 years.

Recent DNA testing ultimately confirmed his identity through his nephews, bringing long-awaited answers to his family.

“Thank God for science and DNA that they was able to determine through his nephews that (those were) Joshua’s remains,” a family member said during the service.

A funeral service was held this week for Corruth, whose body was recently returned to South Florida.

“Corporal Corruth laid down his life for his country. A lot of you are sleeping tonight safe because of the sacrifice he made all those years ago. Amen,” a speaker said during the ceremony.

Officials also designated the day in his honor.

“I do declare this day Corporal Joshua Corruth Day in the state of Florida,” an official said.

Corruth was originally buried as unknown at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii. His remains are now being transferred to the South Florida National Cemetery for final burial.

The Korean War is often referred to as the “Forgotten War,” but family members said Corruth was never forgotten.

“He definitely deserves the honor and everybody is honoring him in a big way,” said Myron Johnson, Corruth’s nephew. “This is above and beyond what I was expecting. Appreciate all the love and support that everyone has shown.”

Corruth will now be laid to rest in South Florida, closing a decades-long search for answers and bringing closure to his family.

Corruth, nacido el 14 de febrero de 1930, se enlistó en el Ejército de Estados Unidos en 1947 y fue desplegado a Corea en 1950. Ese mismo año fue declarado desaparecido en combate.

Tenía 20 años cuando murió en servicio al país.

Sus restos fueron recuperados tres años después cerca de una aldea en Corea del Sur, pero permanecieron sin identificar durante más de 70 años.

Pruebas recientes de ADN finalmente confirmaron su identidad a través de sus sobrinos, brindando respuestas largamente esperadas a su familia.

“Gracias a Dios por la ciencia y el ADN que pudieron determinar a través de sus sobrinos que esos eran los restos de Joshua”, dijo un familiar durante el servicio.

Esta semana se realizó un funeral para Corruth, cuyo cuerpo fue recientemente devuelto al sur de Florida.

“El cabo Corruth entregó su vida por su país. Muchos de ustedes duermen seguros esta noche gracias al sacrificio que hizo hace tantos años. Amén”, dijo un orador durante la ceremonia.

Funcionarios también designaron el día en su honor.

“Declaro este día como el Día del cabo Joshua Corruth en el estado de Florida”, dijo un funcionario.

Corruth fue enterrado originalmente como desconocido en el Cementerio Nacional Memorial del Pacífico en Hawái. Sus restos ahora están siendo trasladados al Cementerio Nacional del Sur de Florida para su sepultura final.

La Guerra de Corea a menudo es conocida como la “Guerra Olvidada”, pero los familiares dijeron que Corruth nunca fue olvidado.

“Definitivamente merece el honor y todos lo están honrando en grande”, dijo Myron Johnson, sobrino de Corruth. “Esto supera todo lo que esperaba. Agradezco todo el cariño y apoyo que todos han mostrado”.

Corruth ahora será sepultado en el sur de Florida, cerrando una búsqueda de décadas por respuestas y brindando cierre a su familia.

La iniciativa tiene como propósito promover la democratización de la lectura y la circulación de contenidos, así como poner en valor la producción prosística de Mistral, la única mujer latinoamericana que ha ganado un Nobel de Literatura (1945) hasta hoy.

“Mira la cantidad de gente que hay. Interesantísimo, sobre todo por ser Gabriela, que fue tan menoscabada, menospreciada en su época”, dijo Roberto Rojas, uno de los cientos de lectores que aguardaban en colas que se extendían por varias cuadras en el centro de Santiago.

“La palabra maldita y otros escritos urgentes” reúne 10 textos en prosa de Mistral publicados originalmente entre 1906 y 1955. Estos escritos se alejan de la poesía habitual que marcó la obra de la autora chilena y abordan temas como la educación de las mujeres, la justicia social, la democracia y la defensa de la paz.

“Me gusta que se hayan reeditado estos textos que son prosa de Gabriela Mistral y distintos temas que a ella le interesaban, porque tenía una mirada bastante feminista y social”, afirmó la librera Jimena Pizarro, quien se dice una fanática declarada de la poetisa y Nobel.

La entrega de los ejemplares se enmarca en una serie de actividades especiales que se desarrollan durante todo abril en celebración del mes del libro que incluyen también ferias, lanzamientos editoriales, conversatorios y cafés literarios.

“Como universidad pública creemos que ampliar el acceso al conocimiento y fomentar el pensamiento crítico es fundamental para la democracia”, dijo en un comunicado la vicerrectora de Extensión y Comunicaciones de la Universidad de Chile, Pilar Barba. “Buscamos algo muy concreto: que la lectura llegue a los hogares y a la vida cotidiana de las personas”.

The deal involves Regeneron lowering the prices of all its current and future drugs on Medicaid, according to Trump. It also involves selling a cholesterol drug called Praluent for $225 on the White House's discounted drug website TrumpRx, according to the agreement first outlined by NOTUS and confirmed in a White House fact sheet.

The deal comes as the Trump administration has been touting efforts to provide economic relief ahead of November's midterm elections, with Americans saying high costs for health care, gas, groceries and other basic needs are straining their budgets.

It's one of many so-called most-favored-nation deals the Trump administration has made with drug companies to bring U.S. pharmaceutical prices to the same level as other developed nations. Last July, Trump publicly sent letters to executives at 17 major pharmaceutical companies about the issue. Regeneron is the final one of those companies to strike a deal with his administration.

Speaking at the White House on Thursday to announce the deal, Trump touted the discounts on drugs and said, “It should be front page news.” He said voters in this November's midterm elections should reward his party because of the agreements with drugmakers.

“We should win the midterms, but it doesn’t work that way, unfortunately,” Trump said.

Trump also has a notable history with the drugmaker.

During his first term in 2020, when he was hospitalized with COVID-19, he was given a dose of a drug that Regeneron was testing to supply antibodies in order to help his immune system.

After he was released, Trump posted a video of himself standing outside the White House in which he repeatedly lavished praise on Regeneron.

As part of the new deal, Regeneron has also committed to spending $27 billion in research, development and manufacturing in the U.S., according to the White House fact sheet. Trump’s deals have historically offered companies relief from his tariffs if they make such commitments.

Regeneron also announced Thursday that Otarmeni, its new gene therapy for a rare form of congenital hearing loss, had been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and would be made available to clinically eligible individuals in the U.S. at no charge. The therapy received expedited approval from the FDA under the agency’s so-called Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher program.

The program, which was not authorized by Congress, has been under scrutiny from Democrats in Congress for months. House and Senate lawmakers have noted that FDA vouchers have repeatedly gone to companies that agree to pricing concessions sought by the White House.

Even as Trump and his Department of Health and Human Services have touted his drug-pricing deals as transformative, the details of the agreements have so far not been made public.

Pressed by members of Congress to share the contracts this week, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said his team would share whatever details it could that didn't include proprietary information or trade secrets. Trump and Kennedy have urged Congress to codify the deals into law.

The deals have occasionally run into roadblocks. A centerpiece of the agreements with weight-loss drugmakers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk fell apart earlier this week when Medicare delayed implementation of a program for insurers to cover the GLP-1 drugs.

Drug prices for patients in the U.S. can depend on a number of factors, including the competition a treatment faces and insurance coverage. Most people have coverage through work, the individual insurance market or government programs like Medicaid and Medicare, which shield them from much of the cost.

Patients on Medicaid, the state and federally funded program for people with low incomes, already pay a nominal co-payment of a few dollars to fill their prescriptions, but lower prices could help state budgets that fund the programs.

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Associated Press writers Matthew Perrone and Michelle L. Price contributed to this report.

Iran has not withdrawn from the World Cup, and the team is preparing to play in the U.S. despite the war in the Middle East. FIFA has insisted its group stage games near Los Angeles and in Seattle will go ahead as planned in June.

The Financial Times reported that Paolo Zampolli, the U.S. special envoy for global partnerships, had suggested the swap to President Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

In a phone interview with the Associated Press on Thursday, Zampolli emphasized that “my request is not a political request." The ask, which was made to Trump and Infantino on Wednesday, was meant as a contingency plan in case Iran could not participate in the soccer tournament at the last minute.

“I had a dream,” Zampolli told the AP. “My request was for the Italian people and the American-Italian people.”

He said in the FT interview that, with four titles, the Italian national team's appearance in the World Cup would be justified.

Italian officials pushed back hard at the suggestion, with Sports Minister Andrea Abodi saying Thursday that “first of all, it's not possible. Secondly, it's not a good idea.”

Luciano Buonfiglio, the president of the Italian Olympic Committee, which oversees all sports in Italy, also dismissed the idea.

“I would feel offended,” Buonfiglio said. “You need to deserve to go to the World Cup.”

Italy’s Finance Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti called the suggested swap “shameful.”

Hours later, Trump was asked at the White House about Iranian soccer players potentially not being allowed into the U.S. for the World Cup. He initially joked, “I don’t think about it too much” before adding, “That’s an interesting question.”

“Let me give that some thought,” Trump added.

He then deferred to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said, “Nothing from the U.S. has told them they can’t come.”

“The problem with Iran would be, not their athletes. It would be some of the other people that they want to bring with them," Rubio said, suggesting that Iran's soccer team could bring in people loyal to militant groups disguised as journalists and trainers.

“We may not be able to let them in," Rubio said of people around the team. “But not the athletes themselves.”

He added that there had been “speculation that Iran may decide not to come, but then Italy could fill their spot,” without adding details.

“If they decide not to come on their own, it’s 'cause they decided not to come," the secretary of state said of Iranian athletes.

While Iran was among the first teams to qualify for the World Cup, Italy missed out for the third consecutive tournament, resulting in the resignations of its national team coach and soccer federation president.

Zampolli has long been a part of the Trump family orbit, having introduced then-Melania Knauss to Donald Trump at a New York Fashion Week party in 1998. He regularly posts on social media about his meetings with Infantino, calling him the “King of Soccer.” Trump last year appointed him as special representative for global partnerships.

In March, The New York Times reported that Zampolli had reached out to a top official at Immigration and Customs Enforcement, informing him that the mother of his child was in the country illegally as the two were locked in a custody dispute. She was ultimately deported.

The White House did not return a request for comment. Its World Cup task force, housed under the Department of Homeland Security, said it had no comment. FIFA also would not comment.

The Iranian embassy in Rome denounced Zampolli’s remarks in a comment on X.

“Football belongs to the people, not to politicians,” the embassy said. “Italy earned its soccer prowess on the field, not thanks to political maneuvers. The attempt to exclude Iran from the World Cup shows only the ‘moral bankruptcy’ of the United States, which fears even the presence of 11 young Iranians on the field of play.”

Iran’s status at the World Cup, which starts in June, has been a source of debate and concern since the U.S. and Israel launched military attacks on the country in February.

Trump in March discouraged Iran from participating in the tournament, citing safety concerns.

FIFA has consistently said Iran will stick to the World Cup schedule decided last December, and refused to negotiate any suggestion of moving the team’s games to co-host Mexico.

An Iranian government spokesperson said Wednesday that the men’s national team is preparing for “proud and successful participation” in its World Cup games in the U.S.

Iran earned one of eight guaranteed World Cup places allocated to the Asian Football Confederation. Should Iran pull out, in theory the replacement should be the United Arab Emirates, the highest-ranked Asian team that didn’t qualify.

One possible element of uncertainty is the language of the World Cup tournament rules.

FIFA wrote that it can decide to replace a withdrawn team “with another association,” though without specifying the replacement must come from the same continental confederation.

___

Dunbar reported from Geneva and Kim reported from Washington.

___

AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

The BYU forward — widely expected to be a top candidate to be the No. 1 pick — made the announcement Thursday. Dybantsa led the nation by averaging 25.5 points per game in his lone college season, along with 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.

He's the first player to have a season with all those averages and be named a consensus All-American since Larry Bird did it for Indiana State in 1978-79.

“Now the work starts again, all over again," Dybantsa said. “I've had a lot of NBA players tell me that it kind of restarts once you get there. I'm just looking forward to that next step, being a rookie and learning from all the vets.”

Dybantsa made the announcement at the Davis School in his hometown of Brockton, Massachusetts — the home of boxing greats Rocky Marciano and Marvin Hagler, among others.

“It's the city of champions,” Dybantsa said. “I just want to be considered like one of those champions.”

Dybantsa attended the Davis School until fifth grade and said he still values the lessons instilled in him there, including the importance of education. That's part of the reason why, even though he's going to the NBA, Dybantsa said he will simultaneously remain in school and continue working toward a mass communications degree at BYU.

“My mom wanted me to stay in college to graduate,” Dybantsa said. “But I told my mother that I'm going to declare for the draft and also finish and get my degree online. I'll probably finish within the next four years.”

The draft order will not be known until the lottery on May 10, where Washington, Indiana and Brooklyn all have the best odds — 14% each — of winning and landing the chance to pick No. 1 overall. When asked what team he would like to play for in the NBA, Dybantsa gave an immediate answer.

"Whatever team drafts me, bro," Dybantsa said.

He's not lacking for confidence and hopes to give another speech in Massachusetts — the home of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame — when his playing career is over.

“The next speech — the next big, big speech — I should have is the Hall of Fame speech,” Dybantsa said. “So, we should be good.”

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

Spurs coach Mitch Johnson stopped short Thursday of saying Wembanyama will play in Game 3. Wembanyama is “progressing,” Johnson said, but his status against the Trail Blazers remains uncertain.

“He looks good,” Johnson said, noting that the Spurs hadn't even started discussions on when Wembanyama can play again.

Wembanyama was at the team's practice facility for a second consecutive day Thursday, walking around in a black hoodie and gray sweatpants. He even got a few shots up, teammate Julian Champagnie said.

“He was only around for a little bit this morning,” Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox said Thursday. “Obviously, we just want him to be healthy.”

Wembanyama — the league's first-ever unanimous Defensive Player of the Year and one of three finalists for the Most Valuable Player award — suffered a concussion in the Spurs' Game 2 loss to Portland on Tuesday night, leaving the game in the second quarter.

Game 3 of the series — tied at a game apiece — is Friday in Portland, followed by Game 4 there on Sunday. The Spurs were scheduled to fly to Portland on Thursday afternoon.

There are very specific steps that players have to clear before being removed from the league's concussion protocol. Players begin the return-to-play process with light exertion — such as riding a stationary bike, jogging, agility work and non-contact basketball drills — and each step is followed by another neurological examination.

Wembanyama's results will also be compared to his baseline neurological evaluation — which players undergo prior to each season — before doctors permit him to move forward in the return-to-play plan.

“It's pretty straightforward,” Johnson said. “Obviously, we hope he'll be back at some point. But we'll allow the protocol to play out. And again, there's nothing more important than his health.”

Any extended absence by Wembanyama would be a massive blow to San Antonio, which finished with the league’s second-best record behind the versatile 7-foot-4 center from France. They were 12-6 in the regular season without Wembanyama.

Wembanyama averaged 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and a league-best 3.1 blocks per game this season. He was also with his teammates on Wednesday evening, when they all donned cowboy hats and surprised teammate Keldon Johnson after he was announced as the league's Sixth Man of the Year.

“We know that he's chomping at the bit to get back on the court and be with his guys,” Johnson said.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Investigadores de la Oficina del Sheriff de Miami-Dade indicaron que la balacera ocurrió en una vivienda cerca de Southwest 168th Street y la avenida 92, donde los agentes acudieron poco después de las 4:45 p.m. por un reporte de una disputa doméstica.

Indicaron que detuvieron a un hombre de unos 70 años fuera de la vivienda después de que disparara fatalmente contra su hijo de 47 años.

Los agentes, que no han identificado públicamente a ambos, dijeron que ya habían respondido anteriormente a la casa por llamadas relacionadas con salud mental.

Una mujer que se identificó como la hermana de la víctima dijo a Local 10 News que su familia “lo veía venir desde hace años”.

“Hemos hecho muchas llamadas, tratando de obtener ayuda”, dijo.

Regresó a la vivienda familiar la mañana del jueves.

“Lamento que haya llegado a esto. No sé qué más decir”, expresó la mujer. “Es tan trágico que haya terminado así. Ni siquiera puedo empezar a explicar lo que esto le está haciendo a mi familia”.

Los agentes aún no han detallado exactamente qué llevó a la balacera del miércoles.

“Estoy muy sorprendida, porque el señor McPeck es muy amable”, dijo la vecina Victoria Delgado. “Se preocupan mucho por la casa y con nosotros conversan”.

Delgado dijo que la última vez que vio a agentes de MDSO en la vivienda fue hace meses. Añadió que con frecuencia veía al hijo afuera, gritando.

“Sé que tienen algún tipo de problema, porque anteayer él estaba corriendo y gritando muy fuerte”, dijo.

Hasta el jueves, no estaba claro si el padre enfrentará cargos.

Varios de los periodistas afectados denunciaron en sus redes sociales que la sala de prensa está cerrada desde la mañana y que la medida —que según señalaron no se tomó ni durante la última dictadura militar (1976-1983)— abarca a los cerca de 50 acreditados. Medios de comunicación como Radio 10 y el diario La Nación se hicieron eco de la situación.

Javier Lanari, secretario de Prensa y Comunicación del gobierno, afirmó en X que “la decisión de quitar las huellas dactilares a los periodistas acreditados de Casa Rosada se tomó de manera preventiva ante la denuncia de Casa Militar por espionaje ilegal. El único fin es garantizar la seguridad nacional”.

La Casa Militar, dependiente de la Secretaría General de la Presidencia y responsable de la seguridad del mandatario, denunció penalmente a dos periodistas de la señal televisiva Todo Noticias (TN) luego de que en su programa del último domingo difundieron imágenes que habrían grabado sin autorización en el interior de la Casa Rosada.

Milei, que entonces estaba en Israel, afirmó el jueves en X que “ser corruptos, ensobrados y violar las leyes de seguridad no es gratis. Algún día las basuras inmundas periodistas (95%) tendrán que entender que no están por encima de la ley. Abusaron de la jurisprudencia. No es gratis”.

Liliana Franco, del diario Ámbito Financiero y con el acceso vedado a la sala de prensa, señaló en su cuenta de X que “no se sabe hasta cuándo” estará vigente la prohibición.

Franco, acreditada desde hace 30 años en la Casa Rosada, dijo a The Associated Press que la medida es excesiva. “Si el medio y el periodista procedieron mal está claro cuáles son; no es que hubo varios que hicieron esto. Entonces no comprendo la decisión, o si la comprendo, a los gobiernos nunca les gustan los periodistas".

Indicó además que el Ejecutivo no se ha pronunciado aún sobre la renovación de las acreditaciones de los periodistas que vencieron a fines de marzo.

Hace dos semanas el gobierno restringió de forma temporal el acceso de Franco y otros periodistas a la sede de gobierno luego de sostener que estarían vinculados con una red de espionaje y desinformación rusa destinada a desacreditar su gestión.

El mandatario de ultraderecha mantiene una postura abiertamente agresiva con la mayoría de los medios de comunicación y únicamente da entrevistas a los que son más afines a su gestión.

En febrero creó la Oficina de Respuesta Oficial para "desenmascarar mentiras y operaciones de los medios”, según él mismo afirmó. La nueva dependencia tiene similitudes con la cuenta Rapid Response 47 (Respuesta Rápida 47) creada por el presidente estadounidense Donald Trump —su principal aliado en la región —para responder a supuestas “fake news” en su contra.

Organizaciones periodísticas sostienen que la medida pretende limitar la libertad de expresión.

The audit from the inspector general's office will focus on how the department collected, reviewed and redacted materials in preparation for their release, as well as its process for addressing concerns that arose after the files were made public, when Epstein survivors complained that personal information about them had been disclosed.

The review will revisit the department's staggered and uneven release of millions of records from the Epstein sex trafficking investigation, a process that exposed it to accusations that it was attempting to protect President Donald Trump, who decades ago was friendly with the financier. It marks by far the watchdog office's most significant effort since Trump took office for a second time to scrutinize the actions of a department that has been riven by tumult, including mass firings of employees and allegations of politicization of investigations.

The audit will be overseen by Don Berthiaume, a former career attorney in the department's watchdog office who was formally nominated by Trump this week to serve as inspector general.

The records were released starting late last year in compliance with a bill passed by Congress and signed into law by Trump, who bowed to political pressure from his own party after initially resisting efforts to disclose additional files. That November law required the release within 30 days of records related to Epstein, as well as any information about the investigation into his death in a jail in 2019, and also allowed for redactions of information about victims.

But problems with the department's process soon emerged.

Officials released only a fraction of records within the 30-day deadline, later disclosing they would need several more weeks because of the abrupt discovery of a massive tranche of records tied to the case.

In late January, the department released what it said were 3 million pages of records, but subsequently withdrew several thousand documents and “media” after lawyers told a judge that the lives of nearly 100 abuse survivors had been “turned upside down” by careless redactions. The exposed materials include nude photos, with faces visible, as well as names, email addresses and other identifying information that was either unredacted or not fully obscured.

The department blamed it on “technical or human error.”

The scrutiny continued after several news organizations reported that some records involving uncorroborated accusations made by a woman against Trump were not among those released to the public. The accuser was interviewed by the FBI four times as it sought to assess her account but a summary of only one of those interviews had been included in the publicly released files.

The department said those files had been “incorrectly coded as duplicative” and therefore were inadvertently not published along with other investigative documents.

Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.

Authorities say Epstein killed himself in a New York jail cell in August 2019, a month after being indicted on federal sex trafficking charges.

El jueves, fiscales del condado Broward presentaron un caso por delito grave de tercer grado con 41 cargos contra Jamar Clair, un convicto por delito grave que nació en Fort Lauderdale y vive en Oakland Park, según muestran los registros.

Clair se negó a comparecer en la corte de fianza el jueves por la mañana. El juez del circuito del condado Broward, Corey B. Friedman, quien presidía, permitió que sus familiares hablaran durante la audiencia.

“Mi papá es una persona cariñosa y solidaria, , esos no eran sus perros, y no creo que haya dañado a ningún animal”, dijo la hija de Clair, Jamilia Clair, a Friedman en la corte.

Los familiares dijeron que Clair le estaba haciendo un favor al dueño de los perros. Un fiscal dijo a Friedman durante la audiencia que “una vez que alguien acepta la responsabilidad de cuidar animales, es su responsabilidad, independientemente de si era el dueño original o no”.

Friedman dijo que agentes de BSO reportaron que Clair se negó a cooperar durante la investigación y le ordenó mantenerse alejado de los animales.

“Esto estuvo ocurriendo durante meses e involucró a muchos perros diferentes”, dijo el fiscal a Friedman.

Clair enfrenta 18 cargos de manipulación o fabricación de evidencia física, un delito grave de tercer grado.

También enfrenta 23 cargos de atormentar, privar de sustento, mutilar o matar a un animal, un delito menor de primer grado.

Clair fue objeto de quejas de control animal en los últimos años. El 28 de julio de 2025, la División de Cuidado Animal del condado Broward emitió a Clair una citación por crueldad animal en Fort Lauderdale, según registros judiciales. El caso permanecía abierto el jueves.

El Departamento de Correcciones de Florida liberó a Clair de prisión el 17 de octubre de 2020, después de que fue condenado por un robo en el condado Broward y sentenciado a seis años y ocho meses de prisión, según los registros.

El juez del circuito del condado Broward, Francis I. Viamontes, estaba programado para presidir el caso de Clair.

Esta es una noticia en desarrollo. Local 10 News tiene pendiente una solicitud de registros para obtener el informe de arresto de los agentes de BSO sobre el caso.

Between berating individual reporters, fighting organizations like The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Associated Press in court and restricting press access to the Pentagon, the administration's animus toward journalists has been a fixture of Trump's second term.

It's another layer of complexity for the so-called “nerd prom,” given the name for the sight of reporters in tuxes. Some people are already squeaming about journalists toasting and laughing with people they regularly cover.

“This is sort of a critical moment for these dinners and it will be interesting to see what happens going forward,” said Lisa Stark, a former ABC News reporter.

Petition asks journalists to ‘speak forcefully’ on freedom of press

She and longtime colleague Ian Cameron have circulated a petition urging journalists who attend Saturday to “speak forcefully” in defense of the press with Trump in attendance. Dan Rather and former ABC White House reporter Sam Donaldson are among more than 350 former journalists to sign. Reporters have talked about a visible protest like lapel pins touting the First Amendment.

Calvin Coolidge, in 1924, was the first president to attend the dinner. Chief executives usually appear, requiring them in recent years to appear to be good sports as comics like Stephen Colbert, Colin Jost and Trevor Noah make jokes about them. Trump attended in 2011, glaring from the audience at President Barack Obama's barbs about him. This will be the first year he attends as president, however.

“The only thing more insulting for the press than Trump not coming is Trump coming,” Kelly McBride, NPR ombudsman and head of the Poynter Institute's ethics and leadership center, wrote last week.

“This man mocks you, sues you, and targets you for prosecution,” former AP White House reporter Ron Fournier wrote on Substack. He detailed a list on Trump's actions against the press, finishing with: “and you're having dinner with him?” The top editor at HuffPost — a news website clearly hostile to Trump — said its journalists wouldn't attend Saturday as a protest.

The president of the WHCA, CBS News' Weijia Jiang, had no immediate comment. But Todd Gillman, a former Washington bureau chief for the Dallas Morning News and now a journalism professor for Arizona State University, suggested it wasn't the press' role to make news itself by snubbing Trump. The president will make news either way depending on what he says there, he said.

There's a misperception, Gillman said, that the correspondents are honoring Trump by having him at the dinner.

Some potential uncomfortable moments

Meanwhile, CBS owners Paramount are reportedly hosting a dinner to honor Trump Thursday at the Institute of Peace, which was renamed for Trump last year. Paramount is awaiting government approval of its deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery.

The president, if he chooses to stay at the correspondents dinner Saturday, will also face some uncomfortable moments as the WHCA gives awards to journalists he has criticized, like CNN's Kaitlan Collins. The Wall Street Journal is being honored for its story about Trump's birthday message to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein — for which the president sued the newspaper. The AP, which is battling Trump in court over access, is also being honored and will attend.

Debate over the appearance of partying with the president and his staff isn't new. The New York Times stopped attending the event in 2011 for that reason. The Atlantic magazine wrote about the “slow, awkward death” of the correspondents dinner in 2018.

Correspondents should acknowledge that “a red-carpet schmoozefest with the powerful sources they cover was never a good idea,” McBride wrote. News organizations will also be watched this weekend for administration officials sitting at their tables as guests, such as CBS News reportedly inviting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Many journalists who have attended, however, said the opportunity to have personal interactions with people they cover can help them later in their jobs. Gilman has brought ambassadors from Mexico as guests— an important contact for a reporter at a Texas newspaper. NPR journalist Eric Deggans wrote on Substack that he got an interview with media mogul Byron Allen after making a connection at the WHCA dinner.

“Even if you're not sitting with an administration official, you have the opportunity to walk up to someone, say hi, break the ice and give them a business card,” Gilman said. “It puts a face to the name, so maybe they'll return your call the next time.”

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David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social.

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This story has been corrected to reflect that Todd Gillman is a former Washington bureau chief for the Dallas Morning News, not a former White House bureau chief.

El hecho ocurrió el miércoles alrededor de la 1:55 p.m. afuera del Target ubicado en 21265 Biscayne Blvd.

Según la policía, la víctima estaba sentada dentro de su vehículo fuera de la tienda, estacionado en reversa, cuando la sospechosa, Kiara Johnson, se estacionó en el espacio contiguo.

La policía indicó que la víctima movió su vehículo para evitar que Johnson golpeara su auto al abrir la puerta y que, tras hacerlo, Johnson “comenzó a insultarla y a decirle obscenidades”.

En ese momento, según un informe de arresto, Johnson sacó un arma de su bolso y le dijo a la víctima “tengo esa mier... encima”.

La víctima nunca salió de su vehículo y, en cambio, se retiró del área y llamó al 911.

Los agentes que acudieron estaban hablando con la víctima cuando, según dijeron, Johnson salió de la tienda y fue detenida, momento en el que admitió tener un arma dentro de su bolso.

Sin embargo, la policía indicó que Johnson negó haber amenazado a la víctima con el arma y dijo que la víctima había amenazado con abofetearla, pero aseguró que nunca sacó el arma de su bolso.

Según el informe de arresto, la víctima pudo describir a los agentes cómo era el arma, mientras que Johnson dijo que desconocía si la víctima pudo ver el arma dentro de su bolso.

Además, la policía indicó que tras realizar una verificación de registros, no había registro del arma que Johnson tenía en su bolso.

Johnson enfrenta un cargo grave de asalto agravado con un arma de fuego. Hasta la mañana del jueves, permanecía detenida en el Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center con una fianza de $5,500 USD.

Leer en español

It happened on Wednesday around 1:55 p.m. outside the Target located at 21265 Biscayne Blvd.

According to police, the victim was sitting inside her car outside the store, which was backed in, when the suspect, Kiara Johnson, parked in the next spot over.

Police said the victim moved her car over so that Johnson didn’t hit her car when opening her door, and that after doing so, Johnson “began cursing at her (and) calling her obscenities.”

That’s when, according to an arrest form, Johnson took a gun out of her purse and told the victim “I got that s--- on me.”

The victim never got out of her vehicle and instead left the area and called 911.

Responding officers were speaking with the victim when they said Johnson came out of the store and was detained, at which time she admitted to having a gun inside her purse.

However, police said Johnson denied threatening the victim with the gun and said the victim had threatened to slap her, but said she never took her gun out of her purse.

According to an arrest form, the victim was able to tell officers what the gun looked like, while Johnson said it was unknown if the victim was able to see the gun inside her purse.

Additionally, police said after conducting a records check, there was no record for the gun that Johnson had in her purse.

Johnson is facing a felony charge of aggravated assault with a firearm. As of Thursday morning, she was being held behind bars at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a $5,500 bond.

Según ESPN, como parte del acuerdo, Pearce debe mantenerse alejado de su ex novia, la jugadora de la WNBA Rickea Jackson, y participar en terapia.

El medio informó que Pearce asistió a la audiencia del jueves por videoconferencia.

Su próxima comparecencia en la corte para finalizar los detalles del acuerdo está programada para el 7 de mayo.

Un portavoz de la Fiscalía Estatal de Miami-Dade confirmó que el caso permanecerá abierto hasta que se complete el programa de desvío previo al juicio.

Pearce fue arrestado en febrero y acusado de tres delitos graves: agresión agravada con un arma mortal, huir y evadir a la policía y resistirse a un agente con violencia. Un cuarto cargo de acecho fue presentado como delito menor y un cargo adicional de agresión agravada contra un agente fue retirado.

Según la policía de Doral, Jackson dijo a las autoridades que intentó alejarse conduciendo de Pearce el 7 de febrero y que se dirigía a la estación de policía de Doral para buscar ayuda cuando Pearce “chocó intencionalmente contra la parte trasera de su vehículo con su SUV” antes de que llegara la policía.

Pearce presuntamente se negó a una orden inicial de la policía de “tirarse al suelo”, según detalles del arresto en una declaración jurada. El informe policial indica que Pearce luego se dio a la fuga y golpeó la rodilla izquierda de un agente con su vehículo “intencionalmente en un intento de evadir el arresto”.

Según la policía, Pearce chocó su vehículo y luego continuó su intento de evadir a la policía corriendo antes de ser detenido tras un “breve forcejeo”.

Jackson, en una petición de protección contra Pearce presentada en febrero, expresó temores por su seguridad que se remontan a antes del incidente por el que fue arrestado y acusado.

“Debido a su comportamiento obsesivo, inseguro, violento y agresivo, terminar la relación ha sido difícil y temo por mi vida”, dijo Jackson en la petición presentada en el circuito judicial 11 en el condado Miami-Dade. “James ha amenazado con matarme, James ha amenazado con hacerme daño, James ha amenazado con herirme, James ha amenazado con ponerme una bolsa en la cabeza, y James me ha abusado verbal y físicamente”.

Jackson indicó en la petición que Pearce le arrebató su teléfono, le jaló el cabello y tomó sus pertenencias, momento en el que decidió terminar la relación.

Describió un patrón de comportamiento de acoso previo al 7 de febrero, incluyendo que Pearce le ofreció $75,000 USD para visitarlo y $200,000 USD para permanecer en una relación con él, según la petición. Jackson dijo que conducía cuando notó que Pearce la seguía en su vehículo antes de que “comenzara a conducir de manera errática, a altas velocidades, persiguiéndola”.

Jackson indicó en la petición que comenzó a conducir hacia el Departamento de Policía de Doral porque temía que Pearce le hiciera daño. Dijo que Pearce golpeó repetidamente su vehículo con el suyo antes de que ella llegara a la estación.

Jackson, de 24 años, lleva dos años en su carrera en la WNBA. Indicó que ella y Pearce comenzaron a salir cuando estaban en la Universidad de Tennessee.

Pearce, de 22 años, fue la selección número 26 en el draft de la NFL el año pasado. Registró 10 1/2 capturas y sus 45 presiones al mariscal de campo establecieron un récord de novato en los Falcons.

The FBI and other federal and local agencies executed search and arrest warrants at about 30 locations mostly in Orange County, south of Los Angeles, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

A total of 43 people, including those already in custody, have been indicted on charges that include murder, kidnapping, extortion, running an illegal gambling operation and drug trafficking, prosecutors said.

Officers seized 120 pounds (54 kilos) of methamphetamine, more than eight pounds (four kilos) of fentanyl, along with 25 firearms and more than $30,000 in cash, officials said.

“The stuff that we’re taking off the streets is very, very dangerous. These guys have no regard for human life. They’re about making money,” First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli said during a news conference.

The Mexican Mafia was started in the 1950s at a juvenile jail and grew to an international criminal organization that controls smuggling, drug sales and extortion from inside California’s penal system.

The indictment alleges one leader who was incarcerated used contraband cellphones to oversee the Mexican Mafia's criminal activities from his state prison cell from June 2024 to April 2026. He directed street gang members to kidnap and assault people, according to court documents. The gang also allegedly sold drugs including fentanyl, meth, heroin and cocaine.

“It ran illegal gambling businesses within commercial strip malls and private residences,” the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a statement. “The gang collected extortionate taxes and provided security, including the use of violence, to protect the illegal gambling businesses.”

The gang is also suspected of a murder at a “gang-controlled” motel in Anaheim, according to the indictment.

The defendants will begin making their initial appearances Thursday afternoon in federal court in Los Angeles and Orange counties.

The benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate fell to 6.23% from 6.3% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. One year ago, the rate averaged 6.81%.

The average rate is now at its lowest level since March 19, when it was 6.22%.

Meanwhile, borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also eased this week. That average rate dropped to 5.58% from 5.65% last week. A year ago, it was at 5.94%, Freddie Mac said.

Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, from the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy decisions to bond market investors’ expectations for the economy and inflation.

Rates have been declining of late, echoing some easing in the yield on U.S. 10-year Treasury bonds, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans.

The 10-year Treasury yield was at 4.30% in midday trading on the bond market Thursday, down slightly from 4.32% a week ago. The yield was at just 3.97% in late February, before the war with Iran broke out.

As recently as late February, the average rate on a 30-year mortgage slipped just under 6% for the first time since late 2022. It started climbing last month as the war with Iran sent energy prices soaring, heightening worries about higher inflation.

Bond yields, and mortgage rates, have been volatile in the weeks since as the conflict drags on despite attempts by the U.S. and Iran to negotiate a ceasefire.

The war has ratcheted up worries over higher inflation and the trajectory of the economy at a time when consumers are feeling less confident about the job market. That, plus the volatility in mortgage rates, has clouded the outlook for the spring homebuying season.

The U.S. housing market has been in a slump since 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes were essentially flat last year, stuck at a 30-year low. They have remained sluggish so far this year, declining in January and February and March from a year earlier.

“Looking ahead, mortgage rates will likely continue to be volatile throughout the spring,” Lisa Sturtevant, chief economist at Bright MLS, said in an email. “For the market to regain full momentum, we will need to see more than just a temporary dip in rates. Rather, we need sustained stability in the global energy market and a clearer sign that domestic inflation is back on a downward trajectory.”

The Hall of Fame pitcher was honored Thursday with an annual distinction that “recognizes a living individual whose career has been spent in or around Major League Baseball and who has demonstrated outstanding character and has made significant contributions to the game."

Willie Mays won the inaugural award in 2021, followed by Vin Scully (2022), Joe Torre (2023), Dusty Baker (2024) and Bob Costas (2025).

“It’s a great honor to be recognized along with the previous award winners,” the 90-year-old Koufax said in a news release. “I thank the distinguished panel.”

Koufax made his major league debut for his hometown Brooklyn Dodgers in 1955, when they won the franchise's first World Series championship. After the team moved to Los Angeles, he became one of baseball's most dominant pitchers during the 1960s.

The left-hander won three Cy Young Awards, an MVP trophy and five consecutive National League ERA titles. He had three 25-win seasons, leading the majors each time, and made seven All-Star teams from 1961-66.

Koufax threw four no-hitters, including a perfect game, and was the World Series MVP twice, after leading the Dodgers to crowns in 1963 and '65. He also was a member of Los Angeles' championship squad in 1959.

After retiring at age 30 following the 1966 season because of traumatic arthritis in his pitching elbow, Koufax became the youngest player inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972. Later that season, the Dodgers retired his uniform No. 32. He was named to MLB’s All-Century Team in 1999.

“The name Sandy Koufax has become a synonym for ‘great pitcher,’” Baseball Digest publisher David Fagley said. “It’s hard to believe it has been 60 years since he last pitched so brilliantly for the Dodgers but, since his retirement, Sandy has been a remarkable representative of our national game, a symbol of class and dignity.”

Koufax was selected to receive the award in voting by a 21-member panel of longtime MLB participants and observers, including writers, broadcasters, former players and executives.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Across the city, places are fully booked days and sometimes even weeks in advance. If you did not plan ahead, you are either refreshing OpenTable nonstop or just accepting that you will be waiting forever. At this point, Mother’s Day has basically turned into one of the busiest days of the year for restaurants, especially in Miami where eating out is such a big part of the culture.

And the data makes it even clearer. As shown in the chart below, reservations increase significantly compared to a normal Sunday, with the biggest rush happening late morning into early afternoon, right when everyone wants that perfect brunch moment.

“I tried to book a table for my mom a week in advance, and everything was already full,” said Augusto Bittencourt, a Florida International University student. “Every place I called either had no reservations or only really late times.”

This kind of experience is actually very common. According to data from the National Restaurant Association, Mother’s Day is consistently one of the busiest days of the year for dining in the United States. In a city like Miami, that demand feels even more intense because of tourism, the strong brunch culture, and the number of popular restaurants everyone wants to go to.

The map below helps explain why it gets so competitive. Many of the most in-demand restaurants are concentrated in areas like Brickell, Miami Beach, and Wynwood, which are already high traffic spots. During holidays like Mother’s Day, these areas become even more crowded, making reservations even harder to get.

Restaurants like Zuma, Seaspice, and Casa Tua are known for being some of the most popular spots in the city, and on days like Mother’s Day, they reach full capacity really fast. These places attract both locals and tourists, which makes getting a reservation even more competitive.

But it is not just about where you go, timing matters just as much. Demand starts to build throughout the morning and then peaks around midday, which is exactly why brunch is the hardest time to get a table.

Even when people actually manage to get a reservation, the experience is not always what they expected.

“Even when you do get a table, it’s packed, loud, and service takes longer because they’re so busy,” Bittencourt added.

Still, there are ways to celebrate Mother’s Day without dealing with all that stress. Experts recommend booking at least one to two weeks in advance, going for earlier or later times instead of peak brunch hours, or even trying restaurants in less crowded areas.

A lot of families are also starting to switch things up. Instead of going out, they are cooking at home, planning picnics, or doing something outdoors together.

As Miami keeps growing, the demand for dining keeps growing with it, especially on days like Mother’s Day. At this point, celebrating is less about getting the perfect reservation and more about finding a way to actually enjoy the time together.

On a sunny second Sunday in May, brunch tables fill quickly. Restaurants in Brickell, Coconut Grove, and Miami Beach offer prix-fixe menus, some costing more than $100 per person. Bouquet lines, storefronts, and social media feeds overflow the timeline with curated tributes to moms. But behind the flowers and reservations, Mother’s Day is becoming something more complex: a growing economic force.

According to a 2025 survey by the National Retail Federation, Americans were expected to spend more than $34.1 billion on Mother’s Day, with spending growing each year. The average person even spends around $200 on the day alone. So while the holiday remains rooted in appreciation, data numbers suggest it is also deeply tied to consumer culture.

And in Miami, that shift is especially visible.

Dining out has become one of the most common ways families celebrate Mother’s Day. Restaurants even report it as their busiest day of the year, beating out rival holidays such as Valentine’s Day. But the cost of participating in that tradition is rising.

A typical brunch in Miami might cost $20 to $35 on an average weekend, but on Mother’s Day, many restaurants set prix fixe menus ranging from $75 to over $130 per person.

A typical brunch in Miami might cost between $20 and $35 on a regular weekend. On Mother’s Day, many restaurants switch to prix fixe menus ranging from $50 to over $120 per person.

This vast price not only reflects the demand but also the expectation.

“Mother’s Day has definitely become too commercialized,” Dashonya Thompson said, a Miami resident and mother of two. “I think we [society] value what we get as opposed to spending quality time with and celebrating mom, and for me, that’s what it’s all about.”

Her sentiment aligns with a national survey showing that many mothers prefer quality time over expensive gifts or extravagant brunches.

Consumers’ spending on Mother’s Day is still dominated by traditional purchases such as flowers or cards, but experiences are rapidly increasing as a share of holiday spending. Dining out, spa visits, and traveling trips now make up a growing share of Mother’s Day festivities aside from the conventional ones.

Florists also see a major surge during Mother’s Day weekend. Many flowers sold across the United States pass through Miami, making the city a key place for the holiday supply chain. As demand rises, so do prices, making the flowers more expensive than usual just days before the holiday.

This shift not only showcases that Mother’s Day is no longer just about buying something but about a broader trend: creating a new experience.

In a city shaped by tourism, social media, and luxury branding, celebrations often feel amplified. Picture-perfect brunches, waterfront dining, and elaborate gifts can create a sense of expectation.

That pressure is between neighborhoods of all income levels.

In areas like Brickell, high-end dining and elaborate experiences are the norm. At the same time, in areas like Hialeah or North Miami, celebrations are often centered on home-cooked meals and family gatherings.

Despite these vast differences, the underlying message remains the same. Showing appreciation for mothers is important.

Whether at a fine dining brunch table or in the family dining room, the meaning of the day can still be simple.

For many mothers, the most valuable gift isn’t found on a menu, in a store, or on a plane.

It’s being with loved ones.

From roses, tulips, or orchids, all these flowers are delivered to local florist shops, grocery shops, and vendors all over the city. While a bouquet of flowers may seem like a simple or last minute gift, the journey they took and where people choose to buy them showcases a much bigger story about the role Miami plays in the global flower trade.

The biggest holiday for floral sales in the United States is Mother’s Day. The consumer demand increases significantly in the weeks leading up. According to the Society of American Florists, a substantial number of Americans buy flowers for this holiday. In Miami, this demand is due to tradition, cost, and convenience.

Accessibility plays a major role in where many shoppers buy their flowers. Grocery store chains like CVS, Walgreens, and Publix provide budget friendly, ready-made bouquets that can be picked up while running daily errands. The flower sales from these stores dominate over the sales made by local florists or online delivery because they specifically cater to last-minute buyers. Another aspect that gives them an edge over the other shops is the low price point of their flowers.

Despite this, local florist shops still flourish. According to WFLA News, independent shops around Coral Gables and Wynwood attract customers that are looking for personalized and higher quality flowers. These shops prioritize unique customization, customer service, and design, which is why they charge at a higher price than grocery store chains.

But Miami’s flower story doesn’t start at the store, it starts thousands of miles away. The majority of flowers sold in the United States are imported. Miami is the biggest gateway for flower imports in the country. According to The New York Times, about 90 percent of all imported flowers pass through the Miami International Airport which makes it an important hub in the flower supply chain.

A majority of this supply comes from Latin America. Colombia accounts for the largest share of imported flowers which is then followed by Ecuador. The low labor costs, established trade routes, and favorable climate in these countries allow them to produce flowers all year. They are then able to export them to the demanding U.S. market. Though the Netherlands accounts for a smaller number in imports, they are essential in the flower trade market due to their flower auction system and logistics network.

This global trade directly affects what types of flowers end up in Miami stores. The most popular choice of flowers for Mother’s Day are roses which are largely imported from Colombia. They are popular due to their availability and symbolism. Other flowers like orchids, tulips, and lilies are popular as well. Orchids particularly are favored due to them fitting in with Miami’s tropical aesthetic. These preferences are shaped by the large supply of them coming from international supply chains and what retailers can stock in big quantities.

To better understand local habits, a brief interview with a Miami resident, Nicolas Puentes, highlighted this divide.

“I bought roses because they are red and pretty. And I bought them at Publix because it was the closest place with flowers and because it was open very early in the morning.”

This balance between intention and convenience shows the consumer behavior across the city.

Imported flowers have to move very quickly from the plane to the stores in order to maintain freshness which affects the cost. According to Wholesale Flowers, grocery stores can offer cheaper prices because they purchase flowers in bulk. Local florists charge higher prices because they have smaller inventory volumes and design labor.

The Mother’s Day flower market is influenced by local decision making and global logistics. From the farms in Colombia and Ecuador to the flower section at the grocery stores, each bouquet reflects a plethora of decisions from the farmers, to the sellers, and the consumers.

References:

SAF: Mother’s Day Flower Purchases and Sales Climb

WFLA: Miami’s florists are redefining luxury gifting in 2025

The New York Times: Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue, Through Miami’s Airport Yours Probably Flew

Wholesale Flowers: Why do grocery store roses seem so inexpensive?

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Police arrested the suspect, Latoya Denise Jones, on five felony charges on Wednesday, a little more than two weeks after the incident.

Authorities said the incident happened outside the Walmart Supercenter at 17650 NW Second Ave. in Miami Gardens.

Jones, of Hallandale Beach, met the two women at around 12:30 a.m. on April 5 and during the encounter, became “visibly angry and agitated,” according to the Miami Gardens Police Department.

Police said Jones grabbed a gun from her sedan, pointed it at the pair and threatened them. Authorities said as the victims retreated, one of them dropped her iPhone and Jones picked it up while armed, earning her an armed robbery charge.

An MGPD arrest report states that after taking the phone, Jones got into her car “and intentionally drove the vehicle directly toward both victims,” hitting the pair. Police said she then took off.

One of the women suffered a leg fracture and the other suffered other leg injuries, authorities said. Both sought treatment at the nearby Jackson North Medical Center in North Miami Beach.

Police said cellphone and CCTV footage “clearly identified” Jones. Police said they interviewed her on April 8 and she declined to speak with detectives.

Authorities arrested her at the MGPD headquarters on Wednesday. Jones faces two counts each of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon causing great bodily harm and aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony, as well as an armed robbery charge.

As of Thursday morning, online records show she was being held in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center with a bond listed as “to be set.”

La policía arrestó a la sospechosa, Latoya Denise Jones, por cinco cargos graves el miércoles, poco más de dos semanas después del incidente.

Las autoridades dijeron que el hecho ocurrió fuera del Walmart Supercenter ubicado en 17650 NW Second Ave. en Miami Gardens.

Jones, de Hallandale Beach, se reunió con las dos mujeres alrededor de las 12:30 a.m. del 5 de abril y durante el encuentro se mostró “visiblemente enojada y alterada”, según el Departamento de Policía de Miami Gardens.

La policía indicó que Jones tomó un arma de su sedán, la apuntó hacia las dos mujeres y las amenazó. Las autoridades dijeron que, mientras las víctimas retrocedían, una de ellas dejó caer su iPhone y Jones lo recogió estando armada, lo que le generó un cargo de robo a mano armada.

Un informe de arresto de la policía de Miami Gardens señala que después de tomar el teléfono, Jones se subió a su vehículo “y condujo intencionalmente directamente hacia ambas víctimas”, atropellándolas. La policía indicó que luego huyó del lugar.

Una de las mujeres sufrió una fractura en una pierna y la otra sufrió otras lesiones en las piernas, según las autoridades. Ambas buscaron tratamiento en el cercano Jackson North Medical Center en North Miami Beach.

La policía dijo que imágenes de teléfonos celulares y cámaras de vigilancia “identificaron claramente” a Jones. Indicaron que la entrevistaron el 8 de abril y que ella se negó a hablar con los detectives.

Las autoridades la arrestaron en la sede de la policía de Miami Gardens el miércoles. Jones enfrenta dos cargos por agresión agravada con un arma mortal que causó graves lesiones corporales y dos cargos por asalto agravado con intención de cometer un delito grave, además de un cargo de robo a mano armada.

Hasta la mañana del jueves, los registros en línea muestran que permanecía detenida en el Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, con una fianza “por determinar”.

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Investigators said the shooting happened near Southwest 168th Street and 92nd Avenue, where deputies were called to just after 4:45 p.m. in reference to a reported domestic dispute.

When they arrived, they encountered a man outside the home and detained him.

Investigators said that once deputies entered the home, they found another man suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities identified the victim as a 47-year-old man. His father, who is in his 70s, is now in custody.

Officials said they have been called to the home before for mental health-related incidents.

“We definitely wanted the community to know this was an isolated incident,” said MDSO spokesperson Argemis Colome.

Neighbors said they were stunned by the violence in their neighborhood.

“We usually feel really safe here, so something like that happening is concerning,” Gorgas Kollileka said.

“At the end of the day, it’s a tragic incident,” Colome said. “This is a father and son domestic situation. It’s not a good day for that family. But something happened and that’s what they’re going to try to get to.”

The investigation is ongoing.

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According to an arrest report from the Miami Police Department, Dontae Equain Wilkerson is accused in a shooting that occurred around 3:50 p.m. Sunday near the 200 block of Southeast Second Avenue.

Officers responding to reports of gunfire said they recovered three 9 mm shell casings and spoke with witnesses who said a man fired multiple shots at a victim, who ran from the scene and was not immediately located.

The next day, investigators said the victim went to a police station and told detectives he had just left La Granja, located at 127 SE Second Ave., when he encountered his former roommate and two others, including Wilkerson.

The victim said Wilkerson was “looking around, acting suspicious” before telling him to fight another man, according to the report.

Police said as the group walked along Southeast Second Street, the victim told detectives Wilkerson pulled a gun from his waistband. The victim also told them that he turned and ran, hearing several gunshots behind him, the report states.

Detectives later obtained surveillance video that they say shows Wilkerson pulling out a gun and shooting at the victim as he fled.

A witness also told investigators he saw three men arguing and heard one threaten to stab the victim before Wilkerson allegedly fired about three shots, according to the report.

Police said Wilkerson, who lives a few blocks from the shooting scene, turned himself in Wednesday and was read his Miranda rights before requesting an attorney.

They said he made a confession that was redacted from the publicly released report.

Jail records show Wilkerson is charged with attempted second-degree murder with a firearm, illegal use or display of a firearm during a felony, and unlawful discharge of a firearm in a public place.

As of Thursday, he was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where his bond was listed as “to be set.”

A motive for why Wilkerson fired the shots at the victim remains unclear at this time.

Según un informe de arresto del Departamento de Policía de Miami, Dontae Equain Wilkerson está acusado en una balacera que ocurrió alrededor de las 3:50 p.m. del domingo cerca de la cuadra 200 de Southeast Second Avenue.

Agentes que respondieron a reportes de disparos dijeron que recuperaron tres casquillos de 9 mm y hablaron con testigos que indicaron que un hombre disparó múltiples veces contra una víctima, quien huyó del lugar y no fue localizada de inmediato.

Al día siguiente, los investigadores dijeron que la víctima acudió a una estación de policía y le dijo a los detectives que acababa de salir de La Granja, ubicada en 127 SE Second Ave., cuando se encontró con su ex compañero de cuarto y otras dos personas, incluido Wilkerson.

La víctima dijo que Wilkerson estaba “mirando alrededor, actuando de manera sospechosa” antes de decirle que peleara con otro hombre, según el informe.

La policía indicó que mientras el grupo caminaba por Southeast Second Street, la víctima le dijo a los detectives que Wilkerson sacó un arma de su cintura. La víctima también les dijo que se dio la vuelta y corrió, escuchando varios disparos detrás de él, según el informe.

Los detectives posteriormente obtuvieron un video de vigilancia que, según dijeron, muestra a Wilkerson sacando un arma y disparando contra la víctima mientras huía.

Un testigo también dijo a los investigadores que vio a tres hombres discutiendo y escuchó a uno amenazar con apuñalar a la víctima antes de que Wilkerson presuntamente disparara alrededor de tres veces, según el informe.

La policía indicó que Wilkerson, quien vive a pocas cuadras del lugar de la balacera, se entregó el miércoles y fue informado de sus derechos Miranda antes de solicitar un abogado.

Indicaron que hizo una confesión que fue redactada del informe publicado.

Los registros de la cárcel muestran que Wilkerson enfrenta cargos de intento de asesinato en segundo grado con arma de fuego, uso o exhibición ilegal de un arma de fuego durante la comisión de un delito grave y descarga ilegal de un arma de fuego en un lugar público.

Hasta el jueves, permanecía detenido en el Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, donde su fianza figuraba como “por determinar”.

El motivo por el cual Wilkerson disparó contra la víctima sigue sin estar claro en este momento.

El cuerpo de la víctima fue encontrado a lo largo de Ferragut Street.

Un video de vigilancia captó el sonido de múltiples disparos.

Un vecino que estaba sentado en su auto dijo a Local 10 News que presenció todo e incluso grabó en video al primer agente en llegar a la escena con el arma desenfundada.

El testigo dijo que vio dos autos estacionados uno junto al otro. Las personas dentro parecían hablar antes de que repentinamente se desatara la balacera, indicó.

El testigo dijo que uno de los conductores huyó, mientras que el conductor del otro auto quedó en la calle.

Según el testigo, ambas puertas del auto estaban abiertas después de la balacera, lo que le hace creer que un pasajero pudo haber huido tras el tiroteo.

Un equipo de Local 10 News estuvo en la escena mientras lo que parecía ser el cuerpo de un hombre yacía en la vía junto a un auto plateado.

Se vio a la policía tomando fotos en la escena mientras investigaban lo ocurrido antes de la balacera.

La oficina del médico forense retiró el cuerpo de la vía temprano el jueves por la mañana.

Más detalles sobre lo ocurrido aún no han sido divulgados por la policía.

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The abuse happened after the girl’s mother let Enrique Dominguez Rodriguez, 48, live with her family in a room at the Casanovas Boutique Motel at 1775 W. Okeechobee Road, according to the Hialeah Police Department.

Police said the allegations came to light after police arrested the girl’s mother for child neglect after “her children were found alone” in the motel by their grandparents. Authorities said they all ended up in a foster home.

After the Florida Department of Children and Families reported the case to police, authorities said they set up a March 19 forensic interview for her with staff at Kristi House, which specializes in treating victims of child sexual abuse.

Police said the girl, now 10, described to the forensic interviewer how Dominguez, who she only knew as “Ricky,” would assault and molest her in the motel.

According to an HPD arrest report, the girl told the interviewer that the incidents happened about 10 to 20 times and they would “hurt her a lot.”

Police said the girl made an unprompted drawing showing what “Ricky” would do to her.

Authorities said the girl’s mother identified Dominguez during an interview on Wednesday, saying she knew him as a regular customer at her workplace and that she let him live with her family after he became homeless.

The woman “said when she found out about the allegations, she began asking and looking for Enrique and discovered he was recently arrested for a fight.”

Authorities said a records check revealed that Dominguez had been arrested in Hialeah on April 11 on a battery charge and that he was still locked up at the Metrowest Detention Center.

He now faces additional child rape and molestation charges.

Records show a judge ordered him held without bond and he remained at the MWDC as of Thursday morning.

The Paris Entertainment Company, which operates the Adidas Arena and Accor Arena in the French capital, told The Associated Press on Thursday it has submitted a bid to host ice hockey during the 2030 Winter Games to be held in France.

Both venues were used during the 2024 Paris Summer Games and could serve as alternative solutions because the new Nice mayor, Eric Ciotti, opposes ice hockey events at Nice soccer stadium, the Allianz Arena, which would be converted into a temporary hockey rink.

Like the Milan Cortina Olympics, the French Alps has split snow sports in storied mountain resorts and skating in a snow-free city, the French Riviera resort Nice. The final venues will be confirmed in June when the IOC decides the list of sports and events.

Ciotti, a former conservative allied with the National Rally of Marine Le Pen, was elected in March.

Asked about the ice hockey deadlock in Nice, sports minister Marina Ferrari said on Thursday she was working with 2030 Games organizers to determine whether alternative solutions were available in Nice or elsewhere.

“Our responsibility now is to begin preparing alternative scenarios in case we encounter difficulties,” she said. “At this point we are exploring all options, I could not be clearer.”

The 2030 French Alps Olympics has been hit by turmoil in recent months. Tensions have multiplied against a backdrop of resignations, culminating in open conflict between Edgar Grospiron, the former Olympic champion freestyle skier who leads the organizing committee, and chief executive officer Cyril Linette.

Their feud and other problems have weakened the project, and Linette's departure was acknowledged in February. That followed the resignations of chief operating officer Anne Murac, communications director Arthur Richer, and the departure of Bertrand Méheut, who was in charge of the remuneration committee.

___

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

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According to police, the shooting was reported shortly before 9:30 p.m. along the 7300 block of Farragut Street.

Surveillance video obtained by Local 10 captured the sound of multiple gunshots being fired.

A neighbor who was sitting in his car told Local 10 News that he witnessed everything, and even captured video of the very first officer to arrive at the scene with a gun drawn.

The witness said he saw two cars parked next to each other. The people inside appeared to talk before gunfire suddenly erupted, he said.

The witness said one driver took off, while the driver of the other car was left behind in the street.

According to the witness, both car doors were open after the shooting, leading him to believe a passenger may have run off after the shooting.

A Local 10 News crew was at the scene as what appeared to be the body of a man was lying in the roadway next to a silver car.

Police were seen taking photos at the scene as they investigated what led up to the shooting.

The medical examiner’s office removed the body from the roadway early Thursday morning.

Police are asking anyone with information about the shooting to call them at 954-764-4357 or Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477. Tips can also be submitted online at browardcrimestoppers.org.

Authorities in several states did not name the event, but the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, commonly known as Jazz Fest, runs from Thursday through May 3. The gathering attracted about 460,000 people last year, organizers said.

Christopher Gillum of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was wanted for “terroristic threats,” the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office in Florida posted online Thursday. Federal authorities told the sheriff's office that Gillum, who is white, was in the Florida Panhandle “heading to do a mass shooting at a large festival in Louisiana.” The FBI in New Orleans said it's working on the investigation with law enforcement across the three states.

The Okaloosa sheriff’s office said Gillum was arrested without incident Wednesday night at a hotel in the city of Destin, and posted a photo of him being led away in handcuffs. Deputies recovered a handgun and about 200 rounds of ammunition from the hotel room, the statement said.

Gillum was arrested as a fugitive from justice and will be extradited to Louisiana to face charges there, the sheriff’s office said. It was not immediately known if he had a lawyer. The Associated Press left a message at phone numbers listed for him.

Gillum’s family reported him missing on Tuesday and he has a history of self-harm, according to Lt. Clint Lyons of the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina. Gillum’s family told law enforcement he had a gun and had “expressed recent threats to harm ‘Black people,’” according to a bulletin from police in Burlington, North Carolina.

Lyons said Gillum left the state before his agency could prepare the paperwork to involuntarily commit him to psychiatric treatment. Lyons said there were no criminal grounds to detain Gillum despite his comments about Black people “because there was no victim,” however the agency decided it needed to spread the word about him to other departments.

Gillum was located and stopped by law enforcement in Oklaloosa County on Wednesday, according to Lyons and the Burlington police bulletin.

However, he “did not present any grounds for involuntary commitment or criminal charges” and was allowed to continue on his way, the bulletin stated. Gillum told officers he was “enroute to New Orleans,” the report added.

Okaloosa deputies were initially asked to make a “welfare check” on him Wednesday morning but they didn't know he'd been making violent threats, sheriff spokesperson Michele Nicholson said. Later that day, after the sheriff's office learned Gillum was being investigated, deputies surveilled him until an arrest warrant arrived from Louisiana, she added.

“At this time, there are no known direct threats to any festivals in Louisiana,” State Police spokesperson Trooper Danny Berrincha said.

Gillum served as a sworn police officer in Chapel Hill from 2004 until his resignation in 2019, town spokesperson Alex Carrasquillo said.

He worked as a police officer in the coastal town of Carolina Beach from October 2019 until his resignation the following October, town administrative services officer Sheila Nicholson said. Gillum became a detention officer in October 2023 with the Orange County, North Carolina, sheriff’s office and left in July 2024, spokesperson Alicia L. Stemper said.

He returned the Chapel Hill police force as a non-sworn employee in 2024 before leaving again by the end of the year, Carrasquillo said. He was then rehired as an Orange County sheriff's deputy in January 2025 but resigned that September, she said.

___

Mustian reported from Natchitoches, Louisiana, and McCormack from Concord, New Hampshire. Associated Press writer Allen G. Breed in Wake Forest, North Carolina, contributed.

That’s because shareholders of Warner Bros. Discovery approved an $81 billion sale of the company on Thursday. Including debt, the proposed buyout valued at nearly $111 billion based on Warner’s current outstanding shares.

While the deal still faces regulatory review, the megamerger would vastly reshape Hollywood and the wider media landscape, further consolidating power in an industry already run by just a handful of major players. Paramount itself was acquired by Skydance just last year.

Here's what a Paramount-Warner combo could mean for streaming, movies, news and more.

Streaming

Paramount Skydance would own both Paramount+ and, with the sale approved by shareholders Thursday, Warner's HBO Max. Company executives have said that they would combine these streamers into one platform.

What that combined service would look like (or be named) is unclear. But Paramount CEO David Ellison suggested that HBO could still have some level of independence, at least production-wise.

“Our view point is, HBO should stay HBO,” Ellison said during a conference call last month. “They built a phenomenal brand, they are a leader in this space and we just want them to continue doing more of it. But by bringing the platforms together, all of our content will be able to reach even a broader audience than we can do standalone.”

Warner and its HBO streaming platform have a powerful lineup that includes “The Pitt,” “Game of Thrones” and “Sex and the City." And beyond “Harry Potter,” Warner's library lists blockbuster films such as “Sinners,” “Barbie” and "Superman" (the company also owns DC Studios). Titles like “Top Gun," "Titanic,” “The Godfather" and “Yellowstone" fill Paramount's catalog.

In the U.S., according to streaming guide JustWatch, HBO Max controlled about 12% of on-demand subscriptions in the first quarter of this year — compared to 3% for Paramount+. Combining those two services would still fall slightly below Prime Video's 17% market share, and the 19% of the market commanded by Netflix. Disney owns about 27% of the market between Hulu and Disney+.

Beyond HBO Max, Paramount would also acquire Warner’s smaller Discovery+ streamer. And apart from Paramount+, Paramount owns Pluto TV and BET+, too.

Critics are skeptical of consumer benefits touted by Paramount. While company executives have continued to laud larger content libraries and the potential for Paramount to better compete with bigger rivals, a combination with Warner Bros. would mean fewer platform choices when it comes to streaming overall. Critics warn that could actually mean higher prices at a time when the price of almost all subscriptions continues to tick higher.

Moviemaking and theatrical releases

Paramount and Warner Bros. are two of Hollywood’s oldest studios. A merger would mean fewer companies control legacy film production.

Ellison has said he wants the combined company to grow a slate to more than 30 movies a year, keeping Paramount and Warner Bros. as stand-alone operations. And in a star-studded CinemaCon appearance last week, he promised a 45-day exclusive window for films in theaters, pledging a “complete commitment” to the industry.

Still, others are wary about what further consolidation could mean for jobs and which projects are greenlit down the road. Regulatory filings have indicated that the new ownership will be looking for ways to cut costs — including layoffs and downsizing some overlapping operations. Paramount is taking on billions of dollars in debt to finance the deal.

Warner Bros. just had a banner year of both major blockbusters and critical successes. The studio racked up 30 Oscar nominations thanks to “Sinners,” “Weapons,” and “One Battle After Another” (which took home the top best picture slot). Paramount received zero. And in 2025, Warner Bros. movies — including “A Minecraft Movie,” “Superman” and “Sinners” — accounted for 21% of the domestic box office. Paramount’s market share was only 6%, driven largely by “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning."

The industry has already experienced a sizeable consolidation. Almost 10 years ago, Hollywood’s big six became the big five when Disney bought most of 20th Century Fox. If the Warner sale goes through, a new “big four” era would be underway — with a bigger Paramount standing alongside Disney, Universal and Sony.

News

CNN would come under the same roof as Paramount-owned CBS. That would bring together two of America’s biggest names in television news, although whether CNN would continue to operate as a separate brand from CBS has yet to be confirmed.

Regardless, there is a lot of anxiety about Paramount taking control of CNN — a network that has long attracted ire from President Donald Trump and his allies. Critics point to Trump’s close relationship with the Ellison family, particularly billionaire Oracle founder Larry Ellison, who is putting up billions of dollars to back the bid by his son’s company.

Since coming under Skydance ownership less than a year ago, CBS has already seen significant shifts in editorial leadership. It's taken steps to appeal to more conservative viewers in its news operations, notably with the installation of Free Press founder Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief of CBS News. If the company’s proposed Warner takeover is successful, many expect similar changes at CNN.

Some officials in the Trump administration have also made their opinions very clear about CNN's future ownership. In March, the White House attacked CNN for its coverage of the U.S. and Israel's war against Iran — and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told reporters that "the sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better.”

Ellison has said that editorial independence “will absolutely be maintained” under Paramount ownership. “It’s maintained at CBS. It’ll be maintained at CNN,” Ellison told CNBC's “Squawk on the Street” in March, while noting that his company wants to speak to “the 70%” of viewers who he said identify as center-left or center-right.

The acting head of the U.S. Justice Department's antitrust division has also said that its regulatory review will not be political. Still, critics are skeptical — particularly following Skydance's acquisition of Paramount. That merger was approved by the Federal Communications Commission just weeks after the company agreed to pay Trump $16 million to settle a lawsuit over editing at CBS' “60 Minutes” program. The president has continued to publicly lash out at “60 Minutes” programming since.

Other TV and cable networks

CNN is just one of the cable operations that Warner is selling. And the proposed merger would make Paramount's TV footprint even bigger.

The company also owns Discovery, TNT, TBS, Food Network, Cartoon Network and Animal Planet, among other networks — all of which would come under Paramount ownership if the deal goes through. Meanwhile, Paramount already has its own sizeable broadcast lineup. Beyond CBS, that includes Nickelodeon, MTV, BET, Comedy Central, Showtime and more.

Blustery winds also are helping ignite and expand the fires in Georgia and Florida that have blanketed parts of several states in smoke, leading to air quality warnings Thursday in cities far from the blazes.

Shifting winds made for another high-risk day with more evacuations ordered near Georgia’s coast, where a wildfire has now destroyed close to 90 homes and threatened more.

Residents there were warned to leave as many as 200 homes. Farther to the west, Georgia's biggest fire near the Florida state line doubled in size in less than a day and by Thursday had burned through a sparsely populated area twice the size of Manhattan.

Images from the devastated areas showed the shells of charred cars and trucks sitting next to the smoldering ruins of homes nestled among blackened trees.

Many who were forced to flee this week were distraught over the homes and animals they left behind.

“I don’t know if I have a house standing or not,” said Denise Stephens, who evacuated her home near Hortense because of the fast-moving Brantley County fire. “I know what it’s taken from other people, but I don’t know what I have left standing.”

Wood debris littering the state’s southern half since Hurricane Helene churned through in September 2024 has enabled some of the blazes to spread and intensify quickly, officials said.

“There’s a ton of old Hurricane Helene debris down in the woods,” said Seth Hawkins, a Georgia Forestry Commission spokesperson. “It’s lying around, and it’s just a tinderbox out there.”

The forestry commission estimated that Helene swept across nearly 14,000 square miles (36,000 square kilometers) of forestland statewide, striking areas where trees are grown for paper and lumber.

In Helene’s wake, cleanup efforts were rolled out across southern Georgia. The state put up roughly $135 million to help private timberland owners remove fallen trees, and the Army Corps of Engineers hauled off millions of cubic yards of debris.

But they couldn’t get everything.

“The way Helene just threw everything down like matchsticks, there’s only so much you can do short of bulldozing everything,” Hawkins said. “There are big pockets of woods out there where people don’t walk around too much. So it just kind of gets left there.”

Brantley County, where most of the evacuations have been ordered, has less hurricane debris in its forests than some neighboring counties, County Manager Joey Cason said.

But as the wildfire continued to expand and remained unpredictable, some residents decided to stay put.

“I’ve been in the fire area today on both sides of it, and we have folks that are sitting in their front yards running sprinklers,” Brantley County Sheriff Len Davis said. “So some are leaving, and some are staying.”

It is not known yet how the wildfires started, but the bottom half of Georgia and northern Florida are both extremely dry.

In Florida, firefighters were battling more than 130 wildfires, mostly in the state’s northern half. Fire crews in Georgia responded to 34 new and relatively small blazes Wednesday, the forestry commission said.

Smoke drifted across a large area of the Southeast, making the air unhealthy Thursday for children and people with lung or heart problems in cities as far as Columbia, South Carolina. A haze hung over Atlanta’s skyline a day earlier, and there was a smoky smell across the metro area.

Officials are hoping for rain to help tame the fires, and there is a 30% to 40% chance of showers or thunderstorms in the area of both big Georgia fires this weekend, according to the National Weather Service. While showers could bring welcome relief, thunderstorms could also produce lightning capable of sparking more fires.

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Martin reported from Atlanta, and Bynum from Savannah. Associated Press writer John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, contributed.

Tilson Thomas had surgery for a brain tumor in 2021 and resumed his career, then said in February 2025 the tumor had returned. He conducted his final concert with the San Francisco Symphony in April 2025 and died at his home in San Francisco, spokesperson Connie Shuman said.

Tilson Thomas received 39 Grammy Award nominations, winning 12, and was among the Kennedy Center Honors recipients in 2019.

“It’s meant to have various intriguing and alluring, questioning things that you hear on first hearing,” he said of classical music during a 2004 interview with The Associated Press. “But by its very nature it’s holding a lot of other secrets or a lot of other perspectives much closer to its chest, which only with repeated hearing you start realizing are there.”

Tilson Thomas was born in Los Angeles on Dec. 21, 1944, to a family steeped in the arts. His father, Ted, was a producer at New York’s Mercury Theater Company, then worked in Los Angeles in the movie and television industry. His mother, Roberta, headed research for Columbia Pictures. His grandparents, Bessie and Boris Thomashefsky, were pioneers in American Yiddish theater.

He played piano at a young age and attended the University of Southern California. By the time he received a degree in 1967, he had worked with Pierre Boulez, Aaron Copland, Igor Stravinsky and Karlheinz Stockhausen.

“I don’t fling the word genius around lightly, but I fling it around about Michael. He reminds me of me at that age, except that he knows more than I did,” conductor Leonard Bernstein told The New York Times Magazine for a 1971 profile. “Not only music, but things like the functions of the brain, cerebrology, physics, biochemistry.”

Tilson Thomas was the co-music director and then music director of California’s Ojai Festival in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was an assistant at Germany’s Bayreuth Festival in 1966, won the Koussevitzky Prize at the Tanglewood Music Center in 1968 and became a Boston Symphony Orchestra assistant conductor in 1969.

Tilson Thomas made his New York debut at Lincoln Center’s Philharmonic Hall on Oct. 22, 1969, as a mid-concert replacement for an ailing William Steinberg. Tilson Thomas led Robert Starer’s Concerto for Violin, Cello and Orchestra, and Strauss’ “Till Eulenspiegel.”

“A tall, thin young man, he came on stage with an air of immense confidence and authority, and showed that his confidence was not misplaced,” critic Harold C. Schonberg wrote in the Times. “He takes naturally to this music, as might be expected of a Tanglewood graduate and a pupil of Pierre Boulez.”

Tilson Thomas became the BSO’s principal guest conductor from 1972-1974 and was music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic from 1971-79 and a principal guest conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic from 1981-85.

He helped found Miami’s New World Symphony in 1987 and served as artistic director until 2021. He was principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra from 1988-95 and music director of the San Francisco Symphony from 1995-2020.

Tilson Thomas’ compositions include “Grace” (1988), “Four Preludes on Playthings of the Wind” (2015-16) and “Meditations on Rilke” (2019).

His husband, Joshua Robison, died Feb. 22 while recovering from a fall suffered last August. They met while playing in the orchestra of North Hollywood Junior High School (since renamed Walter Reed Middle School), became partners in 1976 and married in 2014.

In announcing his final concert would take place in San Francisco on April 26, 2025, in a belated 80th birthday celebration, Thomas issued a statement acknowledging his mortality.

“At that point we all get to say the old show business expression, ‘It’s a wrap,’” he said. “A coda is a musical element at the end of a composition that brings the whole piece to a conclusion. A coda can vary greatly in length. My life’s coda is generous and rich.”