En un discurso televisado a la nación, Rodríguez prometió a los trabajadores un aumento salarial el 1 de mayo. No reveló el monto, pero explicó que se implementaría de manera que se evitara el repunte inflacionario que siguió al último aumento del salario mínimo.

“Ese incremento, como lo hemos señalado, será un incremento responsable”, para evitar que el repunte de la inflación lo devore rápidamente, afirmó la mandataria encargada. “Conforme tengamos y Venezuela goce de más recursos que permitan la sostenibilidad de la mejora salarial y del ingreso de los trabajadores, seguiremos avanzando por ese camino”, aseveró.

Muchos trabajadores del sector público subsisten con aproximadamente 160 dólares al mes, mientras que el empleado promedio del sector privado ganó alrededor de 237 dólares el año pasado, de acuerdo con el Observatorio Venezolano de Finanzas, un organismo independiente.

El salario mínimo mensual de Venezuela, de 130 bolívares (0,27 dólares), no ha aumentado desde 2022, lo que lo sitúa muy por debajo del umbral de pobreza extrema de 3 dólares al día establecido por las Naciones Unidas.

Muchos venezolanos tienen dos o más empleos para mejorar sus ingresos. El precio de una canasta básica de alimentos ha superado los 500 dólares, según el Observatorio.

Rodríguez anuncio la instalación de una Comisión para el Diálogo Laboral, integrada por representantes del gobierno, el sector privado, los trabajadores activos y pensionados “que nos permita visualizar un nuevo modelo” salarial y de seguridad social para Venezuela.

La gobernante, quien fue juramentada el 5 de enero dos días después de un operativo militar estadounidense que depuso y capturó al entonces presidente Nicolás Maduro, también anunció la creación de una comisión que se encargará de determinar “la naturaleza estratégica o no de los activos del Estado”. Aclaró, sin embargo, que la industria de los hidrocarburos, propiedad del Estado, queda excluida de esa revisión.

“Quienes en sueño aspiran (a) la privatización, por ejemplo, de PDVSA (Petróleos de Venezuela S.A.) para entregarla... (a) transnacionales, sencillamente está equivocado y se encontrará con la fortaleza de un pueblo decidido a defender sus recursos estratégicos”, añadió.

Daniel Zavala Ramos, 42, faces a possible sentence of life in prison following his guilty plea in U.S. District Court in Laredo, Texas, to a single charge of conspiring to bring migrants without documents from Guatemala through Mexico to the U.S. and placing lives in jeopardy and causing serious injury and deaths, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

Sentencing is set for July 7.

Ramos was among six Guatemalans charged over the crash of the semitrailer truck and the first to be convicted. The other five have a final pretrial conference on June 3, according to court records. Ramos' attorney did not immediately return an email Wednesday evening seeking comment.

At least 160 migrants, many from Guatemala, were packed into the truck that hit the support base for a pedestrian bridge on Dec. 9, 2021, and overturned, authorities said. At least 53 people were killed and more than 100 were injured, officials said, and video footage at the time of the crash showed dead and injured migrants in a jumbled pile inside the truck's collapsed freight container.

The Justice Department statement said the dead included unaccompanied children.

The crash occurred on a highway leading toward the Chiapas state capital, some 160 miles (260 kilometers) from Mexico's border with Guatemala and about 1,400 miles (2,300 kilometers) south of the Mexican border with Texas.

Authorities announced the arrests of Ramos and the five other defendants in Guatemala and Texas in 2024, on the third anniversary of the accident. Ramos was extradited in 2025 from Guatemala to face charges, the DOJ statement said.

Prosecutors said the Guatemalans conspired to smuggle migrants from Guatemala through Mexico to the U.S. for payment. In cases of unaccompanied children being smuggled, the defendants would provide scripts of what to say if they were apprehended, authorities said.

The smugglers would move migrants on foot, inside microbuses, cattle trucks and tractor trailers and use Facebook Messenger to request and deliver identification documents to the migrants to get them into the U.S., according to authorities.

“Esta tarde, la ministra de Ciencias, Ximena Lincolao, fue agredida al interior de la Universidad Austral por un grupo ideologizado que tiene solo un objetivo: silenciar y amedrentar”, dijo el mandatario en X. “No buscan dialogar ni mejorar la educación. Su actuar no tiene explicación ni justificación”.

La titular de la cartera recién había finalizado sus actividades en visita a la Universidad Austral de Chile, en la sureña Valdivia, a unos 800 kilómetros de Santiago, cuando se vio arrinconada por una protesta de estudiantes que se desarrollaba al exterior de la facultad.

Al intentar salir, Lincolao sufrió agresiones verbales y físicas por parte de varios de los manifestantes, quienes también la rociaron con agua. Los hechos han sido fuertemente condenados por sectores políticos y ciudadanos del país.

Kast indicó que esta misma noche se reunirá con la ministra y advirtió de que “estos hechos no quedarán impunes”.

El Ministerio de Ciencia informó en un comunicado que Lincolao “se encuentra en buen estado de salud” y destacó que “las universidades deben ser espacios para el aprendizaje, el intercambio de ideas y el debate respetuoso”, por lo que “la violencia no contribuye al diálogo ni al desarrollo”.

Por su parte, la fiscalía anunció que ha abierto una investigación formal e instruido diligencias “urgentes e inmediatas” a las brigadas policiales para “el esclarecimiento de los hechos e identificar a los responsables de los mismos”, según dijo el vocero de la fiscalía regional de Los Ríos, Eric Aguayo.

La Universidad Austral de Chile igualmente abrió una investigación para “determinar las responsabilidades correspondientes”, en tanto que el Consorcio de Universidades del Estado de Chile, que agrupa 18 universidades estatales, llamó a resguardar el diálogo en los ambientes educativos.

“Las universidades están llamadas a garantizar espacios donde la discrepancia se exprese mediante argumentos y no a través de la fuerza”, destacó en una nota. “La confrontación de ideas forma parte de su quehacer fundamental; la violencia, en cambio, interrumpe ese proceso”.

The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington D.C. rejected Anthropic's request for an order that would shield from the San Francisco company from the fallout stemming from a dispute over how the Pentagon could deploy its Claude chatbot in fully autonomous weapons and potential surveillance of Americans while the panel is still collecting evidence about the case.

But the setback in Washington came after Anthropic already had prevailed in separate case focused on the same issues in San Francisco federal court. In that case, a judge forced President Donald Trump’s administration to remove a label tainting the company as a national security risk.

Anthropic filed the two separate lawsuits in San Francisco and the Washington appeals court last month, asserting the Trump administration was engaging in an “unlawful campaign of retaliation” because of its attempt to impose limits on how its AI technology can be deployed. The Trump administration blasted Anthropic as a liberal-leaning company trying to dictate U.S. military policy.

In the San Francisco case, U.S. District Judge Rita Lin ruled that the Trump administration had overstepped its bounds by labeling Anthropic a supply chain risk unqualified to work with military contractors and issuing other directives that could cripple a company locked in a race for AI supremacy against rivals such as ChatGPT maker Open AI and Google.

That decision prompted the Trump administration to remove the stigmatizing labels from Anthropic and take other steps clearing the way for government employees and contractors to continue using Claude and other chatbots, according to court filing made in San Francisco earlier this week.

The appeals court in Washington didn't see things the same way, even though it conceded the company would “likely suffer some degree of irreparable harm” if it's deemed a supply chain risk. But the appeals court didn't see sufficient reason to issue its own order revoking the Trump administration's actions, partly because “the precise amount of Anthropic’s financial harm is not fully clear.”

Further evidence in the case is scheduled to be presented before the appeals court in a hearing scheduled for May 19.

“We’re grateful the court recognized these issues need to be resolved quickly and remain confident the courts will ultimately agree that these supply chain designations were unlawful," Anthropic said in a statement.

Matt Schruers, the CEO of the technology trade group Computer & Communications Industry Association, expressed worries that the conflicting court decisions issued so far in the standoff between Anthropic and the Trump administration will muddle the business landscape at a pivotal time.

“The Pentagon’s actions and the DC Circuit’s ruling create substantial business uncertainty at a time when U.S. companies are competing with global counterparts to lead in AI," Schruers said.

The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the NCAA hasn’t publicly discussed the proposal. They said the matter was scheduled to be reviewed and discussed by the Division I Cabinet next week, but not voted on for implementation.

Yahoo Sports was first to report the proposal. An NCAA spokesman did not immediately return a message left by AP.

The proposal, which mirrors language written into the executive order issued by President Donald Trump last week, would give athletes five years of eligibility with the clock starting at the earliest of two dates: either when they turn 19 or graduate high school. There would be limited exceptions but they would not involve injuries, which has been a common reason for players to ask for extra eligibility.

Still unknown is whether the rule would shield the NCAA from lawsuits over eligibility. Dozens of players have sued for extra years, claiming injuries and other circumstances made them candidates for extra eligibility. The NCAA is seeking a limited antitrust exemption from Congress to prevent these lawsuits.

Speaking at the Final Four over the weekend, NCAA President Charlie Baker said Trump wanted to figure out a way to “get something on the books that works and represents what most people are looking for at this point, which is a much simpler eligibility process, which we’ve been talking to our committees about." ___

AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports

Pooh Shiesty, whose legal name is Lontrell Williams Jr., appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Renee Harris Toliver during a hearing in Dallas. Prosecutors have also charged eight others over the alleged January confrontation at a music studio, where the victims were allegedly robbed at gunpoint.

Prosecutors have declined to name the victims, and an FBI affidavit attached to a criminal complaint only refers to them by their initials. One victim, R.D., is described as the owner of 1017 Records, the label belonging to Gucci Mane, whose legal name is Radric Delantic Davis.

“I find that the weight of the evidence against you is strong,” Toliver told Pooh Shiesty during the hearing.

She noted that the rapper had a criminal history and had violated a home confinement order following a prior firearms conspiracy conviction in Florida.

During the hearing, Bradford Cohen, the rapper's attorney, raised questions about much of the prosecution's evidence. “The FBI doesn’t take three months to arrest someone if they believe everything that was said on the night that it occurred,” Cohen said.

Prosecutors have accused the rapper, who was arrested last week, of arranging the music studio meeting in Dallas to discuss the terms of his contract with 1017 Records.

According to an affidavit attached to a criminal complaint, Pooh Shiesty had asked to speak with the record label owner in a recording room. He then allegedly produced contract termination paperwork and pulled out what appeared to be an AK-style pistol while forcing the label owner to sign.

The rapper then took the man’s wedding ring, watch, earrings and cash, according to the affidavit.

Pooh Shiesty is from Memphis, Tennessee, but he is believed to have been recently living in a high-rise apartment in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, according to the affidavit. Several of the defendants traveled from Memphis to Dallas ahead of the meeting, according to the affidavit.

Gucci Mane is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of trap music alongside fellow Atlanta rappers T.I. and Jeezy. He emerged in the mid-2000s with his breakout single “Icy” and went on to build a vast catalog.

A deputy shot Karen Ivette Gomez, who was wielding a knife inside a home at about 4:05 p.m. on Feb. 7 in the area of Northwest 189th Street and 55th Avenue, according to M-DSO.

Gomez’s tearful daughter called 911 to report that she was scared because her mother was in the bathroom with a knife, according to the audio of a 911 call that was also released by M-DSO.

“Regardless of the outcome, my commitment is clear, to be transparent with our community, to hold ourselves to the highest standards, and to continue working every day to earn and maintain your trust,” Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said in a statement.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has been investigating the shooting since.

“Let me come help you, we have Miami-Dade fire rescue outside,” a deputy told Gomez after entering the home and standing outside the bathroom, according to the video released.

Gomez did not follow the deputy’s orders to walk outside.

“There is no more help; I can’t with this anymore,” Gomez said, according to the video.

Deputies knocked down the door. There was blood on the floor. Deputies near the door were pointing at her with a Taser and a firearm.

“Drop the knife,” a deputy told Gomez, who responded with a “No!”

A deputy shot at Gomez twice, according to M-DSO. She had cut both of her wrists, according to M-DSO. Gomez died at the hospital. She was 52.

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

After the tornado on Tuesday, Garcia has been working hard all day to help cut branches and remove debris from his dad’s yard.

Wednesday was mostly dry. There was sunshine getting through. This heat during the day becomes fuel for atmospheric instability.

In other words, there will be more thunderstorms on Wednesday evening and into the night in South Florida.

A flood watch remained in effect for areas of Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties until 10 p.m. on Wednesday.

There was also a rip current statement in effect until 8 p.m. on Wednesday in coastal Miami-Dade and Broward counties, and a coastal flood statement in effect in Monroe County until 5 a.m. on Thursday.

The forecast also includes more thunderstorms on Thursday, just fewer than those experienced on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The weather is set to get dry by Saturday, with seasonable highs in the low 80s.

For the Weather Authority’s live weather radar and hour-by-hour local forecast, visit this page.

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Courtney Williams, 40, of Wagram, North Carolina, is accused of violating federal law, as well as multiple nondisclosure agreements by sharing details of her work with a “special military unit” at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

"Anyone divulging information they vowed to protect to a reporter for publication is reckless, self-serving and damages our nation’s security,” Reid Davis, the FBI special agent in charge in North Carolina, said in a U.S. Justice Department news release.

Williams "swore an oath to safeguard our nation’s secrets as an employee supporting a Special Military Unit of the Army, but she allegedly betrayed that oath by sharing classified information with a media outlet and putting our nation, our warfighters, and our allies at risk,” Roman Rozhavsky, an assistant director of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division, said in the statement.

Williams, who is specifically charged with violating a provision of the Espionage Act, appeared Wednesday in Raleigh federal court, where a magistrate judge unsealed the case against her, initially filed late last week, according to online court records. She was ordered held by the U.S. Marshals Service pending hearings set for early next week.

Court records didn’t immediately name Williams’ lawyer. A man who answered a phone and identified himself as a family member of Williams' declined to comment on the charges Wednesday.

Although the reporter and unit are not named in the court filings, dates and details match an article and book about the Army’s secretive Delta Force written by Seth Harp.

Williams was the focus of a 2025 Politico article with the headline: “My Life Became a Living Hell: One Woman’s Career in Delta Force, the Army’s Most Elite Unit.” It coincided with the release of Harp’s book, “The Fort Bragg Cartel,” which alleges sexual harassment and discrimination.

In a statement published by WRAL-TV, Harp called Williams “a brave whistleblower and truth-teller.”

“Former Delta Force operators disclose `national defense information’ on podcasts and YouTube shows every day, but the government is going after Courtney for the sole reason that she exposed sexual harassment and gender discrimination in the unit,” Harp's statement read. “This is a vindictive act of retaliation, plain and simple.”

According to an FBI affidavit attached to the complaint, Williams was cleared as a defense contractor in April 2010 and became a Department of Defense employee in November 2010.

She performed duties within the special military unit as an operational support technician responsible for "Tactics, Techniques and Procedures" used in preparation for and during "sensitive missions,” Special Agent Jocelyn Fox wrote in the affidavit.

According to Fox, Williams’ access to classified information was suspended “based on an internal investigation.” Fox said Williams was debriefed in September 2015 and signed a nondisclosure agreement.

The government alleges that Williams had been in contact with the unnamed journalist between 2022 and 2025.

“During this period, Williams and the Journalist had over 10 hours of telephone calls and exchanged more than 180 messages,” the news release said.

Fox cited a text between the two she said occurred on or about the day the book and article were published.

“Other than a few factual errors, I would definitely have been concerned with the amount of classified information being disclosed,” Williams' text read, according to the affidavit. “I thought things I was telling you so you could have a better general understanding of how the (SMU) was set up or operated would not be published and it feels like an entire TTP (Tactics, Techniques and Procedures) was sent out in my name giving them a chance to legally persecute me.”

Fox also cited an alleged exchange between Williams and her mother.

”`I might actually get arrested, and I don’t even get a free copy of the book,’” the affidavit read. “When her mother asked why she may be arrested, Williams responded `for disclosing classified information.’”

Fox wrote that the investigation so far has identified at least 10 batches of documents gathered that Williams intended to provide to the journalist.

__

Associated Press writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.

Showers and storms still will be possible Thursday. Breezy conditions will begin to take hold later in the day. East-northeast winds, sustained 10 to 15 mph with gusts to 25 mph, should be expected. Near seasonable temperatures are forecast: lows in the upper 60s, highs around 80°F.

“This is not an accidental escalation — it is the collapse of protection,” U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told the U.N. Security Council.

Of the more than 1,010 humanitarian workers killed from 2023 to 2025, he said, more than 560 were in Gaza and the West Bank, 130 in Sudan, 60 in South Sudan, 25 in Ukraine and 25 in Congo. That compares with 377 killed from 2020 to 2022.

The surge in deaths occurred during the war between Israel and Hamas, which began in October 2023. A ceasefire has been in effect since October 2025, although shootings and airstrikes have persisted.

Last year alone, Fletcher said, at least 326 aid workers were recorded as killed in 21 countries. In 2024, a record 383 were killed in global hotspots while distributing food, water, shelter and medicine.

“They died in clearly marked convoys and on missions coordinated directly with authorities," the undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs said.

The Security Council was meeting on a resolution it adopted in May 2024 that strongly condemned attacks on humanitarian workers and U.N. personnel and demanded that all combatants protect them in accordance with international law.

Fletcher asked the 15 members of the U.N.’s most powerful body if the killings were because international law “is no longer convenient" or because “it is more important to protect those designing, selling, supplying and firing lethal weapons?”

“Or is it because member states see these numbers as collateral damage, part of the fog of war? Or worse, are we now seen as legitimate targets?” he asked. “Perhaps the most chilling question: If these deaths were ‘preventable’, why then were they not prevented?”

Fletcher said humanitarian staff are not only being killed but “restricted, penalized and delegitimized” — and told where they can't go and whom they can't help.

In Yemen, as a prime example, 73 U.N. staff and dozens of others working for nongovernmental organizations are being arbitrarily detained by Houthi rebels, Fletcher said.

In Afghanistan, female humanitarian staff are banned from doing their jobs, he said. In Gaza, Israel restricts the U.N. and other international organizations, and in Ukraine drone attacks have forced aid workers back from the front line.

“These trends, alongside the collapse in funding for our lifesaving work, are a symptom of a lawless, bellicose, selfish and violent world,” Fletcher said.

He challenged the U.N.’s 193 member nations to uphold the 2024 resolution’s demands to protect humanitarian workers and ensure accountability for crimes against them.

Jessica Collins, a spokeswoman for the House Oversight Committee, said Wednesday the department signaled that Bondi, who was ousted by President Donald Trump last week, will not appear for the deposition April 14 “since she is no longer attorney general and was subpoenaed in her capacity as attorney general.” The committee will contact Bondi’s personal counsel to discuss the next steps about scheduling the interview, she said.

Bondi has faced scrutiny for how the Justice Department handled what are known as the Epstein files, and the Republican-led committee subpoenaed her in a bipartisan vote last month. The department’s release of millions of case files on Epstein, the late financier who sexually abused underage girls, contained multiple errors and ran behind a deadline set by Congress.

After Trump announced Bondi’s ouster from his Cabinet on April 2, Bondi said on social media that over the next month she would be “working tirelessly to transition the office.” But Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has been elevated to the top job, on at least an acting basis, and is performing the duties of the department’s top official. The Justice Department’s website on Wednesday still listed Bondi as attorney general.

Meanwhile, some Republicans who had joined Democrats to subpoena Bondi said they would insist on having her appear before the committee.

Rep. Nancy Mace, who initiated the motion to compel her appearance, said on social media Wednesday that “Bondi cannot escape accountability simply because she no longer holds the office of Attorney General.”

Mace, R-SC., added that the motion was done “by name, not by title” and that “we expect her to appear as soon as a new date is set.”

The top Democrat on the committee, Rep. Robert Garcia of California, also said he would push to enforce the subpoena and threatened to press for contempt of Congress charges if she does not appear.

In a statement, he said, “Now that Pam Bondi has been fired, she’s trying to get out of her legal obligation to testify before the Oversight Committee about the Epstein files and the White House cover-up.”

The committee’s head, Republican Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, enforced subpoenas on Bill and Hillary Clinton this year, making the ex-president and ex-secretary of state, respectively, among the highest-ranking former government officials ever to be subpoenaed by Congress.

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The 34-year-old rapper suffered non-life-threatening injuries during a shooting on Monday night in a valet area at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, according to the Seminole Police Department.

There was a fight before the shooting. Tione Jayden Merritt, better known as rapper Lil Tjay, was among two arrested, according to police.

Merritt, 24, faced charges of disorderly conduct and operating a vehicle without a valid license when he walked out of the Broward County Main Jail on Tuesday in Fort Lauderdale.

“Did he put his hands on you?” Local 10 News reporter Bridgette Matter asked him. “Hell naw,“ the rapper said. ”How many times I gotta tell you that ain’t nobody touch me?”

Migos rappers Quavo, Takeoff, and Offset split in 2022. Offset went solo, and Quavo and Takeoff formed duo, Unc & Phew. Takeoff was fatally shot months later in Houston, Texas.

Offset and Cardi B, who wed in 2017 and divorced in 2024, have three children together.

Forecasters noted that 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain fell in some areas in less than 24 hours.

“There is no storm drainage system that can withstand that anywhere in the world,” President Luis Abinader said.

A press official with the Civil Defense agency, Jayssi Capellán, told The Associated Press that the 2-year-old girl died after a wall at her home collapsed in the capital of Santo Domingo.

The government ordered nonessential employees to work remotely as authorities warned of flooding and possible landslides, with more than a dozen provinces under alert, including Santo Domingo, which is the hardest hit area.

Listín Diario, a local newspaper, reported that more than 20 communities were cut off in the province of San José de Ocoa, located just northwest of Santo Domingo, after a river overflowed its banks.

Crews also evacuated nearly a dozen older people to safety and rescued a man who became trapped in a sewer in the capital, according to the Civil Defense agency.

The heavy rains began on Monday and are expected to dwindle by Wednesday night.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has said the facility is crucial to ensuring the president’s immigration agenda is carried out.

But scrutiny continues — not only over the environmental impact, but also the cost to taxpayers and concerns about conditions inside.

Activists who have been sounding alarms about the environmental impact of the ICE detention facility in the heart of the Everglades are now also pointing to the financial burden.

“There’s no water or sewage infrastructure, there’s no lighting, everything has to be trucked in and out posing an environmental risk and a huge burden on taxpayers,” said Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglades — the group suing to shut it down over environmental concerns.

The state of Florida is still awaiting full reimbursement of roughly $608 million from the federal government for operating the facility.

Samples also pointed to the roughly 1,500 detainees reportedly being held there.

“The cost per detainee is $249 per night per detainee, that’s about three times the average state correctional cost,” she said. “(It’s) more than $90 million for the porta-potty contractor.”

Samples said purchase documents recently released in a separate lawsuit raise additional concerns.

Meanwhile, some detainees describe what they call inhumane conditions inside the facility.

Multiple migrants have contacted Local 10 News from inside the facility, including 63-year-old Mario Vara Gonzalez, who said he has been held there for more than 157 days and has lost 55 pounds during that time.

He said that during one recent meal he was given only a hot dog and coleslaw.

Gonzalez said he wants out, even if it means returning to Cuba.

Federal and state officials have not publicly addressed the latest claims about conditions inside the facility.

These bets were made even though, in the hours before a two-week ceasefire was announced on Tuesday, President Donald Trump’s rhetoric had escalated sharply and there were few signals that a ceasefire deal was imminent. Early in the day Trump had issued a warning on social media that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran did not meet his demand to open the Strait of Hormuz by his 8 p.m. ET deadline.

An analysis of publicly available blockchain data from Polymarket, using the crypto analytics platform Dune, shows that at least 50 accounts, or wallets, placed substantial “Yes” bets Tuesday before Trump announced the ceasefire in a Truth Social post at around 6:30 pm ET. These were the first bets made by these particular wallets.

One of these wallets, created Tuesday around 10 am ET, placed roughly $72,000 in bets at an average price of 8.8 cents. The buy-in for each betting event ranges from $0 to $1 each, reflecting a 0% to 100% chance of what users think could happen. This Polymarket user then cashed out for a profit of $200,000.

Another, which joined the platform on April 6 and traded on this exact event, shows a win of $125,500.

Another wallet, created 12 minutes before Trump’s post, made $31,908 of “Yes” bets at 33.7 cents, and is estimated to have earned a profit of $48,500. The higher price for “Yes” at that time may have reflected the efforts late Tuesday by the government of Pakistan to get Trump to extend his deadline by two weeks.

There is also the possibility that these individual Polymarket users placed their bets expecting Trump to back down, given his habit during his second term to make bold threats only to retreat — a phenomenon his critics have derided as “Trump Always Chickens Out,” or TACO.

While some users took handsome profits, others must wait for payouts because Polymarket has labeled the April 7 Iran-U.S. ceasefire contract as “disputed,” given that Iran was still placing restrictions on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz and missile attacks in the region continued. That dispute could take 48 hours to resolve.

Public blockchain data cannot identify who controls the new wallets. Polymarket uses proxy smart contract wallets, meaning a single user can create multiple accounts. Only Polymarket has the internal data needed to determine whether these were new users or existing users opening additional accounts.

Polymarket did not respond to a request for comment.

Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, who has introduced legislation to regulate prediction markets, released a statement Wednesday saying: “It’s highly unlikely that these are good-faith trades; it’s much more likely that these are insiders with access to information ahead of the public. Without some kind of restrictions, there is nothing stopping government or military officials from profiting from their positions.”

The trading pattern of newly created Polymarket accounts placing strategic, well-timed bets mirrors earlier episodes on the platform. Newly created accounts placed large wagers hours before the January capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and made hundreds of thousands of dollars in profit. Similar clusters of accounts have also repeatedly profited from well-timed bets on military actions involving Iran.

Such bets have repeatedly raised questions from the public as well as members of Congress about whether some traders are using inside information to profit in these prediction markets. Bipartisan groups of senators as well as representatives have introduced legislation that would broaden the definition of insider trading to include prediction markets.

Even the two biggest platforms in the industry, Kalshi and Polymarket, have said they see a need to broaden the definition of insider trading on their platforms.

“This is why these markets need regulation,” said Todd Philips, a professor at Georgia State University who has written on prediction markets and the industry’s regulations. “We can’t have people trading with inside information and expect other traders are going to be OK being in these markets.”

_____

Keller reported from Albuquerque, N.M.

The suspect drove through construction zones, a school zone, and hit a barrier before spinning out and crashing at Northwest 31st Avenue and Second Street, on the border of Lauderhill and the Boulevard Gardens section of unincorporated central Broward.

The vehicle crashed into a concrete wall at a home at the corner of the intersection, on the Lauderhill side.

The residents of the home said they were OK.

Local 10 News is reaching out to law enforcement for additional information, including why authorities were pursuing the suspect.

Lauderhill police directed our request to the Plantation Police Department.

WATCH: Chase coverage

During the hearing, modifications were made to a non-contact injunction the mayor filed against Daniel Curran, 34, but only after Trantalis told the court he felt his former partner was no longer a threat.

Despite audio from the courtroom that appeared to be shut off, Local 10 News was in the courtroom as Trantalis testified before a judge.

It was in September when Local 10 obtained public records showing the mayor first filed a domestic violence injunction against Curran, citing prior incidents of threats and violence while saying “I truly fear deadly physical harm.”

“This is very complicated for us,” Trantalis said.

According to Curran’s arrest form, he “pushed (Trantalis) with both hands,” then, after the mayor tried fighting him off, he grabbed Trantalis by his leg, pulled him to the ground, and dragged him “approximately 15 feet” across a road, leaving Trantalis with injuries to his wrist, left leg and right knee.

Police arrested Curran later that week after they spotted him in Trantalis’ driveway.

While Curran still faces those charges, his criminal case will no longer be heard in Broward County. The move comes after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order moving the case to Miami-Dade County to avoid any conflict of interest.

Local 10’s Roy Ramos spoke to Trantalis over the phone on Wednesday regarding Curran’s hearing.

Trantalis said that it was a personal, private matter and refused to go into any further detail.

Police unveiled six new e-bikes that will make up the new detail. They were donated by a foundation set up by local real estate broker Andres Asion.

Officials say the department’s new e-bike unit was launched to enhance public safety in the art deco district.

Officers say the new additions will help them navigate areas with more pedestrians.

“What we’re unveiling here today is not just a donation of bikes,” Asion said. “These electric bikes are tools. They are going to help our police officers be more visible, more mobile, more connected to the community, especially in the Art Deco district, one of the most important and busiest areas of our city.”

Officials say the E-bike Squad is a permanent addition to the department.

Rex Heuermann, 62, entered the pleas in a courtroom packed with reporters, police and victims’ relatives, some of whom wept as he detailed his murders. He will be sentenced in June to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Heuermann’s guilty pleas — to three counts of first-degree murder and four of intentional murder — bring finality to a case that bedeviled investigators, tormented victims’ families and tantalized a true-crime obsessed public for years. Although he wasn’t charged in her death, he also admitted that he killed Karen Vergata in 1996.

“This has been a long journey of hope — hope that one day we would stand here and say her name with justice beside it," Melissa Cann, the sister of victim Maureen Brainard-Barnes, said at a news conference hours after the hearing as she fought back tears. “Today, that long, painful journey brings us to this moment.”

In court, Heuermann admitted that he strangled all eight victims and dismembered some of them before dumping their bodies.

Wearing a black suit coat and white button-down shirt, Heuermann appeared matter-of-fact and unemotional as he answered questions from Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney and the judge. He never looked back at the packed courtroom gallery.

The women, many of them sex workers, were killed over a 17-year span.

Prosecutor credits the victims’ families and investigators

“This defendant walked among us play-acting as a normal suburban dad when in reality, all along, he was obsessively targeting innocent women for death,” Tierney said at the post-hearing news conference.

He thanked the victims’ relatives, including some standing alongside him, for helping bring their loved ones’ stories to life. And he praised members of the Gilgo Beach Homicide Investigation Task Force, which cracked the case with the help of clues that included DNA lifted from a discarded pizza crust.

Gloria Allred, an attorney for some of the victims’ families, described several of the women as young mothers who were just trying to earn extra money to support their children.

“Little did they know that the defendant, Rex Heuermann, did not care about their hopes and dreams, or that they had families and friends who loved them,” Allred said at the news conference.

Elizabeth Baczkiel, whose daughter Jessica Taylor was murdered by Heuermann, said: “I am glad that this is over as far as him pleading guilty. It took a big chunk of stress off of me and my family.”

Killer’s ex-wife calls it a ‘difficult time’

Heuermann’s ex-wife, Asa Ellerup, and their daughter attended the hearing and were mobbed by reporters as they entered and left the courthouse. Ellerup said her thoughts and prayers were with the victims’ families and she asked for privacy for her own family during what she called a “very difficult time.”

Ellerup and her daughter, Victoria, had no knowledge of or involvement in the killings, said their lawyer, Robert Macedonio.

Heuermann’s attorney, Michael Brown, said it was Heuermann’s decision to plead guilty, in part because he wanted to spare victims’ relatives and his family from the ordeal of a trial.

Asked by a reporter whether Heuermann was sorry, Brown responded, “I would hope so. ... I would expect at sentencing he would have something to say.”

As part of his guilty plea, Heuermann agreed to cooperate fully with the FBI’s behavioral analysis unit as part of an academic and scientific exercise.

A shocking find

The discovery of numerous sets of human remains along Long Island’s South Shore beginning in late 2010 set off a search for a potential serial killer that attracted global interest and spawned a Hollywood movie.

Remains of six victims — Melissa Barthelemy, Brainard-Barnes, Amber Lynn Costello, Valerie Mack, Taylor and Megan Waterman — were found in the scrub along Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach. The remains of another, Sandra Costilla, were found more than 60 miles (100 kilometers) away in the Hamptons.

Police also identified the remains of Vergata, which were found on Fire Island, more than 20 miles (32 kilometers) west, in 1996, and near Gilgo Beach in 2011.

But despite the attention, including a documentary series and the 2020 Netflix film, “Lost Girls,” the investigation dragged on for more than a decade, punctuated by fleeting leads and dashed hopes.

A fresh look yields results

In 2022, six weeks after a new police commissioner formed the Gilgo Beach task force, detectives identified Heuermann as a suspect by using a vehicle registration database to connect him to a pickup truck that a witness reported seeing when one of the victims disappeared in 2010.

Heuermann lived for decades in Massapequa Park, about a 25-minute drive from where the women’s remains were found. Some of the victims were believed to have disappeared from that community and their cellphones were found to have pinged towers in the area, authorities said.

After the truck discovery, a grand jury authorized more than 300 subpoenas and search warrants, allowing the task force to dig in to Heuermann’s life.

Detectives collected billing records for burner phones he used to arrange meetings with the victims, retested DNA found with the bodies and scoured Heuermann’s internet search history, which showed that he had viewed violent torture pornography and exhibited an intense interest in the Gilgo Beach killings and the renewed investigation. Cellphone data showed Heuermann was in contact with some victims just before they disappeared, investigators said.

To obtain Heuermann’s DNA, a task force surveillance team tailed him in Manhattan, where he worked, and watched as he threw the remnants of his lunch — a box of partially eaten pizza crusts — into a sidewalk garbage can.

Investigators rushed in, grabbed the box, and sent it to the crime lab, which matched DNA from the crust to a male hair found on burlap used to restrain one of the victims. He was arrested in July 2023.

On his computer, investigators said, they found what they described as a “blueprint” for the killings, including a series of checklists with reminders to limit noise, clean the bodies and destroy evidence.

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Associated Press writers Julie Walker, Philip Marcelo in New York City and Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut, contributed to this report.

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The boyfriend and girlfriend, who attended Downtown Doral Charter Upper School, were identified in an email sent to families by Ms. Acevedo-Isenberg, Head of Schools at Downtown Doral Charter Schools, as Mateo Dávila, 17, and Alessia Tucci, 16.

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“Our entire community is mourning this unimaginable loss, and our thoughts and prayers are with their families, friends, our faculty, and staff at our elementary school and certainly our upper school, where they currently attended,” Acevedo-Isenberg wrote in the email. “Both students deeply loved their school, their teachers, their coaches, and their peers, leaving a lasting impact on everyone who knew them.”

According to police, the teens were in a Kia sedan when it veered off the roadway and crashed into a pole at about 6 p.m. along Northwest 87th Avenue, near 54th Street. They did not specify who was driving.

Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Detective Argemis “AC” Colome said the car became engulfed in flames after the crash.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel pronounced both students dead at the scene.

Shortly after the crash, dozens gathered at the site to mourn the victims.

“It was, like, a big shock to everyone because it could happen so quickly,” a student named Alexandra told Local 10 News.

“I was in disbelief. I didn’t want to believe it,” another student, Ruben Abreu, said.

Abreu said he has known Dávila since first grade and the news of this has been heartbreaking.

“He was just a jolly person. He would never let, like, bad things bring him down,” Abreu said.

Daniel Gonzalez, another classmate of the victims, told Local 10’s Jackie Pascale that he isn’t sure how people will ever fully recover from the incident.

“Everyone in the school is devastated. Everyone is sad,” Gonzalez said. “They were really good people, really nice people.”

An 11-year-old boy who came to the crash site said he wanted to show support for a grieving friend.

“I have a classmate — the brother of the girl who died. I wanted to support him by leaving some flowers,” he said.

Acevedo-Isenberg said in her email that grief counselors will be available on campus in the coming days for any students or staff who want to speak with someone.

“We recognize that this news is difficult to process. We encourage parents to talk openly with their children and monitor their well-being. If you have concerns about how your child is coping, or if you feel they need additional support, please do not hesitate to contact our counseling department,” Acevedo-Isenberg said. “Thank, you, gracias, obrigada, and merci. We unite as a Dolphin family during this difficult time.”

MDSO traffic homicide detectives are investigating the cause of the fatal crash.

In court was Jason Banegas, 22, who shot and killed Hollywood Police Officer Yandy Chirino in October 2021.

The courtroom was full of Hollywood police officers, showing support for Chirino and his family.

No witnesses spoke for either side, but Banegas was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole.

Jurors previously recommended the life sentence for Banegas instead of the death penalty.

“We respect the jury’s decision, but we’re grateful for the judge’s decision today,” said Hollywood Police Department Chief Jeff Delvin. “We can all take a little comfort in knowing that he’s never gonna take a breath of free air again.”

Chirino was 28 years old when he was fatally shot while responding to call regarding a suspicious person along the 400 block of North Hills Drive in Hollywood.

Video footage captured from that night showed Banegas, who was 18 years old at the time, checking car doors to see if they were unlocked.

There was a struggle between Banegas and Chirino, with the former shooting the latter twice in the face while resisting arrest, police said.

Chirino joined HPD in 2017. Delvin said the department is focused on supporting his family.

The young Fleetwood went viral last year when he lamented in a post-round interview that he couldn't clear Ike's Pond, which fronts the ninth green on the par-3 course. So all eyes were on him this year, even after Tommy had aced the fourth hole an hour earlier.

“I’m not so confident,” Frankie admitted, “but honestly on the range this afternoon I felt good, so I feel like I got a chance.”

Frankie made solid contact with his tee shot on the 120-yard hole, but he was off line and the ball splashed right of the green. As he slumped in disappointment, the crowd packed shoulder to shoulder around the eighth and ninth holes implored him to take a mulligan, so Frankie reteed and took another big swing. This time, the ball missed the green by a couple of feet.

“Nearly got it. A few inches, maybe,” Frankie said.

“He was happy with his shots, and he was so close as well,” Tommy said. “Another year, right, Frank?”

As for the competition itself, Aaron Rai birdied the last four holes to shoot 6 under and win the Par 3 Contest, though that may not be such a good thing. Nobody who's won the event has gone on to win the Masters in the same year.

Justin Thomas aced the second hole, Wyndham Clark had a hole-in-one on the seventh and Keegan Bradley, his playing partner, aced the eighth hole, becoming the first player in Masters history to make a hole-in-one in consecutive years in the Par 3 Contest.

Ex-NFL lineman Jason Kelce (Akshay Bhatia) and comedian Kevin Hart (Bryson DeChambeau) were among the celebrity caddies.

“It's a special day,” Thomas said. “It's really fun. Obviously a beautiful day. And hopefully just a great start to a great week.”

Thinking of the Middle East

Fleetwood and his family moved from England to Dubai in 2022 and settled at the Jumeirah Golf Estates, where he runs the Tommy Fleetwood Academy. But when war escalated in the Middle East, and bombs began falling in the United Arab Emirates as he played in the U.S., Fleetwood was able to get his family on a flight back to England.

They joined him at Augusta National for the Masters this week.

“The main thing is hoping that everybody is always safe,” Fleetwood said, "whether that be family, friends, whatever is going on — students — whatever that is. I think we have no impact on what is going on in the world at any given time, but you just hope that anyone that is close to you or associated with you or anybody in general is safe. That’s the main thing."

Pros: They're just like us

Turns out that those playing in the Masters would do the same thing as those watching if they were patrons at Augusta National: They would spend gobs of money on merchandise, devour a few $1.50 sandwiches and throw back a couple of $6 beers.

“Probably have to do the merch tent first,” Min Woo Lee said. “I’m sure there is a shipping situation there, so you spend at least one to two thousand dollars, I would say. I think that’s pretty average.”

He's not far off. Nobody knows for sure, but most estimate the average patron spends close to $1,000.

Want a cheaper souvenir? The cups filled with beer — domestic or a proprietary craft brew called “Crow's Nest” — carry the Masters logo. Patrons will stack them inside each other throughout the day, often a half-dozen or more.

“Probably trying to take advantage of that price and have a lot of beers,” J.J. Spaun said. “Yeah, I would be getting a snake-cup thing, whatever they do at baseball games. The snake with all the cups. Definitely enjoy the day out here.”

Follow the tracks

Augusta National is tracking every shot hit on the practice range this week and some of the stats are surprising.

On Tuesday, for example, nobody hit more balls than 60-year-old Jose Maria Olazábal. The two-time Masters champ hit 243 down the range, which is meticulously designed to replicate many of the shots players face on course. Ben Griffin, who is 29, also hit 243.

“I would be interested to see what kind of shots people hit,” Fleetwood said. “It’s a great week where you can play the course on the range. You know the shots. You know the tee shots. You can visualize it on the range. The range is kind of set up for that. You have some different slopes and undulations around the short game area. So there’s a lot you can do with that.”

Aldrich Potgieter, 21, logged the most shots on any day this week with 249 on Monday. Most players hit between 50 and 100 balls on any given day, while Fleetwood and Harris English needed just 21 to warm up for their practice rounds.

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

La persecución ocurrió cerca de la escuela secundaria Dillard High School alrededor de las 4:50 p.m. El vehículo atravesó barricadas de construcción.

La persecución terminó en la intersección de Northwest 31st Avenue y Second Street, en la frontera entre Lauderhill y el área de Boulevard Gardens del Broward central no incorporado.

El vehículo chocó contra un muro de concreto de una vivienda en la esquina de la intersección, del lado de Lauderhill.

Local 10 News está solicitando información adicional a las autoridades.

La policía de Lauderhill remitió la solicitud al Departamento de Policía de Plantation.

The ruling restores the prior process ahead of the May 21 scheduled execution of Tony Carruthers, and it will remain in place during an ongoing appeal. The order expanding access had not yet been in effect during any execution.

In January, a Nashville judge issued a temporary injunction favoring a coalition of news organizations including The Associated Press. The group sued over claims that state execution protocols unconstitutionally limit thorough and accurate reporting.

The judge had ordered that the curtains to the official witness room be opened earlier during a lethal injection, allowing witnesses to observe the inmate being secured with restraints to a gurney and the IV insertion process itself. The curtains would have to remain open longer as well, until the pronouncement of death, under the judge's ruling.

The judge also had ruled that, in to protect execution team members' identities, they would have had to wear a disposable protective suit covering the members’ regular work uniform, identification badge and hair, and must be offered a mask to further conceal themselves.

While arguing to block the new rules during its appeal, the state attorney general's office has said the media plaintiffs don't have a right under the First Amendment to watch executions, let alone to see the additional segments ordered viewable by the trial court judge. The state also argued that the order that would have expanded the media's view significantly risks exposing the identities of execution team members, introduces “untested” procedures and relies on an erroneous analysis of state statutes.

In response, attorneys for the media organizations contended that blocking the expanded access would deprive the public of valuable information about upcoming scheduled executions. They have said they have a constitutional and statutory right to observe executions in their entirety and that wearing PPE would shield the execution team's identities.

The order reinstates the process from previous executions, when media members begin seeing what happens once the condemned person is already strapped to a gurney and hooked up to IV lines. Witnesses also don’t know at which precise moment the injections begin and those administering the injections are in a separate room.

The protocol says that after the syringes of saline and pentobarbital are administered, a team leader signals to the warden and a five-minute waiting period begins. After that period, the blinds are closed, the camera is turned off and then the doctor comes in to determine if the person is dead. If that is the case, the warden announces on the intercom system that the sentence was carried out and witnesses are directed to exit.

The camera and closed circuit TV are viewed by the execution team, not media witnesses.

In addition to AP, the media coalition includes Gannett Co., Inc.; Nashville Public Media, Inc.; Nashville Public Radio; Scripps Media, Inc.; Six Rivers Media, LLC; and TEGNA INC.

The Department of Homeland Security last year rescinded longstanding nationwide restrictions on immigration enforcement in or near “sensitive locations” such as schools and school bus stops, churches and hospitals that effectively made them off limits except in rare circumstances.

The Fridley and Duluth school districts, and the Education Minnesota union, sued to block the new policy in February, at a time when the Department of Homeland Security had sent around 3,000 federal officers into the state for Operation Metro Surge. Federal agents involved in the crackdown killed two citizens in Minneapolis in January.

The plaintiffs asked the court Wednesday for either a stay or preliminary injunction that would restore the previous restraints.

Attorney Amanda Cialkowski, who represents the district and union, told reporters afterward that it was unclear if a ruling in their favor would apply outside of Minnesota, or to other “sensitive locations” like churches and hospitals.

“We’ll just have to wait and see what the judge does,” she said.

Teachers across the country have detailed the ways Trump’s immigration crackdown has shaped their work and the lives of their students. In court filings in an ongoing case filed by national teachers unions in federal court in Oregon, educators described rumors of raids that scared away students, immigrant parents who stopped sending their children to school altogether, and stories of parents and students being arrested at bus stops.

And a demand by Democrats that federal authorities refrain from enforcement operations around schools, churches and hospitals is one of the unresolved disputes in the standoff between Congress and the administration over funding for Homeland Security.

The arguments before U.S. District Judge Laura Provinzino on Wednesday hinged mostly on complicated legal issues of whether the districts and union had legal standing to sue, and could show they had been directly harmed by the policy change, and whether the new guidance counted as the kind of final agency decision that a court would have the legal authority to review.

Justice Department attorney Jessica Lundberg said “swapping out” last year's policy guidance for the previous guidance, as the plaintiffs want, wouldn't really have a meaningful impact. Even under the old rules, she said, enforcement action in and around schools was always a possibility.

Provinzino said she would rule “as quickly as I can ... but also making sure I get it right.”

The superintendents of both the Fridley district, in suburban Minneapolis, and the Duluth district, in northern Minnesota, were in the courtroom for the arguments.

Fridley Superintendent Brenda Lewis said that the change “deeply impacted" attendance because families did not feel safe in sending their children to school. She said her schools had to pivot to virtual learning for many students, which put an additional strain on resources.

The superintendent also said her district has lost 72 students since December, which has hurt funding that was dependent on the numbers of pupils and meals served. Some enrolled in districts they considered safer, while others have left the country, and some are in detention centers, she said.

While the official end of Operation Metro Surge means Fridley hasn't seen ICE officers on school property in eight weeks, Lewis said the impacts will last for many years.

Duluth Superintendent John Magas pointed out that his district — which is about 150 miles north of Minneapolis — is well outside the Twin Cities metro area but started feeling the effects of the policy change long before the surge.

School districts across the Twin Cities area saw absenteeism spike during the crackdown. In St. Paul, over 9,000 students were absent in mid-January, more than a quarter of the district, according to attendance data obtained by The Associated Press.

Minneapolis Public Schools had over 8,000 students stay home on the last school day in January, close to 30% of students. And Fridley saw attendance drop by nearly a third, according to court filings.

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Sharon Lurye, data reporter for The Associated Press’ Education Reporting Network, contributed to this story from Philadelphia.

On Monday, Ralph Estinord, of Lauderhill, stopped at the Burger King in the Sawgrass Mall’s food court, and he got mad at a woman who was working there, according to the police report.

During a back-and-forth exchange, Estinord threw a metal container used for straws at the woman’s face, and this caused her tooth to fall out and a laceration on her lip, according to police.

Police officers arrested Estinord on Monday afternoon in Sunrise, and he faced a charge of aggravated assault.

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

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Adalia Duncanson took her white Roblox backpack on Tuesday morning to Seminole Middle School in Plantation, and she vanished, according to the Plantation Police Department.

On Wednesday, police officers asked the public for help with finding Adalia, who weighs 130 pounds and is 5 feet 6 inches tall.

Adalia has black hair and brown eyes, and she was last seen at about 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday at the school at 6200 SW 16 St., according to police.

Detectives asked anyone with information about Adalia’s whereabouts to call 954-797-2100.

Martinez launched a 374-foot shot to right off Steven Cruz in the eighth inning, when the Guardians scored five times to blow open what was a 5-2 game. Rhys Hoskins had a career-best three doubles as Cleveland tied its season high with 16 hits.

Guardians starter Joey Cantillo (1-0) struck out nine over 5 2/3 innings, allowing one earned run and one unearned run on three hits. Matt Festa worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings for his first save since July 7, 2022, with Seattle.

DeLauter, who leads all rookies with five homers and 11 RBIs, drove in José Ramírez and David Fry in the first with a drive off the wall against Cole Ragans (0-3). Hoskins followed with a double that made the Guardians’ lead 3-0.

Ragans had been struck on his left thumb by a comebacker from Ramírez, forcing him to exit two batters later after DeLauter’s double. He was charged with three runs in 2/3 of an inning, later being diagnosed with a contusion.

The Royals pulled within 4-1 in the fourth on an RBI double by Bobby Witt Jr., and then added a run in the fifth when Lane Thomas scored on an error by Steven Kwan. Cleveland committed two errors after only making one in its first 12 games.

Ramírez and Juan Brito also had RBI doubles for the Guardians, who are 3-0-1 in series this season.

Kansas City outfielder Tyler Tolbert made his pitching debut with 2/3 scoreless innings.

Up next

Royals: RHP Seth Lugo (1-0, 1.59 ERA) starts Thursday at home against the White Sox.

Guardians: RHP Slade Cecconi (0-1, 5.23 ERA) takes the ball Friday in Atlanta.

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

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Wigawa Putu Janu, 36, of Jembrana, Indonesia, is now facing a sexual battery charge in South Florida. According to BSO, he worked aboard the Celebrity Xcel.

A BSO arrest report states that Putu Janu had been drinking with the victim, who described him as a “friend,” after their shift last Tuesday. Deputies said “she remembers taking two shots of bourbon before losing all memory for the rest of the night.”

According to the report, the woman said she woke up naked in Putu Janu’s bed and, in the bathroom, saw that she was bleeding and saw marks on her shoulder and back. BSO Detective Kyle Schnakenberg wrote that she gathered her belongings and reported what happened to her supervisor.

“I reviewed video footage of the incident, which shows the victim falling to the ground, appearing completely intoxicated, unable to walk or stand on her own,” Schnakenberg wrote. “Video continues to show the offender attempting to lift the victim off the floor, then holding the victim up, who was stumbling into the walls while they walked to his cabin.”

Deputies took Putu Janu into custody after the ship returned to South Florida on Sunday. A statement by Putu Janu was redacted from the report.

He was arrested on a sexual battery charge and a Broward County judge ordered him held without bond in court Monday.

A spokesperson for the cruise line’s parent company said, “We take these allegations very seriously and are cooperating with law enforcement to assist in the ongoing investigation.”

Michael Hill, MLB’s senior vice president for on-field operations, also announced that the players received undisclosed fines. The suspensions were scheduled to begin with Wednesday's game but were put on hold pending appeals from each player.

MLB and the Major League Baseball Players Association reached an agreement to have López's suspension reduced to five games, effective immediately. With an off day, López will be able to keep his scheduled next start for Atlanta.

Soler started in right field and batted fourth in Wednesday's finale of the three-game series.

Soler homered off López in the first inning of Tuesday night's game. In his next at-bat, Soler was hit by a 96 mph fastball from López. In the fifth, Soler charged the mound after López threw a high-and-inside wild pitch that tipped off catcher Jonah Heim’s mitt.

As Soler began walking toward the mound, López held up his hands and the two glared at each other before both started throwing punches.

“I asked him if everything was OK and the answer he gave me, I didn’t like it,” Soler said through an interpreter, according to MLB.com. “That’s why I went out there.”

The right-handed López held the baseball in his right hand as he used it to throw a punch at Soler's batting helmet.

Players and coaches stormed out of the dugouts and bullpens, and Braves manager Walt Weiss tackled Soler, the 2021 World Series MVP with Atlanta.

“I love Soler. We were teammates here,” Weiss said. “But that’s a big man, and so I just felt I’ve gotta get him off his feet because he’s gonna hurt somebody. And so that was my instinct, just to get in there and get Jorge off his feet, yeah, because he was on a warpath.”

López and Soler were Braves teammates during the second half of the 2024 season.

“It’s just a shame, the situation and how things unfolded,” López said through an interpreter, according to MLB.com. “On my part, there was never any intent to hit him at any point. So, again, it’s just a shame.”

Atlanta, which led 4-2 when the game was interrupted by the brawl, went on to a 7-2 victory.

Soler’s two-run shot in the first made him 14 for 23 with five homers and three doubles against López.

“Obviously, I have good numbers against him,” Soler said. “After the home run and getting hit by a pitch after that, and then he missed way too high and close to my head. At this level, you can’t miss like that.”

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

Adalia Duncanson llevó su mochila blanca de Roblox el martes por la mañana a la escuela secundaria Seminole Middle School en Plantation y desapareció, según el Departamento de Policía de Plantation.

El miércoles, los agentes pidieron la ayuda del público para encontrar a Adalia, quien pesa 130 libras y mide 5 pies con 6 pulgadas de estatura.

Adalia tiene el cabello negro y ojos marrones, y fue vista por última vez alrededor de las 8:30 a.m. del martes en la escuela ubicada en 6200 SW 16 St., según la policía.

Los detectives pidieron a cualquier persona con información sobre el paradero de Adalia que llame al 954-797-2100.

El novio y la novia, quienes asistían a Downtown Doral Charter Upper School, fueron identificados en un correo electrónico enviado a las familias por la directora de escuelas de Downtown Doral Charter Schools, la Sra. Acevedo-Isenberg, como Mateo Dávila, de 17 años, y Alessia Tucci, de 16.

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“Nuestra comunidad entera está de luto por esta pérdida inimaginable, y nuestros pensamientos y oraciones están con sus familias, amigos, nuestro profesorado y el personal de nuestra escuela primaria y, ciertamente, de nuestra escuela superior, donde actualmente estudiaban”, escribió Acevedo-Isenberg en el correo electrónico. “Ambos estudiantes amaban profundamente su escuela, sus maestros, sus entrenadores y sus compañeros, dejando un impacto duradero en todos los que los conocieron”.

Según la policía, los adolescentes viajaban en un sedán Kia cuando se salió de la vía y se estrelló contra un poste alrededor de las 6 p.m. en la avenida Northwest 87, cerca de la calle 54. No se especificó quién conducía.

El detective de la Oficina del Sheriff de Miami-Dade, Argemis “AC” Colome, dijo que el vehículo se incendió tras el accidente.

El personal de Miami-Dade Fire Rescue declaró a ambos estudiantes muertos en el lugar.

Poco después del accidente, decenas de personas se reunieron en el sitio para lamentar a las víctimas.

“Fue como un gran impacto para todos porque puede suceder muy rápido”, dijo una estudiante llamada Alexandra a Local 10 News.

“Estaba en shock. No quería creerlo”, dijo otro estudiante, Ruben Abreu.

Abreu dijo que conoce a Dávila desde primer grado y que la noticia ha sido devastadora.

“Él era una persona muy alegre. Nunca dejaba que las cosas malas lo afectaran”, dijo Abreu.

Acevedo-Isenberg indicó en su correo electrónico que habrá consejeros de duelo disponibles en el campus en los próximos días para cualquier estudiante o miembro del personal que desee hablar con alguien.

“Reconocemos que esta noticia es difícil de procesar. Alentamos a los padres a hablar abiertamente con sus hijos y monitorear su bienestar. Si tiene preocupaciones sobre cómo su hijo está afrontando la situación, o si considera que necesita apoyo adicional, no dude en comunicarse con nuestro departamento de consejería”, dijo Acevedo-Isenberg. “Thank you, gracias, obrigada y merci. Nos unimos como familia Dolphin durante este momento difícil”.

Detectives de homicidios de tránsito de la MDSO investigan la causa del accidente fatal.

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Court documents state that Javarous Lashay McNealy, 34, was arrested on federal charges related to the possession and transportation of child sexual abuse material after he disembarked a cruise PortMiami on Monday.

Records show McNealy previously pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor battery in a 2018 Charlotte County case in which he was originally arrested for sexual battery. In that case, covered by Fort Myers news outlets, investigators said he orally sexually assaulted a male client while working at a Massage Envy in Port Charlotte, leading the state to pull his massage therapist license in May 2021.

Nearly five years later, federal agents said they conducted a border search on McNealy’s cellphone after he got off the Carnival Conquest on Monday.

Authorities said they opened the Telegram application and found “at least 50″ illicit videos, including those that show “prepubescent” boys and girls being raped and abused by adults.

Investigators said “multiple Telegram conversations” showed that he was sending the videos to other users.

According to court documents, McNealy said his sharing of the illicit videos began with meeting like-minded users on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

They said McNealy also admitted that he “would buy, trade and download” child sexual abuse material.

Records show McNealy appeared in Miami federal court on Tuesday and was ordered held pending a pre-trial detention hearing scheduled for Friday.

As of Wednesday, records show that McNealy was being held in the Federal Detention Center in downtown Miami.

License revocation documents (contains graphic details):

Documentos judiciales indican que Javarous Lashay McNealy, de 34 años, fue arrestado por cargos federales relacionados con la posesión y transporte de material de abuso sexual infantil después de desembarcar de un crucero en PortMiami el lunes.

Los registros muestran que McNealy previamente se declaró no culpable mediante acuerdo en un caso de 2018 en el condado Charlotte por un cargo menor de agresión, en un caso en el que originalmente fue arrestado por agresión sexual. En ese caso, cubierto por medios de Fort Myers, los investigadores indicaron que agredió sexualmente por vía oral a un cliente masculino mientras trabajaba en un Massage Envy en Port Charlotte, lo que llevó al estado a revocarle su licencia de masajista en mayo de 2021.

Casi cinco años después, agentes federales indicaron que realizaron una inspección fronteriza del teléfono celular de McNealy después de que bajó del Carnival Conquest el lunes.

Las autoridades señalaron que abrieron la aplicación Telegram y encontraron “al menos 50” videos ilícitos, incluidos algunos que muestran a niños y niñas “pre púberes” siendo violados y abusados por adultos.

Los investigadores indicaron que “múltiples conversaciones en Telegram” mostraron que él estaba enviando los videos a otros usuarios.

Según los documentos judiciales, McNealy dijo que comenzó a compartir los videos ilícitos tras conocer a usuarios con intereses similares en la plataforma de redes sociales X, anteriormente conocida como Twitter.

También indicaron que McNealy admitió que “compraba, intercambiaba y descargaba” material de abuso sexual infantil.

Los registros muestran que McNealy compareció ante un tribunal federal en Miami el martes y se ordenó que permaneciera detenido en espera de una audiencia de detención previa al juicio programada para el viernes.

Hasta el miércoles, los registros indican que McNealy permanecía detenido en el Centro Federal de Detención en el centro de Miami.

Documentos de revocación de licencia (contiene detalles gráficos):

Whittaker, who also served as the first full-time employee of the outdoor retailer REI and later as its president and CEO, died Tuesday at his home in Port Townsend, Washington, according to a statement from his family.

“Whether at home, in the mountains, or at sea, he sought to share adventure, joy, and optimism with those around him,” said the statement, which was emailed by Leif Whittaker, one of his sons. “His warmth, humility, and belief in the power of nature to bring people together left an enduring legacy of care for our planet and for one another.”

Whittaker’s 1963 ascent of Everest alongside Nawang Gombu came 10 years after the pioneering climb of Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. The feat helped spawn interest — and an industry — in mountaineering in the U.S., and it made the once-shy, rangy climber an instant celebrity. He was featured on magazine covers and in demand for public appearances.

Whittaker had been working for REI since 1955, when he was hired by the co-op's co-founder, Lloyd Anderson. The company's popularity surged after Whittaker's Everest climb, and Whittaker went on to lead the business from 1971 to 1979. Its membership grew from nearly 250,000 to more than 900,000 during his tenure, REI noted in a statement Wednesday.

The co-op credited his congressional testimony and other efforts with helping to establish North Cascades National Park and the Pasayten Wilderness in Washington, as well as and Redwood National Park in California.

“Long before outdoor advocacy was commonplace, Jim gave his voice — and his leadership — to protecting the places we love, reminding us that wild places endure only if we choose to care for them,” the statement said.

Whittaker's celebrity also brought him into the orbit of the Kennedy clan, and he became a close friend of Robert Kennedy, with whom he climbed a 14,000-foot (4,267 meters) Canadian peak. The peak was later named Mount Kennedy after the presidential contender's murder in 1968.

Whittaker was at Kennedy's bedside when he died and was devastated by the assassination.

Whittaker grew up in Seattle and began climbing with his twin brother Lou Whittaker in the 1940s with the Boy Scouts. At 16, they summited 7,965-foot (2,428-meter) Mount Olympus, the highest peak in the Olympic Mountains west of Seattle, Jim Whittaker recounted in his memoir, “A Life on the Edge.” When they reached the town of Port Angeles on their way home, they found cars honking and people celebrating: World War II had ended.

Jim Whittaker once reflected that the beauty and danger of his sport sharpened the senses: “When you live on the edge, you can see a little farther,” he once reflected.

His achievements on the remote, snowy slopes of Mount Everest and nearby K2, the world's second-tallest peak, assured him a niche in the record books. He was shocked when Lou decided to skip the 1963 Everest expedition in favor of opening a sporting goods store in Tacoma.

But Lou Whittaker wrote in his own book, “Lou Whittaker: Memoirs of a Mountain Guide,” that he still got to share in some of his twin’s glory by filling in when Jim got tired of attending parades or other events in his honor.

“Only our families and closest friends ever knew the difference,” he wrote.

Lou Whittaker died in 2024 at age 95.

Jim Whittaker led many additional climbs, including the 1990 Mount Everest International Peace Climb, which brought together climbers from the U.S., the Soviet Union and China “to demonstrate what could be accomplished through cooperation and goodwill,” the family statement said.

“Jim was a lifelong advocate for peace and believed deeply in the ability of shared challenges in the natural world to unite people across borders and ideologies,” it said.

Whittaker himself said one of his proudest moments came in 1981, when he led 10 handicapped climbers up 14,410-foot Mount Rainier. For them, he said later, "that was Mount Everest."

Whittaker scaled Mount Rainier more than 100 times but did not take its familiar flanks for granted. The caprices of the weather, even on a comparatively modest mountain, "can turn a good climber into a beginner" in a matter of hours, he once noted.

Former Washington Gov. Jay Inslee called Whittaker’s legacy “just as impressive, and just as lasting, as Mount Rainier itself."

“He pulled many a climber up the peak,” Inslee wrote in a social media post Wednesday. "He did the same for all our spirits. He still does.”

After years of risk on the world's most dizzying pinnacles, Whittaker said in a 1980 interview that he hoped to “die in my sleep with the television on.”

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Dianne Roberts; sons Bob, Joss and Leif Whittaker; three grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

One leading hacking group known as Handala said after the ceasefire announcement that it was temporarily postponing attacks on the U.S. but would continue to target Israel. It vowed to revive its efforts against America when the time was right — demonstrating again how digital warfare has become ingrained in military conflict. Already, the two-week ceasefire appears at risk of fraying over significant disagreements between the parties, which each are claiming victory in the war.

A pro-Palestinian, pro-Iranian network that operates independently of Tehran, Handala has claimed credit for disrupting the operations of the U.S. medical manufacturer Stryker and hacking into FBI Director Kash Patel's personal email account, among other cyberattacks. The group is just one of several proxy hacking networks allied with Iran.

"We did not begin this war, but we will be the ones to finish it,” Handala wrote on its X account. “And let it be clear: The cyber war did not begin with the military conflict, and it will not end with any military ceasefire.”

U.S. authorities warned on Tuesday that hackers supporting Iran had burrowed into internet-connected computers used to automate and control technology in a variety of important industrial sectors. The computers, known as programmable logic controllers, are used in ports, power plants and water plants — key targets for foreign hackers looking to disrupt everyday life in the U.S.

In a joint advisory from the FBI, National Security Agency and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, officials urged organizations that use the technology to ensure their security precautions were up-to-date. CISA did not immediately respond to questions Wednesday about the impact that the ceasefire would have on cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity experts say the warning should be taken seriously by potential targets regardless of the sides announcing a temporary truce.

Markus Mueller, a cybersecurity executive at Nozomi Networks, said he anticipates an increase in cyberattacks on American organizations following the ceasefire, not a decrease. That’s because any lull in hostilities would allow hackers to shift from regional targets directly involved in the conflict to efforts to infiltrate U.S. organizations that participated in the war effort in some way, a list that includes data centers, tech companies and defense contractors.

He also predicted that some groups based in Iran or Russia may seek to circumvent the truce by launching a significant cyberattack on a U.S. target that is designed to attract the attention of the American public.

“With a ceasefire, we will likely see an expansion of cyber activity both in scale and scope,” Mueller said. “These groups will likely try to execute a high-profile attack such as what we saw with Stryker.”

So far, the attacks attributed to pro-Iranian hackers have been high in volume but low in impact, designed to boost morale among Iran’s supporters while reminding its opponents of continued vulnerabilities despite their military advantages.

Handala claimed responsibility last month for hacking Stryker, a major medical equipment supply company based in Michigan. Handala claimed the hack was in retaliation for strikes that killed Iranian schoolchildren.

The FBI responded by seizing four internet web addresses used by the group to spread its message. Handala then leaked several old photos of Patel after saying it had hacked into the FBI director's personal email account.

Other pro-Iranian hackers have been linked to efforts to install malware on the phones of Israelis, penetrate cameras in Middle Eastern countries to improve Iran’s missile targeting, and target data centers and industrial facilities in Israel, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

Al ser consultada durante una rueda con periodistas en Washington, la secretaria de prensa Karoline Leavitt matizó recientes comentarios del presidente Donald Trump en el sentido de que “Cuba es la siguiente” y aclaró que el mensaje más bien es que el gobierno de la isla “está destinado a caer” sin la necesidad de una intervención externa.

El “país es muy débil”, declaró Leavitt. “Se encuentran en una posición muy frágil en el plano económico y, obviamente, en el financiero. El pueblo cubano está harto de su gobierno, tal como debería estarlo”.

Durante su intervención en una conferencia de inversiones celebrada en Florida el pasado mes de marzo, Trump afirmó que Cuba sería la que sigue tras abordar el tema de la captura del presidente de Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro.

Las tensiones binacionales llegaron a extremos este primer trimestre del año luego de que Trump privara a Cuba de petróleo venezolano e impusiera un cerco energético radical que agudizó una profunda crisis económica y social de un lustro en la isla que ya sentía el peso de las sanciones de Estados Unidos presionando un cambio en su modelo político.

La situación se tornó dramática para la población con apagones de más de 12 horas, desabastecimiento de combustibles y alimentos y la paralización de la isla.

Ambas naciones reconocieron que había sostenido conversaciones, pero no trascendieron los detalles de la misma.

Leavitt aseguró que las conversaciones han continuado “al más alto nivel de nuestro gobierno”, aunque no ofreció ninguna actualización sobre la política hacia Cuba.

Mientras tanto en La Habana, el periódico oficial Granma publicó las repuestas ofrecidas por el presidente Díaz-Canel al medio estadounidense Newsweek en que abordó las relaciones de Cuba con Estados Unidos y en particular la percepción de un enfrentamiento que podría escalar.

“Cuba no es un país de guerra. Es un país de paz que promueve la solidaridad y la cooperación. Pero Cuba no teme a la guerra. Tenemos una doctrina de defensa que se llama ‘la guerra de todo el pueblo’, que no es una doctrina agresiva, sino defensiva, con la participación de todo el pueblo”, señaló Díaz-Canel.

"Cuba no representa una amenaza para Estados Unidos, y mucho menos una amenaza ‘extraordinaria e inusual’, como se ha dicho para justificar la orden ejecutiva”, señaló el mandatario quien reiteró que la isla está lista para conversaciones con su vecino, pero bajo la condición del respeto a la soberanía de la nación caribeña.

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Los corresponsales Collin Binkley en Whashington y Andrea Rodríguez en La Habana contribuyeron con este reporte.

Los ataques armados en Chile son inusuales, aunque en el país se han producido casos de violencia escolar y es conocido por las manifestaciones estudiantiles que a menudo terminan de forma violenta.

En los últimos años se ha registrado una escalada tanto en la frecuencia como en el nivel de agresividad de los hechos.

El gobierno del presidente José Antonio Kast, en el poder hace menos de un mes, se vio obligado a anunciar medidas para fortalecer la seguridad, aunque expertos insisten en la necesidad de abordar causas subyacentes como la salud mental y el clima escolar.

Aquí una mirada del panorama escolar:

¿Qué ataques se produjeron?

El ataque en el que murió una inspectora y hubo cuatro heridos ocurrió el 27 de marzo en la norteña ciudad de Calama. La fiscalía indicó que se trata del primer caso premeditado de violencia escolar e imputó formalmente a un estudiante de 18 años por los hechos. El acusado está en prisión preventiva.

“Este fenómeno se caracteriza por una premeditación clara y, a menudo, una lista de objetivos que incluye a docentes específicos o compañeros identificados como acosadores", dijo el fiscal Juan Castro Bekios.

En los días siguientes, diversos colegios registraron incidentes.

En Curicó, a 200 kilómetros de Santiago, un alumno de 15 años fue retenido cuando intentaba ingresar a la escuela con un arma de fuego, mientras que en la capital un grupo de estudiantes arrojaron bombas caseras dentro de un liceo y provocaron un incendio.

Algunas instituciones, desde el norte hasta el sur del país, suspendieron sus clases ante amenazas de tiroteos y otros ataques.

Este miércoles, al menos dos colegios de la región de Valparaíso cancelaron sus actividades por amenazas de tiroteos. Además, un instituto de Santiago tuvo que suspender las clases después de que estudiantes lanzaron al menos 15 bombas molotov y fueron contenidos por la policía.

A lo largo de la jornada se registraron, además, dos incidentes con armas de fuego en centros educacionales. Uno se produjo cuando un individuo llegó a un colegio del sur del país portando una pistola tras una pelea entre alumnos, mientras que el segundo tuvo lugar en la Universidad de Antofagasta (norte), donde las autoridades evacuaron todo un campus después de que universitarios denunciaron la presencia de un sujeto armado en su interior.

“A partir del hecho de Calama hubo un efecto de imitación”, dijo a The Associated Press el presidente del Colegio de Profesores de Chile, Mario Aguilar. “Pero también permitió visibilizar algo que ya existe y no es tan infrecuente".

¿Qué hizo el gobierno?

El Ejecutivo tuvo que acelerar medidas para contener la escalada violenta.

Las denuncias por violencia relacionada con la convivencia en las escuelas se duplicaron, pasando de las 8.811 registradas en 2019 a las 17.076 de 2025, según la Superintendencia de Educación.

Para mitigar la situación, se publicó en el Diario Oficial la semana pasada la nueva ley de convivencia escolar, que entre otros puntos establece una Política Nacional de Convivencia Educativa, la creación de canales seguros de denuncia y procedimientos de investigación más ágiles. Además, abre las puertas para el uso de recursos tecnológicos como detectores de metales.

Esta semana, Kast anunció también el envío de dos proyectos de ley al Congreso que buscan modificar el Código Penal para sancionar con mayor severidad los delitos en el ámbito escolar, así como otorgar mayores poderes a los docentes y autorizar la revisión de mochilas y otras pertenencias personales.

Igualmente reglamenta sanciones a estudiantes que interrumpan clases y prohíbe accesorios que impidan la identificación facial, como gorros o pasamontañas.

Kast pidió al Congreso “legislar con prontitud” y destacó que “Chile no puede seguir esperando que ocurra otro hecho violento” como el de Calama. "Este gobierno fue elegido precisamente por la mayoría de los chilenos para devolver, para recuperar el orden, el sentido común y la autoridad”, aseveró.

¿Cuáles son las críticas de los expertos?

Algunos expertos cuestionaron que las medidas anunciadas son “insuficientes”, ya que también es necesario abordar otros problemas subyacentes, como la salud mental o el propio modelo educativo chileno.

“Lo que se propone son simplemente medidas, sanciones que apuntan a los efectos, pero no a las causas", dijo Aguilar, quien instó a "una política de abordaje profundo de las causas basales de por qué se llega a tanta violencia dentro de las escuelas”.

Agregó que Chile atraviesa una fuerte crisis de salud mental que “se expresa muy fuertemente en las escuelas” y no ha sido abordada apropiadamente. Destacó la exigencia del modelo educativo basado exclusivamente en rendimiento y puntajes. "La escuela hoy día no es una instancia atractiva para las nuevas generaciones”.

A eso se suman las problemáticas de una desigualdad social en ascenso, apuntó el especialista en educación Miguel Caro Ramos, de la Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación.

“Esa desigualdad estructural se ha ido intensificando bajo un modelo de vida y un modelo económico que de alguna manera extrema estas circunstancias”, explicó.

Los expertos coincidieron en que es necesario hacer modificaciones contundentes en las políticas educativas para que el problema no vaya en aumento.

Paramount confirmed Wednesday that Shell had “elected to transition” from his post as company president and member of the board of directors. The company said its board reviewed allegations made in a recent lawsuit alleging Shell had violated certain securities disclosure rules — but found no evidence of such violation. Still, Paramount said the executive had decided to focus on ongoing litigation.

“PSKY is grateful for Mr. Shell’s many contributions and to have relied on him as a valued advisor,” Paramount said in a statement. The company didn't immediately specify who would succeed Shell as president.

Last month, Shell was sued for fraud by a man named R.J. Cipriani, who claimed he provided the Paramount executive with 18 months of crisis communications services between 2024 and 2026 without any compensation. In exchange for these services, Cipriani alleged that Shell had initially said he would help him develop an English-language version of a Spanish show already airing on Roku, but broke that promise. His March 9 complaint, filed in California, asserted he was now owed $150 million.

Cipriani also accused Shell of sharing non-public information and comments related to Paramount's partnership with the Ultimate Fighting Championship and proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, which his complaint argued violated federal securities rules.

Shell filed a counterclaim, accusing Cipriani of defamation and extortion in what he called a “shakedown” for a “massive payday” for services he said he didn't ask for. And he maintained that claims he had shared confidential information about Paramount's UFC and Warner deals were false.

The legal battle has grown ever since. Cipriani later added Paramount, CEO David Ellison and other company leadership to his suit. Paramount on Wednesday maintained that it would “respond in the proceedings to the frivolous and baseless claims” made against the company and named board members. Legal contacts for Shell declined to comment further.

This isn't the first time Shell has abruptly departed a top corporate post. In 2023, Shell stepped down as CEO of NBCUniversal over an inappropriate relationship he had with a woman at the company, following an investigation from NBC parent Comcast.

Shell worked closely with Ellison throughout Skydance's acquisition of Paramount, which closed just this past August. The company has since set its eyes on an even bigger fish — Warner — in an $81 billion buyout that could vastly reshape Hollywood and the wider media landscape. Following months of a drawn-out (and once hostile ) fight with Netflix over the Hollywood giant, Paramount and Warner leadership struck a deal that shareholders are set to vote on April 23. And regulators are continuing to review it.

En su “Actualización Económica para Latinoamérica y el Caribe” publicada el miércoles, el organismo señaló a Brasil y México como las economías que podrían enfrentar mayores adversidades, afectadas por condiciones financieras domésticas restrictivas, espacio fiscal limitado e incertidumbre vinculada con la política comercial global.

Por otro lado, Argentina sobresale en el escenario regional con una excepción al alza.

Así, el Banco Mundial prevé que la economía argentina crecerá 3,6%, mientras que Brasil y México aparecen estancados, con una expansión de 1,6% y 1,3%, respectivamente. Colombia, a su vez, crecería 2,2% gracias en parte a la recuperación de la inversión.

Según la entidad, Latinoamérica nuevamente se perfila “como una de las regiones del mundo con crecimiento más lento”.

Los datos reflejan un panorama regional que combina una inversión aún en niveles bastante bajos y una “elevada incertidumbre mundial e interna” marcada por el consecutivo aumento de tarifas, el recrudecimiento de los conflictos y, desde las últimas semanas, la guerra en Oriente Medio.

“No tenemos idea de cuánto durará" el conflicto, dijo a The Associated Press el economista jefe para Latinoamérica y el Caribe del Banco Mundial, William Maloney. “Si dura tres meses, calculamos que el precio del barril rondará los 85 dólares. Pero si dura más, subirá más y eso por supuesto influye en la inflación mundial”.

El impacto de la guerra podría generar además un efecto cascada, afectar otras industrias y provocar secuelas secundarias como mayores tasas de interés y una mayor presión en las economías domésticas.

“Además, todo lo que conlleva el aumento de los precios del petróleo y de las tasas de interés probablemente provoque una desaceleración en Estados Unidos, Europa y China, lo que afectará la demanda de nuestras materias primas y nuestras exportaciones en general”, advirtió Maloney.

El Banco Mundial indicó que, pese a los pronósticos, América Latina y el Caribe puede reposicionarse en este escenario “desafiante” a través de políticas adecuadas, como el aprovechamiento de sus recursos naturales y potencial energético, así como reformas para crear empleos de calidad y también la diversificación de sus mercados.

"Tenemos muchas tareas a largo plazo en las que debemos trabajar para lograr mayores tasas de crecimiento, mejorar nuestras inversiones en infraestructura, elevar la calidad de nuestra educación, invertir más en innovación, mejorar la calidad de nuestras empresas y facilitar las exportaciones al resto del mundo", aseveró Maloney.

En ese sentido, destacó la reciente firma del tratado de libre comercio entre la Unión Europea y el bloque sudamericano Mercosur —que integran Brasil, Argentina, Paraguay y Uruguay— y que abre las puertas a un mercado potencial de más de 700 millones de consumidores, aunque alertó que todavía hay otras “piezas del rompecabezas” global en las que trabajar.

Lula, de 80 años, que se postula para la reelección en octubre, sostuvo que el juego en línea ha provocado “una enorme tragedia” para millones de familias cuyas deudas del hogar se han disparado.

“Si dependiera de mí, las cerraríamos”, afirmó Lula en una entrevista con el sitio web ICL Noticias. “Me preocupa profundamente el endeudamiento del pueblo brasileño. Si estas plataformas causan daño, ¿por qué no las terminamos? Estamos discutiendo esto muy seriamente”.

El presidente brasileño añadió que cualquier medida requeriría la aprobación de los legisladores, muchos de los cuales son aliados de las empresas de apuestas.

Las apuestas deportivas se legalizaron en Brasil en 2018 mediante un proyecto de ley firmado por el entonces presidente Michel Temer. El gobierno izquierdista de Lula introdujo regulaciones para las empresas de apuestas en 2025, después de bloquear a varias de ellas el año anterior.

Ahora busca imponer aranceles más altos a estas empresas, que actualmente pagan el 12% de sus ingresos.

Las empresas de apuestas han defendido regulaciones orientadas a un mercado más confiable, pero argumentaron que cualquier aumento de impuestos podría dificultar que las compañías locales logren establecerse en Brasil, ya que los sitios radicados en el extranjero seguirían aprovechando el mercado brasileño sin pagar licencias, entre otros requisitos.

Cifras publicadas en marzo por una confederación brasileña de comercio y servicios muestran que más del 80% de las familias del país tienen alguna deuda que afrontar, la cifra más alta desde 2010. Analistas del mercado han atribuido parte de esos números al auge de la industria de apuestas en línea en el país.

Muchos grupos religiosos brasileños y activistas sociales han criticado constantemente a las empresas de apuestas por su papel en esa crisis, ya que el juego en cualquier otra modalidad es ilegal en Brasil. Las empresas de apuestas patrocinan a casi todos los populares clubes de fútbol del país en la primera y segunda divisiones.

Jugadores de fútbol actuales y retirados, entre los que están Vinícius Júnior, Ronaldo Nazário y Roberto Rivellino, figuran entre los rostros promocionales de marcas locales y extranjeras.

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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.

The Dodgers were informed of his death in Rhode Island by his former wife, Lin Lopes.

Lopes was a four-time All-Star during his 10 years with the Dodgers. He played in four World Series, winning the 1981 championship. He holds the franchise record for most games played at second base with 1,134. His 1,145 games batting leadoff are second in the organization only to Maury Wills (1,279).

Lopes was 27 years old when he made his MLB debut on Sept. 22, 1972.

The next season, Steve Garvey, Bill Russell, Ron Cey and Lopes began the first of 8 1/2 consecutive years starting together in the infield.

Lopes established himself as one of the most prolific base stealers in baseball. He stole 418 bases as a Dodger, second-highest career total in franchise history behind Wills (490). Lopes holds the franchise record with an 83.1% career success rate (minimum 100 steals).

On Aug. 4, 1974, Lopes became the first Dodger since Wills to steal four bases in a game, and 20 days later, he tied the NL record with five steals against the Cardinals. In 1975, Lopes recorded a then-MLB record 28 consecutive steals without being caught.

He led the majors in 1975 with 77 steals and the National League in 1976 with 63. In 1978, he stole 45 bases in 49 attempts.

In 1978, Lopes had the best World Series of his career, starting with two home runs in Game 1 against the New York Yankees. He also won a Gold Glove that season.

After leaving the Dodgers, he played for the Oakland Athletics (1982-84), Chicago Cubs (1984-86) and Houston Astros (1986-87). He stole 557 career bases — 26th in MLB history — while hitting .263 in 1,812 regular-season games with 155 home runs, 614 RBI, 232 doubles and 50 triples.

After his playing days, Lopes managed the Milwaukee Brewers from 2000-02. He coached with the Orioles, Padres, Nationals, Phillies and Dodgers.

He won a second World Series as the Phillies’ first-base coach before returning to the Dodgers as the baserunning and first-base coach from 2011-15. He spent his final two seasons in the majors as the Nationals first base coach in 2016-17.

Lopes is survived by his brothers, Patrick and John, and sisters, Jean, Judith, Mary and Nina.

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

“We'll see how the day goes. I think it depends on how he's putting," Hart said. “Naturally if he's not doing what I ask or require, then I step in and I do the job myself.”

While Hart was on the bag for DeChambeau on Wednesday, ex-NFL lineman Jason Kelce was guiding Akshay Bhatia around the short course in this low-key event the day before the start of the Masters. Other players had family members alongside them, including young children.

“This is about having fun and showing what this great game can do for the world of golf," DeChambeau said while mic'd up on the broadcast. "I'm super excited to have Kevin out here. He's only been playing for about seven months, so to get him out here and experiencing what Augusta National has to offer and the Masters has to offer, it's pretty special for the Par 3 Contest.”

At first, Kelce's main contribution seemed to be cleaning Bhatia's clubs as they walked toward one hole. But eventually he started lying on his stomach in a dramatic attempt to help read a putt.

“Just give it a little tush push and it'll be on, I promise you," Kelce said.

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

Now hurtling home from the moon, the Artemis II astronauts took a poignant page from Apollo 8 earlier this week, proposing deeply personal names for a pair of lunar craters.

Commander Reid Wiseman and his crew asked permission to name one small, fresh crater after their capsule called Integrity and another after his late wife, Carroll. Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen made the request right before Monday's lunar fly-around. Wiseman was too emotional to talk.

Carroll Wiseman, a neonatal nurse, died of cancer in 2020.

During Apollo 8 in 1968, astronaut Jim Lovell bestowed his wife’s name upon a prominent lunar peak: Mount Marilyn. It was humanity's first trip to the moon and she anxiously awaited his return back home in Houston.

The three Americans and one Canadian of Artemis II are the first lunar visitors since Apollo 17 closed out that grand epoch in 1972, and their crater-naming request temporarily left ground controllers speechless.

“It was definitely a very emotional moment. I don’t think most of us knew it was coming,” NASA lunar scientist Ryan Watkins told The Associated Press on Wednesday from Johnson Space Center in Houston. “There was not a single dry eye.”

Mission Control’s lead scientist Kelsey Young worked with the Artemis II crew before launch, quietly helping them choose the two bright, relatively young craters, which they quickly spied once they were close enough to the moon through zoom lenses as well as their naked eyes.

Proposed Carroll Crater is at the moon's left limb on the boundary of the moon’s near and far sides, and occasionally visible from Earth. It's rather shallow and approximately 3 miles (5 kilometers) across, according to Watkins. The slightly bigger Integrity crater is completely on the lunar far side.

Their request came shortly after they broke Apollo 13’s distance record for deep-space travelers. All four astronauts wept as they embraced in a group hug.

“We lost a loved one. Her name was Carroll, the spouse of Reid, the mother of Katie and Ellie,” Hansen radioed, his voice breaking. “It’s a bright spot on the moon and we would like to call it Carroll.”

Mission Control fell silent for nearly a minute before replying: “Integrity and Carroll crater, loud and clear.”

The emotion-drenched scene was vastly different from the 1960s and 1970s Apollo moonshots in more ways than one. NASA's Apollo all-male test pilots were for the most part all business and tear-free.

“This is no fault of Apollo,” Watkins said. “I think we're seeing just a more human aspect."

Once back on Earth later this week, the crew will submit the two proposed names to the International Astronomical Union.

Nearly a half century passed between Apollo 8 and the union's sign-off of Mount Marilyn in 2017.

The IAU's Ramasamy Venugopal promised a decision on Carroll and Integrity in about a month, the norm “for straightforward requests.”

There already are 81 astronaut-named lunar features on the group's approved list, including Apollo 16's Baby Ray and Gator, and Apollo 17's Lara named for the lead female character in the 1965 film “Doctor Zhivago.”

Some Apollo-era nicknames didn't make the cut.

Apollo 17 commander Gene Cernan, the last astronaut to walk on the moon, dubbed a split boulder “Tracy’s Rock,” after his young daughter in 1972.

And in 1969, Apollo 12 commander Pete Conrad nicknamed his touchdown spot “Pete’s Parking Lot.”

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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.

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The event is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Sunday.

On Wednesday, developers and engineers walked through exactly how it will happen.

“You’ll have dust happening at a concentrated point in time,” said BG Group Managing Member Ivy Fradin. “We will envision, given the implosion that’s about to happen here, that the dust will mitigate within a matter of minutes, and life will return to normal.”

To prepare for the blast, crews have already removed hazardous materials from the building, leaving mainly concrete behind.

Officials say multiple floors have been fitted with explosives designed to bring the building straight down.

“The debris is intended to fall into the footprint of the building,” said Fradin. “We also have barges that we set up to catch any potential debris that could fall into the bay, even though none is expected.”

No evacuations are required, but there will be a strict exclusion zone.

Residents inside that area will be asked to stay indoors and keep windows closed.

For those who are planning to be in the area on Sunday, access on and off Brickell Key will be shut down from 7:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., officials said.

“The implosion will go off, that is a 20-second event,” said Fradin. “You’ll hear it before you see it.”

Crews, police, and fire rescue units will be standing by.

For those who call the area home, it will be a rare and unforgettable moment.

“I’m planning on watching it, I was actually trying to scope out a good place to see it. We have to be about 800 feet away,” said resident Noel Cooperstein. “I think it’ll work, I’ve seen them on TV in New York City and I’ve never seen one in Miami, but hopefully it works and it comes down pretty quick.”

The four-time WNBA champion will be a studio analyst and also host a series of feature stories on NBC and Peacock throughout the league's 30th season which begins on May 8.

“I’ve been circling broadcasting for a long time now,” Bird told The Associated Press in a phone interview Wednesday. “Given NBC’s history and legacy and where the WNBA is now, I am excited to be part of it.

"It needed to be the right fit, the right people, the right network."

The NBC broadcasts will also feature a version of “Roundball Rock” — John Tesh’s iconic theme song that was the soundtrack of the network’s coverage of the WNBA from 1997 until 2002. It had been used on NBA broadcasts on the network from 1990-2002 before being brought back this year when NBC took over broadcasting games again.

NBC Sports has more than 20 games across the regular season, playoffs and WNBA Finals this year.

“Anytime anyone hears it, whether you're a basketball fan or not, it's really recognizable,” Bird said. “Turn the TV on as a spectator or fan on the couch, if that’s the first thing you hear there’s an excitement that comes with it.”

Bird’s rookie season in Seattle in 2002 was NBC’s last with the WNBA until now.

“There is no more accomplished player in the history of the WNBA and arguably in all of women’s sports than Sue Bird,” said Betsy Riley, Senior Vice President and WNBA Coordinating Producer of NBC Sports. “Sue’s knowledge of the game is unmatched and will bring fans closer to the sport they love, both through analysis and storytelling.”

Portions of Bird's features, which will be a behind-the-scenes- look at the league that is celebrating its 30th anniversary this season, will air on TV with the extended versions available digitally.

Bird has hosted podcasts for the past few years and also was on ESPN for six years providing an alt-cast with Diana Taurasi for the women's Final Four and championship games.

“I really enjoy telling stories as it’s something that comes naturally to me,” Bird said. “I cut my teeth on the podcasts I’m involved in — ‘Bird’s Eye View.’ My goal was to tell the stories of these players. Those are the features I’m doing with NBC as well.”

Bird won four WNBA championships in Seattle, where she played her entire 19-year career. She earned 13 All-Star selections and was the league's all-time leader in assists (3,234), starts (580) and minutes played (18,080). Bird was the No. 1 pick by Seattle in 2002 after leading UConn to two national championships in her time at the school.

She was enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2025. Bird also had a decorated international career, winning five Olympic gold medals.

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The Department of Homeland Security said ICE agents fired defensive shots at Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez after he tried to drive into them on Tuesday. DHS said they were conducting an enforcement stop targeting Mendoza, 36, in Patterson, a city about 75 miles (120 kilometers) southeast of San Francisco. Officials described him as a suspected gang member wanted in El Salvador for questioning in connection to a murder.

Attorney Patrick Kolasinski, who is representing Mendoza and his family, said during a news conference that his client has been stopped for minor traffic infractions but has no criminal record in the U.S. and is not the subject of an arrest warrant in El Salvador, where he was acquitted of murder.

Kolasinski said he has found no evidence his client was part of any street gang but he added he has not had the chance to talk to him to confirm that.

“If he was released after being acquitted, with no other holds on him, he cannot have a warrant,” Kolasinski said. “So that information must be either erroneous or completely made up. And only DHS knows what they’re looking at.”

According to a Oct. 25, 2019 court document from a judge in El Salvador, Mendoza, who was 29 at the time, was acquitted after being accused of murder and ordered immediately released. The document lists 10 others who were convicted of various crimes from aggravated robbery to murder, and mentions at least one of them was a member of the 18th Street Gang. But there is no mention of Mendoza belonging to a gang or being accused of carrying out gang activity in the document.

Tuesday's encounter was among a string of shootings that have happened during the Trump administration's aggressive push to detain and deport illegal immigrants in which questions have been raised about the accounts by federal immigration officials.

DHS did not immediately respond to requests for comments about the lawyer's statements.

“He’s a good guy. He’s a hardworking person,” said Mendoza’s fiancée, Cindy, who did not provide her last name out of fear for her safety because of attention of his case. She said the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown is hurting families.

She said in Spanish that Mendoza was recently stopped for a cracked windshield in another town.

Dashcam footage obtained by KCRA-TV shows three officers standing around a vehicle stopped on the side of a road. One of the officers appears to be touching the driver-side window when the car begins to back up and turn, hitting a vehicle behind it. At least two of the agents have weapons drawn, pointing at the car. The driver then pulls forward toward where the men are standing and turns sharply, driving over the roadway median.

The video has no sound and it's unclear when the shots were fired and if words were said.

“He is doing everything he can to not run them over,” the attorney said of his client’s reaction during the arrest. He said he believes his client panicked and tried to flee. DHS said ICE agents were acting as trained.

Mendoza's family and his attorney have not been allowed to see him since he was hospitalized, and his condition was unknown Wednesday, Kolanski said. They were told by a social worker that he is stable.

Kolasinski said Mendoza, a dual citizen of El Salvador and Mexico, came to the U.S. in 2019 but he said he did not know his legal status nor how he arrived to the country and hoped to talk to him to get those details. He said federal officials haven't said if Mendoza has been arrested for a crime or if he's being held by authorities as a victim of a shooting.

Kolasinski said his client works as a laborer to repair fire damage. He has a 2-year-old daughter and is engaged to a U.S. citizen, he said.

Kolasinski said officers endangered everyone by opening the car door when Mendoza tried to flee. “That may well be ICE training, but if it is it’s horrible training," he said.

The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office said they were not involved in the incident and the FBI is leading the investigation.

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Weber reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press journalist Julie Watson contributed from San Diego.

The 80-year-old Lula, who is running for reelection in October, said online gambling has caused “a massive tragedy” for millions of families who have seen household debt soar.

“If it is up to me, we close them,” Lula said in an interview to website ICL Noticias. "I am deeply worried about the indebtedness of the Brazilian people. If these platforms cause harm, why don’t we end them? We are discussing this very seriously.“

The Brazilian president added that any move would require approval of lawmakers, many of which allies of betting companies.

Sports betting was made legal in Brazil in 2018 in a bill signed by then President Michel Temer. Lula's left-leaning administration introduced regulations to betting companies in 2025 after blocking several of them the year before.

Now, it seeks to impose higher tariffs to these companies from the current 12% of their income.

Betting companies have advocated for regulations aiming at a more reliable market, but argued any tax increases could make local companies struggle to settle in Brazil as offshore sites would continue to tap into the Brazilian market without paying for licenses, among other requirements.

Figures published in March by a Brazilian commerce and services confederation show more than 80% of the country's families have some debt to address, the highest figure since 2010. Market analysts have credited some of those figures to the country's booming online betting industry.

Many Brazilian religious groups and social activists regularly have criticized betting companies for their role, as gambling in any other form is not legal in Brazil. Betting companies sponsor almost every one of the country's popular soccer clubs in the first and second divisions.

Current and former soccer players, including Vinícius Júnior, Ronaldo Nazário and Roberto Rivellino, are among the poster boys for local and foreign brands.

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Maybe it’s a few minutes, or half an hour. You might be scrolling on your phone, belting out a favorite song or just staring into the distance.

Scroll through TikTok and you’ll find countless videos of people wondering aloud why they're doing the same thing: arriving at work, home, the gym, and then just sitting in their car. Some get there early on purpose. Others stay long after they’ve parked.

The behavior is so common it’s become its own kind of ritual, one people are increasingly recognizing and sharing online.

It turns out, science has a few ideas for why people do this. Whether in a car, on a sidewalk or just outside a door, that temporary pause can act as a buffer between one part of the day and the next. And while there isn't an extensive body of research to back it up, experts say this can be good for you — if you keep a few things in mind.

“A lot of times we’re just going 100 miles an hour,” said Jenny Taitz, a clinical psychologist who runs her own practice in Beverly Hills. “But if we can literally stop, like slow down, take a step back, observe, proceed mindfully, maybe like a few minutes to reset between activities, it kind of gives you an ability to be intentional.”

Parked car breaks serve as an emotional reset

Brief moments alone can help reset emotions when moving from one thing to another — like leaving work stress behind before coming home.

“By taking a brief little break, you can at least take a moment to relax and prepare before moving forward,” said psychologist Anthony Vaccaro with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Vaccaro sits in his parked car for a few minutes after arriving home from work, turning up the speakers to listen to just one more song.

People seek out these breaks to process, recalibrate and shake off the gloom. And doing it in a car make sense because “it's an in-between space,” according to psychologist Thuy-vy Nguyen with Durham University in England and founder of Solitude Lab, which studies how being alone affects and rejuvenates us.

The car is an environment people can have total control over, from the temperature to the music.

What you do in that moment matters

Scientists say taking brief moments to decompress during the workday and after can improve mood, sharpen focus and boost energy levels.

When it comes to breaks in the car, though, whether that pause helps — or hurts — depends on how the time is spent.

“If you’re in your car scrolling and thinking about something that’s upsetting to you or ruminating, you know, in your head spiraling, the parked car is not a reset. It’s the stressor,” said Taitz.

Scrolling on your phone can pull your attention toward what’s happening on the screen, which can in turn make it harder to decompress.

If sitting in a parked car has become a habit, be mindful of how you're spending the time. Take a few moments to slow your breathing, listen to a familiar song or make a simple plan for how you want to show up next — whether that's feeling calmer, more patient or more focused. Even a short pause can shift your state.

“You could change your blood pressure in five minutes,” Taitz said, referring to simple techniques like slowing your breathing or relaxing your body.

Think of it as a pause, not an escape

There’s a difference between a helpful reset and avoidance. If the parked car breaks are making you late for important meetings or dinner with friends, or it feels difficult to get out of the car and confront the rest of the day, they may do more harm than good — or indicate that something more serious is going on.

“It’s really about why you’re doing it, and whether it’s interfering with other aspects of your life. That’s really what’s going to determine whether this is a good or bad behavior for you,” Vaccaro said.

Decompressing in a car can be about more than just shaking off stress. The sheer volume of information people take in every day can make a quiet pause even more essential and rewarding.

“We’re always juggling so much, not taking a lot of time to slow things down,” Taitz said. “Trying to find those moments can allow for things to be happier and more joyful and fulfilling.”

Think of it less like stalling, and more like refueling.

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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.

Minutes of the Fed's March 17-18 meeting, released Wednesday, showed that “some” of the central bank's 19 policymakers on its rate-setting committee supported changing their post-meeting statement to reflect the potential for a future rate hike. That is an an increase from “several” in January. The Fed doesn't disclose precise numbers of how many officials supported each position, but in Fed jargon, ‘some’ is considered more than ‘several.’

And “many” of the officials pointed to the risk that higher oil and gas prices could keep inflation elevated for “longer than expected, which could call for rate increases" to push inflation back down.

For about 18 months, the Fed has leaned toward cutting rates, and in its meetings has alternated between cuts and no change to rates. The slow shift toward considering potential hikes marks a major change from that trend. At the beginning of this year, financial markets expected several rate reductions. Now investors don’t expect a cut until late 2027, future prices show.

Ultimately, the Fed kept its key rate unchanged at its March meeting at about 3.6%. It has stood pat in its first two meetings this year after cutting its rate three times at the end of 2025. Chair Jerome Powell, at a news conference after the meeting, downplayed projections by officials that the Fed could reduce its rate once this year.

Another reduction depended on underlying inflation cooling steadily this year, Powell said. "If we don’t see that progress then you won’t see the rate cut,” he said then.

The minutes, released three weeks after the meeting, underscore the Fed's dilemma as it seeks to fill its congressional mandates of low inflation and maximum employment. Fed officials acknowledged that the Iran conflict could also force households to cut back spending to offset higher gas prices, according to the minutes, which would slow growth and raise unemployment.

The central bank typically raises rates to cool the economy and combat inflation, while it would cut them to bolster growth and hiring. Navigating this “two-sided” risk of higher unemployment and higher inflation poses a difficult challenge for the Fed.

On Friday, the first signs of the impact the gas price spike is having on inflation will emerge, as the government is scheduled to release the March inflation report. Economists forecast it will show a huge 0.9% increase in March from February, with prices rising 3.4% compared to a year earlier. In February, inflation was just 2.4%. The Fed targets a 2% inflation rate, and officials will likely be unnerved by a steady increase.

Earlier this week, Beth Hammack, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, said that estimates by her bank show inflation will likely rise even higher this month. “Inflation has been running above our target for more than five years now,” she added in an interview, voicing a common concern among many policymakers, and a further increase would mean it is “moving in the wrong direction.”

Such a swift collapse may not entirely come as a surprise, however, because neither side had seemed able to agree on even the basic contours of the key issues being discussed.

Would Iran using its military to regulate the flow of ships on the Strait of Hormuz mean it still effectively controls the waterway? What about Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium?

Might the two-week ceasefire extend to Israel's attacks on Lebanon? Could Iran possibly press for a huge financial windfall, a lifting of international sanctions and even a drawdown of U.S. forces in the Middle East just to keep things on track?

From the beginning the answers depended on whom you talk to.

Strait of Hormuz

President Donald Trump posted Tuesday night on his social media site that the ceasefire was subject to Iran agreeing to the “COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz,” the waterway leading out of the Persian Gulf through which one-fifth of the world’s oil is transported during peacetime.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday during a media briefing at the Pentagon that the strait was open and that the U.S. military was “hanging around” the region to make sure. Hours later, however, Iran announced that the strait was closing again in response to Israel's strikes in Lebanon.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said later at a briefing with reporters that Iran had to reopen the waterway “immediately, quickly and safely.”

Even if that happens, Iran says shipping traffic can resume only under the management of its military. That means Tehran can still make the case it is controlling the strait, and therefore retaining crucial global political and economic leverage, and could also charge ships stiff levies to use it, quickly generating billions in new revenue.

Leavitt said Trump is opposed to charging tolls for ship to pass through the strait.

Uranium enrichment

Iran says its peace plan includes Washington’s “acceptance of enrichment” of uranium for Tehran’s nuclear program. But that would undermine a key Trump objective since the start of the war that Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon.

Trump offered a different assessment, posting on Wednesday that a peace agreement would entail the U.S. working with Iran to “dig up” enriched uranium. The Trump administration says that material was buried as a result of joint U.S-Israeli strikes in June.

But what the Republican president said was different from what Hegseth said. The Pentagon chief said Tehran will either "give it to us voluntarily” or the U.S. might do “something like” its strikes last summer, when the U.S. and Israel bombed Iran’s nuclear sites.

Leavitt said ending all Iranian uranium enrichment remains a “red line” for Trump and that Tehran had given indications it would be willing to turn over such materials.

Lebanon

Iran also says that ceasing hostilities in Lebanon, where Israel has dramatically stepped up attacks in recent weeks, will be part of larger peace negotiations.

That was consistent with what Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose country is a key moderator in the peace process, said in announcing the ceasefire between Iran ​and the United States on X — that it would extend to Lebanon.

But Trump indicated that Lebanon was not part of the ceasefire. Leavitt said the same.

That aligns with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, which said in a statement that the two-week suspension of strikes in Iran does not include the war with Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Other key points of possible peace plans

When Iran first offered a 10-point peace plan to halt the war on Monday, Trump called it “not good enough.”

But then, about 90 minutes before his Tuesday night deadline to begin wide-scale U.S. attacks on Iran's bridges and power grid, the president announced a two-week ceasefire and described Iran's proposal as a “workable basis on which to negotiate.”

“Almost all of the various points of past contention have been agreed to between the United States and Iran,” Trump wrote, explaining why he was backing off his threats for massive attacks on nonmilitary targets.

Iran appeared to reject that on Wednesday, saying negotiations with the U.S. were “unreasonable."

What the two sides might have been discussing was not clear.

Leavitt said only that the Iranians “originally put forward a 10-point plan that was fundamentally unserious, unacceptable and completely discarded” and that it was “literally thrown in the garbage” by Trump.

But, she said, Iran later “acknowledged reality” and “put forward a more reasonable and entirely different” plan that Trump and U.S. negotiators can align with their own 15-point proposal.

Leavitt did not provide details about what Iran offered to change, and American officials are not saying much about their plan for fear that doing so could jeopardize talks with Iran.

Complicating matters is the fact that Iran has released a series of 10-point plans to guide negotiations, with many of the versions differing slightly, often seemingly depending on whether they were written in English or Farsi.

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council says “the United States has, in principle, ⁠committed to" a series of key points — many of which seem to be nonstarters, considering long-standing U.S. positions.

It says the U.S. is ready to guarantee a lasting peace and no new attacks, a continuation of Iran's control over the strait, acceptance that Iran can enrich uranium and removal of all U.S. economic and other sanctions from Iran. That would include, it says, restrictions on international entities doing business in that country, as well as U.N. Security Council resolutions against the government in Tehran.

The council also says the U.S. has agreed in principle to ending international oversight of Iran's nuclear program, to compensate Iran for war damages, a ceasefire extending to Lebanon and a withdrawal of all U.S. combat forces from the region.

That last one would be nothing short of extraordinary, given that the U.S. has maintained a network of military bases through the Persian Gulf for decades — since the conclusion of the 1991 Gulf War with Iraq. The lifting of all sanctions also seems like an unlikely prospect for the U.S. to agree to.

Details are scarce about the US peace proposal

Trump rejected many of those points as “a FRAUD.” Leavitt dismissed it as an “Iranian wish list."

In an online post, he said there is “only one group of meaningful ‘POINTS’ that are acceptable to the United States, and we will be discussing them behind closed doors during these Negotiations.”

The show, titled “The Secretary Kennedy Podcast,” will launch next week and feature Kennedy, a longtime anti-vaccine crusader who has reshaped the country’s health policy, in conversation with doctors, scientists and agency staff, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services officials told the AP ahead of the launch. In the teaser video, in a slick HHS-branded studio with ominous music playing in the background, Kennedy bills it as a new way to expose corruption and lies that have made Americans sick.

“We’re going to name the names of the forces that obstruct the paths to public health,” Kennedy says in the nearly 90-second clip.

Joining the Trump administration last year gave Kennedy a new platform for his views, some of which contradict the overwhelming consensus of scientists. A podcast could further elevate those ideas. Administration officials say it will help spread an important message about chronic disease and improving health to a wider audience.

“This is part of our larger strategy to bring the Make America Healthy Again message to as wide an audience as we can,” said Liam Nahill, HHS digital director.

The new communication effort from HHS comes as the department has faced a bevy of recent setbacks, including widespread criticism of its vaccine policy changes, a federal ruling last month blocking several of those moves, and resistance from key Republican senators that has kept President Donald Trump’s surgeon general pick from taking office. In that way, it could be seen as part of a broader rebranding strategy as the agency redirects away from vaccine efforts and toward a less contentious agenda on healthy food ahead of November’s midterm elections.

But the show, which has been in the works since early in the second Trump administration, also reflects Kennedy returning to a format where he has long felt at ease. He hosted his own podcast before entering office, and has appeared on dozens to share his perspectives in longform interviews, as recently as this week.

Tyler Burger, HHS digital communications manager and the producer of the new podcast, said while Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary has a podcast, officials believe Kennedy's will be the first to be hosted by a sitting cabinet secretary.

“We’re kind of bringing podcasting into the government as an official form and arm of our messaging,” Burger said. He said the set for the show was pieced together largely with items the agency already had, and has the capacity for a total of four people to sit in conversation together.

Because podcasts are now commonly made not only on audio but video, they are regularly clipped and shared across social media platforms, giving them “massive” reach, according to Melina Much, a postdoctoral fellow for New York University's Center for Social Media and Politics.

Much said podcasts also tend to be more intimate, conversational and friendly than a traditional interview, allowing administration officials to promote themselves without facing as much pushback.

Critics suggested the show would be used to spread falsehoods. It's "just another official channel to spread misinformation that will inject more dangerous conspiracy theories into the mainstream,” said Grace Silva, spokesperson for 314 Action, a left-leaning political action committee aimed at electing scientists in Congress.

New episodes are expected to drop every other week, Burger said. Though officials wouldn't share a list of upcoming guests, Kennedy let one slip when he appeared as a guest on a recent episode of “The Bossticks.” He said for his own podcast, he spoke with Robert Irvine, the celebrity chef who has been tasked with revamping U.S. Army meals.

While Kennedy's teaser focuses on uncovering lies, HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon said the show will aim to cover affordability and other topics that polls show are salient for American voters of both parties ahead of the midterms.

“Americans are united on the need to urgently address chronic disease, improve nutrition, strengthen food quality, and lower health costs," he said. "The Secretary Kennedy Podcast will cover all those issues.”

No sólo fue el mes de marzo más caluroso del que se tenga registro en Estados Unidos, sino que la magnitud por encima de lo normal superó a la de cualquier otro mes en la historia de los 48 estados contiguos. La temperatura promedio de marzo, de 10,47 grados Celsius (50,85 Fahrenheit), estuvo 5,19 °C (9,35 °F) por encima de lo normal para un marzo del siglo XX. Eso superó con creces el antiguo récord de 4,9 °C (8,9 °F), establecido en marzo de 2012 como el mes más anormalmente caluroso registrado —sin importar el mes del año—, según registros difundidos el miércoles por la Oficina Nacional de Administración Oceánica y Atmosférica (NOAA, por sus siglas en inglés).

La temperatura máxima media de marzo fue especialmente alta, de 6,3 °C (11,4 °F) por encima del promedio del siglo XX, y fue casi un grado más cálida que la máxima diurna promedio de abril, indicó la NOAA.

Seis de los 10 meses más anormalmente calurosos en los registros del país han ocurrido en los últimos 10 años. Este febrero, que estuvo 3,65 °C (6,57 ºF) por encima de lo normal del siglo XX, fue el décimo con mayor desviación por encima de lo usual.

“Lo que vivimos en marzo en todo Estados Unidos no tuvo precedentes”, apuntó Shel Winkley, meteoróloga de Climate Central, un grupo de investigación científica sin fines de lucro.

“Una de las razones por las que esto es tan preocupante es simplemente el enorme volumen de récords, récords históricos, que se establecieron y se rompieron durante ese periodo", agregó. "Pero, además, esto llega apenas después de lo que fue el peor año en lo que respecta a la nieve. Y del invierno más caluroso del que se tenga registro. Así que estamos viendo esta continuidad de un calor extraordinario que se produjo durante los meses de invierno y que también se prolonga a los meses de primavera. Ahí es donde realmente preocupa: es la duración de este calor”.

Se batieron más de 19.800 récords diarios de temperatura por calor en todo el país, según el meteorólogo Guy Walton, que analiza datos de la NOAA.

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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.

“(His wife Meredith) got this great picture of me and Bennett walking into the clubhouse with me with my green jacket and holding his hand. But, I mean, he has no idea what it means,” Scheffler said. "This place signifies so much for me in my golf journey, and that’s something I’d love to be able to share with my kids. We’ll see how that goes as they age.

“Right now I just — if I’m wearing it near him, I’m just hoping he doesn’t ruin it or anything like that.”

Scheffler has two kids — one for each of his Masters titles. He's the favorite in this week's tournament, as he tends to be for all majors these days, but his family life has been more exciting than his golf recently. The Scheffler who tore through the 2025 season, winning six times in a 4 1/2-month span, hasn't arrived yet this year.

It was business as usual when Scheffler won his first tournament of the year at The American Express in January. He followed that up by closing strong for top-five finishes at Phoenix and Pebble Beach, but since then he's been outside the top 10 in three straight events — and outside the top 20 in the last two of those.

A slump by his standards? Well, it's hard to call it that because Scheffler hasn't played at all since The Players Championship in the middle of last month. He withdrew from the Houston Open because his wife was expecting their second child, and little Remy was born March 27.

The word “rested” isn't often used by parents of newborns, but being away from the course may leave Scheffler refreshed.

“I’m getting plenty of sleep. My wife’s a trouper,” Scheffler said. “Remy is so young right now, they sleep a lot of the day. I think he’s used to being in the womb at this point. Yeah, I’ve been able to get a decent amount of sleep.”

It was hard to tell which of the kids was more of a hit at Wednesday's family friendly Par 3 Contest — Remy being carried by Meredith in a baby wrap or Bennett knocking the ball around with a blue toy club.

Bennett was born just before the PGA Championship in 2024. That major proved to be a wild experience for Scheffler at Valhalla. He was arrested before the second round for not following police instruction — a felony charge and three misdemeanors were later dropped — but made it back from jail in time to shoot 66 that day on his way to finishing tied for eighth.

His obstacles this week are likely to be on the course. Scheffler will try to become the first player since Adam Scott in 2013 to win at Augusta National after having three weeks off.

If there's been a problem for Scheffler this year, it's been his starts. In his past five tournaments, he's played the first round in a combined 3 over par while shooting 56 under the rest of the way.

Of course, all that might feel like ancient history to Scheffler after he's been otherwise occupied in recent weeks. A major like the Masters doesn't offer much of a chance to ease back into competition mode, but it does have its advantages.

“Augusta keeps going above and beyond to make things special and easy for us as players. Especially the practice rounds,” Scheffler said. “The practice rounds are very peaceful. There’s no phones. There’s no people asking for selfies in the middle of the round. It’s very calm out there, and people follow the rules here.”

Scheffler will play with Robert MacIntyre and Gary Woodland in the first two rounds. He was a 6-1 favorite per BetMGM Sportsbook on Wednesday morning. That's similar to his +550 odds before the previous major — the British Open in July, which he won — but not as short at the +275 price on him leading up to last year's U.S. Open.

“Game feels like it’s in a good spot,” Scheffler said. “I got some rest the last few weeks at home. So I feel rested and ready to go this week.”

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

Customers checking one bag will pay $45 starting on Thursday, while a second will now cost $55, according to Southwest. Some travelers will still receive a free first checked bag, including certain loyalty-tier members, eligible co-branded credit card holders and active-duty military members.

The move was made “as part of an ongoing analysis of the business and against the evolving global backdrop,” the Texas-based carrier said in a statement.

Southwest ended its generous, decades-old policy of allowing passengers to check two bags for free in May 2025, a move that marked a major shift for the carrier after years of marketing the perk as a key differentiator.

The airline now joins a growing list of U.S. carriers that have increased fees since the war in the Middle East began Feb. 28, sending oil prices swinging as fighting near the Strait of Hormuz disrupted global supplies. Threats to the narrow waterway, where roughly a fifth of the world’s oil typically passes, have pushed up prices for jet fuel, which are refined from crude.

Delta Air Lines' higher baggage fees took effect Wednesday. JetBlue and United Airlines also raised their bag fees last week.

Oil prices on Wednesday were plunging toward $95 per barrel after President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran just before a deadline he had set for Tehran to open the Strait of Hormuz and allow oil tankers to exit the Persian Gulf. But prices remain well above pre-war levels amid ongoing risks that the conflict could continue.

Adding to the uncertainty, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz again Wednesday in response to Israeli attacks on the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon, casting doubt on whether the fragile ceasefire will hold.

The average price for a gallon of jet fuel in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and New York was $4.81 on Tuesday, up from $2.50 the day before the war started, according to Argus Media. The energy market intelligence company’s U.S. Jet Fuel Index tracks average prices across those major hubs.

Outside of the U.S., a number of carriers are responding by adding or increasing fuel surcharges, a tool that U.S. airlines don't typically rely on.

Katib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia group, kidnapped 49-year-old Shelly Kittleson off a Baghdad street corner on March 31. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Tuesday that Kittleson had been released.

Two officials within the militia, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly, told The Associated Press that in exchange for freeing Kittleson, several members of the group who had previously been detained by Iraqi authorities would be released.

Kittleson's mother, Barb Kittleson, said she’s not sure how much U.S. officials want her to say, but that she’s relieved her daughter has been released. She said she went to her local library in Mount Horeb, a village of about 7,000 people in southern Wisconsin, and used a computer there to email her daughter that she hopes she returns to the U.S. and that she's made up her bedroom.

Shelly Kittleson left Wisconsin in 1995 at age 19 for Italy, where she went to school and worked as a nanny. Over the years she has earned a reputation as a determined and gutsy reporter, working from Iraq, Syria and elsewhere in the Middle East for news outlets including Al-Monitor.

Barb Kittleson said that her husband, Bob, died of pancreatic cancer in 2024 and that she hasn't seen her daughter since 2002, when she visited her while touring Italy. Asked if she misses Shelly, she nodded her head yes.

She said she doesn’t know if her daughter will get her message, noting that U.S. officials are trying to limit contact with her for a week and that she doesn’t know if her daughter's captors took her phone and computer.

Kataib Hezbollah has been accused of kidnapping other foreigners.

Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Princeton graduate student with Israeli and Russian citizenship, disappeared in Baghdad in 2023. After she was freed and handed over to U.S. authorities in September 2025, she said she had been held by Kataib Hezbollah, which never officially claimed responsibility.

Iran-backed militias in Iraq have also launched regular attacks on U.S. facilities in the country since the beginning of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

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According to police, officers responded to the area of the 1400 block of Kennedy Causeway in North Bay Village after a man later identified as Bryton Facen, 30, of Miami Gardens, was seen naked in the road.

When responding officers engaged with Facen, a scuffle broke out , leading to Facen “intentionally punching, kicking, biting and spitting” at the officers, according to an arrest form.

Police said they were forced to deploy a Taser, but when Facen continued to violently resist, officers simultaneously gained control of his arms and legs using multiple sets of handcuffs.

After officers placed Facen in the back of a squad car, police said Facen urinated on himself and “began spraying” the back of the police vehicle with his urine.

Police said medics eventually had to “subdue” Facen with ketamine.

Facen was ultimately taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital for medical treatment and evaluation.

He was charged with four felony counts of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, four felony counts of resisting an officer with violence, and one misdemeanor charge of indecent exposure.

As of Wednesday morning, Facen was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a total bond of $23,003.

Según la policía, los agentes respondieron al área de la cuadra 1400 de Kennedy Causeway en North Bay Village después de que un hombre, posteriormente identificado como Bryton Facen, de 30 años y residente de Miami Gardens, fuera visto desnudo en la vía.

Cuando los agentes que respondieron interactuaron con Facen, se produjo un forcejeo, lo que llevó a que Facen “intencionalmente golpeara, pateara, mordiera y escupiera” a los agentes, según un informe de arresto.

La policía indicó que se vieron obligados a usar una pistola Taser, pero cuando Facen continuó resistiéndose violentamente, los agentes lograron controlar simultáneamente sus brazos y piernas utilizando múltiples juegos de esposas.

Después de que los agentes colocaron a Facen en la parte trasera de una patrulla, la policía dijo que Facen orinó sobre sí mismo y “comenzó a rociar” la parte trasera del vehículo policial con su orina.

La policía indicó que los paramédicos finalmente tuvieron que “sedar” a Facen con ketamina.

Facen fue trasladado posteriormente al Hospital Jackson Memorial para tratamiento médico y evaluación.

Fue acusado de cuatro cargos graves de agresión agravada contra un agente del orden, cuatro cargos graves de resistencia a un agente con violencia y un cargo menor de exhibición indecente.

Hasta la mañana del miércoles, Facen permanecía detenido en el Centro Correccional Turner Guilford Knight con una fianza total de $23,003 USD.

El miércoles, desarrolladores e ingenieros explicaron exactamente cómo ocurrirá.

“Habrá polvo en un punto concentrado en el tiempo”, dijo Ivy Fradin, miembro gerente de MG Group. “Prevemos que, dada la implosión que está por ocurrir aquí, el polvo se disipará en cuestión de minutos y la vida volverá a la normalidad”.

Para preparar la explosión, las cuadrillas ya han retirado materiales peligrosos del edificio, dejando principalmente concreto.

Funcionarios indicaron que múltiples pisos han sido equipados con explosivos diseñados para hacer que la estructura colapse directamente hacia abajo.

“Se espera que los escombros caigan dentro de la huella del edificio”, dijo Fradin. “También hemos colocado barcazas para recoger cualquier posible escombro que pudiera caer en la bahía, aunque no se espera que ocurra”.

No se requieren evacuaciones, pero habrá una zona de exclusión estricta.

A los residentes dentro de esa área se les pedirá permanecer en interiores y mantener las ventanas cerradas.

Para quienes planean estar en el área el domingo, el acceso hacia y desde Brickell Key estará cerrado desde las 7:30 a.m. hasta primeras horas de la tarde, informaron las autoridades.

“La implosión ocurrirá, es un evento de 20 segundos”, dijo Fradin. “La escucharás antes de verla”.

Cuadrillas, policías y unidades de rescate de bomberos estarán en el lugar.

Para quienes viven en la zona, será un momento inusual e inolvidable.

“Planeo verlo, de hecho estaba buscando un buen lugar para observarlo. Tenemos que estar a unos 800 pies de distancia”, dijo el residente Noel Cooperstein. “Creo que funcionará, los he visto en televisión en Nueva York y nunca he visto uno en Miami, pero espero que todo salga bien y que colapse bastante rápido”.

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Authorities allege that Samer Elhamad, 32, of Miami, was making the calls while at the Planet Fitness at 4291 W. Hillsboro Blvd. in Coconut Creek ― and that city’s police officers arrested him there on Monday after California authorities pinged his calls there.

Investigators said Elhamad, who was born in San Diego, called a preschool in Carlsbad, California and said “he was on his way to the school to shoot people.” Police said he also spoke of “rapists” and “sleeper cells.”

A sergeant with the Carlsbad Police Department eventually identified Elhamad as the caller and traced the caller near the 7100 block of Lyons Road. Coconut Creek police said they found Elhamad’s Toyota Prius parked at the gym.

Police said he gave a fake name, claimed to be from Lebanon and tried to pin the calls on two “homeless” people. They said no one was around Elhamad and he couldn’t provide descriptions of the supposed culprits. An arrest report states that he claimed the two said, “Ya, know, whatever” and later claimed they referenced the recent Islamist attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney.

Authorities said he later referenced “sleeper cells” and “’an Afghan DC guy’ who shot two people” and later said he himself was a “sleeper cell.”

Police said they later found out that Elhamad placed threatening calls to other locations of the same preschool in the San Diego area and had called the San Diego Police Department in late March to lodge a false rape complaint against his father.

They said he called San Diego police “21 times” later that day, threatening to kill officers and dispatchers.

Coconut Creek police arrested Elhamad on charges of false report of a bomb, explosive or weapon and using a two-way communications device in the commission of a felony.

Authorities said he also faces a criminal mischief charge and a count of resisting arrest for damaging a police car mirror while in a scuffle with officers as he was being taken into jail.

As of Wednesday afternoon, he was being held in the Broward County Main Jail on a $77,500 bond. It wasn’t immediately clear whether he would be facing any additional charges in California or at the federal level.

Las autoridades alegan que Samer Elhamad, de 32 años y residente de Miami, hacía las llamadas mientras estaba en el Planet Fitness ubicado en 4291 W. Hillsboro Blvd. en Coconut Creek, y que agentes de esa ciudad lo arrestaron allí el lunes después de que autoridades de California rastrearon sus llamadas hasta ese lugar.

Los investigadores indicaron que Elhamad, quien nació en San Diego, llamó a un preescolar en Carlsbad, California, y dijo que “iba en camino a la escuela para disparar a personas”. La policía señaló que también habló de “violadores” y “células durmientes”.

Un sargento del Departamento de Policía de Carlsbad finalmente identificó a Elhamad como la persona que hizo la llamada y rastreó su ubicación cerca de la cuadra 7100 de Lyons Road. La policía de Coconut Creek indicó que encontraron el Toyota Prius de Elhamad estacionado en el gimnasio.

La policía dijo que él dio un nombre falso, afirmó ser de Líbano e intentó culpar a dos personas “sin hogar”. Señalaron que no había nadie alrededor de Elhamad y que no pudo proporcionar descripciones de los supuestos responsables. Un informe de arresto indica que él afirmó que los dos dijeron: “Ya, sabes, lo que sea” y luego aseguró que hicieron referencia al reciente ataque islamista en Bondi Beach en Sídney.

Las autoridades indicaron que luego mencionó “células durmientes” y a “un ‘tipo afgano en DC’ que disparó a dos personas” y posteriormente dijo que él mismo era una “célula durmiente”.

La policía dijo que más tarde descubrieron que Elhamad realizó llamadas amenazantes a otras sedes del mismo preescolar en el área de San Diego y que había llamado al Departamento de Policía de San Diego a finales de marzo para presentar una denuncia falsa de violación contra su padre.

Indicaron que ese mismo día llamó “21 veces” a la policía de San Diego, amenazando con matar a agentes y despachadores.

La policía de Coconut Creek arrestó a Elhamad por cargos de reporte falso de bomba, explosivo o arma, y por usar un dispositivo de comunicación bidireccional para cometer un delito grave.

Las autoridades señalaron que también enfrenta un cargo de daños criminales y uno de resistencia al arresto por dañar el espejo de una patrulla durante un forcejeo con agentes mientras era llevado a la cárcel.

Hasta la tarde del miércoles, permanecía detenido en la cárcel principal del condado Broward con una fianza de $77,500 USD. No estaba claro de inmediato si enfrentará cargos adicionales en California o a nivel federal.

Con pancartas donde se leía “La universidad pública es de todos” y “La universidad es del pueblo y se defiende, hotel Casa Santo Domingo cómplice del fraude”, los manifestantes expresaron su oposición al actual rector de la Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (USAC) en una concentración que tuvo lugar a las afueras de ese reconocido hotel ubicado en Antigua Guatemala, a unos 45 kilómetros de la capital.

A las pocas horas, la USAC renovó a Mazariegos en el cargo. Es una de las instituciones que este año procederán a hacerlo, como la Corte de Constitucionalidad y la Fiscalía General.

Dentro de las instalaciones del hotel y con la sola presencia de votantes a favor de Mazariegos, el Consejo Superior Universitario integrado por afines al rector dio como único participante y ganador a este último. Afuera del lugar, los electores a los que no se les permitió ingresar hicieron una votación alternativa y eligieron al veterinario y catedrático Rodolfo Chang.

El presidente de Guatemala Bernardo Arévalo dijo que la “elección ilegal e ilegítima de Walter Mazariegos en la USAC es un ejemplo de cómo opera el Pacto de Corruptos", como ha llamado a un grupo de políticos, empresarios y funcionarios que buscan la impunidad. También dijo en un mensaje en su cuenta de X que lo ocurrido es "una antesala de lo que veremos en las elecciones, con un sistema represor, violento y dictatorial que querrá mantenerse en el poder”.

Durante la protesta del miércoles empleados del hotel lanzaron gas pimienta a los manifestantes e impidieron la entrada a una jueza que intentaba realizar una diligencia judicial en el establecimiento, lo que generó un altercado durante el cual varias personas rompieron una puerta de entrada para procurar que la magistrada accediera.

Un rector sancionado y resistido

Mazariegos fue sancionado en 2023 por Estados Unidos por aceptar su cargo como rector luego de un proceso fraudulento de elección.

En 2022, cuando se realizaban elecciones, Mazariegos y otras autoridades universitarias bloquearon el acceso a algunos electores y permitieron que sólo quienes estaban a su favor entraran al recinto y votaran, lo que le garantizó el triunfo.

El martes varios altercados se registraron en el campus universitario ubicado en la capital guatemalteca, debido a que autoridades universitarias cerraron las instalaciones por supuestos trabajos de mantenimiento y ordenaron tener clases virtuales. También se prohibió celebrar allí la elección de rector.

Tras varias horas de protestas, varios estudiantes rompieron los portones de acceso al campus y tomaron la casa de estudios, mientras hombres con pasamontañas, armados con palos y bombas pirotécnicas, que aparentemente eran miembros de la seguridad de Mazariegos, trataron de detener el ingreso de los estudiantes.

El martes también fracasó el intento de un grupo de diputados para que se interviniera la universidad con el fin de evitar un posible fraude.

Laura Marroquín, diputada al Congreso que participó en la protesta en Antigua Guatemala, dijo que estaba ahí para acompañar a los estudiantes “Venimos a defender lo público, porque sabemos que lo público es de todos, es la única universidad pública y tiene participación en varias mesas de trabajo del Estado con voz y con voto y toma de decisiones”, dijo la legisladora a The Associated Press.

La Constitución establece que la USAC, con más de 300 años de antigüedad, es autónoma, recibe un 5% del presupuesto anual de la nación y no puede ser intervenida.

Organismos internacionales han expresado su inquietud por la situación de la USAC.

But Sheinbaum — a scientist and climate expert — notably avoided the term hydraulic fracturing or “fracking,” a drilling method used to extract oil and natural gas from deep underground bedrock using a highly pressurized liquid. Instead, she framed the initiative as a quest for “sustainable” extraction, emphasizing that environmental impacts would be minimized to the greatest extent possible.

The technical feasibility of “sustainable fracking” is a subject of significant debate among environmental scientists and energy experts. But Sheinbaum said a technical committee will spend two months evaluating less harmful methods, such as utilizing nonpotable water and reducing chemical additives. The committee will also assess the potential costs of these mitigations, she said.

“All the gas we import comes from a type of extraction that has environmental impacts” and is “100 meters from the Mexican border,” she noted, alluding to fracking projects in Texas.

Mexico is the world’s single largest buyer of U.S. gas.

While noting that natural gas import contracts with the U.S. remain secure and the bilateral relationship is strong, she argued that increasing energy sovereignty is a responsible necessity. “Is more gas needed? Yes. Can all gas be replaced? Hardly,” she added.

Since assuming power in October 2024, Sheinbaum has pledged to expand renewable energy while maintaining firm support for the state-owned Petróleos Mexicanos. On Wednesday, she defended this stance by arguing that fossil fuels remain an essential component of Mexico’s energy landscape.

Sheinbaum said the priority is to reduce external energy dependence in turbulent times and avoid situations like the one experienced in Europe with the shortage of Russian gas during the war in Ukraine or the one caused by the current war in the Middle East.

Wednesday's proposal — which is certain to spark controversy — comes amid a surge in infrastructure projects designed to increase U.S. gas imports. These developments aim to satisfy Mexico’s rising domestic electricity demand while positioning the country as a hub for re-exporting gas to Asian and European markets.

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Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

During the cleanup on Wednesday, Jerardo Pardo, a Palm Springs North resident, said he would have never expected the damage.

“That’s my neighbor’s roof,” Pardo said while standing in his driveway.

On Wednesday, the National Weather Service confirmed there was a tornado with 65 to 85 mph peak winds at 4:45 p.m. on Tuesday.

“Take Miami warnings seriously because here in Miami, I never did. I was like, ‘Nah!’ But now, it’s for real,” Pardo said.

Witnesses said the winds sent things, including shoes, flying up in circles. The menace passed in a few minutes. Videos show hail, and a wooden playset moving, and getting crushed by a roof.

There were large waves in a lake by a pool. A small boat was pushed out of the water and almost flipped upside down. The debris included tree limbs and fences. Some fallen trees ripped up the sidewalk.

There was a lot of work to be done to bring order back to the neighborhood. There will be more storms on Thursday afternoon in areas of South Florida.

Related story: ‘I see stuff starting to fly around’: Palm Springs North residents deal with severe weather

More from Local 10 News Weather Authority

Read some of the National Weather Service’s tornado damage survey in Palm Springs North

A mid/upper level disturbance resulted in an environment capable of producing supercells. An outflow boundary from earlier convection in the Gulf initiated new storms across South Florida late in the afternoon/early evening.

A supercell that formed along this boundary, crossed Interstate 75 and the Turnpike in extreme northern Miami-Dade County and produced a short-lived EF0 tornado in the Palm Springs North Community

PSN Tornado Rating: EF0

Estimated Peak Wind: 85 mph

Path Length /statute/: 0.57 miles

Path Width /maximum/: 0 yards

Fatalities: 0

Injuries: 0

Start Date: 04/07/2026

Start Time: 04:45 PM EDT

Start Location: 3 NW Miami Lakes / Miami-Dade County / FL

Start Lat/Lon: 25.9423 / -80.3323

End Date: 04/07/2026

End Time: 4:45 PM EDT

End Location: 2 NW Miami Lakes / Miami-Dade County / FL

End Lat/Lon: 25.9364 / -80.3258

Survey Summary:

The National Weather Service surveyed the Palm Springs North community and determined the EF0 rating based on mostly tree and power pole damage. The survey team also noted scattered fence and signage damage.

EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:

EF0.....65 to 85 mph

EF1.....86 to 110 mph

EF2.....111 to 135 mph

EF3.....136 to 165 mph

EF4.....166 to 200 mph

EF5.....>200 mph

Wembanyama is out after suffering a rib contusion on Monday and Castle is out with right knee soreness, the team announced.

Wembanyama needs to play at least 20 minutes in one more game to reach the league-required minimum of 65 games for award eligibility.

The Spurs have two games left in the regular season after Wednesday night: Friday against the Dallas Mavericks and Sunday against the Denver Nuggets.

The Spurs said they are hopeful Wembanyama and Castle will play Friday.

They both participated in shootaround on Wednesday.

“I can’t tell you too much of how (Wembanyama) looked, but he heals fast,” Spurs veteran Harrison Barnes said.

Wembanyama suffered the injury in the first half of a 115-102 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. Castle had 17 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds in that game.

Wembanyama had 17 points, five rebounds and three blocks in just under 16 minutes. That time constituted an official game played per the NBA guidelines, which allow two exceptions of 15 to 19:59 minutes to count toward the league-required minimum.

San Antonio (60-19) has clinched the Southwest Division title and is assured of finishing no worse than second in the Western Conference. It trails the conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder (63-16) by three games.

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

The suspect, Royer Eliezer Pantabillu, faces one count each of first-degree arson and possession of cocaine, jail records show.

North Miami police said officers were dispatched around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday to a home near the 12000 block of Northeast Sixth Ave. in reference to a reported arson incident that had occurred earlier that morning.

According to an arrest report, the victim told officers he observed Pantabillu on a home security camera entering the back area of the home gathering miscellaneous items, pouring gasoline from a red container onto them, and setting them on fire.

The report states that the victim then alerted his wife, who was sleeping inside the home. She then went outside and extinguished the fire before it could spread to the home, police said.

The victim told police that after his wife returned inside, Pantabillu came back and reignited the fire in an area closer to the home, according to investigators.

The report states that the woman had to extinguish the flames a second time.

Police said officers later made contact with Pantabillu, who was wearing clothing consistent with the individual seen on the surveillance footage. They said he was later identified at the scene by the victim.

After searching Pantabillu, officers said they found a hard, white, powdery substance in Pantabillu’s possession that later tested positive for crack cocaine.

As of Wednesday, he was being held on a $27,500 bond at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.

Not only was it the hottest March on record for the U.S., but the amount it was above normal beat any other month in history for the Lower 48 states. March’s average temperature of 50.85 degrees Fahrenheit (10.47 degrees Celsius) was 9.35 F (5.19 C) above the 20th century normal for March. That easily passed the old record of 8.9 F (4.9 C) set in March 2012 as the most abnormally hot month on record — regardless of the month of the year — according to records released Wednesday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The average maximum temperature for March was especially high at 11.4 F (6.3 C) above the 20th century average and was almost a degree warmer than the average daytime high for April, NOAA said.

Six of the nation’s top 10 most abnormally hot months have been in the last 10 years. This February, which was 6.57 F (3.65 C) above 20th century normal, was the tenth highest above normal.

“What we experienced in March across the United States was unprecedented,” said Climate Central meteorologist Shel Winkley. “One reason that’s so concerning is just the sheer volume of records, all-time records that were set and broken during that time period. But also this is coming on the heels of what was the worst snow year. And the hottest winter of record. So we’re seeing this continuation of extraordinary heat that took place during the winter months, continuing into the spring months as well. That’s where it’s really concerning, it’s just the duration of this heat.”

More than 19,800 daily temperature records were broken for heat across the country, according to meteorologist Guy Walton, who analyzes NOAA data.

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According to Miami police, the shooting happened around 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 26 off Northwest 17th Avenue and 52nd Street.

An arrest warrant states that Kenneth Knott, 36, was in a rented white Hyundai with another man, Zion Smith, when he exited the passenger side of the vehicle and shot the victim, Andre Russel, then 52, as Russel was standing outside his home.

Police said the victim ran across the street into the driveway of another home and Knott chased after him while continuing to shoot in his direction.

Responding officers found Russel a short time later, injured on the sidewalk. His silver Chevrolet Impala had been shot in its windshield, authorities said.

Witness statements, surveillance video and cellphone data helped detectives identify Knott as the gunman, the warrant states.

He was arrested Tuesday on charges of attempted murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

As of Wednesday afternoon, he was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center without bond.

According to the warrant, Smith was located by police earlier this year.

A motive for the shooting remains unclear.

We will still have some thunderstorms developing on Thursday, just fewer of them. That will be the trend into the weekend. By Saturday we will be mostly dry with just a stray light shower off the water. It’s looking like a beautiful weekend with seasonable highs in the low 80s.

Kimberly Akimbo, which won five Tony Awards including Best Musical in 2023, follows a teenage girl who ages at an accelerated rate. The role of Kimberly is portrayed by Broadway veteran Ann Morrison.

Morrison said the production resonates because of its mix of comedy and emotional depth.

“It’s hilariously funny, but it’s also filled with heart and a beautiful message about life is short, so just enjoy the ride,” Morrison said.

The musical centers on Kimberly’s challenges navigating family dysfunction, friendships and identity while living with a rare condition that causes her body to age rapidly. Despite the heavy premise, the show emphasizes optimism and resilience.

Kimberly Akimbo is scheduled to run at the Broward Center through April 12. Click here for more information on how to purchase tickets.

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Residents along Northwest 181st Street and a lake saw waterspouts, furniture blown around, heavy rain, and downed tree limbs.

“I see stuff starting to fly around, and then it got bad, and I ran into the bathroom,” a resident said, adding that the commotion lasted less than 5 minutes.

The wind flipped a boat and damaged roofs. There were downed trees and some power disruptions.

Crews with the Florida Power & Light Company were out working in the neighborhood on Friday night.

Tips on what to do during a tornado

• Seek shelter in the interior room of a sturdy building and away from windows.
• Drive to the closest shelter.
• Cover your head

Source: The National Weather Service

For the Weather Authority’s live weather radar and hour-by-hour forecasts, visit this page.

Related stories

•  Flood watch in effect for South Florida, weather affecting local airports
• Beware of flooding, rip currents, traffic delays in South Florida

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

Brian Laoz was on the run after wounding two victims on Feb. 17 in the area of Southwest 266th Street and 138th Avenue when Leah Santos picked him up, according to a deputy’s arrest report.

On Feb. 23, Santos told Miami-Dade deputies that Laoz was her boyfriend, according to a Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputy’s arrest report.

“She picked up [Laoz] the following morning after the shooting from a residence” and “traveled to a smoke shop to buy marijuana and rolling papers,” a deputy wrote, according to the report.

Santos also told deputies that she went home to the Three Lakes neighborhood to get bandages to help Laoz with his injured foot, they “went to a restaurant to get food,” and “she purchased a short-term rental,” according to the arrest report.

Santos said her parents called her to tell her that detectives were looking for her, so she left the Airbnb short-term rental in Kendall, and she drove back home to the Three Lakes neighborhood to meet with a detective, according to the report.

Santos “provided a false statement that she had not seen [Laoz] for a while and that they had previously ended their relationship” and “returned to the Airbnb where [Laoz] was,” according to the report.

Santos later convinced Laoz “to turn himself in” on Feb. 19, and after he did, they continued to communicate while he was behind bars, according to the report. Detectives reported listening to their jail calls on Feb. 22 and Feb. 25.

Laoz, who had told deputies the Feb. 17 shooting had been in self-defense, allegedly gave Santos tasks during the calls — including buying firearms parts for him, according to the report.

Deputies searched Santos’s home on Tuesday in the Three Lakes neighborhood and arrested her there at 5:30 p.m., according to the report.

Miami-Dade corrections booked Santos shortly after 9:10 p.m. on Tuesday at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, according to inmate records.

Santos faced charges of accessory after the fact, tampering with physical evidence, and knowingly providing false information to law enforcement during an investigation.

Related stories

• Miami-Dade gunman claims self-defense; detective reports video shows ‘premeditation’
• MDSO: 2 men arrive at hospital after being shot in southwest Miami-Dade

Rodrigo will do double duty as host and musical guest on May 2, marking her hosting debut and third time as musical guest, ahead of her new album, “you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love.”

Damon, promoting Christopher Nolan's “The Odyssey,” will host the following week for the third time on May 9. Noah Kahan will perform as that show's musical guest, for the second time.

Ferrell, who leads Netflix's upcoming “The Hawk,” will host the 51st season finale on May 16 — his sixth time hosting. His musical guest will be McCartney, who will take the stage as musical guest for the fifth time.

Colman Domingo and musical guest Anitta are on tap this Saturday.

The NBC sketch comedy show airs at 11:30 p.m. Eastern and streams live on Peacock.

“I will tell you guys, James Pearce is not here," Stefanski said. “We've been in constant communication with his representation."

Pearce was arrested near Miami on Feb. 7 after an incident involving his former girlfriend, WNBA player Rickea Jackson.

He faces three felony charges, including aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, fleeing and eluding police and resisting an officer with violence, in addition to a misdemeanor stalking charge.

The new Falcons coach emphasized that the training program is voluntary and that he wouldn't be sharing additional details about which players reported.

“It’s a voluntary program, so that’s up to each individual player to make those decisions,” Stefanski said. "I would also add that we’ve had great discussions with his (Pearce's) representation. I don’t want to get into the specifics of that.”

One of the players in attendance is running back Bijan Robinson, who earned AP first-team All-Pro honors after amassing 2,298 yards from scrimmage and 11 total touchdowns during the 2025-26 season.

The running back said he has not spoken with Pearce since his arrest.

“If he does come back, if he’s here in this building, I’m going to make sure that he’s all the way focused, all the way ready to go, make sure his mind is in the right place, so he can be at his best on and off the field,” Robinson said.

Pearce's status with the Falcons has been in question since the arrest. The Falcons' front office and coaching staff, which is largely full of new faces this season, has remained tight-lipped during the active investigation.

“Obviously, we’re aware of the most recent articles and things that have come out regarding James Pearce,” Falcons GM Ian Cunningham said in March. “Those are concerning, right, to say the least, but outside of that, I’ll just keep it just very similar to what we said at the combine. We’re not going to comment on an open legal matter here moving forward.”

Pearce led the Falcons with 10.5 sacks in 2025. He also had 26 total tackles, five pass deflections, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. The Falcons’ pass rush saw significant improvement with Pearce in the lineup in 2025, setting a team record with 57 sacks, 26 more than the year before.

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

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin made the remarks in the keynote address at a conference hosted by the Heartland Institute, a conservative think tank that rejects mainstream climate science and what it calls “climate alarmism.” Zeldin told the gathering that repeal of the 2009 “endangerment finding” reversed decades of unthinking adherence to liberal politicians and environmental groups about the dangers of climate change.

“Today is a moment to celebrate. It is a day to celebrate vindication,″ said Zeldin, a former Republican congressman from New York who is widely believed to be under consideration for a possible promotion to attorney general, following Pam Bondi’s forced departure last week.

The EPA earlier this year revoked the endangerment finding, a scientific conclusion that for 16 years was the central basis for regulating planet-warming emissions from power plants, vehicles and other sources. The Trump administration argued the finding hurts industry and the economy and claimed the Obama and Biden administrations twisted science to determine that greenhouse gases are a public health risk.

Heartland on ‘front lines’ against endangerment finding

Zeldin's prominent appearance at a conference hosted by a group deeply skeptical of the established science around climate change reflected the vast reversal that President Donald Trump's administration has carried out of traditional policies meant to protect the environment. The EPA has rolled back dozens of air and water protections and has said it does not have legal authority to regulate climate change.

“You were right there on the front lines against there being an endangerment finding in 2009,” Zeldin told the Heartland conference.

Environmentalists denounced Zeldin's appearance before the conservative group, accusing him of “rallying climate deniers” at a time when climate change is creating greater risks of extreme weather, including stronger hurricanes, more dangerous floods and more intense wildfires.

Zeldin’s speech “promotes disinformation” and amounts to doing the bidding of Heartland’s secretive donors, said Joe Bonfiglio, U.S. director of the Environmental Defense Fund.

“The Heartland Institute is not a serious scientific organization. It’s a disinformation factory,” Bonfiglio said. Having the EPA administrator serve as their opening act isn’t just embarrassing — it’s a signal of how completely the Trump administration has abandoned its obligation to protect the public from pollution.”

An EPA spokeswoman brushed off the criticism, saying “the era of EPA as a vehicle for radical ideology is over.”

Zeldin speaks before a “wide variety of ideologically different groups and individuals to promote the agenda of the Trump EPA,” spokesman Carolyn Holran said.

Zeldin has returned the agency’s focus to fulfill its statutory obligations to protect human health and the environment, “backed by gold standard science, not doomsday models designed to scare the public into compliance,” she said in an email.

Heartland, based in Illinois, describes itself as a “free-market think tank” and says a key goal is to “challenge the narrative that the world faces a climate crisis” driven by the burning of fossil fuels. The organization does not disclose its funder list but has received financial support from oil and gas interests.

James Taylor, the group's president, hailed Zeldin’s speech and called Zeldin “the greatest EPA administrator ever.”

The 2009 endangerment finding determined that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases threaten public health and welfare. The Obama-era finding is the legal underpinning of nearly all climate regulations under the Clean Air Act for motor vehicles, power plants and other pollution sources that are heating the planet.

The repeal eliminates all greenhouse gas emissions standards for cars and trucks and could unleash a broader undoing of climate regulations on stationary sources such as power plants and oil and gas facilities, experts say. Legal challenges have been filed by nearly two dozen states, along with cities and public health and environmental groups.

Critic calls Zeldin speech ‘surreal’

Bonfiglio, of EDF, called it “surreal” that the head of the EPA would appear before a “fringe of the conservative right” and “ask for his flowers.” He called the speech tone-deaf and even insulting to Americans, given the rising costs of gasoline and other energy and more frequent occurrences of extreme weather such as a gigantic heat dome that baked the Southwest last month and smashed March heat records in 14 states.

The Heartland Institute and its supporters “don't want you to look out the window,” Bonfiglio said in an interview. “They actually need you to not look out the window in order to defend their positions. A core to their belief is that climate change is not a threat.”

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According to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, it’s not the first time Crystal Wilneshia White or co-owner Kerri Lisa Smith, both 38, have been accused of operating unlicensed post-op homes in the county.

Deputies said they first executed a search warrant at “Snatched N Curved,” located at 21480 SW 132nd Court, on March 17. They said they found eight recovering patients and two employees at the home.

They said another person who arrived with a patient claimed she was not an employee and was “visiting Crystal.”

Two days before White’s arrest, an Instagram post from the business warning of recovery homes “shutting down or facing serious legal consequences” due to “increasing regulations” proclaimed that the business is above-board.

“At Snatched N Curved, we want to be very clear: We do not operate like that, and we do not stand for that,” it states. “At the same time, we must operate legally, responsibly, and in full compliance with all regulations. We will not put our company, our team, or our families at risk.”

But deputies said “Snatched N Curved” was not, in fact, a licensed assisted living facility as required by state law.

The arrest report states that patients were paying in upwards of $300 per night, through Zelle, to Smith and Pierre to stay at the home and receive care. A review of the pair’s Zelle account showed that the two women had made $200,000, authorities said.

Investigators said Smith, also known as “Kerri Pierre,” was the “face” of the business and White is the registered director of the associated “SNG Concierge” company.

Deputies said they also snatched evidence from the garbage showing that “Snatched N Curved” was illegally dumping medical waste.

“Additionally, the defendant and co-defendant were previously arrested two separate times in 2023 for the unlicensed operation of two unlicensed post-cosmetic surgery ALFs at two different locations,” the arrest report states.

Deputies arrested White on Tuesday on six felony charges plus several misdemeanors, including organized fraud, operating an assisted living facility without a license and felony littering.

It appears a judge did not find probable cause on the organized fraud charge, ordering her released outright on that count, according to jail records. She was otherwise ordered to be held on an $8,300 bond.

White also faces a magistrate hold.

Según la Oficina del Sheriff de Miami-Dade, no es la primera vez que Crystal Wilneshia White o la copropietaria Kerri Lisa Smith, ambas de 38 años, han sido acusadas de operar casas de recuperación sin licencia en el condado.

Los agentes indicaron que ejecutaron por primera vez una orden de registro en “Snatched N Curved”, ubicada en el 21480 de la corte Southwest 132, el 17 de marzo. Señalaron que encontraron a ocho pacientes en recuperación y dos empleados en la vivienda.

Indicaron que otra persona que llegó con un paciente afirmó que no era empleada y que estaba “visitando a Crystal”.

Dos días antes del arresto de White, una publicación en Instagram del negocio advertía sobre casas de recuperación “cerrando o enfrentando graves consecuencias legales” debido al “aumento de regulaciones” y afirmaba que el negocio operaba correctamente.

“En Snatched N Curved, queremos ser muy claros: no operamos de esa manera y no apoyamos eso”, indica. “Al mismo tiempo, debemos operar legalmente, de manera responsable y en total cumplimiento con todas las regulaciones. No pondremos en riesgo a nuestra empresa, nuestro equipo ni nuestras familias”.

Pero los agentes indicaron que “Snatched N Curved” no era, de hecho, una instalación de vida asistida con licencia como exige la ley estatal.

El informe de arresto señala que los pacientes pagaban más de $300 USD por noche, a través de Zelle, a Smith y Pierre para alojarse en la vivienda y recibir atención. Una revisión de la cuenta de Zelle mostró que ambas mujeres habían obtenido $200,000 USD, según las autoridades.

Los investigadores indicaron que Smith, también conocida como “Kerri Pierre”, era la “cara” del negocio y que White es la directora registrada de la empresa asociada “SNG Concierge”.

Los agentes también indicaron que recuperaron evidencia de la basura que mostraba que “Snatched N Curved” desechaba residuos médicos de manera ilegal.

“Además, la acusada y la coacusada fueron arrestadas previamente en dos ocasiones separadas en 2023 por la operación sin licencia de dos instalaciones de vida asistida post cirugía cosmética en diferentes ubicaciones”, señala el informe de arresto.

Los agentes arrestaron a White el martes por seis cargos graves y varios delitos menores, incluidos fraude organizado, operar una instalación de vida asistida sin licencia y vertido ilegal grave.

Según los registros de la cárcel, al parecer un juez no encontró causa probable para el cargo de fraude organizado, ordenando su liberación por ese cargo. Por lo demás, se ordenó que permaneciera detenida con una fianza de $8,300 USD.

White también enfrenta una orden de detención de un magistrado.

The par-3 16th is famous for Woods hitting that pitch that made a U-turn at the top of the slope, hung on the edge of the cup and dropped during his 2005 victory. No eyes were on the beautiful Redbud shrub with its vibrant pink blooms.

The par-3 12th hole is associated with its name on the scorecard, “Golden Bell,” a yellow bloom native to Asia. Ask just about any player at the Masters if they've ever seen a Golden Bell and it's doubtful. It blooms in late winter. The Masters is golf's rite of spring.

“I’ve played the 12th enough. I’m sure I’ve seen one somewhere,” Rory McIlroy said.

Pebble Beach is the felicitous meeting of land and sea. Augusta National is the greatest garden in golf, because that's what it was before Bobby Jones went looking for land to build his golf course and found the 365-acre Fruitland Nurseries.

“Perfect! And to think this ground has been lying here all these years waiting for someone to come along and lay a golf course on it,” Jones said when he first laid eyes on the property.

He took out an option for $70,000.

Augusta National doesn't speak in numbers — from the size of the gallery to how fast the greens are running on the Stimpmeter — but the course is believed to have some 80,000 flowering plants and trees on its immaculate landscape.

The flora is such an integral part of Augusta National that each hole is named for a tree or a shrub that can be found on that hole.

“I know azalea is one of them,” Dustin Johnson said.

Good guess. It took him a few seconds to associate “Azalea” with the iconic par-5 13th, which has approximately 1,600 azalea bushes, many of them surrounding the back of the green.

Remarkably, Johnson knew the seventh hole was named, “Pampas,” a grass bush native to Argentina that grows about 12 feet high and blooms in late summer. The hole used to be 340 yards with no bunkers. Now it's 450 yards, straight and narrow and tough.

“Perfect name,” Johnson said, “because it is an ass of a hole.”

Johnson also knew there was a dogwood or two on the scorecard without knowing exactly where (Pink Dogwood for No. 2, White Dogwood for No. 11). And there's no shame in that.

Two-time champion Scottie Scheffler — the No. 1 player in the world, and with a degree from Texas in finance, not horticulture — paused under the live oak next to the clubhouse when asked how many plants he could name associated with each hole.

“Magnolia for 5?” he asked. He hit one of his purest shots on the fifth hole when he won in 2022. He didn't have to venture into the magnolia trees behind the tree.

He also named Azalea and Golden Bell — “I got more than I thought,” he said — but whiffed on Holly, the red-berry bushes found on both sides of the 18th tee.

McIlroy, the defending champion, has a greater appreciation of history and heritage than most golfers. He didn't think he could get the names on all 18 holes before rattling off Firethorn (15), Azalea, Golden Bell, Pink Dogwood ... and then he stumbled.

“White Dogwood, 10?” he said.

No. The 10th hole is Camelia, another one that typically blooms well before the Masters.

The beauty of Augusta National cannot be overstated, and its history of flora is rich. Fruitland Nurseries dates to 1858, a partnership between a Belgian baron named Louis Berckmans and his son, Prosper. They imported trees and plants from all over the world. The nursery ceased operations in 1918 after they died. What remained were a long row of magnolias that had been planted before the Civil War, and the azalea bush that Prosper Berckmans popularized.

A word about the famous azaleas at Augusta National.

No, the club's horticulture staff does not pack them in ice to keep the blooms from bursting before the Masters. There have been the occasional “green” Masters without many blooms, and that almost was the case this year. The blooms are fading but still colorful.

The staff will get to work two days after the Masters is over, fertilizing and pruning. And it takes great care — the azalea bushes are pruned by hand, a project that can take three months.

There is one palm tree at Augusta National, just to the right of the green on the par-3 fourth. The name of the hole later was changed from Palm to Flowering Crabapple with its red, pink and white blooms (they usually pop right after the Masters).

That tripped up Chris Gotterup, one of the 22 newcomers to the Masters this year.

“Is every hole named after a flower?" Gotterup said Monday. “Because we were playing 4 today. Is palm a flower?”

It all weaves together in a magnificent landscape, a deceptive beauty as the backdrop to intense pressure trying to win one of golf's grandest prizes. Jones might have summed it up best.

"Never was the iron gauntlet of challenge more skillfully concealed in velvet.”

___

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

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Deputies with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office identified the suspects as Maria Blasco Diaz, 64, and her husband, Antonio Diaz, 65.

According to an arrest report, the investigation began after longtime friends accused the couple of offering deeply discounted luxury watches, jewelry and cruise travel packages that were never delivered on July, 24, 2023.

Authorities said the scheme dates back to 2022, when Maria Blasco Diaz allegedly offered a 50% “friends and family” discount on Rolex watches through her husband, who worked at a jewelry store.

The report states that the victims and their relatives paid deposits for multiple watches, totaling nearly $139,000.

Investigators said Maria Blasco Diaz provided repeated excuses for delays, including claims the items were sent to the wrong store or held in “quality control.”

They said additional money was also collected for jewelry purchases and discounted cruise travel, including a trip scheduled for July 2023 aboard Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas.

In total, deputies said the victims paid more than $44,000 for travel-related expenses that were never secured.

As the departure date approached, they said Maria Blasco Diaz failed to provide travel documents and later claimed the bookings fell through because a contact at the cruise line had been “fired.”

She issued partial repayment checks that later bounced due to “insufficient funds,” according to the report, which stated Maria Blasco Diaz had written the checks from a newly opened account that bank officials confirmed was opened “with a minimal deposit” and that she “had not deposited any additional funds.”

The report states that the couple ultimately collected $200,259.85 and never provided the promised goods or services, nor refunded the money.

Detectives said Maria Blasco Diaz confessed to the crimes in an interview and claimed that her husband was not involved. Despite her confession, Antonio Diaz was also arrested.

Jail records show both suspects are facing charges including organized fraud of $50,000 or more, first-degree grand theft of over $100,000, uttering forged instruments, writing or issuing a worthless check of $150 or more, and theft from an elderly victim of more than $10,000 but less than $50,000.

The couple appeared in bond court Wednesday, where a judge set their bond at $35,000 each.

They were also ordered to have no contact with any of the victims and were given a Nebbia hold, which requires a defendant or defendants to prove the money or collateral used to pay a bail bond comes from a legitimate, legal source.

Anyone who believes they may have been scammed by the couple is urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.

Agentes de la Oficina del Sheriff de Miami-Dade identificaron a los sospechosos como Maria Blasco Diaz, de 64 años, y su esposo, Antonio Diaz, de 65.

Según un informe de arresto, la investigación comenzó después de que amigos de larga data acusaran a la pareja de ofrecer relojes de lujo, joyas y paquetes de cruceros con grandes descuentos que nunca fueron entregados el 24 de julio de 2023.

Las autoridades indicaron que el esquema se remonta a 2022, cuando Maria Blasco Diaz presuntamente ofreció un descuento del 50% de “amigos y familia” en relojes Rolex a través de su esposo, quien trabajaba en una joyería.

El informe señala que las víctimas y sus familiares pagaron depósitos por múltiples relojes, con un total de casi $139,000 USD.

Los investigadores dijeron que Maria Blasco Diaz proporcionó excusas repetidas por los retrasos, incluyendo afirmaciones de que los artículos fueron enviados a la tienda equivocada o retenidos en “control de calidad”.

Indicaron que también se recolectó dinero adicional para compras de joyas y viajes en crucero con descuento, incluyendo un viaje programado para julio de 2023 a bordo del Odyssey of the Seas de Royal Caribbean.

En total, los agentes dijeron que las víctimas pagaron más de $44,000 USD en gastos relacionados con viajes que nunca fueron asegurados.

A medida que se acercaba la fecha de salida, indicaron que Maria Blasco Diaz no proporcionó documentos de viaje y luego afirmó que las reservas se cancelaron porque un contacto en la línea de cruceros había sido “despedido”.

Emitió cheques de reembolso parcial que luego rebotaron por “fondos insuficientes”, según el informe, que indica que Maria Blasco Diaz escribió los cheques desde una cuenta recién abierta que funcionarios del banco confirmaron fue abierta “con un depósito mínimo” y que “no había depositado fondos adicionales”.

El informe señala que la pareja finalmente obtuvo $200,259.85 USD y nunca proporcionó los bienes o servicios prometidos ni devolvió el dinero.

Los detectives dijeron que Maria Blasco Diaz confesó los delitos durante una entrevista y afirmó que su esposo no estaba involucrado. A pesar de su confesión, Antonio Diaz también fue arrestado.

Los registros de la cárcel muestran que ambos sospechosos enfrentan cargos que incluyen fraude organizado de $50,000 USD o más, hurto mayor en primer grado de más de $100,000 USD, uso de instrumentos falsificados, emisión de cheques sin fondos de $150 USD o más y robo a una víctima de edad avanzada de más de $10,000 USD pero menos de $50,000 USD.

La pareja compareció el miércoles ante un tribunal de fianzas, donde un juez fijó una fianza de $35,000 USD para cada uno.

También se les ordenó no tener contacto con ninguna de las víctimas y se les impuso una retención Nebbia, que requiere que el acusado o los acusados demuestren que el dinero o la garantía utilizada para pagar la fianza proviene de una fuente legítima y legal.

Cualquier persona que crea haber sido estafada por la pareja debe llamar a Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers al 305-471-8477.

“Evidentemente es una provocación porque de la nada salen este tipo de mensajes”, dijo en una entrevista con una radio local la canciller ecuatoriana Gabriela Sommerfeld. Agregó que “hemos llamado a nuestro embajador (Felix Wong) a consultas” y se espera que arribe a Ecuador en las próximas horas.

Previamente la Cancillería había informado en un comunicado que “a diferencia de lo que sostiene el jefe de Estado colombiano” Glas “no es un perseguido político, sino un sentenciado por la justicia” tras procesos legítimos por corrupción.

La noche del lunes Petro publicó en su cuenta de X que “ es indudable que Jorge Glas es un preso político ” y al día siguiente recordó que le había otorgado la ciudadanía colombiana a Glas y pedido a organismos internacionales que velaran por su seguridad porque, adujo, en prisión no recibe suficiente alimento y sufre una “severa desnutrición”.

El presidente ecuatoriano Daniel Noboa respondió, también en X, que Ecuador “ha esperado años para ver a los corruptos responder ante la justicia” y agregó que “desde afuera quieren vender el cuento de los presos políticos”.

Glas fue condenado por asociación ilícita en el caso Odebrecht, por cohecho en un caso de sobornos y por apropiación de fondos públicos para la reconstrucción de la provincia Manabí, destruida por un potente terremoto en 2016.

La Cancillería advirtió que cualquier intento por deslegitimar sentencias judiciales ecuatorianas “desde el exterior constituye una violación flagrante al principio de no intervención” y dijo que las “falsas declaraciones formuladas por el presidente” colombiano “contribuyen a deteriorar el estado de las relaciones diplomáticas”.

Añadió que Ecuador exige el cese inmediato de “declaraciones que vulneran su soberanía”.

Glas está preso en una prisión de máxima seguridad cumpliendo tres sentencias. En uno de esos casos también fue condenado el expresidente Rafael Correa (2007-2017), quien se encuentra prófugo.

El exvicepresidente fue liberado a fines de 2023 y recapturado en abril de 2024 cuando la policía irrumpió en la embajada de México en Quito, donde se había refugiado.

Los roces se producen en medio de una guerra comercial desatada luego de que Ecuador impusiera aranceles a las importaciones procedentes de Colombia a la que señaló de no custodiar la zona limítrofe y vender a precio excesivo la energía eléctrica. En respuesta, Colombia impuso tasas recíprocas a los bienes ecuatorianos.

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Investigators said Henao Knezevich was reported missing on Feb. 4, 2024, while living in Madrid. She and her husband, David Knezevich, also owned a home in Fort Lauderdale. They believe she was killed two days earlier.

Authorities say her remains may have been discarded along a route stretching from Madrid to Serbia, passing through Spain, France, Italy, Slovenia and Croatia.

Detectives said surveillance video shows Henao Knezevich entering her Madrid apartment building around 1:42 p.m. on Feb. 2, 2024. They said she later participated in a video call around 7 p.m. and sent her final text message to friends at about 10:01 p.m.

That same night, at about 9:27 p.m., David Knezevich, then 36, was seen on surveillance video entering the building wearing a motorcycle helmet and reflective vest, according to investigators.

Authorities say David Knezevich spray-painted the lobby camera before leaving with what they believe was a rolling suitcase containing her body. She has not been seen since, and investigators say all evidence indicates she is dead.

Investigators say he rented a dark blue 2019 Peugeot 308 in Belgrade, Serbia, on Jan. 29, 2024, and tinted its rear windows before driving to Madrid.

They allege that he stole multiple license plates along the way to conceal his movements and later returned to Serbia along the same route, where they believe he disposed of her remains.

David Knezevich, a Serbian-American who lived in Fort Lauderdale, was charged in the kidnapping and killing of his estranged wife.

Prosecutors said he falsely claimed to be in South Florida at the time of her disappearance, while court records point to financial disputes during divorce proceedings as a possible motive.

They said he was arrested in May 2024 at Miami International Airport and remained in federal custody awaiting trial.

During the investigation, authorities said David Knezevich died in jail by suicide.

They also said a necklace and journal belonging to Henao Knezevich were not found in her apartment and could be recognizable to someone who may have seen them.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI, the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate, call 1-800-CALL-FBI, or submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov.

Los investigadores indicaron que Henao Knezevich fue reportada como desaparecida el 4 de febrero de 2024, mientras vivía en Madrid. Ella y su esposo, David Knezevich, también tenían una vivienda en Fort Lauderdale. Creen que fue asesinada dos días antes.

Las autoridades señalan que sus restos podrían haber sido abandonados a lo largo de una ruta que se extiende desde Madrid hasta Serbia, pasando por España, Francia, Italia, Eslovenia y Croacia.

Los detectives indicaron que un video de vigilancia muestra a Henao Knezevich entrando a su edificio de apartamentos en Madrid alrededor de la 1:42 p.m. del 2 de febrero de 2024. Señalaron que posteriormente participó en una videollamada alrededor de las 7 p.m. y envió su último mensaje de texto a amigos aproximadamente a las 10:01 p.m.

Esa misma noche, alrededor de las 9:27 p.m., David Knezevich, entonces de 36 años, fue visto en video de vigilancia entrando al edificio con un casco de motocicleta y un chaleco reflectante, según los investigadores.

Las autoridades indican que David Knezevich roció con pintura la cámara del vestíbulo antes de salir con lo que creen era una maleta con ruedas que contenía su cuerpo. No ha sido vista desde entonces, y los investigadores afirman que toda la evidencia indica que está muerta.

Los investigadores indicaron que él alquiló un Peugeot 308 azul oscuro modelo 2019 en Belgrado, Serbia, el 29 de enero de 2024, y que oscureció las ventanas traseras antes de conducir hasta Madrid.

Alegan que robó múltiples placas de matrícula en el camino para ocultar sus movimientos y que posteriormente regresó a Serbia por la misma ruta, donde creen que se deshizo de los restos.

David Knezevich, un serbio-estadounidense que residía en Fort Lauderdale, fue acusado del secuestro y asesinato de su esposa separada.

Los fiscales indicaron que él afirmó falsamente estar en el sur de Florida al momento de su desaparición, mientras que los registros judiciales apuntan a disputas financieras durante el proceso de divorcio como un posible motivo.

Señalaron que fue arrestado en mayo de 2024 en el Aeropuerto Internacional de Miami y permanecía bajo custodia federal a la espera de juicio.

Durante la investigación, las autoridades informaron que David Knezevich murió en la cárcel por suicidio.

También indicaron que un collar y un diario pertenecientes a Henao Knezevich no fueron encontrados en su apartamento y podrían ser reconocibles para alguien que los haya visto.

Cualquier persona con información debe comunicarse con el FBI, la embajada o consulado de Estados Unidos más cercano, llamar al 1-800-CALL-FBI o enviar una pista en tips.fbi.gov.

By giving the “core” designation to those players, their teams have exclusive negotiating rights which comes with a guaranteed one-year deal at the new supermax salary. That's more than five-times above the top salary they could earn in the last CBA.

Players can negotiate different terms to help their teams sign other players to fit under the new salary cap that's expected to be around $7 million.

Other players giving the “core” designation include Indiana's Kelsey Mitchell, Dallas' Arike Ogunbowale, Atlanta's Allisha Gray, Chicago's Ariel Atkins and Seattle's Ezi Magbegor.

Expansion franchises Portland and Toronto extended franchise tag offers to players. The Fire selected Bridget Carleton with the first pick in the draft last week and offered her the tag. The Tempo did the same for Marina Mabrey, who they took with the sixth pick.

The franchise tag is a way for a team to prevent a player from leaving in free agency without getting anything in return for them. The teams and players can also negotiate doing a sign-and-trade agreement for those players.

Starting in 2027, players can only be given the core designation twice and it can only be if they have less than seven years of experience in the league.

Teams were also able to send out reserved and restricted qualifying offers to players during this designation period, which began Monday. Negotiations will go from Wednesday to Friday with players able to start signing Saturday.

Training camp is scheduled to begin on April 19 with the first preseason games on April 25.

The start of free agency was delayed until this month because of a prolonged negotiation of a new collective bargaining agreement that didn't get agreed to and ratified until late March. The long form contract is still being executed by both sides.

More than 80% of the league’s veteran players are free agents this year, as players had signed deals that expired at the end of last season to capitalize on higher salaries from the new CBA.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

Hermanos gemelos y magnates de bienes raíces Alon y Oren Alexander aparecieron en un tribunal de Miami-Dade el viernes mientras sus padres lo observaban desde la galería. Los hermanos de 37 años de edad enfrentan cargos de delito grave estatal, incluyendo agresión sexual.

Los fiscales federales dicen que Oren y Alon Alexander, junto con su hermano mayor Tal, usaron su estatus, riqueza e influencia para atraer a “docenas” de mujeres a entornos aislados, donde fueron repetidamente drogadas, violadas y explotadas en el transcurso de más de una década.

El juez de Miami-Dade, Lody Jean, ratificó un acuerdo previo al juicio entre los fiscales y la defensa, otorgando la libertad bajo fianza bajo estrictas condiciones.

Oren Alexander está acusado en tres casos, mientras que Alon enfrenta un cargo. Cada uno debe pagar una fianza de $25,000 por caso, cumplir con el arresto domiciliario de nivel 3 con monitoreo GPS y entregar sus pasaportes. También están obligados a evitar el contacto con las presuntas víctimas.

Un juez federal también negó el viernes la libertad bajo fianza para Tal Alexander, citando preocupaciones sobre su posible riesgo de fuga.

Milton Williams Jr., abogado defensor de Tal Alexander, dijo que su cliente probablemente será trasladado al Centro de Detención Metropolitano en Nueva York, una instalación previamente asociada con casos de alto perfil como el de Sean “Diddy” Combs.

“La familia va en serio para apoyar a su hijo y demostrar que es inocente”, dijo Williams a Local 10 News.

“El gobierno ha cumplido con su carga en lo que respecta al riesgo de fuga”, dijo el juez durante la audiencia. Si bien reconoció que Alexander podría no representar un peligro significativo para la comunidad, el tribunal no encontró condiciones que pudieran mitigar completamente el riesgo de que huyera.

El juez enfatizó la solidez de las pruebas contra Alexander y señaló los “amplios recursos financieros” de su familia, que incluyen activos sustanciales. “En este momento, no sé si 115 millones de dólares son sustanciales para ellos, pero él tiene los recursos financieros para huir si así lo decide”, agregó el juez.

El tribunal desestimó el confinamiento domiciliario y el monitoreo por GPS como salvaguardas suficientes, afirmando que tales medidas “han demostrado en el pasado que no son infalibles”.

Oren Alexander enfrenta cargos de conspiración para cometer tráfico sexual y tráfico sexual que involucra a una víctima a través de la fuerza, fraude o coerción, en tres casos separados, mientras que Alon Alexander enfrenta un cargo de agresión sexual por parte de múltiples perpetradores.

En un acontecimiento significativo, ambas partes llegaron a un acuerdo sobre la libertad previa al juicio por los cargos estatales, que fue ratificado por el juez el viernes. Como parte del acuerdo, el padre de los hermanos, Schlomy Alexander, está poniendo una propiedad familiar, ubicada cerca de la cuadra 200 Bal Bay Drive en Bal Harbour, como garantía.

Los abogados defensores confirmaron que se espera que Ohad Fisherman, un amigo cercano de la familia que enfrenta un cargo de agresión sexual por parte de múltiples perpetradores en relación con un incidente de 2016 que involucró a los tres hermanos Alexander, se entregue la próxima semana después de regresar de su luna de miel en Japón.

A pesar del acuerdo de fianza, los hermanos Alexander permanecen bajo custodia, a la espera de ser transferidos a los Alguaciles de EE. UU. para enfrentar cargos federales de tráfico sexual. Los investigadores alegan que los Alexander, junto con su hermano mayor Tal, explotaron su riqueza e influencia para victimizar a las mujeres durante un período de 11 años.

Informe de las 9 a.m.

El fallo judicial del viernes se produce un día después de que Oren y Alon Alexander comparecieran en una sala del tribunal de Miami-Dade con chalecos verdes antisuicidio, donde la jueza Mindy Glazer les negó la libertad bajo fianza. Los fiscales citaron su acceso a aviones y yates privados como evidencia de riesgo de fuga.

“Este acusado tiene acceso a aviones privados, barcos privados; hay riesgo de fuga”, dijo la fiscal Natalie Snyder al tribunal. Glazer confirmó la decisión, declarando: “Debido a que se considera un delito peligroso, estoy obligado a retenerlo sin fianza”.

Los hermanos Alexander, cuyas batallas legales han atraído una atención significativa, permanecen en el Centro Correccional Turner Guilford Knight a pesar de una victoria de la corte estatal el jueves anterior que estableció un acuerdo de arresto domiciliario con condiciones.

Su abogado defensor, quien asistió a una audiencia en un tribunal federal el viernes, le dijo a Local 10 News que los hermanos permanecerán bajo custodia hasta al menos el lunes por la mañana. Se requiere una audiencia a las 10 a.m. en el Edificio de Justicia Richard E. Gerstein para confirmar la fianza vinculada a sus cargos estatales.

Dijo que el procedimiento de la corte estatal esta mañana fue una “victoria”, pero aún hay más por resolver.

Los cargos federales se ciernen sobre los hermanos.

El exfiscal estatal y federal David Weinstein indicó que es probable que los alguaciles federales tomen la custodia de la pareja de TGK en preparación para su caso federal. Sin embargo, el momento de la transferencia depende de cuándo esté programada su comparecencia inicial en el tribunal federal.

Lea el acuerdo de libertad previa al juicio de Oren y Alon Alexander en el documento a continuación (en inglés):

Twin brothers and real estate tycoons Alon and Oren Alexander appeared in a Miami-Dade courtroom Friday as their parents watched from the gallery. The 37-year-old brothers face state felony charges, including sexual battery.

Leer en español

Federal prosecutors say Oren and Alon Alexander, along with their older brother Tal, used their status, wealth, and influence to lure “dozens” of women into isolated settings, where they were repeatedly drugged, raped, and exploited them over the course of more than a decade.

Miami-Dade Judge Lody Jean ratified a pretrial agreement between prosecutors and the defense, granting bail under strict conditions.

She ruled that both brothers must post a $25,000 bond per case, comply with Level 3 house arrest with GPS monitoring, and surrender their passports. They are also required to avoid contact with the alleged victims.

A federal judge also denied bond Friday for Tal Alexander, citing concerns over his potential risk of flight.

Milton Williams Jr., Tal Alexander’s defense attorney, said his client will likely be transferred to the Metropolitan Detention Center in New York, a facility previously associated with high-profile cases like Sean “Diddy” Combs.

“The family means business in supporting their son and proving he is innocent,” Williams to Local 10 News.

“The government has met their burden when it comes to risk of flight,” the judge said during the hearing. While acknowledging that Alexander might not pose a significant danger to the community, the court found no conditions that could fully mitigate the risk of him fleeing.

The judge emphasized the strength of the evidence against Alexander and noted his family’s “extensive financial resources,” which include substantial assets. “At this point, I am not aware whether $115 million is substantial for them, but he has the financial resources to flee if he chose to do so,” the judge added.

The court dismissed home confinement and GPS monitoring as sufficient safeguards, stating that such measures “have proven in the past to not be foolproof.”

Oren Alexander is facing charges of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and sex trafficking involving a victim through force, fraud, or coercion, in three separate cases, while Alon Alexander faces one count of sexual battery by multiple perpetrators.

In a significant development, both sides reached an agreement on pretrial release for the state charges, which was ratified by the judge on Friday. As part of the agreement, the brothers’ father, Schlomy Alexander, is putting up a family property — located near the 200 block Bal Bay Drive in Bal Harbour — as collateral.

Defense attorneys confirmed that Ohad Fisherman, a close family friend who is also facing one count of sexual battery by multiple perpetrators in connection with a 2016 incident involving the three Alexander brothers, is expected to surrender next week after returning from his honeymoon in Japan.

9 a.m. report

Miami-Dade prosecutors also confirmed that a warrant for Fisherman’s arrest has been quashed, but warned it will be reissued if he fails to appear as planned.

Despite the bail agreement for the state case, the brothers remain held under a federal detainer. They are not expected to leave custody due to pending federal charges, with a federal court hearing scheduled for 1 p.m.

Friday’s court ruling comes a day after Oren and Alon Alexander appeared in a Miami-Dade courtroom wearing green anti-suicide vests, where they were denied bond by Judge Mindy Glazer. Prosecutors cited their access to private planes and yachts as evidence of a flight risk.

“This defendant has access to private planes, private boats; he is a flight risk,” prosecutor Natalie Snyder told the court. Glazer affirmed the decision, stating, “Because it is considered a dangerous crime, I am required to hold you with no bond.”

The Alexander brothers, whose legal battles have drawn significant attention, remain at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center despite a state court victory earlier Thursday that established a house arrest agreement with conditions.

Their defense attorney, who attended a federal court hearing Friday, told Local 10 News that the brothers will remain in custody until at least Monday morning. A 10 a.m. hearing at the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building is required to confirm the surety bond tied to their state charges.

He said state court proceeding this morning was a “win,” but there’s still more to resolve.

Federal charges loom large for the brothers.

Former state and federal prosecutor David Weinstein indicated that U.S. Marshals are likely to take custody of the pair from TGK in preparation for their federal case. However, the timing of the transfer depends on when their initial appearance in federal court is scheduled.

Tal Alexander, who appeared in Miami-Dade federal court Friday at 1 p.m. before Judge Lissette Reid wearing a beige inmate jumpsuit, sat alongside his defense team, including a New York attorney who questioned an FBI agent currently testifying in court.

Prosecutors allege Alexander conspired with his brothers from at least 2010 to 2021 to engage in a pattern of sexual violence, including the trafficking and rape of approximately 40 victims, some of whom were minors at the time.

The alleged assaults date back to when the brothers attended high school in Miami, with prosecutors referencing a yearbook comment they believe alludes to gang rape.

In court, an FBI agent described messages and social media posts prosecutors claim reveal the brothers’ methods.

Evidence includes a text from January 2024, in which Oren Alexander reportedly warned Tal:

”Start to think about your reputation. We are on the top of our game, and the only thing that can bring us down is some h-- complaining.”

Prosecutors said the brothers used promoters, dating apps, and chance encounters to lure victims. Multiple women reported being restrained, drugged, and sexually assaulted.

Prosecutors said a victim described being attacked in the Hamptons in 2011, waking up outside after being filmed by a camcorder. Another victim, allegedly assaulted in 2016, claimed she was incapacitated after receiving a drink and was raped while unable to move or speak.

The allegations also include a group chat where the brothers discussed “fees per bang” and referred to women as “fresh” acquisitions. Prosecutors argued the brothers were boastful about their crimes, using phrases like “running train,” which refers to gang rape.

Reid has yet to rule on whether Tal Alexander will remain detained. Defense attorneys have pushed back against the evidence, questioning its admissibility and context.

The parties agreed not to disclose the victims’ identities.

Watch Local 10 News at 4 p.m. or refresh this page for updates.

Read Oren and Alon Alexander’s pre-trial release agreement in the document below.

“Yeah, I look different, but, hey, everything about me is different. I’m happy. I’m successful,” he says. “My life is fantastic now. You want to know how I did it? All I had to do is stay completely away from my family.”

That's going to be very hard to do in Hulu's four-part return to “Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair,” which reunites one of the zaniest and chaotic families ever on prime time. The episodes premiere Friday.

Twenty years after the last episode aired, we learn that Malcolm — a nervous, sputtering Frankie Muniz — is now a father of a teen and desperate to shield her from his dysfunctional parents and siblings.

“I cannot go back to the way I was before and I’m not going to risk you,” Malcolm tells her. “You have to think of it like they’re the full moon and we’re werewolves.”

How the revival came about

Original series creator Linwood Boomer and his co-producer-wife, Tracy Katsky Boomer, batted ideas on how to get the gang back together for years. Both weren't willing to make just anything for a “shameless cash grab.”

Linwood Boomer recalls a light bulb went on when his wife wondered what would it be like if Malcolm had a daughter who was exactly like him. “I was just like, ‘Oh my God, that kid would be miserable,’” he says.

In addition to Muniz, Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek are back as the barely-holding-it-together parents and Christopher Kennedy Masterson and Justin Berfield return as brothers Francis and Reese, respectively.

Newcomers include Keeley Karsten as Leah, Malcolm’s deeply empathic daughter, and Vaughan Murrae, Malcolm’s whip-smart youngest sibling, who we last saw as a baby. Caleb Ellsworth-Clark takes over the role of Dewey.

Director Ken Kwapis, one of the original directors of the show, was tapped to return and was impressed with how the old and new cast members handled the physical and emotional tasks.

“The original cast slipped back into their roles effortlessly. But equally important is they embraced the new members of the cast very quickly,” he says.

“There’s a performance level that some people have described as high octane. And so for the new members of the ensemble, they had to like, ‘OK, I’m going to step up and do it.’ And they all hit it out of the park.”

A comically accurate view of child-rearing

Malcolm may desperately want to keep his distance from his family, but the 40th wedding anniversary of his parents has a gravitational pull, putting everyone on a collision course, albeit a hysterical one.

“It’s hard to do a straight comedy right now because everything’s very serious in the world,” says Katsky Boomer. “It feels nice to just unleash good vibes so people can just take a breather.”

“Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair” joins a list of new and upcoming reboots and revivals from the late 1990s and early 2000s, including “Scrubs,” “King of the Hill,” “Prison Break,” “Baywatch” and “Phineas and Ferb.”

The Boomers credit Cranston for keeping the flame of a revival alive, staying in touch with the actors and crew. And he’s jumped back in boldly, despite becoming a huge star in the intervening years. In the first episode back, Cranston stands completely nude as Kaczmarek’s Lois shaves his back and nether regions.

“Malcolm in the Middle” originally aired on Fox and ended its seven-season run in 2006. It won seven Emmy Awards — including one for best writing for a comedy series — and currently streams on Hulu and on Hulu on Disney+, where the revival will also live.

Linwood Boomer based “Malcolm” on his own nutty family, and it struck a chord, depicting childhood as a constant power struggle — with bigger kids, teachers, parents and siblings. There were squabbles with a ferocity rare on TV, and it was funny because it was so grounded in truth. It was TV’s most comically accurate view of child-rearing since “Roseanne.”

“There was a line in the pilot I would say to myself all the time — ‘I want a better family!’ — and it turns out most families aren’t any better,” says Boomer.

Parental legacy

For the revival, the tables are turned. This time it's about being a parent and the legacy that we extend to our children. Malcolm's daughter is struggling in life and school, but her father's genetic toolkit only has belligerence, impulsiveness and thickheadedness, passed on by his on-screen parents.

“So much trauma, unfortunately, is the result of good people literally trying their best,” says Katsky Boomer. “You can understand it as you grow old enough to appreciate that your parents are human beings.”

Kwapis says the revival is painfully — and also hilariously — looking at how sometimes years go by and we're often in the same groove when it comes to family dynamics.

“You get to explore new things, but you also get to the explore the idea that some things — for better or for worse — just can’t change,” he says.

As for any future revisiting of this family, the husband-and-wife “Malcolm” team are noncommittal. “There are no plans. It was a really lovely experience,” says Linwood Boomer. Might there be more? “I can’t say no, but I also can’t say yeah,” he says.

The Bill Masterson Trophy has been awarded annually since 1968 to the player who “best exemplifies qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey.”

From the Florida Panthers, the PHWA Florida chapter selected veteran forward Brad Marchand as its nominee.

The five-member chapter was unanimous in its decision.

Marchand is playing in his second season with the Panthers after being acquired at last year’s Trade Deadline.

He made an immediate impact upon arrival, helping lead Florida to their second straight Stanley Cup victory last June while averaging a goal per game during the Final against the Edmonton Oilers.

This season, Marchand led the Panthers on and off the ice during an incredibly challenging and injury-plagued season for the defending champs.

Despite spending much of the year playing through injuries himself, Marchand led the Panthers in goals and points until his ailments began catching up to him, causing him to sporadically miss time before ultimately being ruled out for the season last month.

His impact was also felt away from the rink.

In October, one of Marchand’s best and oldest friends, JP MacCallum, lost his 10-year-old daughter Saleh to a battle with cancer.

With the team’s blessing, Marchand to a leave of absence from the Panthers to travel to his home of Halifax, Novia Scotia to be with the MacCallum family. During his time there, Marchand filled in as a guest head coach for the U-18 Marchand and Mill Co. Hunters, the youth hockey team that MacCallum is the head coach for.

The game also served as a fundraiser for the MacCallum family.

Marchand signed a six-year contract extension with the Panthers last summer. He finished this season with 27 goals and 54 points in 52 games.

Each of the NHL’s 32 teams will have a nominee for the Masterton Trophy. Members of the PHWA will vote on the nominees, and three finalists will be announced sometime during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Rothman was fired on Tuesday night in a unanimous vote by the board of regents following a roughly 30-minute closed-door discussion. Regents have not given a reason for firing Rothman, who was in the job for just under four years.

“Absolutely I was blindsided,” Rothman told the AP. He said he has still not been given a reason for his firing.

“I really don’t know,” Rothman said. “I asked for reasons why. They were not able to articulate any.”

But Rothman, who came to the job in 2022 after serving as chair and CEO of a Milwaukee-based law firm with more than 1,000 attorneys, said he is unlikely to file a lawsuit over his firing.

“We’ll have to see how circumstances develop,” Rothman said. “I don’t think it’s likely that I would go in that direction. That’s not who I am.”

The AP was the first to report on April 2 that the regents had asked Rothman, 66, to retire or resign or face being fired. Rothman said on Wednesday that he considered retiring, but since regents gave him no reason, he decided against it.

Regent President Amy Bogost said in a statement before the firing that the decision was “about the future” of the 13-university system, including the flagship Madison campus, that educates about 165,000 students.

“The Universities of Wisconsin must be led with a clear vision that both protects and strengthens our flagship, supports our comprehensive universities and ensures we are meeting the evolving needs of our students, workforce and communities across all 72 counties,” Bogost said.

She did not immediately return a message on Wednesday seeking comment.

Rothman did not criticize any regent by name, but he did express frustration generally with the board.

“For a board to be functional, it needs to be able to provide clarity to the management team,” he said. “Not 18 different voices with different opinions and pet projects. There has to be board leadership that is able to consolidate that, build a consensus and provide clear direction.”

Rothman said his performance objectives were not even discussed in his last review in August, which he said was “astonishing.”

Rothman spent his time as president lobbying Republican legislators to increase state aid for the system in the face of federal cuts, navigating free speech issues surrounding pro-Palestinian protests, and grappling with declining enrollment that has forced eight branch campuses to close. Overall enrollment across the system has remained steady under his leadership.

Rothman brokered a deal with Republicans in 2023 that called for freezing diversity hires and creating a position at UW-Madison focused on conservative thought in exchange for the Legislature releasing money for UW employee raises and tens of millions of dollars for construction projects across the system.

Rothman said Wednesday he didn't know if any of those particular issues contributed to his being fired, but conceded they could have.

“When you come in to effect change and you try to move an organization forward, you have to make difficult decisions,” Rothman said. “And when you make difficult decisions, you can upset some people."

Sen. Patrick Testin, the Republican president of the Wisconsin state Senate, called Rothman’s firing a “blatant partisan hatchet job.”

The state Senate’s committee that oversees higher education scheduled a hearing for Thursday for 10 regents whose appointments by Evers have yet to be confirmed. Testin called for the Senate to reject all 10, which would mean they could no longer serve as regents.

Rothman said he wasn’t going to speculate on why he was cut loose.

“I am disappointed with the board’s action, but I’m not angry,” he said. “This is not about retribution. I’m concerned about the future of the Universities of Wisconsin.”

El cambio en el marco regulatorio podría facilitar inversiones por más de 30.000 millones de dólares, según estimaciones del sector minero para la próxima década. El 70% estaría destinado a nuevos proyectos de cobre, oro y plata.

El proyecto, que ya fue aprobado por el Senado, apunta a “ordenar el marco normativo vigente, poner fin a interpretaciones arbitrarias y consolidar un esquema de federalismo ambiental plenamente compatible con la Constitución”, según el texto enviado por el Poder Ejecutivo al Congreso.

Mientras transcurría la sesión, ambientalistas y organizaciones de izquierda se enfrentaron con la policía en las inmediaciones del Congreso.

Se espera que la protesta continúe hasta el final de la sesión legislativa, cuya votación está prevista para la madrugada del jueves.

En una acción a primera hora de la mañana del miércoles, activistas de Greenpeace colgaron un cartel gigante de un monumento frente al Congreso con la advertencia “Diputados: no traicionen a los argentinos. ¡La Ley de Glaciares no se toca!”.

El país sudamericano había prohibido por ley en 2010 la exploración y explotación minera en glaciares y ambientes periglaciares, definidos como las áreas con suelos congelados que actúan como regulador del recurso hídrico.

El cambio más sustancial en la reforma propuesta por Milei es mantener esta protección sólo para glaciares y geoformas identificadas como portadores de “funciones hídricas específicas”, lo cual deberá ser determinado por cada provincia.

“Todo glaciar o geoforma incluido en el Inventario Nacional de Glaciares se considerará protegido hasta que la autoridad ambiental competente verifique que carece de funciones hídricas”, detalla el proyecto.

Según ese inventario, en Argentina hay 16.968 glaciares repartidos entre la Cordillera de los Andes y las Islas del Atlántico Sur que equivalen a una superficie de 8.484 kilómetros cuadrados.

Defender el agua

Especialistas en glaciología y ciencias relacionadas alertaron en una carta enviada a los legisladores que los glaciares están retrocediendo aceleradamente debido al cambio climático, lo cual ha provocado un aumento del 21% del nivel del mar en todo el planeta.

En este contexto los científicos consideraron que desproteger los glaciares podría comprometer las nacientes de agua de zonas áridas, perder reservas de agua que sostienen caudales en épocas críticas, aumentar la vulnerabilidad de las cuencas ante sequías prolongadas y afectar el caudal de cursos hídricos.

El gobierno de Milei, por su parte, apuesta a la minería para conseguir parte de los dólares necesarios para fortalecer sus reservas internacionales que le permitan afrontar sus abultados pagos de deuda. Sólo en 2026 el país deberá cancelar vencimientos de deuda por 20.000 millones de dólares.

Todo indica que el partido gobernante cuenta con los votos necesarios para avanzar en la reforma teniendo en cuenta que ya adelantaron su apoyo bloques opositores más dialoguistas y la mayoría de los gobernadores, incluso del peronismo opositor.

The Doha event had been set to open the season for track's elite series on May 8, as it typically has in recent years, but the postponement means Shanghai's meet on May 16 starts the series instead.

“In recent weeks, the Diamond League has been monitoring the situation in Doha, working in close coordination with meeting organizers, Qatari authorities and other stakeholders,” the Diamond League said in a statement on Wednesday, hours after the announcement of a two-week ceasefire between Iran, the United States and Israel.

“In the interests of athlete and spectator safety, a decision has now been taken to postpone the meeting. Should conditions allow, it will now be held on June 19.”

The change of date also means a change of venue. Temperatures in Qatar in June are typically higher, so the event moves to the Khalifa International Stadium, which is fitted with large cooling systems around the arena that were used when it hosted the 2019 world track and field championships.

Qatar has become a key host nation for global sports events in recent years and has had to postpone or cancel high-profile competitions since the United States and Israel began strikes on Iran in February.

The “Finalissima” soccer game between Argentina and Spain, which was due to be played in Qatar, was canceled last month and Qatar's motorcycle Grand Prix was rescheduled to November. Elsewhere in the region, Formula 1 races set for April in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have been called off.

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

El Cuerpo de Bomberos Militar del estado indicó que el fuego estaba bajo control y en gran medida se limitó al techo de lona del recinto. No se reportaron heridos, y el interior del edificio —incluido el Museo Olímpico— permaneció intacto.

El alcalde de Río de Janeiro, Eduardo Cavaliere, dijo a los periodistas que una pequeña parte del museo olímpico de la ciudad, con 1.000 piezas, que se encuentra dentro del velódromo, se vio afectada, pero que podría arreglarse con solo reparaciones menores.

“La estructura del propio velódromo está preservada y la pista no ha sido afectada en absoluto”, dijo Cavaliere.

Aunque la causa de este incidente está actualmente bajo investigación, la instalación tiene antecedentes de incendios en el techo. En 2017 se registraron dos siniestros similares, ambos provocados por farolillos de papel lanzados al cielo que cayeron sobre la estructura.

Desde que albergó el ciclismo en pista durante los Juegos de Verano de 2016, el velódromo ha servido como principal base de entrenamiento para las selecciones nacionales de ciclismo y halterofilia de Brasil.

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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.

Las encuestas realizadas en los últimos meses han mostrado altos niveles de preocupación entre los peruanos por la delincuencia y la corrupción. En tanto, un relevamiento nacional realizado en 2025 por el estatal Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática encontró que 84% de los consultados en áreas urbanas dijo que temía ser víctima de algún delito en los siguientes 12 meses.

En el último quinquenio las denuncias por extorsión, un delito que ha provocado protestas y paralizaciones frecuentes del transporte público, se han quintuplicado; mientras los asesinatos se han duplicado, según datos oficiales.

“Subes al bus y tienes que sentarte lejos del chofer, no sabes si vas a llegar vivo a tu casa... los delincuentes pasan en moto, disparan, matan al chofer y también puedes morir”, relató el jubilado Raúl Zevallos, de 63 años.

En 2025 fueron asesinados 239 choferes del transporte público en Perú, de acuerdo con datos recopilados por el Observatorio del Crimen y la Violencia.

Según los expertos y la policía, la llegada en los últimos 10 años de organizaciones criminales extranjeras ha introducido al país nuevos métodos de violencia. También han influido el auge de la minería ilegal y el narcotráfico, que han creado zonas donde la presencia del Estado es casi inexistente.

Candelaria Lifoncio, de 46 años y madre de cuatro, relató cómo la violencia ha ido en aumento cada año en los exteriores de los locales de conciertos de cumbia donde vende cigarrillos. “Voy por todo Lima en las noches y dos veces me he salvado de que me caiga una bala”, dijo.

Delincuencia y corrupción

Harvey Colchado —un coronel de la policía retirado en 2024 luego que su grupo allanara la casa de la entonces presidenta Dina Boluarte (2022-2025)— dijo a AP que la causa de la expansión del crimen "es la corrupción en el poder”.

Colchado —que a lo largo de su trayectoria ha capturado a jefes criminales, narcotraficantes, integrantes del grupo terrorista Sendero Luminoso y a políticos poderosos— afirmó que es urgente una profunda reforma policial para eliminar a los agentes cooptados por los grupos violentos y aumentar el presupuesto para cada uno de los más de 70 departamentos de investigación criminal. “Ahora no tienen ni un sol”, dijo.

Sin ese financiamiento, añadió, los investigadores policiales no pueden pagar a informantes que son clave en la investigación moderna. También se necesita invertir en tecnología y programas informáticos para rastrear e interceptar llamadas telefónicas y comunicaciones por las redes sociales.

Desde su retiro Colchado ha incursionado en la política de la mano del nuevo partido Ahora Nación y se postula para diputado.

Analistas y otros partidos que participan en la contienda han afirmado que otra de las primeras tareas del próximo Legislativo debe ser la eliminación de las leyes que favorecen a los grupos criminales y que el saliente Congreso aprobó con votos de los partidos Fuerza Popular y Renovación Popular, que lucen como los favoritos.

Esas cuestionadas normas eliminaron la detención preliminar en delitos cometidos en flagrancia, elevaron los requisitos para confiscar bienes a delincuentes y dificultaron la colaboración eficaz y los allanamientos.

Keiko Fujimori, la candidata presidencial de Fuerza Popular, ha defendido estas leyes y afirma que buscan que los juicios sean más rápidos y justos.

Propuestas polémicas

Varios candidatos proponen retirar al país del Pacto de San José de Costa Rica para dejarlo afuera de la jurisdicción de la Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos para así poder instaurar la pena de muerte para violadores de menores de edad y sicarios y limitar la comida a los presos que dirijan delitos desde la cárcel. También sugieren la construcción de prisiones inspiradas en el Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo de El Salvador y hasta devolver a sus países a todos los venezolanos y colombianos indocumentados.

Fujimori promete retomar el control de las fronteras y cárceles con los militares, mientras Rafael López Aliaga —candidato de Renovación Popular—, anticipó que construirá una cárcel en la Amazonía donde las serpientes venenosas impedirán que los reos escapen.

El comediante Carlos Álvarez, del partido País para Todos, convocará a líderes de El Salvador, Dinamarca y Singapur para que vuelquen su experiencia en seguridad y Ricardo Belmont —del partido Obras y exalcalde de Lima— afirma que los puestos de auxilio rápido serán claves para atender a las víctimas de la delincuencia.

“Ya no puedes creerle a ninguno, nada va a cambiar”, se quejó Juan Gómez, un albañil de 53 años, mientras cargaba dos pesadas bolsas que contenían papas y arroz para alimentar a sus cinco hijos. “Vienen en moto, te ponen una pistola... miras a un lado y al otro y no hay ni un policía ¿Qué vas a hacer? Te dejas robar nomás”, culminó.

The NHL’s career goal-scoring leader announced his intentions in a clip of a pretaped interview with Capitals radio broadcaster John Walton that aired Wednesday.

"We're going to make a decision in the summer," Ovechkin said, adding he needed to talk with his family, owner Ted Leonsis, president of hockey operations Brian MacLellan and general manager Chris Patrick.

Ovechkin said health would be the biggest factor: “I’m going to be 41 years old in September, so you just have to be smart about it.”

He has been peppered with questions for several months about whether he’ll retire or play a 22nd season in the league. Ovechkin's current contract expires June 30.

“I still enjoy it, I still have fun,” Ovechkin said in Toronto. “I’m still happy to be with the boys in the locker room.”

Washington will have just three games left after playing at Toronto on Wednesday night and faces an uphill climb to make the playoffs. Coach Spencer Carbery said Ovechkin has the organization's full support.

“He’s earned that right,” Carbery said. “He’ll be welcomed with open arms (or) if this is it, we’ll support him that way, and I’ll celebrate him and give him a big hug and have a cold beer.”

Monday was the one-year anniversary of the Russian superstar scoring his 895th goal at the New York Islanders, breaking Wayne Gretzky's record that seemed unapproachable until Ovechkin came along.

Ovechkin has since scored 33 more goals, 31 this season, to get to 928 in the regular season. On March 22, he scored No. 1,000 total in the NHL, counting goals in the playoffs.

He also holds records for the most power-play goals with 331, game-winning goals with 141 and shots with 7,091 — and counting. Not just an offensive powerhouse, the 6-foot-3 winger has been a physical force and ranks third on the career hits list with 3,871.

The Capitals visit longtime Ovechkin rival and fellow face of the sport Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, then host them Sunday. The home finale in the nation's capital is sold out, with tickets going for way above face value in anticipation of it being the captain and franchise cornerstone's final game there.

They visit Columbus on Tuesday in what could be Ovechkin's final game in North America. He played his first career game in Washington against the Blue Jackets on Oct. 5, 2005.

“The game’s changed almost every year,” Ovechkin said. “More faces come into the league, and you can see how fast they are, how skilled they are. And obviously you have to adjust yourself, your body, your mind. … It’s life.”

Ovechkin, who is from Moscow, could opt to play one more season in the KHL, where he started as a professional when it was called the Russian Superleague. He played from 2001-05 and during the 2012-13 NHL lockout with Dynamo Moscow.

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The Canadian Press contributed to this report.

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The look of incredulity that crossed his face was at once withering and comical.

“Have you played here?” Koepka replied.

“Not yet,” he was informed.

“Yeah,” Koepka said, “I could tell by the question.”

In fact, only two people have managed a round of 63 at the Masters, much less 59. Nick Price was the first to set the record four decades ago, and the most recent was Greg Norman, whose first-round 63 in 1996 came before his epic final-round collapse.

That remains the highest single-round scoring record of any of the major championships.

“I'm surprised that it has been that long,” said Justin Rose, who has twice shot 65, including the first round last year, which he paired with a final-round 66 that put him in a playoff that he lost to Rory McIlroy.

Rose also has shot 81 at Augusta National, by the way.

“There's so many great players capable of putting up that number,” Rose continued, reflecting on the longstanding record ahead of this year's tournament. “I think that the course lends itself most ideally to that score on a Sunday, but also if conditions allow, Sunday is kind of when the course is getting its most sort of maxed out, in terms of green speeds and firmness. So that kind of counteracts some of those more accessible hole locations that traditionally we see on Sunday.”

There's reason to believe the record could one day be matched, or even broken. For one thing, scores keep coming down, including in the majors. Branden Grace was the first to shoot 62 when he did it at the British Open in 2017, but four have matched him in the past three years at the U.S. Open and PGA Championship, where Shane Lowry and Xander Schauffele both shot 62 in 2024.

Then there's the fact that technology, physiology and just about every other “ology” has improved over the years. Players have been hitting the ball farther and just as accurately, and that has forced Augusta National to continually change to keep up.

Those changes are one reason, Rose said, that its current record still stands.

Subtle alterations have taken place around greens and bunkers, but the most noticeable changes are in sheer length. The course played to 6,925 yards when Norman shot the most recent 63. It will play to 7,565 when the first round begins on Thursday.

“I think that's a big thing, a lot of mid-irons into small targets. Wedges into small targets,” Rose said. “If you're on and it's your day, sure, you can make a lot of birdies. But you're also going to make a bogey or two quite easily.”

Anthony Kim set the single-round record for birdies at the Masters with 11 in 2009, but he also dropped enough shots to finish with a round of 65. So, birdies alone probably aren't enough to challenge Price and Norman; it would take an eagle or two as well.

That's possible. Four players have even eagled consecutive holes in the same round, including Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson.

It just isn't easy. Nothing is at Augusta National.

“The scores are always a little higher than you think they're going to be,” said 2023 British Open champion Brian Harman, who has just three rounds in the 60s — all 69s — in 20 competitive rounds at the Masters. "You know, when you come out here and you play, you feel like you can go shoot low numbers. It’s just not a lot of the low numbers out here.

“It’s a lot more of a grind than people think,” Harman said.

The second nine tends to play about a stroke more difficult than the first nine at Augusta National, thanks in part to water that comes into play through Amen Corner. But while seven players have gone out in 30, most recently Min Woo Lee in 2022, only two have come home in 29: Mark Calcavecchia in the final round in 1991 and David Toms in the final round in 1998.

In other words, going back to that question posed to Koepka of whether someone could ever shoot 59 at the Masters, it would take pairing the best first nine with the best second ever to do it.

“If I want to go play the member tees and maybe play like, 15 holes," said Koepka, a five-time major winner, "yeah, I could do that.”

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El rapero de 34 años sufrió heridas que no ponen en riesgo su vida durante una balacera ocurrida la noche del lunes en el área de valet del Seminole Hard Rock Casino en Hollywood, según el Departamento de Policía Seminole.

Hubo una pelea antes de la balacera. Tione Jayden Merritt, mejor conocido como el rapero Lil Tjay, estuvo entre dos personas arrestadas, según la policía.

Merritt, de 24 años, enfrentó cargos de alteración del orden público y conducir un vehículo sin una licencia válida cuando salió de la cárcel principal del condado Broward el martes en Fort Lauderdale.

“¿Te puso las manos encima?”, le preguntó la reportera de Local 10 News Bridgette Matter. “Claro que no”, respondió el rapero. “¿Cuántas veces tengo que decirte que nadie me tocó?”

Los raperos de Migos, Quavo, Takeoff y Offset, se separaron en 2022. Offset continuó como solista, y Quavo y Takeoff formaron el dúo Unc & Phew. Takeoff murió en una balacera meses después en Houston, Texas.

Offset y Cardi B, quienes se casaron en 2017 y se divorciaron en 2024, tienen tres hijos en común.

Rio state military fire department said the blaze was under control and largely confined to the venue’s fabric roof. There have been no reported injuries, and the interior of the building — including the Olympic Museum — remained untouched.

Rio Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere told journalists that a small portion of the city's 1,000-item Olympic museum, which lies inside the velodrome, was affected but that it could be fixed with only minor repairs.

“The structure of the velodrome itself is preserved and the track has not been hit at all,” Cavaliere said.

While the cause of this latest incident is currently under investigation, the facility has a history of roof fires. Two similar blazes occurred in 2017, both caused by falling paper sky lanterns.

Since hosting track cycling during the 2016 Summer Games, the Velodrome has served as a primary training base for Brazil’s national cycling and weightlifting teams.

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According to Miami police, officers first responded to the building at 187 NW 57^th Ave. at about 4:20 a.m. Sunday after receiving a report about a suspicious person who looked like he was sharpening a knife before entering an apartment where people were arguing and naked.

Police said an officer made contact with both people inside the apartment, who claimed everything was fine.

But police say the same person who reported the first incident called 911 about an hour later, claiming two people were fighting and a person had been cut.

A nearby gas station employee then called 911, stating that a naked man covered in blood was at the GX gas station and was holding a knife.

According to an arrest report, officers responded to the gas station at 5688 W. Flagler St. and found the victim who had stab wounds to the chest.

Miami Fire Rescue transported him to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center.

According to the report, the victim told police that he had met the suspect, Frank Zaldivar-Santiesteba, 29, of Miami, a few days ago, and that he came to his apartment with a knife Sunday and told him, “God told me to come here and stab you.”

The victim said Zaldivar-Santiesteba then stabbed him and the two got into a tussle, at which time the victim was able to disarm the suspect and stab him back multiple times, authorities said.

According to the report, at about 9:15 a.m., officers were called to the area of Northwest 42^nd Avenue and Seventh Street about the suspect, who was bleeding “all over his body” and had a white blanket on his waist.

Police said Zaldivar-Santiesteba refused to identify himself.

He was also transported to JMH to be treated for his injuries.

Police said the victim sustained a laceration to the chest and a punctured lung.

According to the report, Zaldivar-Santiesteba later spoke with a detective at the hospital and said he did not want to provide details about the incident, other than that it was argument between him and his brother who he loves and “does not care what happens to him; only God can judge him.”

Police said they were able to identify Zaldivar-Santiesteba by his fingerprints.

He was arrested on an attempted murder charge.

As of Wednesday morning, Zaldivar-Santiesteba was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center without bond.

Según la policía de Miami, los agentes respondieron por primera vez al edificio en el 187 de la avenida Northwest 57 alrededor de las 4:20 a.m. del domingo tras recibir un reporte sobre una persona sospechosa que parecía estar afilando un cuchillo antes de entrar a un apartamento donde personas discutían y estaban desnudas.

La policía indicó que un agente hizo contacto con ambas personas dentro del apartamento, quienes afirmaron que todo estaba bien.

Pero la policía dijo que la misma persona que reportó el primer incidente llamó al 911 aproximadamente una hora después, alegando que dos personas estaban peleando y que una había sido cortada.

Un empleado de una gasolinera cercana luego llamó al 911, indicando que un hombre desnudo cubierto de sangre estaba en la gasolinera GX y sostenía un cuchillo.

Según un informe de arresto, los agentes respondieron a la gasolinera en el 5688 de W. Flagler St. y encontraron a la víctima con heridas de arma blanca en el pecho.

Miami Fire Rescue lo trasladó al Ryder Trauma Center del hospital Jackson Memorial.

De acuerdo con el informe, la víctima dijo a la policía que había conocido al sospechoso, Frank Zaldivar-Santiesteba, de 29 años y residente de Miami, unos días antes, y que este llegó a su apartamento con un cuchillo el domingo y le dijo: “Dios me dijo que viniera aquí a apuñalarte”.

La víctima dijo que Zaldivar-Santiesteba luego lo apuñaló y ambos forcejearon, momento en el que la víctima logró desarmar al sospechoso y apuñalarlo de vuelta varias veces, según las autoridades.

Según el informe, alrededor de las 9:15 a.m., los agentes fueron llamados al área de la avenida Northwest 42 y la calle Séptima por el sospechoso, quien estaba sangrando “por todo su cuerpo” y tenía una manta blanca en la cintura.

La policía indicó que Zaldivar-Santiesteba se negó a identificarse.

También fue trasladado al Jackson Memorial Hospital para recibir tratamiento por sus heridas.

La policía dijo que la víctima sufrió una laceración en el pecho y un pulmón perforado.

Según el informe, Zaldivar-Santiesteba posteriormente habló con un detective en el hospital y dijo que no quería proporcionar detalles sobre el incidente, más allá de que fue una discusión entre él y su hermano, a quien ama, y que “no le importa lo que le pase; solo Dios puede juzgarlo”.

La policía indicó que pudieron identificar a Zaldivar-Santiesteba mediante sus huellas dactilares.

Fue arrestado por un cargo de intento de asesinato.

Hasta la mañana del miércoles, Zaldivar-Santiesteba permanecía detenido en el Centro Correccional Turner Guilford Knight sin derecho a fianza.