The decision came after prosecutors and defense attorneys made their cases to a judge.

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Rivera, 61, was found guilty on all counts, including failing to register as a foreign agent with the Justice Department and conspiracy to commit money laundering, in May. An associate, Esther Nuhfer, was also convicted.

Rivera appeared stone-faced as Judge Melissa Damian denounced him for betraying his life’s mission, saying he would surely have been judged harshly his many friends had the millions of dollars come from the Cuban regime instead of its allies in Caracas.

The seven-week trial offered a rare glimpse into Miami’s role as a crossroads for foreign influence campaigns aimed at shaping U.S. policy toward Latin America, highlighting the city’s reputation as a magnet for both anti-communist crusaders and corruption among its sizable exile population.

It included testimony from President Donald Trump’s secretary of state, Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas and a top Washington lobbyist — all of whom testified they felt betrayed when learning of Rivera’s mammoth consulting contract with a U.S.-based affiliate of Venezuela’s state oil company, PDVSA.

Attorneys for Rivera plan to appeal and in June applied for a presidential pardon. Rivera faces additional federal charges in Washington, D.C., in a related foreign lobbying case.

In Friday’s hearing, prosecutors had sought 22 to 30 years in prison, while Rivera’s attorneys, citing a prostate cancer diagnosis and the former lawmaker’s young twin sons, sought eight years.

Attorney Ed Shohat also argued that there was no evidence Rivera personally supported Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro.

The judge pushed back, saying, “For you to stand here and say, ‘The facts don’t support the convictions,’ is not a good place to start.”

Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections Alina Garcia was also in court. Garcia was among several prominent South Florida figures who previously offered to help back Rivera’s proposed $7 million bond, which a federal judge ultimately denied.

Garcia was among multiple friends of the former congressman, including the former president of Florida International University and Miami-Dade County’s supervisor of elections, who packed the courtroom to show their support.

Sessions, in a letter seeking leniency that was read into the record by his chief of staff, said his former congressional colleague devoted decades to public service, much of it focused on defending liberty and democracy.

“I don’t think it’s productive for society by sending David away for a long, long time,” testified Liliana Ros, a longtime Miami GOP committee member.

During the hearing, Rivera’s attorney objected to several parts of the pre-sentence report, including the government’s calculation of the value of laundered funds and enhancements related to Rivera’s role in national security.

Shohat also took issue with word of a government news conference before sentencing, saying it sent a message that prosecutors were already counting on the outcome.

Shohat called word of the press conference unique and said, “It sounds like the U.S. Attorney’s Office is counting on you. And judge, so am I.”

The judge gave Rivera a 10-year sentence on five counts and a five-year sentence on two counts, but the sentences will run concurrently.

Rivera is set to be back in court next Friday as he faces separate charges in a tax fraud case.

He’s set to remain at the federal jail in downtown Miami until that trial is complete, at which point the judge said she’d recommend he be held in a minimum security prison camp.

Fisher joined host Glenna Milberg on the latest episode of “This Week in South Florida” to discuss the Broward County Commission’s unanimous vote this week to retake fire-rescue services from the Broward Sheriff’s Office. Broward County Commissioners approved a $9.2 billion budget this week. The BSO budget request was $937 million.

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The village, tucked into the heart of South Florida, has a population of about 2,000 people and roughly 900 homes.

Nickerson, who currently serves as mayor, said he wants to remain in office to continue working on projects he has already started.

“I want to do that with road repair,” Nickerson said. “I wanna do that with our tree canopy and with the sewers. I want to do that with flood mitigation, so those are the goals.”

Alvarez, who said he is a third-generation El Portal resident, is emphasizing the village’s character as he campaigns for mayor.

He said development should not come at the expense of what makes the community distinctive.

“El Portal is not Brickell. It’s not Wynwood or South Beach,” Alvarez said. “I love Brickell, Wynwood and I really love South Beach, but we are not them and we shouldn’t try to be them.”

Property taxes and their potential impact on village services are also part of the conversation.

Both candidates said property tax relief, if approved, could lead to changes in services.

“I think holding the line on taxes for our residents is number one,” Nickerson said.

Alvarez said the village would have to closely examine its finances if less revenue were available.

“We would have to really sharpen our pencils to see where we can reduce our services,” he said.

While the two candidates are competing for the mayor’s seat, both expressed a desire to preserve El Portal’s character while allowing the village to move forward.

Alvarez described the community as a “little slice of heaven” and said he wants to make sure it can continue to grow with the market.

Nickerson pointed to El Portal’s natural surroundings as something that sets it apart from more heavily developed areas of South Florida.

“When everywhere else is being built out with all these huge developments, when there’s concrete, when there’s heat indexes, there’s a place you can go and it’s cool and it’s beautiful,” Nickerson said.

El Portal voters will decide between Nickerson and Alvarez in the village’s Nov. 3 election.

La villa, ubicada en el corazón del sur de Florida, tiene una población de aproximadamente 2,000 personas y unas 900 viviendas.

Nickerson, quien actualmente se desempeña como alcalde, dijo que quiere permanecer en el cargo para continuar trabajando en proyectos que ya ha iniciado.

“Quiero hacer eso con la reparación de carreteras”, dijo Nickerson. “Quiero hacer eso con nuestra cobertura arbórea y con las alcantarillas. Quiero hacer eso con la mitigación de inundaciones, así que esas son las metas”.

Alvarez, quien dijo ser residente de El Portal de tercera generación, está haciendo énfasis en el carácter de la villa mientras hace campaña para alcalde.

Dijo que el desarrollo no debería ocurrir a expensas de lo que hace distintiva a la comunidad.

“El Portal no es Brickell. No es Wynwood ni South Beach”, dijo Alvarez. “Me encanta Brickell, Wynwood y realmente me encanta South Beach, pero no somos ellos y no deberíamos intentar ser como ellos”.

Los impuestos a la propiedad y su posible impacto en los servicios de la villa también forman parte de la conversación.

Ambos candidatos dijeron que una reducción de los impuestos a la propiedad, si es aprobada, podría generar cambios en los servicios.

“Creo que mantener los impuestos de nuestros residentes sin cambios es la prioridad número uno”, dijo Nickerson.

Alvarez dijo que la villa tendría que examinar detenidamente sus finanzas si hubiera menos ingresos disponibles.

“Tendríamos que analizar realmente las cifras para ver dónde podemos reducir nuestros servicios”, dijo.

Mientras los dos candidatos compiten por el cargo de alcalde, ambos expresaron su deseo de preservar el carácter de El Portal mientras permiten que la villa avance.

Alvarez describió a la comunidad como “un pequeño pedazo de cielo” y dijo que quiere asegurarse de que pueda continuar creciendo con el mercado.

Nickerson señaló los alrededores naturales de El Portal como algo que lo distingue de las áreas más desarrolladas del sur de Florida.

“Mientras en todas partes se está construyendo con todos estos enormes desarrollos, cuando hay concreto, cuando hay índices de calor, hay un lugar al que puedes ir y está fresco y es hermoso”, dijo Nickerson.

Los votantes de El Portal decidirán entre Nickerson y Alvarez en las elecciones de la villa del 3 de noviembre.

Los registros de la cárcel muestran que Jefry Fuentes Acevedo fue arrestado el jueves por el Departamento de Policía de Hialeah bajo cargos de agresión sexual contra una víctima de entre 12 y 17 años y conducta lasciva y libidinosa contra una menor de entre 12 y 16 años.

La víctima dijo a los investigadores que conocía a Acevedo desde hacía aproximadamente tres años, según un informe de arresto. Local 10 News no revela la relación entre sospechoso y víctima para proteger la identidad de esta última.

La Policía dijo que una investigación comenzó la noche del miércoles después de que detectives de la Policía de Hialeah fueran llamados a un apartamento en la cuadra 6200 de West 24th Avenue en Hialeah por un supuesto “delito sexual”.

La víctima dijo a la Policía que Acevedo había abusado sexualmente de ella durante aproximadamente dos años, según el informe. Dijo que había contado a su madre sobre los abusos en marzo y que su madre “no le dio importancia”, señala el informe.

En una entrevista con los investigadores, la víctima describió una agresión sexual que, según dijo, ocurrió unos cinco o seis meses antes, mientras ella y Acevedo estaban solos en la vivienda, informó la Policía. Dijo que ocurrió cuando sus padres habían salido para asistir a una fiesta, según el informe.

La víctima dijo a la Policía que intentó salir de la sala y subir a su habitación cuando Acevedo la agarró y la jaló hacia atrás, diciéndole que “se quedara aquí”, señala el informe.

Según el informe, Acevedo luego acercó a la víctima hacia él y la obligó a practicarle sexo oral.

La víctima también describió otro encuentro ocurrido dos días después.

Dijo a los investigadores que Acevedo se acercó a ella por detrás mientras cocinaba y repetidamente “colocó su cuerpo contra ella a pesar de sus intentos por alejarse”, según el informe. La Policía dijo que finalmente ella entró a un baño hasta que él se alejó.

Un segundo informe de arresto del 1 de octubre de 2025 detalla acusaciones adicionales que se remontan a cuando la víctima tenía entre 13 y 15 años y Acevedo tenía entre 17 y 18 años.

La víctima dijo a los investigadores que ocurrieron aproximadamente ocho incidentes con Acevedo, según el informe.

Al relatar el primer supuesto incidente, la víctima dijo que estaba sola en casa con Acevedo cuando él la llevó a su habitación, señala el informe.

Dijo a la Policía que él cerró la puerta con llave y colocó una mesa contra ella antes de la agresión, lo que le provocó sangrado, según el informe.

El informe del 1 de octubre también detalla una entrevista con el hermano de 11 años de la víctima.

La Policía dijo que el niño fue entrevistado por un equipo de protección infantil y contó a los investigadores que había observado actividad sexual entre la víctima y Acevedo mientras jugaba videojuegos.

Dijeron que posteriormente los investigadores localizaron a Acevedo en su vivienda en Miami Shores y lo detuvieron.

Hasta la tarde del viernes, Fuentes Acevedo permanecía detenido sin derecho a fianza en el Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.

La decisión se produjo después de que los fiscales y los abogados defensores presentaran sus argumentos ante una jueza.

Rivera, de 61 años, fue declarado culpable de todos los cargosincluido no registrarse como agente extranjero ante el Departamento de Justicia y conspiración para cometer lavado de dinero, en mayo. Una asociada, Esther Nuhfer, también fue declarada culpable.

Rivera permaneció con el rostro inexpresivo mientras la jueza Melissa Damian lo reprendía por traicionar la misión de su vida, diciendo que seguramente sus muchos amigos lo habrían juzgado duramente si los millones de dólares hubieran provenido del régimen cubano en lugar de sus aliados en Caracas.

El juicio de siete semanas ofreció una rara mirada al papel de Miami como punto de encuentro para campañas de influencia extranjera destinadas a moldear la política de Estados Unidos hacia América Latina, destacando la reputación de la ciudad como un imán tanto para los defensores de las causas anticomunistas como para la corrupción entre su considerable población de exiliados.

Incluyó el testimonio del secretario de Estado del presidente Donald Trump, el representante Pete Sessions de Texas y un importante cabildero de Washington, todos los cuales testificaron que se sintieron traicionados al enterarse del enorme contrato de consultoría de Rivera con una filial con sede en Estados Unidos de la compañía petrolera estatal de Venezuela, PDVSA.

Los abogados de Rivera planean apelar y en junio solicitaron un indulto presidencial. Rivera enfrenta cargos federales adicionales en Washington, D.C., en un caso relacionado de cabildeo extranjero.

En la audiencia del viernes, los fiscales habían solicitado entre 22 y 30 años de prisión, mientras que los abogados de Rivera, citando un diagnóstico de cáncer de próstata y a los hijos gemelos pequeños del ex legislador, solicitaron ocho años.

El abogado Ed Shohat también argumentó que no había evidencia de que Rivera apoyara personalmente al dictador venezolano Nicolás Maduro.

El juez respondió, diciendo: “Que usted se pare aquí y diga: ‘Los hechos no respaldan las condenas’, no es un buen punto de partida”.

La supervisora de Elecciones de Miami-Dade, Alina Garcia, también estuvo en la corte. Garcia estuvo entre varias figuras prominentes del sur de Florida que anteriormente se ofrecieron a ayudar a respaldar la fianza propuesta de $7 millones USD de Rivera, que un juez federal finalmente rechazó.

Garcia estuvo entre los múltiples amigos del ex congresista, incluido el ex presidente de la Universidad Internacional de Florida y el supervisor de elecciones del condado Miami-Dade, que llenaron la sala del tribunal para mostrarle su apoyo.

Sessions, en una carta en la que solicitaba clemencia y que fue leída en el registro por su jefe de gabinete, dijo que su ex colega en el Congreso dedicó décadas al servicio público, gran parte de ellas enfocadas en defender la libertad y la democracia.

“No creo que sea productivo para la sociedad enviar a David a prisión por mucho, mucho tiempo”, testificó Liliana Ros, miembro de larga trayectoria del comité republicano de Miami.

Durante la audiencia, el abogado de Rivera objetó varias partes del informe previo a la sentencia, incluido el cálculo del gobierno sobre el valor de los fondos lavados y los aumentos relacionados con el papel de Rivera en la seguridad nacional.

Shohat también cuestionó la noticia de una conferencia de prensa del gobierno antes de la sentencia, diciendo que enviaba un mensaje de que los fiscales ya contaban con el resultado.

Shohat calificó de inusual la noticia de la conferencia de prensa y dijo: “Suena como si la Fiscalía de Estados Unidos contara con usted. Y juez, yo también”.

La jueza sentenció a Rivera a 10 años por cinco cargos y a cinco años por dos cargos, pero las sentencias se cumplirán simultáneamente.

Rivera deberá regresar a la corte el próximo viernes, ya que enfrenta cargos separados en un caso de fraude fiscal.

Está previsto que permanezca en la cárcel federal del centro de Miami hasta que concluya ese juicio, momento en el que la jueza dijo que recomendaría que fuera recluido en un campamento penitenciario de mínima seguridad.

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Wellington said Thursday that she has since discovered additional items missing from her home, including two Chanel bags and an expensive Versace dress.

“Miramar Police Department made the error,” Wellington said in an interview with Local 10’s Rosh Lowe on Friday. “It was never a mistake or a question who took the bags.”

Miramar police said they previously arrested a 31-year-old fashion stylist in connection with the theft of Wellington’s belongings, which were initially valued at $271,938.60.

Police later determined the wrong person had been arrested because the man they took into custody and the person suspected of taking Wellington’s property had the same first name.

The man was released from jail after police notified the Broward County State Attorney’s Office of the mistake.

Wellington said she went back to provide additional information to authorities about the person she believes took her belongings.

“I went yesterday to do a new deposition to clarify who the person is that actually took my bags,” she said. “I’m not confused.”

Wellington said the person she identifies as the suspected thief was an employee who initially gave police a false name when questioned.

“He intentionally gave them a fake name, so I don’t know if he knew the person,” Wellington said. “I don’t know all of that, but he gave them a fake name.”

Police previously said five Hermès handbags and a Chanel water bottle were reported stolen from Wellington’s home in August.

They said items were later located at an Aventura business that resells authentic designer handbags and other luxury goods.

According to an arrest report the suspected thief had brought the items to the business as a loan and defaulted on the arrangement, leaving Wellington unable to recover the property.

Wellington said she has not recovered her belongings and appealed to anyone who may have them to return them.

“I hope that somebody watches it and doesn’t even want to carry it,” she said. “I hope they feel bad about even carrying another woman’s stolen bag.”

Wellington said the case has been particularly frustrating because she believes the person responsible was someone she once trusted.

The original case involved a mix-up over the suspect’s identity.

Miramar Police Department Chief Delrish Moss said authorities issued a not-in-custody warrant under the wrong name after information was provided to investigators in September.

“The name should have been another person’s last name,” Moss said.

The person Wellington identifies as the suspected thief remains at large, police said.

Anyone with information about the theft is urged to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.

Wellington dijo el jueves que desde entonces descubrió que faltaban artículos adicionales de su casa, incluidos dos bolsos Chanel y un costoso vestido de Versace.

“El Departamento de Policía de Miramar cometió el error”, dijo Wellington en una entrevista el viernes con Rosh Lowe, de Local 10. “Nunca hubo un error ni una duda sobre quién se llevó los bolsos”.

La Policía de Miramar dijo que previamente arrestó a un estilista de moda de 31 años en relación con el robo de las pertenencias de Wellington, que inicialmente fueron valoradas en $271,938.60 USD.

La Policía determinó posteriormente que habían arrestado a la persona equivocada porque el hombre que detuvieron y la persona sospechosa de llevarse las pertenencias de Wellington tenían el mismo nombre de pila.

El hombre fue liberado de la cárcel después de que la Policía notificara a la Oficina del Fiscal Estatal del Condado Broward sobre el error.

Wellington dijo que regresó para proporcionar información adicional a las autoridades sobre la persona que cree que se llevó sus pertenencias.

“Ayer fui a hacer una nueva declaración para aclarar quién es realmente la persona que se llevó mis bolsos”, dijo. “No estoy confundida”.

Wellington dijo que la persona que identifica como el presunto ladrón era un empleado que inicialmente dio a la Policía un nombre falso cuando fue interrogado.

“Intencionalmente les dio un nombre falso, así que no sé si conocía a la persona”, dijo Wellington. “No sé todo eso, pero les dio un nombre falso”.

La Policía dijo anteriormente que en agosto se reportó el robo de cinco bolsos Hermès y una botella de agua Chanel de la casa de Wellington.

Dijeron que posteriormente los artículos fueron encontrados en un negocio de Aventura que revende bolsos de diseñador auténticos y otros artículos de lujo.

Según un informe de arresto, el presunto ladrón había llevado los artículos al negocio como parte de un préstamo y no cumplió con el acuerdo, lo que dejó a Wellington sin poder recuperar las pertenencias.

Wellington dijo que no ha recuperado sus pertenencias y pidió a cualquier persona que pueda tenerlas que las devuelva.

“Espero que alguien lo vea y ni siquiera quiera llevarlo”, dijo. “Espero que se sienta mal por siquiera llevar el bolso robado de otra mujer”.

Wellington dijo que el caso ha sido particularmente frustrante porque cree que la persona responsable era alguien en quien alguna vez confió.

El caso original involucró una confusión sobre la identidad del sospechoso.

El jefe del Departamento de Policía de Miramar, Delrish Moss, dijo que las autoridades emitieron una orden de arresto para una persona que no estaba bajo custodia con el nombre equivocado después de que se proporcionara información a los investigadores en septiembre.

“El nombre debió haber sido el apellido de otra persona”, dijo Moss.

La persona que Wellington identifica como el presunto ladrón sigue prófuga, dijo la Policía.

Cualquier persona que tenga información sobre el robo debe llamar a Broward Crime Stoppers al 954-493-8477.

Dicen que un informe preliminar de la Junta Nacional de Seguridad en el Transporte sobre el mortal accidente del avión de carga de Amazon les deja más preguntas y más dolor.

Debajo del lenguaje técnico de la aviación y los detalles clínicos de un accidente se encuentran un hermano, una hija y familias que lloran a sus seres queridos.

Aylen Aleman habló en exclusiva con Local 10 desde Brasil sobre su padre, Rolando, una de las cinco personas que murieron en tierra cuando el avión se salió de la pista en el Aeropuerto Internacional de Miami.

Su hermano casi fue a trabajar con su padre ese día. Podría haber estado entre los muertos.

Aleman dijo que su padre era el centro de su mundo, especialmente para su hermano, quien trabajaba con él.

El informe preliminar de la NTSB indica que el avión de carga de Amazon viajaba demasiado rápido cuando golpeó la pista. El copiloto advirtió al capitán sobre la velocidad y, aparentemente, no se dieron advertencias sobre el viento.

Según la NTSB, el capitán intentó abortar el aterrizaje.

El abogado de Miami Judd Rosen se encuentra entre los abogados que ahora demandan por negligencia.

“Creo que el informe revela capas de negligencia que comienzan desde arriba y continúan hasta el final, y terminan con mis clientes perdiendo a su padre”, dijo Rosen.

Rosen dijo que el capitán y el primer oficial apenas habían trabajado juntos y debieron realizar una maniobra de motor y al aire cuando supieron que el aterrizaje estaba en problemas.

Aleman dijo que su padre simplemente trabajaba duro.

Javierkys Reyes Quevedo también murió en el accidente. Se encontraba en uno de los dos vehículos impactados en el aeropuerto y también formaba parte de una empresa de limpieza.

Su hermano, Felix Reyes Quevedo, habló con Local 10 News desde Texas. Habló en español, pero su dolor se transmitió en cualquier idioma.

“Los accidentes ocurren, pero más allá de eso, porque pudieron haber realizado una maniobra de motor y al aire y el avión aterrizó y mató a cinco familias, es simplemente inaceptable”, dijo Felix.

Carlos Silva, un abogado de la familia Reyes Quevedo, lo calificó como un error humano.

“Esto no es, ‘apartaste la vista de la carretera’. No. Esto es, tuviste tiempo, tuviste conocimientos, tuviste experiencia. Sabes lo que estás haciendo. Tienes una licencia”, dijo Silva.

Felix dijo que su hermano le diría que lo extraña mucho y pidió a la gente que rezara por todos ellos.

Aleman dijo que, aunque su padre podría haber sido insignificante para las grandes empresas, él era todo su mundo.

La compañía que operó el vuelo siniestrado para Amazon emitió un comunicado en el que dijo que está revisando la información del informe preliminar de la NTSB, junto con sus protocolos internos de seguridad y operaciones, y que tomará las medidas apropiadas para mejorar la seguridad con base en los hechos conforme sean establecidos.

Para las familias, la pregunta sigue siendo: ¿Cómo un día rutinario de trabajo para sus seres queridos se convirtió en el último día de sus vidas?

Funcionarios de MIA dijeron que no pueden hacer comentarios porque la investigación está en curso.

Un informe final de la NTSB podría tardar aproximadamente un año.

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They say a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board about the deadly Amazon cargo plane crash leaves them with more questions and more heartache.

Buried beneath the technical language of aviation and the clinical details of a crash are a brother, a daughter and families grieving their loved ones.

Aylen Aleman spoke exclusively with Local 10 from Brazil about her father, Rolando, one of five people killed on the ground when the plane went off the runway at Miami International Airport.

Her brother almost went to work with their father that day. He could have been among those killed.

Aleman said her father was the center of their world, especially for her brother, who worked with him.

The NTSB preliminary report says the Amazon cargo plane was traveling too fast when it hit the runway. The co-pilot warned the captain about the speed, and wind warnings apparently were not given.

According to the NTSB, the captain tried to abort the landing.

Miami attorney Judd Rosen is among the attorneys now suing for negligence.

“I think the report reveals layers of neglect that starts at the top and all the way through and ends up with my clients losing their father,” Rosen said.

Rosen said the captain and first officer had barely worked together and should have gone around when they knew the landing was in trouble.

Aleman said her father simply worked hard.

Javierkys Reyes Quevedo was also killed in the crash. He was in one of two vehicles hit at the airport and was also part of a cleaning company.

His brother, Felix Reyes Quevedo, spoke with Local 10 News from Texas. He spoke in Spanish, but his grief came through in any language.

“Accidents happen, but beyond that, because they could have gone around and the plane landed and killed five families, is just unacceptable,” Felix said.

Carlos Silva, an attorney for the Reyes Quevedo family, called it human error.

“This is not, ‘took your eye off the road.’ No. This is, you had time, you had expertise, you had experience. You know what you’re doing. You have a license,” Silva said.

Felix said his brother would tell him he misses him a lot and asked people to pray for all of them.

Aleman said that while her father may have been insignificant to big companies, he was her entire world.

The company that operated the doomed flight for Amazon issued a statement saying it is reviewing the information in the NTSB preliminary report, along with its internal safety and operational protocols, and will take appropriate action to improve safety based on the facts as they are established.

For the families, the question remains: How did a routine day of work for their loved ones turn into the last day of their lives?

Officials from MIA said they cannot comment because the investigation is ongoing.

A final report from the NTSB may take about a year.

Andrei Kuzmenko returned to practice with the Penguins on Friday for the first time since returning from his father's funeral in Moscow.

The 30-year-old Kuzmenko, who signed a one-year, $5 million contract with Pittsburgh over the summer, also offered a brief statement outlining his understanding of what happened to his dad while on a fishing trip in the Tyva section of Siberia.

“My father go permit fishing with friends, and he stayed in the water," Andrei Kuzmenko said. “And bear (stand) behind him and attack. And my father fight (the) bear one hour, 10 minutes and he still lived after two days.”

Kuzmenko, who used to wear No. 10, added that his father's death was a “big shock.” Kuzmenko also noted that his mother was born in 1962.

Pittsburgh plays Montreal in its home opener on Saturday.

___

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

La policía federal de Brasil también informó el viernes que ejecutó órdenes de allanamiento y decomiso en Sao Paulo y el Distrito Federal como parte de una investigación sobre presuntos planes que podrían amenazar instalaciones diplomáticas de Estados Unidos en Brasil.

La policía describió el operativo como preventivo, y señaló que fue resultado de la cooperación continua con agencias de inteligencia extranjeras. Los investigadores no encontraron pruebas que corroboraran los riesgos reportados inicialmente, ni habían identificado a sospechosos como integrantes de organizaciones criminales.

La investigación continúa tras el decomiso de equipos de comunicación, indicó la policía.

En un comunicado fechado el jueves, la embajada de Estados Unidos emitió una alerta de seguridad en la que señaló que suspendería los servicios consulares en la embajada y los consulados a partir del viernes.

La alerta recomendó a los ciudadanos de Estados Unidos que requieran asistencia no visitar la embajada, los consulados u otras instalaciones diplomáticas y, en su lugar, contacten al funcionario de guardia correspondiente.

La embajada de Australia en Brasilia también informó que cerraría el viernes, citando la alerta de Estados Unidos y recomendando a los australianos evitar las instalaciones diplomáticas de Estados Unidos.

Cuando The Associated Press le preguntó sobre la suspensión de los servicios consulares en Brasil, el Departamento de Estado de Estados Unidos dijo que estaba trabajando estrechamente con sus homólogos brasileños para atender las preocupaciones de seguridad.

Las embajadas y consulados de Estados Unidos emiten alertas de manera rutinaria para notificar a los ciudadanos de Estados Unidos sobre amenazas, acontecimientos y cambios que ocurren a nivel local, indicó el departamento.

Los brasileños votarán el domingo en elecciones presidenciales. Los favoritos son el presidente en funciones Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva y el senador Flávio Bolsonaro --hijo del expresidente Jair Bolsonaro, quien cumple una condena de 27 años por intento de golpe de Estado--.

Si ninguno obtiene más del 50% de los votos, se celebrará una segunda vuelta el 25 de octubre.

Al ser cuestionado en la Casa Blanca sobre si apoyaría a Bolsonaro en las elecciones, el presidente de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, declaró: “Bueno, estamos analizando todo eso y estamos siguiendo esas elecciones muy de cerca”.

Bolsonaro es aliado de Trump.

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Matthew Lee y Collin Binkley contribuyeron a este despacho desde Washington.

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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.

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Graphic video obtained by Local 10 News on Friday captures a pet owner repeatedly slapping a small dog inside an elevator.

The same woman is also seen walking toward the Metro Parc apartment building when the dog slips out of its collar. She then jumps onto the animal and picks it up by its hind legs, holding it upside down as the dog appears to be in pain and tries to free itself.

Hialeah police identified the woman as 42-year-old Miriam Yilian De La Rosa. She appeared before a Miami-Dade County judge Friday on three counts of animal cruelty after the building’s front desk employee called 911 to report the alleged abuse she saw on surveillance video.

De La Rosa was also captured on surveillance video in the building’s lobby on a separate occasion, allegedly grabbing the same dog by the neck and striking it aggressively more than a half-dozen times.

Residents said they were shocked that someone could abuse their own pets, which many consider family.

“Those who mistreat animals, small or large. That’s abuse,” one resident said.

Jail records show De La Rosa was being held on a $12,500 bond at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, as of Thursday evening.

All three of her dogs have been taken by Animal Services for a medical evaluation and for their safety, officials say.

Un video gráfico obtenido el viernes por Local 10 News muestra a una dueña de mascota abofeteando repetidamente a un perro pequeño dentro de un ascensor.

La misma mujer también es vista caminando hacia el edificio de apartamentos Metro Parc cuando el perro se sale de su collar. Luego se lanza sobre el animal y lo levanta por las patas traseras, sosteniéndolo boca abajo mientras el perro parece estar sufriendo y trata de liberarse.

La policía de Hialeah identificó a la mujer como Miriam Yilian De La Rosa, de 42 años. Ella compareció ante un juez del condado Miami-Dade el viernes por tres cargos de crueldad animal después de que el empleado de recepción del edificio llamara al 911 para reportar el presunto maltrato que vio en el video de vigilancia.

De La Rosa también fue captada por las cámaras de vigilancia en el vestíbulo del edificio en otra ocasión, presuntamente agarrando al mismo perro por el cuello y golpeándolo agresivamente más de media docena de veces.

Los residentes dijeron estar conmocionados de que alguien pudiera maltratar a sus propias mascotas, a las que muchos consideran parte de la familia.

“Quienes maltratan a los animales, pequeños o grandes. Eso es maltrato”, dijo un residente.

Los registros de la cárcel muestran que De La Rosa permanecía detenida con una fianza de $12,500 USD en el Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, hasta la noche del jueves.

Los tres perros de De La Rosa fueron llevados por Servicios para Animales para una evaluación médica y por su seguridad, según funcionarios.

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Jail records show Jefry Fuentes Acevedo was arrested Thursday by the Hialeah Police Department on charges of sexual battery of a victim between 12 and 17 years old and lewd and lascivious molestation of a child between 12 and 16 years old.

The victim told investigators she had known Acevedo for approximately three years, according to an arrest report. Local 10 News is not identifying the relationship between the suspect and victim in an effort to protect her identity.

Police said an investigation began Wednesday night after Hialeah police detectives were called to an apartment in the 6200 block of West 24th Avenue in Hialeah regarding a reported “sex offense.”

The victim told police that Acevedo had been sexually abusing her for approximately two years, according to the report. She said she had told her mother about the abuse back in March and that her mother “did not care,” the report states.

In an interview with investigators, the victim described a sexual assault that she said occurred about five or six months earlier while she and Acevedo were alone at the home, police said. She said it occurred when her parents had left to attend a party, according to the report.

The victim told police that she attempted to leave the living room and go upstairs to her bedroom when Acevedo grabbed her and pulled her back, telling her to “stay here,” the report states.

According to the report, Acevedo then pulled the victim closer to him and forced her to perform oral sex on him.

The victim also described another encounter two days later.

She told investigators that Acevedo approached her from behind while she was cooking and repeatedly “positioned his body against her despite her attempts to move away,” according to the report. Police said she eventually went into a bathroom until he walked away.

A second arrest report from Oct. 1, 2025, details additional allegations dating back to when the victim was between 13 and 15 years old and Acevedo was between 17 and 18.

The victim told investigators that approximately eight incidents involving Acevedo occurred, according to the report.

During her account of the first alleged incident, the victim said she was home alone with Acevedo when he took her into his bedroom, the report states.

She told police that he locked the door and placed a table against it before the assault, which left her bleeding, according to the report.

The Oct. 1 report also details an interview with the victim’s 11-year-old brother.

Police said the boy was interviewed by a child protection team and told investigators that he had observed sexual activity involving the victim and Acevedo while he was playing video games.

They said investigators later located Acevedo at his home in Miami Shores and took him into custody.

As of Friday afternoon, Fuentes Acevedo was being held without bond at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.

Coach Jesse Minter said Hendrickson had a procedure to fix the issue and will not play.

“We think it will be very, very short-term,” Minter said Friday. “But just in a quick way to get that fixed and get him back, I think that is going to be best for us moving forward.”

The Ravens signed Hendrickson in the offseason to boost their pass rush. He has one sack through three games.

Centers Jovaughn Gwyn (ankle) and Ethan Pocic (knee) are both out, too. Receiver Zay Flowers (hamstring) is listed as questionable, but he played in Week 3. Tackle Ronnie Stanley (toe) is also questionable after missing last week's game.

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The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office is looking for Armando Lopez, 53, of Key Largo, after he failed to show for his trial on several felonies at the Plantation Key courthouse in Islamorada. He was convicted on 11 counts.

In December 2024, deputies said Lopez, then 52, brutally beat a woman in a domestic violence incident, fought with an MCSO sergeant trying to arrest him, then stole his cruiser and drove away.

Deputies said he then stopped a woman and carjacked her SUV, later wrecking it on U.S. 1 after a high-speed chase.

Video obtained by Local 10 News showed the wild chain of events.

MCSO spokesperson Adam Linhardt said state and federal authorities have joined the search.

“Lopez should be considered dangerous and the public is asked to report any tips regarding his location by calling 911 or the Sheriff’s Office at 305-289-2351,” Linhardt said in a news release on Friday.

Once apprehended, Lopez could spend the rest of his life in prison, prosecutors said.

La Oficina del Sheriff del condado Monroe busca a Armando Lopez, de 53 años, de Key Largo, después de que no se presentó a su juicio por varios delitos graves en el tribunal de Plantation Key, en Islamorada. Fue declarado culpable de 11 cargos.

En diciembre de 2024, agentes dijeron que Lopez, entonces de 52 años, golpeó brutalmente a una mujer durante un incidente de violencia doméstica, se enfrentó a un sargento de la MCSO que intentaba arrestarlo y luego robó su patrulla y huyó.

Los agentes dijeron que luego detuvo a una mujer y le robó su SUV, que posteriormente estrelló en U.S. 1 después de una persecución a alta velocidad.

Un video obtenido por Local 10 News mostró la caótica cadena de acontecimientos.

El portavoz de la MCSO, Adam Linhardt, dijo que autoridades estatales y federales se han unido a la búsqueda.

“Lopez debe ser considerado peligroso y se pide al público que informe cualquier pista sobre su ubicación llamando al 911 o a la Oficina del Sheriff al 305-289-2351”, dijo Linhardt en un comunicado de prensa el viernes.

Una vez detenido, Lopez podría pasar el resto de su vida en prisión, dijeron los fiscales.

The troop movement, which includes a third aircraft carrier, underscores the rapidly evolving dynamic of Trump’s war against Iran as he ponders his next move, with midterm elections in the United States looming large and new signs that the nature of the conflict may be becoming more complex.

Trump has threatened that a post-midterm election escalation — despite his initial promises to Americans of a campaign that would last a matter of weeks — remains a viable option. Further complicating matters, Trump told reporters Thursday that early indications suggest that Iran is linked to the FlyDubai co-pilot who stabbed his captain and tried to crash an Israel-bound flight on Wednesday.

In an exchange with reporters at the White House, Trump raised the connection when asked by a reporter if there were any links between the pilot behind the attack and Tehran.

“I would say the answer, based on what I’m hearing, is ‘yes,’ but we’re working on it right now,” Trump said, without offering details.

Trump added that if the link to Iran is established, the United States would retaliate. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed in a Fox News interview earlier Thursday that investigators believe the FlyDubai suspect underwent “Islamist, radical indoctrination” but did not provide further details.

“Oh, they’ll be hit very hard, don’t worry,” Trump said. “You just ask them. They know what happened. They’ll be hit very hard.”

Thousands of US sailors and Marines head to the Middle East

Meanwhile, the group of ships now en route to the Middle East together carry over 7,000 sailors and 2,000 Marines.

It includes the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group, which recently deployed with the cruiser USS Chosin, and the USS Makin Island amphibious readiness group, which includes the USS John P. Murtha and USS Anchorage amphibious landing ships.

It could mean that three carriers are in the region as early as the end of October, according to the U.S. official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military operations.

Given the personnel already in place in the Middle East, the move would bring the U.S. naval presence to an unusually high number of more than 20,000 sailors and Marines as well as hundreds of aircraft. The Navy previously had three carrier strike groups in the Middle East in April for the first time since 2003.

The carriers USS George H.W. Bush and the USS George Washington are in the region now, along with the USS Boxer amphibious readiness group. The Washington is typically deployed to the Pacific Ocean, but it was moved to the Middle East to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln, whose arduous deployment resulted in the crew being at sea for more than 260 days straight.

Trump explains why he rejected Iran’s latest truce proposal

Trump, in a Time magazine interview published Thursday, also raised the prospects of new strikes, saying it is “possible” that he will ramp up bombing in Iran after the Nov. 3 elections in the United States.

When pressed, Trump said he could not go into further detail about his strategy.

“I can’t tell you that because look, you know, you’re asking, where are you going to bomb?” Trump said.

He said in the interview, conducted Monday, that he rejected the latest ceasefire proposal from Iran because “things that I wouldn’t have approved a year ago I wouldn’t have today.”

Trump cited as an example an offer from Iran to “open up” the Strait of Hormuz, the key energy shipping corridor, but said the overall proposal was “not good enough.”

The war shows signs of getting more complicated

Asked if the increasingly unpopular war would threaten Republican Party chances in November, Trump at first responded, “It’s possible.” But then he added, “It should help, because Iran will not have a nuclear weapon.”

The president said “100% of the people” oppose Iran having nuclear attack capabilities “including worldwide.”

“So, when you say it that way, it would help,” Trump added. “If you don’t say that, it could hurt.”

Yet, there’s also growing concern that Tehran might be turning to asymmetrical tactics following the FlyDubai attack and another suspicious incident in the U.K.

Authorities believe that Iran might be looking to shift strategy just as the U.S. finds greater success in loosening Iran’s grip over the Strait of Hormuz and getting Gulf allies’ oil to market, while a Navy blockade is shutting down Iran’s own oil exports.

British authorities announced on Thursday the arrest of a dual U.K.-Iranian national on suspicion of plotting a terror attack following a security incident at a U.S.-run military air base in England that British authorities have linked to Tehran.

The arrest of the 27-year-old man in Central London came after U.K. authorities arrested five men, all British nationals in their 20s and from London, in the early hours of Sunday on suspicion of explosives and terror offenses close to the RAF Fairford air base

The base has been used by American bombers to strike Iran. The suspects have since been released on bail.

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Madhani reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim and Will Weissert in Washington contributed to this report.

Italy also kept Zinedine Zidane from winning in his home debut as France coach, while Edin Džeko made his last international appearance.

De Bruyne showed he can still dominate a match at age 35 when he scored Belgium's first two goals in a 3-0 win over Turkey in League A.

De Bruyne opened the scoring 10 minutes into the game in Liege when he played a one-two with Dodi Lukébakio and struck from near the edge of the area.

The Napoli playmaker curled home another goal with half an hour to play. Substitute Romelu Lukaku sealed the win over the Turks. Lukébakio hit the post twice.

“I try to lead by example for the younger players, and they follow easily," De Bruyne said. "I feel I can still contribute. I am enjoying myself, and that is the main thing.”

Belgium made it two wins and a loss — which came to France — under new coach Mark van Bommel.

Zidane oversees draw in home debut

When Zidane’s name was read out by the stadium announcer after the teams were announced, a roar filled Stade de France.

Things looked good for the home side when Michael Olise put France ahead in the 55th minute with a curling shot from 20 meters which went in off the crossbar.

But poor defending midway through the second half allowed Italy central defender Alessandro Bastoni to run through and clip a low shot inside the right post to secure a 1-1 draw.

France leads Group 1 with seven points, followed by Belgium with six, Italy with four and Turkey with zero.

Lewandowski hits three

Lewandowski scored a hat trick to lead a 6-0 demolition of 10-man Romania in League B.

The 38-year-old Chicago Fire striker earned and converted a 24-minute penalty when Romania defender Radu Dragusin was sent off for fouling him in the box.

Lewandowski made it 2-0 in the 47th from a pass by Nicola Zalewski and then rounded off the lopsided victory late with his third goal.

Džeko finishes international career

Edin Džeko finished his nearly 20-year-international career for Bosnia-Herzegovina in a 1-1 draw with Sweden also in League B.

Džeko, 40, debuted for his nation in June 2007. He finished with 152 appearances and 73 goals, making him the record holder in both categories for the tiny Balkan nation after helping it reach two World Cups.

Džeko was given an honor guard when he was subbed off in the 63rd, shortly after Viktor Gyökeres scored for Sweden. Kerim Alajbegović equalized in the 80th for the hosts.

Also in League B, Northern Ireland beat Ukraine 3-0 in Slovakia with Ciaron Brown scoring twice.

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See AP’s full soccer coverage here

The center of the storm was located about 105 miles (165 kilometers) west-southwest of French Frigate Shoals and was heading west at 6 mph (9 kph).

Maximum sustained winds were around 75 mph (120 kph) according to an advisory from the Miami-based hurricane center, which said rapid intensification is possible over the next day or so.

Nolo was forecast to move through the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument — a massive and remote federally protected area of the Pacific with islands, atolls, sea mounts, shoals and coral reefs — but remain south of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

A Tropical Storm warning was in effect for the national monument from French Frigate Shoals to Lisianski Island, including Maro Reef.

Nolo skirted the Hawaiian Islands at hurricane strength on Saturday. A hurricane watch was ultimately canceled, but officials said it still posed a risk for flash floods, dangerous winds and extreme surf in areas recovering from previous storms.

Hawaii officials had told residents to put together emergency kits, and the governor issued an emergency proclamation, activating more than 230 Hawaii National Guard members. Last week President Donald Trump approved an emergency declaration, authorizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate assistance and provide funding support.

Residents are still recovering from Hurricane Lala, which raked Hawaii without making landfall in August, producing heavy rain and winds strong enough to sweep about 100 homes off their foundations on the Big Island.

Also Friday, Hurricane Rachel moved slowly through the Pacific off western Mexico. Rachel was forecast to continue on a generally westward path away from land and remain a hurricane into the early days of the following week.

Northern Mexico and parts of the U.S. Southwest saw flooding and damage from the remnants of Hurricane Polo earlier this week.

For some, the can symbolized childhood autonomy. It was among the first solo purchases a kid made or a reward for satisfactorily completed chores.

With inflation, a 99-cent thirst-quencher is a matter of nostalgia for adults with matured beverage tastes. An AriZona “tallboy” — the printed price on the can serving as a measuring stick for the value of a dollar — remains especially affordable and instructive for American youth with allowance, disposable income from part-time wages or birthday money.

Founded in 1992, AriZona Beverage Company first launched drinks in Brooklyn, New York. The 99-cent cans launched in 1997. Popularity — and profitability — of the drink came soon after. But it was the price sticker that promoted a kind of utilitarianism — a warning to shop owners looking for a higher profit margin.

Countless American preteens and teenagers across class have paired AriZona drinks with their bagged snack of choice and candy — a trifecta downed before reaching the front door and discovering ... dinner. Allowance and childhood disposable income, however, have never been universal. Some could count on receiving a few dollars irregularly or not at all.

Still, when most other prices went up, the AriZona drink’s price permanence was something that didn’t necessitate debit cards or parental approval. Coins and dollar bills sweetened the experience of forging friendships on the journey home.

Just who gets the privilege of experiencing money as freedom makes the AriZona can more than just a bodega staple. It shows how much culture can be concealed in ordinary consumer transactions.

On Feb. 26, 2012, 17-year-old Trayvon Martin left the gated residential community in Sanford, Florida, where his father lived en route to a 7-Eleven. The hoodie-wearing Black teenager was filmed on surveillance purchasing a watermelon-flavored AriZona drink and a pack of Skittles. When he discovered he was being tailed by a neighborhood watch volunteer, Trayvon confronted him. The teen didn’t survive the encounter; George Zimmerman shot him in the chest.

The AriZona drink and Skittles became evidence in a homicide investigation, and soon after became one of the earliest protest symbols in the Black Lives Matter movement sparked by Zimmerman’s acquittal. More than 13 years later, some still associate these items with questions of who in the U.S. is truly free to move through public spaces without being regarded as suspicious.

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Aaron Morrison is the race and ethnicity news editor at AP. This story is part of a recurring series, “ American Objects,” marking the 250th anniversary of the United States. For more stories on the anniversary, click here.

Despite the finding, the FDA said it's unclear how the parasite got into lettuce at Taylor Farms' facility. The agency has now closed its investigation into the outbreak, which led to nearly 13,000 cases of diarrhea and other illnesses across the U.S.

The announcement comes more than six weeks after the agency sent its investigators to the farm in Guanajuato, Mexico. The visit was the agency's first time there in more than seven years following a steep drop in international food safety inspections after the COVID-19 pandemic.

FDA inspectors said Friday they found cyclospora in two places: a wastewater tank and a drainage ditch used for lettuce cultivation. While it's unclear how the contamination took place, the FDA said the samples provide “strong epidemiological data” linking the outbreak to the Taylor Farms site.

In a separate statement, Taylor Farms attributed the contamination cited by FDA to an independent grower “who is no longer part of our supplier program.”

“Our facility remains closed in central Mexico as we work with our research team to implement enhanced safety protocols from the field to the facility,” the company said.

U.S. officials last month declared the outbreak had ended.

Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that commonly causes watery diarrhea “with frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements,” according to the CDC. The illness, called cyclosporiasis, is less common than foodborne illnesses caused by other germs, including salmonella and E. coli.

The parasite is spread through human feces, and it still isn’t clear how sewage could have contaminated enough food to sicken so many people.

Regulators from Mexico's food safety authority announced in August that their own investigation did not detect cyclospora in the lettuce or water at the facility. That conclusion came days after the FDA was forced to retract a faulty test result that had incorrectly identified cyclospora in a sample of lettuce from Taylor Farms collected at the border.

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La iniciativa forma parte de los talleres que se realizan en diversas prisiones peruanas para favorecer la reinserción social de los presos y dotarlos de habilidades laborales que les permitan generar ingresos económicos cuando salgan en libertad, según las autoridades.

Yulissa Bazalar, quien cumple una condena por tráfico de drogas, dijo a The Associated Press que “tener la mente ocupada es lo más importante” mientras confeccionaba medallas con el rostro de Robert Prevost en un taller de trabajo voluntario. “Me siento triste de estar en este lugar, pero contenta por la llegada de un papa peruano”, añadió al recordar que tiene cuatro “hijos hermosos” que “la esperan con ansias”.

Muy cerca Zuly Cabanillas tejía con un ganchillo y lana de colores. La mujer de 27 años dijo que Prevost es "una representación lo bastante grande de Dios" y que siente que su llegada a Perú va a motivar a los reos a “levantarse y superar las adversidades”. “No todo es malo en la cárcel, no todo es lo que parece... de todo lo malo debemos sacar algo bueno”, indicó.

La idea de crear adornos relacionados a Prevost surgió en 2025 luego de que el religioso de nacionalidad estadounidense y peruana se convirtió en papa, según las autoridades carcelarias.

En la cárcel de mujeres de Lima trabajan 245 internas de un total de más de 800. En todo Perú más de 29.000 internos trabajan, de acuerdo con datos oficiales.

Pese a que los católicos en Perú han ido disminuyendo desde 98,5% en el censo de 1940 hasta 76% en el de 2017, la llegada de León XIV ha despertado interés en miles de peruanos. Algunos negocios han comenzado a fabricar camisetas, dulces e incluso una cafetería dibuja el rostro del papa en sus tazas de capuchino.

León XIV, de 71 años, trabajó 22 años en Perú donde fue obispo de la ciudad de Chiclayo. El papa visitará Sudamérica por primera vez en noviembre en una gira que incluye Uruguay, Argentina y Perú.

Landowners, businesses and environmentalists in the region have united to oppose the planned projects, which are part of a $46 billion effort by the Trump administration to line the southern border with a mix of 30-foot-tall steel walls, vehicle barriers, roads and surveillance technology.

Judge Kathleen Cardone said in her ruling that the plaintiffs were “likely to succeed on the merits of at least one of the claims in suit, that there is a likelihood that they will suffer serious, irreparable harm without an injunction, and that the balance of the equities and the public interest weigh in their favor.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection defended the project in a statement Friday.

“We stand by our assessment and remain confident in our legal authorities to secure the border while preserving the unique landscape of the Big Bend region,” the agency said. “We are working with the Department of Justice on next steps.”

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The judge’s ruling includes Big Bend National Park, where opposition to the wall prompted the administration to briefly pause construction.

Opponents of the border wall project have argued that the 500-mile-long Big Bend region of Texas is so remote and the landscape so rugged that it serves as its own deterrent to illegal immigration and that the administration violated the law when it issued a swath of waivers allowing it to bypass numerous regulations in order to speed up border wall infrastructure projects.

The lawsuit brought by an environmental organization, advocates for a historic church in Ruidosa and a river guide argued that the Department of Homeland Security was wrong to circumvent regulations meant to protect the environment, culture, and archaeology of regions like the Big Bend area.

Laiken Jordahl, with the Center of Biological Diversity that brought the suit, called Cardone’s ruling a “total victory.”

“The bulldozers are going to be sent packing until she rules on the merits,” Jordahl said. “This is such a historic day for Big Bend and for Texas and the Constitution.”

The court's decision comes just weeks after the administration erected the first border wall panels in the Big Bend sector in mid-September.

The border wall project throughout the Big Bend sector has sparked bipartisan opposition.

Much of the opposition has been geared around CBP’s plans for inside the Big Bend National Park, which is prized for its beautiful landscapes, limestone cliffs and crystal clear night sky views.

When bulldozers were spotted clearing land in the park in August, it sparked widespread opposition with both Republicans and Democrats calling for the administration to stop. CBP paused all activity there, but that pause expired earlier this week. The administration has said it’s reevaluating plans for the National Park but has not yet said what it will do there.

Advocates for the park on Friday said they were happy with the judge's ruling but called on the administration to fix the damage already done to Big Bend National Park and develop alternative plans.

“Big Bend is no place for border barriers. It’s time for the administration to come to the table with the border communities that know Big Bend best, repair the damage from this ill-conceived project, and find new solutions," Tiernan Sittenfeld, National Parks Conservation Association President and CEO, said in a statement.

The judge’s ruling extends to areas upriver and downriver from the national park, where CBP has planned a range of border infrastructure projects that would largely require building across privately owned land.

In those areas, the government has been working to obtain permission from local landowners to survey and build on their land, but in a recent court filing, it said it was prepared to refer some cases to the Justice Department in which it had been unable to secure permission from landowners.

Spec. Jakob Noonan, 22, of the Oklahoma Guard, was arrested Monday and charged with the gun-related offense. According to documents reviewed by The Associated Press, the soldier was riding with a fellow Guard member when a U.S. Park Police officer stopped the vehicle for an expired tag.

Noonan’s arrest marks the second time in two months that a member of the task force has been arrested.

The presence of National Guard members in Washington has been contentious since the deployment began in August 2025, when Trump issued an emergency order because of what he said was out-of-control crime. Many local officials and residents view the deployment as a waste of taxpayer money that has normalized a military presence in an American city.

The U.S. Park Police said in an emailed statement that the officer observed an empty holster in the rear of the vehicle and asked if there was a firearm inside and Noonan confirmed there was. Noonan was off duty, not in uniform and driving his personal vehicle at the time, the statement said.

The Joint Task Force that oversees the Guard deployment did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

According to law enforcement statements filed with the arrest, the Guard members were in a Honda SUV when it was stopped. Several of the officers who responded spotted the pistol, the court paper said.

One officer said the soldier told authorities he was temporarily living in D.C. as part of the National Guard operation and said Oklahoma was an open-carry state and that the firearm was registered to him there. He acknowledged he did not have a valid District of Columbia concealed-carry permit, the statement said, a point confirmed by a records check.

According to the complaint, Noonan was charged with carrying a pistol without a license.

Noonan had his first court appearance on Sept. 29 in D.C. Superior Court. A phone call left at the main number of the Superior Court public defender's office to reach his court-appointed attorney was not returned. An email to the attorney was not immediately answered.

In August, Georgia National Guard member Zion Mitchell was arrested and later charged after he allegedly pulled a gun on a fellow Guard member in an apparent dispute over regulation haircuts.

Over the summer, more than 5,000 troops were in the nation's capital during the celebrations for America's 250th anniversary. The number has since been scaled down to around 3,000.

The Guard members have supported law enforcement in arrest operations and have also engaged in beautification projects and snow removal.

The deployment has been extended until January 2029.

Representing himself, Bryan Seaver filed a motion Friday in a Tennessee court asking that a hearing on the order now set for Oct. 9 be delayed by about 10 days.

The serious rift in the country music legend's circle opened and spilled into public view weeks after her Aug. 25 death. She's Alive, the entity founded to manage and protect her estate, accused Seaver in a court petition of threatening to commit violence and destroy Parton’s legacy and business empire. She's Alive is run by Parton's longtime manager Danny Nozell.

The petition names Seaver — who was handpicked by the star to announce her death from cancer — and his company, Squadron Augmented Protection Services.

Seaver's new motion says “the defendants lack any legal knowledge or skills to proceed in this matter without retained counsel or what, if any, challenges can or should be raised.” It says the delay is necessary because the lawyer he wants to represent him cannot meet with him until Monday, and says he won't object to the restraining order being extended until a new hearing date.

Chancellor I’Ashea L. Myles, the judge overseeing the case, has not yet replied to Seaver's motion. In granting the restraining order, she said the court took into account the repeated threats cited in the complaint, as well as the alleged demands for payment and Seaver’s “claimed access to weapons, experience with violence, and intention to retaliate.”

In the petition and other court documents filed by She’s Alive, Seaver is accused of sending increasingly threatening messages starting just before Parton's death. She’s Alive terminated Seaver and SAPS in the week before the petition, saying his “terrorizing conduct made their continued retention untenable.”

Seaver has not responded to email and phone messages from The Associated Press seeking comment.

Parton was a widely beloved country music giant, philanthropist and cultural icon who wrote hundreds of songs, including classics like “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You,” that earned a total of more than 100 million worldwide sales and more than 1 billion online streams.

Decenas de cadáveres de crías han llegado a las playas que rodean la península Valdés, una importante zona de reproducción de la ballena franca austral en la provincia argentina de Chubut. Las ballenas, que fueron cazadas hasta quedar al borde de la extinción en los siglos XIX y XX, ahora se reúnen en las aguas protegidas de la península para parir y amamantar a sus crías.

“Estamos investigando las muertes de las crías de ballena con base en 23 años de monitoreo que tenemos de esta misma población. Eso es lo que nos permite decir que se trata de un evento inusual”, afirmó Marcela Uhart, veterinaria del One Health Institute de la Universidad de California, Davis, que encabeza la investigación como directora del Programa de Monitoreo de la Salud de la Ballena Franca Austral.

La principal hipótesis es que las crías de ballena sufren infecciones por bacterias marinas que pueden ingresar a sus cuerpos a través de heridas provocadas por gaviotas cocineras, señaló Uhart.

Durante décadas, estas aves marinas han picoteado a las ballenas cuando salen a la superficie para respirar, alimentándose de su piel y grasa. Los adultos aprenden a emerger con solo la cabeza expuesta, manteniendo el lomo bajo el agua y fuera del alcance de las gaviotas. Las crías no pueden hacer esa maniobra, lo que las deja vulnerables a los ataques.

Los cadáveres han llegado a la costa alrededor de la ciudad costera de Puerto Madryn, incluso cerca del paseo costero central, donde alarman a residentes y turistas. Los vecinos han reportado cientos, pero los investigadores evitaron dar una cifra de muertes, al indicar que eso quedará claro después de que termine la temporada hacia finales de noviembre.

Uhart y un equipo de biólogos, veterinarios y guardaparques recorren la zona en busca de las crías muertas desde la costa y con embarcaciones, aviones y drones.

El trabajo es espeluznante: fotografían y examinan los cuerpos, compitiendo contra la descomposición para recolectar muestras de piel y órganos que se analizan en una facultad de veterinaria más al norte, en la ciudad de Tandil. Ya se han detectado bacterias en esos tejidos, pero los investigadores aún cultivan muestras para identificar los microbios y determinar si la infección fue la causa de muerte, comentó.

Aun si las bacterias son las responsables, los investigadores todavía deben determinar por qué se han vuelto tan letales este año.

Los cambios en las condiciones marinas, como el aumento de la temperatura del mar, potencialmente vinculados al cambio climático o a El Niño, podrían contribuir a “esta tormenta perfecta en la que esta bacteria es lo suficientemente potente como para superar la inmunidad de los bebés y causar sus muertes”, señaló Uhart. “Así que, en la medida de lo posible, intentaremos identificar al menos qué factores pueden estar desencadenando este evento y haciéndolo tan masivo”.

Según la Comisión Ballenera Internacional, un organismo mundial encargado de regular la caza de ballenas, las ballenas francas recibieron su nombre de los balleneros, que las consideraban los animales “adecuados” (francos) para cazar porque nadaban despacio, se mantenían cerca de la costa y flotaban cuando eran abatidas.

Aunque la caza ilegal continuó hasta la década de 1970, las ballenas francas australes se han recuperado gradualmente desde que obtuvieron protección internacional en 1935. Pero su recuperación sigue amenazada por las mismas presiones que enfrentan las ballenas en todo el mundo: disminución de las fuentes de alimento, enredos con equipo de pesca, derrames de petróleo y colisiones con embarcaciones.

Si se repiten pérdidas de esta magnitud, podrían ralentizar la recuperación de la población. Al precisar la causa de la muerte de las crías, los investigadores esperan encontrar maneras de proteger a esta población vulnerable.

“Si la causa se relaciona con algo que hacemos los humanos, entonces tenemos que cambiarlo”, afirmó Uhart. “No queremos poner en peligro a estas ballenas otra vez”.

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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.

El ministro de Economía, Luis Caputo, presentó el llamado plan de “pasaporte dorado” en un evento para inversores en París y señaló que se espera que las solicitudes se abran antes de fin de año.

Los solicitantes tienen dos opciones: hacer un aporte no reembolsable de 350.000 dólares al Tesoro argentino o invertir 800.000 dólares en un nuevo bono del gobierno que debe mantenerse durante siete años. Los aportes aumentarían según el tamaño de la familia; se espera que una familia de cuatro pague 500.000 dólares, indicaron funcionarios.

Conseguir dólares es crucial para Milei mientras se prepara para postularse a la reelección el próximo año. El Tesoro argentino enfrenta casi 25.000 millones de dólares en pagos de deuda en moneda extranjera con vencimiento en 2027. Pero, tras haber reducido sus opciones de financiamiento al postergar un regreso a los mercados internacionales de bonos, el gobierno busca fuentes alternativas de ingresos.

Un consorcio de firmas de inversión que asesora al gobierno estimó que el programa de ciudadanía paga podría recaudar hasta 2.500 millones de dólares para Argentina si recibe el número de solicitantes previsto.

Ciudadanía con alcance global

Los llamados programas de “visa dorada” se han vuelto cada vez más comunes entre los países con escasez de efectivo que luchan por atraer a extranjeros con grandes recursos, y alrededor de 60 naciones ofrecen privilegios de residencia a cambio de inversiones únicas. El presidente de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, lanzó su propio programa de “tarjeta dorada” para Estados Unidos el año pasado.

Los programas de ciudadanía por inversión van más allá: ofrecen más derechos y un pasaporte que abre puertas en el exterior. Solo alrededor de una docena de países tienen programas activos, entre ellos, algunos pequeños estados insulares del Caribe.

Argentina, una nación de 46 millones de habitantes perteneciente al G-20, hogar de una vasta naturaleza patagónica y de una capital culturalmente vibrante, está a punto de convertirse en el primer país sudamericano en sumarse a sus filas.

“El pasaporte argentino es un pasaporte que realmente se utiliza muy bien, es aceptado en más de 140 países”, afirmó Caputo, refiriéndose a los destinos que los argentinos pueden visitar sin obtener una visa por adelantado, desde China y Rusia hasta el espacio Schengen de Europa y la mayor parte de América Latina.

Para las personas adineradas de países que enfrentan restricciones de visado, ya sea en el sudeste asiático o en el mundo árabe, la ciudadanía argentina podría facilitar los viajes y los negocios internacionales, dijo Kristin Surak, profesora de la London School of Economics y autora de “The Golden Passport: Global Mobility for Millionaires”.

“No se trata solo de los beneficios que obtienes dentro de Argentina”, sostuvo Surak. “También obtienes beneficios a nivel global en términos de adónde puedes ir”.

Un segundo pasaporte como plan B

Los expertos del sector señalan que la clientela de estos programas cambió desde la pandemia de COVID-19, ya que hay más estadounidenses y europeos —cuyos pasaportes ya ofrecen amplios viajes sin visa— que buscan un punto de apoyo en el exterior como vía de escape en un momento de creciente incertidumbre geopolítica.

“El Cono Sur de Sudamérica es el destino definitivo como plan B. No está de camino hacia ningún lugar estratégicamente importante. Es una región que siempre se mantiene al margen de los conflictos armados globales”, señaló Christian Nesheim, editor de Investment Migration Insider, una revista especializada. “Es autosuficiente en alimentos y en energía”.

Un país con historial de golpes militares, cesaciones de pagos e inflación descontrolada, que durante mucho tiempo llevó a su propia élite empresarial a buscar oportunidades en el exterior, podría parecer un refugio improbable para inversores que persiguen estabilidad. Pero Milei intenta replantear a Argentina como un destino para la riqueza extranjera, recortando el gasto público, desmantelando regulaciones y cortejando inversiones en los vastos recursos petroleros y minerales del país.

Caputo indicó que la idea del programa de ciudadanía por inversión surgió durante la visita de Milei a Sun Valley, Idaho, en julio de 2024, cuando ejecutivos tecnológicos expresaron interés en obtener la ciudadanía argentina.

Milei, que se autodefine como “anarcocapitalista”, ha cultivado estrechos vínculos con multimillonarios tecnológicos de orientación libertaria como Elon Musk, un defensor abierto del impulso de Milei por achicar el Estado. El año pasado, Musk blandió una motosierra que le regaló el líder argentino como símbolo de su propia campaña para recortar el gasto del gobierno de Estados Unidos.

Otro aliado ideológico es Peter Thiel, cofundador de la empresa de software Palantir, quien trasladó temporalmente a su familia a Buenos Aires en abril. Registros corporativos obtenidos por The Associated Press muestran que una empresa vinculada a su firma de inversión, Thiel Capital, es dueña de una mansión de 13,5 millones de dólares en el exclusivo barrio porteño de Barrio Parque. Thiel también obtuvo la ciudadanía de Nueva Zelanda en 2011, recibiendo una exención especial de los requisitos habituales de residencia.

“Creo que esta historia de ‘Peter Thiel en Argentina’ quizá sea una especie de prueba de concepto (para el programa de ciudadanía)”, señaló Philippe Amarante, socio director y jefe de asesoría gubernamental en Henley & Partners, una consultora que ayuda a clientes a obtener pasaportes en todo el mundo.

“Representa esta idea de que las personas independientes, adineradas y exitosas tienen opciones en el mundo. Y si ofreces los entornos y los hábitats adecuados, el ecosistema adecuado, podrían elegirte”.

Los riesgos de vender la ciudadanía

Los programas de pasaporte dorado han recibido críticas desde hace tiempo por su vulnerabilidad a la corrupción. El Grupo de Acción Financiera Internacional, el organismo mundial de vigilancia contra el lavado de dinero, ha advertido que los delincuentes explotan los programas de ciudadanía y residencia para ocultar sus identidades, lavar riqueza ilícita y evadir a la justicia.

En un golpe para la industria de la migración por inversión, el máximo tribunal de la Unión Europea dictaminó en abril de 2025 que el programa de pasaporte dorado de Malta era ilegal, al declarar que la ciudadanía de la UE no podía venderse. Otros países también han eliminado programas de residencia a cambio de dinero, mencionando preocupaciones que van desde el dinero sucio hasta la asequibilidad de la vivienda.

Caputo prometió evitar esos escollos, con agencias de inteligencia y de supervisión financiera que ayudarán a verificar la identidad de los solicitantes, sus antecedentes penales y el origen de los fondos.

El objetivo, dijo, es proteger “el prestigio internacional de la ciudadanía argentina”.

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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.

Hospital staff, her lawyers said, were working to save Pike’s life and as of late Thursday were trying to clear the two doses of the drug that the state uses to execute prisoners.

The stunning failure in Tennessee’s execution chamber on Wednesday has left both sides of the death penalty debate demanding answers. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has ordered an independent review.

The court filing offered the first detailed account of Pike’s condition after an ambulance carried her away from Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville on Wednesday night. Her attorneys said a day earlier that she was in critical condition.

Christa Pike's attorneys point to problems with the IV

Pike’s attorneys said they believed problems with the IV lines caused the pentobarbital to flow into her body instead of her bloodstream.

“Apparently at no point did any member of the execution team realize that the IV lines were not correctly placed or that the veins had blown and that the pentobarbital was, in whole or in part, entering Ms. Pike’s body,” they wrote in the court filing.

Instead of “remedying this failure,” they prepared and administered a second dose of pentobarbital, her lawyers said.

State officials have not offered any explanations about what went wrong.

Tennessee leaders want a review of execution methods

Lee demanded a review of the execution procedures and indefinitely postponed Pike’s execution and another that had been scheduled for this year. Republican Tennessee lawmakers said the state should review whether to stop single-drug lethal injections and consider other options to carry out death sentences.

The execution team worked for an hour to administer the lethal drugs, said Pike's defense lawyer Randy Spivey, who counted at least seven needles in her left arm.

Neither the initial nor the backup dose of pentobarbital worked. Pike was still snoring when the execution chamber’s microphone was cut off more than an hour into the attempt.

Pike’s attorneys asked a state court to order the Tennessee Department of Correction to preserve all evidence from the failed execution.

“Preserving this evidence is essential to understanding what happened, ensuring accountability and protecting Christa’s legal rights,” two of her attorneys said in a statement.

She was 18 when she and her boyfriend tortured and killed a classmate, Colleen Slemmer, in a jealous rage. She later became one of the youngest women to be sent to death row.

Following the killing, Pike was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, her attorneys said.

“It took me numerous years to even realize the gravity of what I’d done. Even more to accept how many lives I affected. I took the life of someone’s child, sister, friend. It sickens me now to think I had the ability to commit such a crime,” Pike said in an earlier clemency petition.

The mother of the 19-year-old woman Pike killed expressed frustration over the failed execution. “I didn’t get justice for my daughter,” May Martinez said Thursday.

Problems found with executions four years ago

Four years ago, Tennessee’s governor ordered another independent review into capital punishment after abruptly stopping the April 2022 execution of Oscar Smith. Lee then paused all executions after acknowledging the state had failed to ensure its lethal injection drugs were properly tested.

Months later, a report found the state hadn’t complied with its own lethal injection process since its revision in 2018, resulting in executions being conducted without proper testing of the drugs.

At the time, the state used a three-drug execution protocol of midazolam, vecuronium bromide and potassium chloride. The state later switched to using just pentobarbital.

Pentobarbital has been used to carry out death sentences in multiple states and by the federal government.

The review, led by former U.S. Attorney Ed Stanton, also found that the state’s unidentified executioner had no formal healthcare training and learned the role mainly through on-the-job experience.

After the release of the report, the Tennessee Department of Correction fired its longtime top attorney and another employee.

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This story has been updated to correct Martinez’s first name to May, not Maya.

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Associated Press writer John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, contributed.

Feridun Sinirlioglu, a 70-year-old former Turkish foreign minister and U.N. diplomat, floated his candidacy on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly’s high-level meeting in New York last week, according to two diplomats briefed on the matter.

The diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a confidential process, said the potential candidacy being pushed from Ankara appeared to be serious. Turkey would have to formally nominate Sinirlioglu to begin a process that many inside the world body have described as one of the toughest job interviews in the world.

The office of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Turkish foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

Sinirlioglu currently serves as the secretary-general of the Vienna-based Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. His current three-year mandate is scheduled to end in December 2027, but the top U.N. job would have a Jan. 1, 2027, start date.

An OSCE spokesperson said Friday that given that Sinirlioglu hasn't been nominated, the organization would not comment.

The OSCE, whose 57 members include the United States and both Ukraine and Russia, was created during the Cold War as a platform for dialogue between East and West. The organization — like the U.N. — has a wide-ranging mandate, including conflict prevention, human rights, election observation and arms control.

The selection of the U.N. secretary-general will be left to the 15-nation U.N. Security Council, especially its five veto-wielding members — the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom and France — which remain tight-lipped about their preferences. The 193-member General Assembly must give final approval.

If nominated, Sinirlioglu would likely to face obstacles from several corners of the international community, namely its neighbor Greece, which is one of the 10 elected members of the council. Pushback also would be expected from Israel, a close ally of the U.S.

Turkey, which has close ties with the Syrian government and has been providing assistance to Syria’s military, has tense relations with Israel. The rival countries have sought to curb each other’s influence in neighboring Syria.

During a Security Council meeting on Syria last month, Israel's ambassador to the U.N., Danny Danon, blasted Turkey’s military presence in Syria and warned against allowing Syrian territory to become a military platform used to threaten Israel.

“Turkey is following the Iranian proxy playbook. It is deepening its military foothold in Syria, establishing bases and expanding its influence," Danon told the council. "If Syrian sovereignty truly matters to the international community, it cannot apply one standard to Israel and another to Turkey.”

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Liechtenstein reported from Vienna.

In one video, officers ask Mangione to lower the face mask he was wearing to hide his identity.

“That’s 100% him,” one officer says eagerly as they step outside to speak out of Mangione’s earshot.

“I told you, man,” another responds off camera.

Later, an officer searches Mangione’s belongings and smiles widely as she pulls out a gun cartridge, seemingly confirming they’d found their suspect.

The trove of videos comes from Mangione’s Dec. 9, 2024, arrest in Altoona, five days after Thompson, a 50-year-old Minnesota executive, was gunned down as he walked to a midtown Manhattan hotel for his company’s annual investor conference.

A Manhattan judge unsealed the recordings Friday after CNN petitioned for their release. Parts of the videos were shown during a December court hearing as Mangione’s lawyers unsuccessfully sought to get key evidence thrown out, including his initial statements to police and items seized at the time of his arrest.

Mangione pleaded guilty in August to federal stalking charges and faces life in prison when he's sentenced in December. He also faces murder charges in New York state court, though those proceedings have been postponed indefinitely as his lawyers seek to have the case thrown out.

The videos released Friday begin as officers descend on the McDonald’s in central Pennsylvania, nearly 300 miles (483 kilometers) from Manhattan.

They find Mangione, the Ivy League-educated scion of a wealthy Maryland family, seated at a table wearing a ski hat, surgical face mask and winter coat. The officers say they're responding to a call about a suspicious person and ask for his name and identification.

“You’re a little nervous right now. Why are you nervous?” an officer asks at one point.

They order him to put his hands on his head and ask him if he’s been in New York recently. They confront him about a phony New Jersey driver’s license he offers up bearing the name Mark Rosario.

“You’re under official police investigation right now,” one officer warns. “You give a false name to us again, you’re gonna be arrested for false ID.”

When Mangione finally comes clean, they ask why he had lied.

“I clearly shouldn’t have,” he responds as he’s asked to write his real name and spell it aloud.

Other videos show officers patting Mangione down, reading him his rights, placing him in cuffs and taking him to the police station.

As an officer searches him more thoroughly at the station, another officer goes through his backpack.

The officer finds the 9 mm handgun authorities would later confirm was used in the killing, as well as a silencer and another ammo magazine. They also recover the journal that prosecutors would later say revealed Mangione’s intent to “wack” a health insurance executive, as well as his other handwritten notes.

“He has a checklist for today,” another officer says, ticking off the seized items to someone on the phone. “Tomorrow he’s supposed to do an intel check-in and get a survival kit.”

David Rivera of Miami has been jailed since his conviction in May for conspiracy to commit money laundering and failing to register as a foreign agent for the government of Nicolás Maduro.

Rivera, 61, appeared stone-faced as Judge Melissa Damian denounced him for betraying his life’s mission. His many friends in Miami would surely judge him harshly had the millions of dollars come from Cuba's communist regime instead of its allies in Caracas, she said.

“Nobody would accept that’s ok and I don’t think this is different,” the judge said. “There’s no dispute this money came from the Maduro regime.”

The case offered a rare glimpse into foreign influence campaigns aimed at shaping U.S. policy toward Latin America, highlighting Miami's reputation as a magnet for both anti-communist crusaders and corruption among its sizable exile population.

President Donald Trump’s secretary of state, Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas and a top Washington lobbyist all testified, saying Rivera had never mentioned his mammoth consulting contract with a U.S.-based affiliate of Venezuela’s state oil company, PDVSA.

Rivera was charged in 2022, during President Joe Biden's administration. Charges of illegal foreign lobbying have plunged since Trump returned to the White House. Rivera's lawyers have applied for a presidential pardon, and plan to appeal while also defending him against a related foreign lobbying case in Washington, D.C. Still pending is Damian’s ruling on the government’s request that Rivera forfeit $20 million in criminal proceeds.

Prosecutors described how Rivera worked GOP connections for Delcy Rodríguez

Rivera was tapped by Maduro's Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez — now Venezuela’s acting president — to get the first Trump administration to normalize relations.

As part of the charm offensive, Rivera and a co-defendant, political consultant Esther Nuhfer, sought to manipulate influential friends, including Rubio and Sessions. But they didn't disclose the lobbying as required, fearing it would ruin Rivera’s reputation as an anti-communist stalwart, prosecutors argued at trial. Nuhfer received a five-year sentence.

“The United States and the public were the true victims of this fraud,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger Cruz said. “He used his position of trust — and betrayed it consistently and repeatedly.”

Rivera denied being a two-faced grifter. In an emotional 20-minute address, he traced his life’s journey from a childhood without a father in an immigrant Miami neighborhood to the halls of Congress — always “fighting the good cause,” he said. Holding back tears, he begged for leniency, telling the judge that it was tantamount to a “death sentence” due to his age and lingering effects from a battle with prostate cancer.

Prosecutors said betrayal featured coded figures — ‘Sombrero’ and ‘Miss Clairol’

Trial evidence showed how Rivera set up an encrypted chat group called MIA — for Miami — with his main conduit to the Maduro government: Venezuelan media tycoon Raúl Gorrín, who was subsequently charged in the U.S. with bribing top Venezuelan officials.

Group members used playful code words: Maduro was the “bus driver,” Sessions “Sombrero,” Rodríguez “The Lady in Red,” and their windfall payments “La Luz,” Spanish for “The Light,” according to copies of text messages presented to the jury. Rubio was known as “Miss Clairol,” because rubio means blond in Spanish.

Rivera's attorneys argued again Friday that the former congressman believed he was under no disclosure requirement. They said the three-month, $50 million contract with Rivera’s one-man consulting firm was focused on luring oil giant ExxonMobil back to Venezuela — commercial work that is generally exempt from the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

“David Rivera does not deserve to die in prison because he failed to file a FARA registration,” defense attorney Ed Shohat said.

The judge strenuously disagreed. “This is a serious offense. It’s not about not filing a piece of paper.”

Wholly distinct from that consulting work, defense attorneys said, were Rivera’s meetings with Rubio and Sessions, which were focused on ushering in less hostile leadership in Venezuela, not unlike the Rodríguez government that took power after the U.S. ouster of Maduro in January.

Where did the money go? A luxury yacht, among other things

Prosecutors said Rivera used the contract with the Venezuelan oil giant's affiliate, New York-based PDV USA, as cover for illegal lobbying, and tried to hide it by backdating documents and creating sham agreements, like one to justify a $3.75 million wire transfer to a South Florida company maintaining Gorrín’s luxury yacht.

While setting up meetings for Rodríguez in New York, Caracas, Washington and Dallas, Rivera roped in Sessions, who later tried to broker a meeting for Rodríguez with the ExxonMobil executive who took over as CEO when Rex Tillerson became Trump’s first-term secretary of state.

The outreach quickly unraveled, however. Within six months of taking office, Trump sanctioned Maduro and labeled him a “dictator,” launching a “maximum pressure” campaign to unseat the president.

Rubio's former housemate faced scandal before, but Cuban Americans support him

Before serving in Congress from 2011-2013, Rivera was a high-ranking Florida legislator and shared a Tallahassee home with Rubio, who eventually became the Florida House speaker.

Rivera faced earlier controversy, including allegations that he secretly funded a Democratic spoiler candidate in a 2012 congressional race — a case federal prosecutors eventually dropped after a sizable fine was thrown out on appeal. Rivera was also investigated — but never charged — for alleged campaign finance violations and a $1 million contract with a gambling company while serving in the Florida Legislature.

Despite all that, Rivera continues to have support among Miami’s Cuban American establishment and in circles of power beyond.

Friends of the former congressman, including the former president of Florida International University and Miami-Dade County’s supervisor of elections, packed the courtroom to show their support. Sessions also sent a letter seeking leniency, referring to his former congressional colleague as a devoted defender of democracy.

Jason Reding Quiñones, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida, is also a Cuban American and said he can't explain why some in Miami still stand by Rivera.

“He sold his anti-communism to communists to fill his greed,” said Reding Quiñones in a press conference following the sentencing.

The league announced that York also was fined $500,000 for violating the league's personal conduct policy. York has not attended any games or league meetings so far this season and was credited with three games served. He is eligible to return on Oct. 20, following the team's game the previous night against Washington. The NFL's fall league meetings begin that day in New York.

York said in a statement released by the team that he accepts the punishment given by the league and apologized for his actions.

“To my family, to the players, coaches, and employees of the San Francisco 49ers, to our fans and partners, I am deeply sorry,” he said. “This was an inexcusable mistake and I take full responsibility. What I did does not reflect my values or the man I strive to be for my family. While I fell short of the model I want to set for my sons, I now hope to show them the importance of owning up to one’s failures, and that even our worst moments teach us to be better. Leading the 49ers is a privilege, and one I don’t take lightly. Your trust will have to be earned back over time, and I look forward to that work ahead.”

Coach Kyle Shanahan said later Friday that he didn't believe anything would change from the operation of the team on the field over the final three weeks of the suspension. Shanahan that if he and general manager John Lynch wanted to make a major move during that time, they probably would tell York's father, John, about it, but that ownership has always deferred to Shanahan and Lynch on those decisions.

“There’s never been a situation where we’ve gone to him with a trade or anything like that and then him say no or anything like that,” Shanahan said. “If it’s something that the football people believe and think we should do, he’s always been fully supportive. So, I expect it to be no different if something like that comes up.”

York was arrested in a mobile home park by the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force after police said he was attempting to pay $160 for sex with a woman he believed to be a prostitute.

York was booked into jail and was released after posting a $5,000 bond. York was initially charged with engaging in prostitution, but prosecutors amended that to disorderly conduct. He pleaded no contest to that charge and to possessing criminal tools for using his phone to respond to an undercover online prostitution advertisement.

He was sentenced to one day in jail for both offenses to be served concurrently and was credited with one day served when he pleaded no contest. He also was fined $1,150. Police seized the $160 from York and that was later given to the human trafficking task force as part of the plea. York also completed an online course.

Owners have been previously punished for violating the personal conduct policy. The late Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay was suspended for six games and fined $500,000 following a guilty plea to driving while impaired in 2014.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft was investigated but not punished by the league after he was arrested in Florida in 2019 for allegedly paying for sex with a woman at a massage parlor. The charge was later dropped after a court ruled that police violated the rights of Kraft and the other customers when they secretly installed video cameras inside massage rooms at the spa.

York spent most of the summer in Ohio, where he grew up near Youngstown and had been away from the team even before his arrest. He had filed for divorce from his wife, Danielle, in May, according to court records.

York took over day-to-day control of the 49ers from his parents in 2008. He became the team’s principal owner in 2024. After some initial struggles under York’s leadership, the team has been a consistent contender since hiring Shanahan and Lynch in 2017.

The Niners have made the Super Bowl three times under York’s leadership, losing in the 2012 season under coach Jim Harbaugh and the 2019 and ’23 seasons under Shanahan and Lynch.

York also oversaw the building of Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. The team moved from San Francisco to the new stadium in 2014. The stadium has hosted two Super Bowls, a World Cup and a College Football Playoff title game.

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See AP’s full NFL coverage here

The Atlanta Braves knocked off the Philadelphia Phillies for a 6-2 win in Game 3 of their best-of-three Wild Card Series on Thursday night, and they'll face the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the best-of-five Division Series that begins on Saturday.

The other NL matchup is the San Diego Padres vs. the Milwaukee Brewers, who won a franchise-record 103 games this season. The AL bracket features two series between division rivals, including the New York Yankees vs. Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago White Sox vs. Cleveland Guardians.

Here's what to know as October baseball continues:

Ohtani's just a hitter for Dodgers vs. Braves

Four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani is widely regarded as the best two-way player of all time, but for this year's playoffs, it looks like he'll be limited to making an impact with his bat.

The 32-year-old Japanese superstar has had another excellent season at the plate, batting .275 with 30 homers despite missing a handful of games because of injuries. He was good on the mound this season when healthy, but left knee soreness and right biceps inflammation have limited his appearances.

The Braves have a deep lineup that includes Ronald Acuna Jr., Michael Harris II, Matt Olson and Ozzie Albies, and the latter three players hit clutch homers to knock off the Phillies in Game 3.

Judge-less Yankees on a roll heading into series vs. Rays

The Yankees were without three-time MVP Aaron Judge — who is dealing with a right calf strain — for the Wild Card Series, but that didn't stop the Bronx Bombers from blitzing their rival Boston Red Sox in a two-game sweep.

Judge's status is still up in the air for the Division Series, but New York has proven it can be successful without him.

The small-market Rays continue to punch above their weight. The lineup is led by Junior Caminero, who hit 42 homers in the regular season.

103-win Brewers take on the surging Padres

The Brewers are more proof that cash isn't everything, dominating the regular season with a balanced offense and impressive pitching staff despite a modest payroll. Flamethrowing right-hander Jacob Misiorowski is the favorite to win the NL Cy Young while do-it-all Brice Turang anchors the lineup.

The Padres underachieved for much of the season but surged in September to make the playoffs. They have a deep, experienced lineup led by Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, Ty France and Jackson Merrill.

White Sox try to continue turnaround story vs Guardians

The White Sox had arguably the worst season in MLB history just two years ago, losing 121 games to set a modern-day record.

Now they're very much in the hunt for the World Series.

Their versatile lineup includes Colson Montgomery, Munetaka Murakami, Miguel Vargas and Chase Meidroth, while the pitching staff isn't flashy but has been effective.

The Guardians have one of the game's best pitchers in Parker Messick while Steven Kwan and Jose Ramirez lead the lineup.

What is the MLB playoff format?

There are 12 teams that qualify for MLB’s postseason, including six teams from both the AL and NL. Four teams have been eliminated now that the Wild Card Series if over.

The Division Series is a best-of-five Division Series, followed by the best-of-seven League Championship Series and a best-of-seven World Series between the winners of the AL and NL.

What is the MLB postseason schedule?

Division Series: Oct. 3-10 (AL on TBS, NL on FOX/FS1)

Championship Series: Oct. 11-20 (AL on TBS, NL on FOX/FS1)

World Series: Oct. 23-31 (FOX)

Who are the favorites to win the World Series?

The Dodgers (+210) are the favorites to capture a third straight World Series title while the Brewers (+550), Rays (+800) and Yankees (+800) are viewed as the top contenders.

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Díaz-Canel encabezó un podcast junto a su primer ministro Manuel Marrero para hablar de la puesta en marcha de un paquete de 176 medidas que da un inédito mayor espacio a la iniciativa privada aprobadas en junio por el Parlamento.

Entre las iniciativas de la reforma cubana está la ampliación de las empresas privadas a más de 100 empleados, permisos para la constitución de firmas por acciones, intervención de particulares en el mercado financiero y cambiario, la posibilidad de importar y exportar sin intervención estatal, la contratación directa y la ampliación de la entrega de tierras ociosas.

Aunque Díaz-Canel y Marrero reiteraron que el gobierno no pretende girar hacia el capitalismo, esta reforma va en la dirección de apertura económica que por décadas reclamó Estados Unidos a la isla, a la que mantiene bajo un cerco energético desde enero.

“No vamos a detenernos”, dijo Díaz-Canel al rechazar las acusaciones del presidente estadounidense Donald Trump y su secretario Marco Rubio de que la isla es un “Estado fallido”.

Al mismo tiempo rechazó las últimas sanciones impuestas por Estados Unidos que esta semana revirtió el permiso dado por el expresidente Joe Biden para que pequeños emprendedores privados cubanos abrieran cuentas en bancos de Estados Unidos.

No hay una cifra de cuántos empresarios privados cubanos tienen esas cuentas, pero consultoras isleñas independientes dijeron que es una mala señal para el desarrollo de negocios particulares en Cuba.

“En un momento no concebían que un sector no estatal podía tener una relación totalmente natural, protagónica junto al sector estatal”, dijo Díaz-Canel en su programa de internet.

“Ahora están atacando también a ese sector y eso es una expresión cada vez más fehaciente de que no hay ningún interés, no hay ninguna voluntad por beneficiar a nuestro pueblo, que todo es una mentira, que todo es una falacia”, agregó el mandatario.

Las sanciones y el bloqueo energético de Estados Unidos han agravado la crisis económica que la isla sufre desde hace un lustro y han tenido un fuerte impacto en la población con apagones de más de 30 horas, transporte paralizado, cancelación de vuelos y caída de todos los sectores productivos.

On Monday, the Trump administration lowered Corporate Average Fuel Economy, or CAFE, standards that set out how far new vehicles need to travel on a gallon of gasoline. The announcement was made as the Trump administration negotiated with Iran over reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

About a fifth of the world's oil passes through the strait on a typical day, and the fight over its control has sent energy prices soaring across the globe.

The environmental groups filed the petition for review Friday in the U.S. Court of Appeals against Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Jonathan Morrison, the administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which sets the rules.

“We’re taking the Trump administration to court for this reckless rollback that prioritizes Big Oil and automaker profits over American families,” Katherine Garcia, director of Sierra Club’s Clean Transportation for All program, said in a statement. “It is unlawful for Trump to turn back the clock on fuel-efficient cars, forcing drivers to waste more money on gas and communities to breathe toxic air.”

The Center for Biological Diversity, the Conservation Law Foundation, the Environmental Defense Fund and Public Citizen, along with the Sierra Club, filed the suit.

The Transportation Department and NHTSA earlier this week lowered the standards to an industry fleetwide average of roughly 34.9 miles per gallon for passenger cars and light trucks in the 2031 model year, down from a projected 50.4 miles per gallon under rules set by the Biden administration.

The administration said the change would provide Americans more vehicle choice and encourage consumers to buy newer, safer vehicles. Experts say reducing fuel economy requirements in vehicles does not necessarily lower their cost, nor would it automatically translate to new vehicle sales.

Duffy said the new rule also cuts the “illegal mandate that forced automakers to produce more expensive electric vehicles that American families didn’t want.”

There has never been a mandate that manufacturers sell EVs or Americans buy them; the rules and other cleaner vehicle standards incentivized automakers to sell a mix of electric, hybrid electric and increasingly-efficient gasoline-powered vehicles.

When reached for comment, a DOT spokesperson referred to statements made by Duffy: "This administration understands the freedom of every American family starts with affordable cars. That’s why our new standards will make that dream more achievable by letting auto manufacturers produce the cars that fit families’ needs at a lower price.”

Auto companies and industry groups broadly welcomed Monday's change, saying the rules under the Biden administration were too stringent and did not benefit consumers.

But environmental organizations decried the changes.

“With gas prices at historic highs, Trump picked the worst possible time to roll back federal mileage standards,” David Pettit, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity’s Climate Law Institute, said in a statement. “Oil companies will profit from less efficient cars, but drivers will take a hit to their wallets and our kids will breathe dirtier air. We’ll all pay the price for more tailpipe pollutants spewing everywhere from playgrounds to wild places. We’re asking the courts to put a stop to this callous giveaway to Big Oil and Big Auto.”

Gas prices have hovered around $4.50 and diesel has hit unprecedented heights in recent weeks, according to AAA.

The DOT said Monday that the rule would cut yearly oil consumption in 2050 by about 1.3 billion barrels as compared with yearly oil consumption in 2024, but NHTSA had estimated the 2024 standards would have saved 14 billion gallons of gasoline from being burned by that year.

Fuel economy requirements have been in place since the 1970s energy crisis, and over time, have led to improved average efficiency in vehicles.

President Donald Trump has made a number of moves to undercut cleaner vehicles in the U.S. These include eliminating electric vehicle tax credits; scrapping vehicle emissions standards; repealing the fines for automakers who don’t meet mileage rules; and attempting to block the nation’s EV charging buildout.

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Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate reporter. Follow her on X: @alexa_stjohn. Reach her at ast.john@ap.org.

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Rocco Repetto Taylor of Spain had a 64 at Kingsbarns and was among three players one shot behind, while defending champion Robert MacIntyre kept his cool under a gray sky in Fife for a 65 to get within three shots.

The top names — Jarvis, MacIntyre, Brooks Koepka and Tyrrell Hatton — move on to the Old Course at St. Andrews on Saturday before the 54-hole cut is made in the tournament that pairs pros with amateurs over Kingsbarns, St. Andrews and Carnoustie.

Jarvis, who won the Kenya Open and South African Open in consecutive weeks in February, was the final consideration for the International team at the Presidents Cup but was overlooked. His game had gone flat this summer, except for a top 10 at the British Open due to a closing 66.

“It's nice to be back, and I think this week can give me a bit of confidence toward the end of the season,” Jarvis said. “I played two links courses in the past month (Irish Open and Nexo Championship at Aberdeen), and I haven't played particularly well. But I think the finish at The Open really helped. ... I know I can compete when we do play links golf.”

Jarvis was at 11-under 133. M.J. Daffue of South Africa (68 at St. Andrews) and Matthew Jordan of England (65 at Carnoustie) also were one shot behind.

MacIntyre, whom tournament officials reprimanded on Thursday for losing his temper at drone operators, gathered himself at Kingsbarns to get back in the mix.

“It’s just the way I play golf. I’m always on the edge. I’m always pushing to be better,” he said.

Five-time major champion Koepka, coming off a missed cut at Wentworth, had a 67 at Kingsbarns and was in the large group with MacIntyre just three shots behind.

Matt Fitzpatrick, who won the French Open last week for his fourth title of the year, had to settle for a 70 and was five behind. Hatton recovered from his rough start at Carnoustie with a 66 that put him seven shots off the pace.

Michael Stewart of Scotland, the No. 979 player in the world who had been playing a Tartan Pro Tour event that didn't finish until Wednesday, went from a share of the lead to a 71 at Kingsbarns that put him three behind.

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Messi is set to play in a friendly match against Benin in Buenos Aires on Tuesday in a final appearance for the team he led to a World Cup title in 2022.

The Argentine Football Association said the goal of the match is to ensure “the best player in the world gets the home send-off he truly deserves.”

Messi, who announced his international retirement on Aug. 31, flew in from Miami on a private jet with his family, landing in his hometown of Rosario, 300 kilometers (about 190 miles) north of Buenos Aires.

A reunion for World Cup winners

Several fellow 2022 World Cup champions will join the celebrations. However, Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina were unable to attend after Roma declined to release them.

Messi’s decision brings the curtain down on a historic 21-year international career in the Albiceleste jersey, leaving behind a legacy that includes 125 goals and reaching two more World Cup finals — losing to Spain this year and Germany in 2014.

Messi is not taking part in any of Argentina's other games in this international window. The team beat Bolivia 4-0 on Wednesday and will also play Burkina Faso on Saturday.

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Broward County court records identify the suspect as Randall Duffy Walterhoefer, of Fort Lauderdale, who was arrested Wednesday.

According to an arrest warrant, Walterhoefer is accused of entering vehicles belonging to the Avis/Budget rental car business without permission at the airport’s Rental Car Center garage at 600 Terminal Drive.

The warrant alleges six of the vehicle burglaries occurred on Sept. 12.

Among the vehicles listed in the warrant were a 2025 Hyundai Genesis, a 2025 Mercedes C300, a 2026 Mercedes MC3R, a 2025 Kia Carnival, a 2025 Mazda CX90 and a 2026 Cadillac CT5A.

Investigators allege Walterhoefer removed vehicle keys or key fobs from the rental vehicles.

According to the warrant, Walterhoefer is accused of stealing approximately $4,400 worth of property from six vehicles on Sept. 12.

Authorities allege he returned to the airport rental car garage four days later, on Sept. 16, and entered a 2026 BMW X3 belonging to Avis/Budget.

The warrant states approximately $1,800 worth of property was taken from that vehicle.

A judge signed the arrest warrant on Tuesday.

Booking records show Walterhoefer was arrested the following day. He faces seven counts of burglary of an unoccupied conveyance while unarmed and two counts of grand theft involving property valued between $750 and $5,000.

The warrant set bond at $5,000 for each of the seven burglary counts and $1,000 for each of the two grand theft counts for a total of $37,000.

Los registros judiciales del condado Broward identifican al sospechoso como Randall Duffy Walterhoefer, de Fort Lauderdale, quien fue arrestado el miércoles.

Según una orden de arresto, Walterhoefer es acusado de ingresar sin autorización a vehículos pertenecientes a la empresa de alquiler de autos Avis/Budget en el garaje del Centro de Alquiler de Autos del aeropuerto, ubicado en 600 Terminal Drive.

La orden alega que seis de los robos a vehículos ocurrieron el 12 de septiembre.

Entre los vehículos mencionados en la orden se encontraban un Hyundai Genesis 2025, un Mercedes C300 2025, un Mercedes MC3R 2026, un Kia Carnival 2025, un Mazda CX90 2025 y un Cadillac CT5A 2026.

Los investigadores alegan que Walterhoefer retiró las llaves o controles remotos de las llaves de los vehículos de alquiler.

Según la orden, Walterhoefer es acusado de robar aproximadamente $4,400 USD en propiedades de seis vehículos el 12 de septiembre.

Las autoridades alegan que regresó al garaje de alquiler de autos del aeropuerto cuatro días después, el 16 de septiembre, e ingresó a un BMW X3 2026 perteneciente a Avis/Budget.

La orden señala que aproximadamente $1,800 USD en propiedades fueron robadas de ese vehículo.

Un juez firmó la orden de arresto el martes.

Los registros de ingreso a la cárcel muestran que Walterhoefer fue arrestado al día siguiente. Enfrenta siete cargos de robo en un vehículo desocupado sin estar armado y dos cargos de hurto mayor relacionados con propiedades valoradas entre $750 y $5,000 USD.

La orden estableció una fianza de $5,000 USD por cada uno de los siete cargos de robo y de $1,000 USD por cada uno de los dos cargos de hurto mayor, para un total de $37,000 USD.

It was unclear what episodes from the FBI's past are chronicled in the new “Patel Report.” But the document's existence is in keeping with Director Kash Patel's vocal criticism of the leaders who preceded him and with his determination to rid the FBI of agents he contends have politicized the bureau in the past. Patel's critics say he is the one who has weaponized the FBI and that his scrutiny of his predecessors and their decision-making is part of an effort to rewrite history in favor of President Donald Trump.

Patel pledged at his confirmation hearing last year that he would not look “backward," but as director, he has encouraged investigations of former senior officials and presided over sweeping terminations, including of employees who participated in years-old investigations of Trump, were photographed taking a knee during a 2020 racial justice protest and contributed to a disputed analytical memo about Catholic extremism.

“The Patel Report looks backward because accountability demands it,” says a message to the workforce signed by the FBI's co-deputy directors, Christopher Raia and Andrew Bailey. The message describes the report as marking the “closing of one chapter in our history and the beginning of another complete with a brighter future ahead.”

Bailey announced his resignation earlier this week, and his last day is Friday. The FBI declined to comment on the report.

The message also says: “We cannot change what happened before we arrived. But we can confront it honestly. We can recognize failures instead of protecting them. We can hold people accountable. We can fix what was broken. And we can build safeguards strong enough to ensure the mistakes of the past are never allowed to define this institution again. These steps are consistent with any institution of excellence that is constantly striving for improvement."

It was unclear if the report made recommendations or demanded any action to address what the FBI now regards as past shortcomings.

The FBI message says the report is meant to "promote fierce organizational accountability” and rebuild “public trust.” But Patel’s critics say the politically charged investigations into perceived adversaries of Trump that the FBI has embarked on under his watch, as well as the punishment of agents who participated in investigations into the Republican president to which they were assigned, have eroded faith in the nation’s premier federal law enforcement agency.

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As of Friday, no confirmed connection to the Islamic Republic had emerged. Britain has not made public any evidence linking Iran to the air-base arrests on terrorism-related charges. And an official who was not authorized to speak to the media said there is currently no evidence of a link between Iran and the cockpit attack.

The investigations are in the early stages. If an Iranian link to the Britain arrests is confirmed, it would underline a strategy that Iran’s government has promoted for decades, using smaller, relatively low-cost attacks to needle and disrupt more powerful adversaries and their economies while causing friction among allies. That strategy is currently on display in the Strait of Hormuz.

If it is confirmed that Iran played a role in targeting the FlyDubai flight, that would represent a dangerous new level in that approach.

Iran denies any involvement

Iran has denied involvement in Sunday’s arrests close to the RAF Fairford air base, which has been used by U.S. bombers to strike Iran. Iranian leaders summoned Britain's ambassador and called on the British government to provide an official explanation.

Police on Thursday arrested a 25-year-old dual U.K.-Iranian citizen on suspicion of plotting a terror attack, while five other suspects were released on bail. Detectives said they found a quantity of an accelerant — gasoline — in vans near the air base, but no explosives.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said the U.K. sees “strong indications” that Iran played a part in the incident but did not provide details.

In the FlyDubai attack, Iran has not commented on U.S. President Donald Trump's suggestion that the co-pilot might have links to Iran. Asked whether he had been briefed about any links, Trump said, “I would say the answer, based on what I’m hearing, is yes, but we’re working on it right now." He did not elaborate.

But even Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, one of the world's most vocal critics of Iran, has said it's too soon to say.

With governments not sharing key details — such as suspects’ identities or possible motives, which are not made public during active police investigations in Britain — speculation risks filling the void.

“When you have this kind of gray area where evidence is lacking, there’s a tendency, especially (by) politicians, the media, etc., to attribute everything to Iran," said Antonio Giustozzi, senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based defense think tank. "And much of it is true, but not necessarily all of it is true.”

He said the Iranians do not deny that they have cells abroad.

Incidents such as the one at RAF Fairford appear to fit a pattern of attacks designed to apply pressure and signal to U.S. allies that “in this case we did not do anything too terrible, but it wouldn’t be difficult to do something terrible,” Giustozzi said.

He doubted, however, that Iran was involved in the FlyDubai incident: “In terms of strategy, dragging Israel in now brings zero benefit to Iran and only complicates the situation."

Iran praised asymmetric warfare

As recently as the past week, Iranian officials have openly promoted asymmetric warfare as a central strategy.

“Asymmetric warfare means confronting the enemy’s expensive heavy weapons with lower costs and simpler, but more effective and practical defense equipment, and still achieving victory,” a senior Iranian military spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi, said in comments reported by Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency.

Such tactics are based on “self-sacrifice, faith and spirituality,” he said, and called conventional warfare vulnerable to this approach.

Tehran turned to that approach after the Islamic Revolution there in 1979 cut off military and other support from previous allies, including the United States. Iran embraced asymmetric efforts, notably the use of drones, during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s and again during the current war that began with U.S. and Israeli attacks on Feb. 28.

Iran's tactics have included a barrage of drone attacks against regional neighbors that host U.S. bases and assaults on ships trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz. Small attack boats and mines have also menaced the strait. Armed proxies of Iran have launched attacks in southern Lebanon, Yemen, Gaza and Iraq.

“Tehran understands that it cannot defeat Israel or the United States in a conventional, high-intensity war. Instead, the regime seems to be deploying an asymmetric and attritional response designed not for decisive battlefield victory, but rather endurance and survival,” the Soufan Center think tank wrote earlier this year.

Iran has denied alleged acts of sabotage

Iran has acknowledged some direct military or paramilitary attacks during the war, including against U.S. warships. But the kind of involvement authorities have suggested about the FlyDubai and England incidents is more indirect, making it difficult to confirm and easier to deny.

The allegations echo concerns about the acts of sabotage in Europe that Russia has been widely accused of backing since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Moscow has denied them.

Tehran has faced similar allegations in the past. In an effort to "mitigate the risk of retaliatory attacks against Iran, Iranian agents have taken to hiring criminal proxies to carry out attacks at Tehran’s behest,” Matthew Levitt with the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, who maintains a database of incidents, wrote last year.

In one high-profile case, the U.S. Justice Department in November 2024 disclosed an Iranian murder-for-hire plot to kill Trump, charging a man who said he had been tasked by a government official before that month's election. Iran's government rejected the report and called it a plot to complicate relations.

More recently, U.K. officials say proxies linked to Iran have been behind a string of arson and other attacks in Britain and other European countries, many of them targeting the Jewish community or opponents of Iran’s Islamic theocracy. In October 2025, the head of the MI5 domestic intelligence service said his agency had tracked more than 20 “potentially lethal” Iran-backed plots in the past year.

Several suspects as young as their teens have been charged in the U.K. over arson attacks targeting synagogues and Jewish ambulances. Officials say the crimes are often carried out for small sums of money, and that those arrested may have little or no knowledge of the link to Iran. That, too, has echoed alleged Russia-backed attacks in Europe.

In July, Britain banned the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right, or IMCR, which it said is an Iran proxy group behind the attacks. The IMCR sprang up online earlier this year and has claimed responsibility for synagogue attacks in Belgium and the Netherlands.

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Lawless reported from London. Associated Press writer Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed.

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Carlos Ysidro was arrested by Key West police shortly before 1 a.m., according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities said Ysidro is accused of repeatedly calling and texting his ex-girlfriend. When she did not respond, investigators said he went to her home.

Ysidro is accused of repeatedly knocking on the door and looking through the home’s windows, causing the woman to fear for her safety and the safety of her two children, ages 17 and 20, who were inside with her.

The woman called 911 for help, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Ysidro was subsequently arrested on an aggravated stalking charge and was booked into jail.

The Sheriff’s Office said Ysidro has since been terminated from his position. He was hired on Dec. 15, 2025, and was still a probationary employee at the time of his arrest.

“This type of behavior is not acceptable for anyone, especially our employees,” Sheriff Rick Ramsay said in a statement. “We remain committed to informing the public openly and honestly, regardless of the circumstances, and taking immediate action when something like this takes place.”

Un agente de correcciones de la Oficina del Sheriff del condado Monroe fue despedido después de ser arrestado la madrugada del viernes por un cargo de delito grave de acoso agravado contra su ex novia, informaron las autoridades.

Carlos Ysidro fue arrestado por la Policía de Key West poco antes de la 1 a.m., según la Oficina del Sheriff del condado Monroe.

Las autoridades indicaron que Ysidro es acusado de llamar y enviar mensajes de texto repetidamente a su ex novia. Cuando ella no respondió, los investigadores dijeron que fue a su casa.

Ysidro es acusado de tocar repetidamente la puerta y mirar por las ventanas de la vivienda, lo que hizo que la mujer temiera por su seguridad y la de sus dos hijos, de 17 y 20 años, quienes estaban dentro con ella.

La mujer llamó al 911 para pedir ayuda, según la Oficina del Sheriff.

La advertencia de Jorge García Cuerva se produjo en vísperas de la peregrinación de miles de fieles a la Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Luján, el principal templo católico argentino donde el pontífice oficiará una misa en el marco de su viaje al país entre el 8 y el 11 de noviembre.

La visita del papa de origen estadounidense —la primera que hace un líder de la Santa Sede desde los años 80— se enmarca en una gira que incluye a Uruguay y Perú.

“El papa se va a encontrar con una Argentina dividida... donde la descalificación y la intolerancia están a la orden del día, donde duele el porcentaje muy grande de hermanos que lo están pasando mal, de hermanos muy pobres desde hace muchos años”, afirmó García Cuerva a periodistas al término de la celebración de una misa en Buenos Aires.

El recorrido del pontífice en la patria de su predecesor Francisco incluye las ciudades de Buenos Aires, Claypole, Córdoba y Luján. Robert Prevost se reunirá con el presidente Javier Milei, celebrará misas masivas y visitará una cárcel y un hogar para personas con discapacidades, entre otras actividades.

García Cuerva recalcó que Argentina “está en crisis desde hace muchos años” y elogió a sus habitantes “que no bajan los brazos, que siguen luchando para salir adelante”.

“Eso va a ser manifestado mañana, cuando un millón de personas vuelva a apostar por la unidad y caminemos todos a la casa de María en Luján”, dijo sobre la peregrinación que partirá el sábado al templo dedicado a la Virgen de Luján, la patrona de Argentina, situado a unos 75 kilómetros de Buenos Aires. Este peregrinaje se celebra todos los años y congrega a decenas de miles de personas.

García Cuerva ha advertido en otras ocasiones sobre el clima político crispado en Argentina y criticado las agresiones verbales difundidas en las redes sociales por allegados y seguidores del mandatario.

También ha criticado el impacto de las políticas de austeridad de Milei en ceremonias religiosas señalando que el país “sangra de inequidad” y que el gobierno está alejado “de la gente de pie”.

En septiembre, el Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos reportó que la pobreza aumentó en el primer semestre del año y afecta al 32,3% de la población. En el segundo semestre de 2025 había sido de 28,2%, el nivel más bajo de los últimos ocho años.

A drug task force in Mississippi had previously urged people to avoid kratom, an herbal substance that acts as a stimulant at low doses and a sedative at high doses, after authorities found packages of kratom derivatives while investigating the deaths on Sept. 21.

It is still not clear whether those substances contributed to either death, but federal prosecutors said both appear consistent with drug overdoses. Two state agencies were working to expedite toxicology reports for the students, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said in a statement last week. Lafayette County Metro Narcotics said Thursday the investigation remained active and additional charges were possible.

Bank records show one of the students, Aidan Hamilton, made multiple purchases in September from a vape, tobacco and beer store in Oxford, Mississippi, where the university is located, according to a federal court filing.

On Sept. 24, an informant sent to the store by investigators purchased kratom-based pills from the clerk, Yahya Mohamed Mosleh, 51, who warned the informant to “be careful taking the pills because people were dying from them," U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Michael Dassance said in an affidavit.

Authorities later detained Mosleh and his son, Islam Yahya Mosleh, 18, who was working behind the counter, and charged them each with one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

Scott Davis, an attorney for the elder Mosleh, and A.E. Harlow, Jr., an attorney for Islam Mosleh, said in emails that they had no comment. The defendants appeared Thursday before a magistrate judge, who ruled there was sufficient evidence to charge them.

Kratom, which comes from a tree native to Southeast Asia, is legal at the federal level. But some state and local governments have banned it, and federal authorities have issued warnings about its risks.

Proponents say that in its pure, ground-leaf form, kratom is a safe, natural herbal supplement that can help manage pain, anxiety and depression and ease the effects of opioid withdrawal. They say the danger is from kratom derivatives, which are often synthetic and can be highly potent. In August, the DEA banned three kratom-related compounds.

In his Sept. 25 affidavit, the DEA agent said one of the banned compounds was listed as an ingredient in products seized from the Oxford store and Hamilton's room.

Hamilton, a freshman from Englewood, Colorado, and the other student who died, Robert Strang, a junior from Atlanta, were found in different locations, one on campus and the other off campus.

Investigators found opened packages of kratom, or synthetic kratom, labeled “Smax” in Hamilton's room with some pills missing, according to the DEA agent's affidavit. A package of Smax was also found in Strang's room, though the affidavit says he was buying it from a different store.

Yahya Mosleh told the informant who went to the store on Sept. 24 to be quiet when other customers came in and pushed the kratom pills out of sight. When the customers left, he completed the sale, according to the affidavit, again telling the informant to be careful.

Eleven states have banned kratom. Others, including Mississippi, have regulated it, in part by requiring people to be 21 or older to buy it. The city of Oxford, additionally, has implemented its own kratom ban.

La decisión se da un día después del trágico evento ocurrido en una secundaria de la ciudad norteña de Torreón, en el estado de Coahuila, donde dos hermanos gemelos de 18 años, exalumnos del plantel, presuntamente atacaron con machetes y petardos a los presentes e hirieron mortalmente a la subdirectora del centro educativo, Nedi Nevárez González, de 56 años, y lesionaron a dos maestros, un estudiante y una mujer.

Normativa para regular las redes

Tras el lamentar el hecho, Sheinbaum dijo en su habitual conferencia matutina que se creará un grupo de trabajo para que a más tardar la próxima semana se elabore un decreto que obligará a las plataformas a que “bajen de su contenido en el momento que encuentren comunicados o acciones que tiendan a la violencia, al abuso o al acoso”.

Desde hace meses la mandataria ha expresado preocupación por los mensajes que se difunden en las redes sociales, el avance de la inteligencia artificial y el creciente uso de teléfonos móviles por parte de niños y jóvenes, lo que llevó a su gobierno a aprobar el mes pasado una regulación para limitar el empleo de los celulares en las escuelas que entrará en vigor el 3 de noviembre.

“No puede ser que en las redes sociales salgan casos de abuso infantil… y que las redes no hagan nada”, afirmó Sheinbaum al plantear que es necesario que todas las plataformas digitales “asuman su responsabilidad” y eviten la difusión de mensajes violentos.

La mandataria descartó que la regulación implique una censura y aclaró que el grupo de trabajo consultará a especialistas de diferentes universidades para elaborar un decreto consensuado en el que se definirá de manera precisa los contenidos que deberán removerse.

Como parte de la estrategia, el gobierno tiene previsto fortalecer el “programa ABC” de atención de las emociones en las escuelas e incorporar a los padres a esa iniciativa e instalar en los centros educativos buzones confidenciales de denuncia para la detección temprana de situaciones de riesgo, informó el secretario de Seguridad federal, Omar García Harfuch.

El móvil del crimen

Aunque las investigaciones del caso aun están en fase preliminar, el fiscal de Coahuila, Federico Fernández, afirmó el viernes que las averiguaciones apuntan a que los dos presuntos agresores actuaron movidos por un fanatismo.

Fernández dijo a la emisora local Radio Fórmula que los dos hermanos reconocieron en declaraciones a las autoridades que son “pseudofanáticos de delincuentes que han perpetrado ataques similares en otros lugares”. Entre sus pertenencias y publicaciones en redes sociales aparecieron imágenes de petardos y cuchillos de uso militar, entre otros elementos.

El evento de Coahuila se produjo un día después de otro ataque con arma blanca en una secundaria de la ciudad central de Querétaro en el que un joven con dos cuchillos supuestamente agredió a tres trabajadores de la escuela y a un estudiante.

En los últimos años se ha visto un incremento en los ataques en las escuelas mexicanas, según un estudio que ha realizado el investigador de la Universidad de Coahuila, Víctor Sánchez Sandoval. En 2025 se contabilizaron 30 ataques, mientras en lo que va del año ya suman 31 casos, sin incluir los incidentes de esta semana.

Sánchez Sandoval dijo a The Associated Press que aunque aún faltan tres meses para finalizar el año, 2026 ya acumula el mayor registro de ataques en escuelas desde 2000, cuando inició el recuento.

Al analizar qué ha motivado el aumento de los casos, el investigador planteó tres hipótesis: la alta circulación de armas que hay en el país; el repunte de los problemas de salud mental, que se incrementaron especialmente a raíz de la pandemia de COVID-19, y la violencia en las calles mexicanas, que se ha convertido en un “caldo de cultivo” y ha incitado “procesos imitativos” entre los jóvenes.

El investigador señaló que la propuesta de Sheinbaum resulta positiva, pero añadió que para resolver la violencia en las escuelas se debe atender la raíz del problema que, aseguró, son las millones de armas, en su mayoría ilegales, que hay en México.

La policía de Fort Lauderdale informó que el peatón —cuya identidad aún no se ha dado a conocer— fue declarado fallecido en el lugar del accidente, el tren permanece detenido sobre las vías mientras las autoridades llevan a cabo la investigación.

Las autoridades señalaron que el incidente bloqueó por completo varias vías a la altura de la ubicación del tren FEC, incluyendo Flagler Drive en Andrews Avenue, Sunrise Boulevard y Northeast 13th Street.

Se insta a los conductores a evitar la zona y utilizar Broward Boulevard hacia el sur, u Oakland Park Boulevard hacia el norte, como rutas alternativas.

El helicóptero Sky 10 sobrevoló la zona alrededor de las 10:26 a. m. y captó imágenes de la policía de Fort Lauderdale en el lugar, cintas de seguridad acordonando el área y un largo tren de carga detenido atravesando varias calles. Se observó un cuerpo cubierto con una lona amarilla cerca de las vías.

No se han dado a conocer de inmediato otros detalles sobre el accidente.

2 pounds wings, split into wings and drumettes, tips removed

2 tablespoons neutral oil

1 ½ teaspoons diamond kosher salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

⅓ cup granulated sugar

½ cup water

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 garlic cloves smashed

fried garlic bits (this can be purchased at any Asia market)

scallions

Heat oven to 375˚F

In a bowl, pat the wings dry with a paper towel. Add the oil, salt and garlic powder and massage onto the wings. Arrange carefully in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet, skin side down. Do not line the baking sheet with anything!

Top with a wire rack and press with weights or a heavy skillet. Roast until the fat is melted and skin is bubbly and crunchy, about 45 minutes.

Using a spatula, carefully scrape the wings off the tray and into a bowl. Place the tray across two burners over medium heat and add the water, scraping up the brown bits.

Add sugar to a medium-size pot. Place over medium and cook stirring until caramelized.

Add the water and drippings from the tray, soy sauce and garlic. Simmer until it coats the back of a spoon, 4 minutes.

Scrape glaze over the wings and toss to coat. Top with fried garlic and scallions.

2 jalapenos, small diced (we seeded our jalapenos for a milder dip, leave some seeds and veins in the chilies if you want your dip to be spicier.)

12 ounces cream cheese, softened

½ cup mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1 4-ounce can green hatch chilies

½ cup panko breadcrumbs, toasted in butter until golden brown

your favorite tortilla chips, for serving

Heat your oven to 400˚F.

Combine the diced jalapenos, cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, ½ cup shredded cheeses, hatch chilies and spoon into a small skillet. Top with the rest of the cheese and bake until melty bubbly. Top with toasted breadcrumbs. Serve with tortilla chips.

Romo had been on leave since his July 23 arrest in Wisconsin. He had been the lead game analyst for CBS’ NFL coverage since 2017.

“CBS Sports and Tony Romo have mutually agreed to part ways,” CBS Sports said Friday in a statement. “We thank Tony for his contributions over the past nine years and wish him the best moving forward.”

Analyst JJ Watt had joined play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz and sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson on CBS Sports’ lead NFL team during Romo’s absence. Watt will continue in that role now and all other CBS teams will remain the same.

“I’m proud of what I accomplished at CBS Sports over the last nine years," Romo said in a statement. "I approached my role as a game analyst the way I’ve approached everything in my life — with a desire to win and be the best that I can be. I’m going to use this time to take a break, something I’ve never done before, and focus on my health and my family before moving on to my next opportunity. I am grateful for my time with CBS Sports and for the continued support of my family and friends, as well as the NFL community and fans.”

Romo was arrested following a traffic stop as he was driving south on Interstate 43 in Wisconsin. He pleaded no contest to a charge of operating while intoxicated on Sept. 1 and issued a statement apologizing for the actions that led to his arrest.

According to Milwaukee County court records, Romo lost his driving privileges for six months and was ordered to complete an alcohol assessment program.

“The past month has been difficult, but it has also been personally significant,” Romo said Sept. 1 in a statement on Instagram. “It has required me to confront and own my mistakes fully — to the Lord, to myself, to my family and now to the public.”

Romo said the multiple back surgeries that led to his retirement as a player “left me with constant, debilitating pain.” He noted that the pain “led to a dependence on pain medication, and my efforts to get off those medications led to an over-reliance on alcohol.”

“None of this is an excuse,” Romo said. “These are my failures and I take responsibility for them.”

Romo said he is working with a team of doctors to address his health and “make the necessary changes.”

The 46-year-old Romo made four Pro Bowl appearances during a playing career that ran from 2004-16 and was spent entirely with Dallas.

___

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

For the nachos:

your favorite potato chips, preferably something thick cut or kettle cooked

finely grated Manchego cheese

good quality thinly sliced jamon serrano

Spanish olives stuffed with anchovies or your favorite Spanish-style olives, sliced into rounds

Fresh tomato salsa (recipe below)

Fresh tomato salsa:

2 very ripe beefsteak tomatoes (You can use any ripe tomatoes, just add a few more to get the right ratio)

1 small garlic clove, grated on a mandolin

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

heavy pinch salt

Cut tomatoes in half. Remove and discard any tough core.

Working over a bowl, grate the tomato, flesh side down, against a box grater using the large hole.

Continue grating until you reach the skin. Discard the skin.

Stir in the grated garlic clove, olive oil and salt. Taste for seasoning and adjust if desired.

To build the nachos:

Preheat your oven to 325˚F.

Lay out a bag of kettle chips on a baking sheet and place in the oven to warm for a few minutes. Once the chips are warm, remove from the oven and top with grated manchego cheese and let melt a little. You can place the chips back in the oven to fully melt the cheese if desired. Top with thin slices of jamon serrano, Spanish olives and spoonfuls of the grated tomato mixture.

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Fort Lauderdale police said the pedestrian, who has not been identified at this time, was pronounced dead at the scene, and the train remains stopped on the tracks as police conduct an investigation.

They said the crash temporarily blocked several roads at the FEC tracks. The train has since resumed moving, and all railroad crossings north of Andrews Avenue have reopened to traffic.

Flagler Drive at Andrews Avenue remains closed as the investigation continues. Drivers can use Broward Boulevard or Sunrise Boulevard as alternate routes.

Sky 10 flew over the scene around 10:26 a.m. and saw Fort Lauderdale police at the scene, crime scene tape surrounding the area and a long freight train stopped across several streets. A body was covered by a yellow tarp near the tracks.

No other details about the crash were immediately released.

Roger Mariaca pasó la noche en una celda policial a la espera de su audiencia en la que un juez decidirá si lo envía a la cárcel mientras es investigado por los presuntos delitos de organización criminal y enriquecimiento ilícito.

En tanto, senadores y diputados analizaban las pruebas y debatían si destituyen a Mariaca o nombran a un interino. A su vez las autoridades desconocieron al fiscal Luis Montaño y lo acusaron de “usurpar funciones” después de que se autoproclamara fiscal general, dijo el vocero presidencial José Luis Gálvez. Mariaca no renunció tras su detención.

También es buscado el exministro de Gobierno, Eduardo del Castillo, por la supuesta protección al presunto narcotraficante uruguayo Sebastián Marset, capturado y entregado a la DEA en marzo pasado, quien vivía y operaba en el oriente boliviano mientras era buscado en varios países del continente.

En tanto, la madrugada del viernes la policía allanó domicilios de Mariaca y detuvo a su edecán con un botín de un millón de bolivianos (dólares). La víspera se incautaron 3,5 millones de bolivianos (dólares) y unos 10.000 dólares que eran sacados del domicilio del fiscal en una ambulancia, dijo la policía.

“Hemos roto una estructura criminal que era liderada por Mariaca”, sostuvo el ministro de Gobierno, Marco Antonio Oviedo, en la sesión legislativa.

Mariaca fue detenido la madrugada del jueves dos días después de que el Departamento de Estado de Estados Unidos le revocara la visa acusándolo de “recibir sobornos para favorecer el narcotráfico”. También fueron detenidos otros altos funcionarios judiciales.

La operación fue respaldada por el Escudo de las Américas, la alianza continental de gobiernos de derecha liderada por el presidente Donald Trump contra el crimen organizado que, en una declaración conjunta, respaldó al gobierno de Rodrigo Paz “por sus acciones decisivas para enfrentar el narcotráfico, combatir la corrupción y exigir la responsabilidad de quienes lo facilitan”.

El caso se presenta en un momento complicado para Paz, quien afronta un creciente malestar social por una caída en el poder adquisitivo de los ingresos tras la eliminación de subsidios al diésel que ha elevado el precio de los alimentos. Además, el gobierno se ha visto salpicado por escándalos que afectaron la imagen del mandatario, como el caso de su detenido asesor, el argentino Fernando Cerimedo.

Economy Minister Luis Caputo unveiled the so-called “golden passport” scheme at an investor event in Paris, saying applications are expected to open before the end of the year.

Applicants have two options: make a nonrefundable $350,000 contribution to the Argentine Treasury or invest $800,000 in a new government bond that must be held for seven years. Contributions would increase depending on family size, with a family of four expected to pay $500,000, officials said.

Securing dollars is critical for Milei as he prepares to seek reelection next year. Argentina’s Treasury faces nearly $25 billion in foreign-currency debt payments coming due in 2027. But having narrowed its financing options by holding off on a return to international bond markets, the government is searching for alternative sources of revenue.

A consortium of investment firms advising the government estimated that the paid-citizenship program could raise up to $2.5 billion for Argentina if it receives the expected number of applicants.

Citizenship with global reach

So-called “golden visa” programs have become increasingly common among cash-strapped countries battling to attract deep-pocketed foreigners, with about 60 nations offering residency privileges in exchange for one-off investments. U.S. President Donald Trump launched his own “gold card” program for the U.S. last year.

Citizenship-for-investment programs go further, offering more rights and a passport that opens doors abroad. Only about a dozen countries have active programs, including small Caribbean island states.

Argentina, a G-20 nation of 46 million people home to a vast Patagonian wilderness and culturally vibrant capital, is set to become the first South American country to join their ranks.

“The Argentine passport is highly valued, accepted in more than 140 countries,” Caputo said, referring to destinations Argentines can visit without obtaining a visa in advance — from China and Russia to Europe’s Schengen area and most of Latin America.

For wealthy people from countries that face visa restrictions, whether in Southeast Asia or the Arab world, Argentine citizenship could make it easier to travel and do business internationally, said Kristin Surak, a professor at the London School of Economics and author of “The Golden Passport: Global Mobility for Millionaires."

"It’s not only the benefits that you get within Argentina,” she said. “You also get benefits globally in terms of where you can go.”

A second passport as a Plan B

The clientele of such programs has shifted since the COVID-19 pandemic, industry experts say, with more Americans and Europeans — whose passports already offer extensive visa-free travel — seeking a foothold abroad as an escape hatch at a time of mounting geopolitical uncertainty.

“The Southern Cone of South America is the ultimate Plan B destination. It’s not on the way to anywhere strategically important. It’s a region that’s always staying out of global armed conflict,” said Christian Nesheim, editor of Investment Migration Insider, a trade journal. “It’s self-sufficient when it comes to food, to energy.”

A country with a history of military coups, debt defaults and runaway inflation that long sent its own business elite seeking opportunities abroad might seem an unlikely refuge for investors chasing stability. But Milei is trying to recast Argentina as a destination for foreign wealth, slashing public spending, dismantling regulations and courting investment in the country’s vast oil and mineral resources.

Caputo said the idea for the citizenship-for-investment program emerged during Milei’s July 2024 visit to Sun Valley, Idaho, when tech executives expressed interest in obtaining Argentine citizenship.

A self-proclaimed “anarcho-capitalist,” Milei has cultivated close ties with libertarian-minded tech billionaires such as Elon Musk, a vocal supporter of Milei's drive to shrink government. Last year, he brandished a chainsaw gifted by the Argentine leader as a symbol of his own campaign to slash U.S. government spending.

Another ideological ally is Peter Thiel, a co-founder of software firm Palantir who temporarily moved his family to Buenos Aires in April. Corporate records obtained by The Associated Press show that a company linked to his investment firm, Thiel Capital, owns a $13.5 million mansion in the city’s upscale Barrio Parque neighborhood. Thiel also secured New Zealand citizenship in 2011, receiving a special exemption from the usual residency requirements.

“I think that this 'Peter Thiel in Argentina' story is maybe a bit of a proof of concept (for the citizenship program)," said Philippe Amarante, managing partner and head of government advisory at Henley & Partners, a consultancy that helps clients obtain passports around the globe.

“He stands for this idea that independent, wealthy, successful people do have choices around the world. And if you provide the right environments and right habitats, the right ecosystem, they might choose you.”

The risks of selling citizenship

Golden passport programs have long drawn criticism over their vulnerability to corruption. The Financial Action Task Force, the global money-laundering watchdog, has warned that criminals exploit citizenship and residency programs to conceal their identities, launder illicit wealth and evade justice.

In a blow to the investment migration industry, the European Union’s top court ruled Malta’s golden passport program unlawful in April 2025, declaring that EU citizenship could not be sold. Other countries have also scrapped cash-for-residency programs, citing concerns ranging from dirty money to housing affordability.

Caputo vowed to prevent such pitfalls, with intelligence and financial oversight agencies helping to vet applicants’ identities, criminal records and sources of funds.

The aim, he said, is to protect “the international standing of Argentine citizenship.”

___

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According to records, Ross, whose real name is William Leonard Roberts, was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center at 6:10 a.m. on a battery by strangulation charge.

The 50-year-old’s arrest comes days after his now ex-girlfriend, Jazzma Kendrick, took to Instagram to publicly accuse him of physically abusing her.

Last weekend, Kendrick posted an Instagram Story, sharing a DM from a fan who told her, “I’m seeing what Rick is seeing your (sic) so gorgeous.”

Kendrick responded, “He saw a punching bag.”

An arrest report from the Miami Beach Police Department names the victim in the case only by the initials J.K.

According to the report, the victim went to the police department Tuesday to report a domestic violence incident that she said occurred on the morning of Aug. 28.

Police said the victim and Ross had been in a relationship for about a year and lived together at the time of the incident.

According to the report, the victim claimed that she was awakened by Ross on Aug. 28, as he was enraged that she had been tagged in a photo on Instagram.

Police said Ross questioned the victim, accused her of lying to him and then slapped her in the face.

The rapper then accused the victim of being involved with a man she claimed she was only friends with, authorities said.

According to the report, Ross followed the victim around as he questioned her and struck her each time she denied the accusations.

Police said Ross also struck the victim several times in the chest and choked her to the point that she couldn’t breathe by grabbing the collar of her hoodie and twisting it.

Authorities said the rapper then grabbed the victim by her ponytail and slammed her into a wall before striking her in the face as she was bent over, leaving her with a “busted lip.”

According to the report, Ross then pushed the victim to the floor of a bathroom, grabbed the shower head and tried to spray her with water.

The victim was able to escape from the bathroom and leave the home, authorities said.

According to the report, the victim returned to the property and waited for Ross to leave before she gathered her belongings and left again.

Police said the victim called a friend to pick her up, but surveillance video shows that the friend was turned away from the property.

According to the report, Ross surrendered himself at the police station Thursday morning and did not provide a statement about the incident.

He appeared in bond court later in the morning, where his attorney, Bradley Horenstein, asked for his release to be expediated because Ross is a “celebrity.”

“Mr. Roberts is a celebrity,” Horenstein told Judge Mindy Glazer.

“So what does that mean?” Glazer asked.

“I don’t know to whatever degree your honor can, but I’d ask that his release be expediated,” Horenstein said. “He’s in a red jumpsuit and for purposes of his safety. I don’t know what your honor can do.”

Glazer appeared to be less than impressed, saying she didn’t know who the rapper was but that he would “be treated fairly just like everybody else here.”

She ultimately granted him a $5,000 bond and he was released from jail shortly after. Glazer ordered him to stay away from the victim.

After posting bond, Ross addressed reporters outside TGK shortly after noon, saying he is “totally innocent” and plans to vacation to Dubai and Paris this weekend.

“First and foremost, I am totally innocent of these fabricated allegations made against me,” Ross said. “Now, I have an amazing team, such an amazing team … what my weekend looks like, I’ll be in Dubai tomorrow, Paris Saturday and I plan on having a bowl of rigatoni with heavy marinara Sunday."

Ross also denied the allegation when Local 10’s Jeff Derderian repeatedly asked him if he strangled the woman.

While Ross is originally from Mississippi, he grew up in Miami-Dade’s Carol City and has homes in Atlanta and Miami Beach’s Star Island.

He has had numerous hit songs over his career, including “Aston Martin Music” and “Hustlin’.”

Ross’ attorneys, Steve Sadow and Bradley Horenstein, released a statement Thursday evening on his behalf, saying he was being “wrongfully accused” and asking the public not to “prejudge” the case.

“William Roberts II, professionally known as Rick Ross, is being wrongfully accused by an ex-girlfriend whose true motivations are unclear,” the statement read. “The ex did not even file a police report until a month after the claimed incident allegedly took place. Mr. Roberts is innocent and has pled not guilty to the charges. He respectfully requests that his friends, fans and the general public not prejudge the situation and allow the judicial process to run its course.”

An Okaloosa County jury acquitted Eddie Duran, 38, on Thursday. Duran had faced up to 30 years in prison.

Duran, who is Hispanic, worked for the Okaloosa County sheriff's department in May 2024 when he responded to Roger Fortson's Fort Walton Beach apartment near Hurlburt Field, where the airman was stationed.

The sheriff's office had said the deputy “reacted in self-defense after he encountered a 23-year-old man armed with a gun.” The shooting was captured on the deputy's body camera.

The video shows the deputy banging on the door and stepping aside, seemingly out of view of the door. Twice he shouted: “Sheriff’s office! Open the door!”

Fortson opened the door and could be seen holding what appeared to be a handgun pointed down toward the floor. The deputy shouted, “Step back!” and fired off shots. He then shouted, “Drop the gun! Drop the gun!”

“It’s over there,” Fortson said.

“Drop the gun!” the deputy yelled back.

“I don’t have it,” Fortson said, lying on the ground.

The deputy then called paramedics on his radio.

Fortson later died at a hospital. The domestic disturbance report that led Duran to Fortson’s apartment turned out to be false.

After the shooting, authorities said Fortson was alone in the apartment and on the phone with his girlfriend.

Fortson was assigned as a missions operator to the 4th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field. He was a member of the squadron’s AC-130J Ghostrider aircrew, which loads the gunship’s 30 mm and 105 mm cannons during missions.

The State Attorney’s office prosecuted Duran and said in a news release that it accepts the jury’s verdict, which means the state “did not prove the criminal charge beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of every juror.”

“We understand that this verdict will cause pain, anger, or disappointment for many people, particularly some members of the community who view Senior Airman Fortson’s death within a context of encounters nationally involving law enforcement,” the State Attorney's office said. “Those reactions should not be dismissed.”

Duran was fired after an internal sheriff’s office investigation later determined his life was not in danger when he shot Fortson.

Duran’s attorney, Rod Smith, said the shooting was a police officer safety issue and that Duran went to Fortson’s apartment “to find out what was going on based on a complaint from a neighbor.”

“None of this needed to happen,” Smith told The Associated Press on Friday. “(Fortson) absolutely knew a police officer was at the door. Deputy Duran, himself, was also a victim of a terrible tragedy. He had followed his training. The guy answered the door with a semiautomatic pistol in his hand.”

It is highly unusual for Florida law enforcement officers to be charged for an on-duty killing — it has only happened four times in the last 35 years before Fortson's killing. Even then, only one of those officers was convicted.

“Deputies perform essential and often dangerous work every day, and are entitled to the same presumption of innocence and fair process as everyone else accused of a crime,” the State Attorney’s office said. "At the same time, the authority to use deadly force must remain subject to independent review. Presenting disputed evidence to a jury is part of that accountability and is essential to public trust.”

Fortson’s killing renewed looks at controversial “Stand Your Ground” laws in Florida and some other states where gun owners can claim self-defense after carrying out shootings. Critics have denounced them as “shoot first” laws that have created a climate of vigilantism in which gun owners operate with impunity in largely killing Black people.

Fortson carried his legally owned handgun to the door of his apartment after hearing banging noises that ended up being a sheriff’s deputy. It was the deputy who opened fire, not Fortson.

A federal civil rights lawsuit was filed last year by Fortson's family against Duran, Sheriff Eric Aden and others, according to Ben Crump, a prominent attorney who represents the family in the lawsuit.

“This is a painful moment for everyone who loved Roger Fortson, and his family is heartbroken," Crump said in a statement. “His family has lived with that loss every day for more than two years, and this verdict is incredibly hard for them.”

___

Williams reported from Detroit.

Trump is stumping for Republican candidates, including Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who is running against former Democratic Sen. Doug Jones for Alabama governor, and state Rep. Rhett Marques, who is seeking to flip Alabama’s newly redrawn 2nd Congressional District. The rally at the University of South Alabama will also give Trump the chance to be surrounded by some of his most loyal supporters as he confronts dismal poll numbers and growing pessimism from his party about their chances of holding onto the House and Senate in November.

“I'm going because you have to thank these states that are with you 1,000% and I haven't been there in a while and I want to just thank 'em,” Trump told reporters as he departed the White House Thursday. “I go there because they want to see me there.”

A nostalgic venue

Trump held his first mega-rally in Mobile more than a decade ago, drawing what some estimated to be 30,000 people to a college football stadium. The huge crowd made clear that Trump was more than a celebrity candidate and had the potential to make waves in the 2016 primary.

On Friday, supporters began lining up early on a hot, humid Alabama day for the chance to hear the president speak.

They included Patrick Burch, 27, who drove from Huntsville, Alabama and said concerns about the rising cost of living didn't bother him.

“The way I see it, at the end of the day, if I gotta pay a little more, a couple dollars extra here and there in order for my kids to be safe in the future and to make sure Iran isn’t nuclear or anything like that, then I’m ok with that,” he said. “It don’t hurt me one bit.”

“He’s Trump. He’s doing what he wants to. We don’t dictate or hold him accountable, even if something does screw up,” said Bikers for Trump’s R.C. “Casper” Pittman, 73, from Milton, Florida. “Love my president. Been with him ever since he walked down the steps. And there ain’t no reason to give up on him now.”

Scott Carpenter, 64, from nearby Citronelle, said he wasn't impacted by rising fuel prices because he doesn't drive much these days, but said record high diesel prices were hitting some friends hard.

“They don’t like it,” he said. “They’re very upset. They love Donald Trump. They just want the diesel price to come down.” As for the rally, he said: “For him to come here, he had to be a little nervous. Or some of the other places really didn’t want him to come."

The rally also drew protesters, including Elijah Splitt, 22, a graduate student at the school who said he was a member of the Revolutionary Party for Socialism and Liberation.

“We have a bunch of students who are very upset, who are very agitated, who are angry that the university administration would allow the Republicans to hold their midterm rally here and to also invite the president of the United States,” he said, calling the rally “a last-ditch effort” by the president to “boost morale amongst Republican voters.”

Trump is planning an aggressive travel schedule between now and November, with trips to the most competitive battlegrounds including Ohio and Texas. But his decision to start his tour in deep red states that have garnered relatively little attention this election cycle underscores the challenges he faces.

Alabama is friendly turf as voters have soured on Trump

While Trump maintains a loyal base of supporters who turn out when he is on the ballot, he has become increasingly toxic. A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research this week found that only about 3 in 10 U.S. adults approve of how Trump is handling his job as president. And when it comes to the economy, most blame him for rising prices.

Trump, however, has repeatedly dismissed concerns about high costs and gas prices as his unpopular war in Iran drags on.

Friday night's rally will offer Republicans the optics of a large, cheering crowd as they try to build enthusiasm. Speakers included Tuberville and Republican Rep. Barry Moore, who is running for Tuberville's seat.

Moore polled the crowd on how many attendees had been to Trump's 2015 rally in Mobile.

“Do you still stand with him today?” he asked. “When he gets here tonight, y'all stand with him. Let him know we love him. Let him know we need him. And let him know we're not going to let him down.”

While Republicans remain the heavy favorites in Alabama’s statewide campaigns, they face a more challenging political landscape this year, despite redistricting efforts.

Mobile is near Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District, where Democratic Rep. Shomari Figures is trying to fend off a challenge from Trump-backed Marques after its lines were redrawn to be more red as part of a larger effort to help the party keep control of the U.S. House.

The district is one of several Democratic-leaning districts across the South that were reshaped to Republican advantage after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling this year that severely weakened the Voting Rights Act, a Civil Rights-era law that has increased minority representation in Congress and elsewhere. Figures was first elected to the House in 2024, giving Alabama two Black representatives for the first time in its history.

Trump's rally will also reach Florida voters

Mobile is also next to Florida’s panhandle, a Republican stronghold. Party officials hope the rally will help to bolster Trump-backed candidates there, including Republican Rep. Byron Donalds, who is running for governor.

In a meeting on Capitol Hill this week, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles told GOP senators that Trump would be campaigning aggressively until the Nov. 3 midterms, with events almost every day.

Friday's rally was also highlighting the recent approval of the $3.2 billion Mobile River Bridge and Bayway project, which Gov. Kay Ivey office's calls the largest transportation project in Alabama history and necessary to support Alabama’s Gulf Coast region and beyond.

Speaking before Trump's arrival, Moore proposed naming it the Donald J. Trump Bridge.

___

Colvin reported from New York. Associated Press writer Kim Chandler contributed to this report from Montgomery, Ala.

The decision by the Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC aligned with top Senate Republicans, was disclosed Friday by four people with direct knowledge of the situation who insisted on anonymity to discuss internal strategy.

The shifting resources signal a lack of confidence that Michael Whatley, a former Republican National Committee chairman who was President Donald Trump’s choice to run for Senate in North Carolina, can beat Democratic former Gov. Roy Cooper.

“I am worried about him,” Trump told reporters Friday as he was departing for a campaign rally in Alabama. “I hope he wins.”

The moves offer a stark sign of how dramatically the Senate map has shifted just a month before midterm elections that will determine control of Congress. Republicans entered the cycle believing they had more opportunities to flip Democratic-held seats than they had incumbents at serious risk. Now they are dumping money into states where Trump won comfortably two years ago.

Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall, a Republican seeking a second term, is facing a challenge from Democratic nominee Adam Hamilton, the leader of the nation’s largest United Methodist Church. The Senate Leadership Fund has reserved nearly $8.2 million in advertising to support Marshall over the next month, according to AdImpact, a significant investment in a state Trump won by nearly 16 percentage points in the last presidential election.

Marshall has reserved another $2.3 million and is supported by another $500,000 from other groups. By comparison, Hamilton has reserved just $590,000 in advertising, and he's receiving only a little more than $556,000 in outside help.

Warning signs for Republican incumbent in Kansas

Marshall won his first Senate race by more than 11 percentage points in 2020, the year Democrat Joe Biden defeated Trump for president. However, higher fuel costs and other economic concerns have made the state more competitive than Republicans had expected.

“Kansas farmers — including Republicans — are devastated by the war in Iran driving up diesel prices,” said Jeanna Repass, chair of the Kansas Democratic Party.

Former Kansas Gov. Mike Hayden, a Republican, announced Friday that he was endorsing Hamilton. He is the second Republican former governor of Kansas to back the Democrat, after Bill Graves endorsed Hamilton on Sept. 23.

Lauren French, a spokesperson for the Senate Majority PAC, the Democrats' spending arm, said in a statement that “Republicans are scrambling because they know” Hamilton can win.

Marshall's campaign did not provide comment directly responding to the new spending on his behalf.

Sen. Tim Scott, who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee, acknowledged Wednesday that “Kansas is a very competitive state." He said he expects Marshall to win but it will be “closer than I want it to be.”

Hamilton is giving Democrats hope

A Democrat hasn’t won a Senate race in Kansas since 1932 and hasn’t come within 10 points since 1974.

Last week in Topeka, scores of people packed into a coffee shop to see Hamilton. Dozens more waited outside on the sidewalk.

Ryan Verthein, a 40-year-old Topeka resident who repairs guitars and vintage electronics, plans to support Hamilton and considers himself a Democrat after years as an unaffiliated voter.

He's concerned that Republicans could drag Hamilton down with political attacks.

“The negativity in Republican campaigning has done really well for them the past many years,” he said.

Ellen Johnson, 42, the lead organizer for Indivisible Topeka, a group involved in anti-Trump rallies, tends to like more progressive candidates than Hamilton, but he won her over.

“I have high hopes for him,” she said.

Democratic state Rep. Alexis Simmons of Topeka said she believes that Hamilton can win, saying "my skepticism is gone.” She was energized by what she saw as a strong performance during Hamilton's debate with Marshall on Sept. 12 at the Kansas State Fair.

“He’s responsive to the public and has done a good job of reflecting Kansas values of hard work, humility and kindness in his policies," she said.

Senate Republicans lose faith in North Carolina

The Senate Leadership Fund had planned to spend $18 million in North Carolina over the next month, according to reservations tracked by AdImpact. The group has already spent about $32 million there.

Trump campaigned with Whatley last month, saying higher fuel prices were “a very inexpensive price to pay” for preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Though gas prices are near historic highs, they remain below the nationwide record set in 2022.

Trump won North Carolina by just over 3 percentage points in 2024. Republicans have held both of the state’s Senate seats since 2015, even as Cooper won two terms as governor and served from 2017 to 2025.

Jeff Allen, campaign manager for Cooper, said in a statement that they remain focused on “building a campaign to earn every vote.”

Whatley's team defended his chances.

"We feel confident we have the resources to highlight Career Politician Roy Cooper’s 40 Years of Failures and win in November,” campaign spokesman DJ Griffin said in a statement.

There's more trouble for the party further south in Georgia. Although Republicans were eager to dislodge Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff this year, they're despairing about the chances of their nominee in the race, U.S. Rep. Mike Collins.

“I don’t think he’s got much of a shot,” Tim Waters, Peach County Republican Party chair, previously said.

It won't be easy for Democrats

Winning the Senate majority could still prove difficult for Democrats. They would need to defeat multiple Republican incumbents in states like Ohio, Maine and Alaska, and there are some concerns that Democrats could fall short in New Hampshire.

The party is also facing a tidal wave of Republican cash, much of it connected to Trump's deep-pocketed political organization.

Semafor was first to report the shift in spending from North Carolina and Kansas.

___

Beaumont reported from Des Moines, Iowa, and Cappelletti reported from Washington. Steve Peoples in New York and Lisa Mascaro and Collin Binkley in Washington contributed to this report.

Conanan buys thoroughbred yearlings annually for his Next Level Stables, and after his young son kept asking about the player known as “Johnny Hockey,” he pledged to name a racehorse after Gaudreau. After going to school in the Columbus, Ohio, area where Gaudreau played his final two seasons with the Blue Jackets, Devon Bradley of Bradley Thoroughbreds had the same idea.

On Saturday, the horses — Johnny Hockey and Gaudreau — will run in the same race at Belmont Park.

“Is that not bananas?” Bradley said.

The winner out of the field of six in the Grade 1 Champagne qualifies for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile for 2-year-olds, the championship race that sometimes provides a sneak peek at the Kentucky Derby contenders the following spring.

“Hopefully we can run 1-2 this weekend, either way,” Conanan said. “I know Johnny’s looking down and he sees it.”

Johnny Gaudreau becomes a namesake twice

These two colts were born roughly a month apart in the winter of 2024. Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, died the night of Aug. 29, 2024, when they were struck riding their bicycles near their hometown in New Jersey on the eve of their sister Katie's wedding in a tragedy that transcended sports.

Bradley was struck by all the great things that people said about Johnny and registered the names Johnny Hockey and Gaudreau with the Jockey Club.

Watching U.S. players at the Olympics bring Gaudreau's children on to the ice and skate around with his No. 13 jersey after winning gold in Milan was even more inspiration to use one of them. When she forgot to pay to re-up after a year and went to name the son of Nyquist — also a hockey connection for Swedish player Gustav Nyquist — and Free Cover, she saw that Johnny Hockey was already taken.

So, she went with Gaudreau for the strapping horse Bradley Thoroughbreds owns along with Tanglewood Thoroughbreds, Thirty Year Racing, Rodeo Creek Racing, Laura Leigh Stable and Swift Thoroughbreds.

“We needed a strong name: We needed a name that has some meaning, something to kind of give your horse just an extra oomph,” Bradley said. “We just felt like it fit, and I guess the rest is history."

Conanan asked the trainer at his farm in Ocala, Florida, which horse he liked best. The answer made it an easy call.

“He goes, ‘Vin, this horse always tries hard and has a big heart,’” Conanan recalled. “I was like, ‘You know what, I’ll name this one after Johnny.’ Because Johnny as a kid, he wasn’t the biggest player, but he had the biggest heart. So, I was, like, ‘This horse, I think he’s going to be the one.’"

Johnny Hockey and Gaudreau face off

Gaudreau won his debut Aug. 8 at Saratoga Race Course. The very next day at Monmouth Park on the Jersey shore, Johnny Hockey picked up his first victory in his fifth try.

“My hopes are very high on the horse,” Conanan said. “(Trainer) Antonio Arriaga tells me, he goes: ‘The horse trains unbelievable. He just wants to keep going. He doesn’t stop. He wants to keep going around the track.’"

Gaudreau has Chad Brown, a five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer, overseeing his career, with acclaimed jockey Flavien Prat riding. Based on pedigree and performance, the expectations are lofty after just one race.

“I’m thankful that this horse looks like he’s the real deal,” Bradley said. “Hopefully, it’ll bring light to, and kind of continue on, Johnny Gaudreau’s and Matthew Gaudreau’s legacies.”

Gaudreau opened as the second choice on the morning line for the Champagne at odds of 8-5, behind 3-5 favorite U.S.S. Valor. Johnny Hockey is a 30-1 long shot.

Conanan wants to invite Johnny and Matthew's parents, Guy and Jane Gaudreau, to the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky, later this fall if his horse pulls off the upset.

"This horse is something special," Conanan said. “I know he’ll go out there and do his best, the same way Johnny would.”

___

See AP’s full horse racing coverage here

The 49th annual awards are set to take place at Washington's downtown arena, a Kennedy Center spokesperson said Friday. Few other details were immediately available, and an explanation for the change wasn't given.

The center's board voted last month to close the iconic performing arts venue along the Potomac River waterfront after a federal judge blocked the institution from returning Trump's name to the building.

Trump has said in social media posts that the center needed to close for safety repairs. But he said the repairs would only happen if the board was allowed to move forward with plans to add his name to the building.

A federal judge has twice said that can’t happen without the approval of Congress, which has allocated $257 million for repairs.

The president hosted the 2025 awards, whose honorees included Sylvester Stallone and George Strait. He said at the time that he would rename the facility the “Trump Kennedy Center,” and not long after workers began adding his name to the building.

The board of trustees, named by Trump, voted unanimously for the change, which has been challenged in court since.

Congress named the performing arts center as a living memorial to John F. Kennedy in 1964, the year after he was assassinated.

The law explicitly prohibits the board of trustees from making the center into a memorial to anyone else, and from putting another person’s name on the building’s exterior.

The Kennedy Center Honors, which recognize people for lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts, was established in 1978. The 2026 honorees are set to be named at a later day, the center's spokesperson said. The event will take place on Dec. 7.

Job Listing: STAFF ACCOUNTANT

WPLG, a top television station in the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale market, is looking for a versatile, take-charge professional who can execute a broad range of functions. This role performs various duties and multi-tasks across day-to-day Operations, Accounts Receivable and Payroll & Benefits. It involves meticulous planning, coordination of resources, and clear communication to optimize outcomes.

Operations Accounting (interacts with Controller and Operations Accountant):

· Process and apply daily cash receipts accurately. Prepare supporting documentation to ensure a complete audit trail for journal entries.

· Reconcile daily traffic logs and prepare daily sales pacing reports.

· Assist with Capital Expenditures by compiling monthly fixed asset records from vendor payable system.

· Assist in gathering records for fixed asset additions, disposals, reconciliations, and supporting schedules.

· Update monthly journal entries and support schedules.

· Calculate monthly accruals, prepaid expenses, music fees, depreciation and amortization schedules.

· Scan monthly journal entries and support to a shared drive.

· Update excel pivot tables from bank account downloads which are then used to prepare reports for cash disbursement journal entry.

· Reconcile bank accounts and investigate discrepancies in a timely manner.

· Assist with petty cash and safe count reconciliations.

· Collaborate with accounting team on special projects and process improvement initiatives.

Accounts Receivable (interacts with AR Manager):

· Prepare and calculate monthly Local Commissions to send to Sales Managers. Process updates, prepare chargebacks & send them to AR Manager.

· Prepare and calculate monthly National Commissions to send to AR Manager.

· Accounts Receivable Duties

• Apply cash received via ACH, checks, and credit cards.
• Identify and research financial discrepancies & issues, communicate with sales and customers to resolve.
• Prepare monthly Sales Adjustments (credits, debits, refunds, write-offs and misc. adjustments) and update YTD tracker.
• Scan monthly AR records and support to a shared drive.
• Submit required Remedy Tickets and track unpaid invoices over 45 days to resubmit those.

Payroll & Benefits (interacts with HR hub):

· Integrate into the existing payroll hub to process payroll biweekly, including tracking PTO (paid time off).

· Generate biweekly payroll related reports including 401-k contributions.

· Review, reconcile (vs. employee contributions), and approve benefit vendor invoices for payment. Follow up with vendors for discrepancies.

· Gather supporting documentation to complete 401-K and Worker’s Comp. audits.

· Monthly update of EEO record to complete annual EEO Public File Report documenting list of open positions, recruitment sources and activities.

· Maintain and update employee personnel files and forms.

· Remove terminated employee files and organize in storage

· Enter COBRA information for terminated employees.

· Post job openings to external recruitment sources.

· Update new employee power point email and health & wellness census

· Clerical Duties / Admin. Support (e.g. process employee IDs and access cards, filing, copying, emails, password resets, phone calls, employee birthday cards, maintaining and purge storage room documents and supplies.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

· Understanding and knowledge of accounting terms, journal entries and financial statements. Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance required.

· Fluency in Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint); Pivot tables a plus.

· Maintain confidentiality of information exposed to during business process regarding executives, managers, supervisors and other employees.

· Ability to manage multiple projects concurrently in a fast-paced environment and demonstrate a sense of urgency.

· Proven ability to meet deadlines and remain flexible under pressure.

· Solid written and oral communication and interpersonal skills.

· Meticulous attention to detail to ensure accuracy and consistency.

· Must have unrestricted work authorization to work in the United States.

WORK ENVIRONMENT and PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

· Requires continuous visual ability on computers for extended periods.

· Requires sitting, stooping, bending and lifting to 25 lbs.

· Ability to work evenings during Open Enrollment Registration, Special Projects or as required.

***All essential functions of this position are not necessarily described in this posting.

***We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and will consider all qualified candidates regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, marital status, disability, or political affiliation. Any offer of employment is conditioned on successful completion of a pre-employment drug screening, investigative background check, employment/education verifications, and reference checks. A Valid driver’s license is required.

Please follow link below to apply for Staff Accountant Position:

https://jobs.dayforcehcm.com/en-US/wplg/CANDIDATEPORTAL/jobs/9065

WPLG/TV

3401 W. Hallandale Beach Blvd.

Pembroke Park, FL 33023

No phone calls please.

Leer en español

Local 10’s Good News South Florida teamed up with the three-time NBA champions to welcome the nonprofit Mentoring Miracles and foster youth from Genesis Hopeful Haven and His House Children’s Home to the Kaseya Center.

The teens received an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour of the Heat’s home court, taking them through areas including the locker room and practice court and getting an up-close look at the team’s three championship trophies.

“It’s important to us to be able to pass our knowledge down to students in the community and really be pillars for anybody who needs us,” said Salinah On Yeugo, a media specialist with the Miami Heat.

Mentoring Miracles was founded by teenage twin sisters Marianne and Constanza Dominguez with a goal of introducing young people to different career possibilities.

“The purpose of Mentoring Miracles is to expose them to different careers and inspire [them] to choose one that we show them,” Marianne said.

Local 10 first introduced viewers to Mentoring Miracles in July, when the group visited the station’s studios in Pembroke Park.

For some of the foster youth joining them at the Kaseya Center, the Heat tour provided another new experience.

“Those first-time experiences are incredible for our children,” said David Castrillon, development director for His House Children’s Home. “This today was a first-time experience for them and I think many of them are walking away in awe.”

Alonzo Mourning shares a personal message

The experience went beyond touring the arena.

The young people also met Miami Heat legend Alonzo Mourning, the team’s vice president of player programs and development, who shared his own experiences and spoke about fame, family and faith.

“I want you all to repeat after me: We are all here because of the contributions of others,” Mourning told the group.

Mourning also shared a connection with some of the young people in the room.

“I grew up like a lot of you all,” he said. “I grew up in foster care.”

Mourning told the teens that his accomplishments on the basketball court are not what matters most to him now.

“None of that stuff — points, basketball,” Mourning said. “What matters is how I live my life now.”

He also spoke about his faith and helping others before leaving the group with a challenge for their own futures.

“Dream big and I want you to chase your dreams and make them goals,” Mourning said.

Constanza said Mourning’s story demonstrated to the young people that their backgrounds do not have to determine what they can accomplish.

“Alonzo’s words were really moving,” she said. “As someone who also grew up in the foster care system and was able to reach the NBA, it just shows those kids that no matter what your background is, no matter where you come from, you can always achieve your dreams and goals.”

The teens ended the experience with a message of their own: “Thank you, Miami Heat.”

The Heat will face the Toronto Raptors for the pre-season opener Saturday at 7 p.m. and the game will air on Local 10 -- the home of the Heat.

If you want to watch that and other Heat games, just download the Local 10 Plus Platinum app on your smart TV or phone. It’s free!

• To donate: If you’d like to make a monetary donation toward a Good News South Florida story or project, click here. Local 10 has established the Local 10 Fund with The Miami Foundation and 100% of your donation will go toward the cause you designate in the “additional information” box.
• To volunteer or submit a story idea: If you’d like to volunteer for a Good News South Florida project or would like to submit a story for consideration, email goodnews@local10.com.

Good News South Florida airs Fridays on the Local 10 morning news at 10 a.m. It will encore Fridays at 3:30 p.m. and Sunday mornings, beginning at 6 a.m.

Good News South Florida de Local 10 se unió a los tres veces campeones de la NBA para recibir a la organización sin fines de lucro Mentoring Miracles y a jóvenes en hogares de acogida de Genesis Hopeful Haven y His House Children’s Home en el Kaseya Center.

Los adolescentes recibieron un recorrido exclusivo detrás de escena de la cancha local del Heat, que los llevó por áreas como el vestuario y la cancha de entrenamiento, además de permitirles ver de cerca los tres trofeos de campeonato del equipo.

“Es importante para nosotros poder transmitir nuestros conocimientos a los estudiantes de la comunidad y realmente ser pilares para cualquiera que nos necesite”, dijo Salinah On Yeugo, especialista en medios del Miami Heat.

Mentoring Miracles fue fundada por las hermanas gemelas adolescentes Marianne y Constanza Dominguez con el objetivo de presentar a los jóvenes diferentes posibilidades profesionales.

“El propósito de Mentoring Miracles es exponerlos a diferentes carreras e inspirarlos a elegir una de las que les mostramos”, dijo Marianne.

Local 10 presentó por primera vez a los espectadores a Mentoring Miracles en julio, cuando el grupo visitó los estudios de la estación en Pembroke Park.

Para algunos de los jóvenes en hogares de acogida que se unieron a ellos en el Kaseya Center, el recorrido del Heat fue otra nueva experiencia.

“Esas experiencias por primera vez son increíbles para nuestros niños”, dijo David Castrillon, director de desarrollo de His House Children’s Home. “Esto fue una experiencia por primera vez para ellos y creo que muchos de ellos se van maravillados”.

Alonzo Mourning comparte un mensaje personal

La experiencia fue más allá de recorrer la arena.

Los jóvenes también conocieron a la leyenda del Miami Heat Alonzo Mourning, vicepresidente de programas y desarrollo de jugadores del equipo, quien compartió sus propias experiencias y habló sobre la fama, la familia y la fe.

“Quiero que todos repitan después de mí: Todos estamos aquí gracias a las contribuciones de los demás”, dijo Mourning al grupo.

Mourning también compartió una conexión con algunos de los jóvenes presentes.

“Yo crecí como muchos de ustedes”, dijo. “Crecí en hogares de acogida”.

Mourning les dijo a los adolescentes que sus logros en la cancha de baloncesto no son lo que más le importa ahora.

“Nada de eso —puntos, baloncesto”, dijo Mourning. “Lo que importa es cómo vivo mi vida ahora”.

También habló sobre su fe y ayudar a los demás antes de dejar al grupo con un desafío para su propio futuro.

“Dream big and I want you to chase your dreams and make them goals”, dijo Mourning.

Constanza dijo que la historia de Mourning demostró a los jóvenes que sus antecedentes no tienen que determinar lo que pueden lograr.

“Las palabras de Alonzo fueron realmente conmovedoras”, dijo. “Como alguien que también creció en el sistema de hogares de acogida y pudo llegar a la NBA, eso simplemente demuestra a esos niños que, sin importar cuál sea su origen, sin importar de dónde vengan, siempre pueden alcanzar sus sueños y metas”.

Los adolescentes terminaron la experiencia con un mensaje propio: “Gracias, Miami Heat”.

El Heat enfrentará a los Toronto Raptors en el partido inaugural de pretemporada el sábado a las 7 p.m. y el partido se transmitirá por Local 10, el hogar del Heat.

Si quieres ver ese y otros partidos del Heat, simplemente descarga la aplicación Local 10 Plus Platinum en tu televisor inteligente o teléfono. ¡Es gratis!

• Para donar: Si deseas hacer una donación monetaria para una historia o proyecto de Good News South Florida, haz clic aquí. Local 10 estableció el Local 10 Fund con The Miami Foundation y el 100% de tu donación se destinará a la causa que designes en el cuadro de “información adicional”.
• Para ser voluntario o enviar una idea para una historia: Si deseas ser voluntario para un proyecto de Good News South Florida o enviar una historia para consideración, escribe a goodnews@local10.com.

Good News South Florida se transmite los viernes en las noticias matutinas de Local 10 a las 10 a.m. Se retransmitirá los viernes a las 3:30 p.m. y los domingos por la mañana, a partir de las 6 a.m.

Leer en español

• ‘I am totally innocent:’ Rapper Rick Ross released from jail after being accused of beating, choking ex-girlfriend in Miami Beach
• Police: Video shows baby and 3 kids home alone in North Miami Beach while mother was on cruise ship
• R&B singer Jacquees arrested in Hollywood after being found passed out in vehicle, police say
• Carnegie Mellon announces new Miami campus after historic $3 billion gift from Ken Griffin
• Teen and mother talk about attack involving 7 at Broward school football game
• Father says he called police after finding 4 children alone while mother was on cruise
• Suspect arrested in hit-and-run that killed 10-year-old girl, injured her brother in northwest Miami-Dade
• Feds accuse Miami-Dade corrections officer in organized jail drug-smuggling, gambling operation
• South Florida siblings’ Subway bribery scheme cost franchisees $80 million, feds say
• New Florida laws take effect, bringing changes for drivers, renters and criminal penalties

“The Portland Trail Blazers have zero tolerance for racist, sexist, or harmful comments,” the team said in a statement Thursday night. “Social media posts made by our recently announced play-by-play broadcaster are in clear violation of team and league policies, as well as our values and expectations. Therefore, we will not be moving forward with this broadcaster.”

Bell had been the play-by-play announcer for the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and the G League’s Valley Suns before the Trail Blazers announced they had hired him on Thursday to replace longtime broadcaster Kevin Calabro.

Hours after the 29-year-old Bell was hired, posts surfaced that Bell made on his X account in 2012 and 2013, when the platform was known as Twitter. The posts were first reported by KGW-TV in Portland.

Bell apologized in a social media post Friday.

“I am deeply sorry for the language that I used on Twitter. These tweets, while wrong, were written by me 14 years ago while I was only 15 years old and have no reflection of who I am today,” he said. “I do not take lightly any harm it causes now. I regret this being my first impression to many of you online, but I can take solace in knowing that the people who truly know me understand that this is not the kind of person I am. Again, I’d like to apologize to anyone who was hurt by my words and will continue to always treat people with kindness and respect.”

The Blazers said in a statement: “We did not meet our own bar in this process, and for that we apologize to Blazers fans and to Rip City. We believe strongly that everyone who is a part of Rip City should feel welcome and safe and we will make sure that our new broadcaster reflects these values. We will do better.”

___

See AP’s full NBA coverage here

• Rick Ross se declara “totalmente inocente” al salir bajo fianza
• Policía: Video muestra a bebé y tres niños solos en su casa en North Miami Beach mientras su madre estaba en un crucero
• Arrestan a cantante de R&B Jacquees en Hollywood tras encontrarlo inconsciente dentro de vehículo, según policía
• Donación de $3,000 millones trae Carnegie Mellon a Miami
• Adolescente y madre hablan sobre ataque que involucró a siete personas en partido de fútbol americano de escuela de Broward
• Padre niega haberle tendido una trampa a madre acusada de abandonar a sus hijos para irse a crucero
• Arrestan sospechoso de atropello con fuga en que muere niña de 10 años y resulta herido su hermano al noroeste de Miami-Dade
• Acusan a carcelero de meter drogas en cárceles de Miami-Dade
• Acusan a hermanos del sur de Florida de estafa en Subway
• ¿Conduces o rentas en Florida? Estos cambios en las leyes te interesan

The extravagant show was attended by Catherine Deneuve, Kate Moss, Hailey Bieber and Rami Malek, while elsewhere at Paris Fashion Week Jennifer Lopez watched from Stella McCartney’s rain-soaked gardens. Rihanna turned out for the upstarts at Matières Fécales, the conceptual fashion house whose name translates as “fecal matter.” There, the finale sent a woman in a gold lamé gown across a Paris protest square carrying two slumped dummies of white men in suits.

Whatever luxury's financial troubles, Paris retained its ability to assemble stellar front rows and Instagram-ready staging.

Midway through spring-summer 2027, shows crystallized into three stories: glamour on a grand scale; a great undressing that stripped all the way down to a pale pink thong beneath a coat that can top $33,000; and an industry working couture technique into T-shirts and jeans — all while asking itself, nervously, who all of this is for.

A farewell at Saint Laurent? Gold glitters as luxury loses its crown.

“Was it an adieu?” one front row guest asked.

Marking a decade at the house, designer Anthony Vaccarello dispensed with his customary interviews and let a retrospective-tinged collection carry the occasion.

No departure was announced — but the guessing fit the mood of an industry swapping designers at a frantic clip in search of growth.

Last month, cosmetics giant L’Oréal overtook LVMH as France’s most valuable listed company. It's the first time since 2017 that a non-luxury company has topped the Paris bourse.

Saint Laurent’s parent Kering has returned to growth after a bruising downturn, but Balenciaga remains under pressure behind the runway gloss.

Saint Laurent on Tuesday night featured gold — and it was almost the whole story: brittle, fluid, translucent or densely worked.

Gold, of course, is exactly what Kering wants from this house.

Saint Laurent, the group’s second-biggest label, is growing again on strong American and European demand, hauling the load while Gucci struggles to reverse years of falling sales.

Safari jackets and trenches came in crinkled metallic cottons. Cocktail dresses featured glinting lace, cropped jackets in brocade. Stilettos stood on serpent-shaped heels.

Then came the black finale, led by supermodel Anja Rubik — a reversal of Yves Saint Laurent’s all-gold closing sequence in 1991.

Chloé shows off textural details; peplum makes a comeback

Two days later, Chloé approached excess through texture.

Chemena Kamali piled broderie anglaise with lace, pearls and tassels, and sent out rainwear and long-brimmed fishermen’s hats in vivid colors.

The question was how much decoration Chloé’s promise of easy dressing could carry.

McCartney’s show, meanwhile, rewarded its damp audience — Lopez under an umbrella among them — with easy tailoring, coral-like knitted forms and airbrushed dolphins on denim.

Sculptural hems and peplums gave the clothes an underwater buoyancy, while naturalist David Attenborough’s voice supplied the ocean-conservation message.

The peplum was one of the week’s quiet constants, turning up sculpted here and stitched into shirting at Balenciaga.

Air was the week’s other quiet constant, and Issey Miyake built a collection on it: dancers opened Satoshi Kondo’s show Friday by billowing a vast cloth to live piano, before balloon-twisted dresses and nylon forms that inhaled with every step floated past — what the house calls ma, “the space in between” body and garment.

Underwear and skimpy swimsuits at some shows

Underwear was doing an increasing share of the dressing.

At Tom Ford, Haider Ackermann staged a particularly playful display: sharp tailoring accompanied by bare chests, fishnet, severely reduced swimwear and silk robes. Black swimsuits were more geometry than garment.

A male model in a sweater and pale pink thong carried a vicuña coat — the world’s most expensive wool, which can run to over $33,000 a coat — draped over a weekend bag.

From corsets to cages

At Balmain, Antonin Tron built a stronger second outing around midcentury backstage photographs and their air of glamorous half-dress: corset bodices, garters swinging from miniskirts, bras under shrunken satin bombers, eel skin and animal-patterned jacquards.

Simulated rain lashed the covered windows of Karl Lagerfeld’s former mansion. Printing, embroidery and sequins gave the surfaces depth, though their richness sometimes competed with the sensual draping.

Even Rick Owens went boudoir, on his own terms: on a ramp across the Palais de Tokyo’s reflecting pool, he sent out stone-colored column gowns, spiked tulle, crystal-laden footwear and full-body constructions of tulle and elastic.

The cages turned literal at Courrèges, where Drew Henry’s debut broke up its neon tailoring with floral bra tops, flower-dotted cage jumpsuits and hotpants.

Couture details give a luxury feel to everyday garments

The question beneath it all was harder to stage: in a downturn, how does luxury justify itself?

Pierpaolo Piccioli’s answer at Balenciaga was technique.

Dense rows of stitching shaped a white shirt into a fitted waist and flaring peplum.

A T-shirt received a similar treatment. Jeans were cut on the bias — diagonally across the fabric — to change their fall.

The collection made a persuasive case for putting couture knowledge to everyday use.

Loewe, marking its 180th year, answered more plainly still: fewer technical fireworks, more supple leather and glass-bead dresses — clothes made to be worn rather than talked about.

Luxury’s answer to the squeeze? Not lower prices — but craft moved into the clothes people live in, so the cost feels earned.

Matières Fécales storms the squar

e

The new it-brand took over Paris' protest area, Place de la République, for a show titled “The 99 Percent.”

The collection brought together sari-inspired draping, shredded denim and figures styled to evoke masked demonstrators.

While public access was part of the idea, the irony was hard to miss: 99% of the world cannot afford Matières Fécales’ clothes.

The 99% have been voting with their wallets: pinched by inflation and prices up some 20% in two years, around 60 million customers have abandoned luxury since 2022, according to consultants Bain & Company — which warns even the wealthy clients who remain feel “betrayed.”

Paris had demonstrated how to make people look, but it's the clothes, the industry hopes, that will persuade them to spend.

San Miguel —que fue acusada de traición a la patria, conspiración, terrorismo y asociación para delinquir— indicó en sus redes sociales que el Tribunal Tercero de Primera Instancia dictó una sentencia “declarándome libre de toda responsabilidad penal respecto a los cargos formulados en mi contra".

Agregó que “esta decisión ratifica lo que sostuve desde el primer día de mi detención, el 9 de febrero de 2024: soy inocente”, resaltó la activista hispano venezolana.

La víspera el fiscal general Larry Devoe señaló que el Ministerio Público había pedido la absolución de San Miguel y otras tres personas luego de “un análisis objetivo de los hechos y las pruebas”.

San Miguel —experta en seguridad, asuntos militares y defensa— fue una de las primeras liberadas tras la captura de Maduro en enero en una audaz acción militar estadounidense y después del anuncio de la presidenta encargada Delcy Rodríguez de que excarcelaría a un grupo importante de presos políticos. Posteriormente, y con la anuencia del gobierno venezolano, se trasladó a España.

La activista indicó entonces que su excarcelación no se trataba de una libertad plena, sino de una medida cautelar sustitutiva de la prisión.

San Miguel regresó a Venezuela en mayo con el propósito de dar impulso al cierre de su caso en el marco de la Ley de Amnistía que posibilita la liberación masiva de presos por motivos políticos. Esa legislación contempla que aquellos que están en el exilio pueden solicitar la amnistía en los tribunales a través de un representante legal y en la práctica permitió que no fuesen encarcelados a su regreso mientras sus casos eran sometidos a revisión.

San Miguel, de 60 años, estuvo detenida en El Helicoide, una cárcel que funcionaba en una de las sedes del Servicio Bolivariano de Inteligencia Nacional y que originalmente contenía calabozos de corta estadía. Organizaciones de derechos humanos locales e internacionales, entre ellas Human Rights Watch, denunciaron en varios informes la práctica de torturas y otras formas de abuso físico y psicológico contra los detenidos en esa prisión. La presidenta en funciones ordenó recientemente cerrar El Helicoide.

La activista dirigió Control Ciudadano, una organización no gubernamental establecida a inicios de 2005 con el fin de promover y ejercer la contraloría ciudadana sobre asuntos de seguridad y defensa. Un año antes de la creación de esa organización San Miguel había sido despedida del gubernamental Consejo Nacional de Fronteras tras firmar una lista que buscaba activar un referendo para recortar el mandato del entonces presidente Hugo Chávez (1999-2013).

Cientos de personas denunciaron que luego de aparecer en esa lista fueron despedidos de sus cargos en el sector público.

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More than 75 bars are participating this year, ranging from neighborhood dives to high-end restaurants.

“It’s 31 days of October and during the 31 days we celebrate all the incredible beverage programs across Miami,” ¡Salud! Miami founder Joshua Wagner said. “Every participating account has a discounted cocktail menu until 10 p.m. And then on top of that, we offer a ton of unique hospitality experiences across the whole city.”

The idea is to give locals a more affordable way to explore Miami’s cocktail scene while encouraging them to try something new.

At American Social in Brickell, bar manager Drew Minson said the restaurant is featuring three cocktails as part of the celebration: the classic Aperol Spritz, the Americano Social and a Sardi Spritz.

“Starting with the Sardi, it’s light, it’s passion fruit, it’s watermelon,” Minson said.

The featured cocktails normally range from $14 to $16 on the regular menu, according to Minson. During ¡Salud! Miami, they are available for $10 throughout October.

The month-long event also comes as South Florida moves beyond its slower summer season, giving people another reason to head back out to Miami’s bars and restaurants.

This year, visitors can also pair their cocktails with Miami Spice, which has expanded into October for the first time in its 25-year history, according to Wagner.

¡Salud! Miami is also planning special events and hospitality experiences throughout the month.

“Every day we will have something going on,” Wagner said. “So follow us on Salud and let us give you a reason to get off your couch, go out and to sip, socialize and Salud.”

Click here for more information about ¡Salud! Miami and its participating locations.

Más de 75 bares participan este año, desde establecimientos de barrio hasta restaurantes de alta categoría.

“Son 31 días de octubre y durante los 31 días celebramos todos los increíbles programas de bebidas de Miami”, dijo Joshua Wagner, fundador de ¡Salud! Miami. “Cada establecimiento participante tiene un menú de cócteles con descuento hasta las 10 p.m. Y además de eso, ofrecemos un montón de experiencias únicas de hospitalidad en toda la ciudad”.

La idea es ofrecer a los residentes una forma más económica de explorar la escena de cócteles de Miami, al tiempo que los anima a probar algo nuevo.

En American Social, en Brickell, el gerente del bar Drew Minson dijo que el restaurante ofrece tres cócteles como parte de la celebración: el clásico Aperol Spritz, el Americano Social y un Sardi Spritz.

“Comenzando con el Sardi, es ligero, lleva maracuyá y sandía”, dijo Minson.

Los cócteles destacados normalmente cuestan entre $14 USD y $16 USD en el menú regular, según Minson. Durante ¡Salud! Miami, estarán disponibles por $10 USD durante todo octubre.

El evento de un mes también llega cuando el sur de Florida deja atrás su temporada de verano más lenta, lo que brinda a la gente otra razón para regresar a los bares y restaurantes de Miami.

Este año, los visitantes también pueden acompañar sus cócteles con Miami Spice, que se ha extendido hasta octubre por primera vez en sus 25 años de historia, según Wagner.

¡Salud! Miami también está planeando eventos especiales y experiencias de hospitalidad durante todo el mes.

“Todos los días tendremos algo sucediendo”, dijo Wagner. “Así que sígannos en Salud y déjennos darles una razón para levantarse del sofá, salir y beber, socializar y celebrar Salud”.

Haga clic aquí para obtener más información sobre ¡Salud! Miami y sus establecimientos participantes.

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Maximo Viani Otoni, 22, of Coconut Creek, was arrested on a grand theft charge on Thursday.

According to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, a collector had bought the Cooper Flagg card, valued at $3,500, from the store VIP Rips and requested expedited shipping.

But staff at the shop, located at 1245 S. Military Trail, couldn’t find it. A BSO arrest report states that through surveillance video, they found that Otoni was the last person to handle it.

Deputies said Otoni admitted to taking the card during a phone call and staffers found it in his mailbox. They said he then admitted he had three other trading cards: two Lionel Messi cards valued at $2,200 and $70, respectively, and a Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo autographed card valued at up to $2,000.

BSO investigators would eventually go to Otoni’s home, where they said he admitted to having six more trading cards, including another Flagg card worth about $2,200, an autographed Caitlin Clark card worth about $1,500 and a Dirk Nowitzki card worth about $2,200.

They said the 10 cards Otoni stole were valued at up to $17,220.

As of Friday morning, Otoni was being held in the BSO Main Jail. He had no listed bond.

Maximo Viani Otoni, de 22 años, de Coconut Creek, fue arrestado el jueves por un cargo de hurto mayor.

Según la Oficina del Sheriff de Broward, un coleccionista había comprado la tarjeta de Cooper Flagg, valorada en $3,500 USD, en la tienda VIP Rips y solicitó envío urgente.

Pero los empleados de la tienda, ubicada en 1245 S. Military Trail, no pudieron encontrarla. Un informe de arresto de la BSO indica que, mediante videos de vigilancia, descubrieron que Otoni había sido la última persona en manipularla.

Los agentes dijeron que Otoni admitió haber tomado la tarjeta durante una llamada telefónica y los empleados la encontraron en su buzón. Dijeron que luego admitió tener otras tres tarjetas coleccionables: dos tarjetas de Lionel Messi valoradas en $2,200 USD y $70 USD, respectivamente, y una tarjeta autografiada de Neymar y Cristiano Ronaldo valorada en hasta $2,000 USD.

Los investigadores de la BSO finalmente fueron a la casa de Otoni, donde dijeron que admitió tener seis tarjetas coleccionables más, incluida otra tarjeta de Flagg valorada en aproximadamente $2,200 USD, una tarjeta autografiada de Caitlin Clark valorada en aproximadamente $1,500 USD y una tarjeta de Dirk Nowitzki valorada en aproximadamente $2,200 USD.

Dijeron que las 10 tarjetas que Otoni robó estaban valoradas en hasta $17,220 USD.

Hasta la mañana del viernes, Otoni permanecía detenido en la cárcel principal de la BSO. No tenía una fianza registrada.

The team did not announce a cause of death.

“We mourn the loss of a true Falcons legend," Falcons owner Arthur Blank said in a statement released by the team. “Jeff Van Note dedicated 18 seasons to this franchise and became one of the most respected and beloved players in our history. He embodied toughness, resilience, humility, and an unwavering commitment to his team, qualities that earned him the admiration of generations of Falcons fans.”

Van Note, selected out of Kentucky in the 11th round of the 1969 NFL draft, originally joined the Falcons as a linebacker before being moved to center by then-coach Norm Van Brocklin. He earned the starting job a year later and started 226 of 246 games over his 18-season career. He was a second-team All-Pro in 1979 and 1982.

After retiring in 1986, Van Note became a color commentator and made Atlanta sports radio appearances.

"Jeff’s contributions to this organization cannot be measured solely by his accomplishments on the field," Blank said. "He helped shape the identity of the Atlanta Falcons and left a legacy that will endure for years to come. We are grateful for everything he meant to this franchise and our community. On behalf of the Falcons family, we extend our deepest sympathies to his children, Beau, Ben, and Blaine, and all who are grieving this tremendous loss. Jeff will always hold a special place in the history and heart of the Atlanta Falcons.”

___

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

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Manuel Aguilera, 82, was last seen at around 10 a.m. Wednesday at his home in the 600 block of West 88th Street, authorities said.

“He was last seen wearing a white dress shirt, red and black pants, white dress shoes, and a blue face mask with black dots,” police said.

Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call the Hialeah Police Department at 305-687-2525.

Manuel Aguilera, de 82 años, fue visto por última vez el miércoles alrededor de las 10 de la mañana en su domicilio, manzana 600 de la calle West 88th Street, dijeron autoridades.

“La última vez que fue visto vestía camisa blanca de vestir, pantalones rojos y negros, zapatos blancos de vestir y una mascarilla azul con lunares negros”, indicó la policía.

Cualquier persona que tenga información sobre su paradero llame al Departamento de Policía de Hialeah al 305-687-2525.

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The Heat will host the Milwaukee Bucks on Nov. 18 at Kaseya Center as part of “A Night in Vice City,” an immersive event celebrating the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto VI.

The game-night experience will transform the arena into Vice City, the fictional Miami-inspired setting featured in the new game. The Heat are expected to play on a specially designed court, wear a uniform that has not previously been used and incorporate themed entertainment and live elements throughout the night.

The event comes one day before Grand Theft Auto VI is scheduled to be released on Nov. 19 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

The Nov. 18 game will be broadcast right here on WPLG Local 10.

The partnership between the Heat and Rockstar Games began taking shape Oct. 1, when “Welcome to Vice City” signage was illuminated on the roof of Kaseya Center. More details about the event and additional activations are expected to be announced in the weeks leading up to the game.

The Heat also launched a Vice City-themed collection through its Court Culture clothing line. The merchandise is available at Miami Heat Store locations and online.

Tickets for “A Night in Vice City” are available through the Heat’s ticketing website.

Grand Theft Auto VI will be Rockstar Games’ next major release and is set in the fictional state of Leonida, which includes Vice City, a fictionalized version of Miami.

The Heat and Rockstar collaboration brings two Miami-connected brands together just before one of the video game industry’s most anticipated releases.

The Miami Heat begin their preseason at 7 p.m. Saturday when they face the Toronto Raptors at the Scotiabank Arena. Fans can watch that game on WPLG Local 10.

And don’t forget, you can also watch the majority of the Miami Heat’s regular season games, at least 68, on Local 10 next season as WPLG Local 10 and the Heat announced a newly expanded media rights agreement, making Local 10 the home of HEAT basketball across South Florida! CLICK HERE for more information on how to watch!

Los Heat recibirán a los Milwaukee Bucks el 18 de noviembre en el Kaseya Center como parte de “A Night in Vice City”, un evento inmersivo que celebrará el próximo lanzamiento de Grand Theft Auto VI.

La experiencia de la noche del partido transformará la arena en Vice City, el escenario ficticio inspirado en Miami que aparece en el nuevo juego. Se espera que los Heat jueguen en una cancha especialmente diseñada, usen un uniforme que no ha sido utilizado anteriormente e incorporen entretenimiento temático y elementos en vivo durante toda la noche.

El evento se llevará a cabo un día antes de que Grand Theft Auto VI sea lanzado el 19 de noviembre para PlayStation 5 y Xbox Series X|S.

El partido del 18 de noviembre será transmitido aquí mismo por WPLG Local 10.

La alianza entre los Heat y Rockstar Games comenzó a tomar forma el 1 de octubre, cuando un letrero con el mensaje “Welcome to Vice City” fue iluminado en el techo del Kaseya Center. Se espera que se anuncien más detalles sobre el evento y activaciones adicionales en las semanas previas al partido.

Los Heat también lanzaron una colección inspirada en Vice City a través de su línea de ropa Court Culture. La mercancía está disponible en las tiendas Miami Heat Store y en línea.

Los boletos para “A Night in Vice City” están disponibles a través del sitio web de venta de boletos de los Heat.

Grand Theft Auto VI será el próximo gran lanzamiento de Rockstar Games y está ambientado en el estado ficticio de Leonida, que incluye Vice City, una versión ficticia de Miami.

La colaboración entre los Heat y Rockstar reúne a dos marcas vinculadas a Miami justo antes de uno de los lanzamientos más esperados de la industria de los videojuegos.

Los Miami Heat comienzan su pretemporada a las 7 p.m. del sábado cuando enfrenten a los Toronto Raptors en el Scotiabank Arena. Los fanáticos pueden ver ese partido por WPLG Local 10.

Y no olvides que también podrás ver la mayoría de los partidos de temporada regular de los Miami Heat, al menos 68, por Local 10 la próxima temporada, luego de que WPLG Local 10 y los Heat anunciaran un acuerdo ampliado de derechos de transmisión, convirtiendo a Local 10 en el hogar del básquetbol de los HEAT en todo el sur de Florida. Haz click aquí para obtener más información sobre cómo verlos.

Según la Patrulla de Carreteras de Florida, el accidente ocurrió alrededor de las 7:20 p.m. en los carriles hacia el este de la Interestatal 195, cerca de Alton Road.

Los agentes dijeron que la víctima ingresó a la vía y fue atropellada por un autobús que se aproximaba.

El peatón fue declarado muerto en el lugar.

Según los agentes, la vía permaneció cerrada durante la investigación preliminar, pero todos los carriles ya fueron reabiertos.

Nuestros modelos de pronóstico han mostrado poco interés en que la baja presión intente organizarse como algo tropical o subtropical hacia finales de la próxima semana y durante el fin de semana festivo (fin de semana del 10 de octubre), pero, como prácticamente todos los sistemas que podrían formarse en el Atlántico esta temporada, no tendrá un camino fácil hacia su desarrollo.

La fuerte corriente en chorro subtropical, anclada sobre el sur de Estados Unidos y extendiéndose hacia el norte del Golfo, mantendrá un flujo constante de fuertes vientos en las capas altas de la atmósfera cerca de la zona de tormentas, lo que debería limitar cualquier posibilidad de desarrollo tropical al extremo suroeste del Golfo.

Si bien ayer los modelos aumentaron ligeramente su interés por el sistema, desde entonces se han mantenido prácticamente sin cambios, lo que parecieran bajas probabilidades de desarrollo (entre 20 y 30%) por ahora.

Cabe destacar que los modelos han sobreestimado en gran medida el desarrollo de perturbaciones esta temporada y, dada la naturaleza extensa y subtropical del sistema la próxima semana, es prudente mantener cierto escepticismo respecto a que supere los obstáculos de 2026.

Sin embargo, estará en una zona propicia para esta época del año, así que seguiremos de cerca las tendencias la semana que viene.

Como mencionamos en el boletín de ayer, cualquier fenómeno meteorológico que se inicie probablemente será desordenado y desorganizado, con la actividad tormentosa desplazada al este del área de menor presión, especialmente a medida que se desplaza hacia el norte del Golfo y se encuentra con fuertes vientos en las capas altas de la atmósfera provenientes del oeste durante el próximo fin de semana.

Por ahora, esto no es algo de qué preocuparse, pero para quienes tienen intereses a lo largo del norte del Golfo, principalmente desde Louisiana hacia el este, es algo que volveremos a revisar en los próximos días.

No hay amenazas en otras partes del Atlántico

Fay, la tormenta zombi de mayor duración y “más fuerte” de 2026, volvió a aparecer en el mapa de perspectivas del Centro Nacional de Huracanes el jueves por la tarde. El NHC le da solo un 10% de probabilidad de volver a desarrollarse, pero esa oportunidad prácticamente ya pasó.

En otras zonas, ni siquiera las áreas subtropicales parecen presentar ningún candidato potencial a desarrollarse durante la próxima semana o en dos más, y se espera que la situación se mantenga tranquila hasta mediados de mes.

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According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the crash occurred at about 7:20 p.m. along the eastbound lanes of Interstate 195 near Alton Road.

Troopers said the victim walked into the roadway and was struck by an oncoming bus.

The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to troopers, the roadway was closed during the preliminary investigation, but all lanes have since reopened.

President Donald Trump said the diesel release would happen “immediately,” echoing a G7 promise to start “immediately” with a “frontloaded substantial release” of diesel within the next 20 days and the rest over four months.

Trump and his Republican Party face pressure to address surging prices ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections, and Trump announced the action Friday on social media. The president's approval ratings on the economy hit a new low, according to an AP-NORC poll, as the Iran war and his trade battles have increased U.S. prices for oil and other goods.

Gas prices in the U.S. and abroad have soared during the eight-month-long war, a cost Trump has repeatedly said is worth it for making sure Iran does not obtain nuclear weapons. The national average for a gallon of diesel in the U.S. was $6.37 on Friday, according to AAA, after hitting a record $6.52 on Sept. 22. Diesel prices have hit records in Europe, too.

The release of diesel in Europe might mean less exports of diesel from the U.S., which could lower prices by 25-50 cents per gallon after a few weeks, said Michael Lynch, distinguished fellow at Energy Policy Research Foundation, a non-partisan research institution focused on energy and economics.

Macron says the decision should bring down prices

France holds the rotating presidency of the G7 group and made the announcement in a statement released after videoconference talks that Macron presided over. The G7 countries are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.K. and the U.S., plus EU representation.

The release follows on from a March announcement that International Energy Agency member countries would release 426 million barrels of oil and products to stabilize the oil market. European Union countries committed about 92 million barrels, a promise weighted toward refined products made from crude such as diesel.

“This common decision and this unity should bring down prices,” Macron said. “The volumes we’re releasing should also add liquidity to the market and bring down prices.”

In addition to the rise in the price of the crude oil from which diesel is made, other factors include the decision by Russia to ban exports due to Ukrainian drone strikes on its refineries. Europe does not import Russian diesel, but other buyers of Russian diesel such as Turkey and Latin American countries must now compete with Europe for available barrels.

Meanwhile refined product shipments from the Persian Gulf producers have fallen due to war damage and blocked export routes.

The statement pushed U.S. oil prices down 2% but “the impact was lessened by lack of clarity on an important question,” said Pavel Molchanov, investment strategy analyst at Raymond James. Is the 100 million barrels in addition to the amount already agreed in March, or “is this the final portion of the existing pledge?” he said.

The G7 says export bans are off the table

Some Republicans in the U.S. had called for Trump to ban U.S. exports of diesel to try to bring domestic prices down. But the G7 statement said the group agreed not to limit energy exports to each other. Oil market analysts warn a U.S. export ban could lower prices in the short term but eventually backfire by reducing supplies of gasoline since diesel output can't be lowered without also cutting overall refinery production.

Asked about a potential U.S. export ban on Friday, Trump said “we were never going to do it.”

“We’re not going to be doing the export ban,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We’re going to be doing what we’re supposed to do.” He added that Europe is making “a major world contribution, and so are we.”

Experts say there are risks in the strategy

The emergency release could also be a short-term fix with the potential to do long-term harm, said Jim Krane, energy research fellow at Rice University’s Baker Institute.

“Draining stocks will reduce retail fuel prices for a while, at the cost of leaving Europe with less emergency cover,” Krane said. “At some point in the future Europe and the rest of the G7 will have to refill their strategic reserves. Normally they try to do this when prices are low. Nobody knows when that will happen. It’s a risk.”

With two wars raging that involve attacks on refineries and exports, “it’s not the best time to be frittering away your emergency stocks -- especially when there is no visibility on future prices or peace agreements,” Krane said.

Trump had a conversation overnight with Macron about the need to address rising fuel prices and the availability of petroleum products, according to the French Embassy in the U.S. Macron on Friday then chaired the videoconference of G7 leaders to discuss the issue.

Besides his call with Macron, Trump on Friday called in to the meeting with the G7 leaders to negotiate the release of the European diesel stockpiles, according to a White House official who was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Trump on Thursday embarked on what he said would be a 32-day marathon of rallies to try to bolster his party's chances for keeping control of the U.S. House and Senate in the November elections. The president has grown increasingly frustrated with what he sees as a disconnect between his achievements and the public’s view of his work. This week he gave himself an A-plus for his work on the economy but said “we’re doing an extremely poor job of promotion.”

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Leicester reported from Paris. AP writer Michelle L. Price contributed to this report. AP Business Writer David McHugh contributed from Frankfurt, Germany and Cathy Bussewitz contributed from New York.

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Our forecast models have been lukewarm on the low pressure trying to organize into something tropical or subtropical by late next week into the holiday weekend (weekend of October 10^th) but like virtually every would-be Atlantic system this season, it won’t have an easy road to development.

The strong subtropical jet stream anchored over the southern U.S. and extending into the northern Gulf will maintain a river of harsh upper-level winds near the storminess, which should relegate any tropical development prospects to the extreme southwestern Gulf.

While models ticked up slightly in their interest in the system yesterday, they’ve been mostly unchanged since, keeping development odds on the low side (20 to 30%) for now.

It’s worth noting that models have been largely overshooting development with disturbances this season, and with the sprawling, subtropical nature of the system next week, it’s prudent to stay at least a little skeptical to it clearing 2026’s hurdles.

Nevertheless, it’ll be in a favored area for the time of year, so we’ll follow the trends next week.

As we mentioned in yesterday’s newsletter, anything that gets going would likely be sloppy and disorganized, with storminess displaced east of the area of lowest pressure, especially as it lifts toward the northern Gulf and encounters strong upper-level winds from the west into next weekend.

For now, this isn’t anything to worry about, but for those with interests along the northern Gulf – primarily from Louisiana eastward – it’s something we’ll check back in on in the coming days.

No threats elsewhere across the Atlantic

2026’s longest-lived and “strongest” zombie storm Fay made yet another appearance on the National Hurricane Center’s outlook map Thursday afternoon. The NHC gives it only a 10% chance of redeveloping but that ship has largely sailed.

Elsewhere, not even the subtropics look to muster up any potential development candidates over the next week or two and things should stay quiet into the middle part of the month.

“Crisco,” the country star's 11th studio album, is a collection of boogie-forward tracks, buoyed by sweeping strings and what sounds like a wink from the dance floor. It's out Friday.

“I’ve spent a lot of my career with fiery songs and heartbreak songs and this record just has a lot of joy on it, and I think that’s just where I am right now in life, too,” Miranda says.

The title track is almost a mission statement: “Baby, we’ve been cookin’ with Crisco/Ain’t we mixin’ country and disco/Stir it around, give it a spin/And it’s a rhinestone world we’re livin’ in.”

“I’ve just never explored that before. I really am a Merle Haggard girl, you know what I mean? I just love three chords and the truth,” says Lambert. “I just felt like I, maybe at this point, earned the creative freedom to try something fun and try something different.”

Lambert has reasons to be smiling

The album release caps a special few months that include getting seven Country Music Association Awards nominations, a disco ball-filled performance at the Academy of Country Music Awards that got attendees up and boogying, and making history as co-writer of the crossover-smash “Choosin’ Texas.”

That tune sung by Ella Langley has gone six times platinum, been crowned Billboard’s official 2026 Song of the Summer and helped her become the only woman to simultaneously hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts. It was just named the longest-running No. 1 hit in the U.S.

“We never would have thought just sitting there, on a back porch with a couple of beers and guitars, writing a country song, that it would take over like it has,” Lambert says.

“I’m thrilled that ‘Choosin’ Texas’ is a country song and the world is loving it. Like that makes me happy. I’ve dedicated my entire adult life to country music so that alone is like so much happiness for me.”

Lambert and Langley wrote “Choosin’ Texas” with Luke Dick and Joybeth Taylor. It's a song exploring what it feels like when someone is falling out of love with you and Lambert can only guess why America has fallen so in love with it.

“It kind of feels like something fresh, but something you’ve also heard before. When you hear it, you’re like, ‘I kind of want to sing along to this, even though it’s the first time you heard it.’ You know what I mean?”

Lambert co-produced Langley’s album “Dandelion,” the first time she's produced another artist, something she says she enjoyed. Langley returns the favor by being featured on the swaggering opening “Crisco” song “Snakeskin Boots.”

“I think the reason that we are drawn to each other is because I see a lot of my young self in her,” Lambert says of Langley. “She’s definitely a pistol. She’s fiery. She knows exactly what she wants. She’s a true artist and songwriter and she’s an inspiring person to be around.”

Lambert also has good news about another fellow country artist, squashing any lingering beef she had with Kacey Musgraves. The two collaborated on “Horses and Divorces” — “Maybe we’re more alike than we think,” they sing — on Musgraves' new “Middle of Nowhere” album.

Miranda points to the “crazy grind of this business” for prompting ebbs and flows in their relationship and the stress during “early stages of your career, trying to really plant your feet in the ground, plant your stake in the ground, and say, ‘This is my spot.’”

“Sometimes it gets tricky when you're navigating that with other female artists and it was really cool to just come together and talk about it and it's, as we say, whiskey under the bridge now.”

‘Crisco’ and how disco and country fused this time

“Crisco” came to life after she and Chris Stapleton wrote and recorded the lovely “A Song To Sing,” their version of “Islands in the Stream,” which earned two Grammy Award nominations.

“We wrote this song a few years ago and it really opened up my mind to exploring different sounds. I think it set us on the path to explore more and got me really curious about parts of country music I hadn’t explored yet, which eventually inspired the entire record,” she says.

The video features Lambert and Stapleton in matching red suits at a roller rink. If you look carefully, you'll see she's wearing a pair of Dolly Parton’s hoop earrings lent out by the late superstar and he's got on a Kenny Rogers necklace.

“I feel like I’ve got to thank her a little bit for this record because that song, that video, that whole day, having a little piece of her around me all day, definitely inspired me for this whole project.”

Grammy Award-winning songwriter Natalie Hemby, who has cut some 40 songs with Lambert over 20 years collaborating, co-wrote and played on five tracks this time, including “Snakeskin Boots.”

“Every record has just been completely different from the next, but I would say this is the most fun era that I’ve had, as far as writing for a project of hers,” says Hemby. “Her star is just shining so bright, as big as Texas, if you will.”

Miranda says country music is in a great spot right now, reminding her of the 1990s when there was something for everyone and a lot of female artists.

“There is finally room for everyone,” she says. “We’re not fighting for like only 30 spots on the chart. And people find music all different kinds of ways now. That has allowed for there to be all kinds of voices out there within our genre.”

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This story has been updated to correct that Lambert has earned seven Country Music Association Awards nominations, not six.

De cara a la primera vuelta de la votación el domingo, los favoritos son el senador Flávio Bolsonaro, hijo del expresidente ultraderechista Jair Bolsonaro, y el presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, que busca un cuarto mandato no consecutivo.

La conservación de Amazonía ha estado ausente en gran medida de la campaña de este año. Aun así, ambos candidatos representan visiones marcadamente distintas sobre cómo debería gestionarse la selva tropical, y expertos en clima y conservación advierten que una victoria de Flávio Bolsonaro podría revertir las políticas de control de la deforestación que Lula restableció tras asumir el cargo en 2023.

Durante la presidencia de Jair Bolsonaro, de 2019 a 2022, la deforestación en Amazonía se disparó alrededor de un 60%, con más de 45.000 kilómetros cuadrados (17.400 millas cuadradas) talados, según datos oficiales. Con Lula, la deforestación ha caído un 45%, alcanzando su nivel más bajo en más de una década.

Las políticas de Lula para la Amazonía podrían enfrentar oposición en un Congreso conservador

Las políticas de Lula enfrentarían resistencia en un Congreso conservador, donde el agronegocio tiene una gran influencia. Pero su plan amplía en gran medida una agenda de recortes de emisiones y financiamiento de bosques tropicales.

Flávio Bolsonaro se ha comprometido a poner fin a la deforestación ilegal para 2029, un año antes del objetivo actual de Brasil. La meta de Lula va más allá: deforestación neta cero para 2030, lo que significa que cualquier pérdida de bosque, legal o ilegal, tendría que compensarse mediante restauración.

La deforestación y otros cambios en el uso del suelo son las mayores fuentes de emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero de Brasil, que impulsan el calentamiento global. Los riesgos son especialmente altos en Amazonía, que almacena enormes cantidades de dióxido de carbono y genera humedad atmosférica que ayuda a regular el clima mucho más allá de Sudamérica.

El senador Bolsonaro no ha detallado sus políticas relacionadas con Amazonía, y se ha limitado a decir que su administración intensificaría los esfuerzos contra el delito ambiental y promovería la conservación.

“Flávio Bolsonaro es un defensor del medio ambiente y de quienes preservan los bosques en pie y los ríos limpios”, dijo el equipo de campaña de Bolsonaro en un comunicado enviado a The Associated Press. Señaló que su gobierno crearía incentivos económicos para la conservación y la restauración.

El senador Bolsonaro dice que no cree en el cambio climático

En una entrevista en agosto con Jornal Nacional, el noticiero televisivo más visto de Brasil, Bolsonaro manifestó que no creía en el cambio climático, sino en fenómenos meteorológicos extremos.

“Son eventos cíclicos”, sostuvo Bolsonaro. “La mejor manera de abordar los problemas ambientales es lo que hicimos durante la administración (de Jair) Bolsonaro: aprobar un marco de saneamiento básico para combatir las aguas residuales que pasan frente a la puerta de tu casa”.

Márcio Astrini, director ejecutivo del Observatorio del Clima, una red de grupos ambientalistas, dijo que la deforestación podría volver a dispararse si Bolsonaro siguiera el camino de su padre de desmantelar la fiscalización y debilitar las protecciones.

“El riesgo que enfrentamos es que Brasil podría alejarse de una agenda ambiental positiva hacia una postura más similar a la que ahora adopta Estados Unidos: una de negación del clima”, advirtió Astrini.

Expertos señalan que la palabra clave en la promesa de Bolsonaro sobre la deforestación podría ser “ilegal”. Alertan que su administración podría debilitar protecciones y ampliar las zonas donde el desmonte está legalmente permitido, lo que permitiría que la deforestación aumente mientras, técnicamente, se cumple la promesa.

“Dado su largo historial de promover protecciones ambientales más débiles, existe la preocupación de que actividades que hoy se consideran ilegales simplemente puedan legalizarse y dejen de estar sujetas a fiscalización”, dijo Taciana Stec, especialista en política climática de Talanoa, un centro de análisis brasileño.

En la Amazonía, por lo general, los propietarios de tierras deben preservar el 80% de la vegetación nativa en sus predios. En 2019, Bolsonaro fue coautor de un proyecto de ley que habría eliminado ese requisito, al describirlo como un obstáculo para el desarrollo.

La propuesta se retiró tras la oposición de líderes del agronegocio, que temían que dañara la reputación de la soya y la carne brasileñas en mercados cada vez más recelosos de la deforestación.

El senador Bolsonaro dice que enfatizará la fiscalización, pero persisten las dudas

El equipo de campaña de Bolsonaro incorporó a Marcelo Donnini Freire, un gestor ambiental que ocupó cargos de alto nivel durante los últimos meses de la administración de Jair Bolsonaro, para ayudar a dar forma a su plataforma ambiental.

En septiembre, Freire se reunió con organizaciones ambientalistas, entre ellas, la Coalición Brasileña sobre Clima, Bosques y Agricultura, que aboga por el liderazgo de Brasil en la economía de bajas emisiones de carbono.

Una persona que ha participado en discusiones internas de la campaña, pero que no está autorizada a hablar públicamente, dijo que sería poco probable que un gobierno de Bolsonaro cambie las restricciones actuales a la deforestación en propiedades privadas. Una propuesta así enfrentaría la oposición del agronegocio orientado a la exportación y correría el riesgo de socavar inversiones en proyectos de carbono y biocombustibles.

Sin embargo, podría persistir la presión para aumentar el desmonte entre productores más pequeños con poco acceso a mercados de exportación o a ingresos por créditos de carbono.

Aunque el equipo de campaña de Bolsonaro dijo a la AP que él priorizaría una fiscalización impulsada por la tecnología contra incendios forestales y delitos ambientales, ha hecho campaña por toda Amazonía con promesas de flexibilizar las regulaciones ambientales.

Una herramienta de fiscalización permite que las autoridades impongan sanciones por desmonte ilegal basándose únicamente en el monitoreo satelital. Jair Bolsonaro frenó esa política, y Lula la restableció en 2023. Un proyecto de ley tramitado por la vía rápida, respaldado por la bancada del agronegocio en Brasil, la debilitaría. Flávio Bolsonaro no dijo si preservaría la medida.

Algunos aliados de Bolsonaro han sido multados por infracciones ambientales y han hecho campaña contra la fiscalización. El medio noticioso Sumauma encontró que candidatos en toda la Amazonía habían acumulado alrededor de 33 millones de dólares en multas ambientales, la mayoría, de partidos alineados con los Bolsonaro.

El candidato ultraderechista promete abrir tierras indígenas a la agricultura y la minería

En un mitin realizado en junio en Belém, que fue sede de la cumbre climática de la ONU el año pasado, Bolsonaro prometió “modernizar” las leyes ambientales y facilitar las licencias para la agricultura, la ganadería y la minería. En agosto, hizo campaña en el Territorio Indígena Estacao Parecis, en Mato Grosso, y prometió mayor autonomía para las comunidades indígenas.

“Ellos decidirán qué ocurre en sus tierras”, dijo Bolsonaro en el pódcast Market Makers. “Si quieren cultivar o arrendar su territorio, serán libres de hacerlo. Si quieren autorizar la minería en sus tierras, también podrán hacerlo”.

“Todo esto se hará de manera responsable y con salvaguardas ambientales, respetando sus deseos”, añadió.

Los territorios indígenas son algunas de las áreas mejor conservadas de Amazonía, pero enfrentan una creciente presión de agricultores y de la minería ilegal de oro. Bolsonaro no dijo si su administración establecería reglas de deforestación para tierras indígenas.

Las promesas de Flávio Bolsonaro podrían resonar entre algunos votantes amazónicos

En 2022, Jair Bolsonaro ganó en cinco de los nueve estados de Amazonía Legal de Brasil. Breno Rodrigues de Messias Leite, politólogo de la Universidad Federal de Amazonas, dijo que las promesas de Flávio Bolsonaro de flexibilizar las protecciones ambientales podrían atraer a votantes de la región que ven las normas como excesivamente restrictivas y gravosas para las empresas.

“Aquí nadie piensa: ‘Hay un bosque allá, voy a ir a talarlo’”, señaló. “Pero hay una idea profundamente arraigada en la mente de quienes viven aquí. Primero, se sienten aislados. Segundo, cuando el Estado aparece, llega con mano dura, con sanciones en lugar de infraestructura”.

Si Flávio Bolsonaro gana, agregó Leite, podría impulsar políticas que provoquen un daño ambiental. “Tendrá que responder a su base electoral, que precisamente son los productores rurales. Ese sector quiere una mayor flexibilización de las regulaciones ambientales”.

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La cobertura climática y ambiental de The Associated Press recibe apoyo financiero de múltiples fundaciones privadas. La AP es la única responsable de todo el contenido. Encuentra los estándares de la AP para trabajar con organizaciones filantrópicas, una lista de las fundaciones y las áreas de cobertura que financian en AP.org.

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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.

Coach Stormy Wellington, una influencer de redes sociales que actualmente tiene más de 1.6 millones de seguidores en su página de Instagram, dice que seis artículos —cinco bolsos Hermès y una botella de agua Chanel— fueron sustraídos de su casa en agosto.

“Los compré hace más de seis años y todos significan mucho para mí”, dijo Wellington a Rosh Lowe, de Local 10, el jueves. “Así que, si alguien tiene mis bolsos o sabe dónde están, pagaré una recompensa para recuperar mis bolsos”.

La policía de Miramar arrestó a un estilista de moda de 31 años y lo acusó de robo mayor en primer grado relacionado con propiedades valoradas en más de $100,000 USD.

Pero el jefe de policía Delrish Moss dijo el jueves por la noche que los agentes arrestaron al hombre equivocado.

Moss dijo que el sospechoso acusado de robar las pertenencias de Wellington y el hombre que fue arrestado tienen el mismo nombre de pila.

Según un informe de arresto, Wellington dijo a la policía que descubrió que faltaban los artículos antes de salir para un viaje de negocios. Posteriormente reportó el robo a la policía.

Wellington dijo a los investigadores que le había pedido al presunto responsable que llevara uno de sus bolsos para que fuera limpiado profesionalmente. Dijo que finalmente faltaban seis artículos.

Los artículos estaban valorados en un total de $271,938.60 USD, según el informe de arresto.

La policía dijo que los bolsos fueron localizados posteriormente en un negocio de Aventura que revende bolsos de diseñador auténticos y otros artículos de lujo. Según el informe de arresto, el hombre había llevado los artículos al negocio como préstamo.

Wellington dijo que inicialmente sintió alivio cuando se enteró de que se había realizado un arresto. Pero luego vio la foto policial del sospechoso.

“Ese no es el hombre que robó mi bolso”, dijo Wellington. “Así que ahora tengo que ir a la Fiscalía Estatal y decir: ‘Oigan, ustedes arrestaron al hombre equivocado’”.

Moss dijo que la confusión se originó por información proporcionada a las autoridades en septiembre.

“Se tomó una declaración de una víctima en septiembre”, dijo Moss. “Como resultado de eso, se emitió un not-in-custody, que es algo parecido a una orden de arresto, a nombre de esta persona en lugar del nombre de la persona que debió haber sido arrestada”.

Moss dijo que la persona que presuntamente robó las pertenencias de Wellington sigue prófuga.

“El problema es que el not-in-custody que se emite, que es emitido por la Fiscalía Estatal, tiene el nombre de la persona que está detenida”, dijo Moss. “El nombre debió haber sido el apellido de otra persona”.

Moss dijo que la policía de Miramar se comunicó con la Fiscalía Estatal del condado Broward y con la cárcel después de descubrir el error y trabajó para lograr que el hombre fuera liberado.

“Lo más importante fue que nos pusimos en contacto con la Fiscalía Estatal y la cárcel, y estamos trabajando para liberarlo de inmediato”, dijo Moss. “En el momento en que nos enteramos, estamos obligados a tomar las medidas necesarias para reparar el daño a esa persona”.

La Fiscalía Estatal de Broward dijo a Local 10 el jueves por la noche que la policía de Miramar notificó a los fiscales que la persona equivocada había sido arrestada. Los fiscales luego trabajaron para desestimar el caso y agilizar la liberación del hombre de la cárcel.

El hombre salió de la cárcel el jueves y declinó hacer comentarios. Su abogado dijo al tribunal que su cliente no sabía nada sobre el caso.

Wellington dijo que la persona que ella cree que es responsable era alguien en quien alguna vez confió y a quien consideraba un amigo y miembro de la familia.

“Alguien a quien le pagué siete cifras como empleado robó mis bolsos y todavía le dice a la gente que los va a devolver”, dijo.

Wellington dijo que aún no ha recuperado sus pertenencias.

“Estoy muy frustrada porque, honestamente, después de haber trabajado tan duro y estar pasando por esto, lo mejor para mí en este momento es sentir que se hizo justicia”, dijo.

La persona que Wellington identifica como el presunto ladrón aún no ha sido arrestada en relación con el caso, según la policía.

Se insta a cualquier persona que tenga información sobre el robo a llamar a Broward Crime Stoppers al 954-493-8477.

This nice weather will continue for the weekend with only an isolated shower. We will return to our big afternoon thunderstorms on Monday and each day next week.

Head coach Dan Quinn announced the decision Friday after practice at the team’s luxury hotel accommodations outside London.

Daniels returned to practice this week after dislocating his elbow in Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys. He's been wearing a protective brace and expressed no concerns about further damage.

“He had a great week. It was awesome to have him back on the field in a limited fashion,” Quinn said. “He'll be out. Marcus will start.”

Quinn called Daniels' return to practice “a huge positive step for us and for him."

“We'll assess where we are next week when we get to a full week of practice all the way through,” the coach said.

Last week, Mariota threw three touchdown passes in the 33-31 win over the Seattle Seahawks.

It’s the second elbow dislocation for Daniels, who missed most of the second half of last season with the same injury.

The third-year quarterback, who led the Commanders to the NFC championship game in his rookie season, had said Thursday he was preparing mentally to start against the Colts and wasn’t worried about re-injuring the elbow.

“That’s what the brace is for,” Daniels said.

The Commanders host the New York Giants on Sunday, Oct. 11. The team has a bye in Week 7.

“Certainly, anytime you can practice, that’s a big deal,” Quinn said. “So for him to get back, that was a big step for us. Typical for him, he’s more ready than you’d expect. That’s just kind of how he is.”

Quinn was asked what he needs to see to put Daniels back on the field.

“It's really just like an entire group medical performance. Where he’s at, the practice part was a big piece of that today. But next week we’re planning on for him to get a full week of practice. That would be a big deal for us.”

Also Friday, running back Rachaad White (shoulder) did not practice for a third straight day. His game designation will be in the official injury report later Friday. White has rushed for 100 yards on 22 carries through three games. He also has 9 receptions for 51 yards and a touchdown.

The team signed Austin Ekeler on Monday and the veteran running back “had a good week,” Quinn said. “He’s certainly not a player that you would say, ‘he looks rusty.’ That did not surprise me.”

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See AP’s full NFL coverage here

According to a blog post on Friday by Matt Garman, Amazon’s CEO of its cloud computing arm, Amazon has already spent more than $1 billion in communities with a large data center presence over the past three years.

Garman also said that Amazon is no longer using nondisclosure agreements with government agencies it works with on its projects, and it said it hosts open houses in communities where it operates to share information about what it's doing. He also warned against the spread of what he believes is misinformation about data centers' impact on the environment and energy rates — and he cited the dangers of over 100 moratoriums against these centers being considered across the country.

“If these measures are enacted, the U.S. could be writing its own losing ticket to this race, and the consequences would last generations,” he wrote. “As a country, we can’t afford to find ourselves in that position. There is urgency to this data center build out because we aren’t the only country that sees the benefits of AI for the economy and national security.”

Garman's pledge comes as data centers, which power artificial intelligence and cloud computing, have become a hot political issue heading into the midterms as tech giants race to invest more money in expanding these infrastructures.

Small, under-the-radar data centers have been around for decades. But the explosion of artificial intelligence chatbots has resulted in data centers that are bigger than anything just about any town has ever seen. Some of them dwarf football stadiums and factories and consume more energy than small cities.

By 2030, data centers will account for nearly 3% of the world’s projected electricity use, with 935 trillion watt-hours, according to a United Nations University report released in June on these buildings' environmental footprint.

Amazon said in July that it now expects to spend $220 billion in capital expenditures in 2026, including on data centers and other technology investments. That’s up from its prior estimate of $200 billion.

President Donald Trump has embraced the building of more data centers, but there is growing wariness from voters. About 6 in 10 Americans support limiting the number of new data centers that can be built, including most Democrats and Republicans.

And a majority of Americans are “extremely” or “very” concerned about the impact of data centers on electricity prices or the water supply in the communities where they are built.

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Temperatures will be mild, right around 70°, but showers at kickoff are expected to grow steadier during the game.

Field conditions could become a bit sloppy, but hopefully the Canes can overcome these conditions and come home still undefeated at 5-0.

CLICK HERE for the latest forecast updates in South Florida from Local 10’s Weather Authority.

Two of the Southeastern Conference's most productive young quarterbacks will share a field — and the spotlight — when Russell and No. 7 Alabama visit Taylor and 16th-ranked Mississippi State on Saturday.

It's a showcase game for the first-year starters.

Russell has completed 71% of his passes for 1,129 yards with eight touchdowns and two interceptions. Taylor has completed 69% for 1,192 yards with 14 TDs and two INTs. His passing touchdowns are tied for most in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

Russell and Taylor have raised their Heisman stock considerably since the season began. Russell is currently tied for fourth with Mississippi quarterback Trinidad Chambliss at plus-1100, one spot behind Taylor (plus-750).

Russell is coming off a solid, two-game stretch with the Crimson Tide (4-0, 2-0 SEC). He threw for 685 yards and seven TDs while completing 77% of his passes against Florida State and South Carolina. He added two rushing touchdowns as Alabama scored a combined 99 points.

“There’s a direct correlation there between his decision-making and how he feels and looks in the back end of the pocket,” Grubb said. “I think just his composure has shown up.”

Taylor’s play has drawn attention from Alabama’s former coach, too.

“If I was coaching right now, I’d be trying to get Kamario Taylor to get in the portal,” Nick Saban said last week on ESPN’s “College GameDay."

Taylor responded by leading the Bulldogs to a 31-24 victory against Missouri and then making it clear how he feels about the program he grew up supporting.

“I don’t like to reply or look at everything like that during the season,” Taylor said. “When people come to me, it’s hard to talk to them how I want to talk to them. But if you know me, you know I bleed maroon and white.”

Taylor now has a chance to lead Mississippi State (4-0, 2-0) to its first win against Alabama since 2007. To do so, the Bulldogs will have to disrupt a young quarterback their own coach sees playing with increased confidence.

“You see a guy that is really playing well beyond his years right now, and he looks very calm, in complete command," Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby said.

Lebby said Mississippi State needs to move Russell out of the pocket and tackle well to limit Alabama’s explosive plays. Russell has spread the production around, with Lotzeir Brooks and Ryan Coleman-Williams having 17 receptions apiece.

Alabama faces a different challenge against Taylor, whose ability to attack downfield has helped Mississippi State average 43 points and more than 500 yards.

Taylor has produced 20 completions of at least 20 yards, with nine of his TD passes covering that distance.

“He’s a great quarterback. Obviously, he’s got a cannon of an arm. He can hurt you with his feet,” Alabama safety Bray Hubbard said. “He’s got great receivers around him. He’s got a great back in the backfield. We got to defend him. They’re a great team, and he does a great job commanding their offense.”

Missouri sacked Taylor four times, but he still completed 27 of 38 passes for 360 yards and three touchdowns. His 24-yard touchdown pass to Sanfrisco Magee put the Bulldogs ahead with under four minutes remaining. Taylor also has 185 yards rushing — and sets the tone for his team on and off the field.

“He leads the pack. He leads us. Gets us in the check, gets us right and it has shown,” Alabama running back Daniel Hill said. “Just really the leadership he comes in with every day, just pushing the whole offense to do the right things, do the little things, get lined up, things like that.”

Both QBs now enter October with a chance to remain undefeated and add a ranked win to their playoff resumes.

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Las temperaturas serán agradables, alrededor de los 70°F, pero se espera que las lluvias al inicio del partido se vuelvan más constantes durante el juego.

Las condiciones del campo podrían volverse un poco complicadas, pero esperemos que los Canes puedan superar estas condiciones y regresar a casa aún invictos con marca de 5-0.

Click aquí para últimas actualizaciones del clima en el sur de Florida de la Autoridad Meteorológica de Local 10.

El informe empieza a llenar los vacíos sobre lo que pasó cuando el avión se salió de la pista en el Aeropuerto Internacional de Miami, en un accidente que dejó cinco muertos.

La NTSB identificó varios factores que llevaron al accidente. Uno de ellos es que los reversores de empuje del avión no se activaron y que los frenos aerodinámicos estaban recogidos cuando el piloto intentó aterrizar.

Los reversores de empuje son clave para que un avión reduzca la velocidad. La NTSB determinó que no se activaron durante el intento de aterrizaje, pero aún no se ha confirmado si eso se debió a una falla mecánica o a un error del piloto.

Los frenos aerodinámicos también estaban retraídos y bloqueados en su posición de reposo, es decir, no se desplegaron.

El piloto activó manualmente los frenos de las ruedas cuando el avión iba a unas 168 millas por hora sobre la pista.

Unos ocho segundos después, el piloto intentó abortar el aterrizaje para volver a elevar el avión e intentarlo de nuevo. En ese momento, según el informe, al avión solo le quedaban unos 930 pies de pista.

Cuando el piloto trató de volver a frenar, quedaban unos 415 pies de pista. Finalmente, el avión se salió de la pista a unas 130 millas por hora y arrolló a cinco personas que estaban en vehículos estacionados cerca, quienes murieron.

Otro detalle del informe tiene que ver con la experiencia de la tripulación. El capitán obtuvo su certificado de piloto de transporte de línea aérea en mayo, apenas unos meses antes del accidente, aunque acumulaba miles de horas de vuelo.

El primer oficial obtuvo su certificado en abril del año pasado.

Aún falta confirmar si el accidente se debió por completo a una falla mecánica o si un error del piloto influyó.

El informe preliminar también incluye detalles sobre si el clima pudo haber influido en el accidente, además de más información sobre el lugar donde quedaron los restos del avión.

La investigación sigue en curso, y la NTSB continúa analizando lo que ocurrió ese día.

Tourists have long flocked to the bridge over the Vltava River to visit the statue of St John of Nepomuk. Now, visitors are lining up at the nearby Pietà sculpture to recreate an iconic 1988 photograph of music icons Depeche Mode.

The British electro-rock band first crossed the Iron Curtain in March 1988 to play a historic concert in Prague, then the capital of communist Czechoslovakia. They returned that November with renowned Dutch photographer Anton Corbijn, who captured them exploring the city for photographs that later appeared in his book, “Depeche Mode: Strangers.”

One black-and-white image has a particular appeal for fans: Dave Gahan and Martin Gore standing beside the Pietà sculpture.

Fans have been making the pilgrimage for years, but photographs of a mass gathering on the bridge between the band’s Prague concerts in 2024 appear to have helped fuel a modern-day boom.

Currently, the photo recreated by the visiting fans is trending with millions of views on social media.

Jorge Sanchez, from California, and his wife were among the recent visitors.

“Well, I remember seeing the picture from way back, and then I kind of remember, and I looked it up, and I learned that it was here, so I wanted to make sure I took a picture,” Sanchez said.

“I think it fit at the time, you know, with their music, you know, and their message and their music with your personal Jesus and all of that, so it’s kind of fitting.”

Maria Hofer and Lara Hinteregger came from Austria.

“We just saw this on Pinterest or on TikTok, and it’s kind of one of the most famous pictures you can take here in Prague,” Hofer said. “So, we wanted to do it as well,” Hofer said.

“Yeah, and we also like the vibe of the music. We feel like it fits the vibe of the city pretty well,” Hinteregger added.

St John Nepomuk was tortured to death at the request of King Wenceslas IV in 1393 because he refused to violate the seal of the confession and reveal to him the sins of his wife. His dead body was thrown into the river from Charles Bridge.

It is said that touching the polished engravings of the event placed at the pedestal of the Nepomuk statue will bring luck and ensure a return to Prague.

It is not clear if the members of Depeche Mode placed their hands on the Nepomuk statue in March 1988, but they returned later that same year — and their photographs have given fans another reason to follow.

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Associated Press video journalist Stanislav Hodina contributed.

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Coach Stormy Wellington, a social media influencer who currently has over 1.6 million followers on her Instagram page, says six items — five Hermès handbags and a Chanel water bottle — were taken from her home back in August.

“I bought them over six years (ago) and all of them mean a lot to me,” Wellington told Local 10’s Rosh Lowe on Thursday. “So, if anybody has my bags or knows the whereabouts of my bags, I will pay a reward to get my bags returned.”

Miramar police arrested a 31-year-old fashion stylist and accused him of first-degree grand theft involving property valued at more than $100,000.

But Miramar Police Department Chief Delrish Moss said Thursday night that officers arrested the wrong man.

Moss said the suspect accused of stealing Wellington’s belongings and the man who was arrested have the same first name.

According to an arrest report, Wellington told police she discovered the items were missing before leaving for a business trip. She later reported the theft to police.

Wellington told investigators she had asked the alleged culprit to take one of her handbags to be professionally cleaned. She said six items were ultimately missing.

The items were valued altogether at $271,938.60, according to the arrest report.

Police said the handbags were later located at a business in Aventura that resells authentic designer handbags and other luxury goods. According to the arrest report, the man had brought the items to the business as a loan.

Wellington said she initially felt relieved when she learned an arrest had been made. But then she saw the suspect’s mugshot.

“That is not the gentleman that stole my bag,” Wellington said. “So now I got to go to the State Attorney’s Office and say, ‘Hey, you guys arrested the wrong guy.’”

Moss said the mix-up stemmed from information provided to authorities in September.

“There was a statement taken from a victim back in September,” Moss said. “As a result of that, a not-in-custody, which is kind of like a warrant, was issued in this name rather than the name of the person who should have been arrested.”

Moss said the person who allegedly stole Wellington’s belongings remains at large.

“The issue is the not-in-custody that is issued, which is issued from the State Attorney’s Office, has the name of the person who is in custody,” Moss said. “The name should have been another person’s last name.”

Moss said Miramar police contacted the Broward County State Attorney’s Office and the jail after discovering the error and worked to have the man released.

“The most important thing was we got in contact with the State Attorney’s Office and the jail, and we’re working to immediately release him,” Moss said. “The minute we find out, we’re obliged to take the steps to make that person whole.”

The Broward State Attorney’s Office told Local 10 Thursday night that Miramar police notified prosecutors that the wrong person had been arrested. Prosecutors then worked to dismiss the case and expedite the man’s release from jail.

The man walked out of jail Thursday and declined to comment. His attorney told the court that his client did not know anything about the case.

Wellington said the person she believes is responsible was someone she once trusted and considered a friend and family member.

“Someone who I paid seven figures as an employee stole my bag(s) and (is) still telling people he’s going to bring them back,” she said.

Wellington said she has not recovered her belongings yet.

“I’m very frustrated because honestly, for me to have worked so hard and to be going through this, the best thing for me right now is to feel justice,” she said.

The person Wellington identifies as the suspected thief has not yet been arrested in connection with the case, according to police.

Anyone with information about the theft is urged to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.

Learning when to challenge is key.

The Cincinnati Reds had a net gain of 16.8 runs, according to Baseball Savant calculations of total run value of overturns on challenges. The Los Angeles Angels were next at 14, followed by the Athletics (12.3) and Minnesota (10.1).

Cleveland was 30th at minus-13.4 and several other playoff teams rated poorly by that metric: the Los Angeles Dodgers (26th, -8.5), Tampa Bay (25th, -7.8), the Chicago Cubs (21st, -4.6), Milwaukee (20th, -2.4), Atlanta (18th, -2.1), San Diego (17th, -1.9), the New York Yankees (16th, -2.1) and Houston (15th, -0.8).

Houston's Jose Altuve topped batters with 5.6 projected runs gained, followed by Seattle's Cal Raleigh (4.6), Colorado's Kyle Karros (4.5) and Cincinnati's Sal Stewart (4.4) and JJ Bleday (4.1).

The Cubs' Seiya Suzuki led with 5.7 runs projected lost in defensive challenges, just ahead of the Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani (5.5), the Cubs' Ian Happ (5.2) and Michael Busch (5.1), and the New York Mets' Brett Baty (3.5).

Milwaukee’s William Contreras led catchers with 5.2 projected runs prevented, just in front of Cleveland's Patrick Bailey (5.1), the Mets' Francisco Alvarez (4.5) and San Diego's Freddy Fermin, Kansas City's Carter Jensen and Drew Romo of the Chicago White Sox (all 4.3).

“It’s like a new muscle for players to learn,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “You have instincts over what to do in certain situations. This is a new instinct of knowing when to challenge and instinctively within a second, oh, that’s a ball. What’s the situation?”

There were 10,557 challenges, an average of 4.35 per game, and 5,686 led to overturned decisions.

Catchers succeeded on 59% of their challenges, while batters had a 49% success rate and pitchers — who seldom challenged compared to catchers and batters — were at 40%.

“ABS has really impacted the game,” Houston manager Joe Espada said. “It has really changed how more selective some of these lineups are, how more disciplined they are, how we force pitchers to be more aggressive in the zone more than in the past.”

Contreras, Realmuto stand out among players

Contreras led all catchers with 185 challenges, and he also won the most with 105 (57%). Meanwhile, Philadelphia's J.T. Realmuto had the highest success rate among catchers with at least 75 challenges at 81%. He was followed by the Cubs’ Carson Kelly (69%), Cincinnati’s Tyler Stephenson and Colorado’s Hunter Goodman (68% each), and Detroit’s Dillon Dingler (66%).

Realmuto added the first game-ending ABS challenge in postseason history this week, successfully flipping a call to end Game 2 of the Phillies' NL Wild Card Series against Atlanta.

The lowest percentages among those with 75 or more challenges were Alvarez (47%), Fermin, Romo (48%) and Edgar Quero of the White Sox (49%).

Stewart led batter challenges with 51 appeals and won 28 (55%). Philadelphia’s Bryce Harper was next with 47, winning 21 (45%).

On success rate, Arizona’s Gabriel Moreno (68%) led batters with 20 or more challenges, followed by Miami’s Esteury Ruiz (65%), Raleigh (64%), Minnesota’s Josh Bell and San Francisco’s Bryce Eldridge (62% each).

Boston’s Ceddanne Rafaela and Colorado’s Willi Castro were at 25%, the lowest success rate among players with at least 20 challenges.

Tampa Bay’s Yandy Díaz had 686 plate appearances without attempting a challenge, by far the most in the majors by a batter, ahead of Toronto’s Nathan Lukes (450). Díaz has said he’d consider challenging a call in the World Series.

Cincinnati's 62% success rate led MLB, followed by the Athletics and Arizona (60% each), the Cubs (59%), Texas (58%), Detroit and Philadelphia (57% each) and Miami (56%).

Pittsburgh was least successful at 47%, with the White Sox and Cleveland at 49% each, and Baltimore and San Diego at 50%.

“We'll keep tweaking it, keep talking about it every day and keep trying to remind the players when we have challenges, when we don’t, when’s a good time, when’s not a good time,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said.

Players were more aggressive with ABS challenges in late innings

Knowing teams lose their right to challenge after two incorrect appeals, players used ABS less often early in games.

There were more challenges in the ninth than any other inning — sometimes because teams knew there would be no later innings to save them for — even though many games end without the bottom half. ABS was used in 1,366 ninth-inning challenges, with a 40% success rate.

“Having one in your pocket is kind of — it’s nice to know you have it,” Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly said.

The average for innings 1-3 was 1,005 challenges with a 61% success rate.

Teams also got more aggressive as the season went on. Challenges per game rose from 3.76 in March to 4.60 in August and 4.61 in September, with most of that increase in catcher appeals.

“You can overthink it if you let yourself,” Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said. “You start talking about saving it for certain situations, it probably doesn’t end well. My message was the lower the leverage, the more certainty you have to have.”

Overturn rate for umpires most often behind plate ranged from 42-66%

Andy Fletcher had the highest overturn rate among umpires with more than 100 challenges, getting reversed on 80 of 121 (66.1%), according to taptochallenge.com. Rob Drake was next at 64.6%, followed by Cory Blaser (64.1%), Adrian Johnson (64%), Manny Gonzalez (62.5%) and Mike Estabrook (61.7%).

Jansen Visconti had the lowest overturn rate among those with triple-figure challenges, reversed on 43 of 102 (42.2%). He was just ahead of Mark Ripperger (44.3%), James Jean (44.9%), Ryan Additon (45%), Nestor Ceja (46%) and Alex Tosi (46.9%).

“When it gets overturned by less than a 10th of an inch, they do not like it,” Realmuto said of umpires. “When it’s that small, they don’t like it. That’s for sure.”

Video review success rate drops

Among video review used for other decisions such as safe/out calls, the 52.9% success rate was down from 54.8% in 2025 and 53.7% in 2024 and up from 48.5% in 2023.

There were 1,294 team challenges, an increase from 1,197 in 2025. Among the challenges this year, 243 calls were confirmed (18.8%) and 367 were allowed to stand (28.4%) when there was not clear and convincing evidence to overturn them. The average time of a review was 1 minute, 25 seconds.

Kansas City was the most successful club, overturning calls in 23 of 33 challenges (69.7%). It was followed by Philadelphia (68.1%), Cleveland (67.4%), Milwaukee (65.9%), Arizona (64.1%), the Mets (62.5%) and St. Louis (61.5%).

San Francisco was the least successful, winning only 14 of 45 for 31.1%. Texas was at 36.6% and Pittsburgh at 38.6%.

After initially starting video review in August 2008 for home run calls, MLB vastly expanded replays for the 2014 season.

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AP Sports Writers Charles Odum and Kristie Rieken contributed to this report.

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See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Heading into the first round of voting on Sunday, the front-runners are Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who is seeking a fourth, nonconsecutive term.

The conservation of the Amazon has been largely absent from this year’s campaign. Still, the two men represent starkly different visions of how the rainforest should be managed, and climate and conservation experts warn that a victory by Flávio Bolsonaro could reverse the deforestation-control policies Lula restored after taking office in 2023.

During Jair Bolsonaro’s presidency, from 2019 to 2022, Amazon deforestation surged by about 60%, with over 45,000 square kilometers (17,400 square miles) cleared, according to official data. Under Lula, deforestation has fallen 45%, reaching its lowest level in more than a decade.

Lula's Amazon policies could face opposition in conservative Congress

Lula’s policies would face resistance from a conservative Congress, where agribusiness holds significant sway. But his plan largely extends an agenda of emissions cuts and financing tropical forests.

Flávio Bolsonaro has pledged to end illegal deforestation by 2029, a year ahead of Brazil’s current target. Lula’s goal goes further: zero net deforestation by 2030, meaning any forest loss, legal or illegal, would have to be offset through restoration.

Deforestation and other land-use changes are Brazil’s largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions, which drive global warming. The stakes are especially high in the Amazon, which stores vast amounts of carbon dioxide and generates atmospheric moisture that helps regulate weather far beyond South America.

Sen. Bolsonaro has not detailed his Amazon-related policies, saying broadly that his administration would intensify efforts against environmental crime and promote conservation.

“Flávio Bolsonaro is a defender of the environment and of those who preserve standing forests and clean rivers,” his campaign told The Associated Press in a statement. It said his government would create economic incentives for conservation and restoration.

Sen. Bolsonaro says he doesn't believe climate change is real

In an August interview with Jornal Nacional, Brazil’s most-watched television newscast, Bolsonaro said he did not believe in climate change, but rather in extreme weather events.

“Those are cyclical events,” Bolsonaro said. “The best way to address environmental issues is what we did during the (Jair) Bolsonaro administration: approve a basic sanitation framework to combat the sewage flowing past your front door.”

Márcio Astrini, executive director of the Climate Observatory, a network of environmental groups, said deforestation could surge again if Bolsonaro followed his father’s path of dismantling enforcement and weakening protections.

“The risk we face is that Brazil could move away from a positive environmental agenda toward a position more similar to the one now adopted by the United States — one of climate denial,” Astrini said.

Experts say the key word in Bolsonaro’s deforestation pledge may be “illegal.” They warn his administration could weaken protections and expand where clearing is legally permitted, allowing deforestation to rise while technically honoring the pledge.

“Given his long history of advocating weaker environmental protections, there is concern that activities now considered illegal could simply be legalized and no longer subject to enforcement,” said Taciana Stec, a climate policy specialist at Talanoa, a Brazilian think tank.

Landowners in the Amazon generally must preserve 80% of the native vegetation on their properties. In 2019, Bolsonaro co-sponsored a bill that would have ended that requirement, describing it as an obstacle to development.

The proposal was dropped after opposition from agribusiness leaders, who feared it would damage the reputation of Brazilian soy and beef in markets increasingly wary of deforestation.

Sen. Bolsonaro says he'll emphasize enforcement, but questions remain

Bolsonaro’s campaign tapped Marcelo Donnini Freire, an environmental manager who held senior positions during the final months of Jair Bolsonaro’s administration, to help shape its environmental platform.

In September, Freire met with environmental organizations, including the Brazilian Coalition on Climate, Forests and Agriculture, which advocates for Brazilian leadership in the low-carbon economy.

A person who has been part of internal campaign discussions but is not authorized to speak publicly said a Bolsonaro administration would be unlikely to change current deforestation restrictions on private properties. Such a proposal would face opposition from export-oriented agribusiness and risk undermining investments in carbon projects and biofuels.

Pressure for increased clearing could persist, however, among smaller producers with little access to export markets or carbon-credit revenue.

Although Bolsonaro’s campaign told AP he would prioritize technology-driven enforcement against wildfires and environmental crimes, he has campaigned across the Amazon on promises to loosen environmental regulations.

One enforcement tool allows authorities to impose sanctions for illegal clearing based solely on satellite monitoring. Jair Bolsonaro halted the policy, and Lula restored it in 2023. A fast-tracked bill backed by Brazil’s agribusiness caucus would weaken it. Flávio Bolsonaro did not say whether he would preserve the measure.

Some Bolsonaro allies have been fined for environmental violations and campaigned against enforcement. News outlet Sumauma found that candidates across the Amazon had accumulated about $33 million in environmental fines, most of them from parties aligned with the Bolsonaros.

Far-right candidate pledges to open Indigenous lands for farming, mining

At a June rally in Belem, which hosted last year’s U.N. climate summit, Bolsonaro vowed to “modernize” environmental laws and ease licensing for farming, cattle ranching and mining. In August, he campaigned in the Estacao Parecis Indigenous Territory in Mato Grosso, pledging greater autonomy for Indigenous communities.

“They will decide what happens on their lands,” Bolsonaro told the Market Makers podcast. “If they want to farm or lease their territory, they will be free to do so. If they want to authorize mining on their lands, they will be able to do that as well.”

“All of this will be done responsibly and with environmental safeguards, while respecting their wishes,” he added.

Indigenous territories are among the Amazon’s best-preserved areas but face growing pressure from farmers and illegal gold mining. Bolsonaro did not say whether his administration would establish deforestation rules for Indigenous lands.

Flávio Bolsonaro pledges may resonate with some Amazon voters

In 2022, Jair Bolsonaro carried five of the nine states in Brazil’s Legal Amazon. Breno Rodrigues de Messias Leite, a political scientist at the Federal University of Amazonas, said Flávio Bolsonaro's promises to loosen environmental protections may appeal to voters in the region who see the rules as overly restrictive and burdensome to businesses.

“Nobody here thinks, ‘There’s a forest over there, let me go cut it down,’” Leite said. “But one idea is deeply ingrained in the minds of the people who live here. First, they feel isolated. Second, when the state shows up, it comes with a heavy hand, with sanctions rather than with infrastructure.”

If Flávio Bolsonaro wins, Leite added, he could pursue policies that result in environmental damage. “He will have to respond to his electoral base, which is precisely rural producers. That sector wants further loosening of environmental regulations.”

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

In the last several months, we have witnessed Secretary of State Marco Rubio continuing to sanction top officials of the Cuban government and their organizations, trying to force them to change or come to the table and negotiate with the U.S.

On the other hand, we just learned that the White House authorized a sale of 3.2 million barrels of oil to Cuba supposedly going to Cuba’s private sector. Are you kidding?

When dealing with Venezuela and Cuba, Trump has clearly shown that making money is more important than regime change in these two countries.

Oct. 1: Robberies and delinquencies increase in Cuba

According to Cuban blogger Yoani Sanchez (14yMedio), this past Monday a bank was robbed in Lawton, Cuba in the middle of a major power failure.

The robbers got away with the money that was to be paid the next day to people who had retired. At the same time, many solar panels that have been installed around Cuba to help with the growing electrical shortages are being stolen at night by robbers.

The Cuban government is concerned that as socio-economic conditions continue to get worse on the island nation, these practices will increase. So far, no one has been caught.

The new sanctions announced Tuesday directly have an impact on the small and mid-size private enterprises that are allowed by the Cuban government new economic reforms introduced a few months ago. Under the new sanctions, these businesses will not be allowed to have bank accounts in the U.S.

In addition, the new sanctions will prohibit educational exchanges and “people to people” contact that have been used for tourism purposes.

The Cuban government was quick to react by saying that these new U.S. sanctions further hurt the Cuban people. Cuba continues to deny that their own system is mostly responsible for the current poor socio-economic conditions on the island nation.

Sept. 29: Secretary Rubio sends a clear message to Cuba

On Monday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent a stern and clear message to the Cuban government. “Do not think that you can wait out the end of this administration. Change your government or you will face the consequences.”

I do not believe, given the problems in the Middle East, that the U.S. will open another military front. Although even if they do, it will not take long for the U.S. to take out Cuba’s military.

The problem is what do we do after with the island? I do not believe Cuba is ready for a democratic government.

Sept. 25: Cuba denies negotiations with U.S.

President Trump announced two days ago that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has started negotiations once again with members of the Cuban government.

Cuba’s Vice Minister Fernández de Cosio was quickly to react and make it clear that such negotiations are not true.

In the meantime the support amongst the Cuban-American and Venezuelan community for Trump is eroding fast ahead of the midterm elections.

Sept. 24: The Trump administration needs a lesson in simple mathematics

At a press conference Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in reference to Cuba that we cannot expect to change a country that has been under a totalitarian regime for 60 years in six months. First, Mr. Secretary, this coming Jan. 1 will mark 68 (2027-1959= 68) years since the Castro’s took over power.

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Trump, Rubio and the Cuban American members of Congress from South Florida have said multiple times that by the end of 2026 the Cuban government would fall. Now they say by the end of 2029. Maybe the 6 was reversed from the beginning.

Secondly, we captured Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela this past January. The following week, President Trump said that in two weeks (a week has 7 days. 7x2=14), Cuba would be next. Let’s check the math, Mr. President. It’s been eight months since the capture of Maduro. That’s about 240 days.

The foreign policy of this administration continues to be a disaster. We have 101 ambassadorial appointments open around the world out of 196. 40 appointees are waiting Senate hearing and confirmation. But their qualifications are so bad they probably will not be confirm. 95% of President Trump’s ambassadorial appointments are political with limited international relations and diplomatic knowledge.

Furthermore, 42 times the Trump administration has announced a cease fire with Iran because both nations were close to a deal. So far the war goes on with no clear exit strategy.

In the meantime, Cuban Americans and Venezuelans in South Florida have realized that the Trump administration strategies are just a game with empty promises.

There is still time to correct your calculations but you are running out of time, mid-term elections are around the corner. Do the math.

Sept. 22: Trump calls Cuba ‘failed state that will fall’

This morning, President Donald Trump addressed the annual United Nations General Assembly meeting.

In his speech, he called Cuba a “failed state that will fall.” He further stated that “communism will never come to the U.S. but liberty will soon come to Cuba.” Trump further stated that Cuba represents a threat to U.S. national security -- all these accusations without giving any specific details.

Sept. 22: Wealthy, influential Cuban-Americans with ties to Trump planning for ‘post-communist’ Cuba if regimes falls

According to an article by the Wall Street Journal, wealthy and influential Cuban-Americans with ties to President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have been meeting in lawyer offices and hotel conference rooms to plan for a “post-communist” Cuba if the regime were to fall soon.

The “change” model seems to first attempt to stabilize Cuba by restructuring the economy that could possibly lead to a new form of government.

Many of these individuals are planning to personally play a role in rebuilding Cuba. These individuals run wealthy businesses. However, for the most part, the opposition groups in South Florida have been left out of these conversations or any role they might play in the future of Cuba.

Sept. 21: Cuba’s leadership continue to blame their problems on everybody else except themselves

Cuban Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos Fernandez de Cossio made a surreal statement yesterday, claiming that everyone at the top of the Cuban government leadership get, on average, two hours of electricity per day.

We know that most of Cuba’s inner circle of power have generators or solar panels that provide them electricity around the clock each day.

What Fernandez de Cossio does not admit is that the electrical problem has been caused by the Cuban government not being able to fix the outdated electrical plans that are the cause of the problem.

Sept. 18: Republican Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar breaks with Trump over immigration policy

After supporting President Donald Trump’s policy on immigration, Republican Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar issued a video yesterday criticizing Trump.

The Department of Homeland Security was quickly to react and say that the Trump administration will continue enforcing the policy.

We need to ask ourselves whether Salazar’s change of heart has to do more with political survival since she faces a tough race in the midterm elections this coming November from well known South Floridian Eliott Rodriguez (D).

Sept. 17: Cuba is not Venezuela

A new poll recently done by FIU, inside Venezuela and Cuba, show how different the situations are for U.S. foreign policy.

The poll shows that 90% of Venezuelans want free and democratic elections this year, which I do not believe the current Interim President Delcy Rodriguez will agree to. I’m also sure that she will use Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s plan of “stabilization, recovery, and transition phase” to say that the first stage has not been fully accomplished. There was no timetable put on the plan.

The case of Cuba is very different. The population wants their economic and social needs met before political reforms, which goes to my argument that Cuba has a very short history of democratic governments.

So to remind our local members of Congress. To say that “we must return Cuba to democracy” will not happen anytime soon.

Sept. 16: Rubio’s latest actions on Cuba

Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently sent more humanitarian aid to Cuba, and it is being distributed by the non-governmental organization (NGO) associated with the Catholic Church, Caritas of Cuba.

At the same time, Rubio warned international banks and businesses not to collaborate with any Cuban business entities that have been sanctioned by the U.S.

Secretary Rubio also called for the Cuban government to change and become a democracy.

By now, we should understand that changing governments like Cuba, which have been under totalitarian control, is not easy and will take time. Especially countries like Cuba that, in their political history, have had unsustainable democratic governments.

Sept. 15: Cuba becomes a betting market for U.S. prediction markets

Cuba has become a betting market in the USA.

The betting site Polymarket shows how people in the U.S. are betting on everything from the removal of Cuba’s President Miguel Díaz-Canel from power to when and if the U.S. will invade Cuba or make an economic agreement with Cuba.

The last prediction is whether the U.S. will go and get indicted Cuban leader Raúl Castro.

Sept. 10: Russia denies Cuba full membership in BRICS

BRICS is an organization of 11 emerging economies around the world. The organization works to influence their global importance and reshape economic governance.

The membership includes Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.

Partner nations include Belarus, Cuba, Nigeria and Thailand.

The Russians turned down Cuba for full membership into the organization because of Cuba’s poor economic conditions and poor predictions by economists moving forward.

Sept. 9: Cuba and the U.S. stuck in diplomatic rhetoric

Cuba’s Brigadier General Emir Mesa Corona, who is in charge of personal security at the Ministry of Interior, sent a strong message to the U.S. not to even think of trying to kidnap Raul Castro or anyone in Cuba’s government or they will face serious consequences.

At the same time, Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parilla admitted that backroom negotiations with the U.S. continue but the U.S. will not soften their positions. Cuba wants the economic embargo lifted while the U.S. wants regime change.

Sept. 8: Blind passion for Cuban politics leads to a political circus between Miami, Havana and DC

As a little boy growing up in Miami, I remember when every presidential candidate from both political parties would come to campaign in Miami and promised that if elected, they would work to see a “Free Cuba.” They would end their speeches with “Viva Cuba Libre.” Local politicians representing different municipalities in Miami-Dade would talk about U.S. foreign policy towards Cuba like they controlled it, and yet, they had nothing to do with it within their scope of responsibilities. But it got them the votes they needed to be elected and remain in power, while political leaders in Cuba continued to blame everything wrong on the island on the U.S. economic embargo, or as they call it, “the blockade.”

On Jan. 3, the U.S. military captured Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela with the assistance of their current Interim President Delcy Rodriguez and brought him to the U.S. to face justice. Shortly thereafter, President Donald Trump announced that Cuba would be next.

The Trump administration began to sanction Cuban organizations and individuals of the government in an attempt to squeeze them out of power. So far, they are still in power. The Cuban government began to prepare for a U.S. invasion. To this date, it has not happened and probably never will.

On May 20, the U.S. Justice Department indicted Raul Castro for the downing of the Brothers to the Rescue planes in 1996 in a theater-like political rally at the Freedom Tower in downtown Miami. So far nothing has happened and nothing is going to happen. There is no Delcy Rodriguez in Cuba. A week ago, many media outlets across Miami reported, based on sources from inside the island, that Raul Castro was gravely ill. This past weekend, Raul reappeared surrounded by Cuba’s military elite.

Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the three Cuban-American members of Congress from South Florida had announced that by the end of 2026, Cuba would fall. Now it has been pushed back to 2029. Furthermore, Rubio recently said that the problem in dealing with Cuba is the Helms-Burton Law (Senator Jesse Helms and Richard Burton, both Republicans) that was enacted by Congress in 1996, also with the hard work of the late Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart and signed into law by Democratic President Bill Clinton.

The three Cuban-American members of Congress made it clear that the goal was to return Cuba to democracy. What democracy? Cuba did not have a democratic government before Fidel Castro took power. How much do they really know about Cuban history? Or is it just a play on words and empty promises?

So as time passes each day, the Cuban-American community is beginning to ask itself, what is really going on in D.C.?

It would not surprise me that in the near future the Trump organizations would negotiate to buy the empty Melia Hotels in Cuba and put the Trump name on them. After all, we now own a big chunk of Venezuelan oil and there was no regime change as promised.

Will we ever learn? How much longer are we going to be blind by our passion?

Sept 6: Raul Castro makes public appearance

After much speculation about Cuba’s Raul Castro being close to death, the Cuban leader showed up at a military event yesterday accompanied by his grandson, Raulito, and Cuba’s President Miguel Diaz-Canel.

Sept 3: Raul Castro stable, according to sources

Sources in Cuba say Raul Castro, 95, is stable despite reports about his declining health. According to sources, retired General Abelardo Colome Ibarra, known as “ El Fury,” is currently in worse condition. Colome Ibarra was head of the Ministry of the Interior and highly respected by the Castro brothers and the Cuban military.

Sept 3: President Trump’s hands are tied with regard to Cuba, Rubio says

After months of saying Cuba would be next, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said today that the president’s hands are tied because of the Helms Burton Law which requires no normalization between the U.S. and Cuba unless there is regime change and a move towards a democratic government.

Even if Raul Castro was to die in the near future, I do not expect regime change.

Only the U.S. can change the Helms-Burton Law and I don’t expect that to happen anytime in the near future or after the mid-term elections.

Sept. 2: Children in Cuba start new school year amid more challenges than any other year before

Children in Cuba started the new school year Tuesday facing a lack of supplies, books, uniforms and teachers, and buildings that are falling apart, along with a lack of food to feed the children.

According to the Cuban minister of education, this will be a very challenging year unlike any others.

Cuban education was once one of the big accomplishments of the revolution. However, it was also used to indoctrinate the students in an ideology that no one on the island nation believes anymore.

Sept. 1: Raul Castro hospitalized, sources say

Reliable sources inside Cuba have informed me this afternoon that Raul Castro has been hospitalized. We need to be careful and not to over speculate what might happen until further notice.

Dr. Andy S. Gomez is Local 10’s Cuba Analyst. Gomez is considered one of the leading scholars on Cuba. He worked in higher education for 32 years before retiring from the University of Miami in 2012.