"Our anniversary is really founded through this theme of ‘Welcome Home. Our Legacy Continues,'" said Shanita Brackett, the museum's acting director. "It means we are planning our next 10, frankly 20 years of exhibitions right now.”

Beginning with a full museum activation on Thursday, the celebrations extend through the rest of the weekend, both at the museum's National Mall home and The Wharf, located along the historic Washington Channel of the Potomac River. Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III, the museum's founding director who announced his plan to retire earlier this month, will headline “Understanding America,” a discussion to commemorate the anniversary.

The festivities come as the Smithsonian museum, affectionately called the “Blacksonian” by its most committed visitors and patrons, has faced outright hostility from President Donald Trump's administration.

The president last year signed an executive order seeking to change a range of museums and landmarks supported by the federal government. The Interior Department has also removed dozens of displays from national monuments that highlighted the history of social activists, people of color, women and LGBTQ people, among others.

The order instructed federal officials to work with Congress to bar the Smithsonian from using federal funding for exhibits that allegedly “degrade shared American values, divide Americans based on race, or promote programs or ideologies inconsistent with federal law.”

But the Smithsonian's leadership, which responds to a board that includes lawmakers from both parties, private donors and Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, says they have continued their work without interference.

“We have not changed any exhibitions. We haven't changed our language. We know that what we do is steeped in scholarship,” Brackett said of the African American museum.

‘No changes’ to museum's mission amid targeting by Trump administration

The Smithsonian is supported by a mix of federal and private funding. The institution's significant funding and complex governance structure have made it difficult for the administration to directly influence its content, as officials have done with federal landmarks, which are maintained directly by the executive branch. That hasn't stopped an outpouring of concern from supporters of the African American museum's mission in response to any curatorial changes the museum has made over the last two years.

Administration officials have also expressed frustration at the Smithsonian's resistance and have outlined new measures. Trump has ordered to place signs in front of some Smithsonian buildings warning visitors they may experience exhibits with an inaccurate portrait of American history.

Brackett said her museum is confident they can continue with the museum's original vision “to capture and share the unvarnished truth of African American history and culture.”

“We know that Black history is a part of American history, and it's our job to ensure that everyone who comes to this museum, who engages in our programming, who visits us online, understands exactly how all of this evolved, how the contributions of African Americans have advanced this country, and that's really what people walk away with,” she said.

“There are no changes to exhibits other than rotating objects that need conservation,” she added.

Some visitors had expressed fears that exhibits, such as the casket of Emmett Till and a Greensboro lunch counter housed at the neighboring American History Museum, may have been altered to appease the administration’s concerns. Brackett was clear: “Nothing has changed.”

A decade of honoring Black history after more than a century of advocacy

The idea of a landmark recognizing the contributions of African Americans on the National Mall goes back more than a century.

In 1915, Black Civil War veterans called on lawmakers to establish a landmark honoring their contributions to the war effort, often fighting for their own liberty. The idea advanced in fits and starts over the 20th century until eventually calls to commemorate the legacy of the Civil Rights movement captured the interest of lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

The Museum of African American History and Culture was first approved by Congress in 2003 and opened its doors on Sept. 24, 2016. At its opening ceremony, then-President Barack Obama urged African Americans to see their story as an integral thread in the broader American story.

“It is a glorious story, the one that’s told here. It is complicated, and it is messy, and it is full of contradictions, as all great stories are,” Obama said. “The very fact of this day does not prove that America is perfect, but it does validate the ideas of our founding: that this country — born of change, of revolution, of we the people — that this country can get better.”

Since its opening a decade ago, the museum has welcomed close to 14 million visitors from 200 countries and has hosted more than 26,000 school groups, according to the Smithsonian. Across 10 floors — five above ground celebrating art and cultural achievements and five below ground exploring deep histories — visitors have learned of the complex history of African Americans in the U.S., a story that is by turns harrowing and triumphant, and how it fits into the broader narrative of American history.

Visitors ‘yearn’ to take in Black museum's offerings

A day before the anniversary, Shallary Duncan of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, visited the museum for the first time.

“Quite honestly, with all of the changes in our country, it made me yearn to be here. I don't want to see any changes that would mitigate the reality of this experience,” said Duncan, a psychologist and self-described “history buff.”

“We know that African Americans have been in this country for as long as the country has been here, so it's important for us that we are a part of a voice that says this is real, our history is real and we don't want it to change,” she added.

More than a dozen students from a consortium of historically Black colleges and universities also visited the museum on Wednesday, eager to learn from its exhibits. Some of the students said they had visited the museum repeatedly since they were children.

For Jaina Dotson, the trip was a special experience. Growing up in Maryland, she'd visited the museum once as a child and was “eager to see how my perspective has changed.”

Now a student at Tuskegee University studying architecture, the visit was also a chance to put her classwork into practice. Dotson said she had researched the museum’s design for her latest architectural project.

“Looking at the outside facade, the corona, and the intention of the design behind that, as well as the layout of the museum itself, was an integral part of my research,” Dotson said. “The layout of the museum, its architecture, is really important for the experience. So it'll be fun to actually experience that as a patron.”

Dr. Heidi Overton, a physician and top White House aide, has spent most of her career working for Trump or conservative groups aligned with his agenda. That connection may prompt questions from some members of the Senate health committee which is considering her nomination.

In her current role as a domestic policy adviser, Overton worked on several White House health initiatives, including the revamped food pyramid and efforts to overhaul childhood vaccines. Previously she was an executive at the America First Policy Institute, authoring papers critical of abortion and transgender care. During Trump’s first term, she served as a White House fellow.

If confirmed by the Senate, Overton would inherit a raft of controversial projects, including a safety review of the nation’s principal abortion drug, a plan to break up combination vaccines and new rules that make it easier to sellflavored electronic cigarettes.

All three policies break from FDA’s longstanding positions, especially on the safety of childhood vaccines. Overton stood beside Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy in the Oval Office last month when they falsely suggested that the use of combination vaccines could be a contributor to autism.

Health committee chairman Sen. Bill Cassidy, a physician from Louisiana, called Overton’s support for that plan to space out vaccinations “almost disqualifying.”

But Cassidy and other Senate Republicans may find common ground with Overton on abortion. Cassidy and several colleagues have spent months urging the FDA to restrict access to mifepristone, the pill currently used in most abortions in the U.S.

The FDA first approved mifepristone in 2000 and has repeatedly affirmed its safety while broadening access, including allowing it to be sent through the mail. But Kennedy ordered a reevaluation of the drug’s safety last year, following calls from anti-abortion groups and lawmakers aligned with Trump.

FDA officials have said almost nothing about the review, except that it is ongoing.

While working at the America First Policy Institute, Overton blasted the FDA’s 2023 decision — under President Joe Biden — to allow mail delivery of mifepristone, referring to the practice as “chemical abortion on demand.”

She was similarly critical of the administration’s approach to transgender care for children, including providing access to puberty-blocking drugs and gender-affirming surgeries.

Overton co-authored a 2024 article about then-vice presidential candidate and Minnesota governor Tim Walz, titled: “Tim Walz Made Minnesota A ‘Sanctuary’ For Baby Killers And Child Mutilators.”

Overton’s abortion views could complicate her efforts to win over two moderate Republicans on the panel: Maine Sen. Susan Collins and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski. Both have bucked their party on the issue, supporting federal access to abortion. Collins is currently locked in a tight reelection race where abortion access is a central issue.

To become commissioner, Overton will need a majority of votes from the 21-member health committee, followed by a positive vote from the full Senate.

Headquartered in the suburbs outside Washington, the FDA oversees U.S. medical products plus billions of dollars in food, cosmetics, tobacco and vaping products.

Under the current administration, leading the agency has involved balancing Trump’s demands for slashing regulations — such as those for vaping products — alongside Kennedy’s interests in scrutinizing vaccines, drugs and food ingredients.

Those challenges dogged the tenure of the previous FDA head, Dr. Marty Makary, who resigned in May. Makary's time at the agency was defined by scientific disputes, leadership changes and a string of media stories detailing low morale and internal dysfunction among staffers. The FDA has lost about 20% of its employees to layoffs, buyouts, retirements or resignations since Trump took office.

Overton studied under Makary at Johns Hopkins University, where she received a doctoral degree in clinical research after earning her medical degree at the University of New Mexico.

Like Makary, Overton has no experience running a large bureaucracy, a critical skill for steering the FDA's 16,000 staffers spread across numerous U.S. and international locations.

In financial disclosure forms, Overton reported no investments in health care or food companies. That’s a stark contrast to Makary and other recent FDA nominees who have had to divest investments or cut other financial ties with companies regulated by the FDA.

Overton reported $50,000 to $100,000 in student loans.

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China has resisted the Trump administration's urgings — and economic threats — to use its considerable leverage to prod Iran to agree to U.S. terms to end the nearly seven-month war. Xi wants to see Trump permanently halt arms sales to Taiwan and loosen export restrictions on cutting-edge advanced chips. And the two sides on Wednesday agreed to extend a one-year trade truce set to expire Nov. 10 for two months, kicking the can on finding a more durable agreement.

All the while, both leaders seem to believe that time is on their side as they look to outmaneuver the other in what is expected to be the world's most significant economic and national security competition for years to come.

“The president very much believes that over time the U.S. economy is going to grow, the U.S. will get stronger, the U.S. will keep making advances in AI and on technology, and that ... the U.S. will develop alternative sources of critical minerals and rare earths,” said Edgard Kagan, a former senior State Department official handling East Asia policy issues under Trump and President Joe Biden. “I think when Xi Jinping sits down with Donald Trump, he very much believes the U.S. is in hurtling decline and that time is on China’s side.”

Trump, for his part, is going all in on the pomp for the state visit for Xi.

In a grand gesture, the Republican leader kicked off the visit by showing up to greet Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, upon their arrival on Wednesday evening just outside Washington.

Trump has made clear he wants to impress Xi with the visit, making sure construction of a new helicopter landing pad on the White House's South Lawn was completed ahead of the visit. He's also openly lamented that his planned White House ballroom isn't ready for a fancy state dinner in Xi's honor on Thursday evening.

The guest list includes Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Nvidia's Jensen Huang, and Meta's Mark Zuckerberg, among other tech titans staking out positions on whether more safeguards are needed in the race to develop artificial intelligence — an issue of critical importance to both leaders.

US and China still have work to do on trade truce

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the two leaders may be open to a new “notification mechanism” for AI incidents that could affect national security. But on AI and a host of other thorny issues, it remains unclear whether the leaders can make progress.

Shortly after Xi's arrival in Washington on Wednesday, Bessent announced on Fox News that the two sides had come to terms on extending the trade truce, forged last year in Busan, South Korea. He said it's possible that Trump and Xi could come to a larger agreement by January or just decide to once again extend it further.

Trump and Xi certainly have incentive to keep the truce alive.

Trump's Republican Party is facing headwinds as they try to maintain control of Congress in November's midterm elections and can hardly afford further economic disruption. Meanwhile, Xi is navigating an uneven Chinese economy — one in which its domestic economy is struggling while its high tech exports remain strong.

Peak baseline U.S. tariffs reached 145% during last year's trade battle — matched by China’s reciprocal levies of 125%. After Trump and Xi met in South Korea last year, the average U.S. tariff rate fell to roughly 47%, while China charged an average in the mid-30s. But in February, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned many of Trump’s tariffs, causing the taxes on Chinese goods to have more variation.

The stopgap announced by Bessent was shorter than what both sides had suggested in recent weeks.

The Chinese side had indicated that they wanted to see the trade truce extended until the end of Trump's term in January 2029.

Meanwhile, Trump administration officials had suggested a three- to six-month extension as a more appropriate time frame because China has been slow to fulfill past commitments on rare earth exports as well as imports of U.S. soybeans and aircraft.

There might not be a breakthrough during this week’s visit but both leaders seem to be determined to avoid a breakdown, said Ryan Hass, a senior China policy adviser in former President Barack Obama's administration.

“Both sides are going to be managing for small gains and conflict avoidance, and that is going to be sort of the spirit through which both leaders approach this conversation,” said Hass, who is now at the Brookings Institution in Washington.

A breakthrough on Iran seems unlikely

Trump has argued to little effect that China, which is far more dependent on Gulf oil than the U.S., has plenty of incentive to use its sway with Tehran to help force an end to the conflict.

But Trump's war of choice has unnerved Beijing, with the government condemning the U.S. and Israeli military action and Xi expressing concerns the conflict signaled a return to what he called the “law of the jungle."

The Chinese were also unsettled by the military operation Trump ordered to oust Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from power and sweep him off to New York City to face federal narcoterrorism and drug trafficking charges.

Trump has since pressured Latin American nations to reduce economic and political ties with China — and justified a push for U.S. involvement in Venezuela’s oil industry by pointing to concerns about Chinese and Russian influence on the South American country.

“China is very nervous about the kind of 19th-century imperialist cast of geopolitics that Trump has been pursuing,” said Jake Werner, director of the East Asia Program at the Quincy Institute. “But at the same time, Beijing really sees the U.S.-China relationship as the decisive factor. They don’t want to move in a way that’s going to blow up the U.S. relationship.”

Xi expected to press Trump to end Taiwan arms sales

China has made clear it views Taiwan as the most sensitive issue in the U.S.-China relationship.

Beijing considers Taiwan to be Chinese territory and vows to annex the island by force if necessary. The U.S. is obligated by law to provide Taiwan with sufficient hardware to deter any armed attack from the mainland.

China has pressed Washington to permanently halt the arms sales, most prominently when Trump and Xi met in Beijing in May.

After that meeting, Trump said he was holding off on final approval for a record-breaking $14 billion arms package that was in the pipeline. He also described arms sales to Taiwan as a “very good negotiating chip” with China.

The U.S. president may be motivated to keep the pause on until at least the end of the year, analysts say.

Trump, who sees face-to-face meetings with Xi as a key part in maintaining stability in the relationship, wants the Chinese president to attend the Group of 20 summit in December at his resort in Doral, Fla.

Xi, meanwhile, wants Trump to show up to November's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China.

“I think that keeping things where they are now, with the arms sales pushed off, would count as a win for Beijing,” Hass said.

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AP writer Josh Boak contributed reporting.

The Minnesota Lynx have clinched the top seed and will face eighth-seeded New York in the opening round that begins Sunday. The Atlanta Dream will be the four seed after beating New York on Wednesday night. They will play either Indiana or Washington.

“Everybody in the playoffs are capable of winning on the road and stealing a series,” Atlanta coach Karl Smesko said. “I definitely think it's an advantage to have to play in front of your home crowd.”

Indiana plays at Minnesota and Washington hosts Chicago on Thursday.

Dallas is locked into the seventh seed and will face either Golden State or Las Vegas. The Valkyries visit Los Angeles and the Aces play at Phoenix.

The Lynx clinched the top spot in the playoffs on Tuesday after Golden State lost to Portland in overtime. Minnesota benched its starters after an awful first half against Indiana. The Lynx reserves battled back, but fell short. Minnesota has dropped four of its past five games and has one game left at home against the Fever on Thursday.

“The margin for error throughout this regular season is incredibly small and you’ll see that in the playoffs,” said New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart. “Like one through eight you don’t know who will be playing at the end of October, which is exciting. I feel like for us we’re going to get a fresh start when it comes Sunday.”

Stewart missed Wednesday's game with knee soreness. New York also lost Jonquel Jones to an ankle injury in the third quarter.

With New York finishing at 26-18, this is only the second time in league history that all the playoff teams have won at least 59% of their games. The 1998 playoffs, which only had four teams, had all four teams at 60% or better.

In the four major sports it's rare to find the last place team in the playoffs with such a high win rate.

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See AP’s full WNBA coverage here

First responders could be seen converging on the airport shortly after 4 p.m.

The incident created a bit of a traffic issue for people coming and going from the airport.

According to airport officials, departure level doors 12 to 17 and the departure level roadway were closed due to the MDSO activity, with all traffic being diverted to the arrivals level.

Video from a Local 10 News viewer appeared to show a man being taken into custody by deputies at the scene.

Deputies later confirmed that one person was taken into custody.

Deputies identified him as 31-year-old Francisco Ivan Mendiola, who they say is homeless.

An arrest form says Mendiola fired four gunshots in the direction of the terminals. Three bullets hit a metal trash can, while the fourth hit the windshield of a parked car.

Officials said all passengers and employees of the airport were safe and that there were no reported injuries.

Deputies added that there was no ongoing threat to the public.

Mendiola faces charges of shooting or throwing a deadly missile, unlawfully discharging a firearm in a public place or on residential property, and criminal mischief causing more than $200 but less than $1,000 in damage, according to the arrest form.

The airport’s departure level roadway fully reopened shortly before 6 p.m., officials said.

Los cuatro perros, mestizos de raza terrier, atacaron a Perez a unas seis calles de su casa, en la zona de Biscayne Gardens. Los vecinos que escucharon sus gritos de auxilio intervinieron y llamaron al 911.

“Cada perro se me prendió de un brazo o una pierna”, contó Perez.

Personal de Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, agentes de la Oficina del Sheriff de Miami-Dade y personal de Miami-Dade Animal Services acudieron a la esquina del Northwest 11th Court y la 145 Street.

Según los bomberos, Perez fue trasladada al Ryder Trauma Center del Jackson Memorial Hospital, donde fue sometida a una cirugía de emergencia.

El personal de Animal Services informó que capturó a uno de los perros el jueves y a los otros tres el viernes.

Recaudación de fondos relacionada: Ayuda a Ashley a recuperarse de un traumático ataque de perros

En 2020, Leila Cavett viajó con su pequeño hijo desde Georgia hasta el sur de Florida para venderle una camioneta pickup blanca al sospechoso, Shannon Ryan.

De repente, desapareció.

La última vez que se le vio con vida fue en las cámaras de vigilancia de una gasolinera RaceTrac en Hollywood.

Poco después, la policía encontró a su hijo abandonado, deambulando cerca de un complejo de apartamentos en Miramar.

Su padre describió a Leila como una madre amorosa que jamás habría abandonado a su hijo.

La investigación se centró rápidamente en Ryan. El FBI dijo que lo vinculó con la desaparición a través de videos de vigilancia, torres de telefonía celular y redes sociales.

Ahora está acusado de asesinato.

Ryan, quien se autoproclama brujo, le dijo anteriormente a Bridgette Matter, de Local 10, desde la cárcel del condado Broward que él no mató a Cavett.

“No puedo entrar en los detalles del caso porque esto se está grabando, pero ella y yo nos conocíamos de antes”, dijo Ryan.

Los detectives afirmaron haber descubierto, a través de mensajes de Facebook, que Cavett quería ser aprendiz de Ryan. Ryan dijo que le enseñó a leer las cartas del tarot.

“Enseño brujería, cosas de ese tipo. Sí, leo las cartas del tarot”, dijo Ryan.

El cuerpo de Cavett nunca ha sido encontrado, a pesar de que el FBI realizó varias búsquedas en un vertedero.

Por la época de la desaparición de Cavett, la policía informó que Ryan fue visto comprando bolsas de basura, cinta adhesiva y limpiador de alfombras. Según un informe de arresto, cámaras de vigilancia captaron a Ryan moviendo la camioneta de Cavett y tirando en un contenedor de basura ropa de mujer y juguetes de niño, además de lo que parecían ser toallas ensangrentadas, algo que Local 10 le preguntó directamente y que él negó.

La policía también dio a conocer información sobre las búsquedas que Ryan hizo en internet, entre ellas una en Google: “¿El cloro y el alcohol producen cloroformo?”.

Melvin Diaz Cepeda murió baleado alrededor de las 5 a.m. del lunes en una casa ubicada en el 4606 NW 5th Ave., cerca del Design District, según el Departamento de Policía de Miami.

Christina Marie Hernandez describió a Diaz Cepeda como un buen amigo y contó que conocía al tirador, también DJ.

“Se conocían; tengo una foto de ellos juntos”, dijo Hernandez.

El teniente Pete Sanchez, vocero de Miami Fire Rescue, dijo que los bomberos declararon muerto a Diaz Cepeda. La oficial Kenia Fallat, vocera del Departamento de Policía de Miami, indicó que los detectives interrogaron a una persona.

Los detectives de homicidios de Miami sospechan que Diaz Cepeda entró como intruso a la casa del tirador.

“Yo no lo creo, y su madre, con quien estoy en contacto, tampoco. Nadie que lo conociera de verdad lo cree”, afirmó Hernandez.

Los detectives pidieron a cualquier persona con información sobre este u otros casos que llame de forma anónima a Miami-Dade County Crime Stoppers al 305-471-8477.

Frine Gomez, editora principal de asignaciones de Local 10 News, contribuyó a este reporte.

Sopo-Elias, residente de Hollywood, dijo que ICE mantenía al hombre, nacido en Cuba y estilista en el sur de Florida, en el centro ICE-ERO, ubicado en el 2805 SW 145 Ave., en Miramar.

“Mi mayor miedo es que se muera ahí dentro”, dijo Sopo-Elias.

Al principio, parecía que su querido amigo “Mayito” se había resignado a ser deportado y a tener que empezar su vida de nuevo. Incluso le dejó su perro a Sopo-Elias.

“Sonaba muy tranquilo. Me dijo: ‘No te preocupes, simplemente voy a regresar a México. Todo va a estar bien. Solo asegúrate de quedarte con mi perro’. Estaba muy calmado”, contó Sopo-Elias. “Eso fue un domingo”.

Según Sopo-Elias, él la llamó tres días después, y ella quedó horrorizada cuando le contó el trato inhumano que estaba recibiendo.

“Nunca lo había escuchado así. Estaba histérico, llorando desconsolado, gritando, rogándome: ‘Por favor, ayúdame’”, relató Sopo-Elias.

Él le dijo que no tenía acceso a una ducha ni a un baño en condiciones.

“Se había ensuciado encima y no lo dejaban bañarse. Me dijo que estaba en una celda con 60 hombres, que no había camas, que dormía en el piso”, contó Sopo-Elias.

A principios de esta semana, miembros del Comité de Supervisión de la Cámara de Representantes publicaron fotografías de un denunciante y un informe según el cual había cuatro baños portátiles para más de 100 detenidos.

“Esto es inhumano, esto está mal... Es inhumano. No importa cuál sea tu estatus legal. Todo el mundo merece ser tratado con dignidad”, dijo Sopo-Elias.

Según ella, a su amigo no le habían dado ningún medicamento para tratar el VIH ni otras condiciones de salud.

“Son medicamentos muy importantes que no se pueden dejar de tomar, y mucho menos de golpe”, explicó Sopo-Elias. “Cuando le dije: ‘¡Habla con la gente de ahí! ¡Pídeles tu medicina!’, me respondió: ‘Aquí no hay personal médico’”.

Un portavoz del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional emitió un comunicado en el que afirmó: “Estar detenido es una elección. Animamos a todos los extranjeros ilegales a tomar el control de su salida con la aplicación CBP Home. Estados Unidos ofrece a los extranjeros ilegales $3,000 y un vuelo gratis para autodeportarse ahora”.

Poco después de las 4 p.m., se pudo ver a los equipos de emergencia llegando al aeropuerto.

El incidente causó algunos problemas de tráfico a quienes entraban y salían del aeropuerto.

Según funcionarios del aeropuerto, las puertas 12 a la 17 del nivel de salidas y la vía de ese mismo nivel fueron cerradas por el operativo de la Oficina del Sheriff de Miami-Dade, y todo el tráfico fue desviado al nivel de llegadas.

Un video enviado por un televidente de Local 10 News parecía mostrar a los agentes deteniendo a un hombre en el lugar.

Más tarde, los agentes confirmaron que una persona fue arrestada.

Lo identificaron como Francisco Ivan Mendiola, de 31 años, quien según los agentes no tiene hogar.

De acuerdo con un formulario de arresto, Mendiola hizo cuatro disparos en dirección a las terminales. Tres balas impactaron un cesto de basura metálico y la cuarta dio en el parabrisas de un auto estacionado.

Las autoridades informaron que todos los pasajeros y empleados del aeropuerto estaban a salvo y que no se reportaron heridos.

Los agentes añadieron que no existe ninguna amenaza para el público.

La vía del nivel de salidas volvió a abrir por completo poco antes de las 6 p.m., según los funcionarios.

The U.S. Export-Import Bank, a federal agency, would make up to $7 billion available through 2027 for projects in Argentina, the State Department said, helping companies in the country obtain loans to buy American equipment and hire U.S. firms to expand the country’s railways, pipelines, ports and power networks.

The deal advances U.S. President Donald Trump’s effort to reduce reliance on China’s mineral processing industry, as well as bolstering his ally President Javier Milei, who is betting on oil, gas and mineral exports to transform Argentina’s economy and ease the chronic dollar shortages that have fueled repeated economic crises.

“Working together, the United States and Argentina seek to continue to build on our robust relationship through increased U.S. investment, close security cooperation and aligned values," the State Department said in a statement.

The relationship has already paid dividends for Milei's Argentina: Last year, Washington backed a $20 billion International Monetary Fund bailout for Argentina and extended a separate $20 billion currency-swap line to stabilize the Argentine peso. The countries also signed a free trade pact earlier this year.

On the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno said on Wednesday that the agreement aims to connect Argentina’s lithium- and copper-rich northwest and sprawling Vaca Muerta shale fields to the country’s ports, making it easier to ship minerals, oil and gas to the U.S. and other markets.

Inadequate transport and energy infrastructure has long hampered development of Argentina’s remote deposits. The country's history of protectionist trade policies, currency controls and sovereign debt defaults has also discouraged foreign investment.

Milei, a fierce believer in free markets, has moved to open Argentina's economy, scrapping import restrictions and offering tax breaks to attract investors. That has led to a surge in cheap imports, squeezing labor-intensive industries like manufacturing and retail already struggling under Milei's spending cuts and tight monetary policy. Booming oil production and mining exports have become an economic lifeline.

The country has vast deposits of lithium and copper, minerals that are necessary for the global shift toward green energy.

In South Florida, International Coastal Cleanup Miami-Dade is the third-largest cleanup in the U.S. and the largest single-day environmental community service event in Miami each year.

Nearly 4,000 residents are taking part in the effort to clean up the shorelines.

“Today we are at the Julia Tuttle Causeway,” said Dave Doebler, executive director of VolunteerCleanup.org. “This is one of 75 cleanups happening all over Miami-Dade, organized by VolunteerCleanup.org, but led by individual community leaders and nonprofits and government in all of the locations all the way from Aventura down to Homestead.”

At a cleanup near the bay, volunteers found plenty of plastic litter, including bottle caps.

“Last year we picked up 4,000 pounds of trash right here next to the bay which is so shocking and sad,” said Sophie Ringel, executive director of Clean Miami Beach. “But it’s also good that we’re getting the community together, that we’re reconnecting with nature and setting an example of how to do better.”

Plastic remains a major concern along Biscayne Bay. A recent study by FIU estimates that 18 billion microplastics pollute the bay.

“Plastic is awful. There’s no reason for plastic water bottles. You can use a recyclable, a reusable, a refillable one,” said Miami Beach Mayor Eileen Higgins. “They break down into microplastics. Those are embedded in our body, they found them in our brains. They’re in the water. They’re in the fish we eat.”

“We cannot be ruining Biscayne Bay nor our health with plastic,” Higgins said.

While cleanups remove tons of trash from the bay, organizers and county officials say keeping that trash from reaching the water in the first place is critical.

Miami-Dade County is pushing two master plans, one focused on stormwater and another focused on waste.

“The water flows in our city from west to east and empties into the bay and those areas,” said Damien Pardo. “So the plan is a way of making sure that that is draining properly and filtering properly. So when the water reaches the coastline, it’s clear water.”

The county’s Zero Waste Master Plan includes 31 strategies.

“On our website we have the entire Zero Waste Master Plan listed there. All 31 strategies that are there. We’re working right now on activating those 31 strategies,” said Dr. Aneisha Daniels.

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine-Cava said reducing, recycling and reusing waste can help move the county toward its goal of zero waste.

“So a combination of reducing, recycling, and reuse of this waste is going to be close to zero waste,” Levine-Cava said.

Daniels said education is a key part of the effort.

“It’s about outreach and education. Educating our residents, educating our kids, so they have a better understanding of their responsibilities as learn how it relates to manages waste,” she said.

Education is also a foundation of the International Coastal Cleanup.

“We’re building a grassroots movement around the marine debris crisis,” Doebler said. “This cannot be solved by government, by business, or individuals alone.”

Levine-Cava said hands-on education can make a difference.

“People really are understanding and education is the key,” she said. “And by the way, hands-on education. It’s not just classroom learning which is very important. It’s actually going out and seeing it with your own eyes.”

Higgins said the goal is to eventually make coastal cleanups unnecessary.

“And if we all do our part, hopefully we’ll work ourselves out of a job and we won’t have to be cleaning up our coastlines anymore,” she said.

The message from volunteers was simple: “Don’t Trash Our Treasure.”

This year’s International Coastal Cleanup is breaking records, collecting more than 26,000 pounds of trash from South Florida’s shores.

Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle announced Jardon’s arrest during a news conference Wednesday night.

Jardon is the director of housing for the Citrus Health Network. Rundle said that over a three-year period, he turned the organization’s mission of housing homeless people into an elaborate scheme.

According to Rundle, Jardon created five fake companies, drafted bogus leases and collected payouts from the county.

“While our homeless people were sleeping on the street, he had four new automobile purchases,” Rundle said.

The case came to light late last year after a Citrus Health employee raised concerns.

“As soon as Citrus discovered these problems, they immediately reported the theft to the Inspector General’s Office,” Rundle said.

Ron Book, chairman of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust, said the problems were uncovered after the trust alerted Citrus that something was wrong with its invoicing.

“They got caught by our alerting Citrus that there was something wrong with their invoicing, that they didn’t add up, that two and two didn’t equal four,” Book said.

Citrus then conducted its own review and reported the matter to authorities, Book said.

“They went back and did their review and they then self-reported that to the authorities,” he said.

Exclusive body camera video obtained by Local 10 shows what happened when police and firefighters responded to a scene in Margate where a mother and her 2-year-old daughter had been struck by lightning.

The call came into a fire station in August, setting off an urgent response.

The body camera video shows first responders working to save 31-year-old Kenya Glasgow and her 2-year-old daughter, Kennedi.

Responders were also told to make sure arriving units did not block any entrances.

The lightning strike killed Glasgow and her daughter.

Once it was safe, first responders immediately began working to save them.

Responders also worked to keep the area clear as they continued the effort.

The body camera video shows firefighters continuing chest compressions as they worked to save the mother.

The baby was eventually taken to North Broward to be flown out.

At a memorial service in August, Glasgow’s husband and Kennedi’s father, Kameron Glasgow, spoke about how much he misses his soulmate.

“I want her to be remembered as the life of the party, the one that wants to help and never want anything in return,” he said.

Kameron Glasgow said he is appreciative of all the first responders, police and firefighters who never quit trying to save his wife and daughter.

He also said Kennedi’s twin sister is doing the best she can.

Wednesday marks one month since Glasgow lost his wife and daughter.

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry did not directly confirm Zelenskyy’s comments but said it had been consulting with Kyiv and other relevant parties to resolve the matter in a manner that respects the soldiers’ free will and complies with international law and humanitarian principles.

The ministry said in a statement that it would not confirm details about the soldiers’ “disposition, the timing or route of their transfer or specific contents of consultations” with Ukraine, calling it a sensitive matter concerning the safety of the soldiers and their families.

In his speech to the U.N., Zelenskyy said Ukraine recently transferred the soldiers to South Korea, but did not provide more details about the transfer.

“These guys are not easy to capture alive,” he said. “One of them, when he realized he was going to ​be taken prisoner, tried to kill himself and he was shocked that ​fate didn’t let him die. This is how they raise people in the North.”

The soldiers were among thousands of North Korean troops sent to support Russia’s war on Ukraine. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has also supplied Russia with large quantities of weapons, including artillery shells and ballistic missiles, while leveraging his strengthened ties with Moscow to accelerate the development of his nuclear-armed military and pursue a more assertive foreign policy, positioning Pyongyang alongside Moscow and Beijing in a united front against Washington.

South Korea, the U.S. and their partners worry Russia may transfer high-tech technologies in exchange that can enhance North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs.

Following the soldiers’ capture in Kursk in January 2025, South Korea urged Kyiv not to send them back to North Korea, where they could face persecution, and said it was willing to accept them if they wished to resettle in the South. In some media interviews, the soldiers appeared to express a desire to go to South Korea.

In April 2025, North Korea and Russia confirmed that their soldiers fought together to repel a Ukraine incursion into Russia’s Kursk border region. The two countries haven’t disclosed exactly how many North Koreans soldiers were deployed. South Korea’s intelligence service estimated in April 2025 that North Korea had sent about 15,000 troops to Russia since October 2024 and that about 2,000 of them were killed.

Sopo-Elias, of Hollywood, said ICE was holding the man, who was born in Cuba and worked as a hair stylist in South Florida, at the ICE-ERO Center, at 2805 SW 145 Ave., in Miramar.

“My biggest fear is that he will die in there,” Sopo-Elias said.

At first, it seemed like her beloved friend “Mayito” had resigned himself to being deported and having to start his life again. He surrendered his dog to Sopo-Elias.

“He sounded very calm, says, ‘You know, don’t worry, you know I’m just going to go back to Mexico. Everything is going to be OK. Just make sure you keep my dog.’ He was very calm,” Sopo-Elias said. “That was on a Sunday.”

Sopo-Elias said he called her three days later. She was horrified when he reported the inhumane treatment that he was being subjected to.

“He sounded like I had never heard him before. He was hysterical, hysterically crying, yelling, begging me to ‘Please, help’ him,” Sopo-Elias said.

He said he didn’t have access to a shower or a proper bathroom.

“He had soiled himself, and they wouldn’t let him take a shower, that he was in a 60-men cell, that there were no beds, that he was sleeping on the floor,” Sopo-Elias said.

Earlier this week, members of the House Oversight Committee released a whistleblower’s photographs and a report that there were four portable restrooms for over 100 detainees.

“This is inhumane; this is wrong ... It’s inhumane. It doesn’t matter what your legal status is. Everyone should be treated with human dignity,” Sopo-Elias said.

He said he had not been given any medication to treat HIV and other conditions.

“These are very important medications that you cannot stop taking, especially all of a sudden,” Sopo-Elias said. “When I told him, ‘Speak to the people there! Ask them! That you need your medication!’ He told me, ‘There’s no medical personnel here.’”

A spokesperson for Homeland Security released a statement saying, “Being in detention is a choice. We encourage all illegal aliens to take control of their departure with the CBP Home App. The United States is offering illegal aliens $3,000 and a free flight to self-deport now.”

Related document:Images of Miramar Holding Facility provided by the whistleblower

Related reports

• American Friends Service Committee members call on lawmakers to visit ICE facilities
• Whistleblower report details alleged poor living conditions at multiple Florida ICE facilities, including in Miramar
• Congressman says Venezuelan man shot by ICE then taken into custody told he needs surgery

He batted second as the designated hitter against the San Diego Padres and left-handed starter Robbie Ray. Ohtani hits left-handed and throws and pitches right-handed.

“I’m not expecting too much,” manager Dave Roberts said before the game. “It’s been a while since he’s played, but it’s just good to get him in there.”

A roar went up from Dodger fans as Ohtani walked to the plate to Michael Bublé's “Feeling Good.” He promptly lined a 2-1 pitch from Ray into right field and the fans got loud again. Ohtani was out at second base when Will Smith grounded into a fielder's choice to third.

Mookie Betts was in Ohtani's usual leadoff spot, where he's been since the two-way superstar went on the injured list on Sept. 8.

Betts is hitting .366 with six home runs, 21 RBIs, 13 walks and 18 runs scored in 18 games in September. He's tied for third in the major leagues with 26 hits this month, and also ranks among National League leaders this month in extra-base hits, RBIs, total bases, doubles and runs.

Ohtani last played on Sept. 7 against Cincinnati and came in hitting .277 with 30 homers, 80 RBIs, 89 runs scored and 80 walks in 134 games. He appeared physically compromised at the plate, shaking out his arm and wincing at times.

“A few weeks ago you could see that he couldn’t hit a fastball, he was underneath everything and it was a slower swing,” Roberts said. “Just controlling the swing, the barrel, I think that’s something I’ll look at and obviously stuff like the wincing, but I don’t expect to see any of that.”

Roberts said he likely would have Ohtani leading off and Betts hitting second against right-handed pitching.

The Dodgers conclude their three-game set against the Padres on Thursday, then head to San Francisco for three games against the Giants to end the regular season.

Roberts expects to see a focused Ohtani at the plate.

“It’s go-time for all of us and I think he’s in a good spot,” Roberts said. “He's getting ready for the postseason. His mind should be there and my bet is that that’s where it’s at.”

In other moves, pitcher Tarik Skubal was reinstated from the bereavement list. He is scheduled to start Friday at San Francisco. Reliever Kyle Hurt was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Rookie Josue De Paula sent back to minors, could return for postseason

With Ohtani's return, Josue De Paula was sent down to Triple-A to join the Comets in the Pacific Coast League playoffs against the Las Vegas Aviators. De Paula had been in the lineup as the DH.

De Paula quickly became a fan favorite during Ohtani's absence. The 21-year-old New York native reached base safely in 10 of his first 11 games in the majors. He went 2 for 3 with a run scored and a walk while notching his first career triple in the Dodgers' 7-0 win over the Padres on Tuesday.

“He performed more than admirably,” Roberts said. “This also just gives us an opportunity to potentially have him back for the postseason. He’s a part of the conversation and he’s earned that, and that’s what I told him.”

If De Paula makes the postseason roster, he would serve as a pinch-hitter.

“Josue has been awesome,” said Andrew Friedman, president of baseball operations. “Injected some real life and energy into our team.”

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See AP’s full MLB coverage here

“I asked him to bless our motherland with favorable weather and to make it even more prosperous,” Liu said while sitting outside the Golden Hall, a Taoist temple at the summit of Tianzhu Peak.

“This place watches over our country,” she added. “We’re Chinese and this is part of our faith.”

Tourists and pilgrims in a steady stream make their way through Wudang every day. Its scenic peaks, ancient palaces and religious sites drew 14 million visits in 2025, according to government figures.

Wudang’s Taoist buildings date as far back as the 7th century. The complex expanded over centuries through China’s Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.

Liu traveled several hundred kilometers (miles) from Hebei province with her daughter, Ji Jiaxin. She also prayed to Wudang’s protector, known as Zhenwu.

“He can guide people toward goodness,” Ji said. “He also watches over all the living things that grow across the land.”

Both women see Wudang as a place of scenic beauty and spiritual significance. Perched at about 1,610 meters (5,280 feet) above sea level, the Golden Hall is a place where they experience a sense of spiritual purification.

“Everyone comes here with a sincere heart,” Liu said. “With sincerity, the divine will respond.”

Philosophy and symbolism are woven into Wudang’s conception

The Wudang mountain range comprises 72 peaks, all thought to converge toward Tianzhu. Its lower slopes are associated with fire, while the deity enshrined at its summit is linked to water.

“Water at the top can moisten the earth, while fire below provides warmth and enables all living things to grow,” said Shu Chenghai, director of social education at Wudang Museum.

The Golden Hall’s construction reflects this symbolism too.

In the traditional Chinese concept of the Five Elements, metal is believed to generate water. And since natural sources can run dry over time, the bronze hall serves as a means to nourish Heaven and Earth.

“It embodies prayers for favorable weather, abundant harvests and peace and prosperity throughout the country,” Shu said.

Generations built their lives around Wudang’s temples

Taoist priests and monks look after the religious sites throughout Wudang. With their hair tied in high buns and dressed in distinctive blue robes, they glide through the temples, talking to visitors and scanning tickets at the entrances.

Their role also connects Wudang’s spiritual life with the communities that call the mountain home.

Cai Hongping was born in the area. Her family settled beside Zixiao Palace, a major Taoist temple complex.

“Some of the elderly Taoist priests there were exceptionally kind and compassionate,” Cai said. “Sometimes they gave us dates, peanuts or fruit.”

Life in the mountains was difficult when Cai was a child. Food and other material goods were scarce, but she remembers the temples as places of happiness and joy.

“I often went with the Taoist priests to identify Chinese medicinal herbs, practiced martial arts with them, and sometimes stole fruit that had been left as offerings,” Cai said.

Her connection to the mountain extended beyond its temples.

Cai’s grandfather was a heritage conservation worker in Wudang, a role focused on preserving and cataloging cultural relics. Her father also made walking sticks for visitors. Cai and other relatives sometimes joined him in gathering medicinal herbs to sell.

“The entire mountain was my childhood,” Cai said. “It has also given me a reverence for life.”

Ming emperors left their mark on Wudang

Wudang’s palaces and temples flourished during the Ming dynasty, when Emperor Zhu Di undertook a major building campaign to align his imperial regime with Taoism.

At its height, the complex included dozens of temples, palaces and monasteries. More than 60 sites survive today.

Wudang’s development coincided with another major project commissioned by Zhu Di: the Forbidden City in Beijing.

“When we say, ‘The Forbidden City was built in the north, and Wudang was developed in the south,’ we mean that these two World Cultural Heritage sites are like twins,” Shu said.

“The two places conveyed a message to the world: one represented Heaven, while the other represented the human realm,” he added.

Wudang’s special connection with Ming dynasty emperors remains visible today.

Along the route taken by tourists and pilgrims are several steles marking ritual proclamations made on behalf of emperors during the first year of each reign.

“An emperor needed to make a ritual proclamation to Zhenwu,” Shu said. “He would declare that he had succeeded to the imperial throne and express his hope for Heaven’s support.”

Visitors still seek meaning in Wudang’s landscape

Long before today’s visitors made their way to Wudang, the mountain drew people seeking solitude and spiritual cultivation.

Shu said its distinctive landscape embodies the traditional Chinese concept of “Dong Tian Fu Di,” or “grotto-heavens and blessed lands” — places traditionally regarded as sacred retreats.

“The idea is that a profound harmony between humanity and nature is not merely something human beings can create,” he added.

Beyond the Golden Hall, visitors encounter other temples and figures associated with different needs, from health and inner balance to martial arts.

Wang Xia recently traveled from Inner Mongolia and visited Taizipo, or Prince Slope, a Taoist temple complex linked to Zhenwu’s legendary early life as a prince.

“The fact that the crown prince once studied here makes it particularly appealing,” Wang said. “I wanted to pray for my child, to wish her academic success and a bright future.”

Her first encounter with Wudang came from books. She read about the Ming dynasty and began to dream about visiting the site herself one day.

“I imagined that coming here would give me the feeling of entering the world of Taoist immortals,” Wang said. “That is what this place feels like: a mountain of immortals.”

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AP video journalist Wu Jia contributed to this report.

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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

At the company's annual Connect conference on Wednesday, Zuckerberg opened his keynote address by saying “it’s no secret that people in the industry have a wide range of views about how the future is going to go.” But at Meta, he said, “we are optimists because we believe in people.”

Zuckerberg has distanced himself and Meta from recent calls by rival companies for a coordinated slowdown in the development of advanced artificial intelligence, arguing that individual labs can and should ensure their technology is safe.

“We believe that the best way to create a positive future for everyone is to put power in people’s hands," he said at the conference. "We believe that empowering people is the source of prosperity in the world, that the highest purpose of superintelligence is creation and invention — not automation — and that the path to a safe future is to distribute this technology widely and create the right checks and balances, rather than concentrating it in the hands of just a few.”

Zuckerberg has long said he believes wearable AI will eventually replace smartphones as the primary way people interact with technology. At the conference, the company unveiled a slew of updates to its smart glasses and virtual reality goggles, which let people control their interface using their voice, eyes and hand and finger movements.

AI agent Muse is the ‘centerpiece’ of Meta's vision

Zuckerberg said that Meta's recently launched agent Muse is the “centerpiece" of Meta's hopeful outlook for the future of AI.

Having an AI agent, which goes beyond chatbots in that it can act and perform tasks on a person’s behalf, has been a “sign of someone who is completely AI-pilled,” Meta's chief AI officer Alexandr Wang said at the conference. With Muse, Wang said, Meta is making agents more accessible and bringing “personal superintelligence” to everyone.

With the help of a mascot for the agent that looks like a plush toy, Wang and senior leadership at Meta demonstrated different uses for the Muse in everyday life. Users will be able to have real-time voice conversations and video chats with their version of the agent, which can also be customized to look and sound unique. The agent can help users plan travel, book reservations, order groceries and complete other helpful tasks. Meta has partnered with companies like OpenTable, Spotify, Ticketmaster and more to help its agents complete these tasks.

The company is working to bring Muse to its AI glasses lineup for hands-free access.

Zuckerberg also said Meta is planning to release a keychain-like device that has the “whole Muse experience” packed into it, called Muse Charm, in time for the holidays in December. The palm-sized device will allow users to engage with a personal AI agent without using a phone, computer or smart glasses.

New AI audio glasses and new updates to popular models

Meta is launching an audio version of its more widely known smart glasses. The new product will let users listen to music, make calls and talk with an AI assistant — there’s just no screen, and no video recording, which has raised privacy concerns with some users recording people without permission. Called Ray-Ban Meta Audio, it will be available in October and the cost starts at $349.

Meta is also building upon a previous feature that allowed glasses wearers to better hear a conversation in a noisy environment. Now, Zuckerberg said, a feature called hearing enhancement turns your glasses into an “FDA-cleared, over-the-counter hearing aid” that can “compensate for perceived mild to moderate hearing loss.” The feature will launch in the U.S. later this year and will be available to add to supported AI glasses for $150, or with a Meta One subscription.

The Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses have been upgraded with new features, including improved cycling and transit navigation and a personalized hologram for video calls.

The company is also offering more styles to appeal to a broader range of people and says it will have more than 100 different options across its Ray-Ban, Oakley, and Meta Glasses by the end of the year. The glasses will also be available in more countries, including Turkey, Hong Kong and the Philippines.

The newest generation of the classic Ray-Ban Meta glasses is also now available, with what the company touts as a slimmer, sleeker design and increased battery life, among other upgrades. The Generation 3 models are available now with prices starting at $449.

Virtual reality gets a makeover with Meta VR

Glasses

The most drastic update announced at the conference is to the company's VR device, now called Meta VR Glasses. That is because the previous bulky headset has been replaced by a set of glasses, which weigh about 100 grams (3.5 ounces), or roughly as much as a deck of cards. In comparison, the Meta Quest 3, which launched in 2023, weighs about five times that much. The difference feels similar to that between scuba diving and swimming goggles.

While they are significantly lighter and more sleek than VR predecessors, the glasses require a wired connection to an external puck for battery, storage and compute.

Instead of controllers or a neural wristband that past headsets or glasses required, the VR glasses use an eye-tracking camera and sensor that essentially lets your eyes be the computer cursor and your fingers the mouse clicker. If you want to open an app, for instance, you look at it and use hand and finger gestures, or use voice commands to talk to the Meta AI agent.

In a demo at its Menlo Park, California, headquarters on Tuesday, Meta showed off entertainment and work offerings on the glasses, including sports events and concerts that replicate the experience of having courtside or front-row seats. A new feature called “VR Enhanced Cinema,” meanwhile, seeks to immerse viewers in the movie by transforming their surroundings beyond the screen into a virtual world inspired by the movie, with dynamic effects, 3D visuals and spatial audio.

Once the glasses launch, users will have access to more than 100 immersive live sports events from that courtside-like view, because of partnerships with ESPN, MLB, NBC Sports, TNT Sports and UFC. The glasses can also function as a gaming console, Meta said, and there will be more than 75 games at launch that users can play solely with hand gestures.

The glasses can also be used for work. Users can conjure a virtual keyboard on any flat surface and use the display as their computer screen (or several screens) only they can see. For even more of a robust setup, users will be able to connect their Mac or Windows PC to seamlessly transition onto these screens, and bring their own keyboard and mouse. The VR glasses, unlike headsets of the past, will let wearers see their desk setup and surroundings while they work.

One of Zuckerberg's live demos of the night also showed off the glasses' ability to use hologram technology to project a photorealistic digital version of a person, including their real-time expressions and reactions, for hands-free video calling.

The VR glasses will launch in the spring of 2027 and cost $1,300.

Albanese made the breach public following a telephone conversation with OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman. Both men are currently in New York City to address the United Nations.

“Today I spoke with … Altman to express Australia’s extreme concern about this incident,” Albanese told reporters.

“I also expressed my disappointment that it took the company way too long to inform the government what had occurred and the nature of the way that notification occurred as well was unacceptable,” Albanese added.

An OpenAI agent had infiltrated an Australian health department website on July 18, he said.

OpenAI said in a statement that during a review of activity involving several Australian government departments, the company discovered “our models took actions we did not intend.”

OpenAI notified Australia of the breach in an email to a government department's generic address on Sept. 10, Albanese said.

Australia announced on Thursday an inquiry had been set up into the security breach. The inquiry would examine whether OpenAI could potentially be charged, Albanese said.

The inquiry would also investigate how Australian security agencies failed to detect the breach before OpenAI revealed it.

No personal information was believed to have been accessed, Albanese said.

The AI agent had gained unauthorized access into a public-facing Medicare statistics portal.

Albanese said he assumed there were commercial reasons for the AI investigation of how much was being spent on particular medicines and where expenditures were changing.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said the incident was the first time that an AI agent was known to have gained unauthorized access to the Australian government’s information technology systems.

“The impact, if you like, of this incident is relatively minor inasmuch as no personal information has been accessed here. The system itself hasn’t been compromised,” Marles told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

“That said, this is a really serious incident. What we’ve got here is an artificial intelligence agent which has, in an unintended way, gained unauthorized access into an Australian government website,” he added.

The F-35 Joint Program Office said in a statement that it and the Defense Department are aware of “a shipment issue" with F-35 components.

“We are actively working with U.S. authorities and industry partners to retrieve these components, investigate the incident, and place safeguards to avoid a future occurrence,” the office said.

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles acknowledged that the jet components ended up in Hong Kong when responding to questions from reporters Tuesday. But he denied that the missing parts were “sensitive equipment.”

Australia is one of several nations whose militaries operate the stealth fighter jet.

“Yeah, so we are obviously working with the United States and obviously with its prime contractor Lockheed Martin, in respect of this,” Marles said.

He added: “My understanding is that there is a sense of comfort, and we’re not talking about sensitive equipment here or sensitive parts. Ultimately, though, this is an issue which is going to be managed by the United States and by Lockheed in terms of what has occurred.”

Lockheed did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Wednesday, when Chinese leader Xi Jinping arrived in Washington for a state visit with President Donald Trump. China's Foreign Ministry said it was not aware of the incident, and the Hong Kong government said it would not comment on specific cases.

Bloomberg reported Wednesday that China has the F-35 parts — a cockpit canopy and weapons-bay door — after the shipment was unexpectedly diverted to Hong Kong while on the way from Australia to the United States for either repair or disposal months ago. It was not clear how the shipment was diverted.

Politico earlier reported that it prompted a congressional inquiry over concerns that China could have access to key components of the highly classified technology.

Beijing has kept tight control over Hong Kong since the territory was returned from British rule in 1997. Hong Kong cannot maintain its own military or conduct its own diplomacy.

The first F-35 Lightning strike fighter rolled off an assembly line in Texas about 20 years ago and was hailed as a technological leap. Since then, more than 1,200 of the stealth jets have been made and 19 countries have placed orders for the planes, according to the Congressional Research Service.

China already may have had at least some intelligence, albeit several years old, on the planes already. The Defense Science Board, which advises the Pentagon, released a report in 2013 alleging that Chinese cyberattacks accessed data from dozens of Pentagon programs, including the joint strike fighter.

The F-35 is “widely recognized as America’s best and most advanced fighter jet,” according to Bradley Bowman, senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a hawkish Washington-based think tank.

Bowman told the AP in November that American military systems are constantly being updated and improved, counteracting any possible secrets stolen years ago.

Described as a fifth-generation fighter, the F-35's technologies include stealth coatings as well as advanced radar and sensors, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Bowman said the plane has advanced sensors to better detect enemies as well as networking capabilities to communicate with allied planes and ground forces during combat.

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Associated Press writers Didi Tang in Washington and Kanis Leung in Hong Kong contributed to this report.

The team said it was moving the Sunday afternoon game to Friday to create a split doubleheader. The first game is scheduled to begin at 1:05 p.m. EST. The originally scheduled 7:05 p.m. EST night game was moved up to 6:05.

The Red Sox said in a press release Wednesday that the change was made in consultation with Major League Baseball.

The Cubs are currently in a tight race for one of the NL’s three wild-card spots.

There was no mention of a change to Saturday’s game, which is slated for a 7:15 p.m. EST first pitch.

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See AP’s full MLB coverage here

U.S. Rep. Greg Casar visited a federal detention center in south Texas where Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, 28, was taken into custody after being shot Sunday in Austin by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent.

Casar said Garces Perez was in a wheelchair and still in pain, but did not say whether the family had decided that he should undergo surgery. The Department of Homeland Security has said Garces Perez, who has been taken to a hospital twice since the shooting, is receiving around-the-clock medical care and pain medication.

"If they want to say it’s great medical care, they should start providing great medical care today by having him leave the detention center, go to a hospital or to a doctor, and do not delay his surgery if that’s what his family chooses to do,” Casar said.

Garces Perez remains in Texas detention center

Casar, whose district includes Austin, was the first member of Congress to visit Garces Perez in person since the shooting. He said the wound in Garces Perez's back remains bloody and medical staff change his gauze two or three times daily.

Following Casar's visit and a press conference, DHS issued a previous statement denying claims that Garces Perez was forced to sleep on a floor or that he was prevented from having the bullet removed, saying ICE would not advise on a medical procedure for a detainee.

Garces Perez was making a DoorDash delivery when ICE officers in an unmarked truck sideswiped his car twice, his attorney, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, said. He was shot and taken to a hospital, then released into ICE custody with a bullet still in his back, she said.

ICE and DHS haven't said what led to the shooting beyond that Garces Perez was “the subject of a targeted vehicle stop."

ICE has not said if the agent who fired was wearing a body camera. At the beginning of September, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said he expected all field agents to have them by the end of the month.

Austin police released body camera footage from its officers who arrived just after the shooting. Garces Perez is seen hunched over in the front seat of his car and grabbing his shoulder and rocking back and forth. An officer later cut off Garces Perez’s shirt, and a wound can be seen in his upper back.

Garces Perez entered the U.S. in 2024 using CBP One, a program begun under President Joe Biden that allowed migrants to make appointments with U.S. authorities to be considered for asylum, Lincoln-Goldfinch said. President Donald Trump ended the program on his first day in office.

Garces Perez was an asylum seeker and had a valid work permit, according to Lincoln-Goldfinch. She said a judge issued a deportation order after Garces Perez missed an immigration court hearing because the notice was sent to a former address.

ICE crackdown in Austin sees more than 1,000 arrests

Garces Perez's shooting came at the end of a summer in which ICE notably ramped up enforcement operations in Austin and surrounding suburbs and increasingly targeted immigrants without criminal records in public places.

In all, ICE made more than 1,000 arrests in Austin, Pflugerville and other nearby cities during June and July, more than an 80% increase from a year earlier, which had been the previous peak, according to ICE data provided to the Deportation Data Project at the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of California, Los Angeles, and analyzed by The Associated Press.

Unlike some other places, the increases in Austin were not driven by partnerships with local law enforcement agencies or by picking up jail inmates. Instead, the data shows that ICE officers made the vast majority of arrests in the community through traffic stops and other enforcement methods.

Nearly 2 out of 3 people who were arrested in the Austin area had no criminal convictions and no pending criminal charges, the data shows.

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Foley reported from Iowa City, Iowa. Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed to this report.

Wilder is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

Detective Tim Cooper of the Ada County Sheriff’s Office reopened a cold case investigation in 2019 that led authorities to identify Dr. Mathew Francis Betkouski posthumously. He fatally poisoned himself with cyanide more than 40 years ago and was buried anonymously.

Once detectives identified Betkouski and began to learn about him, they came to believe he was a possible suspect in the killings of seven people in the Chicago area with cyanide-laced Tylenol, Cooper said.

No one was ever charged in those killings, which triggered a widespread recall of the over-the-counter painkillers.

An engraved key found with the body in the Boise church led investigators to a street in Jacksonville, Florida, where a property owner disappeared in 1982. They used photos and DNA testing to confirm his identity.

Investigators then learned that Betkouski worked in drugstores. Former colleagues and acquaintances said he had a history of volatility, was fascinated by the idea of a “perfect crime” and once said cyanide was a means to kill without detection, authorities said.

Detectives found cyanide in Betkouski’s desk, which Cooper said appeared to be homemade and was a different compound than what was used in the 1982 killings.

Betkouski lived in five states throughout his life but never in Illinois or close to Chicago, according to investigators. Photos showed that Betkouski visited the Chicago area a year before the killings, but it was not clear if he returned the following year.

The Chicago Police Department said in a statement that its detectives have been in contact with Idaho authorities to determine whether their findings are connected to the Tylenol murders investigation, which remains an open cold case. It did not say whether they consider Betkouski a suspect.

Investigators long believed a man named James Lewis was responsible for the killings, though he was never charged. Lewis died in 2023 after serving more than 12 years in prison for sending an extortion note to Johnson & Johnson, the drug's manufacturer at the time, demanding $1 million to “stop the killing.”

When Lewis was arrested in 1982, he gave investigators a detailed account of how the killer might have operated. He always denied involvement, however.

“I wish to state this very clearly before this General Assembly: Elections will be held in Venezuela,” Delcy Rodriguez said, adding that her government has started a “political dialogue with opposition sectors” to secure a “process based on equal conditions for all.”

Rodríguez said the Venezuelan people will determine the best time to get elections moving and assured the United Nations that, when the time comes, the country’s institutions “will be prepared to guarantee an inclusive and transparent process.”

Rodríguez took over in Venezuela after a surprise U.S. military raid in January that captured then-leader Nicolás Maduro and brought him to the United States to face drug trafficking charges.

This is the first trip to the United States by a Venezuelan head of state since 2018, when Maduro traveled to New York to participate in the U.N. General Assembly himself. He is currently being held only a few miles from the organization’s headquarters as he awaits trial.

She says Venezuela is coming back

Rodríguez’s participation in the international forum also marks a milestone in Venezuela’s reintegration into global diplomacy. Addressing global leaders, she said that “the last time that two presidents of Venezuela and the United States met was in 2009.”

She added that her country is coming back strong after “setbacks” suffered this year and thanked President Donald Trump for being willing to resume relations after the U.S. military spirited her predecessor out of the country.

The other setback to which she referred: On June 24, two powerful earthquakes, magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, struck north-central Venezuela and killed more than 6,500 people, leaving an untold number of missing and causing widespread devastation.

“I come to talk about a Venezuela whose national life has been affected by a crisis of political coexistence that disrupted the life of the nation and our interaction with the world," Rodriguez she said. “Interests alien to the common good of Venezuelans were imposed.”

Rodriguez faced a delicate balance in her speech, which needed to be addressed to both her people and the U.S. government that holds her predecessor. She thanked Trump for his willingness to resume the course of diplomatic relations and cooperation with Venezuela.

“We are working earnestly to resolve existing differences through dialogue, but above all to pave the way for cooperation in the energy sector, the promotion of security, the joint fight against transnational crime, and economic cooperation for the benefit of both peoples and our continent," she said. “Today, Venezuela is being reborn.”

Since rising to power, Rodríguez has forged a close working relationship with Trump. U.S. influence in Venezuela has grown following the lifting of sanctions against Rodríguez in April, one of several recent moves by Washington to recognize her as a legitimate authority ever since the U.S. military captured her predecessor.

Addressing some words to her people, Rodríguez said that she could not promise an “easy path,” noting that “the country’s recovery will take time.”

“Rebuilding the national soul will be our priority," she said. “We will walk united as a single nation that, after the pain, chose hope.”

Trump and Rodríguez met on the sideline of the UN

Before her speech at the U.N. Wednesday night, Trump and Rodríguez, who had been Maduro’s vice president, met at a pull-aside meeting late Tuesday during a reception the U.S. president hosted at a New York hotel.

It was the first time the two had met in person since the operation that captured the nation’s former leader and effectively put Rodríguez in charge.

“We discussed strengthening the bilateral relationship between our countries and advancing a cooperation agenda in strategic areas such as energy, mining, security, and other matters of mutual interest,” Rodríguez said on X after the encounter.

The meeting came after the two countries announced an agreement last month to give the United States a stake in Venezuela’s vast oil reserves. She described the deal as a step toward economic recovery that will modernize the country’s oil industry.

Rodríguez vowed to shoulder the “historic responsibility” of leading Venezuela “from a period of uncertainty and conflict toward a stage of full democracy, recognized by its own people and by the world.”

“Venezuela wants to breathe freely and exercise its rights as a sovereign nation without any kind of interference,” she said.

The filings are the latest against the world-famous amusement park operator and S&S Worldwide, the manufacturer of the X2 roller coaster cars. Six Flags recently settled a wrongful-death lawsuit from the family of a 22-year-old man who died after riding the coaster in 2022.

According to documents filed Monday, Pamela Guillen and her family visited the park in July for her daughter's 16th birthday and decided to ride the X2 roller coaster. When the ride stopped, her daughter saw her “sitting with a vacant stare and her mouth open,” confused and unable to exit the ride.

Shortly after she got out, the previously healthy 39-year-old collapsed and was taken to a hospital, where she underwent emergency brain surgery, according to the lawsuit.

Just five days later, 25-year-old Naomi Greer-Wilkinson boarded the ride with her siblings. She also collapsed shortly after the ride ended and was taken to a hospital, where she was found to have massive brain bleeding inside the skull that required emergency brain surgery. She remains in a vegetative state in the hospital, unable to speak or move and dependent on a ventilator. Her family filed the lawsuit on her behalf.

Their attorney, Gary Dordick, said the firm has been retained by more than 100 clients who suffered brain injuries after riding the X2 roller coaster within the past two years.

“It’s inexcusable that more isn’t done,” Dordick said. “It was known by Magic Mountain that those injuries and deaths occurred, and they kept the ride open.”

A spokesperson for Six Flags said it's the company's policy not to comment on pending litigation. The ride has been closed since the evening of July 12.

Extreme roller coaster has riders bracing for impact

According to the Six Flags Magic Mountain website, the X2 roller coaster reaches a top speed of 76 mph (122 kph) and has a total length of 3,610 feet (1,100 meters). The seats rotate 360 degrees “so your body will be flipping around the entire time,” and the ride features two “raven turns” — half loops that turn into sheer drops midway. It debuted at the park in 2002 as the world's first “fourth dimension” rollercoaster and reopened in 2008 with new trains and special effects. The uniqueness of the ride drew thrill-seekers from around the world and garnered a fervent fanbase.

Frequent riders of X2 have discussed on Reddit forums the “unspoken rules” of how to ride the roller coaster without getting injured. Many cite the final raven turn as the most extreme part of the ride and say they have gotten major headaches and what felt like concussions if they didn't brace their heads properly. One even said they wore a soft head helmet the last time they were on the ride.

“The snapping bangs the head against the headrest and it’s causing brain damage, it’s causing hemorrhaging within the skull,” Dordick said.

Another one of his clients, Michael Wilk, visited the park with his daughter and grandchildren in February. Immediately after going on the ride, he felt stabbing pain in his head, dizziness and had difficulty walking, the lawsuit states.

While he didn't seek medical attention immediately, his cognitive function quickly declined in the following weeks as he tried to return to his job as an insurance defense attorney. An MRI scan a few months later showed massive bleeding and swelling inside his skull, requiring multiple surgeries to relieve the pressure on his brain. He said he continues to suffer debilitating headaches, confusion, dizziness, memory loss, and personality changes, and can no longer practice law.

The lawsuit accused Six Flags of intentionally restricting “public disclosure of evidence concerning X2 injuries and safety issues.”

College graduate died after riding X2 in 2022

The new lawsuits follow a settlement for wrongful death in the case of Christopher Hawley, a 22-year-old who died the day after he rode X2 and was rushed to the hospital after the ride with severe brain bleeding. The medical examiner's office said his death was from “blunt head trauma.”

An engineer involved in testing the ride when it reopened in 2008 said in court filings for Hawley's case that the acceleration forces exerted on a rider by the X2 roller coaster abided by standard practices for amusement park rides that were adopted by California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health. The division also inspected the ride's seat restraints and head padding, a state employee said in a deposition.

The employee also testified that more testing was done in 2022 following Hawley's death, but Six Flags provided them with data showing the acceleration forces exerted by the roller coaster were still within standards. The division allowed Six Flags to reopen the rollercoaster after their findings.

Hawley's attorneys alleged in court filings that the ride's headrest failed to secure or protect the rider's head and neck from the extreme forces exerted by the roller coaster. They also alleged that there was inadequate maintenance when the wheels on the ride exhibited excessive wear or degradation, affecting the forces exerted on a rider.

Dordick said the amusement park operator has argued that people are accepting risk by voluntarily going on a thrill ride, and that people who suffer injuries often have preexisting conditions.

“The risk people reasonably assume is they get dizzy, maybe someone might throw up,” Dordick said. “No one goes to a family fun amusement park and assumes the risk of brain damage.”

New York manager Aaron Boone repeated he's not counting on Judge to play in the AL Wild Card Series opener Tuesday. Judge, sidelined since Sept. 16, said he's trying to do all he can to be in the lineup.

“The Bronx is a magical place in October,” Judge said after Wednesday night's 9-2 win over AL East champion Tampa Bay. “I don’t want to miss out on that opportunity.”

Judge had a platelet-poor plasma injection Monday. He was sidelined by a fractured rib from May 31 to Sept. 8 and played in just seven games before the latest injury.

“Any injection doesn’t feel too good that day, but I feel a lot better today and we’re going to keep making strides,” he said.

A three-time AL MVP, Judge is hitting .241 with 18 homers, 41 RBIs and an .871 OPS in 66 games this season, including .174 with one homer and three RBIs since coming back from the rib injury.

“We are going to listen to the body and see how he heals,” Boone said. “If he is in a position to do that, obviously we are going to want him. So, no, I haven’t ruled anything out, of course.”

Boone said Tuesday he wasn't planning on having Judge available for next week's best-of-three series, likely against Boston.

“Obviously as a player, you don’t want to hear that but that’s out of my control,” Judge said.

Boone said Judge had a moderate strain.

“Everybody’s `moderate' is a little different,” Judge said.

Stanton, trying to return from injuries to calf muscles in both legs, faced pitchers Wednesday at Double-A Somerset along with center fielder Trent Grisham, sidelined since straining his right hamstring on Sept. 4. Both ran the bases and Stanton homered while taking six or seven at-bats.

“Putting them on the outskirts of the conversation,” Boone, bothered by a cold, said in a raspy voice.

Following the end of the seasons for Yankees farm teams, New York has minor leaguers working out at Somerset in nearby New Jersey.

Stanton hasn't played since April 24 because of strained calf muscles in both legs after starting the season with a .256 batting average, three homers and 14 RBIs in 24 games. The 36-year-old former NL MVP had 38 homers and 100 RBIs in his first season with New York in 2018 but has missed 500 of 1,194 games since (41.9%), through the end of this regular season.

His other injuries included strains of his right biceps, right knee, left hamstring (three times), left quadriceps and both calf muscles along with right ankle inflammation, left Achilles tendinitis and tendon pain in both elbows.

“You’re looking more at a pinch-hit scenario,” Boone said. “We’ll see if that’s even a realistic option."

Stanton is owed $25 million next year in the final guaranteed season of a $325 million, 13-year contract that includes a $10 million buyout of a 2028 club option.

Lagrange could be brought up for major league debut

Carlos Lagrange, a 23-year-old right-hander who reached 100 mph with 98 pitches at Triple-A this year, threw to batters at Somerset. He was out between June 28 and Sept. 16 because of a right capsule strain.

Lagrange was shifted to the bullpen at the start of June.

“He’s in the conversation for something,” Boone said.

Clarke Schmidt still out

Right-hander Clarke Schmidt, who returned Sept. 16 following Tommy John surgery in July 2025, played catch but remains sidelined by right biceps cramps. New York had hoped to use him as a reliever in the postseason.

“Today was better than yesterday," Boone said. "If he’s not a real viable option by tomorrow, then we’ll probably go a different way.”

Postseason rotation

Boone said Cam Schlitter will start Game 1 or 2 of the playoffs. Max Fried appears set to start whichever game Schlittler doesn't, with Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón available for Game 3.

“Whoever goes 1 or 2 can pitch 2 and 5 in the next series,” Boone said.

Fernando Cruz throws a bullpen

Right-hander Fernando Cruz threw a bullpen this week and is to throw another one Thursday.

He hasn't pitched in a game since Aug. 25 because of right elbow discomfort caused by a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament.

“I’m in a really good position to be back I will say in the next couple of weeks,” Cruz said.

He took issue with the diagnosis of his injury.

“I had a real good inflammation, real stiffness and irritation," he said. “People can say it’s a partial tear, but in my heart it's not a partial tear.”

Volpe will see time at the hot corner

With second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. back from a sprained right thumb, Boone said Anthony Volpe will see time at third.

“I’ll probably get him on there a time or two,” Boone said.

Volpe entered Wednesday hitting .263 with one homer, seven RBIs and four stolen bases over 11 games since his recall from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He played three games at third base for the RailRiders.

“It didn’t feel that bad when I played there, but we’ll see,” Volpe said.

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See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Otherwise, clouds linger over Miami-Dade and Broward counties.Thursday will feature a sun/cloud mix and light north winds. Scattered showers and storms could develop during the afternoon. Temperatures are forecast to peak near 90°F.

Waltrip and his family shared a statement on Wednesday that noted the former driver, “has been diagnosed with Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD) complicated by possible Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) – likely from injuries incurred during his racing career.”

The 79-year-old Waltrip was one of NASCAR’s storied characters, one of the first to build a brand around his supersized personality, and he served for decades as one of the sport’s strongest ambassadors.

Waltrip won 84 races and Cup Series championships in 1981, 1982 and 1985 before moving straight into the broadcast booth. He was inducted into the third class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in January 2012.

Waltrip was Fox Sports’ first hire when the network launched its NASCAR coverage in 2001 and became widely known for his signature “Boogity! Boogity! Boogity! Let’s go racing, boys” call.

A fearless Kentucky boy who first showed up on the NASCAR scene in 1972 at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama, Waltrip aggravated his competitors by beating them on the track and then running his mouth out of the car.

Rivals nicknamed him “Jaws” and Waltrip was at the forefront of parlaying his personality and fame into a lucrative side hustle of appearances, celebrity endorsing and, finally, the broadcast booth.

“While this disease will inevitably progress, thankfully it is currently limited to some minor noticeable symptoms,” the family said in a statement. "As a result, he will be stepping further away from the public limelight. Be assured, Darrell is happy and otherwise healthy — spending his time with his wife, Stevie, two daughters and his three young grandchildren. We are all grateful for your continued prayer, love and support!

Boogity! Boogity! Boogity!"

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See AP’s full auto racing coverage here

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Melvin Diaz Cepeda was fatally shot at about 5 a.m. on Monday at a home at 4606 NW 5th Ave., near the Design District, according to the Miami Police Department.

Christina Marie Hernandez described Diaz Cepeda as a good friend who knew the shooter as a fellow DJ.

“They knew each other; I have a picture of them together,” Hernandez said.

Lt. Pete Sanchez, a spokesman for Miami Fire Rescue, said firefighters pronounced Diaz Cepeda dead. Officer Kenia Fallat, a spokeswoman for MPD, said detectives questioned one person.

Miami homicide detectives suspect Diaz Cepeda was an intruder at the shooter’s home.

“I don’t believe it; neither does his mother, who I am in communication with. Neither does any single person who genuinely knew him,” Hernandez said.

Detectives asked anyone with information about this or other cases to call Miami-Dade County Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477 to remain anonymous.

Local 10 News Senior Assignment Editor Frine Gomez contributed to this report.

Location

It was only 112 days ago when Koivun helped lead Auburn to another NCAA title, the final chapter in a remarkable college career.

And on Thursday, the 21-year-old Koivun plays with Thomas in a fourballs match for his Presidents Cup debut. For a sport with a reputation of moving slowly, his career has been at warp speed.

“Definitely going to feel some nerves on the first tee, but we’re all human. I think everyone does," Koivun said Wednesday. “I told Justin once I get my first tee shot out of the way, I’m going to be good. Just kind of balancing adrenaline, nerves, everything like that to the best of my ability.”

Three days of practice on the No. 3 course at Medinah Country Club — rain-soaked when they arrived, drying out by the day — gives way to the opening session of five fourballs matches.

The Presidents Cup has a heavy favorite in the Americans — they have won the last 10 times and lost only once since the matches against the Internationals began in 1994 — and a sentimental favorite in Adam Scott, who has is playing for the 12th time without ever being on the winning side.

“History is history, and it’s nice to be a part of history on the good side,” Collin Morikawa said. “But history can always be changed. I think for us, starting tomorrow, it all starts 0-0.”

Pairings for the opening session

U.S. captain Brandt Snedeker wasted little time sending out world No. 1 Scheffler and Sam Burns against Min Woo Lee and Sungjae Im.

They will be followed by Cameron Young and Xander Schauffele against the Japanese duo of Hideki Matsuyama and Ryo Hisatsune; Thomas and Koivun against Corey Conners and Nico Echavarria; Morikawa and Wyndham Clark against Scott and Ryan Fox; and the anchor match of Chris Gotterup and Patrick Cantlay against Si Woo Kim and Tom Kim.

“You kind of have an idea of how this thing’s going to go and got a good game plan set forth,” Snedeker said. “And now it’s just about getting out of these guys’ way and let them go do what they love to do.”

What to expect? Pretty much anything.

“I think everyone comes into these tournaments with optimism,” International captain Geoff Ogilvy said. “They’re very momentum-based tournaments.”

Ogilvy thought back to two years ago at Royal Montreal when the Americans made a big opening statement with a 5-0 shutout. The Internationals responded with a shutout of their own in foursomes in which three of the matches didn't even get to the 15th hole.

“You could never have predicted that,” Ogilvy said, a vice captain in 2024. “We've been thinking about this for a long time. So we're just excited to get going.”

The United States has another embarrassment of riches compared with the Internationals. With only five matches on opening day, Snedeker sat Russell Henley, the No. 6 player in the world, and Jacob Bridgeman, who came into his first Presidents Cup fresh off another PGA Tour victory.

Koivun is the X-factor for Team USA

It also has Koivun, one of the more intriguing characters in these matches considering how quickly he made it to this stage. Koivun won in his third start as a professional in the 3M Open — Scheffler was the runner-up — and Snedeker trusted his gut in picking him.

He wasted no time giving Koivun a taste of the matches.

“Jackson being a young kid, I feel like he’s really kind of found his way on our team really quickly,” Snedeker said. “I feel like he’s handled the adjustment really well. Justin is just a natural pairing for him. I think he’ll do a great job putting his arm around him and show him how USA golf is meant to be played.”

Koivun already has had a memorable week. As the only player who came without a plus-one, the Americans had him pose with the Presidents Cup trophy with all their wives and girlfriends. Clark told of the grief Koivun caught when he was the last one to show up for the bus ride to Medinah.

They all have high hopes for him between the ropes.

“The fact that he has the maturity and the correct outlook on everything, he’s obviously really competitive and he’s obviously really talented,” Thomas said. “I’m excited for him this week. It’s going to be an awesome experience for him.”

The Americans have won the opening session eight of the last nine times.

“We would love to be in front, have a winning session,” Ogilvy said. “That's the job tomorrow is to win a session. I'm sure we'll be in good moods either way, but the goal would be to win the session.”

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See AP’s full golf coverage here

The problem, which officials in the Republican-controlled state have not publicly defined, also could have disenfranchised people who wanted to vote in the state's March primary but whose registration applications were never processed, local election officials said during a news conference Wednesday.

“This is really out of left field. Knowing that this one element of (state) applications didn’t come through, and we had no insight on it,” said Chris McGinn, executive director of the Texas Association of County Election Officials.

The size of the backlog statewide hasn’t been determined, but the association said it is in the tens of thousands for some of the state's most populous counties. In Bexar County, which includes San Antonio, the election office received about 45,000 backlogged voter registration applications.

Some election offices will need to hire temporary workers to handle the crush, officials with the association said.

The issue started last October in the Texas Department of Public Safety, which among other things allows people to register to vote or update their voter registrations when they renew their driver’s license.

An unspecified error failed to send a large number of records to applicants' home counties, where the applications are processed and verified. Those records could be a new voter registration application or an update to an existing registration, such as a change of address.

The association of local election officials said its members did not receive any communication from the Department of Public Safety about why the backlog occurred or why they were not informed of the issue for nearly a year.

In a statement, the Department of Public Safety said certain records submitted online “were incomplete and not fully transmitted” to the secretary of state’s office. It said the “system issue” had been resolved, without elaborating on the nature of the issue. The department did not immediately respond to a request for further explanation. County officials said the problem appeared to be with the department's online portal.

Counties have until early in-person voting starts on Oct. 19 to finish processing the late-arriving applications.

During their news conference, county election officials said it is possible that some people might have been prevented from voting in the state's primary earlier this year or initially turned away because there was no record of them registering to vote or updating their registration.

The unexpected backlog comes as counties are already inundated with tasks leading up to the November election in a state with a nationally watched U.S. Senate race between Democratic state Rep. James Talarico and Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton.

The Texas Secretary of State’s office and county election leaders say voters don’t need to worry about their registration as long as it is submitted by Oct. 5. If a person shows up to vote and they do not appear on the voter rolls, election officials said they can cast a provisional ballot.

They also can check whether they are registered on the state's online registration site or call their county election office.

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Wilder is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

Lawmakers have long found little downside to taking a hawkish tone on China, but the U.S.'s war with Iran has inflamed tensions as U.S. officials accuse China of propping up Iran's economy and supplying its military with components and intelligence, endangering U.S. service members in the Middle East.

In speeches, letters, press conferences and hearings, lawmakers from both parties aired criticism of Xi's visit. Their actions and events stand in stark contrast to the warm welcome that Trump gave Xi on Wednesday as he arrived in Washington for a lavish state visit.

Republicans air their dissenting views

Sen. Roger Wicker, the chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, took to the Senate floor Tuesday night, offering a list of issues for Trump to raise with Xi, but not before suggesting that Xi shouldn't have been asked to visit Washington at all.

“Quite frankly, had the White House asked me for advice, I would have suggested the president not invite Xi Jinping to Washington for such a lavish welcome here in the United States of America based on all of the troubling issues we have with President Xi and the Chinese Communist Party,” Wicker said.

Wicker seemed particularly taken aback by the honor of a state dinner. Over the salad course, Wicker said the president could ask Xi about the Chinese Navy's harassment of Filipino fishermen and sailors. Then, while the servers are “switching from chardonnay to cabernet at the fancy state dinner,” perhaps the president could turn to the issue of Taiwan, he said.

He went on to say he hopes some progress will be made when the president discussed trade and artificial intelligence with Xi. But concluded with this: “During every minute of dialogue, our commander in chief should keep in mind that his guest is a brutal, unelected, and oppressive dictator who seeks to dominate his neighbors and whose massive military arsenal is aimed directly at the United States of America.”

House committee weighs in with a critical video

Ahead of Xi's visit, the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party released a highly critical video that had been viewed more than 245,000 times on X. In the video, the committee details Xi's rise to power starting in 1974 and ends by labeling him "the biggest opponent of freedom and liberty in the world.”

The House created the panel in 2023. It's held several hearings on human rights issues in China and advocates for legislation on an array of economic and military issues. For example, the committee's chairman, Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., recently introduced a bill that would prohibit the manufacture or sale of Chinese cars in the U.S.

Republican senators press for Taiwan aid

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and three other Republican senators used the Xi visit to press the Trump administration to move ahead with aid and arms sales to Taiwan.

In a letter, they reminded Secretary of State Marco Rubio that he had previously stated that “deterring an invasion of Taiwan must be our top priority.” And they noted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had once declared that the U.S. ”will not let our allies and partners be subordinated and intimidated."

China has pressed Washington to halt the arms sales, most prominently during a summit in May between Trump and Xi in Beijing. After that meeting, the United States paused the sale of a record-breaking $14 billion package — and Trump described arms sales to Taiwan as a “very good negotiating chip” with China.

“It is difficult to imagine how the United States might credibly project influence deterrence in the Indo-Pacific,” the senators wrote, “if the price of keeping up diplomatic appearances is denying our partners key deterrent capabilities.”

Democrats pile on the criticism

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and three other Democratic senators held a press conference to warn against the U.S. weakening export controls for advanced semiconductor chips and equipment. They're concerned that such exports could erase the U.S.'s lead in artificial intelligence over China.

They touched on voter concerns about the safety of artificial intelligence and contrasted Democrats’ call for greater regulation with the president’s call to “encourage it, not rein it in.”

“We must reject the false choice Trump keeps making,” Schumer told reporters. “We can and must both maintain our lead on AI by restricting China’s access to our technology and put up guardrails to mitigate AI’s risk."

Meanwhile, on the Senate floor, Democratic senators urged Trump to confront Xi directly about the support his country is providing Iran.

“If we want to bring this war to an end, we need to cut off the outside support that allows Iran to keep fighting, and that starts with China,” said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the ranking Democratic lawmaker on the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee.

Lauderdale-by-the-Sea Mayor Edmund Malkoon told Local 10 News why he thinks voters should keep him in his current role, emphasizing his stewardship of town funds.

“I believe the last two years have shown a steady progress in our government. We’ve remained fiscally responsible. We’ve increased our investments for the town,” said Malkoon. “We are making sure that we are scrutinizing every expenditure, making sure that every dollar is spent wisely. We can ensure that we are moving forward with infrastructure and resiliency. Those are the items that really matter and keeping our town unique.”

Running against him is LBTS Vice Mayor Randy Strauss.

“First of all, we’re going to keep what works, fix what doesn’t,” he said. “We’re going to remain local, and that’s the key to the reason I am running.”

Strauss stressed the importance of keeping the notably charming beach town out of the national spotlight.

“We are going to take us back into direction or course that we were going in just a couple of years ago and maintaining our local identity, keeping our town and our town culture is priority to the reason I’m running,” he said.

Both candidates agree the preservation of the elements that make Lauderdale-by-the-Sea so special is a top priority.

“I know that generations have fought to protect what makes this community unique, and that is being a low-rise human scale town on the ocean, something old Florida, if you will,” said Malkoon. “I want to continue to preserve that.”

Said Strauss: “Our height limits are sacrosanct to our town and our people that live here. It allows us to have this small-town feel, our small-town culture. It enables us to have the walkability around town and still feel the sun in your face and the wind in your hair while you’re walking.”

Jurors heard two weeks of evidence and must now decide whether Facebook violated the state's Unfair Practices Act and if so, how many times. It would then be up to the judge to determine how much the company would pay per violation.

New Mexico is the only state that has taken the data breach claims to trial as part of its go-it-alone approach to press for more accountability from Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram. Earlier this year 48 states reached a landmark settlement with Meta that addressed child safety concerns and privacy issues surrounding the same data breach.

New Mexico is seeking the maximum civil penalties, up to $5,000 per violation, and an injunction to halt future breaches of user data.

The case centers on accusations that Facebook failed to protect users from a third-party personality quiz that harvested data from roughly 87 million profiles and sold it to a political consulting firm, Cambridge Analytica, to generate targeted ads. The now-defunct firm’s clients included the 2016 campaign for Donald Trump.

“We became the product for Facebook. They turned our dreams into data they could sell to advertisers,” said Randi McGinn, an attorney for the state.

Attorneys for the social media company disputed that claim, telling jurors the platform does not sell user information.

A majority of Facebook’s revenue comes from advertising, and McGinn argued that the company was incentivized to provide targeted advertising opportunities. She said there was limited enforcement if third-party apps harvested users’ personal information and the company did not investigate whether those apps were owned by foreign countries or organizations.

Dane Butswinkas, one of Facebook's lawyers, said the platform investigated suspicious third-party apps following the breach. He told jurors the company has improved safeguards and privacy policies significantly in the last five years, since the lawsuit was filed.

Butswinkas said Facebook’s revenue and product development teams were kept separate and that despite having five years to investigate the platform's privacy practices, the state identified only two data breaches.

“How many other Cambridge Analyticas have you heard about in the case? The answer is one,” he said.

Butswinkas also said evidence shows that Facebook protects users from 99% of content that violates its standards and it is in the platform's best interest to ensure that violent or hateful content is taken down.

The trial included a video deposition of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who answered questions about a list of thousands of accounts that required additional checks before any of their content was removed from Facebook or Instagram.

The prosecution pressed Zuckerberg about an email in which he requested that employees add podcaster Joe Rogan’s accounts to the list.

“It’s not treating people differently to say we have a policy that’s about broad misinformation and not parsing political speech,” Zuckerberg said during the deposition.

Prosecutors said the list created a fact-checking backlog, allowing viral content to be seen by millions of users before being taken down.

Zuckerberg said the company needed to be careful about removing sensitive content and monitoring content is a challenging problem.

The state estimates that about 350,000 residents were exposed to the Cambridge Analytica breach, but McGinn asked jurors to consider that Facebook deceived all New Mexicans when making statements regarding privacy and violent content. Prosecutors estimated there were more than 1.3 million users in the state at the time of the breach.

If jurors agree, the company could potentially be forced to pay billions of dollars.

Meta agreed in August to pay up to $18 billion to settle the multistate suit surrounding child safety issues. Buried in the 130-page settlement was an agreement to release Meta from future liability related to the Cambridge Analytica privacy breach, making New Mexico the only state to pursue a case. Florida was the only other state that did not sign the settlement, saying it was not tough enough on Meta.

Also this year, New Mexico won judgments totaling $942 million from Meta in a two-phase trial about the company’s safety protections for minors. Furthermore the court ordered Meta to implement new safeguards, including age-verification technology and time limits on its platforms.

The judgments are on hold pending an appeal.

___

Associated Press writer Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, New Mexico, contributed. ___

Schuettler is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

Republicans in key states like Iowa and Michigan called for ending exports of diesel refined in the United States to help boost domestic supply. President Donald Trump indicated he backs that step, though his energy secretary on Wednesday said a “blanket ban” won't happen. The U.S. has used 4.1 million barrels of diesel per day this year, and it has exported 1.5 million per day so far, according to S&P Global Energy.

The pain is obvious to anyone who drives a diesel-fueled vehicle or relies on a diesel generator to produce power. A gallon of diesel cost $6.52 Wednesday, up 73% from $3.77 right before the beginning of the war with Iran, according to AAA.

But the problem will likely spread to every consumer, fueling Democratic efforts to retake control of Congress by harnessing anger over runaway costs and an unpopular overseas conflict.

“The price of diesel touches everything in our economy that needs to move,” said Joseph Brusuelas, chief economist for RSM. “That includes the thing we buy the most of, groceries.”

Diesel prices become the latest campaign issue

Although regular gas prices usually get more attention, diesel has swiftly become a hot issue on the campaign trail. Adam Hamilton, a Democratic Senate candidate who has mounted a surprisingly strong challenge to Republican Sen. Roger Marshall in Kansas, told supporters in a Topeka coffee shop this week that farmers are afraid that it's getting harder to make ends meet.

“A war has sent up the price of diesel,” Hamilton said. “These guys said, ‘We don’t know if we’re going to keep the farm.’”

Elaine Luria, a Democrat running for a southeastern Virginia House seat, cited the high price of diesel at a Virginia Beach roundtable Wednesday.

“Iran is no further from acquiring a nuclear weapon. And Iran’s proxy groups, such as the Houthis in Yemen, are now expanding the footprint,” she said in an interview, adding that the conflict is becoming “an expanding economic crisis.” Luria is a former congresswoman trying to reclaim her seat from Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans.

Republicans like Rep. Ashley Hinson, who is running for Senate in Iowa, have called for an immediate end to the war and a ban on selling diesel overseas, hoping the extra fuel would then lower prices for Americans.

“Iowans are being squeezed and shouldn’t have to foot the bill at the pump or the checkout line for the war in Iran,” Hinton said. “We need to use every option at our disposal to provide some relief from high prices.”

The idea has split Republicans. Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota said he's open to it. Sen. Chuck Grassley, who is also from Iowa, has become the proposal's strongest champion, rejecting criticism from his colleagues from fuel-producing states.

“IF U CAN EMBARGO CHIPS U CAN EMBARGO DIESEL,” Grassley posted on social media, referring to export controls on computer technology.

Trump on Tuesday told reporters that “I've called for that too,” although Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the administration was still exploring how it might lower diesel prices. Energy Secretary Chris Wright echoed that point Wednesday, telling a climate conference in New York that “nobody wants a full blanket ban of zero exports of diesel, that's not what's being discussed,”

Why diesel prices are so high compared to gasoline

Diesel prices have skyrocketed due to a collision of events.

The Middle East produces a disproportionate share of the oil used to refine diesel, leading its price to rise faster than gasoline since the conflict began in February. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz during the war took about 20% of the world’s oil off the market, which raised the prices of diesel, gasoline and jet fuel.

Some of that supply has come back, but it’s nowhere near prewar levels, said Debnil Chowdhury, who leads the Americas and Europe fuels and refining team at S&P Global Energy. Then there were significant attacks by Ukraine on refineries in Russia, taking 800,000 to 1 million barrels per day of diesel off the market, according to S&P.

“These attacks have been pretty prominent," Chowdhury said. "If there is a way to a peace deal or a peace agreement announcing that there will be no more attacks on Russian refineries, on Middle Eastern refineries ... that would obviously make the largest impact on the underlying price.”

“The last few months eroded everyone’s cushion, but the last few weeks? Diesel went from under $6/gallon to over $6.53. Again, that was just in the last two weeks. You tell me what business, small or even large, budgeted for that,” William Stern, chief executive officer of Cardiff, a San Diego-based small business lender that's seen requests for loans spike due to the price increase, wrote in an email.

An export ban could make an impact — in the wrong direction. The American Petroleum Institute warned that diesel prices would actually rise for most Americans if an export ban is enacted, a caution shared by several economists.

“That will result in Americans taking a one-two punch for food and fuel prices that just don't stop,” Brusuelas said.

Export ban could ultimately end American oil industry, cause global recession, analysts warn

If U.S. refineries, which take crude oil and turn it into gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, stopped exporting diesel, they would wind up with a surplus of the material. They would need places to store it. Once those storage tanks filled up, analysts warn, refiners would have to stop making diesel. But they can’t just switch off diesel production without effectively cutting the supply of those other fuels and raising their prices.

“There really is no easy way to repair the kind of damage it would be to the global diesel supply chain,” Chowdhury said. “It really will have this effect across the entire global economy."

He added that "the chances of a global recession would increase massively as well.”

Phil Verleger, a longtime energy economist who advised the federal government during the 1970s oil shock, said he thought a diesel export ban could bring prices down but still have an extreme cost. ”In a couple decades," he warned, “the U.S. fossil fuel industry is dead.”

That's because the U.S. has been a reliable supplier of diesel to other countries that would likely look elsewhere if it cuts off supply. Verleger and other economists cited former President Richard Nixon's ban on the export of soybeans in 1973, which led to the rest of the world shifting to Brazil as a more reliable supplier. Now, the South American country is growing faster than the U.S.

But Verleger, who comes from an Iowa farming family, says he understands the visceral pain that a diesel spike causes, even though he also knows the dangers of trying to regulate it away.

“It’s terrible economics, the long-term consequences will be horrible,” Verleger said. “If I were an elected politician, I'd do it."

_____

Riccardi reported from Denver and Bussewitz reported from New York. John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas, and Sarah Rankin in Virginia Beach, Virginia, contributed to this report.

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The four terrier mix dogs attacked Perez about six streets away from her home in the Biscayne Gardens area. The neighbors who heard Perez’s cries for help intervened and called 911.

“One dog latched onto each one of my limbs ... my arms, my elbows. I have the worst damage on my right leg,” Perez said.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel, Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputies, and Miami-Dade Animal Services personnel responded to Northwest 11th Court and 145 Street.

“My neighbors chose to act, not knowing if they would also be attacked. I just told them not to leave me because I believed in full certainty that I was going to die, and I didn’t want to die alone,” Perez said.

Fire rescue personnel reported taking Perez to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center, where she underwent emergency surgery.

“She is severely injured. She spent multiple days in the hospital, surgery, her medical bills are going to be extremely high,” Attorney Michael Goldfaarb, who is representing Perez, said.

Animal Services personnel reported capturing one dog on Thursday and the three others on Friday.

Detectives asked anyone with information about this or other cases to call Miami-Dade County Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477 to remain anonymous.

Related fundraiser: Help Ashley Recover from a Traumatic Dog Attack

Location: NW 11 Court at 145 Street

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In 2020, Leila Cavett traveled with her young son from Georgia to South Florida to sell a white pickup truck to the suspect, Shannon Ryan.

She suddenly vanished.

The last time she was seen alive was on surveillance cameras inside a RaceTrac gas station in Hollywood.

Police soon discovered her son abandoned, wandering near a Miramar apartment complex.

Her father said Leila was a loving mother who would never abandon her child.

The investigation quickly turned to Ryan. The FBI said they connected Ryan to the disappearance through surveillance video, cell towers and social media.

He is now charged with murder.

During his testimony on Wednesday, Ryan said he had nothing to do with Cavett’s disappearance while proving a new answer when asked the last time he saw her.

“Dropped off at the Edge apartments and then maybe two, three minutes later, that was the last time I saw her,” he said.

When asked if he told that to investigators with the Miramar Police Department, he said no.

“No ma’am, I didn’t,” he said. “I was trying to protect a friend.”

Ryan, a self-proclaimed witch, previously told Local 10’s Bridgette Matter from the Broward County Jail that he did not kill Cavett.

“I can’t go into the particulars of the case like that because this is being recorded, but me and her had previous acquaintances together,” Ryan said.

Detectives said they found Facebook messages that indicated Cavett wanted to be Ryan’s apprentice. Ryan said he taught her to read tarot cards.

“I teach witchcraft, things of that nature. Yeah, I do tarot card readings,” Ryan said.

Cavett’s body has never been found, despite the FBI carrying out several searches at a landfill.

Police reported around the time of Cavett’s disappearance that Ryan was seen buying trash bags, duct tape and carpet cleaner. An arrest report says surveillance cameras captured Ryan moving Cavett’s truck and throwing away women’s clothing and children’s toys in a dumpster, as well as what appeared to be bloody towels -- something Local 10 pressed him on, but he denied.

Police released information about Ryan’s internet searches, including a Google search: “Does bleach and alcohol make chloroform?”

He was asked about that during Wednesday’s hearing.

“I saw a post that said things to never mix together, so I looked up, ‘Does alcohol and bleach make chloroform?’ It said yes, and I said well that’s things you just don’t know,” said Ryan.

Closing arguments are expected to take place Thursday when court resumes.

Aminata Seck, 26, is from Dakar, the capital of Senegal, and her attorney said on social media that she entered the United States on a student visa.

Her attorney, Sadiqa Reynolds, wrote that Seck was detained on Aug. 7 at Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport, as she was planning to travel with her team to an HBCU tournament.

The Louisville Courier Journal, which first reported Seck’s arrest, wrote that Reynolds said Seck may have missed a student visa deadline because she was having back surgery, and that she also has an ACL injury.

The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that Seck legally entered the U.S. in September 2019, then “chose to overstay her welcome in violation of our nation's laws.” The agency wrote that an immigration judge had ordered Seck removed a year ago after she failed to appear at an immigration hearing.

DHS said that Seck was wearing a leg brace for a knee injury when she was arrested, and is receiving treatment at a hospital.

Reynolds wrote that she spoke to Seck last week, and the player said she remained in a lot of pain. Reynolds said she was transferred to multiple detention facilities before being sent to the hospital.

Seck remains listed on the Grayson County, Kentucky, Detention Center’s online inmate roster. The offense description says: “US DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY / ICE.”

Democratic U.S. Rep. Morgan McGarvey, who represents a district including Louisville, said he is monitoring Seck’s situation, and that of others who have been arrested and detained in Kentucky.

“Aminata is a student-athlete who was arrested by ICE at the airport while traveling with her teammates,” he wrote in a statement. “The Trump administration’s cruelty knows no bounds, but we will never let this become normal and we won’t stop fighting for her.”

Seck was named to the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference All-Conference Third Team last season after she led the team with 11.7 points and 7.3 rebounds. Seck, a 6-foot-4 center, had five double-doubles last season and scored a season-high 30 points vs. Lane College on Jan. 14.

Seck also was named the SIAC Women’s Basketball Elite 16 award winner. The Elite 16 award is the SIAC’s highest academic achievement honor and is presented to student-athletes who demonstrate exemplary performance in athletics and the classroom.

The school declined to comment: “Out of respect for the privacy of those involved, Kentucky State University does not have information to share.”

Calling the case extraordinary, Iowa District Judge Scott J. Beattie said that allowing the lawsuit and its “faulty” claims to proceed could have a chilling effect that “can discourage others from reporting on and debating public affairs.” He sided with pollster J. Ann Selzer and the newspaper in affirming that the poll and coverage of it were constitutionally protected political speech, not a commercial product.

The ruling Wednesday came hours after a judge heard arguments but did not rule from the bench in a case on Trump’s ban of CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House grounds. Trump banned the three outlets last Friday, assailing what he called “fake news.”

After the ruling in Iowa Wednesday, a spokesman for Trump's legal team said the president will take his case to the Iowa Supreme Court.

Trump filed the lawsuit against Selzer, The Des Moines Register and the newspaper’s parent company in December 2024, accusing them of fraudulently publishing inaccurate poll results to damage him and help Democrats, saying coverage of polls is not protected speech.

Trump and his team have filed several lawsuits against media organizations accusing them of bias, calling into question the boundaries of free speech protections, particularly for the press. Some of those lawsuits have ended in settlements.

Selzer’s case was taken up by the free speech advocacy group Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. She said Wednesday she was grateful for the ruling, which “reaffirms the fundamental freedom to pursue and publish the truth without political interference.”

“Polling is a social science, not clairvoyance, and no responsible pollster can guarantee an election outcome," Selzer said in a statement.

Selzer's attorneys at FIRE and her co-defendants also celebrated the ruling.

“Today is a victory for the First Amendment — and for the essential role of a free press in American democracy," Polly Grunfeld Sack, USA Today Co. chief legal counsel, said in a statement. USA Today Co., formerly known as Gannett, owns The Register.

In dismissing the case, Beattie wrote that Trump’s lawsuit sought to “stretch both Iowa statutory and common law beyond their current bounds, turning speech that enjoys the highest category of First Amendment protection into a liability.” After hearing the arguments, the judge concluded the constitutional protection “is too great and the reach is too far. The case must therefore be dismissed.”

Beattie said the case would have to be dismissed even if, solely for the purpose of deciding the motions, he accepted the Trump team’s allegations that the poll was intentionally skewed and its results fabricated. “Even with this assumption, each of the three counts still fails,” the judge wrote, because the lawsuit did not meet the legal requirements for fraud or consumer deception.

The poll, conducted by Selzer’s company in the final days of October and released just days before Election Day 2024, showed then-Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democrats’ presidential nominee, capturing 47% of Iowa likely voters, to Trump’s 44%. Trump ultimately won the support of 56% of the nearly 2 million Iowans who voted.

U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and former Iowa state Sen. Brad Zaun, both Republicans, had joined Trump’s lawsuit.

Trump, Miller-Meeks and Zaun alleged the misleading coverage diminished their reputations, valuable time in the final days of the campaign, and campaign funds and resources.

Democratic nominee David Jolly and Republican nominee Byron Donalds both spoke at the WLRN Sunshine Economy Summit in Fort Lauderdale.

It comes as Donalds has made headlines after it was noticed that he removed several references to President Trump, who previously endorsed Donalds, from his campaign website.

Prior to the changes, the phrase “Trump endorsed” was featured prominently in several locations, followed by a quote from Trump.

Further down the page in a section marked “On the Issues” was a portion about Donalds’ commitment to implementing Trump’s agenda.

The changes come as the president faces low approval ratings in the face of persistent inflation, an unpopular conflict in the Middle East, and upward pressure on the cost of living, from groceries to housing to prices at the pump.

“This is kind of the weirdest story I have ever seen this political cycle,” Donalds said when asked about the website changes. “We were planning on making website updates since really two months ago, coming out of the primary.”

Donalds said the campaign site changes were designed to give more focus to his policy ideas on a range of issues.

“The website is focused to that end, so we made that change,” he said. “Considering all the hubbub about the change, I think it has probably driven a lot of traffic to the website. We are happy about that, because we want the people of Florida to see our policies in detail.”

During an interview with WLRN CEO and journalist Tom Hudson, Donalds was asked about the same issue.

“Your website did say enact the Trump agenda until yesterday so, will you no longer enact the trump agenda? Does it change your interest of enacting the Trump agenda if elected as governor of Florida?” asked Hudson.

“Well, no, I think that is a separate question,” replied Donalds, who expressed support for some of Trump’s policies while later hitting back on a press room question on whether he thinks the president has become a drag on Republicans ahead of the midterms.

“Nah, I don’t buy into that narrative,” he said.

You can read through the full transcripts from Jolly and Donalds’ comments at the WLRN Sunshine Economy Summit below:

David Jolly

WLRN CEO Tom Hudson: Congress serving the 13th District in the Tampa area. He’s back home. He grew up here in South Florida as the son of a Baptist pastor. David, welcome to the Sunshine Economy. Thank you for spending some time with us here today.

David, welcome. Thank you.

Florida gubernatorial candidate David Jolly: Thank you for your time. Thank you for the walk-up music.

Hudson: We appreciate, yes.

Jolly: You know, I was listening to the sound bed when you were talking earlier. In my very first race, I was endorsed by Bob Barker. Bob Barker.

Hudson: Of all people, yes. Is that right? There you go. We actually used the music bed on election night when we won that race. Well, I’m sure Ed Kahlehoff probably got the royalty check for that. You know, that’s the way that works. So, uh, you served in Congress. Uh, you have been a presence on cable TV-

Jolly: Sure ...

Hudson: uh, since then.

Why do you want this job, to be governor of Florida?

Jolly: It’s a great question, and my answer is I’m willing to be governor No, think about it. This is different You think

Hudson: a lot of people are not willing to be governor?

Jolly: No, this is different. Look, I didn’t get into politics, um, simply to hold the office or frankly, to return into politics.

I’ve been out of politics 10 years, long enough to tell the truth. Um, the reality is I think we’re a nation that’s broken. I think we’re a state that’s broken. You can see it, sure, in a culture that’s more divided than ever before. Our politicians tell us if we hate each other just enough, our lives will get better, and I think it’s wrong.

But we also know the economy’s slipping away from too many people. My wife and I have two young kids, seven and five, and I think this is a moment when history is watching, saying, “What are you doing?” Look, I want the economy to continue to grow in the state of Florida. I think economic growth is fantastic.

We should let the private sector lead. But we’ve got a K-shaped economy that’s calcifying and leaving too many people behind. And so whether it is an economy that’s breaking or whether it is a culture that is now more divided than ever before, look, I do think we all are called to do what’s within reach to try to fix the problems in front of us.

You don’t take on running for governor lightly, and frankly, you don’t take it on if, if kind of the pathway doesn’t open for you, right? A lot of people consider running for office, and that pathway just doesn’t open. Somewhere between your convictions and, I believe, in the hand of Providence, uh, the moment arrived about a year and a half ago to consider running, and the doors just kind of kept opening.

And I believe for our family, for my wife and I, for our kids, we’re doing what’s within reach right now to try to make a difference in a state and a nation that, a- again, I just... I think we’re broken. This is bigger than politics right now.

Hudson: There’s some familiar economic themes that you talk about in your campaign that have driven you to make this decision to run for governor- Sure

that we hear from the Republican candidate as well: affordability- Sure ... inflation, insurance, expanding economic opportunities. Yeah. What makes your plans different?

Jolly: That I’m willing to use governor, government as a partner with the private sector to actually improve people’s lives. Look, I, I was a former Republican.

I was a Republican in Congress. I was a Republican most of my life. I became an independent for five or six years. Today, I’m a proud Florida Democrat, not a reluctant one. But there are kind of three values that I’ve always held in my politics. First, the economy should work for everyone. Economic growth is good, but if it’s not working for everybody, it’s not working.

Second, we’ll let the private sector lead, but government fills in the gaps. There are things the private sector’s not going to do. Workforce and affordable housing, fixing an insurance market in a natural disaster state, access to healthcare for those who can’t pay, investing in public education, investments in clean water, clean air, quality of life, safe communities.

There are things that since World War II particularly, we’ve decided to make responsible social investments that have created the greatest amount of opportunity for the most number of people. The party I signed up for was the party of less government. I was kind of a Bush 41 Republican. I fought the Tea Party and the Freedom Caucus as it became the party of no government.

Now, under this president, and I believe this governor, government’s now the enemy. And, and as you defund and dismantle these social investments in housing, healthcare, and education, ultimately you’re ripping away economic platforms that improve life for the most number of people. So sure, everybody can say affordability crisis, but what does that really mean?

The three pillars of people’s personal economy are housing, healthcare, and education. They shift during the generations from your youth into, uh, to, you know, your 20s into retirement. Can you afford your house? Can you afford your insurance? Can you afford your rent? Where do you get healthcare, and where do you send your kids to school?

That’s it. And folks, if we abandon responsible government investments as partners in that, we’re ultimately dismantling the economic investments that have made us strong.

Hudson: So let’s dig into the insurance part of that, particularly the property insurance piece. When we first spoke a year ago when you announced your candidacy, I asked you about, uh, diagnosing the affordability challenge, and you diagnosed it as primarily a property insurance cost, uh, in Florida.

You have championed a state catastrophe insurance fund. The state has a catastrophe insurance fund. How is your plan different?

Jolly: It’s very different, and let me hit something right on the head. Despite the commercials, I don’t support $1,000 hurricane tax, and it’s an absolute lie And in fact, I will tell you that tax is part of current Florida law that my opponent supports, and that has been on the books for a long time.

My plan would actually repeal the $1,000 hurricane tax, but truth isn’t a convenient currency in politics these days. What I have proposed and understand in Congress, I introduced a national catastrophic fund. They called it socialism then. I’ve introduced a state catastrophic fund. It’s called the same thing, and let me tell you what we currently have.

Folks, we currently have a state hurricane fund with about $12 billion in it, and it’s used to reinsure and bail out insurance companies. We already have a hurricane fund. What I’m proposing is actually a hurricane fund that absorbs the risk of hurricanes and natural disasters, takes wind coverage out of the private market, cuts insurance by 60 to 70%.

Hudson: You want that fund to be the primary insurer of windstorm insurance in Florida- The full in- ... as opposed to the reinsurance ...

Jolly: the full insurer. And, and let’s start with where we are The insurance market has collapsed. It is not capable of covering natural disasters. So- That’s why we prop it up right now, okay?

Hudson: So, uh, th- there was a report out just yesterday from the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation finding that S&P has found that Florida has the lowest, uh, premium increase, lowest rate increase in the nation this year.

Jolly: Increase, but we have the highest insurance in the country. I mean, choose the sta- statistic that’s most convenient for us.

We’re paying three times what we were paying 10 years ago. We’re paying the highest insurance in the country. Natural disaster states, whether it’s hurricanes in Florida, wildfires in California, tornadoes in Tornado Alley, there is not... There, there, listen, there is a market-based way to cover it. It’s just not affordable.

Mm-hmm. And just like in the 2000s when, or even earlier, when we saw the run-up in property taxes, property taxes became a challenge that were push- placing people out of their homes. We decided to use public policy, let’s be honest, to artificially manipulate taxable values. Public policy stepped in. I think- We’ll

Hudson: get to property taxes a little bit later- I, I know,

Jolly: but-

Hudson: David, I promise ...

Jolly: but my, my point is, my point is there is not an affordable way for the market, the private market to cover natural disasters. So the bottom line, a state sovereign wealth fund that fully absorbs hurricane and wind from the private market, buys reinsurance on the world stage, cuts insurance by 60 to 70%.

Now, here’s something novel. I’m a politician that talks about how we fund it and where the revenue comes from. We shouldn’t run from that. We shouldn’t accept politicians that give us false promises. Let’s start with the $12 billion we use for reinsurance to bail out insurance company. That gives us an initial capitalization.

If we move to combined reporting, something we learned this week that I’ve been talking about for a year and a half, we, we allow insurance companies and other corporations to ship their profits- Yeah ... out of state, keep their losses here. That’s $3 billion a year in lost revenue right now.

Hudson: Well, I’ll ask about that in a second, but you talk about a bailout.

The, the current catastrophe fund is a bailout. Some would call it a backstop-

Jolly: Sure ...

Hudson: for insurance.

Jolly: So let’s call my insurance fund the same thing.

Hudson: All

Jolly: right. Ma- uh, look, math is math here, folks. We are not going to solve this without government taking on a larger role in backing this. Otherwise, people are gonna be priced out of their homes.

I wish there was a private sector solution to this. There is not a full private sector solution to this, as proven by the current fund that the state uses.

Hudson: The sovereign wealth fund, AKA the catastrophe fund, that you would like to be the primary insurer for windstorm for- That’s right ... Florida homeowners, uh, would be funded on profits from insurance companies.

Is that accurate?

Jolly: There are a couple ways to do it. Let’s start with the 12. We can move to combined reporting and identify almost $3 billion in revenue each year. I-

Hudson: So the combined reporting means taking those affiliate companies that now where the funds are pushed from the insurance carrier out to the affiliate companies to ca- recapture those at the what?

The five and a half percent- Yeah ... corporate tax rate in Florida? Yeah.

Jolly: So in lay terms, we let corporations and insurance companies ship their profits out of state. Last year, insurance companies shipped about 1.4 billion out of state. They declared about $140 million in losses here. It’s part of how we stand up a failing industry.

We let under-capitalized firms come in, we provide them reinsurance, they deny 50% of the claims, and they ship their profits out of state. That’s the

Hudson: cur- So you would ban that practice?

Jolly: I don’t know if it’s banning, it’s just requiring combined- How do you... Yeah. You c- you require combined reporting. There’s legislation that’s sitting in the legislature now.

Our governor and, and Republicans just haven’t moved it. But there are other revenue streams as well. Look, you could look at, at tourist development tax dollars.

Hudson: So you’ve talked about TDTs. You’ve talked about- We- ... the, the doc stamp for real estate transactions And,

Jolly: and a doc tax. So th- imagine if the average real estate transaction is every five to seven years in someone’s life, and there’s a $250 or $500 doc tax or stamp tax, but your annual insurance goes down by 60% to 70%.

That’s a pretty good deal. And you know, I had this conversation with Defede. Listen- But

Hudson: some may hear that, though, as a tax increase on the doc stamp where-

Jolly: And it’ll probably save you $10,000 over the course of six or seven years. Sure. Uh, folks, there are any number of ways to frame this. Math is maths.

Math- Yeah ... statistics are statistics, but truth is truth Truth is truth. I’m actually talking about fixing a broken system and saving homeowners money. I could cherry pick just about anything else. I could tell you right now Byron Donalds supports a thousand dollar hurricane tax because he said he wants to keep doing what we’re doing.

The thousand dollar hurricane tax is on the books. I don’t go on TV to say that because I have more integrity than to do that. The reality is math is math. We’ve gotta fix a broken insurance market.

Hudson: How would removing insurance coverage from the private market, which is where it is now, while also taxing insurance profits impact the appetite for private insurers to provide standard HO3 home insurance?

Jolly: They would, they would all rush in because now you’re covering traditional perils, uh, tree falling, uh, broken pipe, uh, slip and fall. Think about who’s not in the market right now. They’re not in the market because there’s not an actuarially sound way to cover natural disasters and storms. If the market became a stable market where you’re covering traditional perils, all of a sudden you open up the market to carriers that would never o- otherwise consider being in Florida.

Hudson: Why does that $30 billion mark, that’s what you’re looking for before you would release this out to cover, why is that the mark that you want in this sovereign wealth fund, this catastrophe fund? Why is that a number that you would aim for to provide the coverage to Florida homeowners?

Jolly: Because it’s actuarially sound.

It’s the only model that Wall Street will really back and, and underwrite. Um, i- it’s somewhere estimated north of $32 billion. Now, you could start to provide initial coverage earlier. You know, you would scale this up. This is the conversation I had with Defede. You know, in politics it’s easy to re-

Hudson: Jim Defede, a journalist here in Miami.

Jolly: That’s right. It’s, it’s easy to reach for the extreme and say, “Oh, but this. Oh, but this. Oh, but this.” Folks, math is math. No responsible governor is going to put forward a p- a program that is not actuarially sound. You just follow the math to get to the capitalization rate before you begin to absorb the risk, and you can initially choose, we could choose as a state what properties are eligible in the first phase.

Is it the most vulnerable? Is it the most hardened? Is it the, the oldest properties? That’s just a question of, of policy.

Hudson: How would you protect this fund from turning into what has happened to the National Flood Insurance Program, which is operating at tens of billions of dollars in deficit- Sure ... each year and needs special appropriations by Congress just to stay solvent enough to protect Florida homeowners who happen to live and have mortgage properties in flood zones?

Jolly: The Flood Insurance Program was stood up with the anticipation that Congress would always bail out the big expenses. I’m talking about a sovereign wealth fund that would buy reinsurance on the world stage and protect against its own losses. Let’s also be honest here, folks. Congress bails out the biggest storms we have.

That always happens. I worked in the Congress for 20 or 25 years. I worked on the Appropriations Committee. When I introduced the National Catastrophic Fund, it was to actually pre-fund the expenses of natural disasters instead of- FEMA

Hudson: has been very clear in this administration that it is not an insurance program.

Jolly: Yes, but Congress always steps in, always steps in and bails out the big storms. We, we always do it, folks. We always do. Mm-hmm. What I’m suggesting is pre-fund against those losses, pre-fund against those expenses.

Hudson: All right, let’s talk about property taxes, from insurance to property taxes. Do you support Amendment 3 as it exists?

Jolly: I anticipate voting against Amendment 3.

Hudson: Anticipate.

Jolly: I do. So

Hudson: you’re,

Jolly: you’re undecided right now. Per- personally, from my vote, let me, let me finish my answer here. Okay. Yes, sir. I respect what voters will decide on this because I think people are begging for property tax relief. I don’t think the math works, and I think we know that because even Ron DeSantis now won’t, uh, campaign for Amendment 3, and our sheriffs have come out and said, “Please don’t do this.

It’s gonna defund services." I think Miami-Dade will lose maybe $480 million, close to $500 million, uh, by year two. That’s gonna defund critical services. Even Ron DeSantis, when he introduced this idea, said, “We’re gonna need a backfill revenue provision,” and the legislature didn’t put it forward. I will respect whatever voters decide.

It will create a crisis, and the question is, who do you trust to manage that crisis when it happens? Here’s what I would like to consider. Um, two things, you know, very briefly. Before Amendment 3, I was proposing, and I still support, it’s just been sidelined in this race by Amendment 3. I think we need a first time home buyer homestead exemption.

Because understand, 25 years into Save Our Homes, we’ve so artificially imbalanced the tax rates between the longtime homeowner and the first time home buyer. That new home buyer has a tax bill that jumps by 400 or 500%. Between that and insurance, there’s a reason first time home buying age is now 40 years old compared to about 28.

But here’s the second area I would like to lead the state into a conversation. It’s gonna sound a little wild here. What if we considered local control of homestead exemptions? Hear me out here. Keep the baseline at the state. Don’t repeal the, the current state homestead exemption, but understand what a $250,000 homestead exemption does to Miami-Dade wreaks havoc, but can a large county survive?

Sure, you’re gonna feel the pain, but it survives. But Levy, Lafayette, Putnam, our rural counties are bankrupted, bankrupted within the next few years. So if we currently trust counties to consider millage and taxes on the front end, spending on the back end, what if we actually return to local control of exemptions and give the counties greater discretion to determine where to scale up exemptions, which properties qu- to qualify it for- Hmm

what occupations, what homesteads, whether it’s business, commercial, rent? Uh, look, I think it’s worth having that conversation.

Hudson: Are you pitting local governments against one another, then, in that case?

Jolly: I’m saving local government. Uh, look, I, I, I was a Republican who still believes something I’ve always believed, that government closest to the people knows best.

What we’ve seen out of Tallahassee is, is the ultimate preemption in the last 10 years, what I call big government conservatism. Um, Amendment 3 is the ultimate preemption, the ultimate preemption. And as a Democrat, I’m gonna be a governor that returns to local control. That’s why I’m entertaining the idea of local control of homestead exemption, to empower communities to make decisions that are best for them, give local voters the greatest amount accoun- uh, accountability of their local officials.

Hudson: David, as you’re running for governor here, w- do you support the state government regulating any level of property taxes than it does today?

Jolly: For property taxes, I don’t think that’s necessary. For exemptions, yes, let’s keep the baseline. Un- understand what’s happened. If you go back about 100 years, this gets a little wonky, but the average disparity between our highest valued counties and our lowest was maybe two to one, even a little less than two to one, about 1.8 to one.

So take a Palm Beach to a Levy, the greatest disparity, say two to one. So a uniform exemption of 25, $50,000, you know, it made sense. It was relief, and it applied across all 67 counties. Folks, during periods of economic growth right now, if you consider Miami-Dade versus Levy or Palm Beach or Collier versus Putnam, those numbers can be six to one, seven to one.

And so I actually think in terms of just smart economic policy, we’re entering an era where we need to consider what role does the state have in, in county taxation and homestead exemptions.

Hudson: So as you mentioned, you will, uh, i- if elected governor and if, uh, Amendment 3 passes, you will, you know, respond accordingly and recognize the voters have made this decision.

Will you support any additional revenue sources for local governments to be able to pay for services for residents if Amendment 3 passes?

Jolly: This is the crisis being created without an answer. I would look first to general revenue. I mean, I think we can make it through the first year or two for- State

Hudson: general revenue.

Jolly: State general revenue. I think we can make it through the first year or two looking at general revenue, right? The first year would be $100,000 tax exemption. Where do you have to rush in resources, whether it’s our rural communities- I think it’s 150

Hudson: and then 250. Or

Jolly: 150. Yeah. Um, and so I would look first to general revenue.

Hudson: Uh, would you support any other revenue sources, though, looking ahead as those, as it takes a bite to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars by year two, year three?

Jolly: Let’s see what, let’s see what year two and year three look like. I mean, I, I think we have to have a broad conversation. There’s a budget commission that opens up, uh, next summer.

I think we have to have a broad conversation about what the macroeconomic conditions of Florida look like in the next 10 years, where does our revenue come from, and where does spending. That’s why I often do talk about tourist development taxes. Because look, I, I represented Pinellas County in Congress.

I got all the beach and hospitality awards. No governor’s going to cramp our tourist industry. It’s one of our, our top three, right? Tourist, ag, and construction. But if we are going to continue to limit revenue everywhere we go, tourist development taxes, 91% of which are paid for from out of state, are currently only used for more tourism.

Folks, we don’t have a crisis of convention centers in the state of Florida. We got a crisis in insurance. We got a crisis in teacher pay. We got a crisis in healthcare. We got a crisis in education. I think we gotta have a statewide conversation about this.

Hudson: What else might be on the table? Because the state economists have estimated in year two of the property tax amendment, South Florida local governments will lose about a billion dollars- Yeah

combined. Uh, that’s 20% of their operating budget. And so to your point, right, uh, if voters approve of that, the next governor and the next legislature are going to have to have a plan in place pretty soon. Yeah. What other revenue sources other than tourist development taxes might you be considering as governor to help backfill some of those dollars to help pay for local services?

Jolly: Let’s start with tourist tax dollars, ‘cause I think that’s logical. Beyond that, I think it’s, it’s not prudent to speculate. And listen, I’m gonna need a Republican legislature to play ball on this, let’s be honest. This is going to create a crisis and possibly bankrupt some of our rural counties. This is going to defund law enforcement in some critical areas.

This is, this is bigger than party and politics now. Math is math. If this is something that voters choose, we need to respect the will of the voters. But Republicans in, in the legislature don’t just get to put their head in the sand and say, “Okay, we’ll bankrupt some counties.” I actually think there’s enough of a caucus that would prefer to consolidate some of our counties, go to, from 67 counties to 63 counties.

I’m not gonna let that happen, but we’re gonna have to figure out how to play ball in Tallahassee.

Hudson: About 40% of South Floridian residents rent their homes. How do you balance the impact of Amendment 3 between owners and renters in South Florida as you try to tackle - ... the number one reason-

Jolly: You, you

Hudson: know why I love this conversation?

that you’ve said, which is affordability.

Jolly: I love this conversation because I’m being asked to defend a proposal I don’t support and didn’t introduce. Uh, this is the, this is the- But you

Hudson: may

Jolly: inherit. But this is the problem for Florida’s voters. But you may inherit. This is the problem for Florida’s voters.

There’s no answers to these questions. This was the imprudence of this entire experiment. The math fails. The math doesn’t work. And so yes, what it likely does in some counties is it shifts the burden onto our renters. And folks, whatever burden we are feeling as homeowners, for homeowners in the room, the greatest crisis in housing right now is among our renters.

The greatest crisis is among our renters. And this arguably is going to push the burden onto the people who are bearing the, the crisis now more than anybody. The math just doesn’t work here. People are desperate for tax relief, and so let’s figure out a smarter way to do it. We’re gonna have to figure this out.

Hudson: So the state budget reality that you also may inherit if elected as governor, uh, doesn’t look great as we sit here today. And granted- You’re

Jolly: making this sound like a wonderful idea. I had to run for governor.

Hudson: Well, you said it was, it w- you know. You said the timing made it j- possible here, David. Uh, you know, uh, what is said about the difficulty about, uh, the future is that - Yeah

it’s a prediction here, right? So by the third year, right now the way the state, uh, economists look at it, by the third year of the next governor’s term, the state budget forecast is to run a billion dollars in the red, a billion dollar deficit. Spending cuts have helped improve the state budget and the state fiscal forecast - Right

over the past several years. How will you address the forecast for deficits?

Jolly: Look, I, I do think the budget commission becomes very critical if it can operate in good faith. Understand this only happens every decade or so. This is, this is an, an important moment. This is not just something that the governor is proposing next summer.

We will have a very important budget commission where we evaluate what is the out year plan for Florida’s revenue and for our spending. I, I will tell you initially, and it, it’s not to really dodge the question to the big ticket items, but there is enough fat even in a budget that has continued to top line be lean.

Look- Tallahassee’s the most corrupt capital of any state in the country. We have the most corrupt campaign finance system in the entire country. If we wanna drain the swamp, it starts in Tallahassee, not Washington, DC. The amount of money that is currently spent on special projects and on dead giveaways because of corporate interests that have controlled the town for 30 years is very real.

I talked about this as a Republican. I’m the r- I’m the crazy Republican who actually introduced legislation that said no member of Congress should be able to ask you for a dollar. It landed me on 60 Minutes because I’m this big campaign finance reform advocate. I think we need public financing of, uh, refor- uh, public financing of campaigns.

I think we need a broad-based lobbying and transparency reform package in Tallahassee. I think we should ban the unlimited political committees that allow us to launder money through our elected officials, and in the case of Hope Florida, we saw what it could be used for if you really have malintent about it.

So let’s start with where the fat is because I think that gets us... We could be looking at saving, uh, the first billion dollars right there.

Hudson: Let’s talk about, uh, AI data center development, an issue throughout the state of Florida and also, uh, here in South Florida with some AI data centers already up and operating in, uh, Dade County, and of course, a big debate that it has had recently in Palm Beach County, which passed a moratorium.

You have talked about a statewide moratorium- That’s right ... on AI centers for year one. You would talk about doing that on day one. That’s right. What would happen in that year with that moratorium? What are you looking for to make a decision about what happens in year two for AI data center development in the state of Florida, which is a commercial development opportunity, uh, honestly?

Jolly: Sure. Sure. Very rarely is there a time in politics where leaders can both lead and follow. What do I mean by that? You lead on smart, prudent public policy, but you follow when public opinion is just so overwhelming. So let’s start with the last part. 75% of the state is saying, “Please don’t do this right now.

Give us more time. Let’s study it. We don’t want data centers." 75% of the state says, “Don’t do it.” The job of elected officials is to listen to voters. I mean, I’ve said on our, some of our constitutional ballot initiatives that fell short of 60%, “If it went over 50, I’ll introduce it legislatively because that’s what Florida’s voters are asking for,” reproductive freedom, open primaries, recreational marijuana.

So 75% of the state says, “Don’t do data centers.” That should be enough, folks. Sorry, that should just be enough right now to hit pause. But what I will tell you is this: I think there are policy reasons to lead with a moratorium We know the environmental impact is something that is still relying on emerging technology that’s not fully there.

Closed loop versus open loop, some of the other questions around environmental degradation. The destabilization of communities, the devaluation of real estate, there remain open public health questions about this, the displacement of labor, but also I’m not convinced the long-term economic impact justifies these data centers.

There’s the initial upfront economic impact of construction jobs, most of which, by the way, are shipped in from out of your community and then are gone once this data center is built, and it doesn’t have the long-term tail of economic impact to justify the size of a structure that lar- likely will face, uh, functional obsolescence sometime in the next five to 10 years as the technology improves and these things would otherwise scale down.

So voters are saying, “Don’t do it in my backyard.” And, and I agree with that. So what would we do in a moratorium? I, I do think the jurisdiction for a statewide moratorium, uh, relies on environmental degradation and impact, and then also on still remaining public health questions. Returning to local control, what I would suggest, is a very, you know, deeply funded, deep research study on the long-term economic impact of data centers in communities, particularly our rural communities.

We could, we could entrust one of our state universities to do that. We can eventually hand that over to local communities who would benefit from a third-party economic impact study.

Hudson: We’ve seen local governments already put moratoriums in place. That’s right. Why do you think that’s not enough as local control?

Why do you think the state has to come in to put a moratorium in place?

Jolly: I simply think a state one is appropriate. Let the other 49 states build them right now. It’s the bottom line. I, uh, the environmental impact, the public health questions are enough for me, but also the long-term economic impact. I, I just think it’s appropriate to say let’s hit the pause button right now.

Hudson: Give us a sense of what your, uh, 100-day plan is if you are sworn in in Tallahassee in January of 2027. What’s the priorities?

Jolly: So we have a broad economic package focused on housing, healthcare, and education. Some of these would have to move to a ballot initiative, right? A state catastrophic fund for insurance.

I’ve committed to a 10-year renaissance in public education. Um, but I think when you look at scaling up workforce and affordable housing investments, there’s $2 billion right now sitting in a fund that could be deployed, but DeSantis doesn’t even have an agency head right now to do it. Um, but the appointment process takes over immediately.

Folks, I’m gonna fire the surgeon general on my first day in office and appoint someone that believes in evidence-based science and public health. I’m going to appoint a education commissioner that’s gonna get the backs, yes, of students, but also of teachers. Let teachers teach all of our history, not just the favorite parts.

I’m gonna begin to look at public service commissioners that believe in clean and renewable energies and get the backs of ratepayers and not just our utilities. We love them. We’re partners, but folks, this is out of balance right now with our PSC. The state university system needs to be refashioned to focus on Florida’s economy, not our ideology.

We’ve gotta get the governor’s ideology out of our state university systems and just move to institutional autonomy, advancement, and excellence, and yes, the impact of diversity on higher education. That’s the appointment process that starts on day one.

Hudson: Would you consider, would you consider continuing the state of emergency that Governor DeSantis declared regarding immigration in the state of Florida?

Jolly: No.

Hudson: What is your appetite to use executive orders over the legislative process, given that as a Democrat governor you would have a super majority Republican legislature?

Jolly: I think our current governor showed us it is fair to use executive authorities very aggressively. I am not going to exceed the bounds of the Constitution, but I might test some of them.

Look, a, a day one moratorium on data centers is sure to bring a lawsuit. Okay, let’s do that. I intend to address some of the DEI stuff that has become so controversial I think is impacting communities. Like, I was in, in Overtown yesterday where, where youth centers and, and centers that are housing people aging out of, out of the foster care program are now facing being defunding because they serve communities because they’re being targeted for DEI.

I think I can issue executive guidance that’s saying if there’s a social, socioeconomic justification for specific services, that there’s a safe harbor for some of our agencies to continue to serve these communities. I’ll get sued for that, I realize that, but we are going to test the bounds in a lot of places.

I also intend to use the governor’s office to litigate. Look, I support Jose Javier Rodriguez for attorney general. I do hope he gets elected. But if we have an attorney general that I believe is not representing the interests of the people of Florida like our current one, I intend to use the governor’s office to litigate.

Mm. A good example, this case is likely now moot, but a good example would have been on the open carry ruling, moving Florida to an open carry state. I would enter the governor’s office into that matter, into that case, and take the appeal up to try to prevent open carry- Mm ... in the state of Florida when our own attorney general won’t do it.

Hudson: David, we promised you 30 minutes. We got about a minute left. I gotta ask one question about politics because we know it’s in the air. Debates.

Jolly: Sure.

Hudson: You had a series of debates that you said you agreed to. Your candidate, uh, your, your opponent has set, uh, three debates that he said he agreed to. Will you debate?

Jolly: Yeah. No. We, I am not going to debate and that’s my final decision and here’s why. I think there is an immense amount of bad faith and dishonesty in our politics today writ large. I’ll give, I’ll give Byron Grace and not lay this at his feet. The amount of bad faith and vitriol is real. Our politics are broken.

We’re more divided than ever before. Our politicians just seem to tell us every day if we hate each other enough, that somehow our life will get better. That doesn’t help the state. I’m asking to be the leader of the state and I wanna lead with my actions what I’m saying with my words. I don’t want to further devolve our conversation now that has led to this point of bad faith and toxicity, and to even further bad faith and toxicity.

I’ve run a Lawton Chiles campaign for 18 months. Every community from Milton and Molino to Key West and everywhere in between, going into towns red, blue and purple, and we’re gonna keep doing that, and I think that’s the way we should do it. I’m not gonna do debates this general election.

Hudson: David Jolly, thank you for being here at the Sunshine Economy Summit.

Jolly: Thank you. Much appreciated. Thank you all very much. I appreciate it. Thank you very much, David.

Thank you.

Byron Donalds

WLRN CEO Tom Hudson: Appreciate you making time in your schedule. So you just heard, uh, David Jolly say that he was not going to debate you. Any response?

Florida gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds: I think it’s silly Uh, literally we were here. We could have set up a third s- chair and done it, but it is what it is. Look, I, at this point, I, I think what’s important for the people of Florida is that they just hear the contrast between both of us.

Uh, I think also with social media being what it is today, voters have an opportunity to hear very clearly from, from just about any candidate they wanna hear from. Um, on our campaign, we post all of our events live in real time. You can see them, you can hear the contrast. We pass around microphones in every room I’m in now, and we let voters just ask whatever question they choose to.

I think that’s important for them to hear directly, not just on, you know, maybe the top three or four you’re gonna ask today. Mm-hmm. But even some of the issues that might impact a voter in Pensacola, in Jacksonville, in, in Tampa, in Orlando, in Miami-Dade, in Broward County, um, or even in Palatka or in Okeechobee County or in Levy County.

I think it’s important for a candidate to be there and, and, and get-- take that incoming from all voters about the issues they care about. I think specific to the debates, he should stop running. We can do it anytime, anyplace, anywhere. I’ve agreed to three. Let’s do it.

Hudson: Byron, uh, let me ask you, you, um, spent some time in Tallahassee as a state legislator.

You spent time in Washington as a federal legislator. Why do you wanna move back to Tallahassee? Why do you wanna be governor of the state of Florida?

Donalds: Great question. One, I think Florida, we are in a, a position of being the best state in America. I truly believe that. I think if you look at the movement of feet, uh, Milton Friedman always said that you can judge public policy by the movement of feet.

People go to a jurisdiction where public policy is at its best. Conversely, people leave a jurisdiction where public policy is at its worst. This is why you’ve seen more Americans move to Florida than any other state in the country. Conversely, they’re leaving California, leaving Minnesota, leaving New York, leaving New Jersey.

There’s a reason for that. Uh, we, we’ve had consistent common sense leadership in our state, uh, for really going on thirty years now, and that’s actually also led the transformation into why Americans are choosing to relocate not just their families, but their companies. Why young kids like myself are choosing to come to college in this state to get educated, because it’s widely viewed as the best one state.

My mission is to make sure that Florida remains number one while addressing some of the key issues impacting everybody. Insurance, housing costs, uh, making sure young people can get into the game, not just of home ownership, but having a high-paying job where they can put food on the table and a roof over their head.

And, and that just doesn’t happen by accident. It takes consistent leadership over time to see those things become a reality. I love this state. I’ve lived here now for thirty years. I want to continue to, to-- I want it to continue to be the best state in America, and that’s my mission in running for governor.

Hudson: On the issues, Byron, your campaign website had read the number one issue that you had was to enact the Trump agenda. That’s changed now. Today it reads accountable, achievable, affordable. Why the change from enact the Trump agenda to accountable, achievable, affordable?

Donalds: Well, we have been working on website changes for, like, two months now.

It just unleashed yesterday. Um, I think the key thing is, if you’ve watched any of my events really the last six months, we talk about accountable Florida to the voters, an achievable Florida for our children, and an affordable Florida for Floridians se- who are living their golden years, small business owners, and young families.

That’s been town hall events I’ve been having for months. It’s all on my social media. You can go to my YouTube page, go back months. These are the issues we talk about every day on the campaign trail. I think in light of, obviously, for the general election, the voters of Florida wanna know the policies you’re going to implement to make their lives better.

And so we wanted to make sure that the website fully reflected the vision and the policies for the future of Florida.

Hudson: Does it change your interest of enacting the Trump agenda if elected as governor of Florida?

Donalds: Well, no, I think that’s a separate question. If you’re gonna talk about the president, we’re talking about-

Hudson: Well, your, your website did say enact the Trump agenda until yesterday.

So have you- It did ... no longer enact the Trump agenda? It did.

Donalds: Uh, the Trump agenda, the president’s agenda, I think a common sense agenda is centered around law and order, sound markets, making sure that we secure our nation’s borders, making sure that we continue to work with the federal government when it comes to immigration policy, um, having a standard there of law and order.

It’s also about, on the state level, making sure that your ju- your justice system is consistent in application, that we back law enforcement, that we have the economic growth framework for young people to be able to not just have a job, but have a career, and be able to build a continuity of life that allows their standard of living to continue to be second to none, not just between us and the other forty-nine states, but between America and the entire world.

Hudson: Let me ask about some of the economic policies from the president that are under that Trump agenda, just to get a sense of, of where you’re at today. Uh, the tariff situation, do you support the president’s action on tariffs, particularly as it relates to Canada?

Donalds: Uh, look, my view on tariffs has been anything that we need to do to reset global, uh, trade agreements is in the best interest of America, not just over the short term, but definitely over the long term.

If you look at our trade policy in the United States, most of the deals have not actually been in the interest of American manufacturing, American small, small business, or American workers. And so it’s important that the United States actively is always looking at all of these trade policies. I do think that’s important, specific to tariffs.

The only way you’re gonna be able to get some of these re- renegotiations done is with tariff policy. If you think that a European country or Canada or some... or Mexico or another country is just gonna say, “You know what? Yeah, this trade deal doesn’t really work for you, America. Out of the goodness of our heart, we’re gonna come and renegotiate with you.”

That’s just not how this works. You do have to apply some economic pressure if you’re gonna have a new negotiation about trade policy into the future. We also have had a major issue in the United States for a long time on trade enforcement. Whether you thought the deal was good or bad for the United States is one thing.

We would have presidential administrations on both parties, mind you, that would not go through the process of enforcing these trade deals to actually make sure they were in the best interest of the American worker, of American businesses, both small and large. So I think if you’re gonna talk about the president’s tariff policies, the entire goal has always been about resetting some of these trade agreements so that America is on a fair standard with other countries.

And considering the fact that with globalization, with technological advancement, that these other countries in the world have now caught up to the United States, it is in our interest as a nation to make sure we have trade policies that put us on par with other nations to protect our workforce and to protect our industries, not just today, but going forward into the future for our country.

Hudson: The National Taxpayers Union Foundation, which is a conservative leaning, uh, think tank, has, has said that the president’s tariffs have cost the average Floridian household about $1,300. What do you think that the tariffs are accompy-- accomplishing economically today for Floridians as you’re running for governor under affordability, accountability, and achievability?

Donalds: Well, I think if you’re just gonna take tariff policy in of itself, yes, you can go by that measure. The way I look at it is the work we did on Capitol Hill as well. Yes, tariff policy is a tool to be used for resetting global trade. What is also happening in, in the United States and in Florida is increases in economic growth.

We have seen that. Look at the GDP statistics. That’ll tell you that very clearly. What we did on Capitol Hill through the president’s agenda last year was we cut taxes for small business owners. We actually kept the Section 199A small business tax deduction in place. It is now permanent for every small business owner in Florida and in the United States of America.

We supported that as a Republican. The Democrats and every Democrat commentator and elected official opposed that. So do we think it was in the best interest to let small business taxes rise in the United States? I would say no. We also had the largest tax cut in American history for Social Security recipients.

No-- We also had, um, eliminating of taxes on overtime for workers all through Florida, all through the United States. We also eliminated taxes on tip share for people who are using tip share here in Florida, all through the United States. We have already seen that, um, uh, tax refunds are at the highest level they’ve ever been in the history of the United States.

So when you take the tariff number of thirteen hundred dollars, I will take your number, but I will cede you the thirty-two hundred dollars that the average Floridian has paid less in taxes, meaning thirty-two hundred dollars more in their pocket today. And that does help a Floridian be able to afford their life, even though we still have headwinds in insurance and some other items that we do need to fix.

And

Hudson: of course, as Florida governor, there are no income taxes, so there’s not an income tax policy that you’re proposing, for instance, as governor, just to be clear here, right? You’re talking about federal income

Donalds: taxes there. No, we’re talking-- We’re-- Come on. Don’t be cute.

Hudson: I--

Donalds: No, I just wanna be clear. We’re talking federal, we’re talking federal income taxes.

Right. Yeah. But if you’re gonna talk tariff policy- Yeah ... that is a national federal system. Yeah. Fair enough. So we have the obvious, the obvious retort- Right ... is what every Floridian has to deal with when it comes to income taxes. Right. Because as somebody who waited tables-

Hudson: Yeah

Donalds: When I waited tables and had to put in my tip share- Yep

it didn’t matter if I was waiting tables in Tallahassee, they still withheld that from my, from my paycheck. Sure, on the federal stuff. When I was working hourly wages and I was moving furniture in on the weekend on Sanibel Island to make ends meet, FICA still came for me. Mm-hmm. Even though I was living in Florida.

Mm-hmm. So the comment about how the state doesn’t have an income tax, I think that’s fine. I think that’s fair. It’s accurate. Florida will never have an income tax, but the United States of America does. Yeah. So anything that we can do at the federal level to help working families keep more money in their pocket, help small business owners keep more money in their pocket, is a good thing, and that’s the work that we’ve been doing on Capitol Hill.

Hudson: Let me ask you about immigration and economic policy here, because there’s been research from the National Bureau of Economic Research finding that male employment in construction, in manufacturing, health and hospitality, fell by 3%, uh, as the immigration enforcement policies of the Trump administration came into play.

Those are important industries here in South Florida and Florida overall. Uh, would you continue supporting the existing immigration policy at the state level of Florida if elected as governor? The laws that were passed by the governor and the ex- and the legislature? Mm-hmm.

Donalds: Yes. Listen, let’s be very clear on this Number one, fact point number one, America has to decide once and for all what type of immigration system we’re going to have.

I believe our immigration system has to be one based upon legal immigration with assimilation, period, full stop. There has to be strong enforcement. There has to be consistent enforcement. What we have seen politically over the last couple decades now, and to be honest, it’s frustrating, I think, for Americans just trying to figure out what’s gonna happen, is we’ve seen this pendulum swing.

One, one year, like this year, we’re gonna close our borders and have zero intrusion into the United States on the southern border. Other years, the previous administration, we’re just gonna let the borders be wide open. We’re gonna allow for catch and release. We’re gonna let asylum privileges go wild.

There has to be a consistent standard. So to the core of your question, is the state of Florida gonna continue to work with the federal government? Yes, it will. The second point of that, every state in the country has a constitutional obligation to s- work with the federal government to enforce federal law.

The Constitution on this matter is clear. Article one, Section eight gives immigration, naturalization, and deportation powers expressly to the federal government. So if you have a state that now comes along and says, “Well, you know what? I’m not gonna work with you to enforce that policy,” in my view, you are now working to nullify the Constitution of the United States.

Every state signed on to the general compact under our Constitution. So for Florida, we are going to be consistent in application of the law. Our law enforcement agencies will continue to be consistent in that application. And, and I truly do believe that what our country needs is consistency of application over time, so everybody knows the standards.

That protects the American people. That protects small business owners. It protects the immigrant- Mm-hmm. -because then the immigrant knows the standard as well. What doesn’t get talked about in, in this debate much is what I’ve seen in my time in Congress. I went to the southern border five times I’ve watched young girls be trafficked over our borders by the drug cartels, and under the previous administration, there was no ability to arrest the coyotes.

Mm. It was just basically people came across the border, you had to process them in. We know that young girls were sold into sex slavery by the drug cartels. We know that young girls were raped by the cartels and by the coyotes in that journey. So having a standard of legal immigration, strong borders, and consistency in enforcement protects the immigrant and it protects the American people.

Hudson: You mentioned enforcement. You also talked about assimilation. How do you regulate assimilation as an immigration policy?

Donalds: I think assimilation happens when you have a consistent, um, manageable flow of legal immigration through legal channels. It’s like, it’s what happens when you invite people into your home.

It’s what happens when you have, uh, hire a new employee. If you’re running a small business and you just open up a, a job fair and everybody that walks in the door you hire automatically, there’s no ability for you to breed that cultural assimilation into your workforce. Like, that’s just common sense. If anybody in this room was gonna throw a party, and we all-- some people have thrown parties in this room.

It’s okay. When the guest list gets super large and you have no idea who’s coming through your house, it gets a little rowdy. Mm. When the guest list is curated and you know who’s coming in, everybody comes in with the expectation of how to treat your home. So how you deal with assimilation is you have a standard of controlled legal immigration.

It helps everybody understand the rules very clearly, and that’s how they come in. And anybody who’s coming in to immigrate into the United States, they come in understanding the pathway and the requirements if they’re gonna maintain themselves being in the United States.

Hudson: One of your Republican colleagues on Capitol Hill from South Florida, uh, Congresswoman-

Donalds: Side note, quick question.

Hudson: Yeah.

Donalds: This is a great dialogue, but when are we gonna get to Florida?

Hudson: Well, I, I’m, immigration is not a Florida issue? I

Donalds: just wanna make sure we get to the issues that are, that are on the minds- See, I mean- ... of all Floridians. But go ahead. What’s your next question?

Hudson: Well, no, no. I mean, do you not think immigration is on the minds of Floridians in South Florida?

Donalds: No, I think it is, but, uh, we’ve talked, um, f-federal tariff policy, federal tax policy- Well,

Hudson: Congressman- ... overall economic analysis- ... to be fair, you, you had said- ... and now we’re on immigration ... your number one issue was to enact the Trump agenda on your website- All right ... until yesterday. So all I’m- So I’m just asking you about that agenda

Donalds: I know, but all I’m asking you is when are we going to talk about insurance, housing?

Hudson: We’ve got 15 minutes left. We could waste time talking about what we wanna talk about. I’m just asking a question. We’ll get there. That’s all. So I’m asking you about Congressman Salazar’s comments-

Donalds: Okay ...

Hudson: about immigration.

She said, “Mr. President, some of your immigration enforcement efforts have gone too far.” What’s your reaction to her comment?

Donalds: I disagree with Maria I think what went too far in this country is when there was no enforcement at all. That went too far. I think what went far and it went too far in this country is, like I said in a previous statement, there were young girls who were given Plan B, who were given the pill by the drug cartels because they knew those girls were gonna be raped.

I think that went too far. We had young girls in our country, Jocelyn Longari, Rachel Morin, countless others, raped, murdered in the United States. That went too far. We have to have a standard of enforcement, and we have to have a standard of legal immigration, and that protects the American people

Hudson: All right, onto insurance.

It’s on the list here, Congressman. Sure. Told you guys we ta- get to talk about it. You have talked about your insurance plans, that you want to, quote, “Reduce an unnecessary surcharge on policyholders when the fund, the catastrophic fund, is financially strong.” What does that mean?

Donalds: Uh, right after Hurricane Wilma about 20 years ago, uh, this, the legislature put in a 25%, uh, surcharge on top of the premiums that are paid into Florida’s CAT Fund.

Uh, we put it in, in place during that time because the CAT Fund was almost empty, and Tallahassee moved quickly to make sure that the CAT Fund was shored up. Today, getting past... If we... Once we get through this hurricane season, and we’ll see what happens, you know, over the next six weeks or so-

Hudson: Everybody

Donalds: knock

Hudson: on

Donalds: wood

everybody, please. Uh, but we get through this hurricane season, the CAT Fund is estimated to have somewhere between 13 and $13.5 billion. So why do we have a 25% kicker on top to keep filling a CAT Fund whose statutory limit is $17 billion? My view is get rid of the kicker. That would lower premiums for every policyholder in the state.

And then along-

Hudson: Sorry, just to- Oh, go ahead ... clarify, would you require the insurance companies to pay, to pass along that reduction surcharge to policyholders?

Donalds: Yeah, of course, because they’re not having to pay it into the CAT Fund, so we wanna see that be borne out in people’s premiums. By the way, that’s what would happen anyway, because the additional kicker is paid for by policyholders.

So we wanna make sure that we pass those savings on to the people of Florida. Get rid of that kicker. You don’t really need that. If you’re thinking about what happens if the CAT Fund ever got depleted again, we can come up with some other solutions, uh, to deal with that. That’s one of the many solutions we’re gonna bring to reforming insurance in Florida.

Hudson: One of the other solutions that you’ve talked about is to cut construction costs by reforming the permitting process. How would the state reform local permitting?

Donalds: Uh, the state, what we wanna do is actually, um, do a procurement request for information of new technological, uh, tools that would help local governments, and by the way, state agencies as well, modernize that process.

I think it’s in the state’s interest to do everything we can to lower construction costs, so we would incentivize local governments to be a part of that. Like, we’ll pay the subscription fee. Like, we’ll pay the up, the uploading fee for people to transition their current operational departments to that system.

We also wanna have a place where if a county goes down or if a city goes down for whatever the reasons are, but let’s use hurricane. Let’s say they go down. We want those systems to be interoperable. That way You can easily have an ability to have another county come in to support. Let’s say Miami-Dade has to come in and support Broward County.

Okay, well, let’s do that on a temporary basis. If those systems are interoperable, it’s almost seamless. If Broward County goes down, people here trying to get a building permit, it would be a disaster. So we wanna build in that back end to make sure that happens. The state would come out with a list of approved vendors, and we would tell local governments and work with them and say, “Listen, we think this is in the best interest of Florida.

The state will pick up the tab for you to be on these systems, but we have got to shrink the timetable from buying land to constructing the facility." Because the longer every project takes, the more expensive it is. And if you wanna talk about affordability, but don’t talk about permitting, then you’re just running your mouth, and you’re not talking about the real ideas that can lower cost of construction, especially for the people who work hard every single day.

Hudson: Do you see that consolidated back office permitting system as still, uh, recognizing local permitting decisions, right? Building in Palm Beach County may be different, uh, uh, kind of permitting necessary than building in Putnam County.

Donalds: Oh, no, of course. I think at the end of it all, what you wanna make sure is that local governments have a systems that can help them be efficient.

But what they choose to approve or not approve is still for the county commission. The state is not gonna take away that.

Hudson: What do you make of the affiliate company process that’s involved with insurance companies now? We just heard from your opponent about ideas that he would, uh, want to tax those affiliate profits that are now sent out of state at the five and a half percent corporate rate.

Is that a process that you would support?

Donalds: Uh, no, I don’t think taxing it is the, is the way to go about it. I think there has to be strict regulations and, and not just strict regulations, but Office of Insurance Regulation has to really be empowered to engage directly with these carriers. Um, I read the Orlando Sentinel report.

I came out very quickly and said, “This is why we wanna have a very transparent process when it comes to insurance in the state of Florida.” The pe-

Hudson: Would you restrict that f- flow of funds

Donalds: to

Hudson: affiliate companies?

Donalds: No, no, I’m, I’m not in a restricting mode. I said that we have to make sure that we work very diligently with these carriers to make sure that the premiums that they charge are actually going towards the, the different claims that have to be put out there in the event of damage or storm.

I think that’s the way to do it. Um, I think what my opponent is saying is that he wants to tax it, but then he also wants to get rid of all private wind coverage. So if you get rid of private wind coverage, which is 70% of property and casualty insurance in the state, if the state takes that policy, takes all that business from insurance companies, then what are you gonna tax?

‘Cause then there’s no profit that they make off of that, so there’s nothing to tax to fund the plan that he says he can fund.

Hudson: Let’s move on to property taxes. Do you support Amendment 3?

Donalds: I do. I think voters need relief. I think the property owners need relief. Listen, property taxes six years ago or seven years ago now was $32 billion, it’s now $53 billion.

The truth ... Look, her eyes just fluttered. She was just like, “Oh my goodness, that is true. It’s the truth.” But

Hudson: some of that is recognized by there’s more property that is now being taxed at a higher value.

Donalds: Yeah, but what you said is the key issue. Local governments had an opportunity over the last six years to go to a rollback rate, to actually smooth out the increases.

Most municipalities and counties did not do that. What they said was, “We didn’t raise your taxes.” While property values were going up. So while your budgets did not adjust, or quite frankly, especially over the last, uh, four years or so, inflation was almost double digits through most products that people were buying every single day, county government and city government said, “We’re just gonna keep taxes the same even though values rose on everybody,” and they collected more tax revenue.

The people of Florida do need relief.

Hudson: And there is some additional service that some counties have had to realize as the populations have grown as well.

Donalds: Yeah, I agre- I recognize that, and, uh, this is why I’m saying that number one, the amendment causes for a raise from, from fifty thousand to a hundred fifty thousand.

Some areas a hundred thousand. The t- the

Hudson: homestead exemption.

Donalds: The homestead exemption. Yeah. Yes. And so if you look at the last time the homestead exemption was raised meaningfully in our state, the same arguments were coming from local government. “This is gonna be disastrous. Local governments will cease to be able to provide services.”

I don’t know if anybody’s looked around. When they raised the homestead exemption, I think it was, like, twenty-five years ago or longer now, local s- government services did not go away. I do, I do acknowledge, but this is one of the things that we are gonna have to make sure we wreckl- we, uh, wrestle with. I do acknowledge that Fiscally constrained counties is our problem.

Mm-hmm. And so I know the governor said that he was, he would backfill those out of state GR because, I mean, I think the number’s around $300 million or so for the fiscally constrained counties in the state. I, I, I didn’t wanna set up a grant program. I think what we can do in Tallahassee is a funding formula specific to those fiscally constrained counties so that they know they can rely on a consistent flow of revenue, and that they can still fill their budgets and operate the way they need to.

Hudson: So if elected governor, and the amendment passes, you will inherit this. Uh, are there additional revenue sources that you would support as governor for local governments to be able to continue to fund the services that residents and citizens have come to expect?

Donalds: Well, actually, local governments have a lot of revenue streams right now.

The, one of the revenue streams that very quietly county managers and city managers are talking, now let me just give you a, a preview. What they’re talking about right now, and especially in the larger counties like Miami-Dade County, Broward County, Palm Beach County, Orange, Hillsborough, uh, Duval, um, they’re already talking about non ad valorem assessments.

They have that ability to do that under state law today. They just have never really done that because ad valorem has just given them the money that they’ve needed, so they haven’t really worried about doing that. So if Amendment Three passes, um, I would assume that, um, a lot of these counties are gonna go into a special hearing, and there’s going to be some non ad valorem assessments that are gonna be passed.

So they already have the ability to do that- Mm-hmm ... under state law today.

Hudson: Mm-hmm. And is that anything that you would focus on as governor?

Donalds: Yeah, we would focus in on it because I don’t think that it’s, it’s okay just to say, “Well, we can’t get our money this way, so now we’re gonna get our money that way.”

What we need to be thinking about is budgetary restraint while making sure that key services are provided. This is why in Amendment Three, the language is clear that the first, that the first, uh, portion of local government that has to be funded is public safety. So for all the money that is collected, and there’s still gonna be billions of dollars collected, the first thing that local governments have to fund is public safety.

That’s in Amendment 3. There’s a reason why it’s there, is to make sure that it’s not just administrators or other programs, it’s that public safety, law enforcement, our, our firefighters, they, they get what they need.

Hudson: Do you support, if elected governor, the state government regulating property taxes at the local level?

Donalds: If Amendment 3 passes, the legislature would actually be the one regulating it. What I, what I think-

Hudson: Is that something you support as a former Florida legislator and possibly current or possibly future governor?

Donalds: Well, if that’s the will of the voters, then we’ll go ahead and execute that mission. But I think the way you do it is not just heavy-handed, top down from Tallahassee.

I think the better way to do it is if Amendment 3 passes, we’d have to maybe ... Really the legislature and local governments would have to set up, uh, some sort of, of vetting system about the, what the next wave of property taxes is. Um, but my commitment to the voters has always been whether it passes or fails, what needs to occur is, um, the Tax and Budget Reform Commission next year needs to have, be laser focused on this issue.

The property tax system in Florida is something that does need to be modernized. Assuming that the system is working right now is just not true. Uh, two big things that are going on in our property tax system which are becoming problematic, um, one is portability issues. If you have a s- if you have a senior or if you have somebody who, you know, like myself, I have three, I have three sons.

The older two are now out of the house. The oldest has his own apartment. Like, this is cool. Like, he’s off to college. Wow, congratulations. Yeah, I know, right? Yeah. I’m doing something right. You can judge a man by his fruit, and my oldest son has a job. He has his own apartment. He’s doing well. Uh, but that being said- Are you

Hudson: still paying his cellphone bill?

Donalds: No, I am not.

Hudson: Oh, that, uh, that’s the sign.

Donalds: That has been, that has now been passed on. I am not paying that. Uh, but, but, but the point is, if my wife or if any family where their children are now leaving, if they decided to downsize from the home that they raised their kids in, their property tax bill is gonna jump If seniors in our state, one of the reasons they’re not selling their property is because they know their tax bill will jump if they sell.

Well, that’s actually keeping inventory off the open market, which is having upward pressure on pricing. So we do need to fix portability issues in our state. And I’ll give you another one- Mm-hmm. For business owners. The, uh, the, the tangible personal property tax has to be fixed. Right now, every county and every, every municipa- every county has their own, uh, uh, depreciation schedule that they use for small business owners, very different than even the federal depreciation schedule.

All that has to be modernized and h- have one consistent standard so small business owners aren’t having to think, “Oh man, now I gotta go pay my, my personal property tax. How do I value it here?” If they have multiple locations, how are they valuing that between Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach County?

That stuff just p- p- uh, puts more burden on the back of small business owners. So those are some of the things that also need to be fixed. Well, real quick, I, I don’t

Hudson: wanna- I got one more question for you. We’re coming up against our 30 minutes, but go ahead.

Donalds: Okay. Real quick. The last thing in, in the property tax system that has to also be looked at is there are major differences between Broward County and, and, uh, and Dixie County and Citrus County.

Major economic differences. I actually think what we need to do is have a multi-tiered system Where Broward, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach have one system, but the fiscally constrained counties have one, and it’s tied more to property value writ large and economic growth writ large than just one uniform system across the state of Florida.

Let me sneak this- I

Hudson: think that respects both pro- both priorities. Let me sneak this in. Your, your opponent talked about possibly having local governments have some homesteaded, um, um, uh, regulation. Is that something you’re talking about here?

Donalds: Uh, not necessarily. What I’m talking about doing is letting the Tax and Budget Reform Commission study all these options, and then working with local governments to really figure out what the meaningful modernized way is for local governments to raise revenue.

Hudson: Um, finally, you mentioned the, uh, the generational, uh, long run in the rep- in the, um, governor’s office here in Florida by the Republican Party. Uh, if you’re elected, how would a Donald’s administration be the same, be different from a DeSantis administration in the past eight years for Floridians?

Donalds: I think we’re, you know, where it’s the same is definitely gonna be around constitutional philosophy, uh, commitment to law and order, um, just bedrock conservative common sense principles.

That’s how I came up in politics. Um, I think where we’re gonna be focusing going forward is, how do we make housing more affordable for people? Um, how do we develop the real workforce training systems for juniors and seniors in high school? We have a launch patch, Launchpad Initiative on our new website, by the way.

And so what that does, we wanna see juniors and seniors, um, get internships and apprenticeships with businesses in their communities who have training programs. We wanna incentivize that. If a child is not going to the university system, help that child have the skill set they need before they graduate high school, so they can hit the ground running and really build out a, a skill set that can help them be, um, economically viable.

When you talk to business owners in our state, a lot of them actually did not go to college, or some of them dropped out of college. They had a skill, worked at it, built a business, and then before you knew it, they really accomplished a Florida dream for themselves. So we’re gonna be much more focused on, how do we have economic growth?

How do we make sure young people can get their start in life, while also doing the heavy work that Governor DeSantis has already started around Everglades restoration and protecting our environment? We wanna finish Everglades restoration in my time as governor. Florida’s environment is critical to Florida’s future economic prospects.

They are not mutually exclusive. They work together in concert. So protecting our environment while we plan for the future and build for the future is my goal as governor, and I think you have to have consistent policy over, over time in order to accomplish that.

Hudson: Byron, thank you for joining us here at the Sunshine Economy Summit.

Much appreciated. Byron Donalds, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you. Thank you very much, sir.

Trump’s territorial ambitions over Greenland almost broke the NATO military alliance and shattered trust with one of America’s oldest and closest partners. The new defense agreement puts an end to the standoff. But was it worth the cost?

While the new defense agreement is a bit broader, the United States already had extensive military access under an existing 1951 deal and all the gains laid out in the agreement signed on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday could, ostensibly, have been achieved by asking nicely a year ago. The trans-Atlantic distrust created since the end of 2024 seems a very high price to pay for what may ultimately be a fairly incremental gain.

Interestingly, one place may emerge from this standoff as the real winner: Greenland itself.

The promised investments and contracts may never fully materialize, but the episode marks a major step forward in its push for greater autonomy and a more influential seat at the table. Greenland is no longer merely the subject of foreign policy decided by its former colonial rulers. Increasingly, it is helping to shape it.

There's been progress toward self-determination

“A notable change is Greenland itself at the table today, signing this agreement," said Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen speaking to a room cram packed with journalists and officials at the UN to witness the signing of the deal.

That's an understatement. The world’s largest island, home to about 56,000 mostly Inuit people, was still considered a colony until the early 1950s. Progress towards greater self-determination has been slow and it wasn't until 2009 that Greenland became a self-governing country within the Kingdom of Denmark.

Even then, while the Self-Government Act recognized Greenland’s right to independence when requested by local voters in the future, Denmark retained control of defense and foreign affairs.

“I cannot stress it enough: This is the first time that we are venturing into a binding agreement as a country," Naaja Nathanielsen, one of Greenland’s two lawmakers in the Danish parliament and a former government minister in Nuuk, told The Associated Press. “That is a huge step forward in our quest for more self-autonomy.”

Denmark and Greenland confront their own troubled past

Like most former colonial powers that discover history keeps receipts, Denmark's ties with Greenland are complicated. Greenland's economy is heavily dependent on Denmark, families and students often live between the two territories and the cultural linguistic ties are strong. Yet underwriting modern relations are centuries of Danish policies that dehumanized Greenlanders and their families.

They included forced contraception, the removal of Inuit children for reeducation by Danish foster families, and controversial parental-competency tests that led to children being separated from their parents.

“For many, many years you believed that you were a good colonizer,” Múte Bourup Egede, then Greenland's prime minister and now its foreign minister, reminded Danish journalists early last year, shortly after a newly elected Trump made his first military threat against the island. “But time has also caught up with us, and ... cruel things have come to light.”

The abuses are not distant history; many victims remain alive. Hundreds of Inuit women have claimed compensation from Denmark, alleging that health authorities violated their rights by fitting them with intrauterine devices — often when they were teenagers and without their informed consent. Danish authorities estimate that as many as 4,500 women and girls received IUDs between the 1960s and mid-1970s.

While the first official apology for the historic mistreatment had long been coming it was finally delivered in the summer of 2025.

The standoff with the United States “has been applying pressure and focused some of the Danish attention” on reconciliation with Greenland said Ulrik Pram Gad, a senior researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies, but “perhaps, some Greenlanders feel that it’s not as credible as it could have been without Trump.”

Trump's involvement changed the equation

While Denmark moved to address past grievances, anger with Trump's tactics also helped shore up support for its sovereignty and take the edge off calls by some in Greenland for quick moves to independence.

At the height of the crisis over Trump's ambitions in January, Nielsen said that “if we have to choose between the United States and Denmark here and now, we choose Denmark. We choose NATO."

For Denmark, the main victory is no doubt getting the US president off its back and succeeding in framing the crisis as a European security problem.

Danish and Greenlandic diplomats “have been working very hard to have European allies be part of this," Pram Gad said. "The result is an attempt to patch together the NATO alliance.”

And while Denmark has accepted some limitations to its sovereignty, investments by adversary countries such as Russia had long been off the table.

“The benefit of keeping the transatlantic alliance, or patching it together, or at least not allowing Greenland to be the occasion for Trump to blow it up, I think that counts heavily on both the Danish and the Greenlandic cost-benefit analysis here,” he said.

After Tuesday’s signing ceremony, relief was palpable. But while the Danish and Greenland delegations celebrated with a cold beer on a rooftop bar in Manhattan, the Greenland crisis has scarred a once undefiable bond. It leaves leaders in Copenhagen, Nuuk and other European capitals now assessing the reliability of the United States — and whether a signed agreement can repair trust once it has been broken.

“Following the president's remarks at the GA today, please change all references of ‘Artificial Intelligence’ to ‘Super Intelligence’ in our documents and positions. We will be using ‘SI’ in all remarks, positions and press elements moving forward,” said an email sent Tuesday to employees by Michael Drager, deputy assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of International Organization Affairs.

That bureau is in charge of U.S. diplomatic missions to all U.N. and multilateral agencies around the world. The email, titled “Change in Nomenclature AI to SI,” was obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday. It was not immediately clear if other State Department bureaus had or would follow suit.

On Tuesday, Trump told the U.N. General Assembly that he would “officially” change the name of AI, saying the existing name makes the technology seem “fake” and that U.S. government documents would from that point forward use “super intelligence.”

“The use of the word artificial makes intelligence fake, it makes it sound fake and it is not fake. It’s actually amazing,” Trump said.

The president said at the U.N. that “from the point forward” U.S. government documents “will be changed to use the much more accurate term super as opposed to artificial. So it’s super intelligence.”

Drager's email was sent shortly after Trump's speech, but it wasn't clear on Wednesday whether similar orders had been sent at other agencies. Such an order would likely mean adjusting the name of the “AI Force” that Trump announced this weekend to the “SI Force.”

On Wednesday, U.S. representatives used the SI term at a U.N. Security Council meeting about AI, where tech executives urged the United Nations' most powerful body to rein in the developing technology.

AI's rapid ascent has spurred dire warnings from AI company CEOs, lawmakers and others about the technology outpacing humans' ability to control it and calls for global guardrails.

Trump has rejected efforts to slow the AI development race through greater government oversight, saying he does not want to hinder industry and that the U.S. needs to ensure an edge over China.

Trump claimed on social media Monday that the U.S. is leading over China on AI and that he was “not going to stifle Growth, of something that will be bigger than the Industrial Revolution, or the Internet, itself.”

AI is expected to be a key topic when Trump welcomes Chinese leader Xi Jinping to Washington for a visit starting Wednesday.

___

Associated Press writers Josh Boak in Washington and Farnoush Amiri and Seth Borenstein at the United Nations contributed to this report.

State and local governments are leading, he said, as “Trump is trying to recreate the 19th century” by reopening coal plants, announcing new plans for oil drilling including off California, and centering his energy policy on fossil fuels that cause climate change.

“He’s doubling down on stupid, and he’s putting the American economy at risk,” Newsom said in an interview. He called Trump the most destructive environmental president in American history and “an invasive species.”

White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers used Trump’s derogatory nickname for the governor, “Newscum,” in responding to the comments. She said his “doubling down on Biden’s unpopular, unreliable and costly Green New Scam is stupid.”

“No one is surprised to see him whining about the climate change hoax at another conference instead of fixing the problems plaguing his state: out-of-control crime, the highest homeless population in the United States, and wildfire victims still waiting on state permits to rebuild their homes and businesses,” Taylor wrote in an email.

Newsom has long been trying to counter Trump's climate approach

Newsom, a Democrat eyeing a 2028 presidential run, has sought to counter Trump’s stance on climate issues before. He went to the U.N. climate talks hosted in Belem, Brazil in 2025 when Trump skipped it.

Trump prioritizes fossil fuels to produce electricity. The Biden administration sought to ramp up clean energy as a climate change solution. Trump began reversing U.S. energy policies his first day back in office.

Last year at the UN, Trump called climate change the “greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world.” He has hindered renewable energy, particularly offshore wind, while China and other countries invest heavily. China leads the world in adding wind and solar power, though it also added a lot of coal power last year.

Chinese President Xi Jinping begins his state visit to Washington Wednesday. As the economic and technological competition between the countries escalates, Newsom said the Chinese leader is "cleaning our clock from an economic perspective.”

Trump and Xi are expected to discuss artificial intelligence as they meet this week. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the U.S. has proposed a new “ notification mechanism ” for AI incidents that could affect national security.

Newsom also not happy with Trump AI stance

Newsom was critical of Trump for not doing more to add guardrails and instead listening to advice to let artificial intelligence “rip.” Newsom announced Wednesday a group of experts who will advise on oversight recommendations in California, including advancing the creation of a potential “kill switch” for rogue frontier models.

Trump was in New York on Tuesday. Unlike last year's climate-focused speech, Trump defended his actions against Iran as he spoke at the U.N. General Assembly and made the diplomatic rounds.

Newsom spoke at the United Nations on Wednesday alongside mayors grappling with the impacts of climate change and calling for collective action. He shared how the state is using renewables to change the way it produces and consumes energy, while reducing carbon pollution. While in New York, he also signed a new agreement with Spain's prime minister to strengthen collaboration on clean energy and climate issues and announced progress to link carbon markets with Washington state.

“California is not going to sit back and watch this guy roll back the last half century. We’re going to lead the next great revolution,” Newsom said.

“We’re going to dominate and we’re going to out compete and we are going to prepare the economy," he said, "not just in California, but the rest of the nation, for the fierce competitive fight against China as we move forward in this space.”

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

The 41-year-old Ronaldo was confirmed by coach Jorge Jesus as a starter for this 234th Portugal game — on Thursday against Wales in the Nations League.

Asked at a pre-game news conference if he thought of stopping his international career in July, after Portugal's round-of-16 loss to Spain, Ronaldo said: “Yes, I did. Of course, I’m always thinking on my decisions, my future, the present also.”

“I had a conversation with our president, with our coach,” he said of Jesus, whose previous job was leading Ronaldo’s club Al-Nassr to the Saudi league title in May. “I still believe that I’m able to help the national team to reach what they want, and will finish when I feel like I’m not doing anything here.”

Ronaldo, who captained Portugal to the previous Nations League title in 2025, is closing in on 1,000 career goals.

“This is a new young generation,” he said. “But for me the basic point is to be able on the pitch to score the goals and to help the team win games.”

The superstar player is not universally still admired in his home country.

“I feel the Portuguese fans like me, but I do understand that some TV channels want to criticize me,” he said. “They are dying for me not to come to the national team any more, but I can still move away from it.

“Anyway, I am used to it. For over 20 years I have been doing this, but my memories are with people who love me. I know why young kids love Cristiano, because they see me as an example, and I will continue to do that. Even when I am retired… in 10 years,” Ronaldo said, smiling.

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See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Earlier this month, The Associated Press highlighted Maisa Lopes Eliaser as one of dozens of spouses or parents of U.S. troops who had been detained after President Donald Trump’s administration rolled back protections for military families amid its push for mass deportations. Following the AP’s reporting, a group of Congressional Democrats launched an investigation into deportations of military service members and their families.

Eliaser was placed on a deportation flight Wednesday to her native Brazil when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers on the plane received a phone call about her midflight, she told the AP. She said she was then asked by an ICE officer whether she wanted to continue on to Brazil or go back to the U.S.

“Who made the call? We don’t know,” said Eliaser’s husband, Army Staff Sgt. Alexis Jaramillo. “But someone made the phone call, and then she came back.”

While other detainees were led off the plane in Brazil, Eliaser stayed on board and returned to Louisiana. ICE officers told her that she was “famous” because there were videos about her case, she said.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, a former Navy officer, directly contacted the ICE field office involved in Eliaser’s detention, according to his spokesperson. He has also spoken out on behalf of two other detained military family members in the past year.

In a statement to the AP, Kelly said the policy of detaining military family members is “wrong and makes no sense at all.”

“We need real solutions to fix our broken immigration system,” Kelly wrote in a statement. “Going after military families instead of real criminals doesn’t solve anything.”

DHS previously told AP that Eliaser, 32, had been issued a final order of removal by an immigration judge on April 15, after overstaying the tourist visa she used to enter the U.S. in 2019.

Jaramillo, a 43-year-old aviation operations specialist who has served in the Army for more than a decade, took leave of his duties training soldiers in Fort Polk, Louisiana, to care for Eliaser’s 5-year-old son after she was detained on July 8.

“This family’s reunion is proof of what’s possible when people set politics aside and do right by those who serve,” Danitza James, who heads Repatriate Our Patriots, a nonprofit that supports military families facing deportation and helped with Eliaser’s case, said at a news conference. “We won’t stop until every military family facing detention gets the same chance at justice.”

Eliaser, who was detained in July while at an immigration appointment, has another appointment scheduled for Monday in an effort to reopen her case and advance her green card application. Jaramillo is a U.S. citizen and the couple have been married since 2024.

Jaramillo said he has been told that there will be no further issues with Eliaser’s case, but the couple is still concerned.

“We are really, really, really scared about it, but you know, we have to go,” Jaramillo said. “I told the person who gave me the appointment, ‘Hey sir, don’t play with me, I’ve been through a lot.’”

Eliaser said she is still struggling to sleep and is afraid she will be sent back to the detention facility, where she said she was treated like “an animal.”

“It felt like I was in a nightmare,” Eliaser said. “I could not believe what was happening until I returned to my house. Day by day, I’m trying to recover from this trauma.”

There have been similar interventions in other high-profile cases over the past year. Annie Ramos, 22, was detained by immigration authorities as her husband, an Army staff sergeant, was preparing to deploy. She was released after a public outcry. Around the same time, U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat and combat veteran, told the AP that she personally contacted DHS to call for the release of Deisy Rivera Ortega, the immigrant wife of an Army sergeant who did three tours in Afghanistan, after learning about her case from advocacy groups. She was eventually released from custody.

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Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

El avance marca un punto de inflexión en la tensa relación histórica entre Gran Bretaña y sus territorios caribeños, al trasladar un agravio de siglos del terreno de la retórica política a uno de los niveles más altos del sistema jurídico británico: el Comité Judicial del Consejo Privado.

“Realmente es algo muy importante, y el mundo nos está observando", declaró Olivia Grange, ministra de Cultura, Género, Entretenimiento y Deporte de Jamaica.

"Lo que estamos haciendo es histórico, sin precedentes y un gran avance en el movimiento de justicia reparadora. Durante mucho tiempo, hablar de reparaciones ha sido solo eso: hablar. Pero Jamaica es conocida por actuar. La marea está cambiando, estamos logrando cosas”, añadió.

La decisión del rey de dar curso a la petición en lugar de desestimarla es sumamente significativa. Aunque el gobierno británico ha rechazado siempre los llamados a compensaciones financieras, la remisión por parte de la Corona delega, en la práctica, el análisis jurídico de estos agravios históricos al Consejo Privado en Londres.

Al dirigirse anteriormente a la Cámara de Representantes, Grange subrayó la magnitud de la cooperación del rey: “Ahora, el rey podría habernos ignorado. El rey podría haber demorado en respondernos. El rey podría haber tomado la decisión de no remitir las preguntas al Consejo Privado”.

Aunque la petición se dirigió formalmente al rey, Carlos no tiene decisión personal sobre si se remite al Comité Judicial del Consejo Privado; actuaría siguiendo el consejo de funcionarios del gobierno.

El gobierno de Jamaica indicó que la decisión del rey se dio a conocer a través de sus abogados en Gran Bretaña.

La medida se produce más de dos semanas después de que Jamaica solicitara al rey que remitiera al Consejo Privado una serie de preguntas sobre la esclavitud y la responsabilidad del Reino Unido de pagar indemnizaciones.

La petición presentada el 7 de septiembre recorre una vía constitucional singular. Como Carlos sigue siendo el jefe de Estado de Jamaica, la nación insular pudo solicitarle directamente mediante un antiguo mecanismo legal al que no pueden acceder las antiguas colonias que ya han transitado a repúblicas.

Grange reconoció esta ironía constitucional y señaló que la transición tardía de Jamaica a una república —un objetivo de larga data del gobernante Partido Laborista de Jamaica— en realidad ha resultado ser una “bendición disfrazada”. Como la isla mantiene al rey como su soberano, cuenta con la legitimación constitucional para forzar una revisión legal de las obligaciones históricas de la Corona.

La medida no ha estado exenta de críticos internos, algunos de los cuales cuestionaron la imagen diplomática de la presentación.

“No hubo errores en el proceso de presentación. No hubo meteduras de pata diplomáticas, como algunos quisieran dar a entender", indicó Grange. "Estábamos interactuando no con un Estado extranjero, sino con nuestro jefe de Estado. Es una petición legal. No es una negociación entre Estados ni una exigencia de pago. Planteó preguntas jurídicas que deben ser determinadas por nuestro máximo tribunal”.

Grange también reveló que Jamaica ha ofrecido formalmente ayudar a otros reinos de la Mancomunidad que aún comparten al monarca a presentar peticiones similares de reparaciones por la esclavitud.

Integrantes de un bloque comercial regional del Caribe conocido como Caricom se reunieron la semana pasada en Barbados para hablar de reparaciones, mientras impulsaban una estrategia unificada. El gobierno británico ha reconocido que la esclavitud fue “abominable”, pero ha rechazado las exigencias de indemnizaciones o disculpas.

_________________________________

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

The group on Wednesday announced a campaign aimed at raising $10 million “to protect and honor our nation’s shared civic and cultural inheritance against urgent threats emanating from Washington."

In an interview, the group's president and CEO, Brent Leggs, said the fund was the first of its kind for the privately funded nonprofit organization, which is charged by Congress with protecting historic sites, and would help bolster its legal division and government relations staff.

“It is a response to the urgent and existential threats to historic preservation,” he said.

The group has been critical of efforts by the Republican president to put his lasting stamp on Washington and the White House.

So far that includes razing the East Wing to make way for a ballroom that will dwarf the rest of the complex; paving over the White House Rose Garden to create a patio in the style of his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida; adding a helipad to the South Lawn; and redecorating the Oval Office with golden accents. Elsewhere in the nation's capital, he has been trying to rename and renovate the Kennedy Center, is working to build an enormous triumphal arch between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, and has tried repeatedly to refurbish the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

In December, the preservation group sued in federal court seeking to halt the ballroom project until it goes through multiple independent reviews and wins approval from Congress. The Supreme Court last month ruled against the group, with the majority saying it likely did not have the legal right to challenge the project, and allowed work on the ballroom to continue.

The group is part of a lawsuit aimed at halting the administration’s efforts to overhaul the Kennedy Center, which was abruptly closed to the public last week. Leggs said more lawsuits are coming.

The group has also been pushing back against proposed changes to the National Historic Preservation Act that it says threaten legal protections for historic sites and public land.

At a National Preservation Summit in Washington, Leggs painted the projects in stark terms.

“Our national inheritance hangs in balance today,” he said, according to a copy of his remarks. “It is not an exaggeration to say that this moment is existential. For our field, for the communities we serve, and for generations to come.”

“Together, we will raise an initial $10 million over three years in a moonshot effort to ensure our nation’s civic and cultural heritage remains intact through tangible connections to our shared history,” he said.

On Wednesday, Yareliz Mendez-Zamora, the policy coordinator for AFSC Florida, stood outside of the ICE- Enforcement and Removal Operations facility in Miramar.

“This is a public cry to our members of Congress. Use your oversight powers and continue to do the unannounced visits,” Mendez-Zamora said during a news conference. “You can protect our families.”

Mendez-Zamora stood in front of a line of people who were holding up photographs that lawmakers reported were shared by whistleblowers who denounced alleged abuse in Miramar.

Five photos showed four portable toilets provided for more than 100 detainees, according to a report released on Monday by U.S. Reps. Robert Garcia, Bennie Thompson, and Maxwell Frost.

“Whistleblowers have shared explosive new information with Oversight Democrats about the horrific conditions inside ICE facilities in Florida,” said Garcia, a ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Five other photos released in the report showed detainees sleeping on the floor in a crowded room. Some appeared to be in shackles.

“This new whistleblower report reinforces what has long been documented about immigration detention facilities—a system being used to punish people rather than uphold basic human dignity and justice,” Frost said.

In July, Garcia and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who were concerned about Homeland Security’s “efforts to systematically weaken training, safeguards, oversight, and accountability mechanisms.”

Garcia and Blumenthal, a ranking member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, sent a letter on July 30 to Benjamine Huffman, the director of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers.

“The killing of innocent people by DHS personnel is a horrific tragedy and a disaster,” Garcia and Blumenthal wrote about the deaths of Durán Guerrero, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, Alex Jeffrey Pretti, Renée Nicole Good, Keith Porter Jr., Silverio Villegas-González, and Ruben Ray Martinez, according to the letter.

Related document: Images of Miramar Holding Facility provided by the whistleblower

Related report: Whistleblower report details alleged poor living conditions at multiple Florida ICE facilities, including in Miramar

“If managed poorly, I even believe AI could be a risk to humanity as a whole,” said Dario Amodei, chief executive officer of Anthropic. And from his competitor Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, came this assessment: “We could lose control of the future to AI.”

Both said the countries of the world, through the U.N. Security Council, where they testified Wednesday, have to set safeguards of some kind to prevent the technology from getting too powerful to rein in.

They also called for the world to make sure that the power of AI isn’t concentrated in one company or country. They also touted the benefits of the technology for bettering humanity and what Altman called “giving people more power over their own lives.”

Those tech leaders “are telling us in stark terms that it cannot be left to them to prevent disaster from befalling the world,” British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said at the Security Council. “We cannot ignore them because they are right.’’

AI will be at the heart of G20 discussions

Miliband said when the U.K. leads the G20 next year, it will put controlling AI at the heart of discussions, looking for a single set of global standards “to insure that AI development is safe.”

But, the United States said: Don’t do it.

Worries about control of AI are "not a reason to pause its further development or to constrain it with new global governance structure,” said White House Science Adviser Michael Kratsios. “We want you, our allies and partners, to share in the benefits of this technology.”

The U.S. and China are jostling for AI dominance — and Chinese U.N. Ambassador Fu Cong emphasized that all countries should be able to choose AI technology as they see fit.

He warned against “banding together into a petty us-vs.-them clique in the tech sector and forcing other countries to take sides” and enabling unnamed major powers that he described as seeking “digital hegemony.” He called on countries instead to promote open-source models -- China’s approach to the technology.

For most of the world leaders, one key question about AI is this: Who should control life-and-death decisions — human or machine?

Amodei, Altman and Hugging Face CEO Clément Delangue, who spoke via a glitchy remote connection, spoke with the U.N.’s most powerful council because they and world leaders are trying to figure out not just whether to control AI, but by whom, how it could possibly be done and when it might be just too late.

The day before, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned of “killer robots." Experts and European leaders said that’s not hyperbole but something that’s either already a grim reality or perilously close.

Amodei called on world leaders to agree on not letting AI build biological weapons, figure out how to verify what models have the capability to do and “establish common standards” for testing and for loss of control and misuse.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, whose country convened Wednesday’s meeting, compared the current state of AI to both the runaway computer HAL9000 in the movie “2001: A Space Odyssey” and the dawn of the atomic age.

“Just as with the atom back then, the international community must now regulate AI in order to make the most of its potential and avoid the worst,” Barrot said.

Other leaders and nations are paying close attention to AI

His wasn't the only concern expressed during this high-profile U.N. meeting week.

“We must not allow the cost of today’s hesitation to become tomorrow’s catastrophe," said Liberian UN Ambassador Lewis G. Brown II.

Ukrainian President President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking at the General Assembly, said some kind of human control over machines must achieved soon. Otherwise, he said, for his country — at war for 4½ years — it may be just too late.

“There is already a real possibility that AI, not only people, will begin to decide what happens on the battlefield. And we need peace before we reach that point,” Zelenskyy said.

Last month, a Russian drone seemingly using AI “autonomously made a targeting decision that killed three Ukrainians. Killer robots are technically easy to build, and they are real. We should not be under any illusions otherwise,” Kentaro Toyama, an information technology professor at the University of Michigan, said in an email.

Data scientist Rumman Chowdhury, co-founder of the accountability nonprofit Humane Intelligence, said the idea of killer robots "evokes a science-fiction villain, when the question I want the public to ask is much more concrete: Who authorized a machine to select and attack a target, under what constraints, and who answers for the result?”

The U.N. meeting unfolded as Chinese President Xi Jinping headed to Washington for a much-anticipated state visit. AI interests are looking to what comes out of Xi’s discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump. Earlier, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the two countries had discussed a potential new “notification mechanism” for AI incidents that could impact national security.

But on Tuesday, Trump, lauding AI as “superintelligence,” said the United States would reject efforts to control the technology as it tries to win the development race with China. Kratsios was the one of the few who used that term in the Security Council.

Meanwhile, regional groups in Europe, Asia and elsewhere also are trying to coordinate AI policies, and various nations — and even subcomponents, such as U.S. states — are crafting their own.

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Farnoush Amiri, Edith M. Lederer and Jennifer McDermott contributed to this report from the United Nations.

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

The 33-year-old Kane is currently happy and setting records at Bayern Munich coming off a standout 73-goal season that has him in contention to win the Ballon d’Or in London next month.

Still, the England captain looked toward a future in the United States ahead of his team hosting World Cup winner Spain on Saturday in the Nations League.

“Maybe if I am in the MLS in the future or somewhere like that it might be a thing where you could connect the two maybe with the seasons,” said Kane, a longtime admirer of Tom Brady.

“That is something I will try and look at a bit more seriously,” Kane said. “It all depends on what happens in my career over the next five or six years, the motivation and what I want to do."

The former Tottenham forward compared the skill of place-kicking in the NFL with taking penalties in soccer.

“I take penalties and it is a very similar pressure, technique,” he said. “If I did that, in terms of training, I would be closer to that more than any other sport."

“If I was to do it, it is something I would take seriously. I would take maybe six months to a year of trying to practice before,” Kane said. “But, again, it is in the back of my mind because right now I am feeling that I want to play as long as I can here.”

Kane revealed he is “fairly close” to signing a new contract with Bayern where he is now in a fourth season and has won two Bundesliga titles.

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See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Los hechos ocurrieron el lunes 14 de septiembre, alrededor de las 6:52 p.m., en una zona residencial de la cuadra 11400 del Southwest 185th Terrace.

Según los agentes, en el video de una cámara de seguridad residencial se ve al sospechoso con una lata grande de gas pimienta en la mano antes de rociar a la víctima, una mujer de edad avanzada, a través de la ventana abierta del lado del pasajero.

Los agentes indicaron que el ataque podría haber surgido de un episodio de furia al volante tras un choque de tránsito menor.

El hombre huyó del lugar después del incidente. Según los agentes, conducía un sedán Mercedes-Benz Clase S plateado, de modelo reciente.

Se pide a cualquier persona con información sobre el caso, o que crea reconocer al hombre del video, que se comunique con la Oficina del Sheriff de Miami-Dade al 305-383-6800. Para permanecer en el anonimato, puede llamar a Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers al 305-471-TIPS.

La visita de Donalds se produjo en medio de la atención que ha generado la eliminación de varias referencias al presidente Donald Trump, quien lo respaldó, de su página de campaña. Antes del cambio, la frase “respaldado por Trump” aparecía de forma destacada en varias secciones, acompañada de una cita del presidente, y el apartado de propuestas incluía su compromiso de impulsar la agenda de Trump. Ahora, el sitio resume su plataforma en tres palabras: responsable, alcanzable y asequible.

Los cambios llegan en un momento en que el presidente enfrenta bajos índices de aprobación, en medio de una inflación persistente, un impopular conflicto en el Medio Oriente y el aumento del costo de vida.

“Esta es la historia más rara que he visto en todo este ciclo electoral”, dijo Donalds. Según explicó, su equipo planeaba actualizar la página desde hacía unos dos meses, tras las primarias, para dar más espacio a sus propuestas. “Con todo el revuelo, probablemente le ha traído mucho tráfico a la página, y eso nos alegra, porque queremos que los floridanos conozcan nuestras políticas en detalle”, agregó.

Cuando Hudson le preguntó si eso cambiaba su intención de aplicar la agenda de Trump como gobernador, respondió: “Bueno, no, creo que esa es otra pregunta”. Luego describió esa agenda como centrada en la ley y el orden, la seguridad fronteriza y la cooperación con el gobierno federal en materia migratoria. Más tarde, ante la prensa, rechazó la idea de que el presidente se haya convertido en un lastre para los republicanos de cara a las elecciones de medio término: “No, no me creo ese discurso”.

Jolly descarta debates

Jolly anunció que no debatirá con su rival en esta elección general y dijo que es una decisión definitiva. Argumentó que la política actual está marcada por la mala fe y la toxicidad, y que como aspirante a liderar el estado quiere predicar con el ejemplo. En su lugar, dijo que seguirá recorriendo comunidades de todo el estado, desde el Panhandle hasta Key West.

Donalds calificó la decisión de “tonta”. “Estábamos aquí mismo. Podríamos haber puesto una tercera silla y hacerlo”, dijo, y recordó que ya aceptó tres debates. “Que deje de huir. Podemos hacerlo cuando sea y donde sea”.

Dos recetas para los seguros

Jolly propone crear un fondo estatal que funcione como aseguradora principal contra huracanes y vientos, lo que, según él, sacaría esa cobertura del mercado privado y reduciría el costo de los seguros entre un 60% y un 70%. Lo financiaría, entre otras fuentes, con los cerca de $12,000 millones del fondo estatal actual, obligando a las aseguradoras a declarar en Florida las ganancias que hoy envían a empresas afiliadas fuera del estado, con impuestos al turismo y con un cargo adicional en las transacciones inmobiliarias. También negó los anuncios que lo acusan de apoyar un “impuesto de huracanes” de $1,000 y los calificó de “una mentira absoluta”.

Donalds, en cambio, propone eliminar un recargo del 25% que se impuso tras el huracán Wilma para recapitalizar el fondo estatal de catástrofes, conocido como CAT Fund. Según dijo, el fondo tendrá entre $13,000 y $13,500 millones al final de esta temporada de huracanes, frente a un límite legal de $17,000 millones, por lo que ese recargo ya no es necesario y su eliminación debería reflejarse en las primas. Se opuso a gravar las ganancias de las afiliadas de las aseguradoras y cuestionó el plan de Jolly: si el estado se queda con toda la cobertura contra vientos, dijo, las aseguradoras no tendrían ganancias que gravar.

Enmienda 3: uno a favor, otro en contra

Sobre la Enmienda 3, que ampliaría la exención de homestead en los impuestos a la propiedad, Jolly dijo que prevé votar en contra, aunque respetará lo que decidan los votantes. Advirtió que “los números no cuadran”, que Miami-Dade podría perder cerca de $480 millones para el segundo año y que algunos condados rurales podrían quedar en bancarrota. Como alternativa, propone una exención especial para quienes compran su primera vivienda.

Donalds apoya la enmienda. Afirmó que la recaudación por impuestos a la propiedad pasó de $32,000 millones a $53,000 millones en seis o siete años y que muchos gobiernos locales no redujeron las tasas mientras subía el valor de las viviendas. Reconoció que los condados con menos recursos necesitarán ayuda del estado y propuso una fórmula de financiamiento fija para ellos.

Otros temas

Jolly prometió imponer desde su primer día una moratoria estatal de un año a los centros de datos de inteligencia artificial, dijo que no mantendría el estado de emergencia migratoria declarado por el gobernador Ron DeSantis y aseguró que destituiría al cirujano general del estado en su primer día en el cargo.

Donalds defendió los aranceles del presidente como herramienta para renegociar acuerdos comerciales y dijo no estar de acuerdo con la congresista María Elvira Salazar, quien ha dicho que algunas medidas migratorias han ido demasiado lejos. Sobre en qué se diferenciaría de DeSantis, dijo que mantendría la misma filosofía conservadora, pero pondría más énfasis en abaratar la vivienda, en la formación laboral de estudiantes de secundaria y en completar la restauración de los Everglades.

Brown is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 30 to make the deal final. Defense attorney Mark Eiglarsh said Brown will plead no contest to aggravated assault. He will be sentenced to probation, and adjudication will be withheld, meaning Brown will not be considered a convicted felon, the attorney said. Brown could have faced up to 30 years in prison if convicted of the original attempted murder charge.

Brown is accused of grabbing a handgun from a security staffer after a celebrity boxing match in Miami on May 16, 2025, and firing two shots at a man he had gotten into a fistfight with earlier, according to an arrest warrant. Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu told investigators that one of the bullets grazed his neck.

Attorney insists that Brown would have prevailed at trial

“This was not an easy decision,” Eiglarsh said in a statement Wednesday. “Antonio believes in his innocence. He believes strongly in his Stand Your Ground defense, and he believes he would ultimately prevail at trial. But when prosecutors put an offer on the table that transforms a potential decades-long prison sentence into a significantly reduced charge and probation, there was simply no way he could reasonably turn it down.”

Florida’s so-called Stand Your Ground law allows people who believe they face death or serious injury to use deadly force to defend themselves without a duty to retreat.

Richard Cooper, an attorney for Nantambu, called the plea deal fair.

“We are satisfied that justice is served. My client maintains what he said previously: that he forgives Brown and will not cooperate with law enforcement,” Cooper said in an email Wednesday. “We wish Mr. Brown good health and that he grows from this event.”

Nantambu's attorneys have said he'd decided to forgive Brown

In a previous statement, his attorneys said Nantambu, a devout Muslim, had made the decision to forgive Brown after “considerable reflection, prayer, and consultation with his family and counsel.”

The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office declined to comment on Wednesday, with spokesperson Ed Griffith saying the details would be “fully clarified” at next week's hearing.

Brown has said on social media that he was defending himself from an attack and that others were trying to steal jewelry from him.

Brown, 38, spent 12 years in the NFL and was an All-Pro wide receiver who last played in 2021 for Tampa Bay, including winning a Super Bowl championship with quarterback Tom Brady. He spent much of his career with Pittsburgh. For his career, Brown had 928 receptions for more than 12,000 yards and accounted for 88 total touchdowns, counting punt returns and one pass.

Brown has faced legal problems over the years

Brown was extradited in November 2025 from Dubai, where he has business interests, after an arrest warrant on the attempted murder charge was issued in June 2025.

Brown has dealt with several legal problems over the years. He previously had been accused of battery of a moving truck driver, several domestic violence charges, failure to pay child support and other incidents. During a 2021 game with Tampa Bay against the New York Jets, Brown took off his jersey, shoulder pads and gloves and ran off the field, leading to his release by the Buccaneers and effectively ending his football career.

In a separate case, Nantambu was found guilty earlier this year of a misdemeanor charge of resisting an officer after police said he disrupted Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance in 2025. Nantambu was among dozens of dancers on the field at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans when he ran across the field with a Sudanese flag that read “Sudan and Free Gaza.” He surrendered to authorities after an arrest warrant was obtained.

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Associated Press writer Christopher Weber in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

A doubleheader Wednesday meant Austin — who in addition to being Tyler's identical twin is also an umpire — was on his way to Baltimore to work the games alongside his brother.

“This is something we’ve dreamed about forever,” Tyler Jones said. "We were told last year, ‘OK, if we can make it happen, we’ll make it happen.’ And it didn’t. The schedules didn’t align. Even this year we weren’t even sure if it was going to happen or not, and then it was kind of a shock.”

The 31-year-old twins called both ends of Wednesday's doubleheader, each won by Baltimore by a 4-2 score. Austin worked first base in the opener and Tyler was at second. Then they swapped for the nightcap — although the numbers on their uniforms were the only easy way to tell them apart.

The two are on a list of Triple-A call-up umpires who fill in at the big league level for injuries, illnesses, vacations and other reasons of absence. There are typically five umpires on a crew for a doubleheader instead of four, so Austin Jones was added.

Austin umpired his first major league game in 2024, Tyler in 2025. They'd worked a game together in the Gulf Coast League and the Arizona Fall League, but never in the majors.

“We talk to each other daily, especially about baseball and about everything, what we go through on a day-to-day basis," Tyler Jones said. "But to be able to live it together, and come to the ballpark and see him in the locker room and play cards with him before the game and share that experience was probably the best part.”

The Jones twins have joined a small group of umpiring families in big league history. There have been fathers and sons, such as Harry and Hunter Wendelstedt, and brothers, such as John and Mark Hirschbeck.

Tyler Jones jokes that he got into umpiring because “I was a really bad baseball player.”

They certainly started young, working youth games and earning some money when they were in high school.

“Baseball was what we ate, slept or thought of every single moment of the day,” Austin Jones said. “But it was to the point, I guess, after umpire school. We did umpire school together, and we roomed together. We had never really lived on our own, we were 18 years old. So it was our first time out of the house, doing things on our own, and we said, ‘Man, if this is kind of what life in professional baseball is like, this is pretty cool.’”

The Jones brothers had their parents, wives and Austin's kids at the games Wednesday.

“It was cool to look over, and that’s something my wife told me,” Austin said. “She was like, ‘Hey, when you’re out there, obviously you’re looking at your partners every pitch every play, but take a second and look at him not as just the guy working first base, your partner. Look at him as your brother.’ So I did that a little bit moreso tonight, the second game.”

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See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Neria Leiter, a reservist in Israel's military, “needs a miracle," Ambassador Yechiel Leiter said in a social media post. The ambassador's older son, Moshe Yedidya Leiter, who also served in Israel's military, was killed in Gaza about a month after the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023 attack, which triggered the war in Gaza.

According to the military and law enforcement, a Palestinian man rammed his car into a security checkpoint Wednesday afternoon near the settlement of Beit Horon, seriously wounding the soldier. Israeli forces at the scene then opened fire at the man as he attempted to flee and killed him.

More military forces were deployed in the aftermath in the area, which is crossed by a major highway connecting Jerusalem to Tel Aviv.

The suspect was identified as Mahmoud Suleiman, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog both sent wishes for Leiter's recovery. A social media post by Herzog described Leiter as “fighting for his life."

Netanyahu visited Leiter's family at the hospital Wednesday night before departing for the U.N. General Assembly in New York. The Iran war, which Israel launched together with the United States on Feb. 28, is a major focus of the gathering of world leaders.

Earlier this week, an Israeli man was killed in a shooting attack in the West Bank, which has experienced a surge in deadly violence since the war in Gaza began. Recent months have seen marked increases in attacks by settlers on Palestinians, evictions from Palestinian towns, Israeli military operations, as well as several Palestinian attacks on Israelis.

The latest violence happened in the middle of the Jewish High Holy Days, just after Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, which is widely considered the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

In mid-April, Ambassador Leiter was a central figure in the first direct diplomatic talks in decades between Israel and Lebanon in Washington. In late June, Leiter, Lebanon’s ambassador to the U.S., and Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon that was described as a first step toward peace following months of renewed conflict between Israel and the Lebanon-based, Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

Xi largely succeeded, shaking hands with then-President Barack Obama to deepen economic ties and expand cooperation. In the Rose Garden, Obama declared that the U.S. “welcomes the rise of a China that is peaceful, stable, prosperous and a responsible player in global affairs.”

Those days are over.

Returning to the U.S. capital Wednesday for the first state visit in over a decade, Xi — more confident than ever — is seeking stability even as the globe's two largest economies compete over everything from artificial intelligence to space ambitions and global influence. Xi is expected to urge cooperation with the U.S. for the sake of the world.

“In 2015, China was a rising power still, profoundly and quickly rising, but rising undeniably,” said Mira Rapp-Hooper, a visiting fellow at Brookings Institution's Center for Asia Policy Studies. Now, “China is risen.”

Both economies have grown remarkably over the decade, and while the U.S. still maintains a strong edge, what's important is that Beijing has gained the capabilities to check the U.S. and “the will to use those capabilities,” said Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center, a Washington-based think tank.

That was on display last year when China matched President Donald Trump's whopping 125% tariffs, nearly freezing trade and leveraging a near-monopoly in processing critical minerals — crucial for products from smartphones to fighter jets — to force the U.S. to stand down.

“In the past, China was disadvantaged in terms of strength, and it was not an equal to the U.S.,” Sun said. “But now it is considered a near-peer.”

US and Chinese leaders have shifted tones since the last state visit

In 2015, the U.S. raised myriad concerns: a level playing field for American companies in China, protection of intellectual property, cyberthreats, and freedom of navigation in the South and East China Seas.

Xi told Obama that “China is making all-around efforts to deepen comprehensive reform, to build law-based governance, to enforce strict party discipline.” Xi said Beijing would manage differences in the South China Sea “through dialogue” and told Obama that “China does not intend to pursue militarization” there.

Now, Xi remains in office after purging political rivals, abolishing presidential term limits and consolidating power. In the U.S., voters brought Trump back to the White House.

Most issues from 2015 either remain unresolved or have worsened: U.S. companies are still seeking market access, the Chinese have become more aggressive in cyberattacks, and the tensions in the South China Sea have only risen with the increasing Chinese military presence.

Xi made no mention of Taiwan in his Rose Garden remarks in 2015. But when hosting Trump in Beijing in May, Xi warned of “clashes and even conflicts” if the U.S. should mishandle the self-governed island that Beijing claims as its own. This week, Xi is expected to press Trump to further delay an arms sales package to Taiwan.

On the U.S. side, Trump will be welcoming Xi on Wednesday evening on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews, a rare move that deviates from the typical protocol of waiting for leaders to drive up to the White House.

China reduces its economic reliance on the US, but the US is still dependent on China

The U.S. was China’s largest export market in 2015, accounting for nearly one-fifth of its $2.3 trillion in exports. Today, the U.S. remains China’s top export destination, but its share has slipped to 11% of China’s global exports, which rose to more than $3.7 trillion in 2025.

That’s because the U.S. is buying less from China due to higher tariffs, while the Asian country is shipping more goods to additional markets around the world to soften the blow of Trump’s trade war.

And China has moved up on the global value chain in manufacturing, widening the gap with the U.S.

In 2015, China launched a national strategy to pursue advanced manufacturing by investing in key sectors. It has helped China reduce dependency on imports in areas such as memory chips and medical devices, and it made Chinese companies competitive globally in industries from drones to electric vehicles, clean technologies and shipbuilding, according to an analysis last year by Rhodium Group, a research provider that tracks China's economy and policy.

“There’s an undeniable sense of China’s progress on the global stage,” said Kurt Campbell, a former veteran U.S. diplomat who is now chair of The Asia Group, a strategic advisory firm. “China is not arriving. It has arrived.”

Beefing up industry has meant China's military now poses a threat to the US

Beijing's manufacturing clout has turned into military strength.

Its shipbuilding power has allowed China to build the world's largest fleet by number of vessels, including a sophisticated aircraft carrier and advanced amphibious assault ships, said Matthew P. Funaiole, a senior fellow for the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

But the U.S. Navy still has an advantage in overall tonnage and weapons systems, he said.

China has developed fifth-generation fighter jets and expanded the fleet to hundreds — it had none in 2015, according to a RAND report.

In 2019, China became the first country to land spacecraft on the far side of the moon, and it is operating one of the two space stations in orbit. It is the only other country besides the U.S. to have a space force.

China's military buildup “has made the U.S. homeland increasingly vulnerable,” according to the latest Pentagon report on China's military powers. “China maintains a large and growing arsenal of nuclear, maritime, conventional long-range strike, cyber, and space capabilities able to directly threaten Americans’ security.”

That was not the picture in 2015, when the Pentagon warned that “China’s military modernization has the potential to reduce core U.S. military technological advantages.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters hours before Xi arrived that the two leaders must interact because the U.S. and China are “the two largest economies in the world” and “probably the two most powerful militaries in the world.”

And Trump, while he has slammed Democrats as communists in a tactic ahead of November’s midterm elections, now is looking to wow Xi, the leader of the world's most powerful communist country, in Washington.

Trump is greeting Xi planeside because of their “great relationship,” first lady Melania Trump told Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends.”

“He’s coming on our soil, and we need to welcome them with the most respect,” she said.

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Associated Press journalist Kevin Vineys contributed to this report.

“Keep playing,” Scott shouted. They ultimately agreed to share the cup.

Asked for his recollections from his 2003 debut, the 46-year-old Australian smiled and said: “I think I strongly suggested that Ernie get to the 18th tee because we're playing. I was confident they could tee off. I don't know that they could have finished the hole.”

Scott never could have imagined then that it would be the closest he ever came to playing on a winning International team in the Presidents Cup. This week at Medinah marks his 12th consecutive appearance, tying the record held by Phil Mickelson.

It's another testament to a career built around a swing so pure it has kept Scott free of injury as he became only the second player to compete in at least 100 consecutive majors, and it has kept him relevant enough to be part of yet another Presidents Cup.

It's also one more chance, and Scott doesn't take it for granted.

“I feel like it's a huge opportunity for me,” Scott said. "There was probably a period 10 years ago, in the middle of my career, where it was, ‘Oh, this (winning) is going to happen.’ But now there's not many more, that's for sure. I've been given another chance. It might be the last one.”

The Internationals gathered for the team photo Wednesday morning, and it was only fitting that Scott had a place next to the gold trophy, with lifelong friend and International captain Geoff Ogilvy on the other side.

One is the captain who has been the model of quiet confidence. The other is the inspiration for a team that wants to win as badly as Scott does.

“He's part of the International furniture now,” Christiaan Bezuidenhout said. “All of us would love to win the cup, but it would be so much more special if we can do it while Adam is still in the team.”

Scott, coming off a runner-up finish in the BMW PGA Championship last week in England, still can find plenty of happy memories from his two-plus decades being on losing teams.

He partnered with Els for a pair of foursomes victories in South Africa — "He's a bit of a god down there. That was awesome," Scott said — and he was with K.J. Choi at Royal Melbourne in 2011 when they handed Woods and Steve Stricker their worst loss (7 and 6) in team competition.

But the beer-drinking celebrations with the cup in hand? Foreign territory.

“It's a quarter of a century. It's his whole career,” Ogilvy said. “Certainly the last two or three times he's been super motivated. Like: ‘This is something I have to do before I’m done. I have to be on a winning team.”

Scott's two closest friends in golf, Ogilvy and Trevor Immelman, have been or are captains. He surely is next in line, unless there's another Presidents Cup for Scott to play. In some respects, he already is one, given his presence — his experience — in the team room and on the bus.

“He's like a playing captain,” Ogilvy said. “You can hear in his voice his desire to win this tournament. He's the leader of the players, clearly, and he's embracing that role now.”

Scott started his Presidents Cup career playing alongside Els and Retief Goosen, Nick Price and Vijay Singh, all of them in the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Now he's with Ryo Hisatsune and Tom Kim, who weren't even born when Scott turned pro.

South Africa wasn't the only close call. It went down to the final match in 2005 in Virginia and in 2015 in South Korea. The Internationals had the lead going into Sunday singles at Royal Melbourne in 2019 until the Americans rallied behind Woods, a playing captain, and finally secured victory in the 11th of 12 matches.

But it was another loss, and two more followed after that.

“It's come down to the last hole several times, and they can go any way. And it hasn't gone our way,” Scott said. “For me, of course, I want to win one desperately and I don't know how many more I can possibly play in. But it's a team effort to do it. We all have to want it so badly. I think it would be an amazing experience for us all to win this cup.”

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See AP’s full golf coverage here

Los habitantes de uno de los barrios populares del nororiente de la ciudad hacían fila en los pocos supermercados abiertos, que eran escoltados por policías que enseñaban armas largas.

“Esta mañana nos levantamos a mirar cómo estaban las cosas con miedo de salir, pero uno sale a abastecerse”, dijo a The Associated Press al salir de un supermercado el taxista Antonio Ochoa Díaz.

El miedo se instaló la víspera en la ciudad del Caribe luego de que al menos tres vehículos fueran incinerados, entre ellos un taxi y un autobús del servicio público, y los comerciantes recibieran amenazas, en algunos casos de hombres armados que los intimidaban a plena luz del día.

Ante la escalada violenta el presidente conservador Abelardo de la Espriella ordenó militarizar la ciudad y aseguró que las Autodefensas Conquistadoras de la Sierra Nevada pretenden “incendiar” parte del Caribe como retaliación a una operación militar en la que murió José Pérez Villanueva, alias “Cholo”, señalado como el segundo cabecilla de ese grupo armado.

“Juro por Colombia y juro por mi vida que los voy a acabar. No va a quedar piedra sobre piedra en donde no pueda encontrarlos... y si no se someten, los voy a mandar al infierno en una bolsa”, advirtió De la Espriella la noche del martes desde Santa Marta vestido con un chaleco antibalas mientras recorría algunas zonas en un vehículo blindado.

Santa Marta, con aproximadamente 480.000 habitantes, se convirtió en la primera ciudad en ser militarizada por De la Espriella, quien asumió el mes pasado prometiendo “mano de hierro” contra los ilegales. El nuevo mandatario cerró todas las negociaciones de paz —incluyendo una con las Autodefensas— que había abierto su predecesor, el progresista Gustavo Petro (2022-2026).

Los pobladores relataron que las Autodefensas declararon un paro armado que busca restringir la movilidad de la población bajo amenaza.

“Uno se cuida de no salir y acata las órdenes por miedo... más que todo la ley de acá es la de los grupos" armados, aseguró Ochoa. Sin embargo, dudó que la situación vaya a mejorar de forma permanente y expresó temor de que cuando los militares se vayan el grupo tome represalias con la población.

La oficina del Alto Comisionado de las Naciones Unidas para los Derechos Humanos en Colombia condenó en X las acciones violentas en el Caribe, incluyendo las “restricciones a la libre circulación”, reiterando a los armados ilegales que está prohibido atacar a la población civil y al Estado su deber de protegerla.

Las Autodefensas Conquistadoras de la Sierra Nevada surgieron tras la desmovilización de los grupos paramilitares a inicios de este siglo. Según la policía, tienen incidencia en los departamentos de Magdalena, donde se ubica Santa Marta; La Guajira y Cesar y están implicadas en delitos como el narcotráfico y la extorsión.

De la Espriella ordenó el miércoles trasladar a cárceles de máxima seguridad a 76 detenidos por sus presuntos vínculos con las Autodefensas para evitar que “sigan ordenando (delitos) desde las cárceles”.

Mercado público cerrado, playas abiertas

La gobernadora de Magdalena, María Margarita Guerra, recorría el mercado público, con todos sus negocios de vegetales, frutas y carnes cerrados, repartiendo con su equipo volantes que decían “La extorsión no paga” mientras los animaba a abrir sus puertas.

"Yo sé que es difícil confiar, son décadas de violencia, pero tenemos que poner ese grano de arena y decir ‘vamos a unirnos’", aseguró a la prensa Guerra, quien considera vital que se reabra el mercado público por ser el “corazón del comercio”.

La gobernadora calculó que las fuerzas de seguridad presentes en la región se han incrementado en más de 1.500 agentes policiales y militares.

En paralelo, centenares de turistas disfrutaban de la playa de Santa Marta escuchando música, tomando cerveza y bronceándose en un día soleado, mientras los restaurantes y comercios alrededor permanecían en su mayoría cerrados.

A Orlando Andrade González, un turista de 64 años, el paro armado lo sorprendió en el centro de la ciudad el martes cuando notó que el transporte escaseaba. Cuando preguntó, un vendedor ambulante le advirtió que fuera a “esconderse”.

“A nosotros sí nos afectó el paro porque no pudimos disfrutar de otras playas”, explicó Andrade, un periodista que vacaciona con su familia.

El turismo es uno de los principales motores económicos de Santa Marta, por lo que los comerciantes temen que, si la tensa situación se extiende, los pueda afectar severamente.

The ProPublica report, published Tuesday, states that the FBI in 2024 planned to launch an investigation into Collins' dealings with Navatek, a Hawaii defense contractor and donor to her campaign. The investigation, which focused on an alleged pay-to-play scheme, failed to commence after President Donald Trump took office after winning the election, according to ProPublica.

The report arrived six weeks before an election where Collins is seeking her sixth term against Democrat Troy Jackson. Democrats have targeted the seat, in a state that Trump lost in 2024, as the party tries to win control of the Senate, making it one of the most competitive races on the November ballot.

Collins on Tuesday called the entire story “absolutely outrageous” and said it is frustrating and unfair to have such claims made against her so close to the election. Her campaign manager, Steve Abbott, also said Wednesday the allegation that “we charge people to have meetings” is categorically false and Collins accepting campaign cash for contracts “did not happen.”

Jackson called the allegation “corruption of the highest order.” He was not present Wednesday when a group of Maine Democrats held a news conference near Collins' Portland office, but said the allegations are a betrayal of trust.

“I cannot stress enough here today the seriousness of these allegations. Maine people deserve clear and real answers from Susan Collins right now,” Maine Democratic Party Executive Director Devon Murphy-Anderson said.

FBI says allegations were already investigated

The ProPublica report stated that the head of a Collins super PAC met with executives from defense contractor Navatek in 2019 and asked them for a $500,000 campaign donation. The company's CEO, Martin Kao, sent an initial $150,000 donation using a shell company, the report stated. ProPublica reported that it reviewed an internal company email from Kao in which the CEO later told Navatek executives that Collins committed to getting the company $32 million in Navy contracts.

Kao and two other Navatek executives were later indicted on charges of funneling illegal donations to Collins. Kao sought to reduce his jail sentence by revealing to the FBI the full scope of illegal contributions to Collins, ProPublica reported.

Collins said Kao is "a liar" whose story is untrustworthy.

“He has been twice convicted in separate federal court cases. He’s been convicted of money laundering. He’s been convicted of bank fraud. He has been convicted of false submissions to the FEC. He’s being convicted of a lot of crimes,” she said.

An FBI spokesperson said in a statement that the allegations "had already been investigated by the FBI years ago and ultimately found nothing implicating Senator Collins or Senator Collins’ campaign. Any suggestion otherwise is totally false.”

The ProPublica article also states that Trump's return to the White House left the Justice Department unable to perform the investigation.

Corruption investigations have decreased in Trump's second term

The number of FBI agents and Justice Department prosecutors specializing in corruption investigations plummeted in the first months of the Trump administration. The Justice Department, for instance, decimated its elite Public Integrity Section in early 2025 while the FBI disbanded a white-collar fraud and public corruption squad based out of its Washington field office.

The administration has also fired numerous law enforcement officials who participated in investigations into Trump, including over his efforts to undo the 2020 presidential election he lost and his retention of classified records at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.

An email seeking comment was sent to the Justice Department on Wednesday.

Collins said she first learned of the company through the University of Maine because of the research the Navy found to be valuable, which had to do with 3D printing for production.

She said the Justice Department has already reviewed the matter.

“I’m telling you this is completely false,” Collins said.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune dismissed the idea that Collins would be implicated in a pay-to-play scheme, calling the allegations “a political hit job.”

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Mascaro reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Eric Tucker in Washington, D.C., and Kimberlee Kruesi in Providence, Rhode Island, contributed to this report.

Caesars has a dominant presence on the Las Vegas Strip, operating hotels like Caesars Palace, the Flamingo and Harrah's. It also operates casino resorts across the United States.

Fertitta owns Las Vegas' Golden Nugget and restaurant chains like Rainforest Cafe and Morton's. Billionaire owner Tilman Fertitta is the largest shareholder in Wynn Resorts and the sports betting company DraftKings. Fertitta stepped back from his role as president and director of his company following his April 2025 confirmation as U.S. ambassador to Italy and San Marino.

Tuesday's vote took place in Reno, Nevada, with over 133 million votes in favor of the merger and 4 million votes against, according to a Wednesday filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The merger was first announced in May, with Fertitta agreeing to pay $5.7 billion and take on close to $12 billion in debt from Caesars, putting the total value of the deal at about $17.6 billion.

Caesars and Fertitta still must complete the federal antitrust review process. If it goes through, Caesars will become a privately-held company. Its shareholders will get $31 in cash for each share they own.

It happened on Monday, Sept. 14 at approximately 6:52 p.m. in a residential area along the 11400 block of Southwest 185th Terrace.

According to deputies, the suspect seen in home surveillance footage was holding a large pepper-spray canister before spraying the elderly victim through her open passenger window.

Deputies said the incident may have stemmed from a road rage incident that followed a minor traffic collision.

The subject fled the scene following the incident, with deputies describing his vehicle as a silver, newer model Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan.

Anyone with information on the crime, or who thinks they recognize the man in the video, is urged to contact MDSO at 305-383-6800 or to remain anonymous, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.

“Our target is Russia’s ability to finance this war, to drag it out, to make it more brutal and more destructive,” Zelenskyy told the U.N. General Assembly’s annual global gathering. “Russia’s finances and Russia’s production are what must be stopped if Putin is to be stopped.”

When Russia gets money from trade, “it always says no to diplomacy,” Zelenskyy argued, “so Russia’s revenues must remain a target.”

Earlier Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov clashed with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and her country's European supporters at a U.N. Security Council meeting, and Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met on the assembly sidelines and discussed the war.

Top US diplomat talks about potential for a ceasefire

Rubio later told reporters that Russia and Ukraine have expressed interest in a limited ceasefire that would halt attacks on grain shipments – both countries are major exporters -- and on each country’s energy sectors, which have been targeted in escalating drone and missile attacks.

Rubio said reaching even a partial deal would be difficult but worthwhile, noting that Zelenskyy has publicly endorsed such a plan. The United States would be willing to help make it happen, Rubio said.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry made no mention of a partial deal on grain shipments in a statement after the Lavrov-Rubio meeting. The statement reiterated that the root causes of what it calls its “special military operation” must be addressed.

At the Security Council, Lavrov said Russia will not “pause” its military action, claiming Europe would use it to “pump" Ukraine with weapons. He also made no mention of any kind of grain and energy deal, called Ukraine’s government “terrorists,” and Moscow’s military operation aims to ensure Russia’s security and the rights of Russian speakers.

Lavrov is due to address the General Assembly on Saturday.

Zelenskyy cast doubt on Russia’s interest in ending the fighting. “Something always seems to stop Putin from saying, ‘That’s it. Enough. Peace,’” Zelenskyy said. “Can you even imagine him without war? He is ‘patient zero’, the one from whom this idea of war keeps spreading further.”

“The more freedom Putin has to act, the more dangerous the world becomes for everyone else,” the Ukrainian president warned.

The war has reverberated across the planet -- with global repercussions for fuel, fertilizer and grain shipments — and for geopolitics, widening divisions between Russia and the West.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, expecting to take the capital, Kyiv, in a week. But Ukraine rallied to defend its sovereignty, and the conflict has dragged on, with front-line positions in eastern and southern Ukraine largely unchanged since last year.

Western analysts estimate that over 500,000 Russian troops have been killed and that Ukraine has recorded more than 500,000 military casualties, including up to 140,000 deaths. Neither country discloses its own casualty totals.

Russia and Ukraine have intensified their long-range attacks with drones and missiles, and Russian drones pounded Kyiv Wednesday, killing two people and wounding 23; two others were injured by a strike that started a big fire at a shopping mall in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said it struck Ukrainian military-industrial and energy facilities, logistics centers, and sea vessels overnight. The ministry said its air defenses intercepted more than 500 Ukrainian drones over multiple Russian regions and Crimea, as well as the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. Crimea is the peninsula that Russia seized by force and illegally annexed in 2014.

Zelenskyy says ‘you can stand and survive’

Zelenskyy told the assembly that Russia has used 63,000 attack drones of different types against Ukraine so far this year alone. While celebrating that his own country “has proven that even against a much bigger enemy, you can stand and survive,” he implored world leaders to deny Putin money or foreign fighters.

“Limit his money. Limit his war,” the Ukrainian leader said.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine must boost its military and has already successfully tested four new jet-powered interceptor drones against Iranian-designed Shahed drones used by Russia in Ukraine. He also heralded drone and anti-ballistic missile agreements and programs with various countries.

Zelenskyy worried, however, that artificial intelligence “will begin to decide what happens on the battlefield” with the development of autonomous killer weapons.

“We need peace before we reach that point," he said.

“Sometimes, it may seem that Ukraine is focused, focused, only on war because we speak about weapons, we speak about defense and sanctions against the aggressor. But Ukrainians did not choose this war,” Zelenskyy said. “We choose not to die. …. We are defending ourselves.”

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Associated Press writer Matthew Lee contributed from New York.

The quarterback could brood over that devastating moment. Or he could focus on moving forward for Saturday's visit from Appalachian State.

“The last several days have been good,” Bailey said after practice Wednesday, four days after losing a fumble in the end zone that Vanderbilt recovered for a last-second touchdown. "A lot of guys have my back, Coach (Dave) Doeren, everybody in the facility.

“They've been leaning on me, I've been showing up. I've been waking up on the right side of the bed every morning, feeling good.”

It marked the first time the third-year starter had spoken to reporters since the loss, which came after N.C. State (1-2) led 31-28 and faced a fourth-and-3 play from its own 5-yard line with 6 seconds left. Doeren said Monday the call was for Bailey to burn time before going down to take a safety, leaving Vanderbilt hoping for nothing short of a miracle with nearly no time left.

And yet, that's exactly what happened.

Bailey had space to take a knee or scramble out of the back of the end zone. Instead, he started running toward the oncoming desperation pass rush, then took a hit that knocked the ball loose for Vanderbilt's winning recovery in a shocking moment.

Bailey said he “just was trying to get all the clock out.”

“The biggest thing was just hold the ball, bro,” he said. “That was the biggest thing. I was just trying to run around and make a play, being competitive. That’s who I am, I'm a competitive guy. I was just competing to the final second and it happens. I fumbled the ball, I’m going to kick myself up and keep going.”

Offensive lineman Teague Andersen was one of the first teammates to reach Bailey in the end zone and help him up. Andersen said Bailey was “pretty distraught” afterward.

Still, Andersen said Wednesday, he offered his QB an immediate message: "Dude, no matter what happens, bro, I've got your back.”

That kind of support carries Bailey now. Bailey said his mother is in town and made some home-cooked meals. He said he's heard words of encouragement from outside the program, too.

The list included former Wolfpack passing great and longtime NFL star Philip Rivers, as well as Peyton and Eli Manning, team spokeswoman Annabelle Myers said. Bailey previously attended the Manning Passing Academy, an annual camp attracting some of the nation's top college QBs.

Bailey patiently fielded questions Wednesday with an almost happy-go-lucky demeanor, pointing to optimism from how the team has practiced. He said he had addressed teammates with a key message.

“I just said: ‘We’ve got a long season,'" Bailey said, “'we've got so many more games and so many more plays that we can make.'”

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After Tuesday night's games, the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros were tied for first place at 78-79. No full-season division champion has ever had a losing record.

In fact, no team has made the postseason with a sub-.500 record, unless you count a trio of participants from years the playoffs were temporarily expanded: In the 2020 season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic, Milwaukee and Houston were both 29-31 and made the postseason. In 1981, the Kansas City Royals went 50-53 overall — but they were the AL West's top team in the post-strike second half, meaning they got in.

MLB expanded its postseason to 12 teams in 2022, raising the likelihood that a sub-.500 team would sneak into October at some point. Just a few weeks ago, it looked like the American League could have several clubs with losing marks in this year's playoffs. The AL Central's Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox have since reached 81 wins, so that won't happen. But the AL West title race could still yield a losing team.

In honor of that, here are 10 of the weakest teams to make the postseason, listed in chronological order with their records and run differentials in mind. Note that some of them went on lengthy postseason runs — so don't count out the Rangers or Astros just yet.

1973 New York Mets

Record: 82-79 (first in NL East)

Run differential: 20

Postseason: Beat Cincinnati 3-2 in NL Championship Series, lost to Oakland 4-3 in World Series

The rallying cry was “Ya gotta believe!” from reliever Tug McGraw. It wasn't easy when New York was in last place after an Aug. 30 loss, but the Mets went 21-8 the rest of the way to win the division by 1 1/2 games. Tom Seaver (19-10, 2.08 ERA, 18 complete games) was still at the peak of his powers, and New York held the Reds to eight runs in five games in the NLCS — a series best remembered for a brawl involving Bud Harrelson and Pete Rose. The Mets led the World Series 3-2 and had Seaver starting Game 6, but they couldn't close out the Athletics.

1984 Kansas City Royals

Record: 84-78 (first in AL West)

Run differential: minus-13

Postseason: Lost to Detroit 3-0 in ALCS

The Royals were 11 games under .500 in the middle of July, but they did enough to win the AL West. George Brett hit .284 — his worst average in a 14-year span from 1975-88 — and he was one of just two All-Stars on the team. The other was Dan Quisenberry, who had 44 saves while throwing 129 1/3 innings. He finished second in the Cy Young race behind fellow reliever Willie Hernández of the Tigers. Although Kansas City took the division almost by default in '84, the Royals improved to 91 wins the following year and won the World Series.

1987 Minnesota Twins

Record: 85-77 (first in AL West)

Run differential: minus-20

Postseason: Beat Detroit 4-1 in ALCS, beat St. Louis 4-3 in World Series

Frank Viola was the star of a pitching staff that otherwise offered little — aside from a trio of big names on the downside of their careers. Bert Blyleven allowed 46 home runs, Joe Niekro posted a 6.26 ERA and Steve Carlton made seven largely woeful starts for this Minnesota team. The Twins could hit, though. Kirby Puckett was third in the MVP race, while Kent Hrbek, Gary Gaetti and Tom Brunansky each surpassed 30 homers. Home-field advantage wasn't determined by record back then, so Minnesota had it in the ALCS despite finishing 13 games behind the Tigers, and again in the World Series after being 10 games worse than the Cardinals. The Twins went 6-0 at the Metrodome in the postseason.

1995 Colorado Rockies

Record: 77-67 (second in NL West, wild card)

Run differential: 2

Postseason: Lost 3-1 to Atlanta in NL Division Series

The first wild card in National League history was this Colorado team in a season shortened by the end of the 1994-95 work stoppage. The Rockies' ERA of 4.97 is the worst of the live ball era by a postseason team in a non-DH league. Colorado made up for that, not surprisingly, by leading the NL in runs. Dante Bichette led the league in home runs and RBIs and finished third in batting average.

2005 San Diego Padres

Record: 82-80 (first in NL West)

Run differential: minus-42

Postseason: Lost 3-0 to St. Louis in NLDS

Jake Peavy and a Trevor Hoffman-led bullpen helped San Diego reach the playoffs, but this team never looked the part. The Padres scored the fourth-fewest runs in all of baseball, and their starters went 52-60 with a 4.49 ERA. In the postseason, San Diego never had the lead at any point against the 100-win Cardinals. Game 1 was 8-0 after six innings, Game 2 was 6-1 after seven, and Game 3 was 7-0 after 4 1/2.

2006 St. Louis Cardinals

Record: 83-78 (first in NL Central)

Run differential: 19

Postseason: Beat San Diego 3-1 in NLDS, beat New York Mets 4-3 in NLCS, beat Detroit 4-1 in World Series

The Cardinals won at least 95 games four times under Tony La Russa, but their best postseason success came as a wild card in 2011 and with this team five years earlier. St. Louis nearly blew a seven-game lead in the division in the final two weeks of the regular season, but a roster with Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen, Chris Carpenter and a young reliever named Adam Wainwright always had a chance to get hot. Yadier Molina's homer — and Wainwright's strikeout of Carlos Beltrán — gave the Cardinals the pennant in an epic series with the Mets.

2017 Minnesota Twins

Record: 85-77 (second in AL Central, second wild card)

Run differential: 27

Postseason: Lost to New York Yankees in wild card game

After 103 losses in 2016, the Twins were in first place for a little while before eventually capturing the AL's final postseason spot and losing 8-4 to the Yankees. Byron Buxton played 140 games, the most of his career to date, and Brian Dozier hit 34 home runs. Joe Mauer had moved to first base by this point but was still quite good at the plate, batting .305. Ervin Santana led the rotation in his last good major league season. This team certainly wasn't great, but it was good enough in an AL that produced only five teams above .500.

2023 Miami Marlins

Record: 84-78 (third in NL East, second wild card)

Run differential: minus-57

Postseason: Lost to Philadelphia 2-0 in NL Wild Card Series

The Marlins posted the worst run differential to date by a postseason team — this year's Astros are currently at minus-59 — but Miami went 33-14 in one-run games. The pitching staff with Sandy Alcantara, Eury Pérez, Jesús Luzardo and Braxton Garrett helped Miami into the playoffs. Of the Marlins' top 12 players in plate appearances, seven of them finished with negative wins above replacement, according to Baseball Reference. The offense was basically batting champ Luis Arraez, designated hitter Jorge Soler and not much else. Miami lost 93 games the year before this playoff appearance and 100 the year after.

2023 Arizona Diamondbacks

Record: 84-78 (second in NL West, third wild card)

Run differential: minus-15

Postseason: Beat Milwaukee 2-0 in NLWCS, beat Los Angeles Dodgers 3-0 in NLDS, beat Philadelphia 4-3 in NLCS, lost to Texas 4-1 in World Series

Just get in and anything can happen. These Diamondbacks were one of the best examples of that. Arizona started August with nine straight losses to fall below .500, but after doing enough to make the playoffs, they swept two division champions and then won the last two games of the NLCS on the road to capture the second pennant in franchise history. Arizona had a negative run differential in the regular season and was also outscored 30-21 in that series against the Phillies. It didn't matter.

2025 Cincinnati Reds

Record: 83-79 (third in NL Central, third wild card)

Run differential: 35

Postseason: Lost to Los Angeles Dodgers 2-0 in NLWCS

The Reds had a respectable run differential but little star power aside from Elly De La Cruz and the often-injured Hunter Greene. Cincinnati beat out the Mets on a tiebreaker for the NL's final postseason spot — seven games behind the No. 2 wild card — and then made a quick exit. The Reds' best month was 15-11 and their worst was 12-15. Simply avoiding any extended slumps was enough to make the playoffs.

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Davie police officers responded to Western High School, located at 1200 SW 136th Ave. on Wednesday in regard to a bomb threat.

K-9 units were on scene to assist in the investigation, authorities said.

Ultimately, authorities said that after a thorough investigation, the threat was deemed to be a false alarm.

The school was evacuated for precautionary measures, and other schools in the immediate area were placed on a lockdown, according to Davie police.

Students returned to class after 1 p.m., according to officials.

Hasta el miércoles por la mañana, el Aeropuerto Internacional Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood había recibido más de 20 pulgadas de lluvia desde el inicio del mes. Esa cifra duplica con creces el promedio de lluvia de septiembre, de 8.61 pulgadas, y rompe el récord anterior del septiembre más lluvioso en el área de Fort Lauderdale, establecido en 1998 con 18.40 pulgadas.

Es además el mes más lluvioso en el área de Fort Lauderdale desde abril de 2023, cuando la estación climatológica registró más de 30 pulgadas. Esa cifra incluyó la histórica lluvia del 12 y 13 de abril, cuando las inundaciones repentinas anegaron vecindarios y obligaron a cerrar el aeropuerto.

Desde el viernes pasado, la mayor parte de la lluvia se ha concentrado en Broward y el norte de Miami-Dade, con acumulados aislados de más de 9 pulgadas en zonas como Pompano Beach, Cooper City y North Miami Beach.

Aunque la probabilidad de tormentas eléctricas se mantiene hasta el final de la semana, las lluvias serán menos extensas que la semana pasada, lo que ayudará a reducir el riesgo general de inundaciones. Se pronostica la llegada de un frente frío débil este fin de semana, que traerá aire ligeramente más seco y reducirá las probabilidades de lluvia durante el sábado y el domingo.

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Richie Jonathan Gregoire, 20, was arrested May 21 after authorities executed a search warrant at an apartment in Miami, according to an arrest report from the Miami Police Department.

Gregoire is now facing a charge of aggravated manslaughter of a child in connection with the toddler’s death, Local 10 learned Wednesday.

The child’s mother, 29-year-old Pearlandria Boujolly, was previously arrested and charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child in connection with her son’s death.

The investigation into the child’s death began Jan. 3, when Miami police officers and Miami Fire Rescue personnel responded at approximately 3:50 a.m. to a report of an unresponsive toddler at Boujolly’s home off Northwest 91st Street near 22nd Avenue.

The child was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

An autopsy conducted by the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner’s Department found fentanyl and a trace amount of cocaine in the child’s blood.

Investigators determined the toddler accidentally ingested a small amount of drugs that had been left inside an unlocked room at the home. A Ring camera captured the moments when the toddler consumed the drugs before becoming unresponsive, according to investigators.

Four children ranging in age from 1 to 8 years old were inside the home at the time of the incident, authorities said. Investigators said the children were exposed to drugs and that three unsecured guns were also inside the home.

Boujolly was not home when the child consumed the drugs, investigators said.

Suspected fentanyl found during May search

According to Gregoire’s May 21 arrest report, the ATF Task Force’s Street Terror Offender Program was assisting Miami police robbery detectives in executing a search warrant at the suspect’s apartment.

During a search of Gregoire’s bedroom, detectives said they found approximately 69 grams of suspected fentanyl packaged in clear capsules and stored in multiple locations throughout the room.

Investigators also found gloves, Ziploc boxes, a Nike shoe box containing drug paraphernalia and a letter from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles addressed to Gregoire.

After being read his Miranda rights, Gregoire told investigators he knew the narcotics were being stored in the room but claimed they did not belong to him, the report stated.

Police said Gregoire told investigators he was afraid to identify who owned the drugs.

Online jail records show that Gregoire was issued a $50,000 bond for the new aggravated manslaughter charge.

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Jacqueline Campos, 48, of Coral Springs, was arrested Tuesday on charges of organized scheme to defraud involving property valued at $50,000 or more and first-degree grand theft.

According to the report, police investigated allegations of fraud and grand theft involving BOSEM Corp., doing business as Doctor Aromas, located at 1996 NE 148th Terrace in North Miami.

Investigators said Campos served as the company’s chief operating officer and had access to its ADP TotalSource payroll system and QuickBooks Online accounting software.

Police allege that the scheme occurred between approximately Aug. 28, 2021, and July 10, 2026.

The company’s owner told investigators he was required to approve a payroll document every two weeks that listed Campos’ authorized compensation as $2,307.70 per pay period.

According to the arrest report, however, Campos provided him with screenshots of manually created Excel spreadsheets by email rather than the actual ADP payroll exports.

Forensic analysis finds more than $930K in unauthorized payments

As part of the investigation, police reviewed a forensic payroll and expense analysis conducted by a licensed certified public accounting firm.

The analysis compared 131 payroll documents with ADP TotalSource records for 126 confirmed pay periods.

According to the report, the analysis determined Campos received more than her authorized compensation during every one of those 126 pay periods, totaling $874,885.59 in unauthorized compensation.

The analysis also identified $221,632.64 in payments made to Campos outside the normal payroll process. The company’s owner confirmed that $57,888.99 of those payments had never been authorized, according to police.

Investigators said the total confirmed unauthorized loss to the company was $932,774.58.

According to the report, the forensic analysis also determined that Campos personally entered five unapproved increases to her own pay rate in the ADP system between January 2022 and April 2023 while continuing to provide the company’s owner with payroll documents showing her authorized rate as unchanged.

Campos is also accused of entering negative values into payroll deduction fields to increase her net pay, deleting transactions from the company’s accounting records to conceal them from standard reports and routing at least one payment under another employee’s name to conceal the actual recipient.

Police: Unauthorized payroll submitted after termination

Doctor Aromas terminated Campos’ employment for cause on July 7, according to the report.

Investigators allege that later that same day, after her employment had already been terminated, Campos submitted and approved a final unauthorized payroll run through ADP TotalSource that paid her an additional $5,712.10 beyond her regular rate.

According to police, Campos acknowledged in a sworn declaration in a related civil case that she personally submitted the July 7 payroll run.

At a July 9 hearing, the company’s owner and the forensic accountant who prepared the analysis testified under oath, according to the report.

The arrest report states that the presiding judge granted a temporary injunction after finding that the evidence established Campos had misappropriated company funds using her position of trust.

Based on the company’s statements, forensic analysis, business records, civil hearing testimony and Campos’ sworn admission, the investigating officer said there was probable cause to charge her with organized scheme to defraud and first-degree grand theft.

Campos turned herself in to North Miami police at approximately 2 p.m. Tuesday.

According to the report, an investigator asked Campos if she wanted to provide a statement, but she declined on the advice of her attorney.

She was arrested and transported to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.

As of Wednesday morning, she remained there and was expected to appear in bond court sometime during the day.

El incidente ocurrió en la gasolinera Orion, ubicada en el 101 E. Atlantic Blvd.

En el video se ve a una mujer sentada dentro de una camioneta Toyota blanca mientras un hombre se acerca al vehículo e intenta abrir las puertas de ambos lados.

En un momento, el hombre golpea con fuerza una ventana, y la mujer abre una puerta y luego la vuelve a cerrar.

El hombre sigue abriendo la puerta y finalmente saca a la mujer de la camioneta. En el video se le ve empujándola y golpeándola mientras ella se defiende.

La mujer logra volver a entrar al vehículo, pero el hombre abre la puerta una y otra vez y la vuelve a sacar. Mientras ella intenta quitárselo de encima, él le da otro puñetazo.

El enfrentamiento continúa hasta que la mujer logra por fin subirse a la camioneta y cerrar la puerta con seguro.

Pero la violencia no terminó ahí.

Después de la pelea, se ve al hombre entrar a la tienda de la gasolinera.

Cuando vuelve a salir y pasa frente a la misma camioneta, un hombre sentado en el asiento del conductor parece estar esperándolo.

El conductor se baja de la camioneta y parece empezar a echar gasolina antes de disparar desde detrás de la puerta del vehículo.

Nino, quien estaba dentro de un food truck estacionado en la gasolinera, contó cómo escuchó los disparos.

“Pum, pum, pum”, recordó.

Nino dijo que escuchó entre cinco y seis disparos.

Tras los disparos, el video de vigilancia muestra al hombre de camiseta sin mangas huyendo. Las imágenes parecen indicar que fue alcanzado por las balas.

Luego se ve al conductor haciendo señas desde la vía principal para pedir ayuda, antes de hablar con un hombre que estaba en una camioneta detrás de él.

Sky 10 sobrevoló la escena poco antes de las 3 p.m. del martes. Desde el aire se veía a los agentes rodeando la gasolinera, acordonada con cinta amarilla de la policía.

La camioneta Toyota blanca permanecía en el lugar con la puerta del pasajero abierta.

En el suelo también se podían ver seis marcadores de evidencia.

Sunny, quien también trabaja en el food truck de 3-Little Charlies, dijo que escuchó lo que parecían cuatro o cinco disparos.

Cuando se le preguntó si salió, respondió: “Me metí corriendo al camión”.

El food truck estaba estacionado en la gasolinera y conectado a la corriente para mantener caliente la comida de una reunión fúnebre.

Andrew Miller, de 3-Little Charlies Restaurant, dijo que recibió una llamada de los trabajadores del camión para avisarle lo que había pasado.

“Nos llamaron los muchachos del camión”, contó Miller. “Dijeron que hubo un tiroteo detrás de la gasolinera. Todo está acordonado, cerrado”.

Las identidades de las personas involucradas en el incidente aún no se han dado a conocer.

The “Halloween Baking Championship” kicked off its season with 10 bakers vying for the title of champion and a prize $25,000.

One of the bakers is from right here in South Florida.

Local 10’s Jason Carter caught up with Miami chef Marian Mulero to get the lowdown on competition in the kitchen, and their full conversation can be seen at the top of this page.

“The Malvinas for us is a national cause,” Milei, a strong ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, said Wednesday while addressing the U.N. General Assembly in New York.

Milei accused the United Nations of failing to enforce international resolutions that urge the parties to “refrain from introducing unilateral changes while the dispute remains unresolved." He also called on Britain to resume negotiations to “find a peaceful solution to the sovereignty dispute.”

“The Malvinas issue is not merely a matter between Argentina and the United Kingdom; it is also a question regarding this organization’s ability to enforce its own resolutions,” he said.

The dispute has escalated in recent weeks

Milei has recently stepped up his efforts to draw attention back to the islands after facing some criticism of his strengthening ties with Britain and his professed admiration for Margaret Thatcher, who in 1982 led the British campaign to retake the archipelago during the Falklands War.

Following Argentina’s invasion of the Falklands under the country’s then-military dictatorship, Thatcher sent a task force all the way down the Atlantic and retook the islands after just 73 days of Argentine control. The war killed 649 Argentine and 255 British troops.

Earlier this month, Milei escalated the dispute with Britain, vowing new measures to halt an oil project near the British-controlled archipelago and praising Trump for saying Washington could reconsider its neutral stance on the islands’ sovereignty.

His government last week introduced a sweeping security bill that would toughen sanctions on companies exploiting resources around the islands without Argentine authorization, create a national security council chaired by Milei and expand the military’s role in protecting critical Argentine infrastructure.

Speaking to global leaders at the U.N. on Wednesday, Milei intensified his criticism.

“Today I come to say that Argentina will not sit and wait for the U.N. and the international community to live up to their own mandate,” he said.

He also sharply criticized the United Nations and its role, accusing it of becoming “a useless organization that serves only to feed a caste of fatally arrogant parasites masquerading as well-intentioned bureaucrats.”

Britain says it will ‘stand firm’

Against the backdrop of Milei’s recent remarks, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham also addressed the dispute during this high-profile diplomatic week, stating Tuesday that the U.K.’s position is “clear” and that it will “stand firm” in the face of any threats.

“We will defend the ​right of ​the ⁠Falkland Islanders to self-determination and to remain British,” ​Burnham told reporters following a meeting with Trump late Tuesday on the sidelines of the U.N.

In August, Trump said he was reviewing the United States’ neutral position over the remote South Atlantic archipelago as he criticized Britain for not doing enough to support the U.S. war against Iran.

The Falklands, which Argentines call the Malvinas, are a small archipelago of about 3,500 people located around 300 miles (480 kilometers) east of the southeast coast of Argentina. They have been a British overseas territory since 1833. In a 2013 referendum, the islanders voted overwhelmingly to remain a British overseas territory, with 99.8% voting in favor and just three votes against.

As of Wednesday morning, the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport has received more than 20 inches of rainfall since the beginning of the month. This amount more than doubles the average rainfall for September of 8.61 inches and breaks the previous record for the wettest September for the Fort Lauderdale area set in 1998 of 18.40 inches.

This is also the wettest month in the Fort Lauderdale area since April 2023, when over 30 inches was recorded at the climate site. This included the historic rainfall of April 12-13, when flash flooding overwhelmed neighborhoods and shut down the airport.

Since last Friday, most of the rainfall has focused across Broward and northern Miami-Dade counties, with isolated amounts over 9 inches in areas like Pompano Beach, Cooper City and North Miami Beach.

While the chance for thunderstorms continues through the end of the week, the coverage of rain will be lower compared to the past week, helping to reduce the overall flood threat. A weak cold front is forecast to arrive this weekend, helping to draw in slightly drier air and drop rain chances for the weekend.

The UEFA president, in rare public comments two months into the divisive global rift in soccer, did not cite Infantino by name but said “not everyone places the game above their own ambitions.”

“The project that shattered the unity of world football may be abolished, but the trust it broke has not returned, and repairing it is our work now,” Ceferin said in a video message to an audience of soccer and business executives in Lisbon.

Ceferin led UEFA’s backlash in July that helped stop Infantino’s plan to sell at least 20% of FIFA’s future commercial rights for $4.2 billion to investors led by Josh Kushner, the brother of U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Though Infantino dropped the plan within days, UEFA said it would work toward removing him from office — before or at the FIFA presidential election in March — and preparing a criminal complaint against him in Switzerland for alleged financial mismanagement.

“Trust in our sport rests on three pillars: unity, transparency, and governance that serves the many, not the few,” Ceferin, a Slovenian lawyer, said Wednesday.

“In recent times, all three were disregarded by people who had sworn to protect them,” he said.

FIFA and Infantino have said the plan to create a FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) commercial spinoff was to accelerate development of soccer worldwide, outside the wealthy power base of Europe.

Countdown to find an election candidate to challenge Infantino

Ceferin has ruled out being a candidate in the FIFA election, where Infantino seeks a fourth and final term in office through 2031 to complete a 15-year presidency.

There were “many, many” potential candidates capable of challenging Infantino, Ceferin told reporters last week in Greece, after a UEFA executive committee meeting in Thessaloniki.

FIFA has a Nov. 18 deadline to enter the election contest, four months before the vote by 211 member federations in Morocco — a key ally of Infantino, where the governing body has its African headquarters near Rabat.

UEFA's suggested $10M payments counters FIFA's $20M offer

FIFA’s 211 members effectively already own the Zurich-based not-for-profit soccer body which has at least $5 billion in cash reserves after the 2026 World Cup in North America.

Infantino planned to offer the 211 members $20 million each this year to approve the FFE project. It would have been a subsidiary controlling tens of billions of dollars of commercial rights for all future World Cups, Club World Cups and other tournaments.

UEFA and its continental allies, the North American soccer body CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation, have said FIFA can afford to spend $2.1 billion giving each member a $10 million one-off payment from the reserves without involving investors.

Offer from Infantino to review how FIFA operates

Infantino moved this week to calm critics of his hands-on executive presidency by offering to open an independent review of FIFA’s governance standards and decision-making. He is scheduled to chair a meeting of his 37-member FIFA Council, that includes Ceferin, on Oct. 15 in Zurich.

UEFA asked last month for an independent review of the FFE project that was secretly developed over the past year without some FIFA senior management knowing.

Infantino has a checkered history with independent oversight of FIFA. In 2017, one year before the men's World Cup in Russia, FIFA removed its most senior governance official who had enforced conflict-of-interest rules to stop Vitaly Mutko, who was a Russian deputy prime minister, from standing as an election candidate to retain his seat on FIFA's ruling committee.

That removal of Portuguese academic Miguel Maduro prompted three of his independent colleagues on the FIFA governance panel — including former U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, a South African judge — to resign in protest.

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Jacqueline Campos, de 48 años y residente de Coral Springs, fue arrestada el martes por cargos de esquema organizado para defraudar con bienes valorados en $50,000 o más y hurto mayor en primer grado.

Según el informe, la policía investigó denuncias de fraude y hurto mayor contra BOSEM Corp., que opera bajo el nombre de Doctor Aromas y está ubicada en el 1996 NE 148th Terrace, en North Miami.

Los investigadores indicaron que Campos era la directora de operaciones de la empresa y tenía acceso al sistema de nómina ADP TotalSource y al programa de contabilidad QuickBooks Online.

La policía sostiene que el esquema se llevó a cabo aproximadamente entre el 28 de agosto de 2021 y el 10 de julio de 2026.

El dueño de la empresa les dijo a los investigadores que cada dos semanas debía aprobar un documento de nómina que establecía el salario autorizado de Campos en $2,307.70 por período de pago.

Sin embargo, según el informe de arresto, Campos le enviaba por correo electrónico capturas de pantalla de hojas de Excel hechas a mano, en lugar de los reportes reales de nómina de ADP.

Análisis forense halla más de $930,000 en pagos no autorizados

Como parte de la investigación, la policía revisó un análisis forense de nómina y gastos realizado por una firma de contadores públicos certificados con licencia.

El análisis comparó 131 documentos de nómina con los registros de ADP TotalSource correspondientes a 126 períodos de pago confirmados.

Según el informe, el análisis determinó que Campos cobró más de lo autorizado en cada uno de esos 126 períodos de pago, lo que suma $874,885.59 en salario no autorizado.

El análisis también identificó $221,632.64 en pagos hechos a Campos fuera del proceso normal de nómina. El dueño de la empresa confirmó que $57,888.99 de esos pagos nunca fueron autorizados, según la policía.

Los investigadores indicaron que la pérdida total no autorizada confirmada para la empresa asciende a $932,774.58.

Según el informe, el análisis forense también determinó que, entre enero de 2022 y abril de 2023, Campos ingresó personalmente en el sistema de ADP cinco aumentos no aprobados a su propio salario, mientras seguía entregándole al dueño documentos de nómina que mostraban su sueldo autorizado sin cambios.

A Campos también se le acusa de ingresar valores negativos en los campos de deducciones de nómina para aumentar su pago neto, de borrar transacciones de los registros contables de la empresa para ocultarlas de los reportes habituales y de canalizar al menos un pago a nombre de otro empleado para ocultar quién lo recibía en realidad.

Policía: presentó una nómina no autorizada después de ser despedida

Doctor Aromas despidió a Campos por causa justificada el 7 de julio, según el informe.

Los investigadores sostienen que ese mismo día, cuando ya había sido despedida, Campos presentó y aprobó una última nómina no autorizada a través de ADP TotalSource que le pagó $5,712.10 adicionales a su salario regular.

Según la policía, Campos reconoció en una declaración jurada, dentro de un caso civil relacionado, que ella misma presentó esa nómina del 7 de julio.

En una audiencia celebrada el 9 de julio, el dueño de la empresa y el contador forense que preparó el análisis testificaron bajo juramento, según el informe.

El informe de arresto indica que el juez que presidía el caso concedió una orden judicial temporal tras concluir que las pruebas demostraban que Campos se había apropiado indebidamente de fondos de la empresa aprovechando su posición de confianza.

Con base en las declaraciones de la empresa, el análisis forense, los registros comerciales, los testimonios de la audiencia civil y la admisión jurada de Campos, el investigador a cargo concluyó que había causa probable para acusarla de esquema organizado para defraudar y hurto mayor en primer grado.

Campos se entregó a la policía de North Miami alrededor de las 2 p.m. del martes.

Según el informe, un investigador le preguntó si quería declarar, pero ella se negó por consejo de su abogado.

Fue arrestada y trasladada al centro correccional Turner Guilford Knight.

Hasta el miércoles por la mañana seguía detenida allí y se esperaba que compareciera ante el tribunal de fianzas en algún momento del día.

En la Southeast Second Street, el agua había bajado un poco, pero seguía acumulándose en gran cantidad a medida que caía más lluvia.

Se vio a padres cargando a sus hijos en la espalda para llegar a la parada del autobús escolar, e incluso subiéndolos directamente al bus para que no tuvieran que pisar el agua.

Los conductores también tuvieron dificultades para llegar al trabajo. Hasta vehículos pequeños avanzaban entre varias pulgadas de agua mientras sus conductores buscaban la mejor ruta para esquivar las zonas inundadas.

Para algunos residentes, el primer reto fue simplemente llegar hasta sus autos.

En un complejo de apartamentos de la Southeast Second Street, los vecinos tuvieron que atravesar un estacionamiento inundado.

“Sorprendido, no lo puedo creer”, dijo el residente Juan Rocha.

Rocha contó que, a pesar de las condiciones, tenía que ir a trabajar.

“Cuando uno oye algo así, sabe que está lloviendo fuerte de verdad. Pero ya veremos. Tengo que ir a trabajar. Voy a llegar tarde”, dijo.

La residente Vivian Novicic comentó que las calles secundarias eran más difíciles de transitar que la vía principal.

“Las calles secundarias... la US-1 se ve mejor, pero primero hay que llegar hasta allá. Ese es el problema”, dijo Novicic.

Federal Highway lucía despejada y más elevada en comparación con la Southeast Second Street, donde hasta un pequeño desnivel bastaba para que se inundara.

Se recomendó a residentes y conductores que se desplazan desde zonas como Dania Beach, Hollywood, Hallandale Beach y Aventura estar preparados para encontrar inundaciones en las calles que suelen tener problemas cuando llueve fuerte.

HAGA CLIC AQUÍ para ver las últimas actualizaciones del pronóstico del Weather Authority de Local 10.

The incident was reported at the Orion gas station, located at 101 E. Atlantic Blvd.

The video shows a woman sitting inside a white Toyota SUV as a man approaches the vehicle and attempts to open both side doors.

At one point, the man slams on a window before the woman opens a door and then closes it again.

The man continues opening the door and eventually pulls the woman out of the SUV. Video shows him shoving and hitting her as she fights back.

The woman manages to get back inside the vehicle, but the man repeatedly opens the door and pulls her back out. As she fights him off, he punches her again.

The confrontation continues until the woman is eventually able to get back inside and lock the door.

But the violence did not end there.

After the fight, the man is seen walking inside the gas station.

When he comes back outside and walks in front of the same SUV, a man sitting in the driver’s seat appears to be waiting for him.

The driver gets out of the SUV and appears to begin pumping gas before firing shots from behind the vehicle’s door.

Nino, who was inside a food truck parked at the gas station, described hearing the gunfire.

“Pow, pow, pow,” he recalled.

Nino said he heard five to six shots.

After the gunfire erupts, surveillance video shows the man in the tank top running away. The video appears to show that he had been struck.

The driver can then be seen waving for help from the main road before speaking with a man in a truck behind him.

Sky 10 flew over the scene just before 3 p.m. Tuesday, where deputies could be seen surrounding the gas station and yellow police tape blocked off the area.

The white Toyota SUV remained at the scene with its passenger door open.

Six evidence markers could also be seen on the ground.

Sunny, who was also with the 3-Little Charlies food truck, said he heard what sounded like four or five gunshots.

When asked whether he went outside, he responded, “I ran in the truck.”

The food truck had been parked at the gas station and plugged in to keep food warm for a funeral gathering.

Andrew Miller, with 3-Little Charlies Restaurant, said he received a call from workers at the truck alerting him to what had happened.

“We got a call from the guys in the truck,” Miller said. “They said it was a shooting behind the gas station. Everything is roped off, blocked off.”

The identities of those involved in the incident have not yet been released.

Richie Jonathan Gregoire, de 20 años, fue arrestado el 21 de mayo después de que las autoridades ejecutaran una orden de registro en un apartamento de Miami, según un informe de arresto del Departamento de Policía de Miami.

Local 10 supo el miércoles que Gregoire enfrenta ahora un cargo de homicidio involuntario agravado de un menor en relación con la muerte del pequeño.

La madre del niño, Pearlandria Boujolly, de 29 años, ya había sido arrestada y acusada de homicidio involuntario agravado de un menor por la muerte de su hijo.

La investigación comenzó el 3 de enero, cuando agentes de la policía de Miami y personal de Miami Fire Rescue respondieron alrededor de las 3:50 a.m. a un reporte de un niño que no respondía en la casa de Boujolly, cerca del Northwest 91st Street y la 22nd Avenue.

El niño fue trasladado al Jackson Memorial Hospital, donde fue declarado muerto poco después.

Una autopsia realizada por el Departamento del Médico Forense del Condado Miami-Dade encontró fentanilo y rastros de cocaína en la sangre del niño.

Los investigadores determinaron que el pequeño ingirió accidentalmente una pequeña cantidad de drogas que habían quedado en una habitación sin llave de la casa. Según los investigadores, una cámara Ring captó el momento en que el niño consumió la droga antes de quedar inconsciente.

En la casa había cuatro niños de entre 1 y 8 años en el momento del incidente, informaron las autoridades. Los investigadores señalaron que los niños estuvieron expuestos a drogas y que en la vivienda también había tres armas de fuego sin asegurar.

Boujolly no estaba en casa cuando el niño consumió la droga, según los investigadores.

Presunto fentanilo hallado durante el registro de mayo

Según el informe de arresto de Gregoire del 21 de mayo, el programa Street Terror Offender del grupo de trabajo de la ATF ayudaba a detectives de robos de la policía de Miami a ejecutar una orden de registro en el apartamento del sospechoso.

Durante el registro de la habitación de Gregoire, los detectives dijeron haber encontrado unos 69 gramos de presunto fentanilo empacado en cápsulas transparentes y guardado en varios lugares de la habitación.

Los investigadores también encontraron guantes, cajas de bolsas Ziploc, una caja de zapatos Nike con parafernalia para drogas y una carta del Departamento de Seguridad en las Carreteras y Vehículos Motorizados de Florida dirigida a Gregoire.

Según el informe, después de que se le leyeran sus derechos Miranda, Gregoire les dijo a los investigadores que sabía que las drogas se guardaban en la habitación, pero aseguró que no eran suyas.

La policía indicó que Gregoire les dijo a los investigadores que tenía miedo de identificar al dueño de las drogas.

Según los registros de la cárcel en internet, a Gregoire se le fijó una fianza de $50,000 por el nuevo cargo de homicidio involuntario agravado.

Agentes de la policía de Davie acudieron el miércoles a Western High School, ubicada en el 1200 SW 136th Ave., tras una amenaza de bomba.

Unidades caninas se presentaron en el lugar para ayudar en la investigación, informaron las autoridades.

La escuela fue evacuada como medida de precaución, y otras escuelas de los alrededores fueron puestas bajo cierre de emergencia, según la policía de Davie.

Las autoridades no dieron más información y solo pidieron al público mantenerse alejado de la zona mientras avanza la investigación.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, who was nominated by Trump in 2017, didn't rule from the bench after hearing arguments in an extraordinary showdown between Trump and media outlets whose coverage he dislikes.

But the judge questioned whether the administration met its legal responsibilities and provided CNN, MS NOW and Politico with adequate due process before banning them, assailing what he called “fake news.” More recently, the president has said negative coverage was dangerous for the country.

The news outlets argued they were singled out because of their coverage content — in other words, viewpoint discrimination — and called the ban a “blatant violation” of the First Amendment.

Kelly said his decision must be guided by prior rulings in comparable First Amendment cases, even if the government disagrees with them.

“I think it is fair to say that the processes that the court laid out wasn’t followed here,” Kelly said.

It wasn't clear when Kelly, who ordered a CNN journalist’s access restored in a similar 2018 case, would issue a decision on the outlets’ request for a restraining order. But he said he’d rule as soon as possible.

“These are urgent matters," Theodore Boutrous Jr., attorney for the outlets, said. "We’re at war. We have world leaders coming to Washington.”

CNN, Politico and MS NOW each told The Associated Press they’d have no comment on the emergency hearing.

Prior rulings indicate journalists should be heard before press passes are revoked

Kelly opened by reminding both sides that he’s required to apply case precedent.

The rulings in two prior cases over press access — including one that went to the U.S. Supreme Court — made clear that journalists were entitled to an opportunity to be heard before they have their press passes revoked.

Justice Department attorney Michael Velchik argued that the rulings in the earlier cases were wrong.

“Access to the White House is a privilege, not a right,” Velchik said.

In arguing that Trump was not engaging in viewpoint discrimination, Velchik said the president had criticized other news organizations even more harshly — such as calling ABC “the worst” — but hadn’t banned them.

“The president should be able to take immediate action to protect national security,” Velchik told the court.

In response, Boutrous said, “Suddenly it’s a national security case,” arguing that the president brought up that point only after the lawsuit was filed.

Trump “keeps proving our point,” Boutrous said, describing how the president has consistently used negative coverage of him as justification for the ban.

Boutrous called the ban an “unprecedented, unreasonable punishment” and said there was “not a semblance of due process.”

The Trump administration outlined ‘reporting incidents’ of each news outlet

In a filing late Tuesday, administration lawyers argued that the ban does not violate the First Amendment, which guarantees the right to a free press. It contended that the outlets, in their reporting, violated “standards of professionalism and decorum.”

The administration went on to detail letters sent to each outlet that identified “a non-exhaustive list of reporting incidents, including those that have threatened national security and spread falsehoods.”

The “reporting incidents” cited in the filing included: CNN reporting on “‘top-secret' construction details related to the East Wing bunker”; MS NOW reporting “on an alleged leak investigation”; and Politico publishing “a document detailing funding for the White House ballroom containing intricate descriptions of how the Secret Service would invest in security improvements.”

Further examples were given in individual letters. Politico’s letter detailed six reporting instances, including in June citing a “senior administration official … granted anonymity” predicting whether a preliminary deal would end the conflict with Iran.

That item appeared to reference a background briefing set up by the White House, where an official briefed reporters on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House itself. Several other outlets also reported the official's remarks.

Major networks continue to refrain from covering Trump for the media pool

The ban prompted other media outlets to take action in solidarity. The five-network U.S. network press pool — a rotating cast of news outlets that covers the president, and to which CNN belongs — decided to suspend coverage of Trump events until further notice.

After the hearing Wednesday, the networks were poised to continue their ban on filming Trump coverage. At Joint Base Andrews, where the president was to formally welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping later, journalists from Fox News, CBS and NBC were present but not shooting video, and some appeared to be breaking down their cameras.

Other television outlets whose crews were present, according to signs on their tripods and cameras, were NewsNation, Newsmax, Right Side Broadcasting Network, One America News and LindellTV.

Ahead of Wednesday's hearing, an amicus brief was filed by other news groups, urging the court to immediately restore the three outlets' White House access.

The brief — filed by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, the White House Correspondents' Association and 49 media outlets and industry groups, including The Associated Press, The New York Times and Reuters — says “the targeted expulsion of news media from White House grounds injures the public interest."

The proceedings are historic, said Katie Fallow, deputy litigation director at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University.

“No president has taken this explicit of a step” to ban entire outlets because he doesn’t like their reporting, she said. “There have been various presidents throughout history who have grumbled about the press or threatened to take more major steps, but really there was nothing at this level before Trump.”

___

Noveck reported from New York. Associated Press journalists Laurie Kellman in London and Rebecca Boone in Boise, Idaho, contributed to this report.

Danny Ernandez stole the $20,000 machine on Aug. 18 from Pemica, a security equipment company that he worked for at 7324 SW 48 St., according to a deputy’s arrest report.

Pemica’s surveillance cameras were “suspiciously disconnected,” but the cameras at neighboring businesses recorded video of the theft, according to the deputies’ report.

Ernandez, 39, was an employee of Pemica, according to deputies. After the company terminated him, he returned the stolen machine and parts and met with detectives on Tuesday at the MDSO Kendall Station, according to the report.

“Ernandez confirmed that he violated the business’s policies and procedures and took the machine without proper approval from management,” a deputy wrote, according to the report.

Deputies arrested Ernandez at 10:55 a.m. on Tuesday at the station at 7707 SW 117 Ave., according to the report.

Miami-Dade corrections booked Ernandez shortly before 1:10 p.m. on Tuesday at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, according to inmate records.

Ernandez faced a charge of third-degree felony grand theft. He appeared in court on Wednesday and corrections released him on a $2,500 bond, according to court records.

Miami-Dade County Circuit Judge Carmen Cabarga was set to preside over the case.

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

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Flooding remained along Northeast 141st Street off Memorial Highway, with several surrounding side streets also covered in water.

Neighbors said flooding is a recurring problem in the area whenever it rains.

“Yeah, city of North Miami, y’all need to do something about this,” resident Rachel Thompson said.

Some residents who attempted to leave the neighborhood were unsuccessful.

Bendjhi Villiers said he was trying to move his car in hopes of getting to work later, but only made it about a block from his home before his vehicle stalled.

“Just trying to move my car to hopefully get to work later and didn’t get far,” Villiers said.

He said he was now “trying to navigate all the intricacies of losing a vehicle just because it rained.”

Other residents said the flooding had effectively left them trapped.

“I can’t go to work, cause I can’t get out,” one resident said. “I think it’s awful cause it’s like we’re the little people. And they don’t care.”

Residents are calling on city leaders to find a more permanent solution to drainage issues they say lead to repeated flooding in the neighborhood.

Flooding also impacts Hallandale Beach

Flooding problems extended into Broward County, where residents in Hallandale Beach also encountered high water.

Some parents carried their children through the water to keep them dry as they made their way to a school bus.

Resident Vivian Novicic debated whether to risk driving through the flooded streets to get to work.

“The side streets, US-1 looks better, but you’ve gotta get out there first. That’s the thing,” Novicic said.

Novicic ultimately made it through the flooded area, while other residents chose to walk through the water to get to work.

While water was receding farther north, flooding remained in the North Miami neighborhood.

Residents said that based on their previous experiences, it could take days for the water to be pumped out.

CLICK HERE for the latest forecast updates from Local 10’s Weather Authority.

“It’s a big loss, for sure," Harbaugh said following practice on Wednesday. "It’s your starting quarterback. It’s a tough loss.”

Dart was injured on the first drive Monday night against the Los Angeles Rams when his left leg bent awkwardly as he was hit by two defenders. The initial hope was a sprained medial collateral ligament and a shorter absence, but an MRI revealed a more extensive injury that will keep him out for an extended period of time.

"The season’s not over, but it is for him," Harbaugh said. "You feel like it’s the end of the world, then you wake up and the world’s not done. The world keeps spinning. The games keep getting played.”

For that next game Sunday against Tennessee, Jameis Winston takes over as the starter. Winston completed 11 of 27 passes for 111 yards and threw an interception in the 28-6 loss at LA that dropped New York to 1-1.

“I have to execute better, and I am going to execute better,” Winston said. "No matter how big it may seem, being present and focus on doing all that you can do with what you have, with where you are. For right now, that’s keeping Jaxson’s spirits uplifted and going out there on that football field and being the New York Football Giants’ starting quarterback.”

The Giants’ next five opponents have a combined 2-8 record. Winston is 3-9 in 12 NFL starts since 2024.

“Jameis is capable of doing anything,” Titans coach Robert Saleh said. “He’s got tremendous arm talent. He’s capable of putting 500 yards and four touchdowns on you in a heartbeat.”

Harbaugh did not say when Dart would have surgery or go into details about the extent of the injury after the NFL Network reported there is damage to his meniscus and medial collateral and posterior cruciate ligaments.

“With Jaxson, just unfortunate," Tennessee starter Cam Ward said. “That’s something that you don’t want to see. And he’s a great quarterback, so all of us were looking forward to going against him, that team.”

Jake Haener, who is on the practice squad, is set to back up Winston. Haener, who played in eight games and started one for New Orleans two seasons ago, joined the Giants midway through training camp and stuck around over journeyman Brandon Allen.

Harbaugh said the Giants will add another QB but move forward with Winston at the most important position in football and build a game plan for the 32-year-old set to make his 90th professional start.

“He can throw it: He’s a big, strong passing quarterback,” Harbaugh said. “Jameis has been practicing every day. He’s taken reps. He knows the offense. He’s been in every single meeting. He’s been engaged every step of the way with everything we’re doing. From that perspective, it’s seamless. It’s not ideal at all, but it’s definitely seamless.”

Dart is not the only significant Giants player who is injured

Edge rusher Brian Burns, who sprained his left ankle late in the Rams game, did not practice Wednesday. Harbaugh called Burns — who ranked second in the league in sacks last season — day to day.

Kayvon Thibodeaux would figure to move into the starting lineup if Burns is unable to play.

“We are definitely blessed with depth at that position,” Harbaugh said. “We’ll see how it goes for the game. But if he can’t go, then we are very confident in the guys that we have.”

No. 1 receiver Malik Nabers, who popped his right shoulder back into place and returned Monday night, and starting left tackle Andrew Thomas, who limped off with a groin injury, were limited participants.

Harbaugh said of Nabers: “It looks good. I think he’s going to be OK.”

___

AP Pro Football Writers Rob Maaddi in Tampa, Florida, and Teresa M. Walker in Nashville, Tennessee, contributed to this report.

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See AP’s full NFL coverage here

It's called Imperia, and its members include CEOs, founders, innovators, entrepreneurs and others.

A lot of the first lady's attention has been on children, but, with Imperia, she is leaning on her business skills to encourage women to harness their economic power and help others understand women's role in a global economy.

“For generations, women fought for a seat at the table,” she told a meeting of the group. “The next chapter is about owning, growing and making space for the women who come next."

She said that means owning businesses, equity, real estate, capital and investment assets, along with “our ideas, our intellectual property and our economic future.”

“People still do not fully understand the full scale of women's power in the global economy,” she continued. “Women are not just part of the marketplace, simple participants. We are its foundation, and we are its infrastructure.”

In a rare television interview earlier Wednesday on Fox News Channel's “Fox & Friends” to promote Imperia, the first lady addressed several other subjects, including this week's state visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping, her efforts to reunite children separated from their families by Russia's war against Ukraine, her new docuseries and the extent of her public engagements.

Some recent news reports have said the first lady is appearing in public less often than during President Donald Trump's first term.

Melania Trump said the difference is that she is more focused on getting results.

“You don’t see me everywhere, but behind the scenes I’m working nonstop,” she said, citing as an example the preparations for her events in New York this week on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly and for Xi’s visit. “I’m working on so many projects ... in the future. So stay tuned.”

She was deeply involved in the planning for Xi's visit in her role as first lady. She said her husband decided to personally greet China's leader after his plane lands because of their “great relationship.” President Trump typically greets leaders at the White House.

As of July, Melania Trump had helped reunite five groups of Ukrainian and Russian children with their families, work that underscores the more global approach she has taken during the Republican president's second term. She said that she has a “direct channel” with leaders from the warring countries and that her team is working on another reunification.

“This is ongoing, and we want to reunite as many children as possible,” the first lady said. “And that's my focus as well. What they’re going through, it’s heartbreaking. And it’s nothing better to see than a child reunite with the parents, right?”

The first lady also rang the opening bell at the NYSE in January before the release of her Amazon documentary, “Melania,” about her life in the weeks leading up to Donald Trump's inauguration for a second term in office. A new two-part docuseries featuring her will be released in the fall. She said it will be different from the documentary and teased that it will include some surprises.

“It’s more conversation, one on one with me,” the first lady said. “So when I was traveling and doing all of the filming, the director was asking me questions, and there are some private questions that I will answer that people never heard before. So it’s kind of exciting.”

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Follow the AP's coverage of first lady Melania Trump at https://apnews.com/hub/melania-trump.

They held a press briefing for a first-ever joint, tri-county news conference involving Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Speaking at the press event were Miami-Dade County Supervisor of Elections Alina Garcia, Broward County Supervisor of Elections Joe Scott and Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Wendy Sartory Link.

The supervisors were appearing together to deliver a unified message about voter participation and the importance of making sure South Florida voters are prepared for the elections ahead.

“This unity reflects what we share,” said Garcia. “The same mission, the same responsibility and the same commitment to deliver elections that are secure, accurate transparent.”

The supervisors encouraged every eligible South Florida resident to register, stay informed and vote in the November General Election.

Between the three counties, the supervisors cover about a quarter of all Florida voters.

While each county has unique ways of handling their elections, a big topic is voting by mail.

The supervisors were asked about the safety of mail voting in the wake of comments from President Trump seemingly undermining the process.

“I’ll say this,” said Scott. “Often times when the president has spoken about vote by mail ballot, he’s actually mentioned that, for Florida, he actually believes that Florida does it right.”

Added Sartory Link: “In Florida, which isn’t the case in every state, you have to request your vote by mail ballot, and when you request it, we’re checking your name, your address, your date of birth, either your driver’s license or Florida ID or the last four of your social, so we know who we’re sending that ballot to.”

Jeffrey Epstein, the late convicted sex offender, was Wexner's former financial adviser. That relationship and Wexner's history of political donations has figured prominently in Ohio's U.S. Senate race, which could end up as the most expensive in the country this year.

Wexner, who has disavowed his prior association with Epstein, contributed about $116,000 to support Republican Sen. Jon Husted from 2001 to 2025, mostly during the two decades he spent in state politics before being appointed to fill Vice President JD Vance’s seat last year.

While that’s just a sliver of Husted’s prolific fundraising, his opponent in this year’s race, former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, is turning it into a campaign cudgel. He’s run at least three different television commercials pounding Husted for receiving more money from Wexner than any other current member of Congress.

Epstein's Ohio connections are expected to surface anew early next month, when a traveling display showcasing the Justice Department files comes to the state.

“We want to show these elected officials and the candidates that the public is interested in this topic, and the public is demanding justice for survivors and the public is demanding accountability, no matter how rich and powerful the perpetrators and enablers of these crimes are,” said David Garrett, executive director of the Institute for Primary Facts, the nonprofit that created the exhibit.

Both Senate candidates point to opponent's Epstein connections

Epstein’s decades of associating with some of the world’s most influential people and Congress’ varying attempts to force the Justice Department to release its files on him have flared up in U.S. House and Senate races across the country. In Ohio, it's been central to a race that will help determine the balance of power in Washington.

Brown's campaign has promoted a $3,500 donation Wexner gave Husted in July 2025, less than 10 weeks before Husted joined most Senate Republicans in defeating a Democratic effort to force release of the Epstein files.

One of his ads featured video of Wexner’s congressional deposition in February, during which he confirmed being a longtime political donor to Husted, a former Ohio lawmaker, secretary of state and lieutenant governor.

Another characterized Wexner as “an Epstein co-conspirator.” Documents released by the Justice Department show the FBI labeled Wexner as a potential co-conspirator after Epstein's arrest on sex trafficking charges in 2019. A spokesperson for the billionaire said Wexner provided background information, was told he was not a target of the investigation and was never contacted again.

After the barrage of Epstein-related ads against him, the Husted campaign punched back with ads attacking Brown for accepting donations from a number of individuals whose names arose in the Epstein documents. They included Wexner’s wife Abigail, former U.S. Treasury secretary and Harvard president Larry Summers and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. Brown accepted no donations from Wexner himself, Federal Election Commission records show.

Husted's campaign also takes issue with the claim in Brown's ads that he “voted to cover up the Epstein files.” Campaign spokesperson Amy Natoce said “there has only been one vote” that counts on the matter — the one in November on the Epstein Files Transparency Act — and Husted voted yes. She called the earlier vote “procedural.”

Wexner, who is 89, is the magnate behind The Limited, Victoria's Secret and other retail giants. He stated under oath during his February congressional deposition that he never lobbied or asked Husted or anyone else to block the release of the Epstein files. He told members of Congress that he was “duped by a world-class con man.”

Natoce said Husted donated all available Wexner contributions — $34,300 — to an anti-human trafficking charity. The remaining balance had been spent in past campaign cycles.

Brown did not return any of his donations from about a dozen individuals named in the files, who Husted's ad described as “Epstein associates” even though none was accused of any crimes.

A traveling exhibit that includes Epstein victims is coming to Ohio

The Epstein Reading Room tour is an exhibit that displays more than 3 million pages released by the Justice Department. It has plans to make at least 20 more stops, including Ohio on Oct. 8.

Annie Farmer, an Epstein accuser who has been part of the tour, said the idea that some candidates have received donations from wealthy people with ties to Epstein means they will have an incentive to keep burying the truth.

She was 16 when she said Epstein abused her and her sister, Maria Farmer, in the 1990s. Maria alleges her sexual assault took place in 1996 in New Albany, Ohio, where Epstein had a house while working for Wexner, whose estate is located there.

During his deposition, Wexner testified that he never heard of Maria Farmer until her name appeared in media reports and that he didn’t know whether she had ever stayed on his property.

The accusers are demanding that the Department of Justice do more to investigate the wealthy who for decades helped enable Epstein’s abuse. The Associated Press does not name victims of sexual abuse unless they have come forward publicly.

“We should be asking hard questions to everyone who is related to Epstein and is financially supporting politicians. Are they hoping to benefit from silence?” Annie Farmer said. “To people with that much wealth, they feel they don’t have to play by the same set of rules. That’s what many people are saying is not right.”

Epstein case resonates in congressional campaigns

At the reading room tour’s first stop in Dallas, Farmer and other accusers met with Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico and Democrat Gina Hinojosa, who is running to unseat Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Talarico criticized his opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, for not meeting with the accusers and called on him to use his position to sue the federal government for its handling of the Epstein files' release.

In Omaha, Nebraska, independent Senate candidate Dan Osborn pledged to prioritize fighting for justice for victims after visiting a smaller version of the exhibit and meeting some of Epstein's accusers. He has criticized his Republican opponent, Sen. Pete Ricketts, for being slow to back the release of the Epstein files.

In Ohio, the Epstein issue continues to anger — and divide — voters across the political spectrum.

A day after Husted announced he would donate his remaining Wexner contributions to charity, he stepped into a Norwalk coffee shop on a campaign stop and, according to the local news account, was heckled as a “pedophile protector.” And Brown has been forced to defend his decision not to offload the donations he received from individuals named in the files, as Husted did.

“They’re not tied in any way, the way the co-conspirator is tied in,” Brown told CNN earlier this year.

With Ohio's early voting starting in less than two weeks, Brown is continuing to focus on Husted’s Wexner contributions. On his X account earlier this month, Brown marked the one-year anniversary of Husted's vote on the failed Democratic amendment to release all the Epstein files by posting a video. It asked why Husted “would side with the billionaires instead of these victims.”

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Olson reported from New York.

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The Associated Press’ women in the workforce coverage receives financial support from Pivotal Ventures. AP is solely responsible for all content.

Cuba enfrenta una de las peores crisis de su historia, con su economía al borde del colapso luego de que Estados Unidos impusiera en enero un cerco energético y financiero con duras consecuencias para la población y agravara una crisis preexistente.

Durante el programa radial —que contó con la participación de una locutora— se difundieron mensajes recogidos entre la población específicamente sobre el tema anunciado, las reformas de apertura económica que incluyen la posibilidad de importar y exportar de manera directa, contratar mano de obra sin intermediación estatal y flexibilización de la banca privada; medidas impensadas en décadas de un modelo de fuerte centralismo estatal.

“Hace nueve meses que no entra un barco de combustible. ¿Cómo se puede sostener la economía? ¿Cómo se puede trabajar en esas condiciones? ¿Cómo se pueden dar todos los servicios que necesita la población? ¿Cómo se puede levantar la producción? Bueno, muchas de esas respuestas están en esas medidas”, dijo el mandatario durante el programa.

Cuba produce sólo el 40% del combustible que necesita para echar a andar su economía.

El mandatario ofreció algunas cifras del impacto de las sanciones estadounidenses: el déficit de generación eléctrica superó los 2.000 megavatios diarios —más del 60% de la demanda—, hay 3,6 millones de personas sin abastecimiento de agua sobre una población total de 9,4 millones, la víspera de 1.600 panaderías estatales unas 890 no funcionaron por falta de harina –lo que afectó a cuatro millones de habitantes— y el transporte urbano está funcionando al 6%.

“Un socialismo... que no pueda producir, que no pueda pagar a sus maestros y médicos, no es socialismo. Y no podemos estar hablando de justicia social si no tenemos una economía que apoye esa justicia social, si no ese sueño se desvanece. Y sencillamente para seguir soñando, para seguir teniendo realizaciones, (el socialismo) hay que transformarlo”, dijo el gobernante.

El programa radial de una hora llamado “Criterio Compartido” fue presentado como un espacio “para construir consensos y aportar desde la participación ciudadana” y se transmitirá en miércoles alternos, informó una locutora.

A diferencia de gobernantes de otros países que tienen espacios en medios o las legendarias comparecencias diarias del fallecido expresidente cubano Fidel Castro, Díaz-Canel no suele aparecer más que en los informativos oficiales.

Su última incursión en la comunicación fue a través de un podcast televisado en 2024. El mandatario tampoco cuenta con una agenda pública.

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Siga a Andrea Rodríguez en X: https://x.com/ARodriguezAP

Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal and Harry Kane in action again before the Ballon d'Or is announced.

Cristiano Ronaldo's relentless pursuit of 1,000 career goals and Erling Haaland, no doubt, doing Erling Haaland things.

International soccer is back after the World Cup and soccer's biggest stars are ready to do it all again.

Messi, who announced his retirement from the national team this month, is slated to make his farewell with one last appearance in the Oct. 6 friendly game against Benin in Buenos Aires.

The man many regard as the greatest player ever was in tears after Argentina relinquished its World Cup title with a 1-0 loss to Spain in the final at MetLife Stadium. His dream of winning back-to-back tournaments and emulating Brazil great Pele ended in bitter defeat. At the age of 39, it was widely expected it would be his final tilt on soccer's biggest stage.

Messi's retirement came as little surprise — even after his outstanding performances at the World Cup — and a farewell in front of his home fans will give him the opportunity to bow out in style.

The president of the Argentine Football Association, Claudio Tapia, said it would be “the farewell he deserves.”

Ballon d'Or contenders

While Messi is saying his goodbyes, the next generation of stars are fiercely competing to take his place as the world's best.

Mbappé, Yamal and Kane are among the favorites to win the Ballon d'Or, which is based on performances up to and including the World Cup.

But this international window is another opportunity for those frontrunners to show their talents. Messi is also among the nominees.

The rivalry between Mbappé and Yamal echoes Messi's great battles with Ronaldo.

With Mbappé at Real Madrid and Yamal at Barcelona, it pits Spain's two most famous and successful clubs against each other once again in the race for the Ballon d'Or.

For more than a decade it was Messi of Barcelona and Ronaldo of Madrid who turned soccer's biggest individual award into what seemed like a personal duel.

Yamal, who won the World Cup with Spain as well as the Spanish title with Barcelona, is still just 19 years old and already considered among the best.

“When you’re talking about so many great players, ultimately, people look at things like: ‘Well, this one is better than that one, but maybe the other guy won this or that trophy.’ The advantage I have is that I managed to win the World Cup this year, and naturally, that gives me an edge. I think that’s logical," he told L’Equipe.

Mbappe did not win a second World Cup, but he did set a new record as the highest scorer in tournament history with 22 goals.

As for Kane, he was awarded the golden shoe as Europe's top scorer last season and has continued that form with six goals in seven appearances this term.

England plays world champion Spain at Wembley in the Nations League on Saturday.

France plays for the first time under new head coach Zinedine Zidane with the pick of its games coming against Italy in the Nations League Oct. 2.

Ronaldo's pursuit

He may have missed out on his last chance to win the World Cup, but Ronaldo's pursuit of another landmark achievement goes on.

The Saudi Pro League announced his 979th career goal earlier this month and the Portugal great is edging ever closer to the 1,000-mark. He would be the first player to officially hit that total.

The 41-year-old Ronaldo was included in Portugal’s squad by new coach Jorge Jesus for its upcoming Nations League games.

Another player relentlessly chasing down goals is Haaland, who made new fans around the world with his performances and social media antics at the World Cup. He has started this season in devastating form with seven goals in his last five games to help Manchester City to a 100% winning run.

Superstar coaches

The star appeal will not be limited to the pitch. A raft of coaching changes have seen some of the biggest names in soccer take over national teams.

Three-time Champions League-winning coach Zidane has succeeded Didier Deschamps with France. Liverpool icon Jurgen Klopp is in charge of Germany after another early exit from the World Cup.

They join serial winning coaches like Carlo Ancelotti (Brazil) and Thomas Tuchel (England) by leaving the club game for international soccer.

Zidane is the only coach to win three straight Champions League titles and France will hope he can be just as successful with the national team.

Klopp answered Germany's SOS after it failed to reach the last 16 of a men’s World Cup for the third time in a row. But he delivered a spiky news conference when unveiled in July — immediately threatening to resign.

He said he would be prepared to leave without any severance pay if it doesn’t work out, or if criticism becomes overwhelming, and said he would resign if the media doesn’t “leave my family in peace.”

One coaching great who resisted the temptation to join the international influx was Pep Guardiola despite being a reported target for Italy.

Instead Roberto Mancini is back in charge of the Italian national team, which he led to triumph at Euro 2020.

Not that he is relying on that to ease any pressure on him.

“I’m not in credit because that’s in the past, it doesn’t count for anything,” Mancini said.

Where to watch

U.S. viewers can only find most games via streaming platforms – Fubo has every match, while Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and DirecTV Stream have select games, too. Several matches will air on Fox stations FS1 or FS2. That includes Norway vs. Denmark on Thursday on FS1, England vs. Spain on Saturday on FS2 and France vs. Italy on Oct. 2 on FS1.

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James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

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See AP’s full soccer coverage here

By Tuesday afternoon, NOAA hurricane hunters flying through Polo found its central pressure had bottomed out at a jaw-dropping 892 millibars, catapulting it to the second most intense eastern Pacific hurricane ever recorded, trailing only 2015’s Hurricane Patricia.

Its winds peaked at 180 mph at around the same time Tuesday, tying it with Hurricane Rick in 2009 for the third strongest eastern Pacific hurricane on record by maximum sustained winds (only Patricia in 2015 and Linda in 1997 had higher estimated winds).

Hurricane hunters flying through Polo’s eye at around 8,000 feet above the violent Pacific also recorded temperatures in its eye at flight level of 31.3°C (88.3°F), indicative of an intensely warm core only found in textbook, upper-echelon hurricanes. In fact, based on thousands of hurricane hunter flights spanning almost 40 years across both Atlantic and Pacific basins, the flight-level temperature reading inside Polo’s eye on Tuesday tied Hurricane Rita’s in 2005 for the warmest on record, surpassing even some of the most intense western Pacific Super Typhoons ever directly observed like Megi in 2010.

It’s hard to fathom reaching out of an airplane at 8,000 feet and finding temperatures as balmy as 88 degrees Fahrenheit. Simply put, the amount of latent heat being released inside the core of Polo from the intense ring of thunderstorms surrounding its eye (the notorious eyewall) was exceptional, a rare show of force from Mother Nature when everything aligns to form one of the most powerful storms on Earth.

Polo plateaus

Polo appeared to have plateaued by Wednesday morning but remained a powerful Category 4 hurricane. Its very slow drift has churned up cooler waters from beneath the ocean surface, which likely contributed to its somewhat degraded satellite appearance by daylight Wednesday.

Fluctuations in its strength are likely over the next day or two before Polo begins a gradual weakening this weekend. Thankfully Polo’s destructive core will stay safely offshore this week, but outer rainbands and winds gusting to above 40 mph will continue to affect parts of southwestern Mexico through early Friday.

It’s too soon to know if Polo could pose a direct threat to the Baja California Peninsula of northwestern Mexico next week, but it’s something interests in the area should continue to monitor.

Another Hawai’i hurricane threat this weekend?

Tropical Depression Fifteen, which unraveled a week ago over the open eastern Pacific, has found a second wind over the central Pacific about 400 miles south-southeast of the Big Island of Hawaii.

The system re-formed early Wednesday and forecast models show it cranking up in the coming days into a major Category 3 hurricane as it bends north then takes a dogleg left toward the Big Island for the weekend.

The verdict is still out on how close the future hurricane could get to Hawaii, but the initially northward trajectory and sharp left turn are both concerning factors that could make this one of the stronger approaches to the Big Island we’ve observed.

As of their Wednesday morning advisory, the National Hurricane Center was predicting a 115 mph Category 3 hurricane to pass within 50 miles of the Big Island by Saturday evening local time, too close for comfort given the average error of around 100 miles at that forecast time.

Residents and visitors to Hawaii – particularly those on the Big Island – should continue to follow the forecast closely this week.

No major development threats in the Atlantic

The only two areas being tagged by NHC today are far away from the U.S. and neither should amount to much.

The remnants of Tropical Storm Fay have a small chance of redeveloping this week while a disturbance just moving off the coast of Africa could make a run as a short-lived tropical depression or storm as it moves northward toward the Cabo Verde Islands off Africa tomorrow through Saturday. Although it could bring blustery weather and locally heavy rain to the Cabo Verde islands, upper-level conditions will become increasingly hostile to organization beyond the weekend.

First in line is “bimpert,” a Bermudian word of unknown origin that is used to describe a stupid or foolish person. People on the tiny island in the north Atlantic often use it in this traditional phrase: “A bimpert is justah wuffless bye,” which roughly translates to: an idiot is just a worthless boy.

Another colorful addition is “hornerman,” a word used in the eastern Caribbean island of Trinidad and Tobago since 1975 to describe an unfaithful man or a man having a relationship with someone else's partner.

Leonard Alexander, a grocery store owner in Trinidad, chuckled at the inclusion of the word “hornerman.” He explained that to “horn” means being unfaithful, and now the world would know the term for a man who commits such an act.

“That’s our heritage, that’s what we grew up with,” Alexander said.

If someone in the Caribbean were to find out about such infidelities, they might be known “to get on,” which means to have an emotional outburst or make a scene, or “to cut someone’s tail,” meaning to beat someone.

Depending on the fallout from such infidelities, a woman might need “vex money,” which refers to “money carried or kept in a safe place by a woman, for use in an emergency or in any unexpected eventuality.”

Among other dark words that made the list is “jablesse,” defined as "a malevolent shape-shifting female spirit with one cloven hoof, which at night is said to assume the form of a beautiful woman to lure men to their deaths.” It is derived from “diablesse,” the French word for female demon.

Another supernatural entry is “douen." It is “typically depicted as short in stature, with backward-pointing feet, and wearing a large hat, said to be the spirit of a child who died before it could be baptized, and believed to lure children into the forest by calling their names,” according to the dictionary. It is a variation of the Spanish word “duende,” which means elf.

Avionne George, a 45-year-old maintenance technician in Trinidad, said formal recognition of such words helps preserve tradition for the younger generations: “Most of them are ignorant of certain terms from long ago like ‘douen.' They don’t know about ‘la jablesse.'”

Several food-related words were included this year: “shadeesh,” the Bermudian word for chorizo; “sugar cake,” made of grated coconut boiled with sugar, water and spices; and “peanut punch,” a wildly popular rich and frothy beverage made with peanuts or peanut butter, milk, sugar and several spices.

In the Caribbean, one might sit down to have a peanut punch with one’s “nana” or “nani,” Hindi words that are used to address one’s maternal grandparents. In Bermuda, one would sit down to partake with a “hamma,” or friend.

The final Caribbean English words added this year are “Trinbagonian,” which refers to people from both the islands of Trinidad and Tobago, and “canboulay,” which refers to Carnival festivities in Trinidad in the 1800s that celebrated the emancipation of slaves. They stem from a 1700s harvest festival that the British tried to quash, leading to riots reenacted to this day to mark the start of Carnival. Canboulay is derived from “burning cane,” which the dictionary noted was associated with “acts of defiance and rebellion.”

Sherwin Williams, a construction worker in Trinidad, said the inclusion of such words in the Oxford English Dictionary would help people around the world understand their Trinidadian origins. “People recognize us by our slang,” he said.

There are some 500,000 words and phrases in the Oxford English Dictionary, which details the history of words, some of which go back to the 11th century.

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Associated Press reporter Anselm Gibbs in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad contributed to this report.

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

With over 97% of the vote counted from three days of balloting that ended Sunday, election officials said the main Kremlin party, United Russia, will get more than three-fourths of the seats in the lower house, the State Duma, a record high. The tightly orchestrated vote excluded virtually any genuine opposition.

Voter turnout exceeded 59% of the 111 eligible million voters, the most for a parliamentary election in over a decade. Authorities had spread the voting over three days to boost attendance at the polls and included illegally annexed parts of Ukraine. Online voting also took place in some regions.

“Such a record number of people who come to cast ballots shows that the people of Russia support our efforts aimed at strengthening the country,” Putin said in televised remarks at a meeting with top government members, his first public remarks on the outcome.

Voting came amid Ukrainian attacks

The election took place against the backdrop of incessant Ukrainian drone attacks. On Sunday, Russia's Defense Ministry reported it downed 1,110 drones overnight.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said 450 drones were downed while flying toward the city in what he described as “the largest ever” attack on the capital in a failed attempt to disrupt the vote. The attack, which damaged an oil refinery and a residential building, also killed three people and injured 38 in the wider Moscow region, officials said.

“They tried to hamper our efforts, to derail the election, as evidenced by the enemy’s continuous efforts to breach air defenses around Moscow and in other regions,” Putin said. “But lines at polling stations have shown that Russia can’t be intimidated.”

The parliamentary election was the first since Putin launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and the first to include residents of four regions of that country that were seized and illegally annexed by Moscow later that year. At a polling station in the Russian-held part of the Donetsk region, voters dropped their ballots in a box under the gaze of an armed Russian soldier.

Voting also was held in Crimea, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014. Kyiv denounced the voting in those regions as illegal.

Putin also addressed Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine.

“Comrades, I want you to know that it was the vote for you. People trust you, they believe in our victory, believe in your courage, heroism and your devotion to the Motherland,” he said.

“I have no doubt that all the goals we set for the special military operation will be fulfilled,” Putin said, using the Kremlin term for the war in Ukraine.

The Kremlin launched a massive media blitz

A massive state media campaign and tight control over the election allowed the Kremlin to strengthen its political dominance despite economic troubles and long-range Ukrainian drone attacks.

The preliminary results indicated that United Russia would get between 347 and 355 out of 450 Duma seats. It received just under 58% of the vote for the 225 seats apportioned by parties and also won 208 single-seat races that fill the other half of the chamber.

Several smaller parties representing the “systemic opposition” that vote in sync with the Kremlin on all key issues are set to fill most of the remaining seats. Just a handful will go to candidates who ran without a party affiliation.

The liberal Yabloko party, the only registered political entity that dared to publicly criticize the war, was removed from the ballot last month by Russia’s Supreme Court, and only had a few dozen candidates in the single-seat races. Preliminary results indicated that no Yabloko candidates won a seat.

Fast-food traffic in many markets, including the U.S., is flat, so for McDonald’s to continue to grow it has to grab share from competitors and improve restaurant productivity, McDonald’s Chairman and CEO Chris Kempczinski said at a meeting with investors at the company’s Chicago headquarters. McDonald's wants to automate more tasks, like inventory and scheduling, and improve kitchen operations.

“The winners will be the companies that create more demand and deliver it more efficiently,” Kempczinski said.

McDonald's shares fell nearly 5% Wednesday, their largest percentage drop since April 2025, as investors shuddered at the eye-popping price of improving McDonald's 46,000 global stores.

On the product side, McDonald's said hand-breaded chicken, which has rolled out at 10,000 restaurants in Asia and a handful of restaurants near Chicago, has boosted sales and quality ratings. Many of McDonald's competitors, like Chick-fil-A and KFC, offer hand-breaded chicken. The company plans to expand its testing to more markets in the U.S. and Ireland next year.

McDonald's also plans to introduce grilled chicken sandwiches and wraps in the U.S. and other markets and experiment with products like egg bites and bowls to meet the needs of customers who are seeking more protein and varied portion sizes.

Skye Anderson, the president of McDonald’s USA, said approximately 30 million Americans are now using GLP-1 weight loss drugs, and they’re seeking smaller, more protein-packed meals as a result. But the company’s research indicates that 60 million Americans are actively seeking more protein in their diet.

“This is an opportunity. We need to keep giving them more reasons to make McDonald’s their first choice,” Anderson said at McDonald’s investor day.

McDonald’s said the restaurant modernizations include lockers to handle delivery orders, more visible coffee preparation areas to enhance quality perceptions, bigger play areas and improved kitchen layouts. Scales to help ensure order accuracy – which are already in use at 10,000 restaurants globally – will be in 20,000 restaurants by 2028, McDonald’s said.

The company is deploying its ArchIQ system, developed with Google, that improves order accuracy with artificial intelligence and automates tasks like inventory management and scheduling. Archy, the company's AI-enabled drive-thru ordering system, is now capable of taking orders in Spanish and English with a 90% accuracy rate.

Archy could eventually reduce at least 50 labor hours per week in a typical McDonald's, Chief Financial Officer Ian Borden said. But he said the intention is not to reduce staffing. Instead, employees can focus more on hospitality or on tasks like hand-breading chicken.

Kempczinski said customers have responded positively to Archy in testing because it helps make their orders more accurate.

“It's not AI is bad or AI is good. We try to be really thoughtful about how we use it,” he said.

McDonald's is also rolling out new employee training that will focus on hospitality and food quality, said Tiffanie Boyd, McDonald's chief people officer. The training will be more experience-based, showing employees what a perfectly cooked Big Mac tastes like, for example, and will encourage more pleasant interactions with customers.

At the same time, McDonald's is still focused on value. Kempczinski said low-income consumers, defined as U.S. households making $45,000 or less, continue to go out for fast food but not as often as they used to. McDonald's has done a good job with meal bundles, like its $5 meal deal, he said. But the company is exploring ways to offer entry-level prices on a basic menu of items in the U.S., as it does in Europe and other markets.

“This is the environment that we’re in right now. You have to be on your game and deliver that value,” Kempczinski said. “The pressure around cost of living isn't going away.”

McDonald’s U.S. franchisees typically spend up to $450,000 per decade on required store remodels. Under the company’s new plan, they will have to spend an additional $800,000 over time, but McDonald’s will pay a portion of that cost in the form of rent relief and capital support.

Borden said the investments will be phased in over time when markets and individual franchisees are ready for them. Once the investments are made, the efficiency improvements will deliver roughly $100,000 in annual cash flow benefits to the average U.S. restaurant, some of which can be reinvested in the restaurant, Borden said.

“We'd love to see it going into hospitality to elevate the experience with our customers,” Borden said.

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According to BSO, 911 dispatchers were notified shortly after 9 p.m. that the marked vehicle had been stolen from the public parking lot area of the building, located at 2601 W. Broward Blvd.

Investigators worked to locate the stolen vehicle with assistance from the Florida Highway Patrol, Port St. Lucie Police Department and the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office.

The vehicle was eventually located along the northbound lanes of Interstate 95 at Gatlin Road in Port St. Lucie, according to BSO.

The SLCSO confirmed that the vehicle was found abandoned on the Gatlin Boulevard off-ramp.

According to the agency, SLCSO deputies then spotted the suspect, Shannon Dillon, 42, in the area wearing an outer ballistic vest displaying BSO insignia.

Dillon was immediately taken into custody.

She faces the following charges in St. Lucie County:

• Grand theft of law enforcement equipment

• Unlawful use of a police badge or law enforcement vehicle

• Unlawful possession of four or fewer identification items

• Possession or use of drug paraphernalia

• Possession of a weapon or ammunition by a convicted felon

• Driving while license suspended

• Resisting an officer without violence

Authorities confirmed that she also faces the following charges in Broward County:

• Grand theft of law enforcement equipment from an authorized emergency vehicle
• Grand theft

BSO officials said the investigation remains ongoing.

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Firefighters responded shortly after 6 a.m. to reports of a boat fire behind 264 S. Tradewinds Ave.

When crews arrived, they found a 40-foot Carver boat fully engulfed in flames, first responders said.

They said firefighters immediately began working to extinguish the fire and prevent it from spreading to nearby boats and surrounding property.

Crews were able to bring the fire under control and contain the flames to the affected boat, according to PBFR.

No civilians or firefighters were injured.

After extinguishing the fire, crews remained at the scene to make sure it was fully out and address any remaining hot spots.

“The Pompano Beach Fire Marshal is investigating the origin and cause of the fire,” PBFR officials said in a news release.

Officials said that given the circumstances surrounding the blaze, the fire is “currently considered suspicious.”

The investigation remains ongoing.

The measure cleared the upper house 81-51 with seven abstentions. It marks a major step in Premier Giorgia Meloni’s drive to bolster energy security and meet climate goals, even though the construction of possible new reactors is still years away.

The bill, which earlier passed the lower Chamber of Deputies, establishes a legal framework for next-generation nuclear technologies. It authorizes the government to draft implementing decrees over the next 12 months covering reactor licensing, safety standards, waste management and criteria for future sites.

The vote puts Italy on a path toward reintroducing nuclear power after voters twice rejected it in national referendums, first in the aftermath of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster and again following Japan’s Fukushima accident in 2011.

Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, minister for the environment and energy security, said the vote marked a historic step forward for Italy.

“Nuclear isn't a return to the past," he said. “When integrated with renewables, it's a winning technology, which can give extraordinary results for our energy security.”

Italy seeks energy security in resuming nuclear

Meloni’s government argues that rising electricity demand, climate targets and energy security concerns exposed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine justify bringing nuclear energy back into the country’s power mix.

Rather than reviving the large reactors of the past, the government is focusing on small modular reactors, or SMRs, and other advanced technologies that supporters say could be safer, more flexible and quicker to build.

The legislation does not authorize the construction of any reactors. Instead, it creates the regulatory foundation needed before future projects can be proposed, assessed and approved.

Italy was once among Europe’s nuclear pioneers, operating four reactors before a 1987 referendum effectively ended the program. Since then, the country has relied heavily on imported energy and has become one of Europe’s largest consumers of electricity generated by nuclear plants in neighboring countries.

The government says electricity demand could rise substantially in coming years as homes, businesses and transportation become increasingly electrified and as data centers and other energy-intensive technologies expand.

Broader acceptance of nuclear energy is growing

Italy’s move comes amid a broader European debate over nuclear power’s role in cutting carbon emissions and reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels. Countries including France and Poland are investing in new nuclear projects or planning major expansions.

Public attitudes in Italy appear to have shifted. A June 2026 survey by research firm Only Numbers found that about 55% of Italians support next-generation nuclear plants, with backing strongest among younger generations who have no direct memory of Chernobyl.

Even so, significant obstacles remain before any reactors could be built.

Italy still lacks a permanent national repository for radioactive waste from its previous nuclear program, with waste continuing to be stored at temporary facilities around the country. Future reactor projects and waste storage sites are also expected to face opposition from local communities.

Energy analysts have questioned the economics of nuclear power, pointing to high construction costs and the lack of commercially proven SMR projects operating at scale in Europe. Industry estimates place the cost of a single 300-megawatt SMR at between 3 billion and 6 billion euros ($3.5 billion and $7 billion), excluding additional infrastructure and grid expenses.

Environment groups Greenpeace Italy, WWF Italia, the Kyodo Club and Legambiente called the legislation an “empty box filled with false promises” that went against the will of Italian voters in past referendums.

“Nuclear power does not solve any of the many problems Italy currently faces, in the midst of its second energy crisis in the last four years,” the groups said in a joint statement.

New reactors still a long way off

Michele Governatori, a senior energy adviser at climate and energy think tank ECCO, welcomed the creation of a regulatory framework but said it would likely expose limited private-sector appetite for new nuclear projects.

“Having a regulatory framework in place is positive, but it will also make clear the limited interest of private investors in technologies that are either not competitive today or not yet ready, such as SMRs,” he said.

Governatori also said that Italy should focus on measures already available to cut energy costs and reduce reliance on fossil fuels, including electrification, energy efficiency, renewable energy, storage capacity and power-grid upgrades.

Environmental groups and opposition parties have already signaled resistance to the government’s plans and could challenge future projects once specific reactor and waste-storage sites are proposed.

The warning came despite signs of improvement in other provinces, including Ituri, the outbreak’s epicenter. The outbreak has spread to seven provinces, with 7,773 confirmed cases and 3,759 deaths, according to the latest government figures.

Between Aug. 31 and Sept. 20, cases fell 26% in Ituri province and 15% in Haut-Uele, said Marie Roseline Belizaire, the WHO’s regional emergency director for Africa. But transmission patterns vary widely and the outbreak remains uncontrolled, she said.

“While cases and deaths are declining in some provinces, they continue to rise in others,” Belizaire said. “The outbreak is still not under control and remains spread across a wide geographic area.”

The outbreak is spreading under extremely difficult conditions, fueled by insecurity, displacement, a health workers’ strike and intense population movements. The World Health Organization has said it is on track to surpass the 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak, the deadliest on record, which killed more than 11,000 people, primarily in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Catherine Smallwood, the WHO’s Ebola incident manager, said cases and deaths had begun declining in North Kivu after several weeks of increases. But although treatment beds are being added daily, facilities still lack enough staff and partners to operate them.

“The human resources gap is one of the biggest gaps,” Smallwood said.

WHO representative in Congo Anne Ancia said one Ebola treatment center requires about 300 health professionals, including anesthetists, hygienists, nurses and general practitioners.

“We are building Ebola treatment centers but do not always have the human resources needed to operate them,” Ancia said. “Those health workers must be paid.”

Frontline workers in Ituri previously went on strike over unpaid wages, worsening access to care. Health Minister Roger Kamba said in July that the government was verifying payroll lists after the names of people not involved in the response were added. Frontline workers said officials promised to pay the arrears, but some workers received nothing and others only part of what they were owed.

Another major challenge in the response is the fatality rate among children, according to the WHO. Children under five have the highest case fatality rate, more than 60% compared with approximately 40% among adults, Belizaire said.

WHO Ebola Incident Manager Smallwood said detecting cases among children under five is also very difficult because the children can’t necessarily explain their symptoms, and the presentation of symptoms can be confusing.

Agentes de la Oficina del Sheriff de Broward (BSO) llegaron poco antes de las 3 p.m. del martes a la gasolinera Orion, ubicada en el 101 E. Atlantic Blvd. en Pompano Beach, tras recibir reportes de disparos en la zona.

Al llegar, los agentes encontraron a un hombre herido de bala.

Paramédicos de Pompano Beach Fire Rescue lo trasladaron de urgencia a Broward Health North para recibir tratamiento, informaron las autoridades.

Un video de vigilancia captó un altercado entre una mujer y el hombre que luego resultaría baleado.

En las imágenes se ve a ambos forcejeando, mientras la mujer parece intentar zafarse del hombre y subirse por la puerta del pasajero de una camioneta Toyota RAV4 blanca estacionada junto a las bombas de gasolina.

Más tarde, el mismo hombre se acercó al lado del conductor de la camioneta y, cuando estuvo más cerca de la persona que se encontraba junto al vehículo, esta le disparó mientras él intentaba huir.

La gasolinera fue acordonada con cinta amarilla de la policía mientras los investigadores procesaban la escena.

Dentro del perímetro se encontraban la camioneta Toyota y seis marcadores de evidencia.

Los agentes indicaron que una persona fue detenida en el lugar después del tiroteo.

La investigación sigue en curso.

En algunas zonas del noreste de Miami-Dade y el sur de Broward ya se han acumulado entre 2 y 4 pulgadas de lluvia, y se espera más, ya que las lluvias ligeras a moderadas continuarán durante la mañana.

Este miércoles hay un riesgo marginal de lluvias excesivas, ya que los aguaceros de lento desplazamiento podrían provocar inundaciones localizadas en las calles.

Podrían formarse más tormentas en la tarde, mientras la nubosidad mantendrá las temperaturas entre los 85 y 89 grados aproximadamente.

Los bomberos respondieron poco después de las 6 a.m. a reportes de un bote en llamas detrás del 264 S. Tradewinds Ave.

Al llegar, los equipos encontraron una embarcación Carver de 40 pies completamente envuelta en llamas, informaron los socorristas.

Según indicaron, los bomberos comenzaron de inmediato a combatir el fuego y a evitar que se extendiera a los botes cercanos y a las propiedades de los alrededores.

Los equipos lograron controlar el incendio y limitar las llamas a la embarcación afectada, según PBFR.

No hubo civiles ni bomberos heridos.

Tras apagar el fuego, los equipos permanecieron en el lugar para asegurarse de que estuviera completamente extinguido y atender cualquier punto caliente que quedara.

“El Fire Marshal de Pompano Beach está investigando el origen y la causa del incendio”, señalaron funcionarios de PBFR en un comunicado de prensa.

Las autoridades indicaron que, debido a las circunstancias en torno al incendio, este “se considera sospechoso por ahora”.

La investigación continúa.

“The FBI is aware of a cyber-criminal enterprise group claiming a compromise of the FBIJobs.gov portal and alleged impact to FBI employee personally identifiable information," the FBI said in a statement. It said that while the “point of breach” was undetermined, "we are actively and aggressively investigating this matter and working closely with those third-party providers that support FBIJobs.gov to mitigate any and all risk.”

The jobs website, the main portal for prospective employees to learn about the FBI and initiate the application process, remained offline as of Wednesday afternoon.

A message that circulated online from a hacking group known as ShinyHunters claimed responsibility for the hack.

“We have compromised the FBI. We hold very sensitive data on almost ALL FBI Agents and individuals who filed an application with the FBI for a job,” said the ShinyHunters message, which was directed to FBI Director Kash Patel and Brett Leatherman, the assistant director in charge of the bureau's cyber division.

The claims could not immediately be verified. An email to an address associated with ShinyHunters was not immediately returned.

The hackers are seeking retribution over an FBI advisory

Miriam Wugmeister, a lawyer specializing in data, privacy and cybercrime who tracks hacking outfits like ShinyHunters, said that based on the group's past practices, there was reason to believe the hackers' claims, “so I think it’s likely that they were able to compromise this website and they got some data.”

She said that though the data that appeared to be compromised was the type of personal information that is routinely accessed during a breach, the hack nonetheless had alarming national security implications given that it could expose agents and their families to extortion, swatting and other harassment and because the identities of spouses were also said to have been obtained.

“Even if the agents and the analysts and the employees are sophisticated, you worry about their families too,” she said.

In its message, ShinyHunters said it would give the bureau one week to correct or remove what it said were false allegations contained in an FBI public advisory from May that described the organization as a “cyber criminal group specializing in large-scale data breaches and extortion.”

That advisory characterized ShinyHunters as “threat actors” who often "use their real or exaggerated claims of access to sensitive or personal information to prompt payment from victims," commonly harass or threaten victims and “may falsely claim to have sensitive or compromising information, including embarrassing photographs or videos of victims, which frequently do not exist.”

ShinyHunters said in its message to the FBI that it was “offended” by those characterizations and demanded that the FBI remove those claims. It did not say what would happen if the FBI did not do so within a week.

“This is not a ransom, coercion, or extortion. Your federal policies do not apply here. This PSA is NOT financially motivated,” the hacking group's message said.

ShinyHunters has a reputation for “causing trouble and being disruptive,” Wugmeister said, as evidenced by the group’s involvement in a hack last spring of Canvas, an online system used by thousands of schools and universities. The breach created chaos as students tried to study for finals and prompted the FBI’s advisory that ShinyHunters is now objecting to.

There have been other cyber incidents concerning the FBI

The hack was first reported by 404 Media, an online technology publication that said a representative of ShinyHunters shared what appeared to be a sample of personal data of 5,000 FBI employees, including addresses, phone numbers and some information on spouses.

The publication said the ShinyHunters representative said the group carried out the hack through an apparent vulnerability in Oracle PeopleSoft software, commonly used by companies and government agencies for large-scale data processing and human resources purposes. The FBI said in its statement that it had not determined whether the “point of breach” involved a “third-party or the FBI’s enterprise.”

The FBI, the nation's premier federal law enforcement agency, has been a common target for hackers.

In March, the FBI disclosed that it was investigating “suspicious activities” on an internal system that contains sensitive information related to surveillance operations and investigations. Also that month, a pro-Iranian hacking group claimed to have hacked an account of Patel's and posted online what appeared to be years-old photographs of him, along with a work resume and other personal documents dating back more than a decade.

The FBI described the compromised information as “historical in nature” and said it involved "no government information.”