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According to Florida City police, the stabbing was reported at about 9 p.m. at the Southpoint Crossing Apartments on West Lucy Street.

“I just heard a lot of screaming last night, and then I actually had someone, like, try to jiggle my handle, like try to come in the door,” one neighbor, who didn’t want to be identified, said.

That neighbor said her Ring camera captured the suspect trying to get inside her apartment before police showed up.

Sgt. David Hunsberger said officers arrived at the scene and found a man and a woman who had been stabbed.

He said both victims were airlifted to Jackson South Trauma where they remain in stable condition.

A neighbor told Local 10 News that the victims were a mother and son, but police have not yet confirmed that information.

The suspect, identified only as an adult male, was also located at the scene and was arrested, Hunsberger confirmed.

Deputies said Pope, 27, of southwest Miami-Dade, was taken into custody by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office on Thursday.

According to the report, Pope and the woman knew each other through their neighborhood and had recently reconnected through social media. The report states that the two agreed to meet Thursday for “personal reasons” in the county’s Goulds area.

The woman told investigators that Pope entered her vehicle after she arrived at the meeting location, where they began to argue, according to the report.

During the dispute, Pope allegedly pulled out a gun, “struck the woman in the face with it and forcibly removed her cellular phone from her hand,” the report states.

The woman then got out of the vehicle and fled to a nearby gas station, where she called 911, according to investigators.

Deputies said shortly after taking Pope into custody, the woman identified him though a photo.

They said Pope made a confession that was redacted in his publicly released arrest report.

Jail records show he is facing one count of armed robbery with a firearm or deadly weapon and one count of aggravated battery.

Pope is a Hialeah native who played wide receiver at UM from 2018 through 2021. During his Hurricanes career, he appeared in 34 games and recorded 52 receptions for 680 yards and four touchdowns.

After going undrafted in 2024, Pope signed with the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts in December of that year. He later moved on from the team and continued his career overseas, including a stint with the European League of Football’s Rhein Fire.

Pope appeared in bond court Friday before Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer. Glazer ordered him to be held without bond and said he would be required to wear a GPS monitor if eventually released from jail.

From dirty equipment and food-contact surfaces, to improper food temperatures, pest problems and handwashing violations, these restaurants have some serious work to do.

Legendary Shorty’s BBQ racked up a staggering 40 violations and this inspection was prompted by a complaint.

These businesses need to do better.

We’re putting their violations on the Dirty 30 list so you can see exactly what inspectors found.

**SHORTY’S BAR-B-Q

9200 SOUTH DIXIE HIGHWAY

SOUTH MIAMI/DADELAND

INSPECTION BASED ON COMPLAINT

INSPECTION DATE 9/15

40 VIOLATIONS FOUND

Accumulation of dead or trapped birds, insects, rodents, or other pests, in control devices. “Observed dead flies on sticky tape in office.”

Accumulation of debris inside ware washing machine. “Observed interior soiled.”

Bathroom facility not clean. “Observed urinal in men’s restroom with urine stains and hair.”

Buildup of food debris/soil residue on equipment door handles. — Repeat Violation “Observed soiled equipment handles.”

Ceiling/ceiling tile shows damage or is in disrepair. — Repeat Violation “Observed water damage to multiple tiles in restroom.”

Ceiling/ceiling tiles/vents soiled with accumulated food debris, grease, dust, or mold-like substance. — Repeat Violation “Observed dusty vents.”

Cold holding equipment not maintained in good repair. “Observed small reach-in cooler in storage area with ambient temperature of 67°F. Cheese slices stored inside for more than 4 hours at 67°F.”

Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. “Observed phone on top of dish machine.”

Employee with no hair restraint while engaging in food preparation. “Observed multiple employees with no hair restraint engaged in food preparation.”

Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried — wet nesting. “Observed in back of kitchen on rack.”

Exterior door has a gap at the threshold that opens to the outside. “Observed at back door next to ice machine.”

Floor area(s) covered with standing water. — Repeat Violation “Observed throughout kitchen and smoker room. Observed in walk-in cooler.”

Food storage container/container lid cracked or broken. “Observed above prep sink in back; cracked containers.”

Food stored on floor. “Observed soda syrup on floor in back of kitchen. Observed oil on floor of cook line next to chest freezer.”

Ice buildup in reach-in freezer and/or walk-in freezer. — Repeat Violation “Observed in chest freezer.”

In-use knife/knives stored in cracks between pieces of equipment. “Observed at prep sink.”

No handwashing sign provided at a hand sink used by food employees. “Observed no handwashing sign at sink in kitchen.”

Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. — Repeat Violation “Observed gaskets soiled in multiple coolers. Observed exterior of equipment heavily soiled.”

Open dumpster lid. — Repeat Violation “Observed open lid at time of inspection.”

Opened employee beverage container in a cold holding unit with food to be served to customers. “Observed employee cup on rack in walk-in cooler. Observed water bottle in chest freezer.”

Reach-in cooler interior/shelves have accumulation of soil residues. “Observed in walk-in cooler. Observed in reach-in cooler; soiled shelves.”

Reach-in cooler shelves with rust that has pitted the surface. “Observed in reach-in.”

Standing water in bottom of reach-in cooler. “Observed at reach-in at front counter where coleslaw is stored.”

Stored food not covered. “Observed in walk-in cooler.”

Unsealed concrete floor in food preparation, food storage, ware washing area or bathroom. — Repeat Violation “Observed in smoker room and walk-in cooler.”

Walk-in cooler/freezer shelves with rust that has pitted the surface. — Repeat Violation “Observed rust on shelves in walk-in and reach-in.”

Wall soiled with accumulated grease, food debris, and/or dust. — Repeat Violation “Observed throughout establishment.”

Chlorine sanitizer not at proper minimum strength for manual ware washing. “Observed less than 50 ppm at triple sink.”

Employee handled soiled equipment or utensils and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. “Observed employee on phone at ware wash area, then continue work with no handwash.”

Employee touched face/hair and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. “Observed employee at dish machine rubbing sweat off face and continue handling clean utensils.”

Hose attached to faucet at three-compartment/food preparation/handwash sink eliminating required air gap. “Observed at prep sink in back.”

Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. “Observed in mini cooler in storage area: cheese slices at 67°F. As per cook, more than 4 hours.”

Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41°F. “Observed in mini cooler in storage area: cheese slices at 67°F. As per cook, more than 4 hours. Observed at front counter: coleslaw at 70°F. Operator placed product in ice to rapidly chill.”

Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135°F. “Observed in warmer across cook line: ribs at 112°F; steak at 122°F. As per operator, less than 2 hours. Ribs were thrown out and steaks were reheated to 165°F. Observed on cook line: chicken at 97°F; wings at 89°F. Operator threw into oven to be reheated, less than 4 hours on line.”

Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. “Observed soiled food shelves in dry storage.”

Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. — Repeat Violation “Observed hand sink with container inside at waiter station.”

No currently certified food service manager on duty with four or more employees engaged in food preparation/handling. “Observed no CFM present at time of inspection; more than 4 employees on site.”

No paper towels or mechanical hand drying device provided at handwash sink. — Repeat Violation “Observed in men’s restroom; no paper towels and device not working. Observed no paper towels at hand sink in kitchen or at waiter station.”

Non-pitting surface rust on food-contact equipment. — Repeat Violation “Observed on shelves where dry goods are stored.”

Paper towel dispenser at handwash sink not working/unable to dispense paper towels. “Observed at back kitchen hand sink; paper towels unable to dispense.”

**TRAN AN VIETNAMESE FOOD

215 NE 82ND ST.

MIAMI (LITTLE RIVER)

INSPECTION DATE 9/16

30 VIOLATIONS FOUND

Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin. “Observed.”

Ceiling not smooth, nonabsorbent and easily cleanable in food preparation, food storage, or ware washing areas. “Observed above prep area front counter.”

Ceiling/ceiling tiles/vents soiled with accumulated food debris, grease, dust, or mold-like substance. “Observed ceiling tiles dusty above kitchen cook line and ware washing areas.”

Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. “Observed an employee drink cup stored on tray rack by cook line.”

Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. “Observed personal phone stored on prep area front counter.”

Employee with no hair restraint while engaging in food preparation. “While preparing food.”

Equipment in poor repair. “Observed reach-in coolers gaskets torn by front counter.”

Floor area(s) covered with standing water. “Observed standing water under RIC front counter and hand sink.”

Food stored on floor. “Observed cooking oil containers and fish sauce stored on floor by back exit door and storage room outside.”

In-use utensil stored in standing water less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. — Repeat Violation “Observed utensils inside standing water at 93°F by cook line.”

Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. “Observed reach-in coolers gaskets soiled at front counter prep area.”

Outer openings not protected with self-closing doors. “Observed a service window by front counter for To-Go orders open during inspection and observed back door exit door open during inspection.”

Reach-in cooler interior/shelves have accumulation of soil residues. “Observed reach-in freezer interior have accumulation of soil residues by storage room.”

Reach-in cooler shelves with rust that has pitted the surface. — Repeat Violation “Observed reach-in coolers rusted front counter and storage across cook line.”

Wall soiled with accumulated grease, food debris, and/or dust. “Observed wall dusty by hoods back exit door.”

Wet mop not stored in a manner to allow the mop to dry. “Observed wet mop stored inside mop bucket by back exit door.”

Employee began working with food, handling clean equipment or utensils, or touching unwrapped single-service items without first washing hands. “Observed employee coming from outside door and proceeded to grab clean containers and go to kitchen.”

Employee failed to wash hands before putting on gloves to initiate a task working with food. “Observed employee put new gloves on without washing hands.”

Live, small flying insects found. “Observed 2 live flying insects flying around dining room area. Observed 2 live flying insects flying by storage room by freezer. Observed 2 live flying insects flying around ware washing areas.”

Non-food grade paper/paper towel used as liner for food container. “Observed in contact with lettuce inside reach-in coolers prep area front counter.”

Quaternary ammonium sanitizer in spray bottle not at proper minimum strength. “Observed spray at 0 ppm; employee prepared new solution.”

Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. “Observed raw tray with beef stored over cooked meatballs container at reach-in coolers front counter.”

Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. “Observed raw chicken at 63°F, raw ground sausage at 55°F, and cooked pork with crab mix at 57°F at reach-in coolers across cook line. As per chef, from a day prior.”

Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. “Observed raw chicken at 63°F, raw ground sausage at 55°F, and cooked pork with crab mix at 57°F at reach-in coolers across cook line. As per chef, from a day prior.”

Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. “Observed cutting boards at prep area front counter.”

Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. “Observed tongs stored inside hand sink front counter.”

Manager or person in charge lacking proof of food manager certification. “Observed person in charge Ashley Benfield not manager certified.”

No currently certified food service manager on duty with four or more employees engaged in food preparation/handling. “Observed no currently certified food service manager on duty.”

No proof of required state-approved employee training provided for any employees. “Observed employee Kevin Marenco hired almost 2 years and Dyna Aubert hired about six months.”

Spray bottle containing toxic substance not labeled. “Observed spray plastic bottle with sanitizer not labeled front counter by ice machine.”

**CASA JUAN RESTAURANT

5755 NW 7TH ST.

BLUE LAGOON/MIA AREA

INSPECTION DATE 9/14

35 VIOLATIONS FOUND

Accumulation of dead or trapped birds, insects, rodents, or other pests, in control devices. “Observed 1 sticky tape with dead flies hanging from the ceiling over clean kitchen equipment.”

Accumulation of debris inside ware washing machine. “Observed.”

Accumulation of debris on exterior of ware washing machine. “Observed.”

Clean utensils and equipment stored on dirty wall at mop sink. “Observed.”

Cutting board has cut marks and is no longer cleanable. “Observed.”

Dead roaches on premises. “Observed 1 dead roach on the floor at dry storage area. Manager removed and discarded dead roach.”

Ice buildup in reach-in freezer and/or walk-in freezer. “Observed.”

Interior of oven and microwaves has accumulation of old food debris. — Repeat Violation “Observed.”

Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. “Observed reach-in cooler fans guard soiled.”

Objectionable odors in cooler. “Observed.”

Plumbing system in disrepair. “Observed.”

Reach-in cooler shelves with rust that has pitted the surface. “Observed.”

Stored food not covered. — Repeat Violation “Observed several aluminum containers with cooked food not covered in reach-in cooler, located at cooking line and walk-in cooler.”

Time/temperature control for safety food thawed in an improper manner. “Observed several raw fish stored in standing water at preparation table. Employee removed fish from water and placed it in reach-in cooler.”

Walk-in cooler interior and shelves have heavy accumulation of old food debris. — Repeat Violation “Observed.”

Walk-in cooler/freezer shelves with rust that has pitted the surface. “Observed.”

Wall inside walk-in cooler soiled. “Observed plastic curtains at walk-in cooler heavily soiled with black mold-like substance. Observed wall at mop sink soiled.”

Employee failed to wash hands before putting on gloves to initiate a task working with food. “Observed an employee handling raw food and subsequently putting on gloves without washing hands beforehand.”

Employee handled soiled equipment or utensils and then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. “Observed employee cleaning cooking pot at 3-compartment sink and then began handling clean containers, no hand wash.”

Food preparation sink has soil/old food residue. “Observed.”

Food-contact surfaces not sanitized after cleaning, before use. “Observed employee washing and rinsing vegetable dicer with no sanitizer.”

Live, small flying insects found. “Observed more than 30 small flies actively flying throughout the dry storage area. Approximately 5 flies were observed landing on raw potatoes. Additionally, approximately 10 flies were observed landing on clean blender glasses and maple syrup containers located at the front counter preparation area.”

Raw animal foods not properly separated from each other in holding unit based upon minimum required cooking temperature. — Repeat Violation “Observed raw chicken stored over raw pork at walk-in cooler.”

Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food marked with a date that exceeds 7 days after opening/preparation. “Observed container of pork soup with dates exceeding 7 days at walk-in cooler.”

Single-use gloves not changed as needed after changing tasks or when damaged or soiled. “Observed an employee washing their hands while wearing gloves.”

Stop Sale issued due to food not being in a wholesome, sound condition. “Observed container of pork soup with dates exceeding 7 days at walk-in cooler. Observed 5 live flies land on raw potatoes at dry storage area.”

Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. “Observed beef pastry at 71°F and cheese pastry at 68°F at room temperature at front counter. As per manager, for more than 4 hours.”

Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41°F. “Observed beef pastry at 71°F and cheese pastry at 68°F at room temperature at front counter. As per manager, for more than 4 hours. Observed raw fish at 71°F at room temperature at cook line. As per employee, for less than 30 minutes.”

Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135°F. “Observed beef stew at 120°F and ground beef at 125°F in steam table. As per operator, food was placed on the steam table 2 hours before the inspection.”

Vacuum breaker missing at hose bibb or on fitting/splitter added to hose bibb. “Observed.”

Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. — Repeat Violation “Observed preparation table soiled with old food debris at cook line. Observed wall-mounted vegetable dicer heavily soiled with old food debris. Observed fryer baskets soiled with old food debris at cook line. Observed interior of rice and flour containers soiled with old food debris at back storage area. Observed interior of toaster soiled at front counter.”

Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. “Observed employee washing and disposing dirty water in hand sink, located at cooking line.”

No paper towels or mechanical hand drying device provided at handwash sink. “Observed at hand sink located at cooking line.”

Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. “Observed cooked chicken prepared 2 days prior to the inspection with no date mark.”

Toxic substance/chemical on premise that is not required for the operation of establishment. “Observed sanitizer spray stored next to clean knives and forks, located at front counter.”

**LAS FLORES MEXICAN

12384 QUAIL ROOST DR.

SOUTH MIAMI HEIGHTS/SW MIAMI-DADE

INSPECTION DATE 9/14

31 VIOLATIONS FOUND

Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. — Repeat Violation “Observed plastic cup with no handle used to dispense cheese at reach-in cooler at kitchen entrance.”

Buildup of food debris/soil residue on equipment door handles. “Observed reach-in freezer door in kitchen.”

Ceiling/ceiling tile shows damage or is in disrepair. “Observed some ceiling tiles in the lobby soiled with water damage.”

Ceiling/ceiling tiles/vents soiled with accumulated food debris, grease, dust, or mold-like substance. “Observed interior white fan stored at prep table soiled with heavy accumulation of dust.”

Cove molding at floor/wall juncture broken/missing. “Observed cove molding at handwash sink in the kitchen broken.”

Equipment in poor repair. “Observed black reach-in freezer door handles in disrepair.”

Floor soiled/has accumulation of debris. — Repeat Violation “Observed floor soiled under cold holding equipment. Also observed under cooking equipment.”

Food stored in a prohibited area. “Observed red chili peppers container stored inside of the bathroom located near exterior door.”

No Heimlich maneuver/choking sign posted. “Observed.”

No copy of latest inspection report available. “Observed.”

Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. — Repeat Violation “Observed cove molding at the triple sink soiled with mold-like substance. Also observed exterior of flat grill heavily soiled.”

Objectionable odors in bathroom or other areas of the establishment. “Observed objectionable odor at white reach-in freezer.”

Bathroom near kitchen exterior used as dry storage/drinks. “Observed bathroom near kitchen exterior used as dry storage/drinks.”

Opened employee beverage container in a cold holding unit with food to be served to customers. — Repeat Violation “Observed employee open water stored at reach-in cooler near exit door.”

Reach-in cooler/freezer interior have accumulation of soil residues. “Observed reach-in cooler near exterior door have accumulation of soil residues. Also observed black reach-in freezer near cook line have accumulation of soil residues.”

Screen in door torn/in poor repair. “Observed exterior door.”

Standing water or very slow draining water in handwash sink, three-compartment sink, or mop sink. “Observed slow draining water at handwash sink in the kitchen.”

Three-compartment sink used for ware washing not cleaned before use as a food preparation sink. “Observed.”

Wall soiled with accumulated grease, food debris, and/or dust. “Observed wall soiled near handwash sink in the kitchen. Also one wall soiled at mop sink and triple sink.”

Wet mop not stored in a manner to allow the mop to dry. “Observed.”

Employee washed hands with no soap. “Observed.”

Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. “Observed raw shell eggs stored over bell peppers and tomatoes at reach-in cooler near exterior door.”

Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. “Observed cooked onions at 127°F at flat grill, as per cook for less than an hour.”

Water misting device not maintained/cleaned as required. “Observed water misting at triple sink soiled heavily with mold-like substance.”

Employee washed hands in a sink other than an approved handwash sink. “Observed employee washed hands inside of the triple sink.”

Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. “Observed frying baskets at fryer soiled with old debris.”

Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. — Repeat Violation “Observed handwashing sink blocked by trash can.”

Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. “Observed handwashing sink at front counter used to store wiping cloths and sanitizer buckets.”

No paper towels or mechanical hand drying device provided at handwash sink. “Observed at front counter.”

No probe thermometer provided to measure temperature of food products. “Observed.”

No soap provided at handwash sink. “Observed at handwash sink in the kitchen. Also observed at front counter.”

**TRIGO CAFE TAPAS

839 WEST 49TH ST.

HIALEAH

INSPECTION DATE 9/9

30 VIOLATIONS FOUND

Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. “Observed on salt, sugar, rice and bread crumbs containers at dry storage.”

Ceiling/ceiling tiles/vents soiled with accumulated food debris, grease, dust, or mold-like substance. “Observed dust and grease accumulated on ceiling tiles.”

Commercially processed reduced oxygen packaged fish bearing a label indicating that it is to remain frozen until time of use no longer frozen and not removed from reduced oxygen package. “Observed raw salmon and raw mahi filets no longer frozen still on ROP package. Operator segregated to be discarded.”

Current Hotel and Restaurant license not displayed. “Observed.”

Equipment in poor repair. “Observed no lid on ice machine, machine is covered with a plastic bag at front counter.”

Establishment did not report seating change that affects the license fee, Clean Indoor Air Act, sewage system approval or other related requirements. “Observed.”

Establishment increased seating without providing written approval from the local fire authority and wastewater provider. — Repeat Violation “Observed establishment licensed with 16 seats, observed 50 seats.”

Floor not cleaned when the least amount of food is exposed. “Observed by dry storage area and kitchen area.”

Food stored on floor. — Repeat Violation “Observed sugar bag and vinegar bottle stored on floor by dry storage area.”

In-use utensil stored in standing water less than 135°F. “Observed utensil in standing water at 99°F next to stove.”

Interior of oven/microwave has accumulation of black substance/grease/food debris. “Observed.”

No conspicuously located ambient air temperature thermometer in holding unit. “Observed no ambient thermometer on units throughout establishment.”

No copy of latest inspection report available. “Observed.”

Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. “Observed soiled gaskets on reach-in cooler across 3-compartment sink. Observed soiled reach-in cooler interior by dry storage area.”

Reach-in cooler interior/shelves have accumulation of soil residues. “Observed soiled with food debris reach-in cooler interior across 3-compartment sink.”

Single-service articles improperly stored. “Observed To-Go cardboard inserts case stored on floor by dry storage area.”

Wet mop not stored in a manner to allow the mop to dry. “Observed.”

Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name. — Repeat Violation “Observed salt and sugar containers not identified with common name at dry storage.”

Container of medicine improperly stored. “Observed a bottle of acetaminophen on shelves above food preparation at kitchen area. Operator removed.”

Nonfood-grade bags used in direct contact with food. “Observed food stored on nonfood-grade bags on standing freezer.”

Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food marked with a date that exceeds 7 days after opening/preparation. “Observed cooked black beans dated on 08/28 in standing unit at kitchen area. Operator segregated to be discarded.”

Stop Sale issued due to food not being in a wholesome, sound condition. “Observed raw salmon and raw mahi filets no longer frozen still on ROP package. Operator segregated to be discarded.”

Stop Sale issued on time/temperature control for safety food due to temperature abuse. “Observed cooked black beans dated on 08/28 in standing unit at kitchen area. Operator segregated to be discarded.”

Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41°F. “Observed seafood ceviche at 44°F and sliced ham at 47°F on standing unit at kitchen. As per operator, less than 1 hour.”

Establishment has no written procedures for employees to follow in response to a vomiting or diarrheal event where the vomit or diarrhea is discharged onto surfaces in the establishment. “Observed.”

Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. “Observed slicer next to stove at kitchen area soiled with food debris.”

No proof of required state-approved employee training provided for any employees. “Observed.”

No proof provided that food employees are informed of their responsibility to report to the person in charge information about their health and activities related to foodborne illnesses. “Observed.”

Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. “Observed cooked white rice and congri rice prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked on standing unit by dry storage.”

Spray bottle containing toxic substance not labeled. — Repeat Violation “Observed degreaser spray bottle not identified with name.”

**CONCH HEAVEN

11275 NW 27TH AVE.

MIAMI

INSPECTION DATE 9/17

31 VIOLATIONS FOUND

ORDERED SHUT 6/29/26 (ROACH ISSUE)

Bathroom located inside establishment not completely enclosed with tight-fitting, self-closing doors. — Repeat Violation “Restrooms doors not self-closing.”

Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. “Bowl with no handle used to scoop rice.”

Buildup of food debris/soil residue on equipment door handles. “Walk-in freezer door handle soiled with food debris.”

Ceiling/ceiling tile shows damage or is in disrepair. “Ceiling tiles water damaged in dry storage.”

Ceiling/ceiling tiles/vents soiled with accumulated food debris, grease, dust, or mold-like substance. — Repeat Violation “Grease on A/C vents and throughout the ceiling in the kitchen area.”

Clean glasses, cups, bowls, plates, pots and pans not stored inverted or in a protected manner. “Observed pots and pans not inverted.”

Cutting board has cut marks and is no longer cleanable. — Repeat Violation “Grooved cutting board.”

Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. “iPad and battery charger on top of the preparation table.”

Employee with no hair restraint while engaging in food preparation. “Kitchen employees not wearing hair restraints.”

Equipment in poor repair. “Chest freezer lid rusted.”

Floor soiled/has accumulation of debris. “Under the shelves in dry storage, and grease under the fryer.”

Fly sticky tape hanging over food/food preparation area/food-contact equipment. “Observed over food preparation table.”

Food not stored at least 6 inches off of the floor. — Repeat Violation “Box of tomatoes on the floor inside the walk-in cooler.”

Hole in or other damage to wall. — Repeat Violation “Hole on wall by triple sink.”

Ice buildup in reach-in freezer and/or walk-in freezer. “Ice in walk-in freezer and reach-in freezer.”

Improper storage of maintenance equipment that interferes with cleaning. “Around kitchen area.”

Interior of oven/microwave has accumulation of black substance/grease/food debris. — Repeat Violation “Observed the oven soiled.”

No handwashing sign provided at a hand sink used by food employees. “No handwashing sign in the restroom and front counter.”

Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. — Repeat Violation “Reach-in cooler gasket soiled. Hood filters soiled, and the bottom of the preparation table.”

Reach-in cooler interior/shelves have accumulation of soil residues. “Reach-in cooler interior soiled.”

Time/temperature control for safety food thawed in an improper manner. “Observed seafood being thawed at room temperature.”

Walk-in cooler/freezer shelves with rust that has pitted the surface. — Repeat Violation “Walk-in freezer shelves rusted.”

Wall soiled with accumulated grease, food debris, and/or dust. — Repeat Violation “Wall soiled throughout the kitchen.”

Wet mop not stored in a manner to allow the mop to dry. “Observed.”

Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name. “Plastic bottles with sauces not labeled. Food storage containers not labeled.”

Nonfood-grade bags used in direct contact with food. “Thank-you bags in direct contact with food.”

Pesticide/insecticide labeled for household use only present in establishment. “Observed bug spray on preparation table.”

Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135°F. “Observed cooked chicken at 119°F, cabbage at 95°F and pork at 109°F. Manager started to reheat them to 165°F.”

Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. “Mixer head soiled.”

No paper towels or mechanical hand drying device provided at handwash sink. “No paper towels in the hand sink.”

Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. — Repeat Violation “All cooked food items in the walk-in cooler from more than 24 hours, as per employee, not date marked.”

**HONORABLE MENTION**

**LA JULIANA LJ

3001 WEST 12TH AVE.

HIALEAH

INSPECTION DATE 9/8

29 VIOLATIONS FOUND

Current Hotel and Restaurant license not displayed. “Observed.”

Employee wearing jewelry other than a plain ring on their hands/arms while preparing food. “Observed employee engaging food preparation at cook line wearing a watch.”

Equipment in poor repair. “Observed broken door on reach-in cooler at cook line by steam table.”

Food stored in a room/shed that is not fully enclosed. “Observed a chest freezer storing food at the back of the establishment not covered or secured.”

Hot water at mop sink does not reach 85°F. “Observed.”

In-use utensil stored in standing water less than 135°F. “Observed ice cream scoop in standing water at 97°F at kitchen area.”

In-use wet wiping cloth/towel used under cutting board. “Observed under cutting board, employee removed.”

No conspicuously located ambient air temperature thermometer in holding unit. “Observed no ambient thermometer in all units at kitchen.”

Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. “Observed soiled with food debris drawers interior at cook line.”

Opened employee beverage container in a cold holding unit with food to be served to customers. “Observed multiple personal drinks inside reach-in cooler at kitchen area. Operator removed.”

Time/temperature control for safety food thawed in an improper manner. “Observed raw shrimp (frozen) inside 3-compartment sink at kitchen. Operator moved to reach-in cooler.”

Water leaking from pipe and/or faucet/handle. “Observed leaking from handwash sink pipe at kitchen.”

Wet wiping cloths used for occasional spills on equipment food- and nonfood-contact surfaces not clean. “Observed multiple wiping cloths at kitchen area.”

Employee washed hands with cold water. “Observed no hot water at establishment.”

Nonfood-grade bags used in direct contact with food. “Observed cut cheese stored on To-Go bags. Operator changed.”

Pesticide/insecticide labeled for household use only present in establishment. “Observed a Raid spray bottle at front counter and observed one stored above 3-compartment sink at kitchen.”

Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. “Observed raw chicken stored above cooked rice on drawers at cook line. Employee stored properly.”

Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41°F. “Observed cut ham at 45°F and shredded cheese at 45°F on preparation table at kitchen area, as per operator less than 3 hours. Operator moved to reach-in cooler across grill.”

Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135°F. “Observed cooked onions at 94°F next to flat grill, as per operator less than 3 hours.”

Employee washed hands in a sink other than an approved handwash sink. “Observed employee wash their hands at 3-compartment sink.”

Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. “Observed soiled with food debris can opener blade. Also observed soiled white cutting board at cook line.”

Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. “Observed a case of bananas stored on top of handwash sink at kitchen area. Employee removed.”

No chemical test kit provided when using sanitizer at three-compartment ware washing machine or wiping cloths. “Observed no chlorine test strips available.”

No handwash sink for employees. “Observed no handwash sink on preparation area at the back of the establishment.”

No hot running water at three-compartment sink. “Hot water running for approximately 10 minutes, reached 84°F.”

No plan review submitted and approved — renovations were made or are in progress. “Observed 1 reach-in cooler and 1 preparation/container located at the back of the establishment. Plans were not submitted at the time of the inspection. Observed food stored and food preparation during inspection.”

No probe thermometer provided to measure temperature of food products. “Observed.”

No soap provided at handwash sink. “Observed at kitchen area. Operator provided during inspection.”

Water with a temperature of at least 85°F not provided/shut off at employee handwash sink. “Hot water running for approximately 10 minutes, reached.”

Jail records show Juan Dominguez, 34, and Yamika Poulard, 30, were arrested Thursday by the Coral Springs Police Department.

According to the arrest reports, the alleged credit card use occurred between July 29 and Aug. 10. The victim told investigators that her business credit card had been “compromised” and used 26 times in Coral Springs. She immediately provided investigators with seven transactions totaling $1,894.95 that she said were unauthorized, according to police.

Authorities said the couple allegedly used the victim’s card at a Metro by T-Mobile store in Coral Springs on July 29 and at a Kohl’s department store in Coral Springs the following day.

Coral Springs police said officers witnessed the couple using their phones to make more than $500 worth of clothing purchases at Kohl’s, located at 9001 W. Atlantic Blvd., in the Coral Square Mall.

Investigators said the couple was accompanied by Poulard’s daughter when they allegedly used the card’s tap-to-pay feature at Kohl’s. They said officers saw the couple in an elevator at the store with shopping carts filled with clothing. Surveillance footage also captured the license plate of Poulard’s gray Tesla, according to the report.

The report states that the victim’s card was also used at a Caribbean restaurant in Margate, a Zumiez store in the Coral Square Mall and at a nearby 7-Eleven.

Police said investigators reviewed surveillance footage from Kohl’s and the 7-Eleven and used the footage to help identify and arrest the couple.

Police said they tracked the stolen card to the couple’s neighborhood and verified their identities.

Jail records show Dominguez and Poulard each face one count of grand theft from a person 65 or older, credit card fraud, organized scheme to defraud and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Authorities said the victim told police she wanted to press charges. It was not immediately known whether there were additional victims in the case.

As of Friday morning, Dominguez and Poulard were being held at the Broward County Main Jail. Their bond amounts were not immediately available.

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Ejiofor Emmanuel Onyechi, whose was listed as homeless in the arrest report, had initially been arrested Wednesday after officers responded to a Burger King regarding reports of a man repeatedly harassing employees and asking them for money, police said.

According to the first arrest report, an employee told officers Onyechi had asked her for money that he claimed he intended to give to a homeless woman at the restaurant. The employee said she was afraid of Onyechi and asked officers to trespass him from the property.

Police said Onyechi initially identified himself as Emmanuel Onyechi but repeatedly refused to provide identification or legal documents confirming his legal name.

Officers eventually arrested him. During a search of his belongings, police said they found a Florida identification card bearing the name Ejiofor Emmanuel Onyechi, along with two debit cards under the same name.

Police also reported finding a black stun gun and a pink can of pepper spray in his possession. Both items were impounded as evidence.

A records check revealed Onyechi had multiple felony convictions, according to the report.

He was taken to the Miami Beach Police Department’s holding facility before being transported to Mount Sinai Medical Center for medical clearance.

Police say prisoner ran from hospital room

According to a second arrest report, officers were dispatched to the hospital Thursday after Onyechi escaped from custody.

Police said an officer assigned to watch Onyechi at the hospital removed his handcuffs after Onyechi said he needed to use the restroom.

Onyechi then walked in front of the officer before suddenly running toward the front door, according to the report.

The officer grabbed Onyechi by the arm, but police said Onyechi broke free and slammed the hospital room door on the officer before fleeing.

The officer chased him and saw Onyechi exit through a loading dock on the south side of the Skolnick Building, but then lost sight of him, the report stated.

Police issued a description of Onyechi and began searching for him.

Investigators reviewing hospital surveillance footage later saw Onyechi double back into the building, the report stated. Security personnel could not find footage showing him leaving again, leading officers to believe he was still somewhere inside.

Multiple officers and a K-9 entered the Skolnick Building to search for him, authorities said.

During the search, officers located a shoe believed to belong to Onyechi and checked several rooms without finding him, the report stated.

Police said officers eventually searched another room after a K-9 began scratching near an area covered by a tarp.

When the K-9 officer moved the tarp, she found Onyechi concealed underneath it with only his head exposed, police said.

The K-9 “engaged Onyechi in the exposed area” before the officer removed the dog, and Onyechi was taken back into custody, the report stated.

Crime scene personnel photographed Onyechi before Miami Beach Fire Rescue medically cleared him. He was then transported to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.

Multiple agencies involved in search

According to police, multiple officers established a perimeter and canvassed the hospital during the search.

The operation involved resources from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Highway Patrol, City of Miami Marine Patrol, Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Marine Patrol and Aviation, Miami Beach Marine Patrol and City of Miami K-9.

Several Miami Beach drones were also deployed, and Miami Beach SWAT and K-9 units were called out, according to the report.

According to the arrest reports, Onyechi faces charges of escape, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and resisting an officer without violence.

Ejiofor Emmanuel Onyechi, quien figuraba como persona sin hogar en el reporte de arresto, había sido arrestado inicialmente el miércoles después de que agentes respondieran a un Burger King por reportes de un hombre que acosaba repetidamente a los empleados y les pedía dinero, dijo la policía.

Según el primer reporte de arresto, una empleada dijo a los agentes que Onyechi le había pedido dinero que, según afirmó, tenía la intención de darle a una mujer sin hogar que estaba en el restaurante. La empleada dijo que tenía miedo de Onyechi y pidió a los agentes que le prohibieran el ingreso a la propiedad.

La policía dijo que Onyechi inicialmente se identificó como Emmanuel Onyechi, pero se negó repetidamente a proporcionar una identificación o documentos legales que confirmaran su nombre legal.

Los agentes finalmente lo arrestaron. Durante una revisión de sus pertenencias, la policía dijo que encontró una tarjeta de identificación de Florida con el nombre Ejiofor Emmanuel Onyechi, junto con dos tarjetas de débito bajo el mismo nombre.

La policía también reportó haber encontrado en su poder una pistola eléctrica negra y una lata rosa de gas pimienta. Ambos artículos fueron incautados como evidencia.

Una revisión de registros reveló que Onyechi tenía múltiples condenas por delitos graves, según el reporte.

Fue llevado al centro de detención del Departamento de Policía de Miami Beach antes de ser trasladado al Centro Médico Mount Sinai para recibir autorización médica.

Policía dice que prisionero huyó de habitación de hospital

Según un segundo reporte de arresto, los agentes fueron enviados al hospital el jueves después de que Onyechi escapara de custodia.

La policía dijo que un agente asignado a vigilar a Onyechi en el hospital le quitó las esposas después de que Onyechi dijera que necesitaba usar el baño.

Onyechi entonces caminó delante del agente antes de correr repentinamente hacia la puerta principal, según el reporte.

El agente agarró a Onyechi por el brazo, pero la policía dijo que Onyechi logró soltarse y cerró de golpe la puerta de la habitación del hospital contra el agente antes de huir.

El agente lo persiguió y vio a Onyechi salir por un muelle de carga en el lado sur del edificio Skolnick, pero luego lo perdió de vista, indicó el reporte.

La policía difundió una descripción de Onyechi y comenzó a buscarlo.

Investigadores que revisaban las imágenes de las cámaras de vigilancia del hospital vieron posteriormente a Onyechi regresar al edificio, indicó el reporte. El personal de seguridad no pudo encontrar imágenes que mostraran que había vuelto a salir, lo que llevó a los agentes a creer que todavía se encontraba en algún lugar dentro del edificio.

Varios agentes y una unidad K-9 ingresaron al edificio Skolnick para buscarlo, dijeron las autoridades.

Durante la búsqueda, los agentes encontraron un zapato que se cree pertenecía a Onyechi y revisaron varias habitaciones sin encontrarlo, indicó el reporte.

La policía dijo que los agentes finalmente registraron otra habitación después de que una unidad K-9 comenzara a rascar cerca de un área cubierta por una lona.

Cuando la agente de la unidad K-9 movió la lona, encontró a Onyechi escondido debajo de ella con solo la cabeza expuesta, dijo la policía.

La unidad K-9 “atacó a Onyechi en el área expuesta” antes de que la agente retirara al perro, y Onyechi fue detenido nuevamente, indicó el reporte.

Personal de la escena del crimen fotografió a Onyechi antes de que el Departamento de Bomberos y Rescate de Miami Beach le diera autorización médica. Luego fue trasladado al Centro Correccional Turner Guilford Knight.

Múltiples agencias involucradas en la búsqueda

Según la policía, varios agentes establecieron un perímetro y recorrieron el hospital durante la búsqueda.

La operación involucró recursos de la Comisión de Conservación de Pesca y Vida Silvestre de Florida, la Patrulla de Carreteras de Florida, la Patrulla Marina de la Ciudad de Miami, la Patrulla Marina y la unidad de Aviación de la Oficina del Sheriff de Miami-Dade, la Patrulla Marina de Miami Beach y la unidad K-9 de la Ciudad de Miami.

También se desplegaron varios drones de Miami Beach y fueron movilizadas las unidades SWAT y K-9 de Miami Beach, según el reporte.

Según los reportes de arresto, Onyechi enfrenta cargos de fuga, posesión de un arma por parte de un delincuente convicto y resistencia a un agente sin violencia.

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Deputies said they responded shortly after 6 p.m. to the area of Northwest 145th Street and 11th Court after receiving a report of a woman being attacked by multiple dogs.

When deputies arrived, they found the woman being treated by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue medics. Deputies said they also saw multiple dogs in the front yard of a home.

As deputies attempted to close and secure a gate to contain the dogs, the animals tried to attack one of the deputies, according to MDSO officials. Authorities said a deputy then fired their service weapon, causing the dogs to retreat and flee in an unknown direction.

They said the woman, who has not been identified at this time, was transported by MDFR medics to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

It was unclear whether any of the dogs were struck by gunfire.

No deputies or other civilians were injured in the incident, according to investigators.

Deputies have not released any additional information on the dogs involved in the attack at this time.

Alvarez, a South Florida native born at Jackson Memorial Hospital and a University of Miami graduate, suffered severe injuries in a helicopter crash during a joint training mission in the jungles of Ecuador nearly 30 years ago.

“I was a Navy pilot on an exchange tour with a special operations unit with the Air Force,” he said.

The crash left Alvarez fighting for his life. He was rescued from a river by local residents before doctors amputated his left leg. He later worked with specialists who continued perfecting his prosthetic.

Through each step of his recovery, Alvarez said, he remembered words from his mother, Carmen.

“She said, God puts people in places for you,” he added.

Those people helped Alvarez survive and eventually accomplish goals that once seemed out of reach.

His daughter, Lisette Alvarez, said her father’s recovery was about more than determination.

“It was very important to have that, not just the grit and determination, but the grace and the love as a part of this story,” she said.

This Saturday marks 30 years since the crash, a date John Alvarez calls his “My Alive Day.”

Lisette Alvarez, his first-born daughter, documented her father’s journey in the book “Walk, Run, Fly Again.”

John Alvarez’s first goal was to leave his wheelchair and walk again.

“My first and foremost important goal that I wanted to do was to stand up and walk, be out of my wheelchair, to dance with my daughters and my wife,” he said.

He set a goal of walking again by Thanksgiving 1996, just two months after the crash.

He accomplished it.

His next goal was to run.

Lisette Alvarez said her father accomplished that goal before her birthday.

“I feel incredible pride for that, and the fact that he actually managed to complete it three weeks before my birthday,” she said.

Then came his third goal: flying again.

John Alvarez said returning to the cockpit was not simply a personal challenge. He had a deadline to maintain his qualifications as a pilot.

“The issue is if you are grounded for 365 days consecutively, you lose your qualification as a pilot,” he said.

On Sept. 5, 1997 — less than two weeks before the one-year anniversary of the crash — John Alvarez returned to flying.

“I was the first pilot to return to full combat unrestricted waiver,’ he said. “I was the first one in, in the U.S.,” he said.

Since then, John Alvarez has continued to mentor others in the military. As an amputee aviator, he commanded special operations missions in Serbia, Kosovo and Iraq.

Now 63, he is also a father of three and grandfather. His priorities have shifted from military missions to family.

“That’s our priority in life right now is raising our grandchild,” he said.

His journey is captured in Walk, Run, Fly Again, a story centered on faith, family and perseverance.

The book closes with Isaiah 40:31:

“Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not be faint,” he said.

John and Lisette Alvarez are marking the 30th anniversary of the crash with several events.

On Thursday, the pair are scheduled to attend a book signing in Ohio at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.

On Friday, John Alvarez and his family are scheduled to run the U.S. Air Force Half Marathon to commemorate the anniversary.

The race is not his first major distance event. He has participated in several distance runs and sprint triathlons.

Lisette Alvarez is also working on an accompanying audiobook, which is scheduled to be released in spring 2027.

Walk, Run, Fly Again is available for purchase. More information about Alvarez’s journey is available through Local 10’s Good News South Florida page.

Alvarez, a South Florida native and the son of Cuban immigrants, was a U.S. Navy lieutenant when he was assigned to an exchange tour with a special operations unit with the Air Force.

On Sept. 19, 1996, Alvarez was in Ecuador on what he described as a counter-narcotics training mission. He was a passenger aboard a Gazelle helicopter when it crashed into a dense jungle river.

The helicopter’s pilot died on impact. Alvarez said he and a United States Navy SEAL’s member aboard the aircraft were engulfed by the fast-flowing water.

Seriously injured, Alvarez prayed for his life.

“You can have my legs, Lord. Take both of my legs, but just bring me back to my girls,” Alvarez said.

His prayer was followed by a rescue effort that pulled him from the river and transported him to Quito, Ecuador’s capital, for emergency surgery. Days later, he was flown to Lackland Air Force Base in Texas.

During the flight, Alvarez saw a U.S. flag covering him.

“When the flight nurse, when they put me onto the C-141, I see the big U.S. flag hanging on me. Yes, I’m going home. Thank you, God,” Alvarez said.

But he soon learned the flag carried a more sobering meaning.

“I didn’t realize that the flag was there to drape my body if I died on the flight home,” he said.

To help calm his fears, an Air Force captain gave Alvarez three items and told him to deliver them to his family.

“He brought me two teddy bears, one for each of my daughters, and a rose for Shelley,” Alvarez said.

Alvarez recalled the captain’s instructions.

“He said, ‘you hand deliver this to your kids,’ do you understand?”' Alvarez said.

It was the first thing Alvarez did after arriving at the base.

His wife, Shelley, was waiting for him. She clutched the rose in one hand and placed her other hand on his forehead.

The crash left Alvarez with devastating injuries. His left leg was amputated, while his right leg was held together with screws.

Despite the injuries, Alvarez said his faith remained intact.

“I got the two for one deal,” he said. “He let me keep one leg and I got my daughters and my wife back.”

For Alvarez, the experience became a story of loss, faith and newfound purpose — one that would ultimately lead him to defy expectations and pursue his goal of returning to flight.

“There are things that are more powerful than you know, and it’s the power of prayer and faith,” Alvarez said.

His journey continues beyond the crash and recovery.

Part two of Alvarez’s story includes his return to the cockpit, a new addition to his family and a special tribute from his daughter, Lisette.

If you‘d like to read about Colonel John Alvarez’s courageous journey, the book “Walk, Run, Fly Again” is available for purchase.

Sheik died Thursday night, according to a post on his Instagram page. His mother, Suzanne Sheik, told The New York Times that the cause was organ failure.

“The world has a lost a singular talent, and deeply influential voice in music and theater,” the post reads. “His musical legacy will continue to inspire generations to come.”

Sheik had been best known for his lasting radio hit “Barely Breathing” when he turned his sights on Broadway with “Spring Awakening,” resulting in the envelope-pushing show that musicalized teenage angst.

“With the exception of our director, we are all kind of Broadway outsiders. We wanted to shake things up a bit. And we just set out to make this really cool piece of theater,” Sheik told The Associated Press in 2007, as the show swept Tony nominations.

Sheik also tackled musicals based on “American Psycho” and “Alice in Wonderland,” and “Barely Breathing” spent 55 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 16. But he was probably best known for “Spring Awakening,” which ran for over 860 performances on Broadway starting in 2006.

‘Spring Awakening’ roused a new side of Sheik — and Broadway

The musical — adapted from a 19th-century play by German playwright Frank Wedekind, with music by Sheik and lyrics by playwright Steven Sater — is frank in its portrayals of incest, abortion and suicide. It's intended partly as a warning that teens need good information about sex to avoid tragic mistakes.

“I don’t mean to be disrespectful to more traditional theater composers,” he told the Los Angeles Times in 2015. “I love Stephen Sondheim. But it’s my mission to make sure that the theater is paying attention to what the rest of the world is listening to.”

Sheik and Sater were practicing Buddhists who met while chanting. They were collaborating on Sheik's third album, “Phantom Moon,” when Sater mentioned he was working on a new production. Neither had ever written a musical before.

“I said to Steven, ‘I’m happy to do this musical, but I only want to do it if the music in the play is the kind that I and my peers can get behind stylistically and relate to and enjoy,’” Sheik recalled to the AP in 2006.

They made a pact: They'd retain the provincial, 19th-century Germany setting but with, as Sater put it, “the characters breaking into pop-contemporary when they sing.”

“Spring Awakening” won eight Tony Awards, including for best musical, as well as the Grammy for best musical show album.

“Sheik’s music, spare in its simple orchestrations, lush in the lapping reach of its seductive choruses, embodies the shadowy air of longing that infuses the show, the excitement shading into fear, the joy that comes with a chaser of despair,” The New York Times said in its review.

The show is beloved in the musical theater community for breaking ground in terms of staging and content, alongside the likes of “Rent” and “Hamilton.” It returned to Broadway in 2015 in a well-received production by Deaf West Theatre. An off-Broadway version is slated to open this fall.

The cast of the original show was loaded with breakthrough actors like Jonathan Groff, Lea Michele, Lilli Cooper, Jennifer Damiano, Gideon Glick, John Gallagher Jr., Lauren Pritchard and Krysta Rodriguez, who have each gone on to fame in TV, film and stage. Groff would go on to earn a Tony with “Merrily We Roll Along,” and Michele became a superstar with “Glee.”

Sheik blended musical theater with pop music

Sheik next channeled the music he heard getting past the velvet ropes of trendy, late-1980s Manhattan clubs for a Broadway adaptation of the Bret Easton Ellis novel “American Psycho.”

The 1991 novel — later made into a 2000 movie starring Christian Bale — chronicles a homicidal New York yuppie named Patrick Bateman who is obsessed with high-end clothes and beauty products even as he slashes his way through Manhattan. Sheik, who also supplied lyrics, recalled only getting halfway through the book before throwing it across the room as a Brown University student.

For one standout song, “You Are What You Wear,” he reached out to old girlfriends to ask a question: What were you really into wearing in the late ’80s? He put the answers in the tune about high fashion: “Chanel, Gaultier, or Giorgio Armani/Moschino, Alaïa, or Norma Kamali/Should I rock/The Betsey Johnson/Or stick with classic/Comme des Garçons?”

“Duncan is really a genius and an intellectual and brings something both uniquely his but importantly of this period to the stage,” producer Jesse Singer told the AP at the time.

Because Bateman, played onstage by Benjamin Walker, fancies himself a bit of a music critic — spewing mostly inane ruminations about Phil Collins and Huey Lewis and the News — Sheik also peppered his score with sly reworkings of “In the Air Tonight” and “Hip to Be Square.”

“There’s definitely an art to be able to write a song that on one level is a pop song and one that also has to tell a story and keep an audience engaged in terms of a larger narrative arc,” Sheik told the AP in 2013. “When you’re writing a song for the theater, it has to accomplish all this other stuff. It has to work in tandem with all these other agendas and creative impulses.”

The show, directed by Rupert Goold and with a story by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, made its premiere in 2013 in London. On Broadway in 2016, it bombed, lasting less than 90 performances.

“We were all sort of worried that it might be too violent for people and it might seem too misogynist,” Sheik told the AP on the eve of the opening. “But, in fact, the truth is this piece is a critique of a certain way of thinking about things. So in truth it’s better to go all-in.”

‘Barely Breathing’ was nominated for a Grammy

Growing up between South Carolina and New Jersey, Sheik learned guitar as a child and got his first synthesizer when he was 12. He was heavily influenced by Talk Talk, David Sylvian and Nick Drake. His self-titled debut album was released in 1996 and Rolling Stone gave it a four-star review, calling it “a defiant debut — beautiful and benevolent of spirit.”

“Barely Breathing,” from that album, was nominated for best pop vocal performance in 1998 and would be kept alive on TV shows like “Glee” and “Girls.”

Other projects include “Whisper House,” an album and musical — a ghost story that ran in 2010 at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego — and “Legerdemain,” an album that explored the tension between art and commerce. His most recent album was 2022's “Claptrap.”

But for someone who had once been a total stranger to Broadway, he told AP in 2016 that he had a sense of mission.

“I feel like it’s become my project to kind of drag different people who might not normally go to musical theater pieces to come see a piece of musical theater,” he said.

Agentes dijeron que acudieron poco después de las 6 p.m. al área de Northwest 145th Street y 11th Court después de recibir un reporte de una mujer que estaba siendo atacada por varios perros.

Cuando los agentes llegaron, encontraron a la mujer siendo atendida por paramédicos del Departamento de Bomberos y Rescate de Miami-Dade. Los agentes dijeron que también vieron a varios perros en el patio delantero de una casa.

Mientras los agentes intentaban cerrar y asegurar una puerta para contener a los perros, los animales intentaron atacar a uno de los agentes, según funcionarios de MDSO. Las autoridades dijeron que un agente entonces disparó su arma de servicio, provocando que los perros retrocedieran y huyeran en dirección desconocida.

Dijeron que la mujer, quien no ha sido identificada hasta el momento, fue trasladada por paramédicos de MDFR a un hospital cercano en condición crítica.

No estaba claro si alguno de los perros fue alcanzado por los disparos.

Ningún agente ni otros civiles resultaron heridos en el incidente, según los investigadores.

Los agentes no han divulgado información adicional sobre los perros involucrados en el ataque hasta el momento.

El Departamento de Policía de Miami Beach dijo que se había establecido un perímetro cerca de Mount Sinai Medical Center.

Se pudo observar una gran presencia policial cerca del hospital durante la hora de las 4 p.m. del jueves.

Los agentes no proporcionaron información sobre el sospechoso ni indicaron si existía algún peligro para el público.

Esta es una noticia de última hora que será actualizada a medida que haya nueva información disponible.

Ocurría la mañana de este jueves en el área de la cuadra 15000 de Southwest 140th Street.

Una escuela cercana, Jorge Mas Canosa Middle School, fue puesta bajo cierre temporal, que desde entonces fue levantado.

Funcionarios de las Escuelas Públicas del Condado Miami-Dade dijeron a Local 10 News que el cierre se debió a “actividad policial en el área no relacionada con la escuela”.

Un video obtenido por Local 10 News muestra a dos hombres forcejeando en el área cerca de la escuela y, en un momento del video, se escucha lo que parece ser un disparo.

La policía aún no ha proporcionado información oficial sobre lo ocurrido o lo que está investigando.

Según Bomberos y Rescate de Miami-Dade, una persona fue atendida en el lugar, pero no fue trasladada a un hospital del área.

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There’s a slight chance of severe weather before the game with a few leftover showers and storms right around kickoff at 7:30 p.m., but clearing skies and warm temperatures should make for a good night for football.

Go Canes!

CLICK HERE for the latest forecast updates from Local 10’s Weather Authority.

Hay una leve posibilidad de tiempo severo antes del partido, con algunos aguaceros y tormentas remanentes alrededor del inicio a las 7:30 p.m., pero los cielos despejándose y las temperaturas cálidas deberían brindar una buena noche para el fútbol americano.

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Joy Yvette Holder, de Tamarac, fue arrestada el jueves por cargos de explotación de una persona de edad avanzada por $100,000 USD o más e intención criminal de solicitar o conspirar.

Los investigadores alegan que Holder obtuvo un poder notarial de la víctima a pesar de saber que él carecía de la capacidad para dar su consentimiento.

Según el reporte de arresto, Holder luego vendió ilegalmente la casa de la víctima en South Cypress Road, en Pompano Beach.

El 29 de septiembre de 2022, una compañía de títulos y depósitos en garantía transfirió aproximadamente $319,000 USD desde una cuenta de JPMorgan Chase a una cuenta de beneficiarios que estaba a nombre tanto de la víctima como de Holder, dijeron las autoridades.

La cuenta de Citibank fue descubierta posteriormente durante procedimientos en un tribunal civil, según el reporte de arresto.

Los investigadores alegan que Joy Holder y Ray Holder utilizaron el dinero para su beneficio personal, y que Joy Holder lavó fondos mediante pagos a su negocio de limpieza, Joy’s Cleaning.

Los investigadores identifican a presuntos co-conspiradores

Según el reporte de arresto, los investigadores consideran a Ray Holder un co-conspirador debido a su acceso y uso de los fondos.

Los investigadores también identificaron a Reannah Ashlyn Mariah Holder como presunta co-conspiradora, acusándola de interferir con los esfuerzos del personal del tribunal, investigadores del Departamento de Niños y Familias de Florida y las autoridades.

Según el reporte de arresto, Ray y Reannah Holder presuntamente interfirieron con una visita de bienestar de DCF relacionada con la víctima el 19 de julio de 2023.

Los investigadores dijeron que una investigadora de DCF les había informado previamente que planeaba realizar la visita de bienestar ese día.

Ray y Reannah Holder luego presuntamente intentaron llevar a la víctima en automóvil a Orlando bajo el pretexto de que iba a ver a su “hermana”, según el reporte.

Los investigadores dijeron que la víctima también era propietaria de un Nissan Maxima 2017 que había comprado por más de $31,000 USD. Pero los investigadores alegan que Ray Holder hizo que la víctima firmara un documento de compraventa, transfiriéndole el vehículo.

Aunque Joy Holder fue detenida el jueves, los registros de la cárcel en línea no muestran que Ray Holder o Reannah Ashlyn Mariah Holder hayan sido detenidos, hasta la mañana del viernes.

Mientras tanto, Joy Holder permanecía detenida en la cárcel principal del condado Broward y se espera que comparezca ante un tribunal de fianzas en algún momento del viernes.

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Joy Yvette Holder, of Tamarac, was arrested Thursday on charges of exploitation of an elderly person involving $100,000 or more and criminal intent to solicit or conspire.

Investigators allege Holder obtained power of attorney for the victim despite knowing that he lacked the capacity to consent to that.

According to the arrest report, Holder then unlawfully sold the victim’s home on South Cypress Road in Pompano Beach.

On Sept. 29, 2022, a title and escrow company wired approximately $319,000 from a JPMorgan Chase account into a beneficiary account that was in the names of both the victim and Holder, authorities said.

The Citibank account was later discovered during civil court proceedings, according to the arrest report.

Investigators allege Joy Holder and Ray Holder used the money for their personal benefit, with Joy Holder laundering funds through payments to her cleaning business, Joy’s Cleaning.

Investigators identify alleged co-conspirators

According to the arrest report, investigators consider Ray Holder a co-conspirator because of his access to and use of the funds.

Investigators also identified Reannah Ashlyn Mariah Holder as an alleged co-conspirator, accusing her of interfering with efforts by court personnel, Florida Department of Children and Families investigators and law enforcement.

According to the arrest report, Ray and Reannah Holder allegedly interfered with a DCF welfare check involving the victim on July 19, 2023.

Investigators said a DCF investigator had previously told them she planned to conduct the welfare check that day.

Ray and Reannah Holder then allegedly attempted to drive the victim to Orlando under the pretext that he was going to see his “sister,” according to the report.

Investigators said the victim also owned a 2017 Nissan Maxima that he had purchased for more than $31,000. But investigators allege Ray Holder had the victim sign a bill of sale, transferring the vehicle to him.

While Joy Holder was taken into custody Thursday, online jail records do not show that Ray Holder or Reannah Ashlyn Mariah Holder have been taken into custody, as of Friday morning.

Joy Holder, meanwhile, was being held at the Broward County Main Jail and is expected to appear in bond court sometime Friday.

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While the county’s new budget kept public bus service before 6 a.m., it did not bridge the gap between Miami-Dade’s Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz’s request and Mayor Daniella Levine Cava’s proposal for commissioners.

Related story: Miami-Dade sheriff asks commissioners for bigger budget: ‘Anything less is defunding the police’

Cordero-Stutz told commissioners that she was concerned that Levine Cava’s proposal, which includes about $1 billion to fund the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, did not meet the county’s law enforcement agency’s staffing needs.

“The proposed budget is not a responsible investment in public safety,” Cordero-Stutz said, adding MDSO currently operates below the Florida average.

During the process, Levine Cava told commissioners that property value growth had “returned to more moderate levels,” the cost of living continued to rise, and the county needed to prepare for the possibility of statewide property tax reform.

“At least these $11.5 million gets them to their contractual obligations,” Anthony Rodriguez, the commission’s chairman, said about adding to the sheriff’s budget.

Commissioners Vicki L. Lopez and René Garcia said they fully supported finding additional dollars for the sheriff’s budget.

Commissioner Keon Hardemon said it was likely the sheriff was still going to appeal to the state’s cabinet.

“I want to be supportive, but I just think that the money could be better served in other ways,“ said Hardemon, who represents District 3.

Related story: Miami-Dade commissioners raise concerns about county’s ‘Welcome to Vice City’ deal with Rockstar Games

Rodriguez said he wanted commissioners to allocate $5 million to the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, a marketing organization, to “reinvest” in the community.

Commissioners Danielle Cohen Higgins, Oliver G. Gilbert, III, and Garcia supported it. Commissioners Raquel A. Regalado, Micky Steinberg, and Juan Carlos “JC” Bermudez opposed it.

Commissioners plan to reconsider raising funds to avoid the budget’s cuts on the late-night public bus service.

Related link: Miami-Dade approves $14B budget, late-night buses cut, Miami Herald reports

Watch the meeting

Related proposed budget

• Volume 1
• Volume 2
• Volume 3

Related documents

• Budget-in-brief (7 pages)
• Agenda item (698 pages)

Related reports

• North Miami council approves $238.9 million budget, keeps 7.4 millage rate
• Fort Lauderdale commissioners adopt $1.28 billion budget, keep same millage rate for 19th year

Related social media

Miami-Dade Chair Anthony Rodriguez said he wants to send $5M in mostly property-tax dollars to Miami-Dade’s tourism bureau. The GMCVB gave Rodriguez’s PAC $38K worth of World Cup skybox tickets in June. The board already gets $37M from county hotel taxes https://t.co/Tl6uVskyHt

— Doug Hanks (@doug_hanks) September 18, 2026

Si bien el nuevo presupuesto del condado mantuvo el servicio de autobuses públicos antes de las 6 de la mañana, no logró cerrar la brecha entre la solicitud de la sheriff de Miami-Dade, Rosie Cordero-Stutz, y la propuesta de la alcaldesa Daniella Levine Cava para los comisionados.

Noticia relacionada: El sheriff de Miami-Dade pide a los comisionados un mayor presupuesto: “Cualquier cosa menos sería recortar los fondos de la policía”.

Cordero-Stutz les dijo a los comisionados que le preocupaba que la propuesta de Levine Cava, que incluye alrededor de mil millones de dólares para financiar la Oficina del Sheriff de Miami-Dade, no cubriera las necesidades de personal de la agencia policial del condado.

“El presupuesto propuesto no es una inversión responsable en seguridad pública”, dijo Cordero-Stutz, y agregó que el MDSO actualmente opera por debajo del promedio de Florida.

Durante el proceso, Levine Cava les dijo a los comisionados que el crecimiento del valor de las propiedades había “vuelto a niveles más moderados”, que el costo de vida seguía aumentando y que el condado necesitaba prepararse para la posibilidad de una reforma del impuesto a la propiedad a nivel estatal.

“Al menos estos 11,5 millones de dólares les permiten cumplir con sus obligaciones contractuales”, dijo Anthony Rodriguez, presidente de la comisión, refiriéndose al aumento del presupuesto del sheriff.

Las comisionadas Vicki L. Lopez y René Garcia dijeron que apoyaban plenamente la búsqueda de fondos adicionales para el presupuesto del sheriff.

El comisionado Keon Hardemon dijo que era probable que el sheriff apelara ante el gabinete estatal.

“Quiero brindar mi apoyo, pero creo que el dinero podría utilizarse mejor de otras maneras”, dijo Hardemon, quien representa al Distrito 3.

Noticia relacionada: Los comisionados de Miami-Dade expresan su preocupación por el acuerdo del condado con Rockstar Games para el juego “Welcome to Vice City”.

Rodríguez dijo que quería que los comisionados asignaran 5 millones de dólares a la Oficina de Convenciones y Visitantes del Gran Miami, una organización de marketing, para “reinvertir” en la comunidad.

Los comisionados Danielle Cohen Higgins, Oliver G. Gilbert, III y García lo apoyaron. Los comisionados Raquel A. Regalado, Micky Steinberg y Juan Carlos “JC” Bermúdez se opusieron.

Los comisionados planean reconsiderar la posibilidad de recaudar fondos para evitar los recortes presupuestarios en el servicio de autobuses públicos nocturnos.

Enlace relacionado : Miami-Dade aprueba un presupuesto de 14 mil millones de dólares y recorta el servicio de autobuses nocturnos, informa el Miami Herald.

Mira la reunión

Presupuesto propuesto relacionado

• Volumen 1
• Volumen 2
• Volumen 3

Documentos relacionados

• Resumen del presupuesto (7 páginas)
• Punto del orden del día (698 páginas)

Informes relacionados

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• El consejo de North Miami aprueba un presupuesto de 238,9 millones de dólares y mantiene la tasa impositiva de 7,4 milésimas.
• Los comisionados de Fort Lauderdale aprueban un presupuesto de 1.280 millones de dólares y mantienen la misma tasa impositiva por decimonoveno año.

Redes sociales relacionadas

Miami-Dade Chair Anthony Rodriguez said he wants to send $5M in mostly property-tax dollars to Miami-Dade’s tourism bureau. The GMCVB gave Rodriguez’s PAC $38K worth of World Cup skybox tickets in June. The board already gets $37M from county hotel taxes https://t.co/Tl6uVskyHt

— Doug Hanks (@doug_hanks) September 18, 2026

Pruett was a spectator in 2024 and 2025 while they started a family. She gave birth to their son, Dominic James Stewart, in November 2024. Tony Stewart, a three-time NASCAR champion and one-time IndyCar champion, filled in for her both seasons.

Pruett returned this year, and Stewart moved to Elite Motorsports. They currently rank third and fourth, respectively, as the series begins its six-race playoffs at the Great Lakes Nationals in Michigan.

“Some might think: ‘You got out, then did all this work to return, and you guys are doing so great, how could you ever get out again?’” Pruett told The Associated Press. “Well, how could I not?

"I’m living my dream right now at the very pinnacle, in the heat (of battle), and it’s about to get hotter. And I’m enjoying that, but there’s another portion of life goals that I’m going to be able to do here soon and grow a family.”

The 38-year-old Pruett intentionally refused to call this a “retirement,” knowing that the lure of driving a dragster is as much a part of her life as being a mother and a wife.

“I don’t have a magic crystal ball that says when I will be back, but I am most definitely leaving the door open for the possibility and opportunity of returning,” she said. “I just don’t have a timeline on it.”

She does know her replacement. She landed eight-time Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher to slide into her seat beginning next season. Schumacher, whose 88 wins and eight titles are the most in Top Fuel history, currently is driving for Rick Ware Racing.

They spent three months ironing out sponsorship and contractual details, and Pruett called it a “full-circle moment” because she and Schumacher were teammates earlier in her career. She also still has a picture of herself at age 12 waiting in the pits to get Schumacher to sign her T-shirt.

For the 56-year-old Schumacher, the move will give him a chance to return to one of the series’ top teams.

“It’s like deciding to play baseball and then the Yankees call and ask if you want to play for them,” Schumacher told the AP. “Wait, you want me to drive for Tony Stewart? This is a dude that’s driven every car in the world, has respect all over the world. There are very few names like Tony Stewart and Mario Andretti.

“It was very quick and easy to say yes.”

Pruett made it clear she “won’t be going anywhere” during her second hiatus. She plans to continue attending events, managing the race team and raising Dom in the public eye.

The most challenging aspect of her decision was the timing — stepping away as the team reaches new heights in terms of chemistry and momentum.

“This year of racing has been the one that I’ve enjoyed the most, worked harder than I’ve ever worked before, jelled and we’re seated in a great position for a championship chase,” she said. “Beyond that, I’m abundantly grateful. I’m abundantly excited about the future of our family and then also the strength and health of the race team and the direction that’s going.”

And she has a chance to step away as the champ. She trails Top Fuel leader Doug Kalitta by 43 points and second-place Shawn Langdon by 17. She has an 18-point lead over Stewart.

“It’d be amazing,” the 55-year-old Stewart told the AP. “That’s the ultimate dream situation. I’d love to win it myself, but at the same time, I’ve done enough things that if I never win a championship in drag racing, it’s not going to define me.

“It’s not going to change me or my legacy in motorsports. But I can tell you one thing: If it comes down to her and I, I’m not laying down for her in any way, shape or form. She’d be furious if I did. … But her winning would be a fantastic way to go into another pregnancy.”

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See AP’s full auto racing coverage here

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Many areas have seen between 3”-6” of rain this week, and several more inches could occur as an upper level disturbance crawls very slowly from east to west across the peninsula.

As we head into the weekend, we’ll find more dry time in the morning hours with those heavy storms and downpours becoming more likely after 2 p.m. each day.

Additional heavy rain on top of what we’ve seen this week will lead to pockets of street flooding, especially in poor drainage neighborhoods. Remember to never drive on flooded roads!

CLICK HERE for the latest forecast updates from Local 10’s Weather Authority.

Muchas áreas han registrado entre 3 y 6 pulgadas de lluvia esta semana, y podrían caer varias pulgadas más a medida que una perturbación en los niveles altos de la atmósfera avanza muy lentamente de este a oeste a través de la península.

A medida que nos adentramos en el fin de semana, tendremos más períodos secos durante las horas de la mañana, con fuertes tormentas y aguaceros cada vez más probables después de las 2 p.m. cada día.

Las fuertes lluvias adicionales, sumadas a las que hemos visto esta semana, provocarán inundaciones en algunas calles, especialmente en vecindarios con drenaje deficiente. ¡Recuerde nunca conducir por carreteras inundadas!

CLICK HERE for the latest forecast updates from Local 10’s Weather Authority.

El restaurante anunció el cierre el viernes en una historia de Instagram, diciendo que su último día será el 30 de septiembre.

Big City Tavern, ubicado en 609 E. Las Olas Blvd., está alentando a los clientes a visitarlo antes de que el restaurante cierre y agradeció a los clientes, empleados y a la comunidad que lo han apoyado a lo largo de los años.

“Mientras nos preparamos para cerrar nuestras puertas, levantamos una copa por los clientes, miembros del equipo y la comunidad que hicieron de Big City Tavern lo que es”, escribió el restaurante. “Acompáñenos para un último bocado”.

El restaurante no proporcionó una razón para el cierre en su publicación.

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The restaurant announced the closure Friday in an Instagram Story, saying its final day will be Sept. 30.

Big City Tavern, located at 609 E. Las Olas Blvd., is encouraging customers to stop by before the restaurant closes and thanked the guests, employees and community who have supported it over the years.

“As we prepare to close our doors, we’re raising a glass to the guests, team members and community who made Big City Tavern what it is,” the restaurant wrote. “Join us for one last bite.”

The restaurant did not provide a reason for the closure in their post.

El incidente ocurrió en los apartamentos Southpoint Crossing, en West Lucy Street.

Funcionarios de MDFR dijeron que la llamada inicialmente se recibió como un reporte de agresión y apuñalamiento.

Dos pacientes fueron designados como alertas de trauma y trasladados a un hospital por rescate aéreo.

Sus condiciones no se conocieron de inmediato.

Un vecino dijo a Local 10 News que una madre y su hijo fueron apuñalados, pero la policía aún no ha confirmado esa información.

Funcionarios de bomberos y rescate dijeron que otras dos personas también fueron atendidas en el lugar. Sus lesiones y condiciones no se conocieron de inmediato.

La escena ya había sido despejada para la mañana del viernes.

Local 10 News se ha comunicado con la policía de Florida City para obtener información adicional, incluyendo si un sospechoso ha sido detenido, pero aún no ha recibido respuesta.

This pattern is locked in for the weekend and most of next week. It does not look like a complete washout, but expect rounds of thunderstorms with very heavy rain and dry breaks in between. When added all up through next week, this could be a drought busting rainfall for South Florida.

The annual Medusa exercise, led by Greece and Egypt, ended on a strip of coastline outside the port city of Chania. It featured drone attacks and fast-boat landings with marines and special forces operators using simulated fire.

France, Italy and Cyprus joined exercises that began Sept. 10 and ran through Friday as countries around the Mediterranean seek to expand their military cooperation.

Greek military police set up a cordon during the hourlong drills Friday to keep bathers from getting too close as Greek and Egyptian service members ran through colored smoke and onto the beach, while jets and helicopters swooped overhead.

Louise Carr, from York in northern England, arrived for a holiday late Thursday and said she was surprised by the intensity of the drill.

“I just saw that it was some kind of military exercise, but I must admit I didn’t expect it to be the scale that it’s been. We were just like: wow,” Carr said. “I was very impressed, very. You’d pay thousands to watch this, wouldn’t you?”

Wars, economic shocks and questions over the U.S. role in the region have prompted many countries to seek stronger deterrence through a widening network of alliances.

Greece signed a 3 billion euro (about $3.5 billion) deal with Israel in August to build a new air defense system named Achilles Shield. Weeks earlier, Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed their own landmark defense agreement.

Egypt sent the helicopter carrier Gamal Abdel Nasser to the Greek exercise, which also was attended by observers from Serbia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Mozambique.

Michal Sitko, a vacationer from Poland, said he felt lucky to catch the spectacle.

“I didn’t expect that. It was kind of amazing that it happened in my vacation,” he said. “It’s just my first time in life, I think, I see something like that.”

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Thanassis Stavrakis in Maleme, Greece, contributed to this report.

Researchers hope roots like these could help crops withstand some effects of climate change while also drawing more carbon from the atmosphere and storing it underground. Carbon dioxide released by burning fossil fuels traps heat in the atmosphere, driving human-caused climate change.

For years, scientists have explored ways to remove some of that carbon from the atmosphere, including through direct air capture, changes to ocean chemistry so seawater can absorb more carbon, and reforestation. Now, researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies are testing whether deeper root systems could become another tool.

But scientists still need to show how much additional carbon those roots can store under real farming conditions, how long the carbon would remain underground and whether the crops can maintain yields.

An $18 million grant from the Bezos Earth Fund will help Salk researchers test those questions in the field by measuring how resilient these plants are to drought and other climate stressors, how much carbon they can store and for how long, and how to get the plants onto farms at scale.

Wolfgang Busch, director of the institute’s Harnessing Plants Initiative, said the issue is pressing.

“We are actually steering in a direction that is very concerning,” he said. “It will become harder to grow enough food for enough people.”

Scientists use genes to create deeper roots

Over the last six years, Salk scientists uncovered the genetic information of hundreds of versions of common row crop plants such as soybeans and sorghum from around the world, creating an “encyclopedia” of plant genomes, said Todd Michael, a research professor at the institute.

After identifying 347 genes related to carbon storage and root growth, scientists were able to edit the plants' DNA and create ones with roots that penetrate the soil further down.

“We wanted to leverage the natural variation of a given plant,” Michael said. “We just have to be able to make the right crosses to bring in those genetics.”

During droughts, they hope the roots will allow plants to access water below the top layer of soil while also storing carbon farther underground, where it may be less vulnerable to being released when farmers till their fields.

Researchers are also trying to boost carbon storage by growing larger root systems so more carbon-rich plant material is left in the soil, and by increasing suberin, a cork-like substance in roots that contains carbon and decomposes more slowly than many other plant tissues.

Researchers hypothesize that more steeply shaped root systems may also allow farmers to plant more crops in a smaller area, potentially increasing yield.

Salk scientists think longer, bigger roots could also absorb more nitrogen and other fertilizer runoff, which can cause algae blooms and lead to low-oxygen environments that kill marine life.

Based on earlier lab results, Salk researchers estimate one hectare (2.5 acres) of deeper- and bigger-rooted soybean plants could store an additional metric ton of carbon dioxide per year. How long that carbon stays stored depends on how deep the roots can grow and the surrounding environment in the soil. Initial results from the field are expected this fall, Busch said.

At one of these field sites at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Salk is growing deep-rooted soybean plants under a canopy that can open and close to control the amount of rainfall plants receive, testing how the plants perform in drought conditions. Using underground cameras and sensing equipment, research partners at the university can track the amount of carbon in the soil and view the root structure's growth in real-time.

But there is still uncertainty about how these plants will perform outside a lab. Salk researchers hope data collection at the site in Illinois, along with ones in Missouri, Kansas and Iowa, will provide accurate estimates of carbon storage and crop yield.

Because most plant breeders haven't focused on root systems in the past, “we don’t really know what the real trade-off is,” Busch said. “You have to test it in the field.”

Rapid adoption relies on industry and farmers

Busch acknowledges that getting new seed technology into farmers' fields can be difficult. Having a crop that has clear benefits to farmers and large seed companies is key to getting it adopted rapidly. He noted that companies and farmers adopted herbicide-resistant crops in less than a decade once the technology was introduced.

“Historically it’s clear, if you have a technology that is interesting to a big seed company, it will go out there very, very fast,” he said.

And large-scale adoption on farm fields will be required to have the kind of carbon-reduction impact Salk scientists want. A 2025 study that Busch co-authored modeled that about a gigaton of carbon dioxide per year could be removed from the atmosphere by 2040 if deeper-rooted soybean, corn, cotton and canola crops were adopted in countries where genetically-modified crops are already grown.

Adoption could be rapid because deeper-rooted crops could be planted on current farm fields using existing agricultural infrastructure and land, according to the study.

But Busch also notes that crop and seed development can take years. Ambitious solutions, he said, require fast funding.

“It’s a race against time,” he said of climate change. “We are racing against limiting the damage and crossing tipping points, where it’s much harder to return from.”

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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.

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Follow Annika Hammerschlag on Instagram @ahammergram and Joshua A. Bickel on Instagram, Bluesky and X @joshuabickel.

A striking black dress worn by the late Princess Diana on the day her estranged husband publicly admitted adultery is going up for auction at Sotheby’s, with a presale estimate of up to $300,000.

First, the “revenge dress,” as it has become known, is going on an international tour, testament to the enduring global fascination with Diana almost 30 years after her death.

The garment, which went on public display Friday at Sotheby’s in London, was worn by Diana on June 29, 1994, the broadcast date of an interview in which the then-Prince Charles acknowledged infidelity.

Diana, who knew the revelation was coming, chose to wear the figure-hugging, off-the-shoulder silk dress by Greek designer Christina Stambolian for a gala at London’s Serpentine Gallery.

Morgane Halimi, Sotheby’s global head of handbags and fashion, said Diana chose the “beautiful and powerful outfit” as a way to seize control of her own story.

“She always used fashion as a way of expression, but this time (it) was a way to communicate her personal expression of herself,” Halimi said. “The way she felt on that day is that, ‘I’m taking back the story and I’m here and I stand for myself.’”

Images of Diana in the dress, accessorized with a sapphire necklace, black pumps and bright red nail polish, shot around the world. The Sun tabloid proclaimed on its front page the next day: “Revenge is chic.”

The following year Diana gave an interview in which she acknowledged her own extramarital affair, and famously said “there were three of us in this marriage,” in reference to Charles’ paramour Camilla Parker-Bowles, now Queen Camilla. Charles and Diana divorced in 1996, a year before Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris at the age of 36.

The dress remained so famous that a life-size waxwork replica of Diana wearing it was unveiled at a Paris museum last year.

The dress is being auctioned for the first time since 1997, when Diana sold it and other garments to raise money for AIDS charities. It has a presale estimate of $150,000 to $300,000, but Sotheby’s experts would not be surprised if it far exceeds that price.

A red sweater adorned with sheep that Diana wore to a polo match in 1981 sold in 2023 for $1.1 million, many times its presale estimate and a record for an item owned by the late royal.

“I personally believe that this dress is the most powerful item linked to Diana,” Halimi said.

“The Diana provenance always attracts collectors,” she added. “But the story of this dress and the universal message that it brings will definitely attract also institutions as well as private collectors who are looking for unique pieces and one-of-a kind items.”

In her lifetime, Diana was a style icon and one of the world’s most photographed women. Her star power has not dimmed, and neither has the fascination with the dramatic disintegration of her marriage to the now King Charles III. A new book by Diana’s brother Charles Spencer has seized headlines again and reignited a public feud between the Spencers and the royal family over the treatment of the princess.

The revenge dress is on show in London until Sept. 24 and travels to Hong Kong and Geneva ahead of its sale in New York on Dec. 9.

The Senate voted twice this week to move forward on legislation to overhaul the rules and financing around college sports. It's an effort to put guardrails around skyrocketing spending, prevent constant legal battles and restore order to what the bill’s supporters say is “chaos” in athletic programs.

More than 70 senators are already backing the bill, which would still have to pass the House. Final votes could come as soon as next week.

Still, some Senate critics say it’s far from the most urgent matter in front of Congress — and question why senators aren’t focused on what they say are more pressing issues before the midterm elections.

Florida Sen. Rick Scott, a Republican who opposes the sports bill, said Congress should be primarily dealing with affordability issues before lawmakers leave town to campaign. The college sports bill, Scott said, goes “way too far inserting the federal government into collegiate athletics” and could create new problems.

Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut said the Senate should concentrate on other things “when we are in the middle of a disastrous war and a growing cost crisis.”

The college sports legislation is addressing “a fake crisis,” Murphy said this week. He argued that it doesn’t do enough to change the system and protect athletes.

Those backing the bill say it will keep college costs down, give hundreds of thousands of student athletes new health and labor protections and create one set of rules for all colleges.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., made a commitment this summer to the bill’s top sponsors — Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell, the top Democrat on the panel — that he would hold a vote on the bill in September. He says there is a “pent-up demand” to fix college sports, “and it’s clearly broken.”

“I think it’s been proven over time that nobody else is going to fix it,” Thune said.

Bill would address the ‘spending spiral’

The legislation addresses what Cantwell calls “a spending spiral” that has taken hold of college sports as name-image-likeness payments — money that student athletes can earn by monetizing their endorsements, social media, public appearances and more — have led to football rosters with $30 million payrolls.

A report Cantwell issued earlier this year showed there was a $519.9 million increase in institutional and government support of athletic programs between 2015 and 2025 among the 53 schools in the Power Four whose data was publicly available.

The bill would cap the revenue colleges are allowed to share with their players, add a retention pool for schools to keep current players and give conferences the option of pooling TV media rights, which could raise more revenue. It would also restrict player transfers, an effort to rein in the transfer portal that has led to players constantly switching teams.

It would also codify the NCAA’s new rule allowing players no more than five years of eligibility, cap agent fees and give the NCAA limited antitrust protections.

Supporters say that the guardrails around big spending would help save money for smaller athletic programs, including women’s and Olympic sports, that are lower priority at many schools. And it would put new requirements in place that would allow student athletes to keep scholarships and have longer-term healthcare.

“We can recognize (these rights), enshrine them today, and make sure that these athletes are protected forever,” Cantwell said.

Some senators remain critical of the legislation

Senators were still making last-minute changes to the bill on Friday, tweaking a provision that would reduce the wait time if schools want to change conferences and adding language that clarifies the bill does not override other laws that currently address transgender girls and women in sports.

The bill still has critics. Labor and civil rights groups are opposing it, and all four Black Democrats in the Senate — Cory Booker, Raphael Warnock, Lisa Blunt Rochester and Angela Alsobrooks — voted against the bill.

Booker said it still gives too much power to the NCAA without enough accountability for the players.

“The NCAA has a long record of ignoring the cries for justice from exploited college athletes,” he said.

But many of his Democratic colleagues are on board, arguing that the current situation is untenable.

“College sports is a uniquely American thing, part of our culture,” said Democrat Chris Coons of Delaware. He said passage of the legislation should give Americans “some hope that we can at least stabilize college sports. It’s long overdue to make progress on this issue.”

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Associated Press reporter Eddie Pells in Denver contributed to this report.

Meanwhile, the top official at the U.S. Postal Service has said the agency has stopped work on developing a controversial computer system that was central to President Donald Trump’s effort to limit mail voting after the Supreme Court rejected his executive order this week.

Here's the latest:

‘People are not going to be stopped or intimidated from participating in our elections’

One Friday morning voter, 63-year-old Laura Bland in Virginia’s Henrico County, said she cast a ballot early to send “a signal that we’re still here” amid Trump’s efforts to curtail mail voting.

“Regardless of whether you vote for a Democrat, Republican, people are not going to be stopped or intimidated from participating in our elections,” Bland said, nearly moved to tears as she explained her reasoning.

Top official at US Postal Service also encourages those voting by mail to get ballots in early

“We say seven days,” postmaster general David Steiner said in an interview. “Everything is solved if people vote early.”

From a voter in South Dakota

On a rainy day in Sioux Falls, Bill Goehring, 67, said he voted early at the county office because he will be traveling later. He voted for a mix of Democrats and independents, and said Trump’s “dictatorial tendencies are bad for America.”

Advocates push for voters to cast their ballots early

Voting rights advocates have encouraged voters this year to cast mail ballots early, in part because of concerns about recent changes in U.S. Postal Service operations that could delay the application of postmarks to ballots.

“Voting early, whether in person or by mail, is good for all of our communities because it gives voters options, eases lines on Election Day and can even mean faster results,” said Hannah Fried, co-founder and CEO of the voting rights group All Voting Is Local.

In a news briefing Thursday, Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon urged people not to be swayed by stories they might have seen or read that cast doubt on election operations. They would be able to vote “just like they always have,” he said.

Voting underway after unusual redistricting and Trump’s bid to control how elections are run

The start of early voting comes at a time of deep angst among many Americans about issues including rising gas and grocery prices, the war in Iran, the looming risks of artificial intelligence and Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement campaign.

It also follows an unprecedented spate of mid-decade redistricting for the U.S. House that began when Trump urged the Republican-controlled legislature in Texas to redraw its congressional map to help the party. California and other states followed.

The changes affect millions of people: Research shows 1 in 10 Americans this fall is a resident of a different congressional district than in 2024.

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Early voting underway in US midterm elections

Friday marks the start of early voting in the midterm elections in Virginia. Voters in a handful of other states, including Idaho, Minnesota and South Dakota, can now cast absentee ballots in person.

The first day of early voting ushers in a six-week stretch in which Americans will decide which party they trust to lead Congress through a cost-of-living crisis, a prolonged war in Iran and other pressing issues.

At a voting location in suburban Richmond, a poll worker rang a bell as the building opened Friday morning and a cheerful line of about a dozen voters who had queued up began to file in.

Stephen Gura was excited to be the first in line.

“This election is critical,” said Gura, who added he voted for incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Warner and Shannon Taylor, a Democratic nominee for the U.S. House.

Attorney general’s appearances at political events blur Justice Department boundaries

Attorney General Todd Blanche is blurring traditional boundaries between politics and federal law enforcement with recent speeches at political events that mark a sharp departure from norms meant to protect the Justice Department from the appearance of partisan bias.

Blanche took the stage this week at an event for a Republican Senate candidate in North Carolina days after speaking at a GOP midterm convention, where he praised Trump and touted the administration’s tough-on-crime approach.

Blanche’s participation at the rallies has drawn scrutiny from critics who say it threatens to undermine public faith in law enforcement decisions that are supposed to be made free of political interference. It has added to critics’ concerns about Blanche’s loyalty to Trump and White House influence on Justice Department matters against the backdrop of investigations into numerous perceived foes of the president.

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Iranians rally by the hundreds of thousands in biggest show of defiance since war began

They rallied Friday in a government-organized show of defiance after months of war, pledging their readiness to take up arms in the biggest such demonstration since the United States and Israel attacked in February.

Iran’s government has sought to rally the people and stress national unity, even as the economy worsens under a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports and new U.S. sanctions. On Friday, it claimed another attack on a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway it has sought to control since the start of the war.

Estimates varied of the number of people volunteering to receive limited military training and defend the country in an effort described as “Janfaday-e Iran,” or the “ones who sacrifice their lives for Iran.” They marched through downtown Tehran in combat uniform, carrying flags, as onlookers cheered.

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Taiwan holds first joint military drills using attack drones ahead of Trump-Xi summit in the US

Taiwan conducted military drills featuring missiles and drones Friday ahead of the summit next week in the U.S. between President Trump and China’s Xi Jinping in which the fate of the self-ruled island will be discussed.

China claims Taiwan, a self-governing democracy, as its own breakaway province and hasn’t renounced the use of force to bring it under its control. Beijing has pushed Trump to take a stronger stance opposing Taiwan’s independence. The leaders of the U.S. and China are set to meet Sept. 24 for the first time since May.

Taiwan’s military drills included for the first time joint combat exercises featuring multiple types of attack drones. President Lai Ching-te said the drills showcased the Taiwanese army’s modernization.

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Trump pushes his $5,000 ‘dividend’ pledge if GOP wins midterms. Republican candidates, not as much

President Trump came to battleground North Carolina doubling down on a tantalizing and implausible midterm promise. “If we win,” he said, “we’re going to get you $5,000. So that’s it. Very simple.”

The Republican candidates who spoke at the rally had nothing to say about it.

Their silence reflects a broader pattern. About a week after the president unveiled his “ Trump dividend ” pledge at the party’s unusual midterm convention in Dallas, there’s little evidence that Republicans in competitive races have incorporated it into their campaigns.

The pledge hasn’t been a staple of television advertising, whether from Trump’s own political operation or his party’s candidates. It usually only comes up when reporters ask about it, prompting most Republicans to sidestep the idea.

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Judge orders Kennedy Center to provide 30 days’ notice before making any major physical changes

A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Kennedy Center to provide 30 days’ notice before making any major physical changes to the building, including demolishing it as Trump has threatened.

U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper said his ruling would “avoid any confusion on that score given more recent events,” including the building’s sudden closure to the public on Wednesday.

Matt Floca, the Kennedy Center’s executive director and chief operating officer, said he closed the iconic performing arts center temporarily due to “acute risks to public safety resulting from continued structural deterioration” of the aging building. The building will be closed for at least seven days to “assess existing safety risks in those portions of the main building exhibiting severe structural deterioration,” Floca said.

The temporary closure, which occurred without notice, is separate from a vote Tuesday by the Kennedy Center’s board to close the center indefinitely for repairs, Floca and other officials said. The closure was based on an inspection of the roof terrace canopy and a partial ceiling collapse earlier this month, Floca said. The closure may be extended after evaluation next week, he added.

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Postal Service chief says work stopped on computer system key to Trump effort to limit mail voting

The top official at the U.S. Postal Service said Thursday that the agency has stopped work on developing a controversial computer system that was central to President Donald Trump’s effort to limit mail voting after the Supreme Court rejected his executive order this week.

“There’s an injunction so we’re not doing anything,” postmaster general David Steiner told The Associated Press in an interview.

Steiner, a one-time chief executive of Waste Management, has spent most of the past year atop the postal service navigating political and financial challenges. He’s pressing Congress for changes that would help him resolve what he's called a “liquidity crisis.”

And Trump’s efforts to largely eradicate mail voting turned the postal service into an unlikely arbiter of who's eligible to vote just months before this year’s critical midterm elections, a role Steiner seemingly had little interest in playing. Unlike Trump, who was sharply critical of the Supreme Court decision and ridiculed some of the justices, Steiner offered no assessment of the court’s action.

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The Republican candidates who spoke at the rally had nothing to say about it.

Their silence reflects a broader pattern. About a week after the president unveiled his “ Trump dividend ” pledge at the party’s unusual midterm convention in Dallas, there is little evidence that Republicans in competitive races have incorporated it into their campaigns.

The pledge hasn't been a staple of television advertising, whether from Trump's own political operation or his party's candidates. It usually only comes up when reporters ask about it, prompting most Republicans to sidestep the idea.

The Republican National Committee considers the proposed payments part of Trump’s broader economic vision and says candidates should get behind it.

“Of course we encourage all Republican candidates to run on his agenda, and that includes efforts to put more money in the pockets of the American people,” spokesperson Natalie Baldassarre said.

There are some exceptions. Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden, who is seeking reelection in a battleground Wisconsin district, has praised the proposal.

The idea comes as the economy confronts rising interest rates, continuing inflation and climbing fuel costs. Republicans are fighting to keep their majorities in the House and Senate.

Trump previously promised to use savings from the Department of Government Efficiency and revenue from tariffs on imports to distribute payments of $2,000 or more, but none of that came to pass. The president has said he did not think congressional approval would be needed for the idea, which could cost more than $1 trillion, but House Speaker Mike Johnson indicated the promise would require lawmakers to act.

Democrats point to those previous suggestions for a payout to raise skepticism about the $5,000 pledge.

“This idea is nothing more than a recycled broken promise that voters know Republicans will never deliver,” said Viet Shelton, a spokesperson for the House Democratic campaign arm.

Republican campaign advertising has largely focused on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including provisions that temporarily cut taxes on tips and overtime. Other candidates are concentrating on local issues or attacks against their opponents.

Doug Heye, a Republican strategist and former Republican National Committee communications director, said there is little mystery about why candidates have been reluctant to embrace the pledge.

“It’s a dumb idea,” Heye said. “There’s no way to pay for it and it would spike inflation.”

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer Christian Castro appeared before a U.S. magistrate judge after prosecutors indicted him this month on six federal counts of making false statements about the Jan. 14 shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis.

Castro’s federal hearing came a day after he appeared in state court on assault charges and was released from custody. His defense attorney, Daniel Gerdts, declined to comment on the case as he left the courthouse Friday.

The court proceedings followed months of legal and political battles over whether Castro, 52, would be extradited from his home state of Texas to face charges in Minnesota. He ended up returning on his own after being freed from a Texas jail last month.

Christian Castro's arrest happened months after Minnesota charged him

In both the federal and state cases against Castro, prosecutors say he shot 24-year-old Sosa-Celis in the leg while firing through the front door of a Minneapolis home. They say Castro later lied to investigators when he told them he had been attacked with a broom handle and a snow shovel before firing his gun.

Minnesota prosecutors charged him in May, but were thwarted in their efforts to extradite Castro from his home state of Texas, where he had been arrested.

After Minnesota officials sounded alarms that Castro might flee across the U.S.-Mexico border after being released from a Texas jail, he instead turned himself in to federal authorities when he was indicted separately in U.S. District Court earlier this month.

It’s the first Justice Department prosecution of a federal officer for actions taken during this year’s massive Operation Metro Surge, which brought thousands of agents to the Twin Cities and led to sweeping protests, arrests and the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by federal officers.

Castro was released on a $75,000 bond and ordered to wear a GPS ankle monitor when he appeared previously before a federal judge in Texas. He was also told to surrender his passport and any personal firearms.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has suspended Castro without pay while he faces criminal charges.

The Trump administration says only federal authorities have jurisdiction

Minnesota authorities have battled President Donald Trump's administration over who should handle any charges against Castro. The Department of Homeland Security has called Minnesota’s prosecution of Castro “unlawful and nothing more than a political stunt,” saying only federal authorities have jurisdiction.

Authorities, including Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, arrested Castro in Cameron County, Texas, on May 29, after a Minnesota judge issued a nationwide warrant.

Under Texas law, Castro could be detained for 90 days, during which Minnesota sought his extradition. But Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott last month refused to sign an extradition warrant.

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Associated Press journalist Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, contributed to this story.

Shortly after 1:40 a.m. on Friday, during the Miami-Dade County commission’s second budget hearing that started Thursday afternoon, Commissioner Keon Hardemon described several violent video games he has played.

With that experience, Hardemon said he allowed his 6-year-old daughter to play Grand Theft Auto, a popular action-adventure video game franchise, with his supervision.

“My daughter, driving the car, she stops at the traffic light,” Hardemon said about players’ ability to make choices.

Commissioner Juan Carlos “JC” Bermudez said he was concerned about Grand Theft Auto VI players who may choose to commit crimes and how this can impact the county’s reputation.

“If there is any money in the future, that money should go to the sheriff’s office,” said Bermudez, who represents District 12.

Christopher Hudtwalcker, the mayor’s chief of staff, said Rockstar Games was paying “close to $1 million” for the Kaseya Center sign, and there were negotiations for other signs at other county properties as part of “the biggest cultural phenomena of the year.”

Anthony Rodriguez, the commission’s chairman, said he needed more information about the marketing deal. Hudtwalcker committed to providing more information before the next commission meeting.

Commissioners will have to consider how the deal’s revenue could be used to develop the Dan Paul Plaza, also known as Parcel B, a county-owned waterfront property behind the Kaseya Center.

Rockstar Games plans to release GTA VI on Nov. 19 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. The fictional game’s protagonists are Jason Duval, a U.S. Army veteran who works for drug runners, and his girlfriend Lucia Caminos, a fighter who really doesn’t want to go back to prison.

Correction: The initial version of this story named Vice Chairman Kionne McGhee as the commissioner speaking about violent video games. The article has been corrected to show that Commissioner Keon Hardemon was the person who was speaking.

Grand Theft Auto VI’s trailer released in 2025

Grand Theft Auto VI’s trailer released in 2024

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.

The shooting happened just before 6:30 p.m. along Southwest 203rd Street near 123rd Avenue.

Neighbors described hearing several gunshots.

“All I heard was a ‘pop, pop, pop’ -- that was it. I didn’t pay any mind to it, because nothing ever happens,” said Ivonne Aguilar, who lives in the neighborhood.

Investigators said the victim was sitting in a car with another person when the two got into some sort of dispute.

“The victim and the subject were both inside the vehicle. They were having a verbal altercation, at which point the victim decided to leave the vehicle, and that’s when the subject took out his firearm and began to discharge several rounds towards the victim’s direction, and ended up striking the victim,” said Daniel Castillo, with MDSO.

The shooter later drove away, while the victim was airlifted to Jackson South Medical Center, according to deputies.

Several neighbors told Local 10 the victim is a teenager.

“I talked to a lot of my neighbors here and supposedly one of my friend’s sons in this neighborhood got shot. So he got airlifted out of here ... we’re just trying to figure out the situation,” neighbor Frank Miranda said.

Sky 10 captured deputies arriving at a second location about a mile away along Southwest 117th Court.

Deputies were seen standing outside an efficiency behind a home with their guns drawn. So far, detectives have not confirmed whether that second scene is related to the shooting.

No arrests have been made and the shooter has not been found as of Thursday night.

Blanche took the stage this week at an event for a Republican Senate candidate in North Carolina days after speaking at a GOP midterm convention, where he praised Trump and touted the administration's tough-on-crime approach.

Blanche's participation at the rallies has drawn scrutiny from critics who say it threatens to undermine public faith in law enforcement decisions that are supposed to be made free of political interference. It has added to critics' concerns about Blanche's loyalty to Trump and White House influence on Justice Department matters against the backdrop of investigations into numerous perceived foes of the president.

"It lends credence to the arguments that the Justice Department is hopelessly politicized," said Richard Painter, who was a White House ethics lawyer in the George W. Bush administration. "And that’s not where we want to be right now."

Blanche has brushed aside norms

Attorneys general have typically stayed away from political rallies and at arm's length from the White House to prevent the appearance of law enforcement interference in elections and to protect the perception of impartiality in prosecutions.

Blanche, a former personal lawyer for Trump, has brushed aside such norms and fiercely defended the president's interests in the department, which brought two criminal cases against Trump under President Joe Biden. Blanche has rejected allegations that the Trump administration has politicized the agency and accusations that the White House is improperly involved in department matters.

Blanche has used his speeches at the rallies to promote the administration's efforts to bring down violent crime, illegal border crossings and drug trafficking as Republicans put their tough-on-crime policies at the center of the midterm elections. In another unusual move, he held a press briefing at the White House this week, fielding questions from reporters on a host of matters including the Iran war.

At an event Wednesday in North Carolina for Republican Senate nominee Michael Whatley, Blanche told the crowd, “More of your family, more of your friends, more of your community members, more of your loved ones are safer than they were just two years ago."

"And that’s President Trump and Vice President Vance delivering on a promise that they made to you,” said Blanche, calling Trump “the greatest president of our generation.” His speech also veered into topics outside his law enforcement portfolio such as the stock market, inflation and wage growth.

Blanche says he is not endorsing candidates at political events

The Justice Department said Blanche's appearances at political events are made in his personal capacity, and noted that his speeches have addressed the administration's efforts broadly but do not get into agency policies or official business.

“His appearances are reviewed and cleared by the Department’s ethics officials,” spokesperson Kiersten Pels said in an email Thursday. "Travel expenses are reimbursed by the Attorney General in accordance with federal law, regulations, and policies.”

In a recent interview with The Associated Press, Blanche dismissed criticism about his appearance at a Long Island event where Trump sought to boost Republican candidates in closely contested races.

The watchdog group Public Citizen filed a complaint accusing Blanche of violating a law that limits political activity by government workers by participating in that event alongside Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, the Trump-endorsed Republican challenging Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul.

“I will always say yes to speak when the president of the United States asks me to,” Blanche told the AP last month. “I was there purely thanking cops, law enforcement, for doing their jobs. The idea that that’s turned into somehow criticism is laughable.” Blanche said he was not endorsing political candidates but instead “talking about the great work that President Trump is doing."

Federal law and Justice Department policy limit political activity

The Hatch Act prohibits government officials from using their official positions to influence elections. That includes supporting candidates while acting in their official capacities. Watchdog groups have long complained that the law isn't a strong deterrent and enforcement has been inadequate and uneven.

The Justice Department under Biden in 2022 tightened its restrictions on employees' attendance at political events after then-Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins attended a fundraiser that featured first lady Jill Biden. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who was fired by Trump in April, later rescinded those restrictions.

Rollins' attendance at the fundraiser sparked an outcry from Republican Sen. Tom Cotton, who sought an investigation and wrote a letter asserting that U.S. attorneys are supposed to act as nonpartisan law enforcement officials rather than as partisan politicians. Rollins resigned in 2023 after the Justice Department's internal watchdog accused her of broad misconduct.

Before those changes, longstanding department policy had allowed political appointees — who are hired under presidential administrations rather than making long careers at the agency — to attend political events in their personal capacities if they participated “passively” and obtained prior approval.

Biden's attorney general, Merrick Garland, barred their attendance at fundraisers and other campaign events altogether, saying it was necessary to ensure that politics “both in fact and appearance” won’t affect how the law is enforced or inquiries are carried out.

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The inaugural summit of the so-called “Carpathian Eight” brings together Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Austria and Hungary, with the European Union also involved.

It comes as U.S.-mediated efforts to end Russia’s 4 1/2-year full-scale invasion have stalled, with the issue of territorial concessions in eastern Ukraine among the central sticking points. Ukraine is also seeking security guarantees from partners for a deal.

The summit also comes as three days of voting began in Russia’s first wartime parliamentary election, which features virtually no opposition to President Vladimir Putin's party and is all but certain to secure the Kremlin’s political dominance.

Some of the nations attending the meeting in western Ukraine’s Ivano-Frankivsk region, such as Poland and Romania, have been staunch supporters of Ukraine. Others, such as Hungary, Serbia and Slovakia, have refused to provide Kyiv with direct military assistance.

Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram that the summit was a “significant beginning” of a movement intended to “further strengthen ties between our countries and create another strong element of cooperation at the EU level.”

He added that the participating countries would work together on security, energy, logistics, cross-border economic ties and support for local communities.

European countries concerned over Russian hybrid threats

The meeting in the western Ukrainian ski resort of Bukovel came amid increasing concern among many European countries that Russia is ramping up hybrid threats including sabotage, cyberattacks, disinformation and potential drone incursions into NATO territory.

Tusk, Poland's prime minister, warned on Thursday before departing for Ukraine that Moscow is planning hybrid strikes with drones or rockets on European countries supporting Kyiv, among them Poland.

Officials in Poland, Germany and Denmark have in recent weeks accused Russia of involvement in drone incursions, sabotage, arson, surveillance of defense facilities and planning to use a drone carrying explosives to attack an airport.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday that the EU needs a NATO-like mechanism to better respond to hybrid attacks blamed on Russia, and to develop “a consensus on how to respond to certain incidents ... that fall below armed aggression but clearly threaten our national security.”

Meanwhile, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Friday it had summoned the British Chargé d’Affaires to strongly protest the United Kingdom's continued increase in the supply of drones and other weapons systems to Ukraine.

The ministry said the U.K.’s “fiercely confrontational stance” was aimed at “prolonging and escalating the armed conflict by every possible means.” It added that Russia reserves the right to take necessary countermeasures in self-defense, and that “any British military facilities in Ukraine used to strike Russian territory represent legitimate targets.”

Ukraine receives nearly $4 billion in EU support

Following a phone call with von der Leyen on Friday, Zelenskyy said in a Telegram post that Ukraine has received a 3.3 billion-euro tranche (roughly $3.8 billion) from an EU financial support package meant to strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities including the purchase of missiles and drones.

The funding comes as Kyiv faces a projected budget deficit of roughly $27 billion this year. Zelenskyy said Ukraine was also preparing for a meeting with von der Leyen at the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week focused on the country’s financial stability.

Russian strikes spark fires and cause deaths and injuries

Two people were killed and two others injured in Russian strikes overnight in the Zhytomyr region, west of Kyiv, Ukraine's State Emergency Service said in a statement on Telegram.

The strikes sparked fires in warehouse and production buildings. Rescuers were forced to retreat during repeated air raid alerts, while emergency de-miners inspected the area for explosive devices. Firefighters later extinguished the blazes.

Elsewhere, one person was killed and six others injured after Russian forces attacked an electric train in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, the state emergency service said. The drone strike targeted a railway station in the Novovodolazka community and sparked a fire in two carriages of the suburban train.

Another Russian drone attack destroyed a shopping complex in Zaporizhzhia, injuring one person and triggering a fire, the emergency service said.

The Russian Defense Ministry on Friday said its air defenses intercepted and destroyed 629 Ukrainian drones overnight over 14 Russian regions, as well as illegally annexed Crimea and the Azov and the Black seas.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said more than 350 drones were headed toward Moscow, but that most were destroyed far from the Russian capital while 64 were downed as they approached the city.

In the southern region of Rostov near the border with Ukraine, houses and residential buildings and were damaged in an attack, local authorities said. There were no casualties, according to Rostov Gov. Yuri Slyusar.

The Russian military said Friday it carried out drone strikes overnight on Ukraine’s ports, vessels and a logistics centers operating for the military.

Russian forces hit a bulk carrier in the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk and a Nova Poshta logistics facility, 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) northwest of Odesa, that the Russian Defense Ministry said was used for storing and distributing military cargo from Europe.

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Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

Vance will be the headliner Friday at a midterm rally in Council Bluffs, on the western edge of the once-Republican stronghold state, which has found itself with competitive races for the Senate and the governor’s mansion this year.

Council Bluffs, located along the Missouri River, is home to Josh Turek, the Democratic nominee for the Senate who represents the area in the Statehouse.

But his opponent, Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, will not attend the rally Friday due to previously scheduled events, according to her campaign.

Zach Lahn, the Republican nominee for governor, will attend. He is in a competitive race against Democrat Rob Sand, the state auditor and one of the party’s most highly touted candidates.

Vance took his first trip to the state as vice president in May, campaigning alongside Rep. Zach Nunn, one of the party’s most endangered incumbents this year. Nunn and Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, another Iowa Republican, voted earlier this week in a symbolic measure to halt the war in Iran, underscoring how the military conflict that Trump launched is causing political troubles for his own party.

At the May event, Vance touted the administration’s tax and tariff policies at a steel manufacturing facility while warning that this year was “not a normal election” and “not a normal political environment.”

The vice president has been one of the most visible surrogates on the midterm campaign trail, jetting to locations such as Kansas, Wisconsin and his native Ohio to promote Republican candidates and the administration’s achievements.

Friday’s rally location is in Iowa’s 4th Congressional District, which is being vacated by Republican Rep. Randy Feenstra after his failed bid for governor. Democrat Dave Dawson and Republican Chris McGowan are vying for the seat. That race is not considered one of the more competitive races in this election.

Vance’s visit to the state shows Republican candidates are in political trouble in November, said Katie Smith, a spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, in a statement.

“Iowans have had enough of their D.C.-first, Iowa last priorities and will hold them all accountable for their agenda that’s caused skyrocketing prices at the pump, grocery stores, and doctor’s office,” Smith said.

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Associated Press writer Hannah Fingerhut contributed to this report from Des Moines, Iowa.

Buffett, 96, will become chairman emeritus and will take on his new role immediately, the company said Friday. His son, Howard, will become Berkshire Hathaway’s new chairman, part of a long-planned succession. Howard Buffett has been on the Berkshire Hathaway board since 1993.

Warren Buffett, known by a legion of financial market followers as the Oracle of Omaha, will remain a director. He had been Berkshire Hathaway’s chairman since 1970, but he took control of the struggling New England textile company in 1965.

Greg Abel took over for Buffett as the CEO of the $1 trillion conglomerate at the start of this year though Buffett continued to come into the office each day to look for new investments and deals and offer Abel any advice. It's not clear whether Buffett will change his routine at all now.

“I have served Berkshire since 1965," Buffett said in a letter to shareholders. “Sixty-plus years in, I still have the best job in the world. That is not something many people my age can say, and I have never felt better about what comes next.”

Investor Adam Mead, who wrote “The Complete Financial History of Berkshire Hathaway,” said Buffett seems to trying to lessen the impact on Berkshire when he eventually dies by taking this step now. Berkshire's announcement didn't reveal any health issues for Buffett, but Mead said “He's now 96, so even a cold could be a health scare.”

Greg Abel will continue as CEO with Howard Buffett becoming chairman

Buffett said that he is confident with Abel and his son Howard leading Berkshire Hathaway.

“Greg runs the company; Howard will guard its culture and values – both worth more than anything on our balance sheet,” he said. “Think of Howard as a policy the shareholders own and hope never to claim against.”

Abel started managing all of Berkshire's non-insurance businesses in 2018 when he was elevated to vice chairman, so he knows the various companies well including BNSF railroad, the utilities and manufacturing operations as well as name brands like Dairy Queen and See's Candy. But CFRA Research analyst Cathy Seifert said investors still have questions about how well Abel will be able to deploy Berkshire's massive $365 billion cash pile.

“There was a premium awarded Berkshire stock because of their financial strengths and because of this famed investor who was allocating capital. I think it’s naive to assume that this is business as usual. It’s not,” Seifert said. “What this does is amplify some of the execution risk in the strategy and the significance of the transition.”

The next orderly step in Warren Buffett's succession plan

Michael Withers, professor of management at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, said Buffett took a deliberate approach to Berkshire Hathaway's succession plans and has carried out the transition step by step.

“Buffett seems to have understood that succeeding him wasn’t just about finding another extraordinary leader,” he said. "It was about building a structure that could preserve what makes Berkshire different long after he has stepped away. The test moving forward will be whether Abel and Howard can honor that legacy while still giving Berkshire room to adapt to a market that looks very different from the one Buffett mastered.”

Buffett's fortune has been amassed through Berkshire Hathaway stock. Buffett built the company into an investing conglomerate and an icon of Wall Street by buying insurance companies and reinvesting the money from premiums in stocks and other companies. In 2024, Berkshire Hathaway became the first non-tech companies valued at more than $1 trillion.

Buffett, a longtime philanthropist, has given away roughly $66 billion worth of stock since 2006 with the bulk of that going to his friend Bill Gates' foundation. But this summer he announced that his three children will now take over all of the charitable decisions and distribute the rest of his fortune by the end of 2035.

Buffett's take on finance has created its own gravitational pull. When Berkshire Hathaway reveals the stocks that the company has acquired or sold in public disclosures, it can shake markets.

During his time as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, the company nearly doubled the returns of the S&P 500, with a 19.9% compounded annual growth rate compared with the index’s 10.4% gain.

“Warren’s impact on Berkshire and its owners is without parallel in the history of American business," Abel said in a prepared statement. “The culture Warren built and the values he championed will remain at the heart of Berkshire, and Howard will be their guardian.”

Shares of Berkshire Hathaway dipped slightly after the market opened Friday.

The award-winning host of “The Daily Show” said he wanted to feel useful and support people who dedicated their lives to helping others.

“These aren’t the X-Men,” Stewart told The Associated Press. “They’re not superheroes. They’re just men and women that made a decision. And that decision was, ‘I’m gonna be there for people in their worst moments. Whatever happens, happens. But that’s what I’ve decided to do.’”

His support of the first responders to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001 led to his angry lobbying and Congressional testimony in 2019 to ensure that the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund did not run out of money. He pushed to eliminate a loophole in the PACT Act that left U.S. troops exposed to radiation during the Afghanistan War without medical coverage. And it continues, as he announced Friday that he would return as host of the First Responders Children’s Foundation’s Roll Call of Heroes ceremony in New York’s Times Square on Oct. 28 to commemorate National First Responders Day.

“You get to stand face to face with the individuals that are being honored and give them an ‘attaboy’ and to meet really young people that are involved in their communities,” he said. “It’s always nice to be able to kind of touch the firmament of what holds this all together.”

First Responders Children’s Foundation President and CEO Jillian Crane said the nonprofit is thrilled Stewart will return to host this year’s event.

“His advocacy for first responders, especially those battling 9/11-related illnesses, makes him the perfect host for this annual event,” she said. “As the only national nonprofit dedicated to the children of first responders, we believe shining a light on their parents, heroes who serve our communities every day, is a powerful way to say thank you.”

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Why is supporting first responders and their families so important?

If we can’t take care of the people that take care of us, it exposes a deep fundamental flaw in the kind of scaffolding you put up in making a society. Obviously, having had the experience after 9/11, you see just how tenuous the experiment is without people who are willing to run towards the collapse. I think that, combined with the kind of outrage at a political system that was more than willing to laud them when they were needed and more than willing to discard them when they were no longer at the focus. I think that created the momentum.

Does supporting the children of first responders offer you a sense of hope?

It’s like what they do when they reach a site. You’re sort of triaging urgent need versus what can wait. And I think kids who have lost a parent to these kinds of tragedies are kind of your first-order triage event. Honestly, being involved, even though you might hear more of the grief, actually, I think is a salve in some respects to the pain of it. Action is sort of the antidote to that feeling of helplessness and anxiety.

Does that sense of triage extend to today’s troubled world? Do you feel like you have to keep adding issues to work on?

In general, there’s sort of the quiet activism of living pleasantly. I mean you go about your day and try and be the best neighbor and citizen and individual that you can be out there. The causes I have sort of came about organically. And I want to make sure that when I get involved with something that I do it thoroughly -- that it’s not charity tourism. I want it to be something that I can fully involve myself in and that what I can offer is something that they can use.

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Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.

• 16-year-old shot in southwest Miami-Dade neighborhood, deputies say
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There are many ways to take steps toward joining the world’s biggest trade bloc, or to deepen trade or political ties with it, but associate membership isn’t one of them. It simply does not exist.

Still, no matter how vague, von der Leyen’s offer was a win for Carney, who is locked in a trade war with U.S. President Donald Trump. It also offers the EU a firm partnership with another Western democracy as its own ties with and trust in its old ally the United States fade.

“In this new world, we must urgently reimagine our partnerships,” von der Leyen said on Wednesday. Then she did exactly that, saying to Carney: “I would like to work with you on opening the door for Canada being the first associate member of the EU.”

Did she mean Association Agreement?

While “associate membership” is yet to be defined, Association Agreements do exist. More than 20 countries — ranging from Albania to Israel to Ukraine — already have them with the bloc.

These treaties govern relations on trade and security and are seen as an important step toward membership. It’s unclear how von der Leyen's proposal of associate membership would differ, or whether Canada would have to agree to such a treaty first.

Only EU member countries can rule on enlargement and treaties

Association Agreements and any other decisions over enlarging the EU and its formal relations with the outside world require the unanimous approval of all 27 EU member countries, and von der Leyen did not consult widely about her proposal of associate membership.

Getting all 27 countries behind the offer, especially one this vague, will pose a major challenge.

Even among those who support stronger ties with Canada, there are concerns. German government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius said that Berlin welcomes the idea but that it has reservations — at least about the name the new relationship might be given.

“We are open to discussing new partnership models,” he said after von der Leyen’s speech. “But we should rethink the concept, the title that is connected with this.”

In May, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged the EU to consider offering associate membership to conflict-torn Ukraine to breathe new life into talks aimed at ending more than four years of war with Russia. Ukraine is seeking full membership, nothing less.

Helen McEntee, the foreign affairs and trade minister of Ireland, which holds the EU’s rotating presidency, meanwhile, said that her government was ready “to explore associate membership for Canada.”

David McAllister, chair of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, was more cautious, saying that the proposal’s “concrete terms now need careful assessment.”

Canada embraced the invitation

Carney himself welcomed the invitation but wasn’t sure about the form it would take.

“We’re going to better define the broad lines of this new alliance,” he said at the European Parliament on Thursday. He pointed to the EU-Canada summit in Montreal on Oct. 29-30 as a good place to start.

“What matters is the substance. What are we actually building together, how do we combine our strengths in a way that serves our people better, protects our fundamental rights and creates prosperity,” Carney said.

He was very clear on one point though. “Canada is not in a position, nor seeking, to become a full member of the European Union," he said.

Trump is wary of a potentially ‘hostile act’

The offer certainly grabbed Trump's attention. He suggested that allowing Canada to become an associate EU member could be a “hostile act” and threatened to respond by imposing more trade restrictions on the bloc.

Trump said that if European leaders are acting out of “a good intention, that’s fine. If it’s a bad intention, we’ll put very heavy tariffs on Europe.”

Carney insisted that Canada, through its overtures to the EU, is not seeking to create a bloc that would become "a great power rival, only with better manners.” Neither he nor von der Leyen mentioned Trump by name during their speeches.

For Fabian Zuleeg, chief executive at the European Policy Centre think tank, Trump's response showed that the new EU-Canada partnership matters.

But Zuleeg agreed that the nuts and bolts of EU-Canada ties are far more important than its name. “The label must now be filled with concrete substance, not remain another announcement,” he said.

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Associated Press writer Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.

The coordinated assault was the latest in a surge of militant violence near the border with Afghanistan where Pakistani Taliban militants have increasingly targeted police and other security forces as the government intensifies operations against them.

The bombing occurred in Kohat, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. An attacker apparently rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the mosque, said Zulfiqar Hameed, the provincial police chief.

At least seven armed gunmen also attempted to enter the police compound and exchanged fire with officers. Six of the gunmen were killed, according to police, who said one suicide bomber attacked the nearby office of an intelligence agency.

The police compound housed counter-terrorism police, who had carried out operations against militants across the province in recent years.

Most of those killed were police officers, hospital officials said. Bilal Faizi, a senior rescue official, said most of the dead and wounded had been attending prayers at the mosque.

Photos from the scene showed the outer wall of the police offices had collapsed and the mosque was badly damaged. Smoke rose over the site after the blast, which witnesses and residents said was heard far away, followed by gunfire. Inside the mosque, piles of bricks and concrete buried the floor, wires dangled from cracked walls and daylight poured through jagged holes in the roof, while a ceiling fan hung above the wreckage.

Residents said the exchange of fire continued hours after the coordinated attack.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack and expressed sorrow over the casualties. He directed authorities to accelerate rescue operations.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but suspicion was likely to fall on the Pakistani Taliban, formally known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP.

The attack comes a day after a roadside bomb struck a security forces convoy in the northwestern Hangu district and killed six soldiers. Government troops also conducted raids in various areas Thursday and killed 10 militants believed to be members of the Pakistani Taliban, the military and police said.

Pakistani Taliban have stepped up attacks on police and civilians in recent years. In 2023, a suicide bomber killed 101 people in an attack inside a mosque in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The group is separate from but allied with Afghanistan’s Taliban, which returned to power in 2021. Pakistan often accuses Kabul of sheltering the TTP and turning a blind eye to cross-border militant attacks. The government in Kabul has denied the allegations.

Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have remained high since Pakistan targeted alleged TTP hideouts in Afghanistan in 2025. The strikes triggered border clashes, prompting Qatar and Turkey to mediate a ceasefire. China later facilitated peace talks, but the two sides failed to reach an agreement.

Friday’s bombing came a day after Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency reported Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin met with Sharif, Pakistan army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and intelligence chief Lt. Gen. Asim Malik.

Kalin said Turkey would continue to make efforts to help resolve the tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan through dialogue, the news agency reported.

The Turkish intelligence chief also met with the government in Afghanistan. Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesperson for the Afghanistan Taliban, said Thursday that top officials in Kabul held talks with Kalin and a senior Qatari security official. The talks addressed tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

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Ahmed reported from Islamabad. Abdul Qahar Afghan in Kabul, Afghanistan, and Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, contributed to this report.

Improved weather on Friday allowed divers to enter the wreck and recover the bodies of two men and a woman. The bodies will be transferred to Banjarmasin, said Col. Galih Nurna Putra, commander of the Banjarmasin Naval Base.

The Virgo Transport 8 was carrying 243 people when its captain issued a distress call Sunday, reporting the vessel was listing in rough seas with waves reaching 3 meters (10 feet) while en route from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan on Borneo island.

Authorities lost contact with the ferry around 2 a.m. Sunday and learned about two hours later it had overturned in the Masalembo waters of the Java Sea, about 148 kilometers (92 miles) from Banjarmasin.

After several days of poor weather including strong winds, high waves and currents that reached 12.6 kph (7.8 mph), divers and members of the Indonesian navy’s special forces unit reached the wreck Thursday.

Around 10 a.m. Friday, a team of 17 divers descended to the ship using guide ropes installed the previous day. They broke a window and entered one at a time before spotting silhouettes of the victims and beginning recovery efforts, Putra said.

According to the manifest, the vessel carried 213 passengers and 30 crew members, though passenger totals often differ from official records in Indonesia. The 119-meter (390-foot) ferry, built in Japan in 1987 and operated there until last year, was also transporting 89 vehicles.

A total of 108 people were rescued, said Yudhi Bramantyo, operations director at Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency.

“We’ve discussed for the next steps and have prepared all the equipment needed to begin salvage operations,” Bramantyo said in a video briefing.

The overturned ferry drifted about 453 meters (1,486 feet) southeast from its original position and rested upside down on the seabed at a depth of 29 meters (95 feet), compared with about 21 meters (69 feet) at the initial sinking site, Bramantyo said.

The ferry’s stern is embedded in the sea floor, while the bow remains about 5 to 6 meters (16 to 20 feet) below the surface. The stern section lies at a depth of about 15 meters (49 feet). Authorities said they have not detected fuel leakage or signs of oil pollution around the wreck.

Indonesia is an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands where ferries are a common method of travel. Disasters occur regularly, with weak safety enforcement often blamed.

Authorities on Thursday ended an unsuccessful, 10-day search for eight people, including five photojournalists, who disappeared while traveling by speedboat to Anak Krakatau volcano to report on its eruption.

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Associated Press writer Niniek Karmini in Jakarta, Indonesia, contributed to this report.

The shooting at Banga National High School in the South Cotabato town of Banga is under investigation, the Philippine National Police said in a statement. Police officers secured the campus and coordinated with school officials and medical responders, the statement said.

South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo said the two students killed were a boy and a girl, both 14. He said the gunman also shot himself and died.

Banga Mayor Albert Palencia told DZBB radio that the gunman hit 10 students in the classroom next to his, two of whom died while eight were wounded. A person who was hyperventilating was also brought to a hospital, according to the governor.

Tamayo said the gunman’s best friend told officials that the teenager was a member of an online “true crimes community.” Authorities were investigating the account and whether it had any connection to the shooting, he said.

Mayor Palencia said the 16-year-old gunman told his friends to go home after lunch because “he was going to do something” and they might get involved. He said the shooter’s classmates thought it was a joke.

After lunch, the gunman started shooting students in the classroom next to his, hitting 10 of them. He then changed the magazine of his 9 mm gun and shot himself, Palencia added.

He said the gun belonged to the shooter’s father, a Department of Education employee, who hid the weapon in a vault, which was destroyed by his son.

Police found posts made by the shooter in the online community, where young people involved in school shootings are idolized, Palencia added.

Quoting the gunman’s school adviser, Palencia said the mother of the boy wanted to bring him to a psychiatrist.

Iran's government has sought to rally the people and stress national unity, even as the economy worsens under a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports and new U.S. sanctions. On Friday, it claimed another attack on a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway it has sought to control since the start of the war.

Estimates varied of the number of people volunteering to receive limited military training and defend the country in an effort described as “Janfaday-e Iran,” or the “ones who sacrifice their lives for Iran.” They marched through downtown Tehran in combat uniform, carrying flags, as onlookers cheered.

For days, state media have encouraged Iranians to join the campaign, saying training with assault rifles would begin soon. The volunteers would be an additional layer of security to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and the Basij militia, which has played a key role in quashing anti-government protests.

Rally seeks to project strength under US pressure

Tehran’s Guard chief, Gen. Hassan Hassanzadeh, told the state broadcaster that over 600,000 people had registered to participate, with over 1 million expected to take part in the training. On Friday morning, the broadcaster estimated over 300,000 people were on the streets.

The new head of the Basij, Hossein Taeb, declared in a speech as the rally began that the volunteers will be ready for “full-fledged defense” and similar rallies will take place in other cities soon.

The new trainees will make a “nightmare” for Iran's enemies, Taeb added, as President Masoud Pezeshkian, military commanders and other senior officials watched the march.

Some participants trampled flags of the U.S. and Israel. Others chanted “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.”

“I am here to tell (U.S. President Donald) Trump that we Iranians have no fear about his threats against our homeland,” said Marzieh Afaghi, 24, who attended the rally with her toddler and husband. “No one in history could invade Iran and remain there.”

The rally was also a chance for Iran to show off military hardware. Anti-aircraft batteries were on display, while female Guard members in black headscarves sat with truck-mounted machine guns.

Iran says it attacked another tanker in the Strait of Hormuz

The Guard displayed drones that have been used against ships in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran's attacks and threats have severely affected the Gulf region’s shipments of oil and natural gas to the rest of the world.

Iran said it had attacked a Togo-flagged oil tanker, the Trend, for what it called an “illegal attempt” to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the state broadcaster reported. The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations center said a tanker was hit by a projectile, sparking a fire on board that was extinguished.

The UKMTO in a separate update said ship transits facilitated by the U.S. military off Oman have averaged 24 a day over the past week but overall traffic remains about 90% lower than before the war.

Iran's new volunteers could help suppress future dissent

Friday's events also suggested that hard-liners like Taeb among Iran's leadership will be more prepared to suppress any future demonstration against the theocracy.

In January, shortly before the war, Iran saw some of its largest nationwide protests in history, which began over the struggling economy and turned to wider grievances. Activists have said a crackdown killed over 7,000 people and saw tens of thousands detained.

In May, government officials said more than 30 million people in Iran — which has a total population of some 90 million — had volunteered via an online form or at public gatherings to lay down their lives for the theocracy. The Associated Press could not independently confirm that.

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Karimi reported from Tehran, Iran, and Anna from Jerusalem.

When he finished, his daughter convinced him to show off the sprawling basement creation — encompassing over 800,000 structures — on TikTok. The video clips almost immediately went viral.

Now Macken’s model is on display at the Museum of the City of New York, which reached out to him after seeing his TikTok videos gain more than 10 million views in one week. “He Built This City,” as the exhibit is called, opened in February along Manhattan's museum row near Central Park. It runs through Oct. 12.

“I never really thought about finishing it because I had so much fun building it,” he said on a recent visit to the exhibit.

The museum's chief curator, Elisabeth Sherman, said the model is a rare piece that appeals to both social media followers and traditional museum goers.

“I think people always want to get their arms around this whole city, this city that is impossible to know, impossible to grasp, and this is a way to see it from a bird’s-eye view,” she said. “We rarely have anything these days that reaches everyone in that way. We love that kind of energy it brings.”

Macken dreamed of building the model as a child

All five boroughs and parts of New Jersey and suburban Long Island are laid out in street-level detail across more than 300 large foam boards, interconnected like puzzle pieces. The entire model is 50 feet long (15 meters) and nearly 30 feet (9 meters) wide, with each inch on the model representing about 160 feet (49 meters).

The more than 800,000 structures are mostly made out of light balsa wood, from Manhattan’s towering skyscrapers to the humble single-family homes in Queens and landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty, Yankee Stadium and the Brooklyn Bridge.

Macken says the inspiration for the model goes back to an elementary school trip to the Queens Museum to see the Panorama of the City of New York, the famed scale model built for the 1964-1965 World’s Fair, complete with an overhead, helicopter-style gondola ride.

But it wasn’t until he was in his 40s that the Queens native actually set out to make it. At the time, Macken and his young family had just moved north, from Long Island to the Albany area in upstate New York.

“I think, subconsciously, I might have missed New York,” he said.

Macken took 10 years building Midtown, then kept expanding

Using basic materials found at hobby shops, Macken started with the Rockefeller Center and its iconic main tower, “30 Rock.”

From there, he built out Midtown Manhattan, a process that took about a decade. The Empire State Building and its ornate Art Deco spire proved to be the most challenging part.

“I wanted to make it perfect,” Macken said. “People are gonna be looking at it.”

Macken has no background in model building, architecture or design. He jokes that the closest experience he had was building Legos and Lincoln Logs as a kid. But as he worked, Macken became faster and more efficient.

“I wish I would have done it 20 years earlier, knowing that I would have enjoyed it so much,” he said. “I can build one of the buildings in my sleep right now where it took me hours when I first started.”

The model consumed much of Macken's free time

Macken says nearly all his free time was spent on the model. He’d bring his materials on family trips to the New Jersey shore in the summer and during lulls driving a bus on weekends.

“It was just something that I couldn’t stop doing,” he said.

As the model neared completion, it became all-consuming, Macken said.

“Before bed, I’d be so tired sometimes, and I wind up being there for four hours, falling asleep at the table,” he said. “It got bad. It was an obsession. It still is.”

The model isn’t an exact snapshot of the modern metropolis. Out in miniature Queens, Macken recreated his favorite childhood diner, not the modern high rise that now stands there. He also kept the old Kosciuszko Bridge that connects Brooklyn and Queens, even though it was demolished in 2017 and replaced by a new span.

And in lower Manhattan, the old twin towers of the World Trade Center still stand sentry in Macken’s miniature Gotham, albeit alongside One World Trade Center and the other gleaming skyscrapers constructed after the 2001 terror attacks.

“I kept a lot of my own parts of the city,” Macken said. “Just for me.”

Visitors flock to museum for Macken's model

On a recent weekday morning, a steady stream of visitors ambled into the first floor gallery. They strode up to the edge of the raised platform, seeking out a familiar landmark or an old neighborhood.

Some took up the pairs of binoculars provided for better viewing, while most simply squinted and pointed into the distance.

Jonathan Skolnik positioned himself at the corner of the model nearest lower Manhattan and began tracing his family’s history across the five boroughs as his son, Tosha, listened intently.

Jonathan pointed out his father’s first address in America, on Manhattan's Lower East Side, near the foot of the Williamsburg Bridge. The neighborhood where he was born in Queens. The cemetery where many family members were buried.

“I’m trying to do it all from memory,” the Washington, D.C. area resident said. “I don’t have it all exact.”

After a lifetime toiling away in anonymity, Macken hopes to display the model elsewhere when the museum exhibit ends on Columbus Day.

In the meantime, he’s looking forward to adding more than 50 new buildings and expanding the model into New Jersey and Long Island.

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Follow Philip Marcelo at https://x.com/philmarcelo

Meanwhile, South Korea says it is considering expanding a naval operation in the Gulf of Aden off the Arabian Peninsula to protect its ships and oil routes, but it won't send troops to intervene in the Iran war.

Here’s a look at the latest news in the Middle East on Friday. Full coverage can be found here.

Iran says it struck an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz

Iran said it struck a Togo-flagged oil tanker, the Trend, for what it called an “illegal attempt” to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the state broadcaster reported, citing the Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The Associated Press could not immediately confirm the report.

The Guard's navy warned that unauthorized passage through the strait would result in the “destruction” of offending vessels, the broadcaster said. Tehran has asserted control over the waterway since the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) overnight reported a ship “security incident” 16 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, Oman, which lies on the other side of the strait. The crew was safe and no environmental impact was reported, the monitor said.

It was not clear whether the UKMTO report was describing the attack that Iran claimed.

The U.S. military has been guiding some commercial ships through the strait off Oman as the risk of Iranian attacks continues.

More attacks reported in the strait

Separately, the UKMTO reported that a tanker in the strait was hit by an “unknown projectile,” causing a fire that was later extinguished. The crew was reported safe, with no immediate indication of environmental damage, it said.

The AP could not independently confirm the incident, and there was no immediate claim from Iran.

The monitor also said another tanker was struck Wednesday by an “unknown projectile” while transiting out of the strait, with the crew reported safe. It was not clear why the report came later.

Tehran rally vows support for Iran

Hundreds of thousands of Iranians filled the streets of Tehran in the biggest rally since the war began in February, pledging to take up arms as “Janfaday-e Iran,” or the “ones who sacrifice their lives for Iran.”

Iran’s government has sought to rally the people and stress national unity, even as the economy worsens under a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports and new U.S. sanctions meant to increase Tehran’s economic pain.

Some participants trampled flags of the U.S. and Israel. Others chanted “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.”

Houthi supporters turn out in Yemen

Hundreds of people turned out in northern areas of Yemen in support of the Houthis and to protest Saudi Arabia’s accusation that the rebels targeted Islam’s holiest site, Mecca.

Houthi-controlled Al-Masirah TV showed protesters carrying pictures of the Kaaba, a landmark in Mecca, along with Yemeni, Iranian, Lebanese and Palestinian flags. A speaker reiterated the Houthis’ opposition to Saudi Arabia, which supports Yemen's internationally recognized government.

The Saudis said it intercepted a Houthi drone targeting Mecca earlier this week. The Houthi leadership has denied responsibility.

The Houthis are fighting Saudi-backed Yemeni forces, which lately has fueled mass displacement of more than 100,000 people.

South Korea says it might expand naval unit in the region

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said his government is considering expanding the operations of a naval unit deployed in the Gulf of Aden off the coasts of Yemen and Somalia to protect his country’s vessels and oil shipping routes.

But he stressed that South Korea would not take action that would draw it into the U.S.-Iran conflict, pushing back against recent pressure from the Trump administration. South Korea has deployed the anti-piracy Cheonghae Unit for years.

The growing threat from Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen to shipping in the region has alarmed countries and markets, even though the rebels have said they are only targeting the assets of neighboring Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter.

“There will be no troop deployment that involves or intervenes in the war,” Lee said.

Threat level in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait remain high

A UKMTO update showed there have been no new attacks on shipping in the Red Sea in the week since Houthi rebels captured strategic islands on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at its southern end.

The monitor noted increased Houthi control of parts of Yemen’s west coast and called the threat level for the southern Red Sea as “substantial.” But it said the latest recorded attacks, including near misses, was on Aug. 24, though northbound and southbound transits of the strait are down.

In the Strait of Hormuz, the update said ship transits facilitated by the U.S. military off Oman have averaged 24 a day over the past week but overall traffic remains about 90% lower than before the war.

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This piece will be updated throughout the day as new developments emerge.

Authorities spread the election over the weekend, ending Sunday, in a bid to boost turnout among the 111 million eligible voters, and they even allowed electronic balloting.

The Kremlin wants the parliamentary election — the first since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 — to underline public support for the war and give a veneer of legitimacy to its action. It has sought to avoid any political risks by stamping out even the slightest sign of dissent.

“Your choice and resolve will once again demonstrate that millions of people stand behind our fighters, that we are a united people, bound by shared values, historical memory, and love for the Motherland,” President Vladimir Putin told the nation before the vote.

Russian state news agencies reported that Putin voted online Friday and released a video of him in front of a computer screen.

The main Kremlin party, United Russia, is all but assured to retain its overwhelming control of the lower house, the State Duma. Several smaller parties of the “systemic opposition” that vote in sync with the government on all key issues also are expected to retain their presence.

Voters cast two separate ballots, filling half of the Duma’s 450 seats by selecting political parties listed on the ballot. The rest are contested in single-seat constituencies, with voters choosing individual candidates.

Some Russians hope for a different future

Russians interviewed by The Associated Press expressed different expectations from the election.

Dmitry Kirillin in Moscow said earlier this week that he would like “to see some changes. To see a different party” at the helm. But Muscovite Alexander Vertukhin believed “what United Russia and the communists are doing is quite sufficient; their platforms cover everything.”

Speaking at a Moscow polling station Friday, pensioner Galina Vavilova said she thought ending the war in Ukraine “is the main thing, of course.”

“That is the most important thing right now. Everyone wants peace, that’s what it comes down to. So that our guys are safe and sound,” she said.

Another pensioner, Lyudmila Kalinina, wished for life “to stabilize for the better” and for “an end to the big divide between the ultra-rich and the extremely poor, because, after all, many people don't live a very sweet life.”

Vladimir Chubarev, a 72-year-old professor, expressed hope “for all the important initiatives our government is undertaking to succeed,” adding: “And, of course, for victory.”

Russia has silenced anti-war voices

The liberal Yabloko party, the only registered political entity that dared to criticize the war, was removed from the ballot last month by Russia’s Supreme Court, and only has a few dozen candidates in the single-constituency races. Additionally, some anti-war politicians have been imprisoned or forced to flee abroad ahead of the campaign.

The election follows a summer of Ukraine’s long-range drone strikes on oil refineries that triggered a widespread fuel crisis. Warehouses belonging to online retailers Wildberries and Ozon also were attacked. The damage has exacerbated problems for the Russian economy and brought the war home for millions.

In Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi, polling stations were briefly closed because of a threat of a drone attack, local officials said. One polling station in the Krasnodar region had to be set up in a different venue after a drone shattered windows there, said Central Election Commission head Ella Pamfilova.

For the first time, the parliamentary election includes residents of four Ukrainian regions that Moscow illegally annexed after the war began, but still doesn't fully control. Voting also is taking place in Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014.

Voters dropped their ballots in a box at one polling station in the Russian-held part of the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine as an armed Russian soldier stood nearby and watched.

In the Russian-held Luhansk region, 14 polling stations were using backup power sources after Ukrainian drones damaged electrical lines, Pamfilova said.

Separately, Russian officials said Ukrainian attacks earlier this week killed a polling station chief and wounded another in the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia region. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine on the accusation.

Authorities in Kyiv denounced the voting in the Russian-held areas as illegal and urged foreign governments and international organizations not to recognize the election, warning Ukrainians that taking part in organizing the balloting could carry criminal liability.

European Commission spokesperson Christian Wigand also called the voting in Russian-held regions “illegal” and said the European Union condemns it.

“These so-called elections represent yet another blatant violation of international law. The European Union does not, and will never recognize either the holding of these, so-called elections, sham elections, in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine or their results," he said.

Wigand said the way the elections are held “underscores the continued and deepening erosion of democracy in Russia," and that the Kremlin “deprives voters in Russia of a genuine choice about the future of their country.”

He also noted that Russia decided not to invite observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, disregarding its commitments. He vowed the EU will continue to support Russian civil society organizations, human rights groups and independent media.

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Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed.

But as talks faltered, plans for rebuilding stalled. Israel bars entry of almost all construction materials, making even repairs difficult. Many residents have since moved back into some of the hundreds of thousands of homes damaged by the war despite the risk of weakened foundations and unstable walls suddenly giving way.

The Gaza Health Ministry said 21 people were killed in the collapse in Gaza City on Wednesday. The roof of another building in Gaza City caved in on Friday after a brief period of rain, the local civil defense force said, lightly injuring four children.

Um Mohammad Adas, whose relatives were among those killed on Wednesday, said the fallen building had become a shelter of last resort.

“Now, they are lying in the street homeless and with absolutely nothing,” she said of her family members who survived the collapse. “Even the clothes they are wearing were borrowed.”

Families living in similar structures said they couldn’t afford any other shelter.

“We don’t have money to go somewhere else,” Ahmad Arafat said on a street full of rubble near his home. “And we can’t afford to buy tents like other people.”

Others who have moved back into debris-filled buildings with sloping floors and cracked ceilings in Gaza City said they don't have options.

“What forces people to live in these places is that there is no shelter other than this shelter. I mean, there are no tents, no basic necessities,” Alam Zakout said outside the damaged building where he and his family live. “Come on, you tell me, where am I supposed to go? I have nothing other than this house.”

The collapse this week wasn't the first involving unsafe dwellings in Gaza, but the high death toll underscored the dangers in a territory where the vast majority of the population lacks adequate shelter.

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that during the first week of September there were collapses at five shelters, a category that can include standalone homes or units in larger buildings.

More than 2,000 additional buildings were at risk of collapse, the Palestinian Ministry of Public Works said in a statement Wednesday.

Dangers in Gaza persist without reconstruction

Israel has said it will not permit any rebuilding in Gaza until Hamas disarms, leaving more than 1 million people to live in unsafe displacement sites, according to a joint damage assessment released in April by the World Bank and United Nations. Many are crowded into sprawling tent camps lacking basic sanitation.

The assessment said 76% of residential units had been damaged or destroyed, calling the loss of the enclave's housing stock “catastrophic.”

“People are choosing to stay in dangerous buildings because the idea of living in a tent is worse, and there are very few tent supplies available if they want to leave those buildings,” said Shaina Low, a Norwegian Refugee Council spokesperson. “No tent supplies are getting into Gaza. People are willing to risk it because there isn’t a suitable alternative.”

The council is among the aid groups that have long warned about Gaza's shelter crisis. Nearly three years of war have damaged more than 320,000 homes, affecting 1.7 million of the territory’s 2.1 million people, according to a report published last month.

The council's surveys found 72% are staying in buildings that have sustained some damage. In one Gaza City neighborhood sampled, 22% of buildings were at risk of imminent collapse.

The buildings can be dangerous at any time, but engineers and humanitarian groups warn they are especially at risk of collapse during bouts of bad weather, when rain can flood through cracked concrete and exposed rebar, further weakening already damaged structures. The report found 71% of those surveyed had experienced flooding since the start of the previous winter, both in tents and buildings.

Aid groups say more shelter materials needed

The Norwegian Refugee Council and other aid groups recently reiterated calls for Israel to allow more shelter and reconstruction materials into Gaza, noting Israel had twice rejected the entry of timber and emergency shelter kits in late August and early September for security reasons.

They have called for timber, emergency shelter kits, excavators and other equipment needed to clear dangerous debris. Israel has long restricted the entry of materials it considers “dual use,” saying they could be commandeered and used by militants.

COGAT, the Israeli military body overseeing aid distribution in Gaza, said in a statement that it “regularly facilitates and encourages the entry of shelter supplies into the Gaza Strip in coordination with international organizations.”

“At the same time, there is a genuine security concern that Hamas may use some of the components intended for the construction of shelters to strengthen its capabilities and rebuild its terrorist infrastructure,” COGAT said.

The war was sparked after the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023, in which militants killed about 1,200 people and took 251 people hostage. An October 2025 ceasefire reduced the intensity of the fighting, but Israel has continued to carry out strikes, killing at least 1,375 people since the agreement went into effect, according to local health officials.

The nearly three-year Israel-Hamas war has killed more than 73,821 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry, part of the Hamas-run government, maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and international organizations. It does not distinguish between civilians and militants, but says women and children make up around half the toll.

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Metz reported from Jerusalem.

La Red Nacional de Defensa de los Derechos Humanos señaló que su informe está respaldado por entrevistas con jueces, funcionarios policiales, civiles armados, el exjefe de una comisaría y más de 100 víctimas y sus familiares.

El informe ofrece el relato más completo de los ataques que las pandillas lanzaron recientemente contra la antes pacífica comunidad agrícola de Kenscoff, cerca de Puerto Príncipe, en los cuales al menos 164 personas fueron asesinadas, más de 70 secuestradas y decenas desaparecieron.

Reforzar la seguridad podría haber limitado las muertes

En su informe, publicado el miércoles, el grupo de derechos humanos sostuvo que un “refuerzo oportuno” de la seguridad podría haber evitado o limitado los asesinatos.

“El hecho de que no se haya respondido es aún más preocupante, dado que la información disponible indicaba la existencia de una amenaza grave e inminente para la población”, indicó.

Un portavoz de la Policía Nacional de Haití no respondió de momento a una solicitud de comentarios.

El grupo de derechos humanos señaló que Kenscoff siguió siendo vulnerable después de un ataque en enero de 2025, el cual dejó al menos 139 personas muertas o desaparecidas: “Se habían puesto de relieve graves fallas institucionales que contribuyeron a la perpetración de esta masacre. No sorprende que la seguridad nunca se restableciera realmente en la ciudad”.

Señaló que los soldados y las unidades especiales de policía asignados a Kenscoff tras el ataque de 2025 fueron retirados posteriormente “por razones que siguen siendo completamente desconocidas”.

Se recortó el personal de seguridad

En general, la seguridad en la zona se redujo un 60%, según el informe.

Las pandillas atacaron Kenscoff de nuevo en julio, y luego se replegaron, pero a finales de agosto lanzaron un ataque aún mayor. Una semana antes de que comenzara la masacre, se retiró un vehículo blindado debido a falta de personal, “dejando una nueva puerta para bandidos terroristas armados y debilitando aún más la ciudad”, concluyó el informe.

Las solicitudes del exjefe de la comisaría de Kenscoff para contar con dos camiones blindados adicionales fueron ignoradas antes del ataque, añadió.

Días antes de la masacre, el grupo indicó que “terroristas armados” utilizaron drones de vigilancia para rastrear movimientos y posiciones de las fuerzas del orden. Desplegaron exploradores en la zona, y luego se infiltraron y comenzaron a vigilar las carreteras, “identificando a individuos que probablemente representaran una amenaza para ellos”.

El grupo de derechos humanos indicó que funcionarios del gobierno les comentaron que no escucharon planes sobre el ataque, pero sí notaron la presencia de drones sobre la ciudad horas antes de que comenzara.

Uso de troncos para bloquear carreteras

Otra señal de advertencia: se usaron troncos para bloquear carreteras horas antes de la masacre.

Una de las primeras víctimas fue un hombre de 21 años, al que le ordenaron cargar piedras para bloquear una carretera antes de que le dispararan en la cabeza, señaló el informe.

Entre los muertos había casi dos docenas de personas de entre 65 y 90 años; 36 mujeres y siete niños, incluido uno de 4 años. Había agricultores, dos pastores y un director escolar que fue decapitado.

A un hombre que trabajaba en la comisaría de Kenscoff le fueron arrancados los ojos y cercenados los brazos, según el informe.

Integrantes de las pandillas mataron a personas que se refugiaban en una escuela y una iglesia, utilizando los cuerpos como barricadas mientras la policía y civiles los enfrentaban durante horas.

El informe indicó que hombres armados realizaron varios ataques antes de entrar en Kenscoff para atraer a la policía y debilitar sus defensas.

El grupo de derechos humanos identificó a las víctimas y la forma en que murieron, al tiempo que pidió al gobierno que brinde ayuda financiera, médica y psicológica a los sobrevivientes y a sus familias.

El informe critica la pasividad policial

Entre enero y agosto de este año, las operaciones de seguridad habían logrado reducir la violencia en Kenscoff en un 66% antes del ataque, según la organización sin fines de lucro Armed Conflict Location & Event Data.

Pero el informe criticó lo que calificó como pasividad policial y el “desdeñoso desinterés” de altos mandos policiales por proteger Kenscoff. También cuestionó por qué una nueva fuerza de represión de pandillas respaldada por la ONU “sigue siendo apenas perceptible sobre el terreno, y su contribución a las operaciones de seguridad sigue siendo difícil de identificar”.

Un portavoz de dicha fuerza no respondió de momento a una solicitud de comentarios el jueves por la noche.

La fuerza indicó a finales de agosto que estaba relevando a la policía haitiana en ciertas zonas para liberar unidades y así reforzar la seguridad en Kenscoff.

El grupo de derechos humanos señaló que a mediados de septiembre se lanzó otro ataque armado en la localidad.

El alcalde de Kenscoff emitió un comunicado el martes en el que advirtió que los drones siguen sobrevolando su comunidad y que se están publicando en internet videos y mensajes inquietantes como amenazas.

“La convergencia de estas diversas señales no debe trivializarse ni ignorarse bajo ninguna circunstancia”, escribió. “Después de más de 20 meses de sufrimiento, desplazamiento, pérdida de vidas y trauma causados por la violencia de pandillas armadas, el pueblo de Kenscoff no puede ser sometido a nuevas tragedias que podrían haberse evitado”.

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El reportero de The Associated Press Evens Sanon en Puerto Príncipe contribuyó a este despacho.

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

The decision came at a suddenly convened Pardons Board meeting, a week after the board deferred Najib’s latest clemency application. It marked an unprecedented use of house arrest as a form of royal clemency in Malaysia and could renew debate over the rule of law and the treatment of Malaysia’s most prominent corruption convict.

Najib, 73, has been imprisoned since August 2022, when Malaysia’s top court upheld his conviction in a case linked to the multi-billion dollar looting of the state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad.

Najib set up the 1MDB development fund shortly after he took office in 2009. Investigators say at least $4.5 billion was stolen from the fund and laundered by Najib’s associates through layers of bank accounts in the U.S. and other countries. The funds were allegedly used to finance Hollywood films and extravagant purchases that included hotels, a luxury yacht, art and jewelry.

He was originally sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined 210 million ringgit ($51.5 million) in 2020 for abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving 42 million ringgit ($10.3 million) channeled into his bank accounts from SRC International, a former unit of 1MDB. In January 2024, the Pardons Board chaired by the then-king halved his sentence to six years and reduced his fine to 50 million ringgit.

A government statement said Friday that Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar granted a “conditional pardon” for Najib. He will be allowed to serve the remainder of his prison term under house arrest until Aug. 23, 2028, if he pays the 50 million ringgit fine ($12 million) imposed by the court, it said.

The prime minister defends the royal clemency

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the constitution provides for the king's absolute powers and urged the public to accept the decision. He said it wouldn't weaken the government's fight against graft and abuse of power.

“I want to stress that the principle of the rule of law remains intact. Our commitment to taking action against all cases of corruption is not affected, and this does not mean the country should bow to practices of embezzlement and corruption,” he said.

Former Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli, who now heads an opposition party, urged the government to explain the full conditions of Najib’s house arrest to address the intense public disappointment over the deep wounds of the 1MDB scandal.

The Home Ministry hasn't released details of Najib's house arrest, and whether it would apply to a separate sentence for graft.

Najib's fall triggered a national scandal

In December 2025, Najib was found guilty of abuse of power and money laundering related to over $700 million channeled into his bank accounts from 1MDB, in his main trial tied to the fund. He was sentenced to another 15 years in prison and fined 11.4 billion ringgit ($2.8 billion), which is to take effect after his existing sentence ends. He is appealing that conviction.

A national outrage over the 1MDB scandal led to the historic 2018 election defeat of the party that had governed Malaysia since independence from Britain in 1957.

Despite his conviction, Najib still holds clout in his party, the United Malays National Organization, which is now part of Anwar's unity government that took power after the 2022 elections.

House arrest had been discussed as part of broader criminal-justice reforms in Malaysia. In 2024, the government said proposed legislation allowing home detention in certain circumstances was aimed at reducing prison overcrowding and recidivism, not designed specifically for Najib.

During a campaign stop Wednesday in Gastonia, North Carolina, to stump for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley, Trump resurrected a 1988 George H.W. Bush presidential campaign ad featuring Willie Horton, a Black man convicted of rape and assault after his release through a Massachusetts prison furlough program.

A grainy black-and-white prison photo of Horton was used in the ad targeting then-Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis, who was ahead of Bush in the polls. On Wednesday, Trump evoked the Horton ad in an effort to convince voters Democratic former Gov. Roy Cooper, Whatley's opponent in the Senate race, is soft on crime.

“Willie Horton was a bad guy, really bad guy,” Trump said, before comparing Dukakis's release of Horton to the pretrial release of a Black man who faces a murder charge for last year's killing of a white Ukrainian refugee in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“Same thing as this, same as, same exact thing,” the president told the crowd in Gastonia.

It’s the second time Trump has invoked Willie Horton while campaigning for his party. Last month during a speech in Las Vegas, Trump called the Charlotte killing a “Willie Horton — modern day” tragedy.

“After the Willie Horton ad dropped, Bush established a lead in the polls and never looked back,” said Andra Gillespie, political scientist at Emory University outside Atlanta. “They showed the picture, and you ascribed race onto it. It wasn’t sufficiently condemned as racism.”

A spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee, which organized the Gastonia campaign rally, defended Trump's reference to Horton.

“Roy Cooper emptied prisons and released thousands of violent monsters onto North Carolina streets,” RNC National Press Secretary Natalie Baldassarre said in a statement to The Associated Press. “The results had deadly consequences, and every Democrat who supports abolishing or defunding the police, paroling criminals, and implementing lax bail policies will have to answer for their dangerous records in November.”

Trump paints North Carolina as a ‘dangerous state’

Wednesday’s rally referenced the Aug. 22, 2025, killing of white 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska on a commuter train in Charlotte.

Decarlos Brown Jr., who is Black, faces murder and other charges in Zarutska’s stabbing, which was captured on video. Court records showed that at the time of the attack, Brown had 14 prior cases in Mecklenburg County, including serving five years for robbery with a dangerous weapon. Doctors had diagnosed him with schizophrenia.

Republicans and other influential voices in Trump’s Make America Great Again movement claimed the attack showed how Democratic elected leaders in large cities across the U.S. failed to protect residents, while some conservative commentators suggested Democrats were ignoring an unfounded “black-on-white” crime problem.

“He should have been locked up for many, many years,” Trump said Wednesday of Brown.

“Nobody used to think of North Carolina as a dangerous state, criminally dangerous,” Trump added while blaming Cooper. “It was apple pie, right? Now, it’s one of the most violent, one of the worst in the whole nation.”

According to 2024 FBI crime data, North Carolina ranked 19th for statewide violent-crime rates in a 50-state comparison.

During the Gastonia rally, a mosaic of mug shots was displayed on a large screen for the crowd. Trump claimed Cooper had cut a deal with “radical activists” to release “some of the worst criminals in the nation into North Carolina.”

“He released these people. This is just a small group of them,” the president said, pointing to the mug shots that overwhelmingly featured Black people.

Although it is unclear under what circumstances the people in the mug shots were released, state corrections officials have said Brown was not released early from prison or under Cooper’s COVID-era prisoner-release settlement that Trump referenced.

Before fatally stabbing Zarutska, according to court records, Brown had been on a pretrial release over a misdemeanor offense that was ordered by a magistrate after Cooper left office.

‘Tapping into anger’

Republicans are under pressure to win over swayable voters as the November midterms approach with Democrats pushing to gain control of the House, the Senate, or both. Some political strategists say part of the ploy of adding Horton to the North Carolina Senate campaign is to rile up Trump's base.

“He’s tapping into the anger to remind Republican voters of what he thinks their first principles are in hopes that will be successful for Republican candidates,” Gillespie said.

“He’s doing this to try and divert attention away from criticism of how he’s governing at the moment,” she added. “Democrats want to make the story of this election Trump’s low approval numbers, the war in Iran, inflation, being preoccupied with things that don’t make a whole lot of sense when there are really serious things going on in the country.”

Dewey Clayton, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Louisville, said Trump and other Republicans may be thinking that what worked before in the 2016 and 2024 elections presumably will work again in this year's midterms.

“It was very effective,” Clayton said. “You do not necessarily have to look at it as racial, in and of itself, although (race) clearly becomes a component. In 2026, talking about ads going back in the 1980s? I'm sure he had consultants that were basically saying this is tried and true.”

The GOP may need the push in November, Gillespie warns. “I think the motivation by going back to these old strategies is there is real concern about Republican enthusiasm and you might see lower Republican turnout,” she said.

Rhetoric attempts to divert voters' attention from rising costs

The tactic speaks to desperation by Trump and the Whatley campaign, according to Morgan Jackson, a partner with Nexus Strategies in Raleigh.

“Trump brings up Willie Horton to stoke racial division, something he's used for the last 10 years,” said Jackson, who is chief strategist for Cooper's campaign. “It is very clear from the president's speech last night their only goal is to sow division and hate and lies. Michael Whatley doubles down in support of that effort.”

Jackson also said Trump and Whatley are trying to change the election's message of “rising inflation and the cost of everything.”

“They want to use inflammatory rhetoric, hate speech and lies to sow division in a chance to win an election,” he said. “By referencing Willie Horton, they are showing their hand very clearly.”

The AP sent an email Thursday seeking comment from Whatley's Senate campaign.

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Williams reported from Detroit. AP videojournalist Erik Verduzco in Gastonia, North Carolina, contributed.

Election administrators say they are prepared and confident the vote will be accurate and secure. Nevertheless, President Donald Trump has continued with efforts to denigrate certain voting methods and reshape how elections are run, through court challenges, an expansive federal hunt for noncitizen voters and a pressure campaign to force election officials to share sensitive voter data.

Friday marked the start of early voting in Virginia. Voters in a handful of other states, including Idaho, Minnesota and South Dakota, can cast absentee ballots in person, typically at a local election office or voting center. More expansive early voting is scheduled to begin in those and other states in the coming weeks.

At a voting location in Fairfax, Virginia, 18-year-old college student Sanya Singhal was among the first to vote early in person Friday morning, arriving well before the site opened to get in line.

“Why not just have a little fun in life, you know, try to be the first early voter?” she said. “I really want to participate in my democracy.”

At a voting location in suburban Richmond, a poll worker rang a bell as the building opened and about a dozen voters in line began to file in. Stephen Gura was excited to be the first.

“This election is critical. We need to stop the Trump agenda,” said Gura, who added that he voted for U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, a Democrat, and Shannon Taylor, the Democratic nominee against Republican incumbent Rob Wittman in the 1st Congressional District.

The Nov. 3 election includes votes for governor and state legislature in most states and will determine whether Republicans maintain control of the U.S. House and Senate. If Democrats retake Congress, it will alter the trajectory of the final two years of Trump’s term, most likely leading to investigations and other oversight efforts.

Voting underway after unusual redistricting and Trump's bid to control how elections are run

At the suburban Richmond voting center, a steady stream of voters flowed in and out. William Curry, a 74-year-old retiree who described himself as a libertarian-leaning independent conservative, voted for Warner’s Republican challenger, Bert Mizusawa, and Wittman. Curry said he generally approves of the job Trump has done, apart from the war with Iran.

“He’s in a mess he can’t get rid of,” Curry said of the conflict.

On a rainy day in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Bill Goehring, 67, said he voted early at the county office because he will be traveling later. He voted for a mix of Democrats and independents, and said Trump’s “dictatorial tendencies are bad for America.”

The start of early voting comes at a time of deep angst among many Americans about issues including rising gas and grocery prices, the war in Iran, the looming risks of artificial intelligence and Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement campaign.

It also follows an unprecedented spate of mid-decade redistricting for the U.S. House that began when Trump urged the Republican-controlled legislature in Texas to redraw its congressional map to help the party. California and other states followed.

The changes affect millions of people: Research shows 1 in 10 Americans this fall is a resident of a different congressional district than in 2024.

Those partisan efforts are expected to continue before the 2028 elections after a landmark ruling this year from the U.S. Supreme Court weakened the federal Voting Rights Act’s protections against racially discriminatory redistricting.

As the start of early voting approached, Trump was focused on efforts to assert federal control over election administration, even as the Constitution bestows the power to run elections on the states and, in some cases, Congress. The nation's highest court rejected Trump's bid to restrict mail ballots this week, but several of his administration's other efforts to influence the voting process and mine state voter lists for illegitimate voters continue.

Virginia's attorney general said Thursday that Trump's administration may have violated the state's laws after a whistleblower accused federal employees of misrepresenting themselves on voter lookup tools to hunt for noncitizen voters. In a letter, Attorney General Jay Jones demanded that the Department of Homeland Security confirm in writing whether it had directed anyone to access Virginia voters’ information without first obtaining permission from those voters.

Trump for years has raised the specter of widespread noncitizen voting in U.S. elections, and this year is no exception. But research continues to show noncitizen voting is exceptionally rare.

David Becker, executive director and founder of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, said he wouldn’t be surprised if the Republican president continues “his disinformation campaign and his attack on election officials.” But he said he thinks despite that and other challenges, “ultimately the process will hold as it has in past years.”

One Friday morning voter, 63-year-old Laura Bland in Virginia's Henrico County, said she cast a ballot early to send “a signal that we're still here" amid Trump's efforts to curtail mail voting.

“Regardless of whether you vote for a Democrat, Republican, people are not going to be stopped or intimidated from participating in our elections,” Bland said, nearly moved to tears as she explained her reasoning.

Advocates suggest voters cast their ballots early

Voting rights advocates have encouraged voters this year to cast mail ballots early, in part because of concerns about recent changes in U.S. Postal Service operations that could delay the application of postmarks to ballots.

“Voting early, whether in person or by mail, is good for all of our communities because it gives voters options, eases lines on Election Day and can even mean faster results,” said Hannah Fried, co-founder and CEO of the voting rights group All Voting Is Local.

The top official at the U.S. Postal Service also encouraged voters who cast ballots by mail to get them in early.

“We say seven days,” postmaster general David Steiner said in an interview. “Everything is solved if people vote early.”

In a news briefing Thursday, Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon urged people not to be swayed by stories they might have seen or read that cast doubt on election operations. They would be able to vote “just like they always have,” he said.

“I just want to reaffirm that Minnesota’s elections are fundamentally free, fair, accurate, honest and secure,” he said.

___

Swenson reported from New York and Raza from Sioux Falls, S.D. Associated Press writer Mike Catalini in Philadelphia and AP video journalist Nathan Ellgren in Fairfax, Va., contributed to this report.

It was the day after Hurricane Lowell finished knocking out power, washing out roads and felling trees across Kauai, and Kakalia was focused on her community, not sales. The island where she was born and raised needed time to get back on its feet and put locals first.

But now The Musubi Truck, Kakalia's family-run business with three locations, has had to lay off half its 50-person staff and shut down one truck. Since the Sept. 7 storm, there is simply not enough demand for their poke bowls, spam musubi and bento boxes.

Officials and some residents asked in the wake of Lowell for tourists to reconsider plans to visit Kauai, an island that can see over 28,000 visitors on a given day. Tourists might exhaust limited resources and clog roads needed for utility restoration and aid delivery, and some hotels and vacation rentals were badly damaged.

Kakalia is grateful would-be visitors heeded calls to give the island space to recover, work that continues since the storm. But she and other small business owners across the island worry too long a pause will wreak economic havoc, forcing more layoffs and creating financial gaps too big to recover from.

“Now that power and water is being restored, we should start to switch the narrative before many of us go out of business,” said Kakalia, 36. “People are canceling their trips in November.”

When visitors should return is a familiar dilemma on Hawaii, where tourism injected $21.75 billion into the economy last year, according to state data. After disaster, crowds of sometimes less-than-conscientious tourists can be logistical and emotional barriers to recovery. At some point, however, they are key to jump-starting much of the economy.

That tension was especially pronounced on Maui, after wildfires wiped out the historic town of Lahaina in 2023, killing more than 100 people.

On Thursday, Kauai County Mayor Derek Kawakami said Kauai is now “welcoming visitors back,” while asking them to respect the ongoing recovery. “Come with patience, spend local, and help us recover,” he said.

Amid cleanup, revenue dries up

More than 3,000 Kauai households and businesses still lack power, with some areas still required to conserve water. Affected residents need generators, financial assistance, food, and help removing debris and mucking out property.

The community has led recovery efforts, donating supplies, setting up relief hubs, distributing gas and generators, and offering up tools and vehicles to move trees and clean up damaged neighborhoods.

As the work progresses, some businesses feel ready to at least partially open to customers, but foot traffic is slow.

“It’s scary out there,” said Kristal Scott of Kauai Juice Co., the business she has run for 16 years. “Other businesses are already shutting their doors.”

Scott’s three juice bar locations and warehouse went dark after Lowell, and one store remains without power. Most of the fresh product spoiled, though Scott held on to her frozen goods by running a freezer off generators filled with pricey fuel.

All her shops sustained minor damage, but not enough for Scott, 41, to receive a meaningful insurance payout despite paying for business interruption coverage.

With sales down 85%, Scott had to let go of half of her 45 employees, though she hopes they return when things improve. “I beg them,” she said. “I'm like ‘Please, please, this is temporary.’ ”

The effects ripple beyond storefronts, spreading to farmers and fishermen who supply the hospitality industry along with the local food supply chain.

“It’s not just about the money, or me, it’s about all the fishermen we’re supporting and their families and their livelihoods,” said Cadena Ragsdale, owner of Kauai Fresh Fish, a seafood supplier that sources 100% Hawaii-caught fish from local fishermen for hotels and restaurants. “Without us, where are they going to sell fish?”

Ragsdale's “heart sank” when she saw video of the terrible damage sustained at her largest client, a seaside restaurant on the south shore. Interrupted air cargo prevented her from shipping interisland. She laid off all but one of her eight-person team this week and is selling two vehicles to fill the gaps.

Even though the experience has been “eye-opening” for some small business owners about how much they rely on tourism, Ragsdale, 41, said the immediate focus is just staying afloat. If an area is closed, she said, “Don't go there.” But, “Please come ... be patient, have respect and aloha.”

Ways to help while the state awaits support

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green requested an expedited major federal disaster declaration for Kauai and Maui counties in response to Lowell, the latest in a series of climate disruptions this year including major flooding, Hurricane Lala and Tropical Storm Moke.

A disaster declaration would unlock the opportunity for low-interest loans from the Small Business Administration, though President Donald Trump has not yet approved the request. The state has made small business grant funding available for earlier disasters.

Mayor Kawakami said returning tourists should check with their accommodations and activity providers about possible interruptions, and cautioned that some beach parks, as well as communities on the far north shore, remain closed.

Those who do visit Kauai can help not just by spending locally, Kawakami said, but also by signing up for volunteer opportunities listed on a county website.

Even those off island can find ways to support, like buying online gift cards from local shops.

The Musubi Truck already collected money online for its Feed Our Keiki program, which distributes free meals in the community. Now the program serves a double purpose.

“It helps us feed the kids, but it also supports our business,” Kakalia said, “keeps us cooking.”

___

Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.

The quarterback quickly put his stamp on Highmark Stadium by throwing three touchdown passes and running for two more scores in a 41-31 victory over the Detroit Lions on Thursday night in the first regular-season game at the $2.1 billion facility.

And the only time Allen felt emotional was just before kickoff, during the performances of the U.S. and Canadian national anthems.

“I caught myself taking it all in an understanding how cool what I get to do. My job is the coolest in the world,” Allen said. “It’s everything I ever wanted, to be the quarterback of an NFL franchise. I’m just very fortunate to have ended up in Buffalo.”

After rewriting many of Buffalo's scoring and passing records during his first eight seasons across the street at the old Highmark Stadium, the 30-year-old Allen looked at home at the team’s new digs.

Allen scored the first touchdown at the new stadium on a 1-yard plunge 5:51 minutes in. His second rushing TD, a 2-yard run, was the 83rd of his career tying him for 18th on the NFL list with Jim Taylor. And his sixth career five-TD outing, followed a four-touchdown performance in Buffalo’s season-opening 36-31 win at Houston.

“Anytime the ball’s in his hands, good things happen. And yeah, love that guy,” said Bills coach Joe Brady, who was so confident in his offense, he elected to take the opening kickoff after winning the coin flip.

“I wanted us to take the ball in this environment and set the tone,” Brady said. “That was the start that we needed.”

The Bills scored on each of their first four possessions with Josh Palmer’s 43-yard TD catch, followed by Dawson Knox’s 2-yard reception and Dalton Kincaid’s 16-yarder.

Allen finished 20 of 31 for 248 yards, and added 69 yards rushing. James Cook had 134 yards rushing and put the game away with a 1-yard TD run with 2:50 left.

Buffalo’s 41 points were the third-most by a team in its regular-season stadium debut, behind only Dallas, which scored 44 in its first game at Texas Stadium in 1971, and Miami scoring 42 in its first outing at Joe Robbie Stadium in 1987.

The Lions were undone by an injury depleted defense, and a banged-up offensive line that had difficulty opening holes for Jahmyr Gibbs and protecting Jared Goff.

“You play an opponent as potent as this, you don’t have the luxury of spitting and sputtering early,” coach Dan Campbell said of Detroit falling behind 21-0 with 11:48 left in the second quarter. “We needed to play. It didn’t have to be spotless, but it certainly needed to be a lot cleaner than that.”

The Lions’ defense got off to a dreadful start in allowing Bills to score 27 points and gain 299 yards in the first half alone, and 446 overall.

After rallying to cut Buffalo’s lead to 34-24 on Sam LaPorta's 1-yard TD catch four minutes into the fourth quarter, the Lions offense stalled on their next drive. Backed up at their own 10, the Lions went three-and-out and forced to punt after Goff had two passes tipped by Deone Walker, and Gibbs was stopped for no gain.

The Bills responded by putting the game away on Cook's TD.

Goff finished 26 of 38 for 327 yards and four touchdowns, with Amon-Ra St. Brown having nine catches for 142 yards and two scores. Gibbs also scored on an 11-yard catch but was limited to 52 yards rushing. Sam LaPorta also scored on a 1-yard catch.

“I think we knew what type of game it was going to be, and we dug ourselves in that hole,” Goff said. “Against a team like that with the offense they have, it was really tough to get back int it.”

St. Brown and Gibbs have now scored in the same game 22 times to move into a tie for fourth place in matching the Cleveland receiver/running back combo of Paul Warfield and Leroy Kelly

The Lions troubles began on Buffalo’s second drive when two defenders converged on DJ Moore in the flats and allowed Allen to find Palmer wide open deep for a 43-yard touchdowns. On Buffalo’s next drive, a holding penalty against Rock Ya-Sin, negated Skyler Gill-Howard’s interception of a tipped pass.

Injuries

Lions: DB Avonte Maddox hurt his right foot during a three-player collision in the end zone in the second quarter and did not return.

Bills: Starting DL Ed Oliver was ruled out after hurting his hip during pre-game warmups, leaving the Bills with four healthy linemen. ... WR DJ Moore was ruled out after hurting his shoulder and head when Ya-Sin landed on the player attempting to make a catch in the end zone.

Up next

Lions: Host the New York Jets on Sept. 27.

Bills: Host New England on Sept. 27.

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This story has been corrected to show that Buffalo's opening win came at Houston.

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See AP’s full NFL coverage here

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Victory restaurant and lounge in Miami’s Midtown area was ordered shut for the second time with inspectors finding a dead rodent and dozens of rodent droppings.

A well-known name, Golden Corral in Hialeah, was also closed after inspectors found live and dead roaches, rodent droppings and food being held at unsafe temperatures.

And for the first time on dirty dining, a rehabilitation facility, Club Fellowship in South Miami-Dade was ordered shut after inspectors found rodent droppings, dozens of live roaches and other violations.

All three will be allowed to reopen following a re-inspection that finds the problems have been corrected and the kitchens meet state standards.

Below is a list of the specific violations.

**VICTORY RESTAURANT & LOUNGE

MIDTOWN MIAMI

3252 NE 1ST AVE

MIAMI

INSPECTION BASED ON COMPLAINT

ORDERED SHUT 9/14

17 VIOLATIONS FOUND

ALSO ORDERED SHUT 7/7 (RODENT ISSUE)

“Dead rodent present. Observed a dead rodent at second floor storage next to freezer upstairs.”

“Rodent activity present as evidenced by rodent droppings found. Observed approximately 25+ droppings at second floor storage near stairs. Observed approximately 10+ droppings at second floor by AC unit pipes. Next to freezer upstairs storage. Repeat Violation.”

“Dead roaches on premises. Observed one dead roach at storage by stairs.”

“Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Observed can opener soiled at prep table.’

“Floor soiled/has accumulation of debris. Observed floor under counter soiled by bar area hookah.”

“Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Observed reach in cooler across cook line soiled.”

“Carbon dioxide/helium tanks not adequately secured. Observed second floor storage by alcohol storage. Repeat Violation.”

“Employee beverage container on a food preparation table or over/next to clean equipment/utensils. Observed employee drink container stored by dishwasher.”

“Employee with no hair restraint while engaging in food preparation.”

“Equipment in poor repair. Observed reach in cooler gaskets torn at drawers by cook line.”

“Floor area(s) covered with standing water. Observed standing water at floor by bar area. Repeat Violation.”

“Straws provided for customer self-service not individually wrapped or in an approved dispenser. Observed straws provided for customer self-service not individually wrapped at bar area. Employee stored properly. Repeat Violation.”

“Raw animal foods not properly separated from each other in holding unit based upon minimum required cooking temperature. Observed raw chicken container stored over raw lamb container at walk in cooler.”

“Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. Observed hand sink at hookah bar area used as a dump sink. Repeat Violation.”

“No currently certified food service manager on duty with four or more employees engaged in food preparation/handling.”

“No measuring device available for measuring utensil surface temperature when using hot water as sanitizer in a dish machine.”

“Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. Observed cooked white rice stored inside walk in cooler not dated.”

**CLUB FELLOWSHIP

(REHABITITATION CENTER)

9827 EAST HIBISCUS STREET

MIAMI

ORDERED SHUT 9/14

8 VIOLATIONS FOUND

“Rodent activity present as evidenced by rodent droppings found. Observed more than 30 rodent droppings on the floor of the kitchen area, close to the reach in cooler by the kitchen entrance.”

“Roach activity present as evidenced by live roaches found. Observed approximately 18 live roaches crawling on the kitchen floor under the rubber matt. Observed another 6 live roaches crawling on the floor of the kitchen by the oven.”

“Dead roaches on premises. Observed 6 dead roaches on the floor of the kitchen area.”

“Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Observed can opener soiled.”

“Employee wearing jewelry other than a plain ring on their hands/arms while preparing food. Observed employee wearing a watch while engaged in food preparation.”

“No handwashing sign provided at a hand sink used by food employees. Observed at the kitchen area.”

“Water draining onto floor surface. Observed the water of the dishwasher machine dumped onto the floor of the kitchen area due to improper sewage disposal.”

“Non-pitting surface rust on food-contact equipment. Observed a rust shelf by the 3 compartment sink.”

**GOLDEN CORRAL

1734 WEST 49TH ST.

HIALEAH

ORDERED SHUT 9/14

11 VIOLATIONS FOUND

“Rodent activity present as evidenced by rodent droppings found. Observed approximately 6 rodent droppings under hot holding units at buffet.”

““Roach activity present as evidenced by live roaches found. Observed 2 live roach crawling on hot food dispenser at buffet line. Also observed 2 live roaches crawling under rack by dishwashing area. Observed 2 live roaches at kitchen/preparation area.”

“Dead roaches on premises. Observed 1 dead roach on dishwasher drain board. Observed 1 dead roach on floor at meat room. Observed approximately 3 dead roaches under equipment at kitchen/ preparation area.

“Accumulation of dead or trapped birds, insects, rodents, or other pests, in control devices. Observed approximately 10 dead roaches on device inside hot holding unit at buffet line. Observed approximately 8 dead roaches on device on cold holding unit at buffet line.”

“Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Observed soiled with food debris and grease waffles maker at buffet line.”

“Accumulation of debris on exterior of ware washing machine.”

“Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Observed soiled with food debris gasket on unit at pizza assembly. Observed soiled with food debris and grease cans rack at kitchen area.”

“Reach-in cooler interior/shelves have accumulation of soil residues. Observed soiled with food debris shelves at walk in cooler.”

“Dented/rusted cans present. See stop sale. Observed 2 rusted tomatillo sauce cans and five dented and rusted creamy mushroom sauce cans on rack at kitchen area, operator discarded during inspection.”

“Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed hush puppies mix (58F - Cold Holding) in reach in cooler across fryer, as per operator less than 1 hour due preparation, operator moved to walk in cooler for rapid cooling. Also observed Buffet line: potato salad(46F - Cold Holding); chicken salad (45F - Cold Holding); coleslaw (45F - Cold Holding); cut melon (46F - Cold Holding) as per opera less than 2 hours, operator moved to walk in cooler and add ice for rapid cooling.”

“Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed baked potatoes (128F - Hot Holding) on standing unit at kitchen area, as per operator less than 1 hour, operator proceed to reheated.”

The Titans, wearing gray and purple, got on the board first when Zachary Katz found Jahmir McCall for a touchdown.

Later, Katz came back with another big play. He faked the handoff before finding Jaden Daniels, who broke free and took off down the field.

True North was on its way to its first win, leading 40-13 late in the fourth quarter.

Earlier Thursday afternoon, HML faced South Miami.

Miami Lakes trailed 6-0 in the first quarter but was driving. Jahvarie Grant finished the drive with a touchdown to tie the game at six.

South Miami answered with a long scoring drive of its own, capped by Quantez Smith’s touchdown. The extra point put the Cobras up 14-6.

South Miami held on for a 34-20 win and improved to 3-2.

In a neighborhood rivalry between Ely and undefeated Deerfield Beach, neither team could score after a long lightning delay, sending the game into overtime.

The Bucks came up empty on their possession, and the Tigers took advantage, walking it off on a touchdown pass.

Ely blanked Deerfield Beach 6-0.

The S&P 500 fell 0.1% in morning trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 235 points, or 0.5%, as of 11:03 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was nearly unchanged.

The majority of stocks on Wall Street fell, and helping to weaken them was rising pressure from the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed to 5.00% from 4.94% late Thursday after it topped the 5% level early this week for the first time since 2023.

Higher yields slow the overall economy by making it more expensive for everyone to borrow money, from the U.S. government to people looking to buy houses to businesses wanting to build AI data centers. They also tend to undercut prices for stocks and other investments.

Yields have been climbing in a long march since the COVID pandemic knocked them nearly to zero in 2020. The ascent has accelerated recently because inflation has remained stubbornly high for years, and it’s worsened due to higher oil prices caused by the war with Iran.

The price for a barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, got to nearly $110 early this week, up from a little over $70 in July. It has been seesawing since.

It briefly dropped below $102 in overnight trading before erasing much of the loss and pulling back to $104.15, down 0.6% from the day before.

High inflation has been raising expenses for everyone, and more companies are giving details about how much.

Steel maker Nucor said late Thursday that it expects to report an increase in profit from its steel mills business in the third quarter from the second because it’s able to charge higher prices. But it’s also having to absorb higher costs. It gave a forecast for overall profit in the third quarter that fell short of analysts’ expectations, and its stock sank 6.1%.

Elsewhere on Wall Street, Berkshire Hathaway slipped 0.3% after famed investor Warren Buffett said he’s giving up his role as chairman of the company. Buffett already gave up his role as CEO of the company, where he built a reputation for buying stocks at relatively cheap prices and being patient with his investments.

In stock markets abroad, indexes slumped across Europe, including drops of 1.6% for the CAC 40 in Paris and 1.4% for London’s FTSE 100.

Asian indexes did better. South Korea’s Kospi jumped 2.7%, and Japan’s Nikkei rose 1.4%.

The Bank of Japan raised its benchmark interest rate in a widely expected move, up to its highest level in 31 years. It followed the Federal Reserve, which raised its federal funds rate earlier this week for the first time in three years in efforts to rein in high inflation.

The Fed’s move could keep upward pressure on Treasury yields, particularly because officials suggested they may need to hike the federal funds rate again this year. But it also helped strengthen faith that the Fed would do what’s necessary to get inflation back to its 2% target. That’s even if it causes pain for the economy in the short term and upsets President Donald Trump, who has been calling for lower interest rates.

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AP Business Writer Yuri Kageyama contributed to this report.

The Bank of Japan has been trying to normalize monetary policy after decades of keeping interest rates near or below zero to try to encourage more borrowing and spending to counter deflation and pull Japan's economy out of the doldrums.

The rate increase in the uncollateralized overnight call rate, a short-term rate, was expected at the end of the two-day monetary policy board meeting and has widely figured into recent global markets.

Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda said the decision was reached after looking at various risks like the war in Iran, the expanding market demand for artificial intelligence and currency fluctuations.

“The Japanese economy is continuing to recover gradually,” he told reporters, while noting inflation was close to the targeted 2%.

Analysts have said another increase was possible later this year or early next year. When asked about further hikes, Ueda stressed more time is needed to see if price increases stay stable, along with needing to monitor wage growth and other risk factors.

Two of the nine-member board dissented, expressing concerns about the strength of Japan's economic growth, according to Ueda.

The U.S. Federal Reserve also raised its key rate this week. The U.S. increase Wednesday, the first since 2023, was made in an effort to quell stubbornly high inflation.

The U.S. has also been pressuring Japan to raise rates because of concerns about the weakening yen.

The nations intervened together recently to prop up the yen. Despite the Bank of Japan's move, the U.S. dollar grew stronger, momentarily reaching above 157 yen. It reached above 160 yen earlier this year.

The Bank of Japan has set a target inflation rate of about 2%. Inflation is about that now in Japan, although some consumers complain that the recent surge in prices is too much, especially in gas and oil-related products.

“With crude oil prices remaining elevated, the Bank of Japan is expected to implement an additional rate hike sooner rather than later to limit the risk that consumer inflation exceeds the underlying inflation rate,” said Harumi Taguchi, an economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Higher rates may also weigh on the economy because of heavier borrowing costs for small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as higher mortgages, she added.

Analysts are also worried about the aggressive public spending promised by the government of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, such as tax cuts and aggressive defense investments, when public debt is already ballooning.

Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei 225 rose after the Bank of Japan decision was announced, edging up 1.4%.

___

Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@yurikageyama

Commissioners are working to balance the budget while keeping services in place without raising taxes.

“The problem that we have this year is that we have had to be able to balance a budget, make sure that we try to continue our services and not increasing taxes, that’s my priority,” County Commissioner Rene Garcia said.

One of the major sticking points is funding for the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz is asking for an additional 6% in funding, on top of the roughly $55 million increase already proposed.

Cordero-Stutz says she needs at least $1 billion to operate the office and hire more deputies.

“Without the requesting funding there will be no additional hires, zero,” Cordero-Stutz said.

Under the proposed budget, the sheriff’s office would receive about $1.2 billion. But Cordero-Stutz says that would not cover the office’s operational needs, including new deputies, 911 call takers, dispatchers and investigative personnel.

“Under the proposed funding, the consecuencia are immediate, all 6.5 academy classes currently scheduled for next year will be cancelled. That means we will not be bringing in the new deputies we desperately need,” she said.

Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, however, says her proposed budget fully funds the sheriff’s office and its needs, including money to hire 200 new positions.

Commissioners say they’re working toward a compromise.

“What we are saying is we are closing up those vacant, we all want to support the sheriff, we want her to bring in new recruits, and I think we will come to a middle ground,” Commissioner Raquel Regalado said.

Another major issue is public transit.

Miami-Dade residents have pushed back against proposed bus service cuts.

Ahead of the final vote, Levine Cava said her administration moved money around to help protect early-morning bus service.

Late-night routes could still be at risk.

Garcia said one option could be a small fee increase, which he said has not happened in more than 13 years.

“Apply maybe a small fee increase, which we have not seen in over 13 years. So it’s important to balance all those things out, and hopefully we will be able to keep the system where it is right now. There may be some reductions, but at the end of the day, the early morning routes is what we need to protect and save,” Garcia said.

Regalado said she has also proposed changes to MetroConnect that she says could free up millions of dollars for bus service.

“I brought an item from MetroConnect that’s also in this proposal that actually flips the way we do MetroConnect. That would save us potentially $3.5 million that we can now apply to the buses,” Regalado said.

Commissioners and the mayor are expected to take a final vote early Friday morning.

The 41-year-old former ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi, with capacity for short takeoff and vertical landing aircraft and helicopters, was welcomed with a military ceremony upon its arrival at a naval base in North Jakarta’s Tanjung Priok seaport.

Italy in March agreed to give the carrier, which was retired in 2024, to Indonesia in a move aimed at boosting Italy’s broader defense engagement with the Southeast Asian country. Italy is seeking deals on submarines and aircraft, and gifting the carrier to Indonesia also saves it the cost of decommissioning the ship.

“We intend to use the ship primarily for military operations other than war, although it can also be deployed for combat missions if necessary," Indonesian Navy chief Adm. Muhammad Ali told reporters after the ceremony. He said the carrier could serve the navy for another 15 to 20 years and could accommodate 14 helicopters or more, depending on their size.

Indonesia will become the second country in Southeast Asia with an aircraft carrier. Thailand’s HTMS Chakri Naruebet was commissioned in 1997 after being procured from Spain along with carrier-capable AV-8S Matador jump jets.

Ali said the carrier will be commissioned into the navy next week as the KRI Sriwijaya, honoring the Srivijaya empire, a maritime kingdom based in Sumatra that became one of Southeast Asia’s dominant naval and trading powers between the seventh and 13th centuries. Previously, the navy would name the carrier as KRI Gajah Mada.

Defense development was one of the top priorities for President Prabowo Subianto's administration, as he has advocated an expansion of the military through the purchase of submarines, frigates, fighter jets, and missiles and pushed for more defense cooperation with various countries.

But the Garibaldi acquisition has raised questions about whether Indonesia needs an aircraft carrier at all and whether the government should be spending millions of dollars to refurbish and operate an aging warship.

Indonesia's Finance Ministry approved $450 million in financing for the aircraft carrier program in 2025. However, some lawmakers have warned the overall bill could be far higher. TB Hasanuddin, a member of Parliament’s Commission I, said the cost of retrofitting the carrier alone could reach 16 trillion rupiah (about $900 million).

Indonesia to convert the Garibaldi for handling disasters

Unlike major naval powers that use aircraft carriers to launch fighter jets far from home shores, Indonesia views the vessel as a mobile command center and support hub for helicopters, uncrewed aircraft and maritime operations across its thousands of islands.

Speaking during a disaster management meeting early this month, Prabowo said the vessel would help authorities combat forest and peatland fires that regularly blanket parts of Southeast Asia with hazardous haze.

“We will refurbish it and convert it into a carrier for helicopters and drones,” Prabowo said in a video briefing. “This will greatly help our disaster response.”

He also outlined plans to operate drones from the ship and use it as a mobile platform that could be rapidly deployed to help in the event of natural disasters. Monsoon flooding, earthquakes and volcanic activity are common across Indonesia.

Caution over costs and operational challenges

Operating a carrier is extremely costly, however, and experts have questioned whether Indonesia's leadership has thought through whether one is necessary for the country's defense or disaster-relief needs.

The acquisition comes as Southeast Asia’s largest economy faces growing fiscal pressures. Prabowo’s government has been funding an ambitious free nutritious meals program and other costly initiatives while economists have warned about slowing growth, weaker state revenue and widening budget constraints, prompting closer scrutiny of major government spending projects.

“The plan to acquire the Garibaldi must be based on genuine operational needs and our ability to operate it, rather than being driven by pride or other considerations,” said Muhammad Fauzan Malufti, of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

He said policymakers must weigh not only the vessel’s acquisition and modernization costs, but also the navy’s ability to sustain its operations, including personnel, maintenance, fuel, weapons systems and supporting infrastructure.

Fauzan said the government should be transparent about those considerations, particularly given the vessel’s age. He cited Thailand’s carrier as a cautionary example, saying it has spent much of its service life in port because of operational and budget constraints.

“The bottom line is that this should not be forced. Otherwise, the benefits could be outweighed by the costs,” Fauzan said. “The money might be better spent on other priorities, such as increasing the number of frigates in the fleet.”

Military analyst Khairul Fahmi of the Institute for Security and Strategic Studies said aircraft carriers are not a priority for Indonesia, which is focused on preventing adversaries from operating freely in the country's territorial waters.

“Indonesia has a greater need for submarines, frigates and asymmetric weapons systems to protect its maritime sovereignty,” he said.

But he added that if Indonesia is seeking to position itself as a major maritime nation, "an aircraft carrier can be both a symbol of national power and a multifunctional platform capable of supporting a wide range of military and non-military missions.”

First, a broken wrist prompted surgery that involved pins and rods and physical therapy. A broken shoulder followed. Imaging tests resulted in the diagnosis.

“The bone has become demineralized because of certain medical conditions. The most common would be postmenopausal women,” said April Tschumy, an orthopedic nurse practitioner who specializes in trauma and general orthopedic conditions at Baptist Health Orthopedic Care.

Tschumy provides individualized plans to orthopedic patients and focuses on preventive medicine and improving patient outcomes. Most plans include weight training to help stimulate bone growth.

“You want to try to build what’s called peak skeletal mass,” Tschumy said.

Bone density gains decline over time, but Tschumy said calcium consumption can make a difference. Milk, yogurt, cheese, eggs, canned salmon, kale, collard greens, almonds, figs, prunes, and dates are all good sources.

Tschumy also prescribes bone-building medications such as TYMLOS, or generic abaloparatide, an anabolic bone-growing therapy that slows down bone loss.

“There are cells that break down bone, and then there are cells that build bone, so some of the medications can actually target the cells that build that bone, so that you are able to reverse loss and improve the bone quality as well,” Tschumy said.

The plan worked. A recent bone density scan showed improvements. I had a 7% increase in the left hip and a 6% increase in my spine. The hard work paid off.

Tips to remember

• Resistance training and balance exercises
• Calcium and vitamin D-rich foods
• Avoid smoking tobacco
• Avoid soda, especially dark-colored ones, which can block calcium absorption
• Experts recommend bone density screening for all postmenopausal patients who are 65 or older
• A walking regimen may be helpful

In a letter obtained by The Associated Press, Attorney General Jay Jones demanded that DHS confirm in writing whether it had directed anyone to access Virginia voters' information without first obtaining permission from those voters.

“Virginia Election Code does not permit disclosure of this protected information to the federal government without a court order,” he wrote in the letter to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. The state explicitly limits its voter lookup tools to individuals who attest under penalty of law that they are looking up their own records.

The AP has asked DHS for comment on the letter.

Jones also asked Mullin to preserve all related records, including access logs, correspondence and training materials mentioned in the whistleblower report.

The anonymous report, published Monday by Democratic Senate leaders, includes transcripts of a DHS training for a group of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services staffers, who it says were forced in late August to drop other work, complete a less than two-hour training and begin running DHS-provided lists of people through state voter registration systems to find “unlawful voters.”

The whistleblower contends that agents have been asked to review 40 individuals per day, giving them about 12 minutes to determine whether each person is a legal voter and create federal records of anyone who is not.

President Donald Trump's administration has alleged that noncitizen voting could be a significant source of fraud in the November midterm elections, even as research shows voting by people who are not citizens is extremely rare. The Justice Department has sued to force the release of detailed voter data in 30 states and the District of Columbia, though it has not yet succeeded in those cases.

Lugo Rivero, 28, was accused of sexually assaulting the woman during a professional massage at 3:15 p.m. on Feb. 24, 2025, at Massage Envy at 13721 SW 152 St., records show.

Lugo Rivero “slid his hands underneath the victim’s underwear ... The victim stopped the massage and exited the room ... began to cry,” a Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputy wrote, according to the arrest report.

Massage Envy fired Lugo Rivero, and deputies questioned him and arrested him on Dec. 15 in Hammocks, according to MDSO deputies’ arrest report.

Court records show Miami-Dade prosecutors filed a case against Lugo Rivero on Dec. 16 on a misdemeanor charge of battery, and a judge ordered him to stay away from the victim.

Records show Lugo Rivero was released on Dec. 22 on a $10,000 bond, and a judge ordered house arrest.

Lugo Rivero accepted a plea deal with adjudication withheld. And on May 4, Miami-Dade County Circuit Judge Michelle Urbistondo sentenced him to probation until May 4, 2027.

FDOH records show Lugo Rivero has been licensed since Dec. 11, 2023, and is licensed until Aug. 31, 2027. The record shows no discipline, no public complaints, or emergency actions.

Related court document

Related state record

Claude is leading 26% of Anthropic's model research and development, which the company said means it can complete most of a given task “end-to-end from a high-level prompt" while still being under human supervision. The model is not yet working completely autonomously.

Still, about 90% of the company's research and development is done in “collaboration” with Claude, which Anthropic said means the model can do “large chunks of work under close human direction.”

The announcement came as some leading figures in AI, led in large part by Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, are calling for a slowdown in the technology’s development over safety concerns.

As leaders consider pacing AI's development, “we should do everything possible to minimize the gap between what frontier labs know and what the public knows,” the company said in a blog post. “This means better measuring the development of AI, reporting on it publicly, and giving society an opportunity to decide how to use this information.”

The company said that models accelerating their own development could make it “more challenging for humans to understand or control these systems." It argued that sharing these metrics could lead to better understanding of how close leading AI labs are to reaching recursive self-improvement, or a model's ability to autonomously build its successor.

Anthropic also urged other AI developers to share similar metrics on a regular basis, encouraging the use of a public methodology so the numbers could be compared over time, and potentially across labs.

It was unclear from Anthropic's disclosure how close the company believes it is to achieving recursive self-improvement, but the pace at which Claude has increasingly contributed to research and development is notable. The portion of work Claude “leads,” or does in large part while remaining under human supervision, was none in February. Six months later, it was leading a quarter of research and development work, reaching that benchmark in August.

The company also shared details of agent oversight measures it has in place, noting that there were approximately 30,000 agents doing research and engineering work as of August. Oversight measures are crucial for seeing how often agent misbehavior is detected by monitoring systems, the company said. Anthropic recently committed to setting up external third-party evaluators who will be embedded within the company to monitor safety efforts.

An Anthropic researcher kicked off much of the recent dialogue around AI safety when he resigned last week with a dire warning about the threats the technology poses to humanity. Amodei, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Elon Musk and other tech leaders have since supported the idea of slowing down development, but other tech leaders and President Donald Trump have pushed back.

A key member of the winning U.S. team in Germany, Reese reached 30 points on a free throw with 5:38 remaining and grabbed her 10th rebound a few seconds later for her WNBA-record 30th double-double of the season. She finished a point shy of her career high, playing 25 minutes in the blowout for the playoff-bound Dream.

Rhyne Howard set a WNBA season record with 129 3-pointers. She made her only 3-pointer of the game — in nine attempts — with 6:45 left in the fourth to break Sabrina Ionescu’s record set in 2023 — reaching the mark in just 40 games.

Howard finished with 10 points. Allisha Gray also had 10 for Atlanta (27-14) to break her own franchise record for points in a season with 782.

Olivia Nelson-Ododa led Connecticut (10-31) with 13 points — all in the first half. Connecticut was outscored 31-11 in the third and 27-13 in the fourth.

Reese made a 3-pointer from the corner midway through the third for her 10th field goal in 13 attempts. It was it 61-40 following a 16-5 run.

Atlanta announced before the game that Brionna Jones would miss the remainder of the season due to a left leg injury suffered Aug. 13.

Up next

Sun: Host Minnesota on Sunday.

Dream: Host Chicago on Saturday night.

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See AP’s full WNBA coverage here

On his way out of office at year's end after nearly a decade, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres — known for doom-and-gloom speeches about the state of the planet — said Thursday he finds hope and possibility in the coming years. But that, he says, is only if the world’s governments can finally cooperate on curtailing conflict, upending inequality and grappling with the arriving juggernaut of artificial intelligence.

“I believe in a number of fundamental things that need to be done, and need to happen for the world to be better — and I’m determined to fight to make those things happen,” Guterres told The Associated Press in a sit-down interview four days before world leaders convene for their annual meeting at the U.N. General Assembly.

His message to leaders and ministers from the U.N.’s 193 member nations coming to U.N. headquarters was no-nonsense: You need to very seriously analyze the fact that the world is facing at least three existential problems -- runaway artificial intelligence, galloping climate change, and escalating inequality that is becoming a serious driver of instability and conflict.

Guterres also warned that the “huge geopolitical divide” and paralysis in the Security Council have created an environment of impunity with powerful countries flouting international law and the U.N. Charter. The invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the attacks on Iran by the United States, both veto-wielding council members, are examples.

“Many countries say, ‘If superpowers can violate the law, why can’t we?’” the secretary-general said. “And so what we are seeing around the world is more and more situations in which countries simply do not care. They do whatever they want, knowing that there will be total impunity.”

Behavior by nations, he says, is adding fuel to the fire

The violations and impunity have caused death and enormous destruction, he said, and the combination of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the broader Middle East conflict are having “a dramatic impact” on the world economy. Food and energy prices are going up, interest rates are rising and developing countries face enormous difficulties in responding to the needs of their people.

He expressed hope that these problems will force people to realize that the obstacles can’t be eliminated alone and require international cooperation.

That's especially true, he said, with reforms of the institutions formed by the victorious World War II powers — the U.N., especially the Security Council, and the major global financial institutions, the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. They must be overhauled to reflect the realities of the 21st century world where there are emerging economies and powers, he said, and their importance must be reflected in global institutions.

As U.N. chief, the secretary-general has no army, no intelligence service and not much money. But, Guterres said, he has two powers — to speak out on global issues and to convene the world’s nations.

Because of geopolitical divides, Guterres said the United Nations has “no leverage” on promoting peace in Ukraine and the Middle East. But he said he has been firm in defending the U.N. Charter and the territorial integrity of countries, and in condemning “horrible violations of human rights.”

He condemned Hamas’ “intolerable” attack in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and he also condemned “the horrible situation that Israel has created in Gaza with levels of death and destruction that have no parallel in the history of the United Nations.”

The United Nations is not “in a transactional approach to politics,” he stressed. It must be “a reference of values and principles for the whole world, because someone must affirm that the law of force cannot prevail over the force of law.”

“That, of course, sometimes limits our capacity to negotiate an agreement because one of the sides is a clear violator that doesn’t like to listen to the truth. But that will never, never make us move away from what are the values in which a civilized society must be based,” the U.N. chief said.

He says the AI revolution will loom over this year's UNGA leaders' meeting

This year’s global gathering is also certain to spotlight the future of the U.N. and the threat of AI getting out of human control.

Guterres has called for international cooperation and guardrails for AI, which he called “a universal problem.” To deal with the escalating problem, he said, countries developing AI at “a higher capacity” should exchange information, establish mechanisms for transparency, have some guardrails and “help create what ideally would be a multilateral mechanism to guarantee that risks can be avoided.”

As for the United Nations, it has serious financial issues, largely due to the U.S. failure to pay billions of dollars to its regular operating budget and the separate budget for the U.N.’s far-flung peacekeeping operations. But it has avoided a financial meltdown and is in the throes of major reforms, which the Trump administration has pressed for.

Even with fewer resources, Guterres said, the U.N. has been able to maintain its activities, “and I think we demonstrated that we have the best control of public expenditure in any organization of any country in the world.”

Guterres has dealt with U.S. President Donald Trump for nearly six of his 10 years at the helm of the U.N., and he stressed the importance of the U.S.-U.N. relationship, which he said has sometimes been difficult, sometimes easier. Now, he said, the U.N. is cooperating with the U.S. on peace negotiations in the Western Sahara and other parts of the world.

When he meets Trump on Tuesday, the opening day of the global gathering, Guterres said he plans to raise peace in Ukraine and the Middle East, “and I hope that these two objectives might be able to unite the efforts of not only the U.S. and the U.N. but the whole of the international community.”

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Edith M. Lederer has covered international affairs for The Associated Press for more than a half century.

Cardoso, 53, who was reportedly removed from the classroom in April and lost his job in May, was accused of abusing girls from Aug. 1, 2023, to April 9, records showed.

Cardoso appeared in court on Thursday. He has been behind bars since Sept. 11, when Miami-Dade Schools Police Department officers arrested him.

Court records show Cardoso faced three charges on Sept. 12. Miami-Dade prosecutors have filed 10 more charges since, and said detectives were investigating additional cases.

The alleged abuse included molestation and showing the third-grade students photos and videos of sexual acts, according to prosecutors.

One of the images Cardoso allegedly showed the girls showed him naked, and another showed the sexual abuse of a boy, according to the police arrest report.

On Thursday night, court records showed Cardoso faced 13 charges:

• Five counts of dissemination of obscene material to a minor
• Five counts of offenses against students by authority figures
• Two counts of lewd or lascivious molestation involving a victim under the age of 12 by a defendant who is 18 years of age or older
• One count of lewd or lascivious conduct with a person under 16 years old

Attorney Michael Mirer, the defense attorney who is representing Cardoso, asked Miami-Dade County Circuit Judge Zachary James to release him on bond.

“My client is adamant that he is not guilty, the allegations are false, and he will look forward to his day in court,” Mirer said.

James denied Cardoso bail on the two counts of lewd or lascivious molestation involving a victim under the age of 12 by a defendant who is 18 years of age or older.

Miami-Dade corrections held Cardoso at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center near Doral, according to inmate records. A judge ordered him to stay away from five victims.

As the case unfolded, a spokesperson for M-DCPS told Local 10 News that Cardoso was “permanently precluded from seeking or obtaining future employment” with the district.

Court records show Cardoso’s next hearings are at 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 12 and 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 30.

Related report: Miami-Dade elementary teacher showed porn to, inappropriately touched students: Police

New York manager Andy Green said a CT scan at a hospital was negative. Young had concussion symptoms and full use of his extremities, according to Green.

“It was a terrifying moment on a baseball field,” Green said. “Took him a while to come to. It was a really scary collision.”

With the Phillies ahead 1-0, McLean broke to first on contact and Young initially moved back toward the bag. McLean briefly paused, at which point Young reached for the ball with his right hand as he tried to keep a foot on the base.

McLean resumed running, then collided with Young's head, tripping over the first baseman as Crawford crossed the bag. Young fell face first to the ground and was motionless.

“It was scary to sit there and just know that he wasn’t with us in that moment,” Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor said. “He was just somewhere else.”

Green and an athletic trainer immediately ran out from the dugout, and a cart was summoned.

McLean put his hands on his knees and bent down as all the Mets on the field gathered near Young. Catcher Francisco Alvarez appeared to be praying and members of both teams looked on from the dugouts. Philadelphia's Alec Bohm took a knee next to third base.

When Young came to, Green said the first baseman asked: “What happened?”

Young was immobilized on the cart and flashed a thumbs up before the cart disappeared behind the left-center field fence.

“He's had a CT scan. Results have come back negative," Green said. “So in that sense it’s very positive. Still experiencing real concussion symptoms right now but has full use of his extremities and feels at this point in time like we’ve avoided the scariest outcomes.”

Young, a 31-year-old in his first full big league season, has established himself as a regular first baseman by hitting .266 with nine homers and 39 RBIs in 103 games. He missed six weeks with a left knee injury.

“He's somebody we all respect and appreciate and have love for,” Lindor said. “He's been a big part of our team this whole year.”

McLean was shaken by the collision. He remained in the game and threw a called third strike past Garrett Stubbs, ending the inning.

“Probably should have made a better decision not even letting him get the next hitter, but he was still strong enough to do it and got back out there and did it,” Green said. “I think the humanity hit him pretty hard right there.”

McLean was removed by Green for reliever Tobias Myers at the start of the seventh. The rookie right-hander threw 82 pitches, his fewest since May 25.

“Still was willing to go back out the next inning. Didn’t feel that was in his best interest at that point in time," Green said.

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

Klay succeeds Dinaw Mengestu, who resigned in July in the wake of a PEN report that drew upon interviews with dozens of Jewish and Israeli writers about the “widening cultural isolation” they had faced since the war began. Mengestu, who had been president for less than a year, posted on Instagram that the report's emphasis showed a continued trend of bias against Palestinians and undermined his belief that PEN was capable of changing.

“I argued that the organization would defend free expression equitably and equally,” he wrote. “This report makes clear that will not happen.”

Two years ago, so many writers were unhappy with PEN's response to the war — alleging that the leadership was slow to criticize the deaths of Palestinian writers and journalists — that the organization was called off its annual awards ceremony and “World Voices” festival because of participants dropping out. The CEO at the time, Suzanne Nossel, has since left, replaced by co-CEOs Clarisse Rosaz Shariyf and Summer Lopez.

Klay is an Iraq War veteran whose debut book, the story collection “Redeployment,” won the National Book Award for fiction in 2014. He has expressed support for the PEN study on Israeli and Jewish writers, but has criticized Israel's treatment of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. The “violence is unchecked, indiscriminate and targets innocent civilians,” he wrote on X in August, quoting a New York Times story. In March 2024, he wrote a piece for the Atlantic headlined “U.S. Support for Israel’s War Has Become Indefensible.”

In a statement released by PEN on Thursday, Klay said he held a “broad faith in cultural exchange, in sustained efforts to understand other people, other cultures, and other ideas, including uncomfortable ones, and to the creation of a more open and egalitarian public square.”

Turns out, Brady got to see both in a 41-31 victory over the Detroit Lions on Thursday night in the Bills' first regular-season game at Highmark Stadium.

Fireworks. Two national anthems. A packed house. And a win.

“The atmosphere was incredible,” Brady said. “It was the game Buffalo deserved.”

The 41 points were the third-most by a team in its regular-season stadium debut, behind only Dallas, which scored 44 in its first game at Texas Stadium in 1971, and Miami scoring 42 in its first outing at Joe Robbie Stadium in 1987.

Josh Allen accounted for five touchdowns, including the first one, by scoring on a 1-yard run six minutes in. A sell-out crowd arrived early, and about 1,000 fans still lingered long after the final horn in cheering on Allen and left tackle Dion Dawkins as they were being interviewed at the Prime TV booth along the sideline.

Among those on hand was former Bills quarterback-turned-broadcaster Ryan Fitzpatrick. He opened the day by throwing passes across the international border — from one boat to another on the Niagara River — to former Bills receiver Stevie Johnson.

And the Bills honored their cross-border fanbase by having both the U.S. and Canadian anthems performed with both country’s flags displayed on the field.

The Toronto musical group Barenaked Ladies was greeted by a loud cheer before singing “O, Canada.” They were followed by Hawaiian-born actress and singer Auli’i Cravalho performing “The Star-Spangled Banner.” U.S. pop group OneRepublic also performed at halftime, while set up on a platform in the stands at the north end of the field.

“It was crazy. I don’t really get starstruck, but there was a few times I looked up like, this is crazy,” defensive tackle Deone Walker said.

The festivities began with an elaborate light show with fans wearing bracelets that blinked, followed by a fireworks display as the Bills offensive starters were introduced, with Allen greeted by a roar and chants of “M-V-P! M-V-P!”

And the Bills even rolled out a new green grass carpet, by choosing to resod the entire field ahead of schedule following their preseason finale against Pittsburgh on Aug. 27. They did so after the original turf, which had been laid down in October, showed signs of wear and tear, and with large divots having to be replaced during two preseason games and two practices.

Bills players indicated after practicing in the stadium on Tuesday that the grass felt firmer, and noticed a larger infill of sand. That was evident in pregame warmups when clumps of sand came up when players made hard cuts on the field.

During the opening drive, an on-field official was spotted having to tamp down a clump of grass that came up at the 30.

Otherwise, there were few other noticeable issues.

“I thought it held up extremely well tonight,” Allen said.

The only other apparent hiccup occurred when the teams lined up prematurely for the opening kickoff, and then stayed in formation for several minutes during a commercial break.

The field was painted for the first time, with the word “BILLS” in large white block letters featured prominently in both end zones over red-painted grass. The team’s charging Buffalo logo was also added at midfield.

The new stadium has a capacity of just over 60,000, about 12,000 less than the old facility which now lies in rubble across the street.

What’s different is the layout, with the new facility’s seating structure built more vertically in placing viewers more on top of the action. The new building also features a canopy, which helps project crowd noise directly on to field.

“It was great. It was beautiful. Everything was awesome,” edge-rusher Greg Rousseau said, before crediting the team’s owner Terry Pegula. “Shout out Pegula for an amazing stadium.”

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See AP’s full NFL coverage here

The Atlanta Falcons’ All-Pro is impressive on camera, too.

Robinson studied acting in college and has looked like a natural in a few television roles, including a Colgate commercial.

It helps to have fellow Texas alum Matthew McConaughey give him advice. Robinson is also close to Outer Banks star Jonathan Daviss.

“It’s been great. My best friend, he’s an actor; Jonathan Daviss. He’s about to do a movie. ... So just seeing his process has been awesome,” Robinson said on AP’s “Football Unfiltered.” “But then with Matthew, we talk all the time just about life and just how everything’s going. But then seeing what he’s doing and seeing how he’s still doing it at a high level, I think he’s about to come out with a show.

“It’s been pretty special like having that relationship with him, just how much that we’ve grown in that space and the influence that he has on me and in acting and all the things that he’s accomplished. I think it’s something that I want to continue to keep doing down the line and get better at, but having those guys in my corner has been pretty cool, too.”

Robinson led the NFL with 2,298 scrimmage yards last season in his third year in the NFL. He made his second Pro Bowl and was named first-team AP All-Pro running back and second-team at All-Purpose behind Christian McCaffrey.

The two do-everything backs are friends and workout partners in the offseason.

“He’s a big brother to me and we talk a lot” Robinson said about McCaffrey. “We talk about random stuff, talk about, obviously football, like from week to week. But just having him is super cool, man. His experience is second to none in this league and the things that he’s done has been incredible. And so for having him as a mentor, as a guy that can have my back and can teach me little things on the field, it’s been fun to learn from him and I’m gonna continue to learn for him. And hopefully I can even him some things on the field that he might have never heard of or never seen before. It’s that kind of relationship that I feel can always get us better.”

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Watch “Football Unfiltered with Rob Maaddi” here or listen here

___

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

The change increases the probability that Leavitt will be under center when No. 7 LSU visits No. 8 Mississippi on Saturday night in a game that is the focus of the college football world because of Tigers coach Lane Kiffin's return to the place where he coached the previous six seasons.

Leavitt's initial listing came four days after a 45-14 victory over Louisiana Tech, from which the dual-threat Arizona State transfer emerged without an apparent injury. Kiffin also did not mention Leavitt's health during his regularly scheduled press conference on Monday.

But Leavitt, who has run for five touchdowns and passed for two scores in two games with the Tigers (2-0), did not practice Wednesday because of a “physical issue,” a person familiar with the situation said. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity on Thursday because the Tigers' practice was not open to media.

According to the SEC, starters were listed as “doubtful” the Wednesday before a game 46 times in 2025. Four times they wound up playing on Saturday.

One notable example was that of then-Missouri QB Beau Pribula (now with Virginia), who played against Oklahoma on Nov. 22 after being listed as doubtful the previous Wednesday.

When Kiffin was coaching Ole Miss in 2024, he had as many as 26 players on an injury report before a game against Georgia. Many of the players on the report wound up in the lineup for a 28-10 victory over the then-No. 2 Bulldogs.

Kiffin has since gained a reputation for using injury reports to practice gamesmanship, listing any player with an ailment on the report in order to leave upcoming opponents uncertain about which players they should prepare to play.

SEC policies say a player should be listed “doubtful” if his chances of playing are 25%, questionable if 50% and probable if 75%.

Coaches can face discipline if they are found to be using injury reports in a deceptive way, or if they miss reporting deadlines.

The SEC has yet to punish a coach since it began requiring what it calls “availability reports” in 2024.

Injury reports in college football have become more common since a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling struck down a federal ban on sports betting, leaving regulations of the practice up each state.

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A video shows Castro, a grandmother, standing behind her wheelchair when the impact catapulted her through the air and into a parked blue Ford Mustang in Lauderdale Lakes, according to deputies.

Matthew Karim, a defense attorney, said Magri, 49, who didn’t have a valid driver’s license, left the scene of the crash — not realizing Castro had been injured.

“She had no idea,” Karim said on Thursday, the fourth day of Magri’s jury trial in Broward.

Magri, who was born in New York and lived in Broward, had four prior convictions for driving on a suspended license in 1999, 2001, 2002, and 2022, and she fled after the crash on Jan. 30, 2023, within the 3300 block of North State Road Seven, according to prosecutors.

“Magri fled the scene on foot without identifying herself or rendering aid to any of the parties involved ... denied any possession or involvement ... stated that she was with her mother,” Chandler Greetham, a Broward Sheriff’s Office detective, wrote on April 12, 2023, according to an arrest warrant.

Fire rescue personnel took Castro to the Broward Health Medical Center, where she died after suffering a traumatic brain injury and a spinal fracture, records show.

Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Magri on July 18, 2023, at Flanagan’s Restaurant, at 2600 Davie Boulevard, in Fort Lauderdale, records show.

Broward prosecutors filed the felony case against Magri on July 20, 2023, according to court records. Broward County Circuit Judge Andrew Siegel has been presiding over the case.

On Aug. 8, 2023, Magri pleaded not guilty to three charges: Leaving the scene of a crash with death, a first-degree felony; failure to remain at the scene of an accident, a third-degree felony; and driving while license revoked, a third-degree felony.

“This woman has not apologized for what she has done and has shown no remorse or asked for forgiveness. I feel she has shown no empathy and does not feel bad for what she has done. I am struggling to understand how to go easy on a repeat offender who has no respect for the law. She needs much more than house arrest ... She needs to spend 25 years in prison,” Castro’s son, Luis Rodriguez, wrote in a 2024 letter to Siegel after he allowed house arrest.

Magri was set to appear in court for a hearing at 8:30 a.m. on Friday.

The confidence and experience gained from that run? Invaluable.

Dwelling on it beyond that at the start of preseason camp? Not so much.

“You have to keep building, we understand that,” Carolina top-line center Sebastian Aho said Thursday. "Three months ago we were playing some amazing hockey and we were able to accomplish something we dreamed of for a long time.

“But at the same time, it doesn’t really help us today.”

Monday marked three months since the Hurricanes shut out the Vegas Golden Knights in a road Game 6 to win the Cup for the second time in franchise history. In the time since, they've celebrated with a parade that brought a six-figure crowd to downtown Raleigh and gotten their individual days to spend with hockey's cherished trophy.

The team that has returned from that long celebration is largely the same as the one that ended last season with three straight victories under face-of-the-franchise coach Rod Brind'Amour.

Top goaltender Frederik Andersen is gone after signing a one-year deal with Edmonton. And rising defenseman Alexander Nikishin isn't in camp as a restricted free agent still awaiting a deal after working in Carolina's third pairing; general manager Eric Tulsky issued a statement Wednesday saying the team wouldn't comment on Nikishin's status.

The Hurricanes are also waiting on the recovery of top-line forward Seth Jarvis from shoulder surgery, taking place in June with a potential recovery time of 4-6 months. Jarvis is back to skating, but Thursday was a little different having more people on the ice and having to “be careful bumping into people."

But everything else is in place to contend again, including the team reaching a one-year extension on Tuesday with captain and Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jordan Staal through the 2027-28 season.

“I wanted to keep playing with these guys,” Staal said. “I have too much fun with this group and everything we've built here.”

For years, the Hurricanes had been the Eastern Conference contender that couldn’t get past the conference final, notably being swept by Florida in 2023 and then losing to the Panthers again in a five-game series in 2025. That marked the third time in a seven-season playoff run that the Hurricanes had hit the same ceiling.

But the Hurricanes swept Ottawa and Philadelphia in the first two rounds last spring, then recovered from a Game 1 loss to Montreal to win the Eastern Conference Final in five games on the way to a dominant 16-3 postseason run.

“The good part is they’ve done it, so they understand what it takes,” Brind'Amour said. "The passion and the grit and everything that you have to bring to win in this league, that doesn’t disappear now that you won. It actually probably magnifies and you have to figure out how to find that little more of an edge.

“Not that we ever got easy nights, I think every team prepared for us, but I think we’re that much more of a target.”

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See AP’s full NHL coverage here

“There’s an injunction so we’re not doing anything,” postmaster general David Steiner told The Associated Press in an interview.

Steiner, a onetime chief executive of Waste Management, has spent most of the past year atop the postal service navigating political and financial challenges. He’s pressing Congress for changes that would help him resolve what he has called a “liquidity crisis.”

And Trump’s efforts to largely eradicate mail voting turned the postal service into an unlikely arbiter of who is eligible to vote just months before this year’s critical midterm elections, a role Steiner seemingly had little interest in playing. Unlike Trump, who was sharply critical of the Supreme Court decision and ridiculed some of the justices, Steiner offered no assessment of the court’s action.

Steiner also declined to take a position on Trump’s policy, presenting himself as the leader of an “independent agency of the executive branch” whose influence over the president’s order was limited to operational concerns.

“I don’t get to decide what rules that are put on us that I decide to accept or not accept,” he said. “I looked at it more from the execution side.”

The postal service has asserted its independence in the past, including during a 2019 standoff when the first Trump administration sought to pressure the agency as the president was in a dispute with Amazon. Steiner said he wouldn’t get into the “nuance” of that.

But the pressure has grown so intense at points that it’s fueled talk of whether Steiner might resign, a notion he denied.

“There’s no truth to that,” he said. “I think I know the motivation behind it. I think it’s somebody that would like to see me out of a job.”

Inserting the Postal Service into elections

The executive order Trump signed in March directed several federal agencies to develop state citizenship lists. Those lists would have been delivered to an online portal at the Postal Service, which would have been allowed to send mail ballots only to voters who were cleared through the process. Steiner said he knew about the order about a month before it was unveiled but said his focus was largely on implementation, not the policy’s merits.

A whistleblower report released earlier this month by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., argued the system was hastily built and riddled with errors.

Steiner said he read “portions” of the whistleblower report and acknowledged the obstacles associated with building such a massive platform quickly. Still, he said he had confidence in colleagues working on the project and had planned to unveil it around Sept. 15.

“There’s absolutely no doubt that we worked fast,” he said. “My personal opinion is it was a monumental task and I’m very proud of our IT department for being able to do it that fast.”

In addition to the voter list, Trump’s order would have required states to adopt a uniform envelope style that included barcodes, something states said would have been arduous so close to the election.

Following the Supreme Court’s ruling, a memo sent to all postal service employees Wednesday and obtained by the AP said the agency will “not be enforcing any of these new rules in the 2026 federal election.”

“First and foremost, for Election Mail it is business as usual,” according to the memo. “We continue to follow established protocols, and we remain entirely focused on our core mission: delivering the mail safely and securely for voters and election officials across the country.”

Though the Supreme Court rejected Trump’s executive order for this year’s election, Justice Brett Kavanaugh indicated he might rule in favor of the administration if the issue comes back before the court at a later time.

Steiner encourages voters to cast ballots early

Steiner said the postal service would still encourage the use of envelopes and barcodes in future elections, which it has long recommended. He said such changes wouldn’t be required but those who don’t comply may have to pay more.

“If you use the barcode in the envelope, we’ll charge you a lower price,” he said. “If you don’t, we’re going to charge you a higher price because it’s harder for us to process.”

While the postal service isn’t moving forward on Trump’s order, there are still concerns about postmark delays that could have an impact on this year’s elections. The number of ballots rejected for late postmarks has soared in the vote-by-mail states of Washington and Oregon, according to recently released data highlighting concerns about recent changes in postal service operations.

Steiner said there were no plans to alter those operations and encouraged voters who use mail to get their ballots in early.

“We say seven days,” he said. “Everything is solved if people vote early.”

The family says Fernando Acuna has no criminal record and is now being held while his immigration case is pending.

The woman, who asked that her identity be protected because she fears she could also be targeted, says her doctors have told her to avoid stress.

“My doctors have told me the least I need to have is stress,” she said.

But she says the arrest of her husband has made that nearly impossible.

The family says Acuna was dropping off his younger son when ICE agents approached him.

“My dad was dropping off my little brother. A family friend came to pick him up for soccer practice. And ICE agents ambushed him,” his son Fernando Acuna said.

The family says they were not expecting immigration agents because Acuna has no deportation order and no criminal history.

“We didn’t even suspect that it was ICE or anything immigration because, like I said, my dad has no deportation order. My dad has zero criminal history,” his son said.

The woman suffers from AVM, a rare brain deformity affecting less than 1% of the population. She has had multiple strokes and surgeries over the years as she continues her treatment.

The family says the surgeries and treatment she has received in the U.S. would not have been available to her in Ecuador.

“These are surgeries that you were told you would never be able to get in Ecuador,” she said. “No, it’s not possible over there.”

Twenty-five years ago, Acuna left his soccer career in Ecuador and brought his wife to South Florida for treatment.

The couple originally came to the U.S. on a medical visa, but that visa expired.

The family says they most recently petitioned for deferred action in 2023, and that request is still pending.

Now, the family is fighting to have Acuna released.

“Mercy for my husband,” his wife said.

“We want my dad to be able to fight his case from home,” his son said.

The family describes Acuna as a hardworking husband and father who has spent years caring for his wife.

“My dad dropped everything to save my mom’s life,” his son said. “He’s worked two jobs for over 15 years.”

“I want to stand up for him because he did it for me,” his wife said.

The family says they hope Acuna can return home while he fights his immigration case.

Local 10 reached out to the State Department for the latest on Acuna’s visa petition. The department has yet to respond.

Russia will pretend the attacks are “accidental” in order to “paralyze or at least weaken the motivation of NATO countries" to rush to the defense of the member state coming under attack, Tusk said in a speech to the Polish parliament.

“There is a real risk that drones or other types of projectiles will enter the territory of one or several countries on the eastern flank and even cause destruction," Tusk warned.

“The official narration will be that it’s an accident and there is no reason for NATO to think about a response,” he added.

He said Russia was more dangerous because it was increasingly using jet-powered drones, which fly higher and faster and thus are more difficult to detect by air defense before reaching their targets.

Tusk has been for months warning that Russia might be preparing a more serious hybrid attack against a NATO country. His warnings have gotten increasingly specific as he received intelligence from NATO, Ukrainian and U.S. secret services, including the CIA, he said.

In recent days, Tusk has said Russia was now focusing on attacking border crossings between Ukraine and its European neighbors in order to disrupt delivery lines to Ukraine. Four such incidents happened on Poland's border with Ukraine in the past week and several others took place in the last weeks on Ukraine's border with Moldova.

Tusk said at the moment Russia was not ready for any peace talks “without the total capitulation of Ukraine.”

“They are convinced the winter will be tragically critical for Ukraine,” Tusk said. He said last winter Poland stepped in with deliveries when Ukraine's energy infrastructure came under attack, but if border crossings are destroyed, it will be much harder for Warsaw to offer such help this upcoming winter.

“Russia's goal is to destroy as much as possible the economy and logistics of Ukraine,” Tusk said, adding that intelligence indicates continuous attacks of “very high frequency and intensity” on six main Ukrainian cities should be expected in the near future.

Tusk announced on Thursday he would travel to Ukraine overnight to Friday, in what can be seen as an act of defiance against Russia after European leaders narrowly escaped a drone strike on a train near the Polish-Ukrainian border on Sunday. Officials usually keep their travel plans to Ukraine secret for security reasons.

In Kyiv, he said he would discuss with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy how to defend against the new types of drones as well as discuss with partners including Slovakia about further sanctions against Russia.

On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that “major progress is being made toward establishing a U.S. Army base in Poland” after a U.S. delegation was in Poland last week to visit several possible locations.

“If this happens, the location will be announced very soon,” Trump wrote. “This will be a historic step for our Great U.S./Polish Alliance.”

Poland has for years sought to host a permanent U.S. base as a strong guarantee of its security in the face of the rising Russian threat.

Poland’s high defense spending and major U.S. arms purchases have persuaded the Trump administration to consider putting a permanent base in Poland even as it reorganizes and reduces its overall military presence in Europe.

In May, the U.S. unexpectedly withdrew troops from the total of around 10,000 stationed in Poland, causing confusion among European allies and nervousness in Warsaw. But officials in both Poland and the U.S. soon said the withdrawal was temporary and Poland was not expected to suffer from the U.S. troop reorganization.

Hughes would prefer if everyone would relax about his contract situation, too.

As the star defenseman and Olympic gold medalist reported to his first training camp with the Minnesota Wild without an extension, raising the anxiety level at least within the fan base. Hughes said after the team's first practice on Thursday that he's plenty satisfied with the direction and state of the organization and simply hasn't gotten around to thinking hard about the next phase of his career.

“With planning out my future, I don’t do that. I don’t really plan out my summer,” Hughes said. “Just kind of went about it and enjoyed it.”

Hughes is in the final year of his current deal with a $7.85 million salary cap hit. His agent, Pat Brisson, and Wild general manager Bill Guerin have begun talks about a new contract, but for Hughes the start of the regular season on Oct. 1 is just a superficial deadline.

“I don't feel stressed to do something before the season,” Hughes said. “And that's not saying that something won't happen, but that's just how it is.”

Fellow defenseman Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche set the bar for annual average value at $20.5 million by signing the richest deal in league history last month, but Hughes might well top that, particularly on a shorter-term contract.

Hughes has fueled some speculation about desiring to play with younger brothers Jack and Luke, who are both with New Jersey, but he's only 26 and should have ample time left to link up with them down the road.

“I’m really happy here. I love the guys. I love the team, and I fit in really well,” Hughes said. “Obviously, there’s a draw to play with those guys at some point, but I think Jack said it perfectly: I’m not going to sacrifice a great spot for me to play with them.”

Left wing Marcus Foligno, whose older brother Nick was acquired by the Wild right before the trade deadline last season, has been reminding Hughes that he can wait to figure out where to play with Jack and Luke. Marcus is 35 and Nick will turn 39 next month.

“It's the best when it’s toward the end of the career,” Foligno said. “You do it too early, you don’t appreciate it as much. It’s great when you’re just hanging on.”

After arriving in Minnesota near midseason in a trade with Vancouver, Hughes helped lead the U.S. national team to the gold medal at the Olympics in Italy about two months later. Then in just 48 games with the Wild, he set the franchise defenseman record with 53 points and was an integral part of their first-round victory over Dallas that was the first playoff series win in 11 years.

Guerin was general manager of the U.S. team, too, so he's developed a strong relationship with Hughes, who offered no hint of dissatisfaction, impatience or uncertainty on the subject of wanting to re-up with the Wild.

“I have so much trust in Billy. He’s a great GM. He’s always going to address the needs of the team. It’s not like I have to freaking poke at Billy to do something,” Hughes said. “Billy’s kind of a shark. He’s going to be trying to make our team better at every point he can.”

___

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

Friday will feature a cloud/sun mix with the possibility of more unsettled weather. There may be some showers in the mix during the morning, followed by afternoon storms. Temperatures will be seasonable-- lows in the upper 70s, highs in the upper 80s.

Some senators from both parties say they were left deeply unsettled Thursday after the Pentagon's top policy adviser, Defense Undersecretary Elbridge Colby, failed to provide an expected update on the Trump administration's National Defense Strategy at a classified briefing.

The lawmakers also say they were unsatisfied with Colby's answers to questions ranging from inquiries about the Iran war to growing concerns that President Donald Trump could deploy troops to polling places during November's midterm congressional elections. Colby acknowledged that discussions about deploying the National Guard were taking place.

Sen. Jacky Rosen, a Nevada Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Colby “was not forthcoming” and “did not really address our concerns or issues.”

Sen. Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican also on the committee, described the classified briefing as “just sort of dodge and punt.”

“It’s very peculiar to have somebody come in for a congressionally mandated update and not have a statement,” Cramer said.

Colby, who has supporters and detractors on Capitol Hill, was expected to provide a required briefing on the National Defense Strategy, a comprehensive document that provides guidance for the military. Released in January, the blueprint reinforces Trump’s “America First” philosophy of favoring nonintervention overseas and questioning decades of strategic relationships with allies in Europe.

Under the annual National Defense Authorization Act approved by Congress, he was required to provide the Senate Armed Services Committee with the classified briefing on implementation of the strategy no later than Sept. 15.

“It was not what we had expected,” said Sen. Mike Rounds, a South Dakota Republican on the committee.

“Let’s just put it that way,” he said. “They owe us a report, and we did not get the report.”

Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona said he was able to ask about the strategy for the Iran war in Iran and the decision-making that has left the U.S. with what he described as a “munitions deficit.” Experts say military contractors will need about three years to replenish stockpiles of certain advanced weapons, such as defensive missile interceptors.

“You walk out with more questions than when you went in, and for me, that was the case today,” Kelly said.

At one point, Colby was asked directly if he ever had any discussions about deploying the National Guard for voter security on Election Day. He told senators that he had heard about some of those discussions taking place but that he wasn’t leading on the issue.

“Never once said ‘yes’ or ‘no,’” Cramer said.

The idea of deploying troops has been gaining attention as the midterms draw closer. Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., recently pressed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to confirm that they won’t send troops to polling places.

Caine responded to Slotkin in a letter last month that said there are “no plans to send Federal military personnel or Federalized members of the National Guard to polling places during the 2026 elections.”

Colby did not receive criticism from all lawmakers who attended Thursday's briefing.

Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., called it a “constructive, substantive” briefing that “answered all my questions.”

Asked if he was satisfied with the briefing, Sen. Roger Wicker, a Mississippi Republican who is chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he would not be answering questions about the classified session.

“You understand,” he said.

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The Miami Beach Police Department said that a perimeter had been established near Mount Sinai Medical Center.

A large police presence could be seen near the hospital during the 4 p.m. hour on Thursday.

Police provided an update around 5:30 p.m. that the suspect had been located and taken back into custody.

Officers then said there was no danger to the public.

According to police, the suspect was initially arrested on Wednesday and later required medical attention, so he was admitted to Mount Sinai on Thursday afternoon.

After being admitted, police said the suspect “somehow managed to break away” but he was found on hospital grounds soon after.

Police said internal affairs would be investigating the incident.

This is a breaking news story that will be updated as new information is made available.

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It was happening Thursday morning in the area of the 15700 block of southwest 140th Street.

According to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, an agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement who was on duty was inside his car when someone who was standing on the street began to strike the window of the agent’s vehicle.

Deputies said the agent got out of his car and an altercation between the two began immediately, with the individual slamming the agent to the ground and climbing on top of him.

During the altercation, deputies said the agent discharged his firearm, striking the individual.

Crews with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded and pronounced the individual deceased at the scene.

A nearby school, Jorge Mas Canosa Middle School, was placed on a temporary lockdown that has since been lifted.

Officials with Miami-Dade County Public Schools told Local 10 News the lockdown was due to “non-school related police activity in the area.”

Video obtained by Local 10 News shows two men scuffling in the area near the school, and at one point in the video, what sounds like a gunshot is heard.

Soon after, MDSO deputies converged on the area, where a body could be seen covered by a tarp in the road.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said one person was treated at the scene but was not transported to an area hospital.

The FDLE agent has been placed on administrative leave, the agency confirmed, as is standard procedure.

Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar released the new ad as she seeks re-election in Congressional District 27.

“Mr. President, some of your immigration and enforcement efforts have gone too far,” she says in the video.

A Message to President Trump on Immigration | María Elvira Salazar pic.twitter.com/memcf4jags

— María Elvira Salazar 🇺🇸 (@MaElviraSalazar) September 17, 2026

Salazar is pushing for a fourth term in Congress and issued the rare rebuke of the White House’s aggressive immigration polices during Trump’s second term.

Salazar is facing a challenge from former local television anchor Elliot Rodriguez in this November’s election.

In recent months, multiple forecasters have moved the seat from solid Republican to likely Republican.

Following the ad’s release, Rodriguez put out a video of his own, which said, in part:

“The people of District 27 know that Maria Elvira Salazar has been a pathetic rubber stamp for Donald Trump while they both have made life unaffordable, slashed health care benefits, and shoved several of her constituents into Alligator Alcatraz, while she makes millions on suspect Congressional stock trading, and now she’s pretending she wants to fight him. It’s not going to work for Maria, and this is yet another reason why the voters of the district will end her political career on November 3rd.”

🚨Breaking news: @MaElviraSalazar is lying, again! She’s been a pathetic rubber stamp for Trump while they made D-27 unaffordable, slashed health care, terrorized immigrants and shoved constituents into Alligator Alcatraz. Now, before the election, she pretends to fight Trump. 🤦🏼‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/mpK0NBDcvS

— Eliott Rodriguez (@ERodforCongress) September 17, 2026

The sharp rebuke from Salazar comes as republicans are growing increasingly concerned the administration’s immigration policies will degrade gains the GOP made with Hispanic voters in the 2024 election.

During her time in congress, Salazar has been a strong supporter of many Trump policies, but has broken ranks on numerous occasions over the immigration crackdown.

Since being elected in 2020, her signature issue has been a bi-partisan immigration reform bill called the Dignity Act, which would create a seven-year work program for long-term undocumented immigrants, providing work authorization and deportation protections.

According to Data USA, nearly three in four residents in District 27 are Hispanic.

In February, Trump endorsed Salazar but the White House has not yet commented on the new advertisement.

Inicialmente, las autoridades dijeron que existía temor de que hubiera un arma en el campus después de que ocurriera una pelea, pero posteriormente los agentes aclararon que no hubo ninguna pelea ni evidencia de que alguna vez hubiera un arma en el campus.

“La investigación determinó que no ocurrió ninguna pelea y que nunca hubo un arma de fuego en el campus de Plantation High School”, escribió la policía en un comunicado. Dijeron que los agentes registraron los terrenos de la escuela después del reporte de una posible arma, pero no encontraron ninguna.

No se reportaron heridos.

La policía dijo: “Alguien había mencionado algo sobre un arma, lo cual fue transmitido a otra persona, quien se lo comunicó a un maestro. Al mismo tiempo, un grupo grande de personas caminaba por el pasillo y pudo haber escuchado lo mismo, y todos comenzaron a correr”.

El incidente inicialmente provocó una respuesta policial y el establecimiento de un perímetro alrededor de la escuela mientras los agentes investigaban un reporte de que un estudiante podría haber estado en posesión de un arma. La policía dijo que el estudiante fue localizado de inmediato, pero no se encontró ningún arma.

Las Escuelas Públicas del Condado Broward confirmaron que la escuela, ubicada en 6901 NW 16th St., recibió la autorización de las autoridades y reanudó su horario normal.

Sky 10 sobrevoló la escena alrededor de la 1:20 p.m. mientras la policía establecía un perímetro alrededor del campus. Durante la investigación, no se permitió que nadie entrara o saliera del área mientras los agentes buscaban evidencia de un arma.

Una vez que los agentes confirmaron que no había ninguna amenaza para los estudiantes o el personal, la policía dijo que retiraron el perímetro y levantaron el cierre de emergencia.

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Prosecutors filed a felony case against Shauntay Poole, of Fort Lauderdale, on Wednesday, over the school board’s accusations, according to Broward County court records.

Sgt. Thomas Honan, a detective with the Broward Schools Police special investigations unit, listed Poole’s place of employment for 28 years as the “Broward District Schools,” according to an arrest report in the case.

From September to February, Poole faced questions about “discrepancies involving cash funds from fundraising and other school-related activities,” Honan wrote, according to the Sept. 16 arrest report.

Honan included Ryan Smith, the director of BCPS Business Support Center in Sunrise, and Mark Howard, the principal of MacArthur High School in Hollywood, as witnesses in the case involving outstanding deposits, according to the police report.

Poole “failed to account for or provide documentation for the ten outstanding cash deposits she collected ... totaling $4,491.80 ... These funds were required to be transferred to Brink’s for transport and deposit into the school’s JPMorgan Chase bank account,” Honan wrote, according to the arrest report.

Honan reported Poole declined to provide a reason “for the missing funds,” and he suspected that she had “failed to remit the cash funds for deposit.”

The staff directory for McArthur High School, at 6501 Hollywood Boulevard, listed Poole, also known as Shauntay Cunningham-Poole, as the bookkeeper III.

A 2022 Broward County Public Schools ' audit report and a 2017 BCPS audit report listed Cunningham-Poole as a bookkeeper for the Whiddon-Rogers Education Center, at 700 SW 26 St., in Fort Lauderdale.

Broward corrections booked Poole on Wednesday at the Broward County Main Jail in Fort Lauderdale. She faced a charge of third-degree felony grand theft of more than $750 and less than $5,000. Her bond was $2,500.

“This offense is one where an automatic bond is set and she didn’t have to go through magistrate court. A court appearance will be scheduled with the assigned judge,” Aaron Savitski, a spokesman for the Broward County State Attorney’s Office, wrote in an e-mail to Local 10 News on Thursday.

Court records show Broward County Circuit Judge Francis Viamontes was set to preside over the case.

Read the police report’s narrative:

Related report

Related links

• Justice Department: Broward County School Board employee charged with bribery and extortion
• FBI: Former Broward County School Board member indicted on public corruption charges

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

Smart, 59, was a 22-year-old high school media coordinator when she began an affair with the 15-year-old boy who later fatally shot her husband, Gregory Smart, in Derry in 1990.

The shooter was freed in 2015 after serving a 25-year sentence. Though Smart denied knowledge of the plot at the time, she was convicted in 1991 of being an accomplice to first-degree murder and other crimes and was sentenced to life without parole. Her trial was one of the first in the nation to be broadcast live on television from start to finish.

She didn't take responsibility for her husband’s death until 2024, saying she spent years deflecting blame “almost as if it was a coping mechanism.”

Smart filed a petition for habeas corpus relief in January seeking to overturn her conviction over what her lawyers claimed were several constitutional violations. After holding a hearing in July, Merrimack County Superior Court Judge James Kennedy on Thursday granted the state's motion to dismiss the petition, saying her arguments already were or could have been raised during earlier appeals, and even if they hadn't, lacked merit.

Among other things, Smart’s lawyers argued that prosecutors misled the jury by providing them with inaccurate transcripts of surreptitiously recorded conversations between Smart and her student intern that included words that were not audible on the recordings.

Among the words they claimed weren’t audible but appeared in the transcript was the word “killed” in the sentence “you had your husband killed,” the word “busted” in the sentence “I’m gonna be busted,” and the word “murder” in the sentence “this would have been the perfect murder.”

In the petition, Smart's lawyers described a forensic study suggesting that providing transcripts to juries along with muffled audio can lead listeners to believe the written text, even when it's inaccurate.

But Kennedy said the study's legal relevancy was “dubious" given that it wasn't published or available to read in full and that even the description given by Smart's attorneys failed to identify any inaccuracies. The judge also rejected Smart's arguments that the verdict was tainted by media attention and by faulty jury instructions.

Smart’s trial was a media circus and one of the first high-profile cases in the U.S. about a sexual affair between a school employee and a student. The student, William Flynn, testified that Smart told him she needed her husband killed because she feared she would lose everything if they divorced and that she threatened to break up with Flynn if he didn’t kill her husband.

Flynn and three other teens who participated in the plot cooperated with prosecutors, and all have since been released.

The case inspired Joyce Maynard’s 1992 book “To Die For” and the 1995 film of the same name, starring Nicole Kidman and Joaquin Phoenix.

El ex jefe de gabinete del gobernador, el actual fiscal general republicano James Uthmeier, enfrenta su primera prueba electoral para conservar el cargo al que fue nombrado por el gobernador Ron DeSantis. Uthmeier se enfrenta al ex legislador estatal demócrata Jose Javier Rodriguez.

“Me postulo para devolver la Fiscalía General al pueblo”, dijo Rodriguez. “Voy a enfrentar el crimen, los costos y la corrupción”.

Es una contienda que se desarrolla bajo la sombra de la investigación de Hope Florida.

“En el centro del escándalo de Hope Florida está el fiscal general”, dijo Sean Foreman, politólogo que enseña historia y gobierno en Palmer Trinity School y Barry University.

Un gran jurado determinó que el estado “malversó” $10 millones USD de fondos de los contribuyentes, desviados a través de la Hope Florida Foundation, una organización benéfica promovida por la esposa del gobernador, hacia comités de acción política, que luego canalizaron millones a “Keep Florida Clean”, un PAC que financiaba una campaña para oponerse a una medida electoral destinada a legalizar la marihuana recreativa. Ese PAC era presidido por Uthmeier.

“Todo parecía fluir a través de las instrucciones de James Uthmeier”, dijo Foreman.

Aunque el informe señaló que había “evidencia insuficiente para acusar penalmente a alguien”, en parte porque “nadie asumiría la responsabilidad”, el gran jurado dijo que puede “ver claramente que el dinero de los contribuyentes fue utilizado indebidamente con fines políticos”, razón por la cual persisten las dudas éticas.

“Muchos abogados analizaron ese proceso. Yo no era fiscal general en ese momento, pero hubo varios abogados que lo aprobaron”, dijo Uthmeier.

Foreman dijo que los demócratas ven las elecciones como una oportunidad para investigar más a fondo.

“Así que, mientras el fiscal general desestima ese caso y dice que el gran jurado no tiene cargos, sigamos adelante, los demócratas realmente esperan ganar los cargos de fiscal general y gobernador para poder reabrir ese gran jurado y ver si pueden obtener respuestas concretas sobre si hubo actividad delictiva y quién debería rendir cuentas”, dijo.

Eso podría ser una tarea difícil para los demócratas en un estado donde los republicanos tienen los números de su lado, con más votantes registrados y mayores fondos de campaña.

“Los republicanos siguen estando en una posición sólida”, dijo Foreman. “Incluso con acusaciones de corrupción, incluso con preguntas sin respuesta, los republicanos están en buena posición para ganar simplemente en una boleta genérica de demócrata contra republicano debido a la dinámica actual de Florida”.

Otro tema clave en esta contienda, según Foreman, es la protección al consumidor.

“Así que el trabajo principal del fiscal general, además de hacer cumplir las leyes en todo el estado, es realmente ser un vigilante para los ciudadanos y, en particular, defender a los consumidores frente a las empresas. Y ahí es donde entra la protección al consumidor”, dijo Foreman. “Hay algunas quejas de que Uthmeier no ha sido lo suficientemente firme en la protección de los consumidores, que ha presentado muchas demandas contra empresas, pero podrían responder a su propia agenda política en lugar de a los intereses de la gente de Florida. Así que hay mucha actividad en ese sentido, pero algunos consideran que está mal dirigida y que no se está enfocando en los consumidores”.

Foreman dijo que esa es una crítica que Rodriguez, el candidato demócrata, ha estado señalando. Uthmeier, por su parte, sostiene que está siendo firme contra el crimen y protegiendo a los ciudadanos, persiguiendo casos de abuso sexual infantil y tráfico de personas, e impulsando medidas para responsabilizar a las empresas de inteligencia artificial y redes sociales por la forma en que los niños las utilizan, según Foreman.

Rodriguez expuso sus propias prioridades para el cargo.

“Mi mensaje como próximo fiscal general es que nadie está por encima de la ley, incluido el propio gobierno estatal”, dijo Rodriguez. “Me postulo para devolver la Fiscalía General al pueblo. Ha pasado mucho tiempo desde que tuvimos un fiscal general que realmente se enfocara en la gente de Florida. Voy a enfrentar el crimen, los costos y la corrupción. Mis prioridades son muy claras: necesitamos proteger a los niños de amenazas como las grandes empresas tecnológicas y todas las drogas sintéticas que están llegando a las calles. También necesitamos a alguien que nos defienda, que luche contra las compañías de seguros, que luche contra las empresas de servicios públicos, que vaya tras los propietarios corporativos y que haga cumplir el salario mínimo. Hacer estas cosas que en otros estados la gente tiene fiscales generales que los defienden cuando los están perjudicando, eso no sucede aquí. Así que eso es lo que los floridanos pueden esperar”.

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The governor’s former chief of staff, Republican incumbent James Uthmeier, is facing his first election test to hold the seat Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed him to. Uthmeier is facing off against former state Democratic lawmaker Jose Javier Rodriguez.

“I am running to restore the attorney general’s office to the people,” Rodriguez said. “I am going to tackle crime, cost, corruption.”

It’s a race playing out in the shadow of the Hope Florida investigation.

“At the center of the Hope Florida scandal is the Attorney General,” said Sean Foreman, a political scientist who teaches history and government at Palmer Trinity School and Barry University.

A grand jury determined the state “misappropriated” $10 million in taxpayer dollars, diverted through the Hope Florida Foundation — a charity championed by the governor’s wife — to political action committees, which then funneled millions to “Keep Florida Clean,” a PAC funding a campaign to oppose a ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana. That PAC was chaired by Uthmeier.

“Everything seemed to flow through James Uthmeier’s directions,” Foreman said.

While the report said there was “insufficient evidence to charge anyone criminally,” in part because “nobody would take responsibility,” the grand jury said it can “plainly see that taxpayer money was misused for political purposes” — which is why ethics questions remain.

“Many lawyers looked at that process. I was not attorney general at the time, but there were multiple lawyers who signed off on it,” Uthmeier said.

Foreman said Democrats see the election as their opening to dig deeper.

“So while the attorney general is dismissing that case and saying the grand jury doesn’t have any charges, let’s move on, Democrats really are hoping to win the attorney general and governor’s seats so they can reopen that grand jury and see if they can get some real answers about if there was criminal activity and who should be held accountable,” he said.

That could be a tall order for Democrats in a state where Republicans have the math on their side — more registered voters and a bigger war chest.

“Republicans are still in a strong position,” Foreman said. “Even with allegations of corruption, even with unanswered questions, Republicans are in good shape to win just on a generic ballot of Democrat versus Republican because of the dynamics of Florida now.”

Another key issue in this race, according to Foreman, is consumer protection.

“So the main job of the Attorney General, other than to enforce laws across the state, is really to be a watchdog for citizens, and in particular to stand up for consumers against businesses. And so that’s where the consumer protection comes in,” Foreman said. “There are some complaints that Uthmeier has not been strong enough in protecting consumers, that he has raised a lot of lawsuits against businesses, but they might be for his own political agenda rather than for the people of Florida. So there’s a lot of activity there, but some feel that it’s misplaced and that it’s not focusing on consumers.”

Foreman said that criticism is one Rodriguez, the Democratic candidate, has been pointing out. Uthmeier, for his part, argues he’s being tough on crime and protecting citizens — going after child molestation and human trafficking cases, and pushing to hold AI and social media companies accountable for how children use them, according to Foreman.

Rodriguez laid out his own priorities for the office.

“My message as the next attorney general is that no one is above the law, including the state government itself,” Rodriguez said. “I am running to restore the attorney general’s office to the people. It has been a very long time since we had an attorney general that actually focuses on the people of Florida. I am going to tackle crime, costs, corruption. My priorities are very clear — we need to protect kids from threats like big tech, all the synthetic drugs hitting the streets. We also need someone advocating for us, fighting the insurance companies, fighting the utilities, going after corporate landlords, enforcing minimum wage. To do these things that in other states people have attorney generals to stand up for them when they are getting screwed — that doesn’t happen here. So that is what Floridians can expect.”

It was a tragedy compounded by the subsequent fatal crash of a TV news helicopter that had been covering the collision.

Bailee Lynn Rios was speeding and impaired when she drove her 2004 Ford Expedition the wrong way down a busy avenue and struck a vehicle before plowing into a city bus on Tuesday, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman told a news conference.

Rios, 36, faces two charges of second-degree murder in the deaths of the two people on the bus, identified as Daniel Castillo, 46, and Gage Weida, 31.

Rios was being held on $4.1 million bail and is scheduled to appear in court Friday. Online court records did not list a lawyer who might speak on her behalf, and the public defender’s office said it had not been appointed to represent her.

Reached Wednesday, her mother Cindy Rios said she was shocked and saddened by the string of events. She said she had not spoken to Bailee Lynn Rios since her arrest and had not been contacted by law enforcement. She could not immediately be reached Thursday for additional comment.

The news helicopter crash killed both people on board, pilot George Marciniw and reporter Eliana Moreno, and a man on the ground, Edy Gutierrez Mejia. At least four cars and two storage containers burned after the helicopter caught fire.

In surveillance footage obtained by NBC4 Los Angeles, the helicopter can be seen dropping out of the sky on a slight diagonal angle and landing behind a few trees and other objects. Moments later, a large plume of black smoke and flames erupt from the crash site.

Hundreds gathered in the Chatsworth neighborhood of Los Angeles on Thursday evening for a candlelit vigil honoring the victims of both crashes. Friends and family members brought photos of their loved ones and joined in prayer.

Crash victim liked people-watching on bus, daughter says

Castillo’s daughter, Johaunna Castillo, said he was on the way home from his job at a car parts warehouse Tuesday, on the same bus he took every day.

“The back was his favorite seat,” she said. “He liked people-watching.”

While she moved to Georgia with her mother and siblings as a teen and now attends college there, she spent her school breaks and summers in LA with her father. When they were apart, he called her after work every single day.

“He would just tell me about all the people he’s met and all the things that happened on the bus,” she said.

That day, he told her he was getting on the bus and would call her when he was walking home. But the call never came.

She said her father was a hard worker, and a bright and lively person who touched anyone he interacted with. His co-workers, friends, and even many people who only knew him in passing have reached out to share “how much of a light that he was,” she said.

“That’s who he was and that’s how he should be remembered — someone who brought a lot of joy and love into people’s lives,” Johaunna Castillo said. Hundreds have donated to an online fundraiser for funeral expenses.

Clues to helicopter crash may lie in broadcast video

There were no immediate details on what caused the helicopter to go down, but investigators said significant clues could come from the last seconds of video the crew broadcast. In it, an alarm could be heard inside the helicopter’s cockpit as it lost altitude.

National Transportation Safety Board investigator Fabian Salazar said Wednesday that the video is “probably the most important evidence that we have discovered so far.”

Just after the beeping starts, a woman’s voice says “uh oh.” The helicopter moves quickly away from the bus crash site and starts losing altitude. The woman says “You can’t pull up?” before the video stops as the chopper nears the ground.

Aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti said the alarm suggests a potential loss of engine power and a dangerous decrease in the main rotor speed. He said the pilot appeared to be trying to perform an emergency maneuver to use the wind to force the rotor to spin again.

The NTSB is also investigating the bus collision.

Moreno and Marciniw both worked for Angel City Air, a helicopter contractor, and provided aerial coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52.

Moreno, born in Orange County, joined Angel City Air in 2010, the same year she earned a broadcast journalism and political science degree from Chapman University. She reported for several news outlets and began flying with Marciniw in 2023, NBC4 said.

Marciniw grew up in Southern California and graduated from Burbank High School in 1974.

There have been at least eight fatal crashes involving news helicopters in the U.S. since 2000, killing 16 people, according to a review of federal accident records and news accounts.

Since the U.S. won gold at the Olympics in February, three members of that team asked for a trade and another was the subject of serious trade talk that did not materialize. Brady Tkachuk asked out of Ottawa and wound up in Florida to play with brother Matthew; Connor Hellebuyck could soon join him crossing the border after going public with his trade demand to leave Winnipeg; and Dylan Larkin's future in Detroit is in limbo following his desire for a fresh start.

Zach Werenski, who remains in Columbus, and fellow Americans on that team laugh at the idea that their group chat orchestrated all this. It is a bit of a coincidence it happened at the same time, but players get why people are making the connection between the trade requests and the Olympics.

“If you look at it from an outsider’s perspective, like I understand it because it’s like a lot of American guys, obviously, and the whole situation with the Olympics and winning and guys asking out and whatnot,” Werenski said. “For a lot of us, that gold medal was the first taste of winning, and I think that’s just what amplifies in your mind is like, ‘I want to do this more.’”

Why players are asking for trades

Larkin has declined to share which teams he’s willing to be traded to, would not say if his request to be moved still stands or if he wants to stay with the team. The Red Wings own the longest active playoff drought in the league, having not made it since Larkin’s rookie year in 2015-16, a first-round exit.

In Hellebuyck’s 10 years in Winnipeg, the Jets have not been past the second round since 2018 and he criticized team leadership after last season came to a close without a trip to the playoffs. He has said only that “moving on” is best for him and his family.

Tkachuk was the Senators’ captain and brushed off the notion that his request had anything to do with wanting to play in the U.S. instead.

“I wouldn’t say there’s a big differential from Canada to (the) U.S.,” Tkachuk said. “I think every individual’s thought process, decision is a little bit different.”

Teaming up with his brother makes the move more understandable to U.S. Olympic teammate and ex-Senators teammate Jake Sanderson.

“The way I look at it, I’m not surprised that Brady would want to go play with his brother,” Sanderson said. “I don’t think anybody should be surprised, so I don’t blame him for that.”

For Werenski, it is about chasing the Stanley Cup. He won the Norris Trophy as the league's top defenseman last season but in a decade with the Blue Jackets have made the playoffs just five times and advanced only once.

“You see your friends having success and guys winning Cups and you’re so happy for them, but you want that to be you,” Werenski said. “You put so much work in and so many hours and time and all this and you want to be in those games and have a chance at it, right? There’s a lot of great players that will never win a Stanley Cup. But you want a crack at it. You want a chance to play for it.”

What other moves could be coming

There has been plenty of buzz about the Hughes brothers wanting to play together like the Tkachuks; they've said so. Quinn, who was dealt across the border from Vancouver to Minnesota in December before starring for the U.S. in Milan, does not have a contract beyond this season and could soon become the highest-paid player in the NHL, with the Wild or elsewhere.

“It is my life: I’m not going to do anything to make someone else happy," Hughes said. "Everyone’s got to do what makes them happy, and then where the chips fall, they fall.”

The hockey landscape could look much different a year from now, depending on what Hughes does and if U.S. Olympic captain Auston Matthews decides he'd like a change of scenery. On Wednesday, Matthews said his intent was always to stay in Toronto, and he has two years left on his contract.

Players are exercising power with requests

Larkin and Hellebuyck each have five seasons remaining on deals signed in 2023. Despite being signed long term, each took the risk of asking for a trade.

“Players now, I feel like, hold a whole lot of the cards,” said Buffalo's Tage Thompson, who played with them at the Olympics. “And if they feel like it’s the best decision for them, that’s, I think, the route players are starting to go.”

Werenski said he's happy where he is. Sanderson affirmed he's good in Ottawa, where he's signed through 2032.

What happens to others with gold medals displayed in their homes remains to be seen. But golden goal-scorer Jack Hughes doesn't attribute this trend to what he and his teammates accomplished.

“Even if the Olympics happened or didn’t, I think those things would still unfold how they did with the guys that are requested to leave or whatever happened," Hughes said. "But definitely pretty funny with how everything shook out.”

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Los fiscales presentaron el miércoles un caso por delito grave contra Shauntay Poole, de Fort Lauderdale, por las acusaciones de la junta escolar, según los registros judiciales del condado Broward.

El directorio de personal de McArthur High School, ubicada en 6501 Hollywood Boulevard, en Hollywood, incluyó a Poole, también conocida como Shauntay Cunningham-Poole, como contable III.

Un informe de auditoría de 2022 de las Escuelas Públicas del Condado Broward y un informe de auditoría de BCPS de 2017 incluyeron a Cunningham-Poole como contable del Whiddon-Rogers Education Center, ubicado en 700 SW 26 St., en Fort Lauderdale.

Las autoridades penitenciarias ingresaron a Poole el miércoles en la cárcel principal del condado Broward, en Fort Lauderdale. Enfrentó un cargo de robo mayor de tercer grado por más de $750 USD y menos de $5,000 USD. Su fianza fue fijada en $2,500 USD.

El juez de circuito del condado Broward Francis Viamontes estaba programado para presidir el caso.

Esta es una noticia en desarrollo. Local 10 News tiene pendiente una solicitud para obtener el reporte de arresto del caso.

Enlaces relacionados

• Departamento de Justicia: Empleado de la Junta Escolar del Condado Broward acusado de soborno y extorsión
• FBI: Ex miembro de la Junta Escolar del Condado Broward acusado formalmente por cargos de corrupción pública

A directive sent to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employees this week says imperiled animals or plants must be intentionally targeted for their killing to be considered illegal.

That's a sharp turnaround from past practice at the wildlife service, which historically held people liable even for accidentally harming protected species such as grizzly bears, manatees and spotted owls.

Former Fish and Wildlife director says the change ‘creates a huge loophole’

Experts said the change would allow timber companies to log forests in the Pacific Northwest even if they knew that doing so could kill imperiled birds nesting in the trees, or for developers to build a dam knowing it would kill salmon.

“This cuts against the entire history of the Endangered Species Act,” said Dan Ashe, who led the Fish and Wildlife Service under former President Barack Obama.

“It just creates a huge loophole,” added Ashe, who is now president of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. “It completely relieves people of any responsibility for their actions, even consequences that can be easily predicted.”

Encouraged by Republican lawmakers and industry lobbyists, officials under Trump have moved to dismantle key parts of the endangered species law and make companies exempt from its regulations. Administration officials have said they are returning the law to its original intent, following a 2024 Supreme Court decision that limited the authority of federal agencies to interpret environmental statutes passed by Congress.

States and conservation groups have filed numerous lawsuits seeking to turn back the changes.

The directive follows a rule change defining ‘harm’ under Endangered Species Act

The new interpretation of what it means to harm — or “take” — a species was detailed in a Sept. 14 directive from Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik.

“Felling a tree is not a take of the bats roosting in it unless the tree is felled for the purpose of killing or capturing them,” Nesvik wrote, adding that the bats would only be impacted “indirectly and accidentally.”

The directive, reported earlier by The New York Times, leans heavily on a dissenting opinion from former Justice Antonin Scalia in a 1995 Supreme Court case. It comes on the heels of a new rule from the wildlife service in July that narrowed the definition of “harm” under the Endangered Species Act, or ESA.

Nesvik's directive will guide how that new rule is put into action, according to a Thursday statement from the Interior Department, which includes the Fish and Wildlife Service.

“Under the guidance, the ESA’s prohibition on ‘take’ continues to prohibit conduct including harassing, pursuing, hunting, shooting, wounding, killing, trapping, capturing or collecting protected wildlife,” Interior Department officials said.

Some companies may still seek permits

For decades, the government had defined harm to imperiled animals broadly to include encroachments on places where they live. Environmentalists warn the recent moves, if allowed to stand, will speed extinctions by letting protected species be killed and opening the door to habitat destruction.

“This is basically a free-for-all,” said Noah Greenwald with the Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental group. “It's a radical reinterpretation that would put polluters and other industry before the natural world.”

Federal officials have long worked with companies and individuals to minimize harm to species by crafting habitat protection plans and issuing permits for some incidental killings.

Under the new interpretation of the law, the only people needing such a permit would be those acting directly against animals, such as hunters, trappers, anglers and perhaps pesticide users, said Sandi Snodgrass, an attorney with Holland and Hart in Denver whose clients include developers, energy companies and utilities.

But Snodgrass said some companies may still seek permits to guard against changes by future administrations or to protect themselves against citizen lawsuits.

The Endangered Species Act is credited with bringing back iconic animals — including the bald eagle, American alligator and California condor — from the brink of extinction.

Republicans rolled back several provisions of the law in Trump’s first term, only to have those moves reversed under Democratic President Joe Biden, then revived yet again during Trump's second term.

It was Kennedy's first time appearing at the Children's Health Defense conference since he became secretary. Kennedy took leave from the group when he launched his bid to become president in 2023, but his speech Thursday served as a sort of homecoming, offering him a platform from which to hail the administration's steps to scale back vaccine guidance and reassure the activists in attendance that he was working to turn their priorities into policy.

“Let me be clear: You have a strong and steadfast friend in the White House. We've accomplished in 19 months things that would have seemed unthinkable two years ago,” he said.

The speech, peppered with questions about long established vaccine safety, also highlighted how once fringe views on vaccines have been given a prominent pulpit under the Trump administration.

Kennedy boasted about the administration's moves to downsize the childhood vaccination schedule and reshape a key vaccine advisory board — steps that have since been halted by a judge.

Kennedy lauded Trump for pushing ahead with attempts to overhaul vaccine guidance, including an executive order last month calling for spacing out the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, against medical groups' recommendations.

That executive order and now Kennedy's keynote speech at the Children's Health Defense conference mark a pivot by the White House and the Department of Health and Human Services, who earlier this year had appeared to be moving beyond vaccine efforts and toward a less contentious agenda on healthy food ahead of November’s midterm elections. HHS promoted the speech on its social media channels.

Kennedy, a longtime anti-vaccine activist, chaired Children’s Health Defense for years. He served as the group’s chief legal counsel and expanded it. After becoming health secretary last year, Kennedy moved at a blistering pace to overhaul public health guidance and revamp long-held precedents in vaccine policymaking.

Critics, among them many of the country's top medical associations, have said the moves risk stoking vaccine hesitancy and sowing confusion among Americans who endured a crisis of trust in their public health agencies following the COVID-19 pandemic. That public confidence continues to erode.

“We have not taken vaccines away from anybody. We have preserved access. But we have started asking the questions that you and millions of American parents have been asking for years,” Kennedy told the group.

Mary Holland, the CEO of Children’s Health Defense, referred to Kennedy as “Bobby” and said the group has “gratitude beyond words” to the HHS secretary for “recognizing there are real consequential issues around childhood vaccinations.”

Kennedy's appearance Thursday comes as the country faces its worst year for measles since 1991 and has seen seven reported measles-associated deaths in the last two years — more than the combined total of reported deaths over the previous three decades.

Pennsylvania officials have reported four measles-associated deaths this year. None of the four were vaccinated, according to the state health department. When state officials last month announced the first two of those deaths, it ignited a public feud between Gov. Josh Shapiro and Kennedy.

Shapiro blasted Kennedy's appearance on the social media site X Thursday, saying Kennedy “chose to spend his time today addressing the premier vaccine-denial conference in America.”

Shapiro said the HHS secretary should have encouraged people to get vaccinated for measles, "yet he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Instead, he pushed a narrative that continues to stoke fear and mistrust.”

A representative from the White House did not respond to an Associated Press request for comment on Kennedy’s appearance at the event.

Following Kennedy onstage Thursday was Andrew Wakefield, an author of a since-discredited study that linked the MMR vaccine to autism, which has fueled the anti-vaccine movement even though it was retracted.

Widespread scientific consensus and decades of studies have firmly concluded there is no link between vaccines and autism.

Shaughnessy Naughton, founder of 314 Action, a group that recruits scientists to run for public office, said Kennedy's decision to give a speech at the conference shows “the lack of seriousness he brings to HHS.”

"With a deadly measles outbreak killing people in Pennsylvania, the best thing Kennedy can do for Americans is step aside.”

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Stobbe contributed from New York.

Led by head coach Paul Maurice, the Panthers are healthy and excited to get back to their winning ways after suffering through an injury-plagued season a year ago that saw Florida fail to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2019.

Players were split into two groups during the first day of practice, with many of the team’s expected Opening Night roster going out with group one.

That included Panthers captain Sasha Barkov, who missed the entire 2025-26 season after suffering a knee injury during his first training camp practice almost exactly one year ago.

Barkov looked like his usual self during Thursday’s practice, much to the delight of his coaches and teammates.

One of the new faces on the ice was goaltender Jacob Markstrom.

He was actually drafted by the Panthers all the way back in 2008 and made his NHL debut in Florida a couple years later, but only played 43 games in a Florida sweater before he was traded to Vancouver in the 2014 deal that brought Roberto Luongo back to the Cats.

Twelve years and 535 games later, Markstrom is back in South Florida ready to help the team that brought him into the league win another Stanley Cup or two.

“Ever since I got here over a month ago, I’ve been super impressed with the team and the organization and what (owner) Vinny Viola has done to this franchise, its really impressive,” Markstrom said.

NBC announced Thursday that Brunson will appear in the season’s fifth episode, which is scheduled to air Nov. 5. Details on Brunson’s exact role weren’t revealed.

Brunson already is set to host the season premiere of “Saturday Night Live” on Sept. 26. He made an appearance Monday in the opening of the Emmy Awards telecast that was hosted by “Law & Order: SVU” star Mariska Hargitay.

Hargitay is a Knicks fan who attended Game 4 of the NBA Finals as New York rallied from a 29-point deficit to beat the San Antonio Spurs 107-106, a victory that sparked the franchise to its first title since 1973. Hargitay and Brunson hugged on the court after the game.

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