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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Michael Hill, MLB’s senior vice president for on-field operations, also announced the players received undisclosed fines. The suspensions were scheduled to begin with Wednesday's game but will be on hold as each player is appealing.

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

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

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

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

___

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

License revocation documents (contains graphic details):

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Documentos de revocación de licencia (contiene detalles gráficos):

Whittaker's 1963 ascent to the summit of Mount Everest came 10 years after Sir Edmund Hilary and Tenzing Norgay first scaled the peak.

Whittaker died Tuesday at his home in Port Townsend, Washington. according to a statement from his family.

His Mount Everest feat made the once-shy, rangy climber an instant celebrity, in demand for public appearances and expected to lend his support to good causes.

And it gained him entree into the world of celebrities, including the inner circles of the Kennedy clan. He became a close friend of Robert Kennedy, with whom he climbed a 14,000-foot (4,267 meters) Canadian peak named Mount Kennedy after the 1968 presidential contender's assassination.

Whittaker, who had been state chairman for Kennedy's campaign, was devastated by his death.

Bobby Kennedy was "one of the grittiest little guys you've ever seen," the 6-foot-5 Whittaker once remarked. "It's not how big you are but how tight you are wound that counts."

Whittaker's career on the mountain slopes began when he took on the Washington’s Olympic Mountains as a Boy Scout, and he once reflected that the beauty and danger of his sport sharpened the senses.

"You're in nature, participating in God's creation ... it's such a high, such a spiritual thing," Whittaker said in a 1981 interview.

"I think it's good to participate in that and to face life,” he added. “When you live on the edge, you can see a little farther."

The risks are part of the game.

"The mountains are fair, but they really don't care," Whitaker noted in 1987.

His achievements on the remote, snowy slopes of Mount Everest and nearby K2, the world's second-tallest peak, assured him a niche in the record books. He shared world-class climber status with his identical twin, Lou, who led the first American expedition to scale Mount Everest's north face.

Lou Whittaker died in 2024 at age 95.

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

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

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

In recent years, Whittaker was one of many climbers who resisted the idea of requiring climbers to wear electronic locators in some circumstances. Such a proposal was made for climbers on Oregon's Mount Hood, where more than 35 climbers had died since the early 1980s.

Whittaker told The Associated Press in 2007 that it was fine for individual climbers to wear the devices, but imposing the requirement would take a lot away from the mystique of climbing.

"If you take all of the risk out of life, you lose a lot. You're removing a personal liberty from somebody who wants to go and explore without having a safety net," Whittaker said by cellphone from Idaho, where he was on a climbing trip. "You want to go into the wild and enjoy nature and not be followed."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

——————-

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

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

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

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

Aquí una mirada del panorama escolar:

¿Qué ataques se produjeron?

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

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

En los días siguientes, diversos colegios registraron incidentes.

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

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

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

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

¿Qué hizo el gobierno?

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

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

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

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

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

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

¿Cuáles son las críticas de los expertos?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Parked car breaks serve as an emotional reset

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

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

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

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

What you do in that moment matters

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

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

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

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

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

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

Think of it as a pause, not an escape

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

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

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

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

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

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Strait of Hormuz

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

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

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

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

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

Uranium enrichment

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

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

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

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

Lebanon

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

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

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

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

Other key points of possible peace plans

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Details are scarce about the US peace proposal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Lo que vivimos en marzo en todo Estados Unidos no tuvo precedentes”, afirmó Shel Winkley, meteoróloga de Climate Central. “Una de las razones por las que esto es tan preocupante es simplemente el enorme volumen de récords, récords históricos, que se establecieron y se rompieron durante ese periodo. Pero, además, esto llega justo después de lo que fue el peor año de nieve. Y del invierno más caluroso del que se tiene registro. Así que estamos viendo esta continuidad de un calor extraordinario que se produjo durante los meses de invierno y que también se prolonga hacia los meses de primavera. Ahí es donde realmente preocupa: es la duración de este calor”.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kataib Hezbollah has been accused of kidnapping other foreigners.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

El miércoles, desarrolladores e ingenieros explicaron exactamente cómo ocurrirá.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

La USAC renueva el miércoles sus autoridades. Es una de las instituciones que este año lo harán, como la Corte de Constitucionalidad y la Fiscalía General.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

EEUU impuso la sanción a Mazariegos por socavar las instituciones democráticas al aceptar el cargo tras un cuestionado proceso electoral.

Para la elección del miércoles el Consejo Superior Universitario —afín a Mazariegos e integrado por representantes estudiantiles, docentes, profesionales y decanos— acreditó a los electores que votarán por su reelección y dejó afuera a la oposición.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

More from Local 10 News Weather Authority

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

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

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

PSN Tornado Rating: EF0

Estimated Peak Wind: 85 mph

Path Length /statute/: 0.57 miles

Path Width /maximum/: 0 yards

Fatalities: 0

Injuries: 0

Start Date: 04/07/2026

Start Time: 04:45 PM EDT

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

Start Lat/Lon: 25.9423 / -80.3323

End Date: 04/07/2026

End Time: 4:45 PM EDT

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

End Lat/Lon: 25.9364 / -80.3258

Survey Summary:

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

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

EF0.....65 to 85 mph

EF1.....86 to 110 mph

EF2.....111 to 135 mph

EF3.....136 to 165 mph

EF4.....166 to 200 mph

EF5.....>200 mph

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

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

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

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

They both participated in shootaround on Wednesday.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“What we experienced in March across the United States was unprecedented,” said Shel Winkley, a meteorologist with Climate Central, a nonprofit science research group.

“One reason that’s so concerning is just the sheer volume of records, all-time records that were set and broken during that time period,” Winkley said. “But also this is coming on the heels of what was the worst snow year. And the hottest winter of record.”

Records keep being broken

April 2025 to March 2026 was the warmest 12-month period on record in the continental United States, according to NOAA.

On March 20 and 21, about one-third of the nation felt unseasonable heat that would have been virtually impossible without human-caused climate change, Climate Central calculated.

More than 19,800 daily temperature records were broken for heat across the country, according to meteorologist Guy Walton, who analyzes NOAA data. More than 2,000 places set monthly records for heat — harder to break than daily records — Walton calculated. That’s more March heat records set just last month than in entire decades in the past.

All those broken records “tells us that climate change is kicking our butts,” said meteorologist Jeff Masters of Yale Climate Connections.

“January through March period was the driest on record for the contiguous U.S. So not only was it hot, it was record dry as well,” Masters said. “And that’s a bad combination for water availability, for agriculture, for river levels, for navigation.”

Here comes a whopping El Nino

The European climate and weather service Copernicus and NOAA are both forecasting a “super” strong El Niño to form in a few months and intensify into the winter. Meteorologists expect that to increase already warm temperatures across the globe, likely pushing past the hottest year mark set by 2024.

An El Niño is a natural temporary and cyclical warming of parts of the central Pacific that alters weather across the planet. An El Niño is formed when a specific part of the ocean is 0.5 degrees Celsius (0.9 F) warmer than normal. It is considered moderate at 1 degree Celsius and strong at 1.5 degrees Celsius. Both NOAA and the Europeans are forecasting this one to be well above 2 degrees Celsius into an area that is informally called super sized and perhaps rivaling records set in 2015 and 2016.

An El Niño releases heat stored in the upper ocean into the air, which causes global temperatures to rise, but with a few months lag time, said Northern Illinois University meteorology professor Victor Gensini.

“A strong El Niño could plausibly push global temperatures to new record levels in late 2026 and into 2027,” Gensini said.

El Nino could alter weather patterns for years

Super-sized El Niños often trigger a “climate regime shift,” which pushes normal conditions into a different pattern for years or decades, according to a study last December in the journal Nature Communications. The study said after the 2015-2016 El Niño, the Gulf of Mexico jumped to a new sustained level of warmth that may have contributed to stronger hurricanes along the Gulf Coast in the years after.

Growing research seems to indicate that a warming world from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas could be making El Niños stronger, but climate scientists said that's not quite a consensus yet.

“Global warming is supercharging El Niños and the atmospheric warming they drive,” said University of Michigan environment dean and climate scientist Jonathan Overpeck. "We saw this in 2016 and more recently in 2023. We’re likely to see another jump in global temperatures if a strong El Niño develops later this year as being predicted.”

El Niños tend to tamp down hurricane activity in the Atlantic, but ramp it up in the Pacific and could help ease the southwestern drought, Masters said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A motive for the shooting remains unclear.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tips on what to do during a tornado

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

Source: The National Weather Service

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

Related stories

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Related stories

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The new Falcons coach emphasized that the training program is voluntary and that he wouldn't be sharing additional details about which players reported.

“It’s a voluntary program, so that’s up to each individual player to make those decisions,” Stefanski said. "I would also add that we’ve had great discussions with his (Pearce's) representation. I don’t want to get into the specifics of that.”

One of the players in attendance is running back Bijan Robinson, who earned AP first-team All-Pro honors after amassing 2,298 yards from scrimmage and 11 total touchdowns during the 2025-26 season.

The running back said he has not spoken with Pearce since his arrest.

“If he does come back, if he’s here in this building, I’m going to make sure that he’s all the way focused, all the way ready to go, make sure his mind is in the right place, so he can be at his best on and off the field,” Robinson said.

Pearce's status with the Falcons has been in question since the arrest. The Falcons' front office and coaching staff, which is largely full of new faces this season, has remained tight-lipped during the active investigation.

“Obviously, we’re aware of the most recent articles and things that have come out regarding James Pearce,” Falcons GM Ian Cunningham said in March. “Those are concerning, right, to say the least, but outside of that, I’ll just keep it just very similar to what we said at the combine. We’re not going to comment on an open legal matter here moving forward.”

Pearce led the Falcons with 10.5 sacks in 2025. He also had 26 total tackles, five pass deflections, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. The Falcons’ pass rush saw significant improvement with Pearce in the lineup in 2025, setting a team record with 57 sacks, 26 more than the year before.

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

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin made the remarks in the keynote address at a conference hosted by the Heartland Institute, a conservative think tank that rejects mainstream climate science and what it calls “climate alarmism.” Zeldin told the gathering that repeal of the 2009 “endangerment finding” reversed decades of unthinking adherence to liberal politicians and environmental groups about the dangers of climate change.

“Today is a moment to celebrate. It is a day to celebrate vindication,″ said Zeldin, a former Republican congressman from New York who is widely believed to be under consideration for a possible promotion to attorney general, following Pam Bondi’s forced departure last week.

The EPA earlier this year revoked the endangerment finding, a scientific conclusion that for 16 years was the central basis for regulating planet-warming emissions from power plants, vehicles and other sources. The Trump administration argued the finding hurts industry and the economy and claimed the Obama and Biden administrations twisted science to determine that greenhouse gases are a public health risk.

Heartland on ‘front lines’ against endangerment finding

Zeldin's prominent appearance at a conference hosted by a group deeply skeptical of the established science around climate change reflected the vast reversal that President Donald Trump's administration has carried out of traditional policies meant to protect the environment. The EPA has rolled back dozens of air and water protections and has said it does not have legal authority to regulate climate change.

“You were right there on the front lines against there being an endangerment finding in 2009,” Zeldin told the Heartland conference.

Environmentalists denounced Zeldin's appearance before the conservative group, accusing him of “rallying climate deniers” at a time when climate change is creating greater risks of extreme weather, including stronger hurricanes, more dangerous floods and more intense wildfires.

Zeldin’s speech “promotes disinformation” and amounts to doing the bidding of Heartland’s secretive donors, said Joe Bonfiglio, U.S. director of the Environmental Defense Fund.

“The Heartland Institute is not a serious scientific organization. It’s a disinformation factory,” Bonfiglio said. Having the EPA administrator serve as their opening act isn’t just embarrassing — it’s a signal of how completely the Trump administration has abandoned its obligation to protect the public from pollution.”

An EPA spokeswoman brushed off the criticism, saying “the era of EPA as a vehicle for radical ideology is over.”

Zeldin speaks before a “wide variety of ideologically different groups and individuals to promote the agenda of the Trump EPA,” spokesman Carolyn Holran said.

Zeldin has returned the agency’s focus to fulfill its statutory obligations to protect human health and the environment, “backed by gold standard science, not doomsday models designed to scare the public into compliance,” she said in an email.

Heartland, based in Illinois, describes itself as a “free-market think tank” and says a key goal is to “challenge the narrative that the world faces a climate crisis” driven by the burning of fossil fuels. The organization does not disclose its funder list but has received financial support from oil and gas interests.

James Taylor, the group's president, hailed Zeldin’s speech and called Zeldin “the greatest EPA administrator ever.”

The 2009 endangerment finding determined that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases threaten public health and welfare. The Obama-era finding is the legal underpinning of nearly all climate regulations under the Clean Air Act for motor vehicles, power plants and other pollution sources that are heating the planet.

The repeal eliminates all greenhouse gas emissions standards for cars and trucks and could unleash a broader undoing of climate regulations on stationary sources such as power plants and oil and gas facilities, experts say. Legal challenges have been filed by nearly two dozen states, along with cities and public health and environmental groups.

Critic calls Zeldin speech ‘surreal’

Bonfiglio, of EDF, called it “surreal” that the head of the EPA would appear before a “fringe of the conservative right” and “ask for his flowers.” He called the speech tone-deaf and even insulting to Americans, given the rising costs of gasoline and other energy and more frequent occurrences of extreme weather such as a gigantic heat dome that baked the Southwest last month and smashed March heat records in 14 states.

The Heartland Institute and its supporters “don't want you to look out the window,” Bonfiglio said in an interview. “They actually need you to not look out the window in order to defend their positions. A core to their belief is that climate change is not a threat.”

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According to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, it’s not the first time Crystal Wilneshia White or co-owner Kerri Lisa Smith, both 38, have been accused of operating unlicensed post-op homes in the county.

Deputies said they first executed a search warrant at “Snatched N Curved,” located at 21480 SW 132nd Court, on March 17. They said they found eight recovering patients and two employees at the home.

They said another person who arrived with a patient claimed she was not an employee and was “visiting Crystal.”

Two days before White’s arrest, an Instagram post from the business warning of recovery homes “shutting down or facing serious legal consequences” due to “increasing regulations” proclaimed that the business is above-board.

“At Snatched N Curved, we want to be very clear: We do not operate like that, and we do not stand for that,” it states. “At the same time, we must operate legally, responsibly, and in full compliance with all regulations. We will not put our company, our team, or our families at risk.”

But deputies said “Snatched N Curved” was not, in fact, a licensed assisted living facility as required by state law.

The arrest report states that patients were paying in upwards of $300 per night, through Zelle, to Smith and Pierre to stay at the home and receive care. A review of the pair’s Zelle account showed that the two women had made $200,000, authorities said.

Investigators said Smith, also known as “Kerri Pierre,” was the “face” of the business and White is the registered director of the associated “SNG Concierge” company.

Deputies said they also snatched evidence from the garbage showing that “Snatched N Curved” was illegally dumping medical waste.

“Additionally, the defendant and co-defendant were previously arrested two separate times in 2023 for the unlicensed operation of two unlicensed post-cosmetic surgery ALFs at two different locations,” the arrest report states.

Deputies arrested White on Tuesday on six felony charges plus several misdemeanors, including organized fraud, operating an assisted living facility without a license and felony littering.

It appears a judge did not find probable cause on the organized fraud charge, ordering her released outright on that count, according to jail records. She was otherwise ordered to be held on an $8,300 bond.

White also faces a magistrate hold.

Según la Oficina del Sheriff de Miami-Dade, no es la primera vez que Crystal Wilneshia White o la copropietaria Kerri Lisa Smith, ambas de 38 años, han sido acusadas de operar casas de recuperación sin licencia en el condado.

Los agentes indicaron que ejecutaron por primera vez una orden de registro en “Snatched N Curved”, ubicada en el 21480 de la corte Southwest 132, el 17 de marzo. Señalaron que encontraron a ocho pacientes en recuperación y dos empleados en la vivienda.

Indicaron que otra persona que llegó con un paciente afirmó que no era empleada y que estaba “visitando a Crystal”.

Dos días antes del arresto de White, una publicación en Instagram del negocio advertía sobre casas de recuperación “cerrando o enfrentando graves consecuencias legales” debido al “aumento de regulaciones” y afirmaba que el negocio operaba correctamente.

“En Snatched N Curved, queremos ser muy claros: no operamos de esa manera y no apoyamos eso”, indica. “Al mismo tiempo, debemos operar legalmente, de manera responsable y en total cumplimiento con todas las regulaciones. No pondremos en riesgo a nuestra empresa, nuestro equipo ni nuestras familias”.

Pero los agentes indicaron que “Snatched N Curved” no era, de hecho, una instalación de vida asistida con licencia como exige la ley estatal.

El informe de arresto señala que los pacientes pagaban más de $300 USD por noche, a través de Zelle, a Smith y Pierre para alojarse en la vivienda y recibir atención. Una revisión de la cuenta de Zelle mostró que ambas mujeres habían obtenido $200,000 USD, según las autoridades.

Los investigadores indicaron que Smith, también conocida como “Kerri Pierre”, era la “cara” del negocio y que White es la directora registrada de la empresa asociada “SNG Concierge”.

Los agentes también indicaron que recuperaron evidencia de la basura que mostraba que “Snatched N Curved” desechaba residuos médicos de manera ilegal.

“Además, la acusada y la coacusada fueron arrestadas previamente en dos ocasiones separadas en 2023 por la operación sin licencia de dos instalaciones de vida asistida post cirugía cosmética en diferentes ubicaciones”, señala el informe de arresto.

Los agentes arrestaron a White el martes por seis cargos graves y varios delitos menores, incluidos fraude organizado, operar una instalación de vida asistida sin licencia y vertido ilegal grave.

Según los registros de la cárcel, al parecer un juez no encontró causa probable para el cargo de fraude organizado, ordenando su liberación por ese cargo. Por lo demás, se ordenó que permaneciera detenida con una fianza de $8,300 USD.

White también enfrenta una orden de detención de un magistrado.

The par-3 16th is famous for Woods hitting that pitch that made a U-turn at the top of the slope, hung on the edge of the cup and dropped during his 2005 victory. No eyes were on the beautiful Redbud shrub with its vibrant pink blooms.

The par-3 12th hole is associated with its name on the scorecard, “Golden Bell,” a yellow bloom native to Asia. Ask just about any player at the Masters if they've ever seen a Golden Bell and it's doubtful. It blooms in late winter. The Masters is golf's rite of spring.

“I’ve played the 12th enough. I’m sure I’ve seen one somewhere,” Rory McIlroy said.

Pebble Beach is the felicitous meeting of land and sea. Augusta National is the greatest garden in golf, because that's what it was before Bobby Jones went looking for land to build his golf course and found the 365-acre Fruitland Nurseries.

“Perfect! And to think this ground has been lying here all these years waiting for someone to come along and lay a golf course on it,” Jones said when he first laid eyes on the property.

He took out an option for $70,000.

Augusta National doesn't speak in numbers — from the size of the gallery to how fast the greens are running on the Stimpmeter — but the course is believed to have some 80,000 flowering plants and trees on its immaculate landscape.

The flora is such an integral part of Augusta National that each hole is named for a tree or a shrub that can be found on that hole.

“I know azalea is one of them,” Dustin Johnson said.

Good guess. It took him a few seconds to associate “Azalea” with the iconic par-5 13th, which has approximately 1,600 azalea bushes, many of them surrounding the back of the green.

Remarkably, Johnson knew the seventh hole was named, “Pampas,” a grass bush native to Argentina that grows about 12 feet high and blooms in late summer. The hole used to be 340 yards with no bunkers. Now it's 450 yards, straight and narrow and tough.

“Perfect name,” Johnson said, “because it is an ass of a hole.”

Johnson also knew there was a dogwood or two on the scorecard without knowing exactly where (Pink Dogwood for No. 2, White Dogwood for No. 11). And there's no shame in that.

Two-time champion Scottie Scheffler — the No. 1 player in the world, and with a degree from Texas in finance, not horticulture — paused under the live oak next to the clubhouse when asked how many plants he could name associated with each hole.

“Magnolia for 5?” he asked. He hit one of his purest shots on the fifth hole when he won in 2022. He didn't have to venture into the magnolia trees behind the tree.

He also named Azalea and Golden Bell — “I got more than I thought,” he said — but whiffed on Holly, the red-berry bushes found on both sides of the 18th tee.

McIlroy, the defending champion, has a greater appreciation of history and heritage than most golfers. He didn't think he could get the names on all 18 holes before rattling off Firethorn (15), Azalea, Golden Bell, Pink Dogwood ... and then he stumbled.

“White Dogwood, 10?” he said.

No. The 10th hole is Camelia, another one that typically blooms well before the Masters.

The beauty of Augusta National cannot be overstated, and its history of flora is rich. Fruitland Nurseries dates to 1858, a partnership between a Belgian baron named Louis Berckmans and his son, Prosper. They imported trees and plants from all over the world. The nursery ceased operations in 1918 after they died. What remained were a long row of magnolias that had been planted before the Civil War, and the azalea bush that Prosper Berckmans popularized.

A word about the famous azaleas at Augusta National.

No, the club's horticulture staff does not pack them in ice to keep the blooms from bursting before the Masters. There have been the occasional “green” Masters without many blooms, and that almost was the case this year. The blooms are fading but still colorful.

The staff will get to work two days after the Masters is over, fertilizing and pruning. And it takes great care — the azalea bushes are pruned by hand, a project that can take three months.

There is one palm tree at Augusta National, just to the right of the green on the par-3 fourth. The name of the hole later was changed from Palm to Flowering Crabapple with its red, pink and white blooms (they usually pop right after the Masters).

That tripped up Chris Gotterup, one of the 22 newcomers to the Masters this year.

“Is every hole named after a flower?" Gotterup said Monday. “Because we were playing 4 today. Is palm a flower?”

It all weaves together in a magnificent landscape, a deceptive beauty as the backdrop to intense pressure trying to win one of golf's grandest prizes. Jones might have summed it up best.

"Never was the iron gauntlet of challenge more skillfully concealed in velvet.”

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

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Deputies with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office identified the suspects as Maria Blasco Diaz, 64, and her husband, Antonio Diaz, 65.

According to an arrest report, the investigation began after longtime friends accused the couple of offering deeply discounted luxury watches, jewelry and cruise travel packages that were never delivered on July, 24, 2023.

Authorities said the scheme dates back to 2022, when Maria Blasco Diaz allegedly offered a 50% “friends and family” discount on Rolex watches through her husband, who worked at a jewelry store.

The report states that the victims and their relatives paid deposits for multiple watches, totaling nearly $139,000.

Investigators said Maria Blasco Diaz provided repeated excuses for delays, including claims the items were sent to the wrong store or held in “quality control.”

They said additional money was also collected for jewelry purchases and discounted cruise travel, including a trip scheduled for July 2023 aboard Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas.

In total, deputies said the victims paid more than $44,000 for travel-related expenses that were never secured.

As the departure date approached, they said Maria Blasco Diaz failed to provide travel documents and later claimed the bookings fell through because a contact at the cruise line had been “fired.”

She issued partial repayment checks that later bounced due to “insufficient funds,” according to the report, which stated Maria Blasco Diaz had written the checks from a newly opened account that bank officials confirmed was opened “with a minimal deposit” and that she “had not deposited any additional funds.”

The report states that the couple ultimately collected $200,259.85 and never provided the promised goods or services, nor refunded the money.

Detectives said Maria Blasco Diaz confessed to the crimes in an interview and claimed that her husband was not involved. Despite her confession, Antonio Diaz was also arrested.

Jail records show both suspects are facing charges including organized fraud of $50,000 or more, first-degree grand theft of over $100,000, uttering forged instruments, writing or issuing a worthless check of $150 or more, and theft from an elderly victim of more than $10,000 but less than $50,000.

The couple appeared in bond court Wednesday, where a judge set their bond at $35,000 each.

They were also ordered to have no contact with any of the victims and were given a Nebbia hold, which requires a defendant or defendants to prove the money or collateral used to pay a bail bond comes from a legitimate, legal source.

Anyone who believes they may have been scammed by the couple is urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.

Agentes de la Oficina del Sheriff de Miami-Dade identificaron a los sospechosos como Maria Blasco Diaz, de 64 años, y su esposo, Antonio Diaz, de 65.

Según un informe de arresto, la investigación comenzó después de que amigos de larga data acusaran a la pareja de ofrecer relojes de lujo, joyas y paquetes de cruceros con grandes descuentos que nunca fueron entregados el 24 de julio de 2023.

Las autoridades indicaron que el esquema se remonta a 2022, cuando Maria Blasco Diaz presuntamente ofreció un descuento del 50% de “amigos y familia” en relojes Rolex a través de su esposo, quien trabajaba en una joyería.

El informe señala que las víctimas y sus familiares pagaron depósitos por múltiples relojes, con un total de casi $139,000 USD.

Los investigadores dijeron que Maria Blasco Diaz proporcionó excusas repetidas por los retrasos, incluyendo afirmaciones de que los artículos fueron enviados a la tienda equivocada o retenidos en “control de calidad”.

Indicaron que también se recolectó dinero adicional para compras de joyas y viajes en crucero con descuento, incluyendo un viaje programado para julio de 2023 a bordo del Odyssey of the Seas de Royal Caribbean.

En total, los agentes dijeron que las víctimas pagaron más de $44,000 USD en gastos relacionados con viajes que nunca fueron asegurados.

A medida que se acercaba la fecha de salida, indicaron que Maria Blasco Diaz no proporcionó documentos de viaje y luego afirmó que las reservas se cancelaron porque un contacto en la línea de cruceros había sido “despedido”.

Emitió cheques de reembolso parcial que luego rebotaron por “fondos insuficientes”, según el informe, que indica que Maria Blasco Diaz escribió los cheques desde una cuenta recién abierta que funcionarios del banco confirmaron fue abierta “con un depósito mínimo” y que “no había depositado fondos adicionales”.

El informe señala que la pareja finalmente obtuvo $200,259.85 USD y nunca proporcionó los bienes o servicios prometidos ni devolvió el dinero.

Los detectives dijeron que Maria Blasco Diaz confesó los delitos durante una entrevista y afirmó que su esposo no estaba involucrado. A pesar de su confesión, Antonio Diaz también fue arrestado.

Los registros de la cárcel muestran que ambos sospechosos enfrentan cargos que incluyen fraude organizado de $50,000 USD o más, hurto mayor en primer grado de más de $100,000 USD, uso de instrumentos falsificados, emisión de cheques sin fondos de $150 USD o más y robo a una víctima de edad avanzada de más de $10,000 USD pero menos de $50,000 USD.

La pareja compareció el miércoles ante un tribunal de fianzas, donde un juez fijó una fianza de $35,000 USD para cada uno.

También se les ordenó no tener contacto con ninguna de las víctimas y se les impuso una retención Nebbia, que requiere que el acusado o los acusados demuestren que el dinero o la garantía utilizada para pagar la fianza proviene de una fuente legítima y legal.

Cualquier persona que crea haber sido estafada por la pareja debe llamar a Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers al 305-471-8477.

“Evidentemente es una provocación porque de la nada salen este tipo de mensajes”, dijo en una entrevista con una radio local la canciller ecuatoriana Gabriela Sommerfeld. Agregó que “hemos llamado a nuestro embajador (Felix Wong) a consultas” y se espera que arribe a Ecuador en las próximas horas.

Previamente la Cancillería había informado en un comunicado que “a diferencia de lo que sostiene el jefe de Estado colombiano” Glas “no es un perseguido político, sino un sentenciado por la justicia” tras procesos legítimos por corrupción.

La noche del lunes Petro publicó en su cuenta de X que “ es indudable que Jorge Glas es un preso político ” y al día siguiente recordó que le había otorgado la ciudadanía colombiana a Glas y pedido a organismos internacionales que velaran por su seguridad porque, adujo, en prisión no recibe suficiente alimento y sufre una “severa desnutrición”.

El presidente ecuatoriano Daniel Noboa respondió, también en X, que Ecuador “ha esperado años para ver a los corruptos responder ante la justicia” y agregó que “desde afuera quieren vender el cuento de los presos políticos”.

Glas fue condenado por asociación ilícita en el caso Odebrecht, por cohecho en un caso de sobornos y por apropiación de fondos públicos para la reconstrucción de la provincia Manabí, destruida por un potente terremoto en 2016.

La Cancillería advirtió que cualquier intento por deslegitimar sentencias judiciales ecuatorianas “desde el exterior constituye una violación flagrante al principio de no intervención” y dijo que las “falsas declaraciones formuladas por el presidente” colombiano “contribuyen a deteriorar el estado de las relaciones diplomáticas”.

Añadió que Ecuador exige el cese inmediato de “declaraciones que vulneran su soberanía”.

Glas está preso en una prisión de máxima seguridad cumpliendo tres sentencias. En uno de esos casos también fue condenado el expresidente Rafael Correa (2007-2017), quien se encuentra prófugo.

El exvicepresidente fue liberado a fines de 2023 y recapturado en abril de 2024 cuando la policía irrumpió en la embajada de México en Quito, donde se había refugiado.

Los roces se producen en medio de una guerra comercial desatada luego de que Ecuador impusiera aranceles a las importaciones procedentes de Colombia a la que señaló de no custodiar la zona limítrofe y vender a precio excesivo la energía eléctrica. En respuesta, Colombia impuso tasas recíprocas a los bienes ecuatorianos.

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Investigators said Henao Knezevich was reported missing on Feb. 4, 2024, while living in Madrid. She and her husband, David Knezevich, also owned a home in Fort Lauderdale. They believe she was killed two days earlier.

Authorities say her remains may have been discarded along a route stretching from Madrid to Serbia, passing through Spain, France, Italy, Slovenia and Croatia.

Detectives said surveillance video shows Henao Knezevich entering her Madrid apartment building around 1:42 p.m. on Feb. 2, 2024. They said she later participated in a video call around 7 p.m. and sent her final text message to friends at about 10:01 p.m.

That same night, at about 9:27 p.m., David Knezevich, then 36, was seen on surveillance video entering the building wearing a motorcycle helmet and reflective vest, according to investigators.

Authorities say David Knezevich spray-painted the lobby camera before leaving with what they believe was a rolling suitcase containing her body. She has not been seen since, and investigators say all evidence indicates she is dead.

Investigators say he rented a dark blue 2019 Peugeot 308 in Belgrade, Serbia, on Jan. 29, 2024, and tinted its rear windows before driving to Madrid.

They allege that he stole multiple license plates along the way to conceal his movements and later returned to Serbia along the same route, where they believe he disposed of her remains.

David Knezevich, a Serbian-American who lived in Fort Lauderdale, was charged in the kidnapping and killing of his estranged wife.

Prosecutors said he falsely claimed to be in South Florida at the time of her disappearance, while court records point to financial disputes during divorce proceedings as a possible motive.

They said he was arrested in May 2024 at Miami International Airport and remained in federal custody awaiting trial.

During the investigation, authorities said David Knezevich died in jail by suicide.

They also said a necklace and journal belonging to Henao Knezevich were not found in her apartment and could be recognizable to someone who may have seen them.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI, the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate, call 1-800-CALL-FBI, or submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov.

Los investigadores indicaron que Henao Knezevich fue reportada como desaparecida el 4 de febrero de 2024, mientras vivía en Madrid. Ella y su esposo, David Knezevich, también tenían una vivienda en Fort Lauderdale. Creen que fue asesinada dos días antes.

Las autoridades señalan que sus restos podrían haber sido abandonados a lo largo de una ruta que se extiende desde Madrid hasta Serbia, pasando por España, Francia, Italia, Eslovenia y Croacia.

Los detectives indicaron que un video de vigilancia muestra a Henao Knezevich entrando a su edificio de apartamentos en Madrid alrededor de la 1:42 p.m. del 2 de febrero de 2024. Señalaron que posteriormente participó en una videollamada alrededor de las 7 p.m. y envió su último mensaje de texto a amigos aproximadamente a las 10:01 p.m.

Esa misma noche, alrededor de las 9:27 p.m., David Knezevich, entonces de 36 años, fue visto en video de vigilancia entrando al edificio con un casco de motocicleta y un chaleco reflectante, según los investigadores.

Las autoridades indican que David Knezevich roció con pintura la cámara del vestíbulo antes de salir con lo que creen era una maleta con ruedas que contenía su cuerpo. No ha sido vista desde entonces, y los investigadores afirman que toda la evidencia indica que está muerta.

Los investigadores indicaron que él alquiló un Peugeot 308 azul oscuro modelo 2019 en Belgrado, Serbia, el 29 de enero de 2024, y que oscureció las ventanas traseras antes de conducir hasta Madrid.

Alegan que robó múltiples placas de matrícula en el camino para ocultar sus movimientos y que posteriormente regresó a Serbia por la misma ruta, donde creen que se deshizo de los restos.

David Knezevich, un serbio-estadounidense que residía en Fort Lauderdale, fue acusado del secuestro y asesinato de su esposa separada.

Los fiscales indicaron que él afirmó falsamente estar en el sur de Florida al momento de su desaparición, mientras que los registros judiciales apuntan a disputas financieras durante el proceso de divorcio como un posible motivo.

Señalaron que fue arrestado en mayo de 2024 en el Aeropuerto Internacional de Miami y permanecía bajo custodia federal a la espera de juicio.

Durante la investigación, las autoridades informaron que David Knezevich murió en la cárcel por suicidio.

También indicaron que un collar y un diario pertenecientes a Henao Knezevich no fueron encontrados en su apartamento y podrían ser reconocibles para alguien que los haya visto.

Cualquier persona con información debe comunicarse con el FBI, la embajada o consulado de Estados Unidos más cercano, llamar al 1-800-CALL-FBI o enviar una pista en tips.fbi.gov.

By giving the “core” designation to those players, their teams have exclusive negotiating rights which comes with a guaranteed one-year deal at the new supermax salary. That's more than five-times above the top salary they could earn in the last CBA.

Players can negotiate different terms to help their teams sign other players to fit under the new salary cap that's expected to be around $7 million.

Other players giving the “core” designation include Indiana's Kelsey Mitchell, Dallas' Arike Ogunbowale, Atlanta's Allisha Gray, Chicago's Ariel Atkins and Seattle's Ezi Magbegor.

Expansion franchises Portland and Toronto extended franchise tag offers to players. The Fire selected Bridget Carleton with the first pick in the draft last week and offered her the tag. The Tempo did the same for Marina Mabrey, who they took with the sixth pick.

The franchise tag is a way for a team to prevent a player from leaving in free agency without getting anything in return for them. The teams and players can also negotiate doing a sign-and-trade agreement for those players.

Starting in 2027, players can only be given the core designation twice and it can only be if they have less than seven years of experience in the league.

Teams were also able to send out reserved and restricted qualifying offers to players during this designation period, which began Monday. Negotiations will go from Wednesday to Friday with players able to start signing Saturday.

Training camp is scheduled to begin on April 19 with the first preseason games on April 25.

The start of free agency was delayed until this month because of a prolonged negotiation of a new collective bargaining agreement that didn't get agreed to and ratified until late March. The long form contract is still being executed by both sides.

More than 80% of the league’s veteran players are free agents this year, as players had signed deals that expired at the end of last season to capitalize on higher salaries from the new CBA.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

Hermanos gemelos y magnates de bienes raíces Alon y Oren Alexander aparecieron en un tribunal de Miami-Dade el viernes mientras sus padres lo observaban desde la galería. Los hermanos de 37 años de edad enfrentan cargos de delito grave estatal, incluyendo agresión sexual.

Los fiscales federales dicen que Oren y Alon Alexander, junto con su hermano mayor Tal, usaron su estatus, riqueza e influencia para atraer a “docenas” de mujeres a entornos aislados, donde fueron repetidamente drogadas, violadas y explotadas en el transcurso de más de una década.

El juez de Miami-Dade, Lody Jean, ratificó un acuerdo previo al juicio entre los fiscales y la defensa, otorgando la libertad bajo fianza bajo estrictas condiciones.

Oren Alexander está acusado en tres casos, mientras que Alon enfrenta un cargo. Cada uno debe pagar una fianza de $25,000 por caso, cumplir con el arresto domiciliario de nivel 3 con monitoreo GPS y entregar sus pasaportes. También están obligados a evitar el contacto con las presuntas víctimas.

Un juez federal también negó el viernes la libertad bajo fianza para Tal Alexander, citando preocupaciones sobre su posible riesgo de fuga.

Milton Williams Jr., abogado defensor de Tal Alexander, dijo que su cliente probablemente será trasladado al Centro de Detención Metropolitano en Nueva York, una instalación previamente asociada con casos de alto perfil como el de Sean “Diddy” Combs.

“La familia va en serio para apoyar a su hijo y demostrar que es inocente”, dijo Williams a Local 10 News.

“El gobierno ha cumplido con su carga en lo que respecta al riesgo de fuga”, dijo el juez durante la audiencia. Si bien reconoció que Alexander podría no representar un peligro significativo para la comunidad, el tribunal no encontró condiciones que pudieran mitigar completamente el riesgo de que huyera.

El juez enfatizó la solidez de las pruebas contra Alexander y señaló los “amplios recursos financieros” de su familia, que incluyen activos sustanciales. “En este momento, no sé si 115 millones de dólares son sustanciales para ellos, pero él tiene los recursos financieros para huir si así lo decide”, agregó el juez.

El tribunal desestimó el confinamiento domiciliario y el monitoreo por GPS como salvaguardas suficientes, afirmando que tales medidas “han demostrado en el pasado que no son infalibles”.

Oren Alexander enfrenta cargos de conspiración para cometer tráfico sexual y tráfico sexual que involucra a una víctima a través de la fuerza, fraude o coerción, en tres casos separados, mientras que Alon Alexander enfrenta un cargo de agresión sexual por parte de múltiples perpetradores.

En un acontecimiento significativo, ambas partes llegaron a un acuerdo sobre la libertad previa al juicio por los cargos estatales, que fue ratificado por el juez el viernes. Como parte del acuerdo, el padre de los hermanos, Schlomy Alexander, está poniendo una propiedad familiar, ubicada cerca de la cuadra 200 Bal Bay Drive en Bal Harbour, como garantía.

Los abogados defensores confirmaron que se espera que Ohad Fisherman, un amigo cercano de la familia que enfrenta un cargo de agresión sexual por parte de múltiples perpetradores en relación con un incidente de 2016 que involucró a los tres hermanos Alexander, se entregue la próxima semana después de regresar de su luna de miel en Japón.

A pesar del acuerdo de fianza, los hermanos Alexander permanecen bajo custodia, a la espera de ser transferidos a los Alguaciles de EE. UU. para enfrentar cargos federales de tráfico sexual. Los investigadores alegan que los Alexander, junto con su hermano mayor Tal, explotaron su riqueza e influencia para victimizar a las mujeres durante un período de 11 años.

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El fallo judicial del viernes se produce un día después de que Oren y Alon Alexander comparecieran en una sala del tribunal de Miami-Dade con chalecos verdes antisuicidio, donde la jueza Mindy Glazer les negó la libertad bajo fianza. Los fiscales citaron su acceso a aviones y yates privados como evidencia de riesgo de fuga.

“Este acusado tiene acceso a aviones privados, barcos privados; hay riesgo de fuga”, dijo la fiscal Natalie Snyder al tribunal. Glazer confirmó la decisión, declarando: “Debido a que se considera un delito peligroso, estoy obligado a retenerlo sin fianza”.

Los hermanos Alexander, cuyas batallas legales han atraído una atención significativa, permanecen en el Centro Correccional Turner Guilford Knight a pesar de una victoria de la corte estatal el jueves anterior que estableció un acuerdo de arresto domiciliario con condiciones.

Su abogado defensor, quien asistió a una audiencia en un tribunal federal el viernes, le dijo a Local 10 News que los hermanos permanecerán bajo custodia hasta al menos el lunes por la mañana. Se requiere una audiencia a las 10 a.m. en el Edificio de Justicia Richard E. Gerstein para confirmar la fianza vinculada a sus cargos estatales.

Dijo que el procedimiento de la corte estatal esta mañana fue una “victoria”, pero aún hay más por resolver.

Los cargos federales se ciernen sobre los hermanos.

El exfiscal estatal y federal David Weinstein indicó que es probable que los alguaciles federales tomen la custodia de la pareja de TGK en preparación para su caso federal. Sin embargo, el momento de la transferencia depende de cuándo esté programada su comparecencia inicial en el tribunal federal.

Lea el acuerdo de libertad previa al juicio de Oren y Alon Alexander en el documento a continuación (en inglés):

Twin brothers and real estate tycoons Alon and Oren Alexander appeared in a Miami-Dade courtroom Friday as their parents watched from the gallery. The 37-year-old brothers face state felony charges, including sexual battery.

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Federal prosecutors say Oren and Alon Alexander, along with their older brother Tal, used their status, wealth, and influence to lure “dozens” of women into isolated settings, where they were repeatedly drugged, raped, and exploited them over the course of more than a decade.

Miami-Dade Judge Lody Jean ratified a pretrial agreement between prosecutors and the defense, granting bail under strict conditions.

She ruled that both brothers must post a $25,000 bond per case, comply with Level 3 house arrest with GPS monitoring, and surrender their passports. They are also required to avoid contact with the alleged victims.

A federal judge also denied bond Friday for Tal Alexander, citing concerns over his potential risk of flight.

Milton Williams Jr., Tal Alexander’s defense attorney, said his client will likely be transferred to the Metropolitan Detention Center in New York, a facility previously associated with high-profile cases like Sean “Diddy” Combs.

“The family means business in supporting their son and proving he is innocent,” Williams to Local 10 News.

“The government has met their burden when it comes to risk of flight,” the judge said during the hearing. While acknowledging that Alexander might not pose a significant danger to the community, the court found no conditions that could fully mitigate the risk of him fleeing.

The judge emphasized the strength of the evidence against Alexander and noted his family’s “extensive financial resources,” which include substantial assets. “At this point, I am not aware whether $115 million is substantial for them, but he has the financial resources to flee if he chose to do so,” the judge added.

The court dismissed home confinement and GPS monitoring as sufficient safeguards, stating that such measures “have proven in the past to not be foolproof.”

Oren Alexander is facing charges of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and sex trafficking involving a victim through force, fraud, or coercion, in three separate cases, while Alon Alexander faces one count of sexual battery by multiple perpetrators.

In a significant development, both sides reached an agreement on pretrial release for the state charges, which was ratified by the judge on Friday. As part of the agreement, the brothers’ father, Schlomy Alexander, is putting up a family property — located near the 200 block Bal Bay Drive in Bal Harbour — as collateral.

Defense attorneys confirmed that Ohad Fisherman, a close family friend who is also facing one count of sexual battery by multiple perpetrators in connection with a 2016 incident involving the three Alexander brothers, is expected to surrender next week after returning from his honeymoon in Japan.

9 a.m. report

Miami-Dade prosecutors also confirmed that a warrant for Fisherman’s arrest has been quashed, but warned it will be reissued if he fails to appear as planned.

Despite the bail agreement for the state case, the brothers remain held under a federal detainer. They are not expected to leave custody due to pending federal charges, with a federal court hearing scheduled for 1 p.m.

Friday’s court ruling comes a day after Oren and Alon Alexander appeared in a Miami-Dade courtroom wearing green anti-suicide vests, where they were denied bond by Judge Mindy Glazer. Prosecutors cited their access to private planes and yachts as evidence of a flight risk.

“This defendant has access to private planes, private boats; he is a flight risk,” prosecutor Natalie Snyder told the court. Glazer affirmed the decision, stating, “Because it is considered a dangerous crime, I am required to hold you with no bond.”

The Alexander brothers, whose legal battles have drawn significant attention, remain at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center despite a state court victory earlier Thursday that established a house arrest agreement with conditions.

Their defense attorney, who attended a federal court hearing Friday, told Local 10 News that the brothers will remain in custody until at least Monday morning. A 10 a.m. hearing at the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building is required to confirm the surety bond tied to their state charges.

He said state court proceeding this morning was a “win,” but there’s still more to resolve.

Federal charges loom large for the brothers.

Former state and federal prosecutor David Weinstein indicated that U.S. Marshals are likely to take custody of the pair from TGK in preparation for their federal case. However, the timing of the transfer depends on when their initial appearance in federal court is scheduled.

Tal Alexander, who appeared in Miami-Dade federal court Friday at 1 p.m. before Judge Lissette Reid wearing a beige inmate jumpsuit, sat alongside his defense team, including a New York attorney who questioned an FBI agent currently testifying in court.

Prosecutors allege Alexander conspired with his brothers from at least 2010 to 2021 to engage in a pattern of sexual violence, including the trafficking and rape of approximately 40 victims, some of whom were minors at the time.

The alleged assaults date back to when the brothers attended high school in Miami, with prosecutors referencing a yearbook comment they believe alludes to gang rape.

In court, an FBI agent described messages and social media posts prosecutors claim reveal the brothers’ methods.

Evidence includes a text from January 2024, in which Oren Alexander reportedly warned Tal:

”Start to think about your reputation. We are on the top of our game, and the only thing that can bring us down is some h-- complaining.”

Prosecutors said the brothers used promoters, dating apps, and chance encounters to lure victims. Multiple women reported being restrained, drugged, and sexually assaulted.

Prosecutors said a victim described being attacked in the Hamptons in 2011, waking up outside after being filmed by a camcorder. Another victim, allegedly assaulted in 2016, claimed she was incapacitated after receiving a drink and was raped while unable to move or speak.

The allegations also include a group chat where the brothers discussed “fees per bang” and referred to women as “fresh” acquisitions. Prosecutors argued the brothers were boastful about their crimes, using phrases like “running train,” which refers to gang rape.

Reid has yet to rule on whether Tal Alexander will remain detained. Defense attorneys have pushed back against the evidence, questioning its admissibility and context.

The parties agreed not to disclose the victims’ identities.

Watch Local 10 News at 4 p.m. or refresh this page for updates.

Read Oren and Alon Alexander’s pre-trial release agreement in the document below.

“Yeah, I look different, but, hey, everything about me is different. I’m happy. I’m successful,” he says. “My life is fantastic now. You want to know how I did it? All I had to do is stay completely away from my family.”

That's going to be very hard to do in Hulu's four-part return to “Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair,” which reunites one of the zaniest and chaotic families ever on prime time. The episodes premiere Friday.

Twenty years after the last episode aired, we learn that Malcolm — a nervous, sputtering Frankie Muniz — is now a father of a teen and desperate to shield her from his dysfunctional parents and siblings.

“I cannot go back to the way I was before and I’m not going to risk you,” Malcolm tells her. “You have to think of it like they’re the full moon and we’re werewolves.”

How the revival came about

Original series creator Linwood Boomer and his co-producer-wife, Tracy Katsky Boomer, batted ideas on how to get the gang back together for years. Both weren't willing to make just anything for a “shameless cash grab.”

Linwood Boomer recalls a light bulb went on when his wife wondered what would it be like if Malcolm had a daughter who was exactly like him. “I was just like, ‘Oh my God, that kid would be miserable,’” he says.

In addition to Muniz, Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek are back as the barely-holding-it-together parents and Christopher Kennedy Masterson and Justin Berfield return as brothers Francis and Reese, respectively.

Newcomers include Keeley Karsten as Leah, Malcolm’s deeply empathic daughter, and Vaughan Murrae, Malcolm’s whip-smart youngest sibling, who we last saw as a baby. Caleb Ellsworth-Clark takes over the role of Dewey.

Director Ken Kwapis, one of the original directors of the show, was tapped to return and was impressed with how the old and new cast members handled the physical and emotional tasks.

“The original cast slipped back into their roles effortlessly. But equally important is they embraced the new members of the cast very quickly,” he says.

“There’s a performance level that some people have described as high octane. And so for the new members of the ensemble, they had to like, ‘OK, I’m going to step up and do it.’ And they all hit it out of the park.”

A comically accurate view of child-rearing

Malcolm may desperately want to keep his distance from his family, but the 40th wedding anniversary of his parents has a gravitational pull, putting everyone on a collision course, albeit a hysterical one.

“It’s hard to do a straight comedy right now because everything’s very serious in the world,” says Katsky Boomer. “It feels nice to just unleash good vibes so people can just take a breather.”

“Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair” joins a list of new and upcoming reboots and revivals from the late 1990s and early 2000s, including “Scrubs,” “King of the Hill,” “Prison Break,” “Baywatch” and “Phineas and Ferb.”

The Boomers credit Cranston for keeping the flame of a revival alive, staying in touch with the actors and crew. And he’s jumped back in boldly, despite becoming a huge star in the intervening years. In the first episode back, Cranston stands completely nude as Kaczmarek’s Lois shaves his back and nether regions.

“Malcolm in the Middle” originally aired on Fox and ended its seven-season run in 2006. It won seven Emmy Awards — including one for best writing for a comedy series — and currently streams on Hulu and on Hulu on Disney+, where the revival will also live.

Linwood Boomer based “Malcolm” on his own nutty family, and it struck a chord, depicting childhood as a constant power struggle — with bigger kids, teachers, parents and siblings. There were squabbles with a ferocity rare on TV, and it was funny because it was so grounded in truth. It was TV’s most comically accurate view of child-rearing since “Roseanne.”

“There was a line in the pilot I would say to myself all the time — ‘I want a better family!’ — and it turns out most families aren’t any better,” says Boomer.

Parental legacy

For the revival, the tables are turned. This time it's about being a parent and the legacy that we extend to our children. Malcolm's daughter is struggling in life and school, but her father's genetic toolkit only has belligerence, impulsiveness and thickheadedness, passed on by his on-screen parents.

“So much trauma, unfortunately, is the result of good people literally trying their best,” says Katsky Boomer. “You can understand it as you grow old enough to appreciate that your parents are human beings.”

Kwapis says the revival is painfully — and also hilariously — looking at how sometimes years go by and we're often in the same groove when it comes to family dynamics.

“You get to explore new things, but you also get to the explore the idea that some things — for better or for worse — just can’t change,” he says.

As for any future revisiting of this family, the husband-and-wife “Malcolm” team are noncommittal. “There are no plans. It was a really lovely experience,” says Linwood Boomer. Might there be more? “I can’t say no, but I also can’t say yeah,” he says.

The Bill Masterson Trophy has been awarded annually since 1968 to the player who “best exemplifies qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey.”

From the Florida Panthers, the PHWA Florida chapter selected veteran forward Brad Marchand as its nominee.

The five-member chapter was unanimous in its decision.

Marchand is playing in his second season with the Panthers after being acquired at last year’s Trade Deadline.

He made an immediate impact upon arrival, helping lead Florida to their second straight Stanley Cup victory last June while averaging a goal per game during the Final against the Edmonton Oilers.

This season, Marchand led the Panthers on and off the ice during an incredibly challenging and injury-plagued season for the defending champs.

Despite spending much of the year playing through injuries himself, Marchand led the Panthers in goals and points until his ailments began catching up to him, causing him to sporadically miss time before ultimately being ruled out for the season last month.

His impact was also felt away from the rink.

In October, one of Marchand’s best and oldest friends, JP MacCallum, lost his 10-year-old daughter Saleh to a battle with cancer.

With the team’s blessing, Marchand to a leave of absence from the Panthers to travel to his home of Halifax, Novia Scotia to be with the MacCallum family. During his time there, Marchand filled in as a guest head coach for the U-18 Marchand and Mill Co. Hunters, the youth hockey team that MacCallum is the head coach for.

The game also served as a fundraiser for the MacCallum family.

Marchand signed a six-year contract extension with the Panthers last summer. He finished this season with 27 goals and 54 points in 52 games.

Each of the NHL’s 32 teams will have a nominee for the Masterton Trophy. Members of the PHWA will vote on the nominees, and three finalists will be announced sometime during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Rothman was fired on Tuesday night in a unanimous vote by the board of regents following a roughly 30-minute closed-door discussion. Regents have not given a reason for firing Rothman, who was in the job for just under four years.

“Absolutely I was blindsided,” Rothman told the AP. He said he has still not been given a reason for his firing.

“I really don’t know,” Rothman said. “I asked for reasons why. They were not able to articulate any.”

But Rothman, who came to the job in 2022 after serving as chair and CEO of a Milwaukee-based law firm with more than 1,000 attorneys, said he is unlikely to file a lawsuit over his firing.

“We’ll have to see how circumstances develop,” Rothman said. “I don’t think it’s likely that I would go in that direction. That’s not who I am.”

The AP was the first to report on April 2 that the regents had asked Rothman, 66, to retire or resign or face being fired. Rothman said on Wednesday that he considered retiring, but since regents gave him no reason, he decided against it.

Regent President Amy Bogost said in a statement before the firing that the decision was “about the future” of the 13-university system, including the flagship Madison campus, that educates about 165,000 students.

“The Universities of Wisconsin must be led with a clear vision that both protects and strengthens our flagship, supports our comprehensive universities and ensures we are meeting the evolving needs of our students, workforce and communities across all 72 counties,” Bogost said.

She did not immediately return a message on Wednesday seeking comment.

Rothman did not criticize any regent by name, but he did express frustration generally with the board.

“For a board to be functional, it needs to be able to provide clarity to the management team,” he said. “Not 18 different voices with different opinions and pet projects. There has to be board leadership that is able to consolidate that, build a consensus and provide clear direction.”

Rothman said his performance objectives were not even discussed in his last review in August, which he said was “astonishing.”

Rothman spent his time as president lobbying Republican legislators to increase state aid for the system in the face of federal cuts, navigating free speech issues surrounding pro-Palestinian protests, and grappling with declining enrollment that has forced eight branch campuses to close. Overall enrollment across the system has remained steady under his leadership.

Rothman brokered a deal with Republicans in 2023 that called for freezing diversity hires and creating a position at UW-Madison focused on conservative thought in exchange for the Legislature releasing money for UW employee raises and tens of millions of dollars for construction projects across the system.

Rothman said Wednesday he didn't know if any of those particular issues contributed to his being fired, but conceded they could have.

“When you come in to affect change and you try to move an organization forward, you have to make difficult decisions,” Rothman said. “And when you make difficult decisions, you can upset some people."

Sen. Patrick Testin, the Republican president of the Wisconsin state Senate, called Rothman’s firing a “blatant partisan hatchet job.”

The state Senate’s committee that oversees higher education scheduled a hearing for Thursday for 10 regents whose appointments by Evers have yet to be confirmed. Testin called for the Senate to reject all 10, which would mean they could no longer serve as regents.

Rothman said he wasn’t going to speculate on why he was cut loose.

“I am disappointed with the board’s action, but I’m not angry,” he said. “This is not about retribution. I’m concerned about the future of the Universities of Wisconsin.”

El cambio en el marco regulatorio podría facilitar inversiones por más de 30.000 millones de dólares, según estimaciones del sector minero para la próxima década. El 70% estaría destinado a nuevos proyectos de cobre, oro y plata.

El proyecto, que ya fue aprobado por el Senado, apunta a “ordenar el marco normativo vigente, poner fin a interpretaciones arbitrarias y consolidar un esquema de federalismo ambiental plenamente compatible con la Constitución”, según el texto enviado por el Poder Ejecutivo al Congreso.

El país sudamericano había prohibido por ley en 2010 la exploración y explotación minera en glaciares y ambientes periglaciares, definidos como las áreas con suelos congelados que actúan como regulador del recurso hídrico.

El cambio más sustancial en la reforma propuesta por Milei es mantener esta protección sólo para glaciares y geoformas identificadas como portadores de “funciones hídricas específicas”, lo cual deberá ser determinado por cada provincia.

“Todo glaciar o geoforma incluido en el Inventario Nacional de Glaciares se considerará protegido hasta que la autoridad ambiental competente verifique que carece de funciones hídricas”, detalla el proyecto.

Según ese inventario, en Argentina hay 16.968 glaciares repartidos entre la Cordillera de los Andes y las Islas del Atlántico Sur que equivalen a una superficie de 8.484 kilómetros cuadrados.

Defender el agua

En una acción de protesta a primera hora de la mañana del miércoles activistas de Greenpeace colgaron un cartel gigante de un monumento frente al Congreso con la advertencia “Diputados: no traicionen a los argentinos. ¡La Ley de Glaciares no se toca!".

Especialistas en glaciología y ciencias relacionadas alertaron en una carta enviada a los legisladores que los glaciares están retrocediendo aceleradamente debido al cambio climático, lo cual ha provocado un aumento del 21% del nivel del mar en todo el planeta.

En este contexto los científicos consideraron que desproteger los glaciares podría comprometer las nacientes de agua de zonas áridas, perder reservas de agua que sostienen caudales en épocas críticas, aumentar la vulnerabilidad de las cuencas ante sequías prolongadas y afectar el caudal de cursos hídricos.

Organizaciones medioambientalistas convocaron a movilizarse al Congreso en contra de la reforma.

El gobierno de Milei, por su parte, apuesta a la minería para conseguir parte de los dólares necesarios para fortalecer sus reservas internacionales que le permitan afrontar sus abultados pagos de deuda. Sólo en 2026 el país deberá cancelar vencimientos de deuda por 20.000 millones de dólares.

Todo indica que el partido gobernante cuenta con los votos necesarios para avanzar en la reforma teniendo en cuenta que ya adelantaron su apoyo bloques opositores más dialoguistas y la mayoría de los gobernadores, incluso del peronismo opositor.

The Doha event had been set to open the season for track's elite series on May 8, as it typically has in recent years, but the postponement means Shanghai's meet on May 16 starts the series instead.

“In recent weeks, the Diamond League has been monitoring the situation in Doha, working in close coordination with meeting organizers, Qatari authorities and other stakeholders,” the Diamond League said in a statement on Wednesday, hours after the announcement of a two-week ceasefire between Iran, the United States and Israel.

“In the interests of athlete and spectator safety, a decision has now been taken to postpone the meeting. Should conditions allow, it will now be held on June 19.”

The change of date also means a change of venue. Temperatures in Qatar in June are typically higher, so the event moves to the Khalifa International Stadium, which is fitted with large cooling systems around the arena that were used when it hosted the 2019 world track and field championships.

Qatar has become a key host nation for global sports events in recent years and has had to postpone or cancel high-profile competitions since the United States and Israel began strikes on Iran in February.

The “Finalissima” soccer game between Argentina and Spain, which was due to be played in Qatar, was canceled last month and Qatar's motorcycle Grand Prix was rescheduled to November. Elsewhere in the region, Formula 1 races set for April in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have been called off.

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

El Cuerpo de Bomberos Militar del estado indicó que el fuego estaba bajo control y en gran medida se limitó al techo de lona del recinto. No se reportaron heridos, y el interior del edificio —incluido el Museo Olímpico— permaneció intacto.

El alcalde de Río de Janeiro, Eduardo Cavaliere, dijo a los periodistas que una pequeña parte del museo olímpico de la ciudad, con 1.000 piezas, que se encuentra dentro del velódromo, se vio afectada, pero que podría arreglarse con solo reparaciones menores.

“La estructura del propio velódromo está preservada y la pista no ha sido afectada en absoluto”, dijo Cavaliere.

Aunque la causa de este incidente está actualmente bajo investigación, la instalación tiene antecedentes de incendios en el techo. En 2017 se registraron dos siniestros similares, ambos provocados por farolillos de papel lanzados al cielo que cayeron sobre la estructura.

Desde que albergó el ciclismo en pista durante los Juegos de Verano de 2016, el velódromo ha servido como principal base de entrenamiento para las selecciones nacionales de ciclismo y halterofilia de Brasil.

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

Las encuestas realizadas en los últimos meses han mostrado altos niveles de preocupación entre los peruanos por la delincuencia y la corrupción. En tanto, un relevamiento nacional realizado en 2025 por el estatal Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática encontró que 84% de los consultados en áreas urbanas dijo que temía ser víctima de algún delito en los siguientes 12 meses.

En el último quinquenio las denuncias por extorsión, un delito que ha provocado protestas y paralizaciones frecuentes del transporte público, se han quintuplicado; mientras los asesinatos se han duplicado, según datos oficiales.

“Subes al bus y tienes que sentarte lejos del chofer, no sabes si vas a llegar vivo a tu casa... los delincuentes pasan en moto, disparan, matan al chofer y también puedes morir”, relató el jubilado Raúl Zevallos, de 63 años.

En 2025 fueron asesinados 239 choferes del transporte público en Perú, de acuerdo con datos recopilados por el Observatorio del Crimen y la Violencia.

Según los expertos y la policía, la llegada en los últimos 10 años de organizaciones criminales extranjeras ha introducido al país nuevos métodos de violencia. También han influido el auge de la minería ilegal y el narcotráfico, que han creado zonas donde la presencia del Estado es casi inexistente.

Candelaria Lifoncio, de 46 años y madre de cuatro, relató cómo la violencia ha ido en aumento cada año en los exteriores de los locales de conciertos de cumbia donde vende cigarrillos. “Voy por todo Lima en las noches y dos veces me he salvado de que me caiga una bala”, dijo.

Delincuencia y corrupción

Harvey Colchado —un coronel de la policía retirado en 2024 luego que su grupo allanara la casa de la entonces presidenta Dina Boluarte (2022-2025)— dijo a AP que la causa de la expansión del crimen "es la corrupción en el poder”.

Colchado —que a lo largo de su trayectoria ha capturado a jefes criminales, narcotraficantes, integrantes del grupo terrorista Sendero Luminoso y a políticos poderosos— afirmó que es urgente una profunda reforma policial para eliminar a los agentes cooptados por los grupos violentos y aumentar el presupuesto para cada uno de los más de 70 departamentos de investigación criminal. “Ahora no tienen ni un sol”, dijo.

Sin ese financiamiento, añadió, los investigadores policiales no pueden pagar a informantes que son clave en la investigación moderna. También se necesita invertir en tecnología y programas informáticos para rastrear e interceptar llamadas telefónicas y comunicaciones por las redes sociales.

Desde su retiro Colchado ha incursionado en la política de la mano del nuevo partido Ahora Nación y se postula para diputado.

Analistas y otros partidos que participan en la contienda han afirmado que otra de las primeras tareas del próximo Legislativo debe ser la eliminación de las leyes que favorecen a los grupos criminales y que el saliente Congreso aprobó con votos de los partidos Fuerza Popular y Renovación Popular, que lucen como los favoritos.

Esas cuestionadas normas eliminaron la detención preliminar en delitos cometidos en flagrancia, elevaron los requisitos para confiscar bienes a delincuentes y dificultaron la colaboración eficaz y los allanamientos.

Keiko Fujimori, la candidata presidencial de Fuerza Popular, ha defendido estas leyes y afirma que buscan que los juicios sean más rápidos y justos.

Propuestas polémicas

Varios candidatos proponen retirar al país del Pacto de San José de Costa Rica para dejarlo afuera de la jurisdicción de la Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos para así poder instaurar la pena de muerte para violadores de menores de edad y sicarios y limitar la comida a los presos que dirijan delitos desde la cárcel. También sugieren la construcción de prisiones inspiradas en el Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo de El Salvador y hasta devolver a sus países a todos los venezolanos y colombianos indocumentados.

Fujimori promete retomar el control de las fronteras y cárceles con los militares, mientras Rafael López Aliaga —candidato de Renovación Popular—, anticipó que construirá una cárcel en la Amazonía donde las serpientes venenosas impedirán que los reos escapen.

El comediante Carlos Álvarez, del partido País para Todos, convocará a líderes de El Salvador, Dinamarca y Singapur para que vuelquen su experiencia en seguridad y Ricardo Belmont —del partido Obras y exalcalde de Lima— afirma que los puestos de auxilio rápido serán claves para atender a las víctimas de la delincuencia.

“Ya no puedes creerle a ninguno, nada va a cambiar”, se quejó Juan Gómez, un albañil de 53 años, mientras cargaba dos pesadas bolsas que contenían papas y arroz para alimentar a sus cinco hijos. “Vienen en moto, te ponen una pistola... miras a un lado y al otro y no hay ni un policía ¿Qué vas a hacer? Te dejas robar nomás”, culminó.

The NHL’s career goal-scoring leader announced his intentions in a clip of a pre-taped interview with Capitals radio broadcaster John Walton that aired Wednesday.

"We're going to make a decision in the summer," Ovechkin said, adding he needed to talk with his family, owner Ted Leonsis, president of hockey operations Brian MacLellan and general manager Chris Patrick.

Ovechkin said health would be the biggest factor: “I’m going to be 41 years old in September, so you just have to be smart about it.”

He has been peppered with questions for several months about whether he’ll retire or play a 22nd season in the league. Ovechkin's current contract expires June 30.

Washington will have just three games left after playing at Toronto on Wednesday night and faces an uphill climb to make the playoffs.

Monday was the one-year anniversary of the Russian superstar scoring his 895th goal at the New York Islanders, breaking Wayne Gretzky's record that seemed unapproachable until Ovechkin came along.

Ovechkin has since scored 33 more goals, 31 this season, to get to 928 in the regular season. On March 22, he scored No. 1,000 total in the NHL, counting goals in the playoffs.

He also holds records for the most power play goals with 331, game-winning goals with 141 and shots with 7,091 — and counting. Not just an offensive powerhouse, the 6-foot-3 winger has been a physical force and ranks third on the career hits list with 3,871.

The Capitals visit longtime Ovechkin rival and fellow face of the sport Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, then host them Sunday. The home finale in the nation's capital is sold out, with tickets going for way above face value in anticipation of it being the captain and franchise cornerstone's final game there.

They visit Columbus on Tuesday in what could be Ovechkin's final game in North America. He played his first career game in Washington against the Blue Jackets on Oct. 5, 2005.

Ovechkin, who is from Moscow, could opt to play one more season in the KHL, where he started as a professional when it was called the Russian Superleague. He played from 2001-05 and during the 2012-13 NHL lockout with Dynamo Moscow.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

The look of incredulity that crossed his face was at once withering and comical.

“Have you played here?” Koepka replied.

“Not yet,” he was informed.

“Yeah,” Koepka said, “I could tell by the question.”

In fact, only two people have managed a round of 63 at the Masters, much less 59. Nick Price was the first to set the record four decades ago, and the most recent was Greg Norman, whose first-round 63 in 1996 came before his epic final-round collapse.

That remains the highest single-round scoring record of any of the major championships.

“I'm surprised that it has been that long,” said Justin Rose, who has twice shot 65, including the first round last year, which he paired with a final-round 66 that put him in a playoff that he lost to Rory McIlroy.

Rose also has shot 81 at Augusta National, by the way.

“There's so many great players capable of putting up that number,” Rose continued, reflecting on the longstanding record ahead of this year's tournament. “I think that the course lends itself most ideally to that score on a Sunday, but also if conditions allow, Sunday is kind of when the course is getting its most sort of maxed out, in terms of green speeds and firmness. So that kind of counteracts some of those more accessible hole locations that traditionally we see on Sunday.”

There's reason to believe the record could one day be matched, or even broken. For one thing, scores keep coming down, including in the majors. Branden Grace was the first to shoot 62 when he did it at the British Open in 2017, but four have matched him in the past three years at the U.S. Open and PGA Championship, where Shane Lowry and Xander Schauffele both shot 62 in 2024.

Then there's the fact that technology, physiology and just about every other “ology” has improved over the years. Players have been hitting the ball farther and just as accurately, and that has forced Augusta National to continually change to keep up.

Those changes are one reason, Rose said, that its current record still stands.

Subtle alterations have taken place around greens and bunkers, but the most noticeable changes are in sheer length. The course played to 6,925 yards when Norman shot the most recent 63. It will play to 7,565 when the first round begins on Thursday.

“I think that's a big thing, a lot of mid-irons into small targets. Wedges into small targets,” Rose said. “If you're on and it's your day, sure, you can make a lot of birdies. But you're also going to make a bogey or two quite easily.”

Anthony Kim set the single-round record for birdies at the Masters with 11 in 2009, but he also dropped enough shots to finish with a round of 65. So, birdies alone probably aren't enough to challenge Price and Norman; it would take an eagle or two as well.

That's possible. Four players have even eagled consecutive holes in the same round, including Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson.

It just isn't easy. Nothing is at Augusta National.

“The scores are always a little higher than you think they're going to be,” said 2023 British Open champion Brian Harman, who has just three rounds in the 60s — all 69s — in 20 competitive rounds at the Masters. "You know, when you come out here and you play, you feel like you can go shoot low numbers. It’s just not a lot of the low numbers out here.

“It’s a lot more of a grind than people think,” Harman said.

The second nine tends to play about a stroke more difficult than the first nine at Augusta National, thanks in part to water that comes into play through Amen Corner. But while seven players have gone out in 30, most recently Min Woo Lee in 2022, only two have come home in 29: Mark Calcavecchia in the final round in 1991 and David Toms in the final round in 1998.

In other words, going back to that question posed to Koepka of whether someone could ever shoot 59 at the Masters, it would take pairing the best first nine with the best second ever to do it.

“If I want to go play the member tees and maybe play like, 15 holes," said Koepka, a five-time major winner, "yeah, I could do that.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

El rapero de 34 años sufrió heridas que no ponen en riesgo su vida durante una balacera ocurrida la noche del lunes en el área de valet del Seminole Hard Rock Casino en Hollywood, según el Departamento de Policía Seminole.

Hubo una pelea antes de la balacera. Tione Jayden Merritt, mejor conocido como el rapero Lil Tjay, estuvo entre dos personas arrestadas, según la policía.

Merritt, de 24 años, enfrentó cargos de alteración del orden público y conducir un vehículo sin una licencia válida cuando salió de la cárcel principal del condado Broward el martes en Fort Lauderdale.

“¿Te puso las manos encima?”, le preguntó la reportera de Local 10 News Bridgette Matter. “Claro que no”, respondió el rapero. “¿Cuántas veces tengo que decirte que nadie me tocó?”

Los raperos de Migos, Quavo, Takeoff y Offset, se separaron en 2022. Offset continuó como solista, y Quavo y Takeoff formaron el dúo Unc & Phew. Takeoff murió en una balacera meses después en Houston, Texas.

Offset y Cardi B, quienes se casaron en 2017 y se divorciaron en 2024, tienen tres hijos en común.

Rio state military fire department said the blaze was under control and largely confined to the venue’s fabric roof. There have been no reported injuries, and the interior of the building — including the Olympic Museum — remained untouched.

Rio Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere told journalists that a small portion of the city's 1,000-item Olympic museum, which lies inside the velodrome, was affected but that it could be fixed with only minor repairs.

“The structure of the velodrome itself is preserved and the track has not been hit at all,” Cavaliere said.

While the cause of this latest incident is currently under investigation, the facility has a history of roof fires. Two similar blazes occurred in 2017, both caused by falling paper sky lanterns.

Since hosting track cycling during the 2016 Summer Games, the Velodrome has served as a primary training base for Brazil’s national cycling and weightlifting teams.

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According to Miami police, officers first responded to the building at 187 NW 57^th Ave. at about 4:20 a.m. Sunday after receiving a report about a suspicious person who looked like he was sharpening a knife before entering an apartment where people were arguing and naked.

Police said an officer made contact with both people inside the apartment, who claimed everything was fine.

But police say the same person who reported the first incident called 911 about an hour later, claiming two people were fighting and a person had been cut.

A nearby gas station employee then called 911, stating that a naked man covered in blood was at the GX gas station and was holding a knife.

According to an arrest report, officers responded to the gas station at 5688 W. Flagler St. and found the victim who had stab wounds to the chest.

Miami Fire Rescue transported him to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center.

According to the report, the victim told police that he had met the suspect, Frank Zaldivar-Santiesteba, 29, of Miami, a few days ago, and that he came to his apartment with a knife Sunday and told him, “God told me to come here and stab you.”

The victim said Zaldivar-Santiesteba then stabbed him and the two got into a tussle, at which time the victim was able to disarm the suspect and stab him back multiple times, authorities said.

According to the report, at about 9:15 a.m., officers were called to the area of Northwest 42^nd Avenue and Seventh Street about the suspect, who was bleeding “all over his body” and had a white blanket on his waist.

Police said Zaldivar-Santiesteba refused to identify himself.

He was also transported to JMH to be treated for his injuries.

Police said the victim sustained a laceration to the chest and a punctured lung.

According to the report, Zaldivar-Santiesteba later spoke with a detective at the hospital and said he did not want to provide details about the incident, other than that it was argument between him and his brother who he loves and “does not care what happens to him; only God can judge him.”

Police said they were able to identify Zaldivar-Santiesteba by his fingerprints.

He was arrested on an attempted murder charge.

As of Wednesday morning, Zaldivar-Santiesteba was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center without bond.

Según la policía de Miami, los agentes respondieron por primera vez al edificio en el 187 de la avenida Northwest 57 alrededor de las 4:20 a.m. del domingo tras recibir un reporte sobre una persona sospechosa que parecía estar afilando un cuchillo antes de entrar a un apartamento donde personas discutían y estaban desnudas.

La policía indicó que un agente hizo contacto con ambas personas dentro del apartamento, quienes afirmaron que todo estaba bien.

Pero la policía dijo que la misma persona que reportó el primer incidente llamó al 911 aproximadamente una hora después, alegando que dos personas estaban peleando y que una había sido cortada.

Un empleado de una gasolinera cercana luego llamó al 911, indicando que un hombre desnudo cubierto de sangre estaba en la gasolinera GX y sostenía un cuchillo.

Según un informe de arresto, los agentes respondieron a la gasolinera en el 5688 de W. Flagler St. y encontraron a la víctima con heridas de arma blanca en el pecho.

Miami Fire Rescue lo trasladó al Ryder Trauma Center del hospital Jackson Memorial.

De acuerdo con el informe, la víctima dijo a la policía que había conocido al sospechoso, Frank Zaldivar-Santiesteba, de 29 años y residente de Miami, unos días antes, y que este llegó a su apartamento con un cuchillo el domingo y le dijo: “Dios me dijo que viniera aquí a apuñalarte”.

La víctima dijo que Zaldivar-Santiesteba luego lo apuñaló y ambos forcejearon, momento en el que la víctima logró desarmar al sospechoso y apuñalarlo de vuelta varias veces, según las autoridades.

Según el informe, alrededor de las 9:15 a.m., los agentes fueron llamados al área de la avenida Northwest 42 y la calle Séptima por el sospechoso, quien estaba sangrando “por todo su cuerpo” y tenía una manta blanca en la cintura.

La policía indicó que Zaldivar-Santiesteba se negó a identificarse.

También fue trasladado al Jackson Memorial Hospital para recibir tratamiento por sus heridas.

La policía dijo que la víctima sufrió una laceración en el pecho y un pulmón perforado.

Según el informe, Zaldivar-Santiesteba posteriormente habló con un detective en el hospital y dijo que no quería proporcionar detalles sobre el incidente, más allá de que fue una discusión entre él y su hermano, a quien ama, y que “no le importa lo que le pase; solo Dios puede juzgarlo”.

La policía indicó que pudieron identificar a Zaldivar-Santiesteba mediante sus huellas dactilares.

Fue arrestado por un cargo de intento de asesinato.

Hasta la mañana del miércoles, Zaldivar-Santiesteba permanecía detenido en el Centro Correccional Turner Guilford Knight sin derecho a fianza.

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Call it cognition cardio — better known as “Ageless Grace.” It’s a workout designed to challenge the brain, as much as the body — and it’s sweeping the country.

“It was just stupid crazy. It was, like, fun,” said Barbara Malina, a longtime participant.

Simple movements quickly turn into multitasking drills — mixing numbers, sounds and gestures. Every motion carries a mental component, forcing participants to think while they also work out.

The program is found in 50 states and 34 countries — with classes all across South Florida.

Click here to find a class near you.

Many of the classes are free of charge for residents. Local 10 joined a group at the Helen B. Hoffman Library in Plantation.

“Everybody laughs all the time and everybody is nice and friendly,” said Ann, another longtime participant of the program.

For Ann, who is 86, it’s become more than just a workout and a way to socialize — it’s a family activity.

“This is my daughter. And she made me stop driving. She’s my daughter and I love her and it’s just, if I do something wrong, she’s right there to say, ‘Mom!’” Ann said, jokingly.

Her daughter, Janet, didn’t expect to join in — at least not at first.

“I thought, ‘Oh, let me sit here and watch so I could help her later, help her learn the numbers or whatever they were doing,’ and then I found out that - guess what - I need this too!” said Janet.

What starts as observation often turns into participation.

Tracey Gelb, an educator and trainer with Ageless Grace, says the program has expanded far beyond South Florida.

“It is for everybody, every age,” said Gelb. “And it’s fabulous. You’re going to have an unbelievable brain workout. You’re going to be surprised. You’re going to be challenged. It’s going to be like nothing you’ve ever done before.”

According the the program’s website, Ageless Grace activates all 5 functions of the brain:

• Strategic Planning
• Memory and Recall
• Analytical Thinking
• Creativity and Imagination
• Kinesthetic Learning

SMACK! We like to think of that as the sound of the neurons firing in the brain when we attempt to do something new.

Lana Gelb, a cognition and movement specialist and author of Everything You Need to Know About Your Brain, says the concept goes beyond traditional ideas of fitness.

For more information, visit https://goodvibesconsultants.com.

“Change your brain to change your life. People think that wellness is exercise. But it’s way more than that. I use to think that until 14 years ago,” Gelb said.

To submit an idea for What Connects Us, email whatconnectsus@wplg.com.

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Now, Bali Ramnarace says he is in parking purgatory while hoping to find a solution.

“I make a living by this truck,” he said. “Without this truck, I can’t do what I do for 45 years, the same ritual.”

While the trucks have changed over the years, they’ve always been parked in the same driveway.

That’s until recently, when the city informed Ramnarace, who is 75 years old, that the truck could no longer be parked there.

Officials said the truck violates an ordinance in place since 2019.

Now Ramnarace is facing mounting fines after receiving a citation from the city.

Due to pending litigation, city officials did not want to answer Local 10’s questions on camera, instead releasing the following statement:

“The purpose of the oversized commercial vehicle ordinance is to help ensure neighborhood streets remain safe and accessible for residents, pedestrians, and emergency vehicles. These standards are applied consistently throughout the community.”

Ramnarace said he doesn’t understand the sudden enforcement, saying he doesn’t cause any trouble, only works and keeps to himself.

“I want to keep on working, I’m strong,” he said.

While Ramnarace said he’s physically not the man he used to be, as his body doesn’t move quite as well as it once did, his hands still know how to fix things. It’s just more difficult for him to get around these days.

“This is more convenient for me to get in my truck and go, because sometimes I can’t lift too much heavy loads with this damaged foot,” he said.

Ramnarace believes a good resolution would be to allow him to park in his driveway, basically grandfathering him in to keep his parking spot.

Podríamos llamarlo cardio cognitivo , más conocido como " Gracia Eterna “. Es un entrenamiento diseñado para desafiar tanto al cerebro como al cuerpo, y está arrasando en todo el país.

“Fue una locura total. Fue muy divertido”, dijo Barbara Malina, participante desde hace mucho tiempo.

Los movimientos sencillos se transforman rápidamente en ejercicios multitarea, combinando números, sonidos y gestos. Cada movimiento conlleva un componente mental, obligando a los participantes a pensar mientras se ejercitan.

El programa está presente en los 50 estados y en 34 países, con clases en todo el sur de Florida.

Haz clic aquí para encontrar una clase cerca de ti.

Muchas de las clases son gratuitas para los residentes. El sindicato Local 10 se unió a un grupo en la biblioteca Helen B. Hoffman en Plantation.

“Todo el mundo se ríe todo el tiempo y todos son amables y simpáticos”, dijo Ann, otra participante veterana del programa.

Para Ann, que tiene 86 años, se ha convertido en algo más que un simple ejercicio y una forma de socializar: es una actividad familiar.

“Esta es mi hija. Y ella me hizo dejar de conducir. Es mi hija, la quiero mucho y, si hago algo mal, siempre está ahí para decirme: ‘¡Mamá!’”, dijo Ann en tono de broma.

Su hija, Janet, no esperaba participar, al menos no al principio.

“Pensé: ‘Oh, voy a sentarme aquí a observar para poder ayudarla después, ayudarla a aprender los números o lo que sea que estuvieran haciendo’, y luego descubrí que, ¿adivinen qué?, ¡yo también necesito esto!”, dijo Janet.

Lo que empieza como observación a menudo se convierte en participación.

Tracey Gelb , educadora y formadora de Ageless Grace, afirma que el programa se ha expandido mucho más allá del sur de Florida.

“Es para todos, de todas las edades”, dijo Gelb. “Y es fabuloso. Vas a tener un entrenamiento mental increíble. Te vas a sorprender. Te pondrá a prueba. Será algo que nunca antes has hecho”.

Según el sitio web del programa , Ageless Grace activa las 5 funciones del cerebro:

• Planificación estratégica
• Memoria y recuerdo
• Pensamiento analítico
• Creatividad e imaginación
• Aprendizaje cinestésico

¡ZAS! Nos gusta pensar que ese es el sonido de las neuronas activándose en el cerebro cuando intentamos hacer algo nuevo.

Lana Gelb, especialista en cognición y movimiento y autora de Todo lo que necesitas saber sobre tu cerebro , afirma que el concepto va más allá de las ideas tradicionales sobre el estado físico.

Para obtener más información, visite https://goodvibesconsultants.com.

“Cambia tu mente para cambiar tu vida. La gente piensa que el bienestar se reduce al ejercicio, pero es mucho más que eso. Yo también lo creía así hasta hace 14 años”, dijo Gelb.

Para enviar una idea para la sección “Lo que nos conecta”, envíe un correo electrónico a whatconnectsus@wplg.com.

Residentes a lo largo de la calle Northwest 181 y un lago reportaron trombas marinas, muebles arrastrados por el viento, lluvias intensas y ramas de árboles caídas.

“Veo cosas empezando a volar, y luego se puso peor, y corrí al baño”, dijo un residente, quien agregó que la situación duró menos de 5 minutos.

El viento volcó una embarcación y dañó techos. Hubo árboles caídos y algunas interrupciones eléctricas.

Equipos de la compañía Florida Power & Light trabajaban en el vecindario la noche del viernes.

Consejos sobre qué hacer durante un tornado

• Busque refugio en una habitación interior de un edificio sólido y lejos de las ventanas.
• Conduzca hasta el refugio más cercano.
• Cúbrete la cabeza

Fuente: Servicio Meteorológico Nacional

Para consultar el radar meteorológico en directo y las previsiones hora a hora de la Autoridad Meteorológica, visite esta página.

Historias relacionadas

•  Se mantiene la alerta por inundaciones en el sur de Florida; las condiciones meteorológicas están afectando a los aeropuertos locales.
• Tenga cuidado con las inundaciones, las corrientes de resaca y los retrasos en el tráfico en el sur de Florida.

Carson Merlo, editor de noticias de Local 10 News, contribuyó a este reportaje.

Here are takeaways from AP's story:

Forest clearing and unplanned growth in Oiapoque

Oiapoque's local economy depends largely on fishing, illegal gold mining and cross‑border visitors from neighboring French Guiana. Rapid, unplanned urban growth is already straining the city’s fragile infrastructure, residents say.

According to Tiago Vieira Araújo, an Oiapoque councilman, seven new neighborhoods have emerged, some of them in areas where pristine rainforest stood a year ago. Frequent complaints among locals include overcrowded schools and the city's only hospital operating at full capacity.

Renata Lod, a representative on Oiapoque’s Indigenous council, said that "Petrobras arrived in the city with strong political backing, promising progress as if we would go to sleep one way and wake up like Dubai.” The reality, she said, is a completely disorganized population growth and invasion of Indigenous lands.

For migrants like Reginaldo Nunes Fonseca, the hope of opportunity was enough to get them to move. He moved from the northeastern state of Maranhao after seeing a television report in Janauary about Petrobras getting license to do exploratory drilling.

There are fears of environmental impacts

Environmental groups warn that an oil spill could devastate fisheries and wetlands, while Indigenous leaders fear the project could endanger their lands and way of life.

Federal prosecutors also asked Brazil's environmental regulator to annul or suspend the environmental license, arguing that Petrobras’ studies are insufficient and that the company is concealing the full extent of the environmental impact. No ruling has been issued.

Petrobras said it conducted spill modeling to secure the license and has been deploying drifting devices to monitor ocean currents since it began exploration in October.

In January, Petrobras reported a drilling-fluid leak that briefly halted operations. IBAMA, the environmental regulator, fined the company 2.5 million reais ($470,500).

Pushing to phase out fossil fuels while promoting oil exploration

When Brazil hosted the annual U.N. climate summit, known as COP30, last year, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the country’s negotiators sought to advance a global road map for phasing out fossil fuels, which are the primary drivers of global warming.

However, the reality in places like Oiapoque highlights a broader dilemma for much of the developing world. Some countries, including Brazil, have committed to curb greenhouse gases emissions like carbon dioxide, which are released from the burning of oil and cause climate change. At the same time, many residents hope that revenues from fossil fuels lift their economies.

Expanding oil drilling to Amazon region, even in an offshore project like this one, also raises questions about Lula’s campaign pledge to protect the rainforest.

___

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.

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Several inches of rain and damaging winds impacted parts of the area Tuesday, and with more heavy rain around Wednesday, flooding is certainly possible.

A front just to our south will weaken and move farther south and away from us by the end of the week, so rain chances start coming down by later Thursday and Friday with a return to mostly sunny skies by the weekend.

It’ll become windy, however, so we’ll have to watch for a dangerous risk of rip currents if you have beach plans this weekend.

Highs are around 80 Wednesday and Thursday and then dip into the lower 80s by Friday and into the weekend. High pressure looks to keep it dry into most of next week with highs well into the 80s by then. In the meantime, keep the umbrellas handy and drive carefully on these wet roads.

CLICK HERE for the latest weather updates from Local 10’s Weather Authority.

Varias pulgadas de lluvia y vientos dañinos afectaron partes del área el martes, y con más lluvias intensas durante el miércoles, las inundaciones son posibles.

Un frente justo al sur de nuestra zona se debilitará y se moverá más hacia el sur y lejos de nosotros hacia el final de la semana, por lo que las probabilidades de lluvia comenzarán a disminuir para el jueves en la tarde y el viernes, con un regreso a cielos mayormente soleados para el fin de semana.

Sin embargo, se tornará ventoso, por lo que habrá que estar atentos a un riesgo peligroso de corrientes de resaca si tiene planes de ir a la playa este fin de semana.

Las temperaturas máximas estarán alrededor de los 80 grados el miércoles y jueves, y luego bajarán a los bajos 80 para el viernes y durante el fin de semana. Un sistema de alta presión mantendrá condiciones secas durante gran parte de la próxima semana, con máximas bien entrados los 80 grados para entonces. Mientras tanto, mantenga los paraguas a la mano y conduzca con precaución en estas carreteras mojadas.

HAGA CLIC AQUÍ para las últimas actualizaciones del clima de la Autoridad del Tiempo de Local 10.

Nonprofits received a reassuring answer this week, however, from the century-old, Boston-based Liberty Mutual Insurance. The major insurer's nonprofit Liberty Mutual Foundation announced Wednesday the establishment of a $600 million endowment, a long-term source of funding that leaders promise will bring lasting resources and more responsive grantmaking.

“We all know that we live in really challenging times. And that is very true for our nonprofit partners as well,” Melanie Foley, the chair of the foundation's board, told the Associated Press. “We’ll be there to continue to support them, be as flexible as we can be, really listening to what they need.”

Endowments generally start with a set donation that is invested and allow foundations to increase their assets over time. Foley said Liberty Mutual Foundation had “matured” enough from its 2003 founding to necessitate “a permanent, self-sustaining" funding source. The Fortune 100 company is funding the endowment by transferring assets such as shares held within Liberty Mutual entities.

The move places Liberty Mutual's charitable arm among an influential subset of foundations with more than $100 million in assets. Partners should feel a “sense of security,” according to Foley. This new source will allow the foundation to increase grantmaking from its roughly $50 million baseline of recent years.

Foley emphasized that Wednesday's announcement isn't a response to recent developments in the sector. But the news arrives at a time of great instability for nonprofits. There's been a yearslong decline in the number of American donors, who make up the bulk of U.S. philanthropic funding. The Trump administration's attempts to freeze federal funds and cut social services grants have left many organizations without a once-reliable avenue for funding. Companies and philanthropies have reversed course on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts that often resulted in support for nonprofits serving vulnerable communities.

Those poised to benefit most from Liberty Mutual Foundation's endowment are Boston-area nonprofits addressing its focus on housing stability, workforce development and climate resiliency — areas where leaders believe they can leverage their expertise as a global property and casualty insurer. The foundation directed gifts to more than 500 nonprofits last year, according to a company spokesperson. Previous recipients include national nonprofits like the American Red Cross, local chapters of groups such as the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and community organizations serving homeless youth such as Bridge Over Troubled Waters.

Corporate foundations offer nonprofits a level of “rigor and relevance” when they align their purpose with the business' outcomes, according to Leah Battin, the manager of strategic advisory at Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose. A healthcare company might address social determinants of health such as pollution or nutrition with greater precision than a family or community foundation lacking in that background.

“They can take long-term views around ecosystems change that really benefit and draw from the expertise of the company,” she said.

With the new endowment, Foley said Liberty Mutual Foundation plans to provide more high impact grants over longer periods. She pointed to a recent program that provides nonprofit collaboratives with the time and resources to tackle complex challenges they can't handle alone. Its first year saw more than $9 million go toward more than a dozen partnerships addressing issues from workforce readiness to food security. A handful received three-year support, which Foley said represents the outer limits of their grant durations.

The foundation also intends to make spot grants similar to those coming out of COVID-19 aimed at remediating inflationary pressures, according to Foley. The idea, she said, is to be there when “the unexpected” happens.

“As things come up in the environment, we're gonna be there to think with our partners of how we are best suited to support them,” Foley said.

___

Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits 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. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.

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According to FHP, the crash occurred in the northbound lanes of the highway, just south of Oakland Park Boulevard.

Troopers said the car was heading north on the highway when, for unknown reasons, the driver ran off the road to the right, entered the outside grass shoulder and crashed into the billboard support post.

Troopers said the car then overturned and came to a final rest within the tree line.

The driver, whose identity has not yet been released, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Según la FHP, el accidente ocurrió en los carriles en dirección norte de la autopista, justo al sur de Oakland Park Boulevard.

Los agentes indicaron que el vehículo se desplazaba hacia el norte cuando, por razones desconocidas, el conductor se salió de la vía hacia la derecha, ingresó al hombrillo de césped y se estrelló contra el poste de soporte del cartel.

Las autoridades dijeron que el vehículo luego volcó y terminó detenido dentro de la línea de árboles.

El conductor, cuya identidad aún no ha sido revelada, fue declarado muerto en el lugar.

The rain meant he couldn't work on building his own house or do odd jobs for others in the area, but the weather wasn't the only thing holding him back. Like thousands of others who have moved to the small city of Oiapoque, in Brazil’s northern state of Amapa, Fonseca is waiting for an economic boom that may or may not come.

The area is experiencing a rush of migrants since Petrobras, Brazil’s state-run oil company, last year secured environmental licensing for offshore drilling in the Equatorial Margin near the mouth of the Amazon River, about 180 kilometers (112 miles) off Amapa’s coast.

“I thought, well, that’s good — the city is going to grow, there will be a lot of job opportunities," said Fonseca, who saw a television report about the licensing in January and decided to move from the northeastern state of Maranhao. "So I started calling friends and said: ‘I’m going there because here I’m unemployed and not doing anything.'”

Amapa is one of Brazil’s poorest and underdeveloped states. Oiapoque’s economy relies on fishing, illegal gold mining and visitors from neighboring French Guiana, who cross daily and spend euros, which hold their value better than the Brazilian real. While the prospect of economic opportunities is bringing hope, the impacts of unplanned urban growth in a city with already poor infrastructure are being felt.

The oil-fueled optimism highlights a broader dilemma for developing countries: how to curb their emissions of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, which are released from the burning of oil and cause climate change, while relying on such revenue to transform local economies.

It also raises questions about President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's campaign commitment to protecting the environment. He has made stopping deforestation an important part of his government and last year Brazil hosted the U.N. climate summit known as COP30.

“We don’t want to pollute a single millimeter of water, but no one can stop us from lifting Amapa out of poverty if there is oil here,” Lula said last year during a visit to Amapa.

There is a surge of speculation ahead of drilling

On March 10, about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from Fonseca's home, Petrobras met with politicians, business owners and community leaders to present its operation plans.

Company representatives said drilling for an exploratory well began in October and would last about five months. If large quantities of oil are found and the company wants to begin extracting it, that would require further government permits, a process that can take months or even years.

Environmental and Indigenous groups have sued the Brazilian government and Petrobras to halt exploration, arguing the licensing process failed to properly consult traditional communities, underestimated spill risks and did not adequately assess climate impacts. Federal prosecutors also asked IBAMA to annul or suspend the environmental license, arguing that Petrobras’ studies are insufficient and that the company is concealing the full extent of the environmental impact. No ruling has been issued.

During the meeting, officials also said Oiapoque was serving mostly as a helicopter base for offshore crews, as it's the closest land point. Administrative operations related to the drilling were based out of Belem, a major city in the neighboring state of Para.

Despite open questions about future extraction and Oiapoque's limited role in Petrobras' operations, speculation has already reshaped the city.

The city’s population was 27,482 in 2022, according to census data, but a new count has yet to be taken, so it’s unclear how many people there are.

“In the past 18 months, Oiapoque has seen significant population growth," said Tiago Vieira Araújo, an Oiapoque councilman who stood up and voiced concerns during the meeting. "There are already seven new neighborhoods, and social problems have come with them.”

Urban infrastructure in Oiapoque is already precarious. Less than 2% of households have adequate sewage systems, and only 0.2% are on properly structured streets, according to Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics.

In the new settlements — known locally as “invasions” — conditions are worse. Residents have cleared public rainforest, creating informal plots and erecting makeshift homes. Freshly cut tree stumps, wooden stakes and rough shacks rise from mud and have only the basics: a kitchen, a bed and a rudimentary bathroom.

“We know it’s not right to clear the forest. Everyone knows it’s wrong,” Fonseca said. “But space is limited.”

Some locals see Dubai as a model for the area's development

Yuri Alesi, 34, a lawyer who advocates for land rights in new settlements and a former city councilman, is running for vice mayor in a special election set for April. He envisions Oiapoque as an “Amazonian Dubai,” fueled by oil revenues.

“Dubai is in the middle of a desert, an unlikely place to grow,” he said. “The industry that drove its development was oil.”

Brazil’s offshore Equatorial Margin, from the Suriname border to the country's northeast, is believed to hold significant oil and gas reserves. Preliminary estimates suggest they could hold up to 10 billion barrels, with a potential value of about 3.8 trillion reais ($719.7 billion). Alesi said royalties could generate roughly 100 million reais ($19 million) a month for Oiapoque, about the equivalent of the city's total goods and services produced each year, according to Brazil's statistics institute.

The Amazon, which is crucial to regulating the global climate because forests store carbon dioxide, is constantly under pressure from deforestation driven by agriculture, cattle ranching and mining. That pressure has been less intense in Amapa, where about 82% of the land remains forested, according to MapBiomas, a nonprofit that tracks land use.

The state’s isolation, bordered by rivers and the sea and lacking road connections to the rest of Brazil, has helped protect it from the deforestation seen in the southern Amazon.

Previous booms have not ended in prosperity

While some point to Dubai as a model for Oiapoque’s future, nearby cities that once benefited from oil offer a warning for Oiapoque.

Petrobras has explored oil and gas in the state of Coari, also part of the Amazon, since the 1980s. Yet the city ranks among Brazil’s poorest, with about 72% of its residents living in extreme poverty, according to a recent study by Agenda Publica, a nonprofit focused on public policy.

Other cities in Amapa have also seen boom and decline cycles tied to mining. Pedra Branca, about 280 miles from Oiapoque, grew between 2007 and 2014 during an iron ore boom.

Prosperity in Pedra Branca drew Selma Soares, 46, who moved from Maranhao to Amapa in 2008 and opened a grocery store.

In 2013, a collapse at a port operated by mining company Anglo American killed six workers and disrupted iron ore production. India’s Zamin Ferrous later took over the mine and suspended operations.

“People who had shopped with us for years struggled to eat,” Soares said.

In the past few years, she heard growing rumors that Oiapoque was booming. After visiting the city last year, she moved with her husband and son. The family now runs a small supermarket on the outskirts of town. Soares said many others have followed.

“People are waiting for drilling to begin,” she said. “They believe everything will improve.”

Amid enthusiasm there is also concern

At the river separating Oiapoque from French Guiana, a small port hums with boats linking Brazil, its neighbor and nearby communities. Green-and-yellow stickers read: “Oil yes! Development yes!,” a message promoted by local politicians.

Just 20 minutes away by boat, members of the Indigenous Galibi Kali’na community are wary. Some see economic opportunity, but leaders oppose exploration, warning of environmental risks and threats to their way of life.

“Petrobras arrived with strong political backing, promising progress as if we would go to sleep one way and wake up like Dubai,” said Renata Lod, a representative on Oiapoque’s Indigenous council. “But what we have actually seen is completely disorganized population growth, invasions of Indigenous lands."

Lod listed several frequent complaints among Oiapoque residents, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, including overcrowded schools and the city’s only hospital operating at full capacity.

There is also fear of potential oil spills.

“Most Indigenous lands are flooded wetlands. How do you clean a wetland? Once oil enters the rivers, there’s no way to remove it," Lod said.

An oil spill could quickly carry pollutants to nearby coasts and rivers, threatening ecosystems and communities that depend on fishing and mangroves. Petrobras said it conducted spill modeling to secure the environmental license and has been deploying drifting devices to monitor ocean currents since it began exploration in October.

In January, Petrobras reported a drilling-fluid leak that briefly halted operations. IBAMA, the environmental regulator, fined the company 2.5 million reais ($470,500).

At the community meeting, Petrobras officials sought to ease concerns, defending the safety of its operations. They also pointed to everyday items, from clothing to air conditioning, to underscore oil’s economic importance.

“People here see Petrobras as an economic remedy,” said Araújo, the city councilman. “But even a remedy has side effects. And we’re already experiencing the side effects before seeing any of the benefits.”

___

Photographer Eraldo Peres and video journalist Felipe Campos Mello contributed to this report.

___

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.

These days, growing congregations is very much on Isaacs' mind, as she's leading a movement to strengthen rural synagogues and Jewish communities around the country. They've reached dozens, and they're hoping for many more.

“Rural Jewish life is important for the Jewish people and it’s important for rural America,” Isaacs said. “Those people deserve to be served and shepherded.”

Isaacs is executive director of the Center for Small Town Jewish Life at Colby College, a liberal arts school in Waterville, Maine. The center began a decade ago with a goal of supporting Jewish congregations that are far from big cities and it has grown to run programs for more than 60 communities in 22 states.

A little less than 2.4% of Americans are Jewish. Of those millions of people, one in eight lives outside a major urban area, and the center exists to help them thrive, Isaacs said.

The center's work is taking place at a vital time, as there are roughly 20% fewer synagogues in America than there were in 1990, according to data compiled by Alanna E. Cooper, a Jewish studies professor at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio. The trend is even more pronounced in rural America, where aging populations and the relocations of residents has hit congregations hard.

The outreach to rural synagogues is also happening as Jewish Americans confront a rising tide of antisemitism and violent attacks against Jewish communities. The Anti-Defamation League noted a nearly 900% increases in antisemitic incidents for the decade ending 2024. Some of the states with a high rate of incidents include largely rural states like Maine, New Hampshire and Wyoming, the ADL's report said.

The center's work can help reverse that trend, Isaacs said.

“You have more Jews that experience joy, who can locate strength, form connections with other Jews across the country and around the world,” Isaacs said. “In a world of rising antisemitism it's more and more important that Jewish communities are joyful, strong and connected.”

Since forming, the center has helped congregations from Maine to California, Montana and Texas.

From Maine to Montana

Isaacs is also the rabbi at Beth Israel, a century-old synagogue down the road from Colby that is the only one within 20 miles of the college. The synagogue has grown along with the center, but the Center for Small Town Jewish Life's work stretches far beyond Maine, she said.

And congregations that have relied on the center said its contributions are vital in a country where the Jewish population has overwhelmingly been urban since the early days of immigration. In Helena, Montana, Rebecca Stanfel, the executive director of the Montana Jewish Project, said the center was instrumental in helping bring together the relatively small Jewish community in her vast state.

Linking far-flung faith communities together is critically important in a place like Montana, Stanfel said.

“In Helena, we have no choice but to rely on volunteers. And if we want to have something like a seder, High Holidays, it's got to come from the community,” Stanfel said. “That is also a really important model for people outside rural America.”

A plan to help

The center assists congregations through three strategies designed to boost rural synagogues. One is Makom, a two-year mentorship program for rabbis earlier in their service to rural synagogues.

Another trains lay leaders to lead prayer and support congregations, which helps them thrive without a full-time rabbi. The third is board leadership coaching, which trains synagogue presidents and boards on how to manage small town Jewish institutions.

Rabbi Lisa Rappaport, who leads Congregation Beth Israel in Chico, California, was among the first to go through the Makom program. Rural rabbis often lead the only Jewish congregation in town, and that makes the work “special and it's beautiful and it's challenging,” she said.

Strengthening rural communities

The Makom fellowship program lifts up rural rabbis to that challenge, Rappaport said.

“We have felt very validated as rabbis in small communities that our work is as important,” she said.

In Waterville, volunteers ranging from Colby students to retirees were getting ready to host about 100 people for Passover. It might be a small community, but it's a strong and loving one, said Jeff Lovitz, a synagogue member, as he folded napkins.

“We've been here since the early ‘70s. Our kids went to Hebrew school here,” he said. “I think it’s important to have a Jewish community in Waterville.”

Two other assailants were wounded and captured during Tuesday’s shootout in the city's financial and business district, while two police officers sustained slight injuries, officials said.

Israel had withdrawn its diplomats from Turkey over security concerns and deteriorating relations with Ankara shortly after the start of the war in Gaza, and officials said the consulate was closed at the time of the attack.

Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci said one of the assailants had links to a group that he said “exploits religion,” without naming the organization.

The Islamic State group has carried out deadly attacks in Turkey in the past.

Anadolu Agency reported that security forces detained nine suspects in operations conducted in Istanbul as well as in the provinces of Konya and Kocaeli. They were being questioned along with the two injured assailants, the agency reported, without providing further details.

Cifti said the attackers had traveled from the city of Izmit, in Kocaeli province, in a rented car. The two wounded assailants are brothers, identified as Onur C. and Enes C. The first has a criminal record related to drugs.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday condemned the attack and praised the Turkish authorities for preventing further violence.

Dozens of Downtown Doral Charter Upper School students said they were mourning their classmates: A teenage girl and a teenage boy.

Miami-Dade firefighters and Doral police officers responded to the crash at about 6 p.m., along Northwest 87th Avenue, near 54th Street.

Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Detective Argemis “AC” Colome released a statement.

“A sedan was traveling southbound on NW 87 Avenue when it veered off the roadway and struck a pole,” Colome wrote. “The vehicle subsequently became engulfed in flames.”

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel pronounced the two dead at the scene, according to M-DSO deputies and Doral police officers.

M-DSO traffic homicide detectives were investigating the cause of the fatal crash.

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

More in Miami-Dade: Beware of flooding, rip currents, traffic delays in South Florida

Location of the crash

The 19-year-old shortstop agreed to a nine-year, $140 million contract with the Pirates early Wednesday, less than a week after the former first-round pick made his major league debut.

The deal, the largest in club history, includes escalators that could raise the total value to $150 million.

Griffin's Pittsburgh teammates attended Wednesday's news conference to announce the deal.

“This week has been amazing, debut week, and then sitting here signing a contract, it’s been amazing,” Griffin said. “It’s one of the best weeks of my life. ... But it’ll be even better if we can get a win today.”

Pirates owner Bob Nutting said the nine-year contract reflects the team's commitment in winning this season and in the future.

“This is an important step for 2026 as we look at it right now, but obviously this is a long-term commitment,” Nutting said. “It’s a long-term statement of where we’re headed as an organization, where we are headed with this team. ... This obviously is an unusual and dramatic step for the Pittsburgh Pirates. So I’m excited, I hope our fans are excited, I hope the city is excited, I know the organization is excited.”

When asked why it was important to sign for nine years, Griffin said he sees the Pirates as a winning organization.

“I’m pumped to be a Pirate and be a part of this wonderful clubhouse,” Griffin said, looking at his teammates at the back of the room. “A lot of great talent back there and coaches and staff. Thank you all for being here to support me. Y’all made this transition to the big leagues super easy. And I’m just pumped to go compete. The goal is to win. The goal is to win a World Series. And I think we've got a great clubhouse to go do that. I’m pump to be part of it.”

The agreement comes less than 24 hours after general manager Ben Cherington said the “ingredients” were in place for a long-term pact.

The Pirates selected Griffin with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 amateur draft. He sprinted through the team's farm system, hitting .333 with 21 home runs, 94 RBIs and 65 stolen bases. He was one of the final cuts during spring training last month, and his stay at Triple-A Indianapolis was brief.

Pittsburgh called Griffin to the majors after just a week, and he has played well through his first handful of games. Griffin laced an RBI-double in his first big-league at bat against Baltimore last Friday, and added a pair of hits, including a two-run single, in a 7-1 win over San Diego on Tuesday night that helped the Pirates to their sixth win in seven games.

Griffin, who has said repeatedly he wants to stay in Pittsburgh for as long as possible, has impressed teammates with his maturity and his unique skillset.

Reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes called Griffin “a big leaguer through and through,” though Griffin is doing his best to ignore the attention that has surrounded his arrival for a team that is trying to return to relevance and end a playoff drought that's now over a decade old.

“Just sticking to being myself, not trying to do too much,” Griffin said Tuesday night. "Just let the game tell me the situation. Compete one pitch at a time and let it all happen.”

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

Israel launched a barrage of strikes in central Beirut and elsewhere in the country as a shaky ceasefire took effect between the U.S. and Iran. Iranian officials have maintained that the deal was supposed to include Lebanon, while Israel and the U.S. have insisted that it does not.

Another 890 people were wounded in the strikes, the ministry said. Altogether, 1,739 people have been killed and 5,873 wounded in Lebanon in just over five weeks since the outbreak of the war.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

BEIRUT (AP) — Israeli strikes hit busy commercial and residential areas in central Beirut without warning on Wednesday, hours after a ceasefire was announced in the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. Lebanon said at least 112 people were killed and hundreds were wounded in what was one of the deadliest days in the latest Israel-Hezbollah war.

U.S. President Donald Trump told PBS News Hour that Lebanon was not included in the deal because of the Lebanese militant Hezbollah group. When asked about Israel’s latest strikes, he said, “That’s a separate skirmish.” Israel had said the agreement does not extend to its war with the Iran-backed Hezbollah, although mediator Pakistan said it does.

The fleeting sense of relief among Lebanese after the ceasefire announcement turned into panic with what Israel’s military called its largest coordinated strike in the current war, hitting more than 100 Hezbollah targets within 10 minutes in Beirut, southern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley.

Black smoke towered over several parts of the seaside capital, where a huge number of people displaced by war have taken shelter. Explosions interrupted the honking of traffic on what had been a bustling, blue-sky afternoon. Ambulances raced toward open flames. Apartment buildings were struck.

Associated Press journalists saw charred bodies in vehicles and on the ground at one of Beirut’s busiest intersections in the central Corniche al Mazraa neighborhood, a mixed commercial and residential area. Using forklifts, rescue workers removed smoldering debris and sifted through ruins for survivors.

There was no sign of Hezbollah launching strikes against Israel in the first couple of hours after the attacks.

In response to the attacks on Lebanon, Iran later Wednesday said it was again halting the movement of oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, the country's state-run media reported.

A deadly midday barrage

Central Beirut has been targeted before, but not by so many strikes at once and in the middle of the day. Israel had rarely struck central Beirut since the outbreak of the latest Israel-Hezbollah war on March 2 but has regularly struck southern and eastern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs.

Lebanon's Minister of Social Affairs, Haneed Sayed, in an interview with The Associated Press condemned Israel’s wide range of strikes, calling it a “very dangerous turning point.”

“These hits are now at the heart of Beirut … Half of the sheltered (internally displaced people) are in Beirut in this area,” she said, adding that she had just driven by areas hit.

She said Lebanon's government is ready to enter into negotiations with Israel for an end to hostilities, an offer that the Lebanese president previously made. Israel has not responded. “There are calls and efforts being made as we speak," Sayed said.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in a statement accused Israel of escalating at a moment when Lebanese officials were seeking to negotiate a solution, and of hitting civilian areas in “utter disregard for the principles of international law and international humanitarian law — principles it has, in any case, never respected.”

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun called the Israeli attacks “barbaric.” Lebanon's health ministry said that along with the 112 killed, at least 837 were wounded, warning that this is not the final count.

Israel's military said it had targeted missile launchers, command centers and intelligence infrastructure. It accused Hezbollah fighters of trying to “blend into” non-Shiite Muslim areas beyond their traditional strongholds.

Residents and local officials denied that the buildings hit were military sites.

“Look at these crimes,” said Mohammed Balouza, a member of Beirut’s municipal council, at the scene of a strike in Corniche al Mazraa. An apartment building behind a popular shop selling nuts and dried fruit had been hit. “This is a residential area. There is nothing (military) here.”

An Israeli warning and a defiant Hezbollah

As the smoke rose Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem that “his turn will come.” In 2024, Israel killed Hezbollah's previous leader, Hassan Nasrallah, with an airstrike.

Katz called Wednesday's strikes the largest blow against Hezbollah since the attack that caused pagers used by hundreds of its members to explode almost simultaneously in September 2024.

Before the new strikes, a Hezbollah official told the AP that the group was giving a chance for mediators to secure a ceasefire in Lebanon, but “we have not announced our adherence to the ceasefire since the Israelis are not adhering to it.” He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly.

The Hezbollah official said the group will not accept a return to the pre-March 2 status quo, when Israel carried out near-daily strikes in Lebanon despite a ceasefire being nominally in place since the last full-blown Israel-Hezbollah war ended in November 2024.

“We will not accept for the Israelis to continue behaving as they did before this war with regards to attacks,” he said.

Hezbollah had fired missiles across the border days after the United States and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, sparking a regional war. Israel responded with widespread bombardment of Lebanon and a ground invasion.

The Israeli military chief of staff, Lt Gen. Eyal Zamir, said the attacks are to protect Israel’s northern residents, who have come under heavy fire.

Since the war started and before Wednesday's attacks, Israeli airstrikes killed more than 1,530 people in Lebanon, including more than 100 women and 130 children. The Israeli military has said it has killed hundreds of Hezbollah fighters. More than 1 million people have been displaced in Lebanon.

Early Wednesday, after the Iran ceasefire was announced and before Israel struck, many displaced people sleeping in tents on the streets of Beirut and the coastal city of Sidon had begun packing their belongings in preparation to return home.

Families at a sprawling displacement camp on Beirut’s waterfront later expressed confusion and despair.

“We can’t take this anymore, sleeping in a tent, not showering, the uncertainty,” said Fadi Zaydan, 35. He and his parents had prepared to head back to the southern city of Nabatieh. Instead, they decided to wait things out in Sidon, a bit closer to home.

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Associated Press writer Isabel DeBre and AP journalists Hussein Mallah and Fadi Tawil in Beirut, Michelle Price in Washington and Melanie Lidman in Eilat, Israel, contributed to this report.

Trump had suggested the U.S. may consider leaving the trans-Atlantic alliance after NATO member countries ignored his call to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping waterway, as Iran effectively shut it and sent gas prices soaring.

The Republican president's meeting with Rutte, with whom he had a warm relationship, comes as the U.S. and Iran late Tuesday agreed to a two-week ceasefire that includes the reopening of the strait. The nascent ceasefire was struck after Trump said he would strike Iran's power plants and bridges, threatening that “a whole civilization will die tonight."

The plan to reopen the strait is still cloudy and is expected to be a central focus of the Wednesday afternoon meeting with Rutte. The White House said the meeting was expected to be behind closed doors. In the Trump administration, though, that can change at the last minute, and meetings can be opened to the press.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio met separately with Rutte on Wednesday morning at the State Department ahead of the White House talks.

In a statement, the State Department said Rubio and Rutte had discussed the war with Iran, along with U.S. efforts to negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war and “increasing coordination and burden shifting with NATO allies.”

Congress in 2023 passed a law that prevents any U.S. president from pulling out of NATO without its approval. Trump has been a longtime critic of NATO and in his first term had suggested he had the authority on his own to leave the alliance, which was founded in 1949 to counter the Cold War threat posed to European security by the Soviet Union.

The crux of the commitment its 32 member countries make is a mutual defense agreement in which an attack on one is considered an attack on them all. The only time it has been activated was in 2001, to support the United States in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington.

Despite that, Trump has complained during his war of choice with Iran that NATO has shown it will not be there for the U.S.

Ahead of the meeting, Sen. Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, issued a statement Tuesday night in support of the alliance, noting that, “Following the September 11th attacks, NATO allies sent their young servicemembers to fight and die alongside America’s own in Afghanistan and Iraq.” McConnell, who sits on a committee overseeing defense spending, urged Trump to be “clear and consistent” and said it's not in America's interest to “spend more time nursing grudges with allies who share our interests than deterring adversaries who threaten us.”

If Rutte's meeting does not alleviate Trump's frustrations, it's unclear if the Trump administration would challenge the law barring a president from pulling out of NATO. When the law passed, it was championed by Trump's current secretary of state, Marco Rubio, who at the time was a senator from Florida.

The alliance was already rattled over the past year as Trump returned to power and reduced U.S. military support for Ukraine in the war against Russia and threatened to seize Greenland from ally Denmark.

But Trump's badgering of NATO intensified after the Iran war began at the end of February, with the president insisting that securing the Strait of Hormuz was not America's job but the responsibility of countries that depend on the flow of oil through it.

“Go to the strait and just take it,” Trump said last week.

Trump was also angered as NATO allies Spain and France forbade or restricted use of their airspace or joint military facilities for the U.S. in the Iran war. They and other nations, however, agreed to help with an international coalition to open the Strait of Hormuz when the conflict ends.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has been a particular source of Trump's frustration, was set to travel on Wednesday to the Gulf to support the ceasefire. The U.K. has been working on developing a post-conflict security plan for the strait, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil passes.

Trump has previously threatened to leave NATO and often said that he would abandon allies who don’t spend enough on their military budgets. Former NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, in his recent memoir, said he feared that Trump might walk away from the alliance in 2018, during his first term as president.

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Associated Press writers Matthew Lee in Washington and Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed to this report.

Para John Steinbeck, era la Carretera Madre que llevó a agricultores pobres desde la desesperación de las praderas asoladas por sequías hasta la soleada California. Para los indígenas estadounidenses a lo largo de la ruta, fue un impulso económico que también dejó cicatrices. Para los viajeros negros, ofreció refugio durante la segregación. Y para los aficionados a la música, era el lugar plasmado en grandes clásicos.

La Ruta 66 celebra su centenario este año. Pese a haber perdido hace décadas su condición de una de las principales arterias del país, personas de todo el mundo siguen acudiendo a ella para hacer quizá el viaje por carretera más emblemático de Estados Unidos y empaparse de sus luces de neón, sus moteles y atracciones kitsch, y su oferta culinaria.

Cada pueblo tiene su propia historia y su propia magia, comentó Sebastiaan de Boorder, un empresario neerlandés que, junto con su esposa, dio nueva vida al Aztec Motel en Seligman, Arizona.

“Es una parte esencial de la cultura y la historia estadounidenses. El aspecto histórico es una parte muy grande e importante de la cultura estadounidense, con su influencia y su carácter”, señaló sobre la carretera De Boorder.

El sueño

La Ruta 66, que recorre aproximadamente 2.400 millas (3.860 kilómetros) desde Chicago a través de Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Nuevo México y Arizona antes de terminar en Santa Mónica, California, se armó hace un siglo a partir de una colección de rutas comerciales de indígenas estadounidenses y viejos caminos de tierra con el objetivo de enlazar la región industrial en el centro norte de Estados Unidos con la costa del Pacífico.

El empresario de Oklahoma Cyrus Avery, conocido como el Padre de la Ruta 66, la veía como algo más que una forma de cruzar el país con eficiencia. Era una oportunidad para conectar el Estados Unidos rural y crear nuevos focos de comercio.

Avery sabía que el número 66 sería ideal para el marketing y podría quedar grabado en la mente de los conductores, y tenía razón: la Ruta 66 ha sido inmortalizada en películas, libros —entre ellos “Las uvas de la ira”, de Steinbeck, y “En el camino”, de Jack Kerouac— y canciones como “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66”, de Bobby Troup, que sirvió como himno del optimismo y la movilidad posteriores a la Segunda Guerra Mundial.

Oleadas migratorias

Desde su designación en noviembre de 1926 como una de las carreteras numeradas originales del país, la que en su día fue conocida como Calle Principal de Estados Unidos ha encarnado la promesa de prosperidad.

Se convirtió en una senda literal de esperanza para los migrantes que huían de granjas arrasadas por la sequía y de la pobreza en la década de 1930 y la Gran Depresión. Y durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial se utilizó para trasladar tropas, equipo y trabajadores hacia el Oeste.

El auge de la posguerra en las décadas de 1940 y 1950 fue la época dorada de la Ruta 66, al convertirse en una ruta vacacional popular. Los autos se volvieron más asequibles, aumentaron los ingresos disponibles y la gente empezó a perseguir la libertad en la carretera abierta.

“Por lo general, la gente tiene un sentido de aventura, un sentido de curiosidad. Y eso se puede encontrar en la Ruta 66. Esta es la carretera de los sueños”, afirmó el autor e historiador Jim Hinckley.

El salto a la fama

Los restaurantes de carretera y los moteles prosperaron, mientras emprendedores ingeniosos ideaban maneras de sacarles dinero a los automovilistas. Había fosas con serpientes de cascabel, tótems, puestos comerciales, cavernas donde supuestamente se reunían forajidos del Viejo Oeste, y maravillas de la ingeniería moderna como el reluciente arco de acero de St. Louis.

Se pintaban graneros con anuncios gigantescos, las vallas publicitarias tentaban con atracciones locales y el neón estaba por todas partes.

¿La guinda del pastel? La comida.

Había lugares para comprar y seguir, pero también para sentarse y saborear un pedazo de hogar. El Cozy Dog Drive In —famoso por sus hot dogs empanizados en un palo— ha cumplido ambas funciones desde 1949. Dentro del comedor en Springfield, Illinois, los viajeros cuentan historias de la vida en la carretera.

“El camino no estaría vivo sin las historias de todos los lugares a lo largo de él que lo mantuvieron en marcha de pueblo en pueblo”, sostuvo Josh Waldmire, propietario de tercera generación. “Simplemente sobrevivimos unos de otros. La carretera nos alimenta y, mientras devolvamos nuestros sentimientos y amor a la carretera, resonará con los viajeros y con las historias de la gente”.

Una carretera dividida

La Ruta 66 fue un impulso económico para las tribus indígenas estadounidenses a lo largo del trayecto. Pero aunque trajo turistas, también dejó cicatrices de expropiación por causa de utilidad pública en tierras tribales y perpetuó estereotipos.

Más de la mitad de la carretera atravesaba territorio indígena, y los letreros de los vendedores a menudo hacían referencias casuales a tipis y tocados de plumas: símbolos fácilmente apropiados para el marketing pero no siempre representativos de las culturas distintas que se encuentran a lo largo de la ruta.

En Laguna Pueblo, al oeste de Albuquerque, surgieron restaurantes y estaciones de servicio, algunas operadas por veteranos militares del pueblo que eran expertos en arreglar desde llantas pinchadas hasta radiadores averiados.

Las mujeres del pueblo también se adaptaron, convirtiendo vasijas de cerámica prácticas en obras de arte codiciadas por los turistas. El pan y los pasteles caseros sellaban el trato.

Los líderes de Laguna han considerado durante mucho tiempo la carretera —o he-ya-nhee’ en el idioma keres de la tribu— como “el corredor del comercio”, indicó el empresario y miembro tribal Ron Solimon. Aprovechando ese potencial, la tribu ha construido un imperio multimillonario de casinos, puestos de hamburguesas y otros negocios.

También había peligros a lo largo de la ruta, en particular durante la era de Jim Crow, cuando los viajeros negros tenían que depender de guías como el Green Book para encontrar alojamiento y servicios seguros.

“Especialmente para los viajes de larga distancia, la segregación era un hecho de la vida”, explicó Matthew Pearce, historiador estatal de la Oklahoma Historical Society. “Y por eso los automovilistas negros necesitaban saber un lugar seguro al que ir”.

La estación de servicio Threatt Filling Station, cerca de la comunidad de Luther, en el centro de Oklahoma, no figuraba en el Green Book, pero sí servía como refugio seguro entre dos “pueblos de puesta de sol”, donde las personas que no eran blancas debían irse antes del atardecer. La estación ofrecía barbacoa e incluso béisbol.

Edward Threatt, cuyos abuelos abrieron el establecimiento alrededor de 1933, recordó un programa de televisión sobre viajeros que disfrutaban en la 66, en referencia al clásico “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66" (que podría traducirse como ”date el gusto en la ruta 66").

“En general, el viajero negro no se daba muchos gustos en la Ruta 66”, expresó. “Y si se daba alguno, no era del tipo que uno imaginaría”.

Una nueva dirección

La visión del presidente Dwight Eisenhower de un sistema moderno de autopistas interestatales finalmente llevó a que la Ruta 66 fuera retirada de su condición de carretera federal en 1985. Algunos pueblos a lo largo de la ruta murieron, y la tarea de preservar sus tramos de la famosa carretera recayó en gobiernos locales, sociedades históricas estatales y empresas privadas.

Una fuerza impulsora fue Angel Delgadillo, un barbero que presionó a la Legislatura de Arizona para que designara la carretera como ruta histórica. Salvó a Seligman de convertirse en un pueblo fantasma y fijó el estándar de preservación en otros lugares.

En Nuevo México se han conservado bocetos originales de letreros de neón, abundan los murales con temática de la Ruta 66 y desarrolladores en Albuquerque han restaurado alojamientos a lo largo del tramo urbano más largo de la carretera que aún permanece intacto.

En California todavía se puede recorrer más del 90% de la carretera. Cadillac Ranch, en el extremo norte de Texas, ofrece la oportunidad de pintar con aerosol autos medio enterrados. Y en el río Mississippi, los viajeros pueden caminar o ir en bicicleta por el viejo puente Chain of Rocks.

Más de 250 edificios, distritos y segmentos de carretera de la ruta están inscritos en el Registro Nacional de Lugares Históricos. Pero no son sólo los ladrillos y el asfalto lo que alimenta la fascinación.

“Algunas de las cosas más interesantes y divertidas que les pasan a las personas cuando recorren la ruta es encontrarse con alguien que conocen o con algún hecho fortuito totalmente inesperado”, comentó el autor e historiador Jim Ross. “Y esa es una gran parte de la experiencia de la Ruta 66”.

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Los periodistas de The Associated Press John O’Connor en Springfield, Illinois, y Sean Murphy en Oklahoma City contribuyeron a este reportaje.

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

Information on which vehicles hold their value best isn’t readily accessible, but savvy shoppers can use it to pick a vehicle that depreciates less than average over the long haul. The car experts at Edmunds analyzed sales transaction data and compared the average transaction price of used 2023 model-year SUVs with their original manufacturer’s suggested retail price. From there, they identified the top two SUVs in five size categories that hold their value best. These rankings are specific to the 2023 model year but could also be seen as solid bets if you buy a new 2026 model.

Extra-small SUVs: Toyota Corolla Cross and Honda HR-V

The Toyota Corolla Cross is a subcompact SUV that excels as a practical and budget-friendly vehicle. It comes with many standard driver assist features and offers ample cargo space for its size. The Corolla Cross isn’t flashy, but it can’t be beat for value considering it’s worth 81.7% of its original value after three years of ownership.

Nipping at the heels of the Corolla Cross, the HR-V will also appeal to SUV shoppers who want a practical means of transportation. Edmunds praised the HR-V’s amount of passenger space and cargo volume but was underwhelmed by its slow acceleration.

Small SUVs: Toyota RAV4 Hybrid and Honda CR-V

Among small SUVs, the Toyota RAV4 aces the fundamentals. It’s comfortable and roomy, and it’s available in a wide range of trim levels to suit varied budgets. Excellent performance in crash tests is another draw, as is great fuel economy. It all leads to the RAV4 Hybrid having a strong 81.4% residual value in our analysis.

Close behind is another very popular small SUV, the Honda CR-V. A smooth ride and easy-to-use tech features are just some of the CR-V’s positive attributes. Edmunds also singled out its easygoing driving nature, roomy cargo hold, and impressive fuel economy from its available hybrid powertrain.

Midsize SUVs: Toyota 4Runner and Ford Bronco

The Toyota 4Runner has a loyal following among those seeking an SUV with a rugged design and genuine off-road capability. Based on the Tacoma pickup, the midsize 4Runner still waves the flag for the traditional SUV fans who want real off-road performance. After three years, the 4Runner retains 83% of its value on average, the best of all SUVs mentioned in our article.

If you want a vehicle with an even more adventurous spirit but still maintains its value, check out the Ford Bronco. It has a retro-fueled design, incredible go-anywhere capability, and a seemingly endless options sheet.

Midsize three-row SUVs: Toyota Highlander Hybrid and Honda Pilot

The Toyota Highlander has been a popular three-row SUV for more than two decades. The current version continues to provide a comfortable driving experience and excellent fuel economy from the Highlander Hybrid version. The Highlander’s third-row seat is pretty small, but you’re not going to complain about the Highlander Hybrid’s residual value of 77% after three years.

Coming in second is the Honda Pilot. It also has an enviable reputation for providing ample space and cargo room for growing families. Its third-row seat is bigger than the Highlander’s, but Honda doesn’t currently offer a hybrid version of the Pilot.

Large three-row SUVs: Toyota Sequoia and Chevrolet Tahoe

The Toyota Sequoia is bound to appeal to SUV shoppers who need maximum room and crave strong performance. Its hybrid engine packs a punch and delivers plenty of passing power — even if fuel economy is about on par with most other large non-hybrid rivals. A residual value of 80% after three years adds reassurance that this large SUV won’t burn a giant hole in your wallet when you drive off the dealer lot.

Chevrolet’s Tahoe comes in second for large three-row SUVs that best maintain their value after three years. Thanks to its lineup of two stout V8 engines and a turbocharged diesel-powered six-cylinder, the Tahoe is ideal if you’re planning on towing a heavy trailer. The Tahoe also comes with Chevy’s latest technology features.

Edmunds says

An SUV of any shape or size is a major investment. Knowing the vehicle that’s caught your eye won’t plummet in value provides added peace of mind.

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This story was provided to The Associated Press by the automotive website Edmunds.

Nick Kurczewski is a contributor at Edmunds.

Salah has yet to find his best form in his last season at the club, with only 10 goals in 35 games so far. He missed a penalty in the 4-0 loss to Manchester City in the FA Cup quarterfinals last weekend.

Hugo Ekitiké leads the attack with Jeremie Frimpong taking Salah's customary position on the right wing.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot said on the eve of the game that resisting an early onslaught from PSG was key to Liverpool's chances of keeping the tie alive heading into the return leg at Anfield next week.

“PSG under (coach) Luis Enrique do not give you a second to have the ball comfortable on your feet,” said. “It’s press, press, press every second of the game.”

When the two sides met last season in the round of 16, PSG advanced on penalties against six-time champion Liverpool following an intense battle. PSG carried the momentum from that victory all the way to a first Champions League title.

While Liverpool was arguably the pre-match favorite last year, it's a different story now. Slot's team is reeling from a crushing FA Cup loss and will be trophyless unless it wins the Champions League.

PSG has Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, midfielder Vitinha and flying winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in top form. Dembélé scored a scintillating volley against Toulouse in the French league on Friday and seems to be peaking at the right time.

However, PSG is still missing midfielder Fabián Ruiz with a knee injury and is without winger Bradley Barcola, who injured his ankle in the last-16 rout of Chelsea.

Liverpool striker Alexander Isak — the British-record signing for 125 million pounds ($170 million) — has recovered from injury and was on the bench at Parc des Princes.

Isak had surgery in December on a broken ankle and fibula.

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Barcelona's hopes of ending an 11-year wait for another European Cup will largely rest on the performances of 18-year-old Lamine Yamal. The Spain playmaker has scored in three consecutive Champions League games and his 21 goals overall in all competitions this campaign leads his team.

Atletico for its part will look for inspiration from forward Antoine Griezmann. Atletico's all-time top scorer wants to end his stellar run with the club on a high note before the 35-year-old leaves for the MLS.

The Spanish rivals will have played five times in two months after next week’s second leg in Madrid.

Atletico edged Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semifinals in February before Hansi Flick's side got some revenge on Saturday when it won 2-1 away in the Spanish league to strengthen its league lead.

Barcelona is a five-time European champion, but Diego Simeone’s Atletico eliminated the Catalan club at the same stage both in 2014 and 2016 on the way to reaching the Champions League final.

Barcelona is aiming to reach the semifinals for a second straight year.

Atletico's bid to make its first semifinal appearance since 2017 will depend on its defense and a mix of attacking options which include Julián Álvarez, Ademola Lookman and Alexander Sorloth.

Marcus Rashford will likely start for Barcelona in place of the injured Raphinha.

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“You’re going to have to show some epic resilience,” Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett said to Jasveen Sangha, echoing the defendant's words earlier in the hearing about her self-improvement.

Citing the unique role she admitted to in Perry’s death and her broader drug-dealing business, the judge gave the 42-year-old a sentence that will almost certainly be more than all four of her co-defendants combined.

Two more will be sentenced later this month. But Wednesday's hearing in a Los Angeles courtroom was in many ways the pinnacle of the 2 1/2-year investigation and prosecution that followed the overdose death of the 54-year-old actor, whose role as Chandler Bing on NBC’s “Friends” in the 1990s and 2000s made him one of the biggest television stars of the era.

Keith Morrison, Perry’s stepfather and correspondent for NBC’s “Dateline,” told the judge that he and Perry’s mother, Suzanne, feel a “daily, grinding sadness and sorrow.”

“There was a spark to that man I have never seen anywhere else,” Morrison said in his familiar and dramatic voice. “He should have had another act. Two more acts.”

Sangha stood at the podium Wednesday just before she was sentenced and told the judge she wears her shame “like a jacket.”

“These were not mistakes. They were horrible decisions,” Sangha said, which “shattered people’s lives and the lives of their family and friends.”

Prosecutors cast her in court filings as a “Ketamine Queen” who had an elaborate drug operation catering to high-end clients to give herself a jet-setting lifestyle.

Fifteen years was the exact sentence prosecutors had asked for. Sangha’s attorneys argued the time she has spent in jail since her August 2024 indictment should be sufficient. They pointed to her lack of prior arrests and exemplary behavior as an inmate, as well as the unlikelihood she would return to a life of drug dealing.

Perry was found dead in the hot tub at his Los Angeles home. The medical examiner ruled that ketamine, typically used as a surgical anesthetic, was the primary cause of death. Drowning was cited as a secondary cause, with coronary artery disease and buprenorphine also cited as factors.

Mark Geragos, Sangha’s attorney, said “pernicious” addiction was truly responsible for Perry’s death, not his client.

“There was nobody who was going to stop Mr. Perry from doing what he was going to do,” Geragos said.

In September, Sangha became the last of five co-defendants to plead guilty, admitting to one count of using her home for drug distribution, three counts of distribution of ketamine, and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death.

Geragos denounced the prosecution's use of the moniker “Ketamine Queen,” blaming it on E. Martin Estrada, the U.S. attorney when the case was filed.

"That was not her name, that was his very clever name to draw media attention this case," he said.

Perry had been using the drug through his regular doctor as a legal off-label treatment for depression. But he sought more than the doctor would give him. That at first led him to Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who admitted to illegally selling Perry ketamine and was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison. And, days before his death, it led Perry to Sangha, and a $6,000 cash buy that included the lethal dose.

Another doctor, who admitted to providing Plasencia the ketamine he sold to Perry, was sentenced to eight months of home detention. Perry’s assistant and his friend, who admitted acting as the actor’s middlemen, are awaiting sentencing.

The judge said she was trying to carefully calibrate the sentences for the five defendants. She expressed concern about the balance during the hearing, asking lawyers why Sangha deserved so much more time than Plasencia or Perry's assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, who obtained and injected the drugs at Perry's request and injected them into him.

Geragos seized on this and said the disparity was outrageous.

“The person who supplies the ammunition, they're more culpable than the person who pulls the trigger?” he asked.

But before sentencing, Garnett said the size of Sangha's drug business, the years she spent dealing and her long list of clients clearly made her more culpable. And she said she believed Sangha's criminal history — she has none — was underrepresented.

The judge also cited Sangha's continued dealing after learning through a text message from his sister that one of her customers, 33-year-old Cody McLaury, had died in 2019.

The sister, Kimberly McLaury, spoke in court.

“Had you stopped selling ketamine when I texted you, we wouldn't be here today,” she said.

Perry’s stepmother Debbie Perry told Sangha she had caused pain for “hundreds, maybe thousands” of people.

The judge commended Sangha for the “countless” letters of support she got from family and friends touting her loving decency. Many of them were there in court, sitting on the opposite side from Perry's family.

“There's no joy in this process,” Garnett told the victim's family members. “Maybe at the end of the day you will feel a sense of justice.”

Redick and Vanderbilt repeatedly exchanged words in a visible, vocal argument after Redick called a timeout and removed Vanderbilt from the Lakers' game against Oklahoma City just 16 seconds into the second quarter.

Redick said the argument was caused by “just a confluence of things," declining to be specific about what Vanderbilt had done wrong.

“Nothing personal with him,” Redick added. "Normal stuff from my end. I think for all of us, being undermanned, we’ve got to scrap and claw. We’ve got to all be on the same page. We've got to be great teammates. We've got to all play hard. I called a timeout to get him out of the game, and he reacted.”

After Redick called the timeout, Vanderbilt approached him on the court. When Vanderbilt became demonstrative, Austin Reaves — who didn't play due to injury — stepped between his teammate and the head coach, along with assistant coach Nate McMillan.

Vanderbilt continued the discussion when Redick sat on the bench after the timeout, and Redick made a dismissive gesture in Vanderbilt’s direction that appeared to irritate Vanderbilt further.

Vanderbilt didn’t return to the game after being pulled, and he left the Lakers’ downtown arena without speaking to reporters.

Vanderbilt made his only shot and had two rebounds and a steal during his 4 1/2 minutes of play, but he also missed three consecutive free throws right before the first-quarter buzzer. The defensive specialist has played inconsistent minutes for Redick this season, struggling to bring his offensive game up to a level that would allow him to be a rotation regular.

Los Angeles faced the Thunder without NBA scoring leader Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Reaves, Marcus Smart and Jaxson Hayes due to injury, and the result was predictable: Oklahoma City routed the Lakers 123-87, sending them to their third consecutive loss after winning 13 of their previous 14.

The defeat was Los Angeles' first at home since Feb. 24, ending a 10-game winning streak. The Lakers (50-29) slipped a full game behind streaking Denver (51-28) for the third seed in the Western Conference playoff picture, while only the tiebreaker is keeping the Lakers above the surging Houston Rockets (50-29) in fifth for now.

Until Doncic and Reaves both were lost for the rest of the regular season — and probably longer — during the Lakers' blowout loss at Oklahoma City a week ago, they were surging toward a top-three seed with hopes of a significant playoff run. While Redick hasn't publicly given up on that chance, he acknowledged before the game that any attempt to play for better seeding “probably went out the window after the (first) OKC game.”

Redick didn't mince many words about his healthy players after the Lakers' lowest-scoring performance of the season — an effort that inexplicably included 17 missed free throws.

“We’ve got to find nine guys that are, like, all in on us fighting,” Redick said. “Whatever you’ve got to do to go out and fight and be all in on the team, we’ll find the nine guys. It’s a great opportunity for us over the next three games to find those guys.”

The coach said he called an earlier timeout to remove Rui Hachimura from the game because the forward “didn't do his job.”

Redick also said starting center Deandre Ayton has “had trouble catching the ball. We've had a bunch of plays for him. He's just had trouble catching the ball, and I don't know if that's the passing or him trying to get position. He just hasn't been able to catch the ball.”

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