ReportWire

Category: Orlando, Florida Local News

Orlando, Florida Local News | ReportWire publishes the latest breaking U.S. and world news, trending topics and developing stories from around globe.

  • There are more than 4.6 million food posts on TikTok alone…

    [ad_1]

    Two of Australia’s top ten bestsellers in 2025 were cookbooks, both by Nagi Maehashi of RecipeTin Eats. Other popular books include Brooke Bellamy’s Bake with Brooki and Steph De Sousa’s Easy Dinner Queen. Yet increasingly, people are cooking from YouTube videos and other social media clips. What is the appeal of cookbooks today?

    Cooking content on social media has become one of the most popular categories globally. Dedicated apps like SideChef have been created to help beginners understand technical terms in online recipes and automatically generate shopping lists.

    Food is big on social media.
    Pexels, CC BY

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    In a 2025 study, SideChef found there were more than 4.6 million #TikTokFood posts and Pinterest listed food and drink as a top category. On YouTube, there are 6.74 million food and drink channels, which are 99% creator-driven. All-time YouTube views of food content reached 5.9 trillion in 2025.

    Short-form videos provide step-by-step instruction and glamorous depictions of your next meal, but hard-copy cookbooks are more than just a collection of recipes.

    Most cookbooks are technically categorised as illustrated non-fiction, filled with close-up photographs of food and images of the author in action. These illustrate the recipes, integrated with accompanying conversational text to engage the reader.

    The three types of cookbook readers

    Today’s cookbook audiences can be divided into three major groups: aspirational readers, everyday cooks and escapists.

    The aspirational readers may want to cook like a chef, hoping the author will share secrets and include them in an inner circle of confidants. Others may aspire to a gendered ideal of domesticity, or seemingly effortless sophistication (just a little smoked duck breast and pickled fennel salad with pomegranate seeds and candied mandarin peel they threw together at the last minute).

    The everyday cooks are looking to answer the dreaded question: what’s for dinner tonight? Some of these readers seek reliable, practical, frugal, and efficient solutions for the task of making food at home.

    Others are seeking specialised instruction for new generations of appliances offering shortcuts or hands-off cooking, such as slow cookers, air fryers, or electric pressure cookers.

    The escapists, however, are less concerned about 30-minute meals or how to reverse sear a steak. Their ideal cookbook is instead a fantasy, travelogue, or memoir, transporting the would-be cook to a nostalgic past or a far-off land, such as Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi’s Jerusalem.

    Food porn

    The most extreme form of this escapism was described by US food writer Molly O’Neill as “food porn”, a substitute for actually engaging in the physical act of cooking.

    Stripped of the connections of community and shared meals, food porn is an extreme form of self-indulgent food writing that replaces the depth of social and cultural connections with “prose and recipes so removed from real life that they cannot be used except as vicarious experience”.

    Cookbooks in this category are more like coffee-table books, meant to be perused at leisure rather than addressing an urgent need to get a meal on the table. Impractical recipes with difficult techniques, specialised equipment, and exotic ingredients are no barrier to this genre. The reality that time is also an expensive ingredient is not a consideration.

    The most successful, bestselling cookbooks in Australia in recent years, like Maehashi’s RecipeTin Eats: Dinner or De Sousa’s Easy Dinner Queen, combine some elements of aspirational and everyday cooking, while turning away from the extremes of food porn. Their appeal extends beyond competent instructions and dependable results.

    Maehashi’s recipes start with a pitch to the reader: Why should I make this, and why should I use this recipe? How will the dish fit into my repertoire of standbys? Her unpretentious, personable tone is reassuring for anyone developing their skills.

    The notes to the methods include helpful tips, substitutions, and explanations, avoiding technical terms. Many recipes are easy enough for rank novices, but include a wide range of cuisines and dishes that elevate the everyday cook. Her most challenging recipe is beef wellington, now infamous for its connection to the “mushroom murders”.

    As with other successful cookbook authors, Maehashi’s popularity benefits from social media crossover. She has 1.7 million Instagram followers alone.

    Is there a generational divide?

    While there is a presumption that younger readers are more likely to get their food inspiration online and older readers prefer hard copy, the desire to limit screen time and “be present” also drives print sales.

    Physical cookbooks are an antidote to the false efficiency of recipes on social media. Influencers often ask you to follow, comment and like to get their recipes. This content often ends up unread in your inbox or in a jumbled folder of saved posts and screenshots.

    Without an extra paid app, such as ReciMe, and the time to organise the content, locating that viral recipe may take longer than pulling a book off the shelf and flipping to an old favourite. Some print cookbooks, like Jerusalem, now offer access to the e-book edition, so you don’t have to lug the hard copy around the grocery store or take photos of the cookbook with your phone.

    Historically, cookbook audiences were first limited by literacy levels and the cost of purchasing books. Because of this, the first cookbooks were written by, and for, an elite audience rather than skilled professionals.

    During the 17th century, French cuisine as a distinct mode of cooking became the standard for noble households across Europe, and cookbooks for nouvelle cuisine gained popularity. Many skilled chefs, however, were illiterate and were prohibited from sharing the methods of their guilds.

    Before printing technology increased the availability of books in the early modern period, cooking and baking were reliant on oral tradition and apprenticeship to teach skills and share knowledge. Chefs working in noble households, however, were exempt from guild restrictions and revealed their trade secrets to an elite audience only.

    Tangible evidence of time and effort

    Today’s hard-copy cookbooks bear the scars of use – tangible evidence of time and effort in the kitchen, covers stained with splatters of tomato or pages stuck together with drips of pancake batter. The dirtiest, dog-eared cookbook is the one you turn to for dependable, familiar results. This contrasts with the pristine, glossy cookbook gathering dust in the front room, filled with recipes you will never make.

    Like yellowed, handwritten recipe cards from a bygone era, a physical cookbook becomes an heirloom to pass on to the next generations. Smudged with butter, dotted with red wine, and covered in annotations (too much salt!), the cookbook becomes part of family history.

    The ubiquity and convenience of digital recipes, often fleeting, has not replaced the physical cookbook as a touchstone of reliability, a cultural archive, or a guilty pleasure.The Conversation

    Garritt C. Van Dyk, Senior Lecturer in History, University of Waikato

    This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

     

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Despite clouds and fog, SpaceX successfully launches Starlink mission

    [ad_1]

    CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION — While clouds were a bit of a concern, SpaceX was able to successfully launch nearly 30 Starlink satellites atop a Falcon 9 rocket Friday morning.

    What You Need To Know

    • A Falcon 9 rocket sent up Starlink 6-108 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 Friday morning
    • This will be the 30th launch of this Falcon 9’s first-stage booster

    The Falcon 9 rocket was carrying Starlink 6-108 mission from Space Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, stated SpaceX. 

    The 7:17 a.m. liftoff was within the launch window, which opened at 4:52 a.m. ET and was set to close at 8:52 a.m. 

    The 45th Weather Squadron gave an 85% chance of good liftoff conditions, with the only concern being the cumulus cloud rule.

    Find out more about the weather criteria for a Falcon 9 launch.

    The Big 3 0!

    For this Falcon 9’s first-stage booster, called B1069, it will finally hit the big 3 0! This is one of the older first-stage boosters, with 29 missions in its resume.

    After the stage separation, the first-stage rocket is expected to land on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas that will be in the Atlantic Ocean.

    About the mission

    The 29 satellites from the Starlink company, owned by SpaceX, will be heading to low-Earth orbit to join its mechanical brothers and sisters.

    Once deployed and in their orbit, they will provide internet service to many parts of Earth.

    Dr. Jonathan McDowell, of Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, has been keeping track of Starlink satellites.

    Before this launch, McDowell recorded the following:

    • 9,826 are in orbit
    • 8,352 are in operational orbit

    [ad_2]

    Anthony Leone

    Source link

  • Pakistan’s defense minister says that there is now ‘open war’ with Afghanistan

    [ad_1]

    Pakistan’s defense minister early Friday said that his country had run out of “patience” and now considers itself in an “open war” with neighboring Afghanistan after both sides launched strikes following what Islamabad described as an Afghan cross-border attack.In a post on X, Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif said Pakistan had hoped for peace in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of NATO forces and expected the Taliban to focus on the welfare of the Afghan people and regional stability. Instead, he alleged, the Taliban had turned Afghanistan “into a colony of India,” gathered militants from around the world and begun “exporting terrorism.”Video above: Shiite Muslims take part in a rally to condemn Israeli strikes on Iran “Our patience has now run out. Now it is open war between us,” he said. There has been no reaction from Afghan government officials to Asif’s comments.Pakistan has frequently accused neighboring India of backing the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army and the Pakistani Taliban, allegations New Delhi denies.His remarks came hours after Pakistan carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, as well as in Kandahar in the south and Paktia province in the southeast, according to Pakistani officials and Afghanistan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid. Pakistan says the strikes were in retaliation for Afghan cross-border attacks.The escalation comes months after Qatar and Turkey mediated a ceasefire between the two sides.Both governments have issued sharply differing casualty claims and said they inflicted heavy losses on the other. The claims could not be independently verified.Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry said overnight that 55 Pakistani soldiers had been killed, including some whose bodies were taken into Afghanistan, and that “several others were captured alive.” It said eight Afghan soldiers were killed and 11 wounded. The ministry said it destroyed 19 Pakistani army posts and two bases and that the fighting ended around midnight, about four hours after it began Thursday.Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said two Pakistani soldiers were killed and three wounded.Mosharraf Ali Zaidi, a spokesperson for Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, denied that any Pakistani soldiers had been captured. In a post on X, he said at least 133 Afghan fighters were killed and more than 200 wounded. He also said 27 Afghan posts were destroyed and nine fighters captured. He did not specify where the casualties occurred but said additional losses were estimated in strikes on military targets in Kabul, Paktia and Kandahar.In Islamabad, two senior security officials said Afghan forces at some border posts had raised white flags, a gesture typically interpreted as a request to halt firing. The officials said Pakistani forces were continuing what they described as a strong retaliatory response to “unprovoked aggression” by the Afghan Taliban and had destroyed several key Taliban posts along the border.The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.Asif also accused the Taliban government of denying Afghans basic human rights, including rights for women that he said are guaranteed under Islam, without providing details or evidence.He said Pakistan had tried to maintain stability both directly and through friendly countries. “Today, when attempts were made to target Pakistan with aggression, by the grace of God, our armed forces are giving a decisive response,” he said.Authorities in Pakistan said dozens of Afghan refugees who were waiting to return home from the northwestern Torkham border have been taken back to safer places following the eruption of clashes.Pakistan launched a sweeping crackdown in Oct. 2023 to expel migrants without documents, urging those in the country to leave of their own accord to avoid arrest and forcible deportation and forcibly expelling others. Iran also began a crackdown on migrants at around the same time.Since then, millions have streamed across the border into Afghanistan, including people who were born in Pakistan decades ago and had built lives and created businesses there.Last year alone, 2.9 million people returned to Afghanistan, the U.N. refugee agency has said, with nearly 80,000 having returned so far this year.Afghan reported from Kabul, Afghanistan. Associated Press writers Riaz Khan and Rasool Dawar in Peshawar, Pakistan, Eduardo Castillo in Beijing and Elena Becatoros in Athens, Greece, also contributed to this story.

    ISLAMABAD, Islamabad Capital Territory —

    Pakistan’s defense minister early Friday said that his country had run out of “patience” and now considers itself in an “open war” with neighboring Afghanistan after both sides launched strikes following what Islamabad described as an Afghan cross-border attack.

    In a post on X, Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif said Pakistan had hoped for peace in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of NATO forces and expected the Taliban to focus on the welfare of the Afghan people and regional stability. Instead, he alleged, the Taliban had turned Afghanistan “into a colony of India,” gathered militants from around the world and begun “exporting terrorism.”

    Video above: Shiite Muslims take part in a rally to condemn Israeli strikes on Iran

    “Our patience has now run out. Now it is open war between us,” he said. There has been no reaction from Afghan government officials to Asif’s comments.

    Pakistan has frequently accused neighboring India of backing the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army and the Pakistani Taliban, allegations New Delhi denies.

    His remarks came hours after Pakistan carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, as well as in Kandahar in the south and Paktia province in the southeast, according to Pakistani officials and Afghanistan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid. Pakistan says the strikes were in retaliation for Afghan cross-border attacks.

    The escalation comes months after Qatar and Turkey mediated a ceasefire between the two sides.

    Both governments have issued sharply differing casualty claims and said they inflicted heavy losses on the other. The claims could not be independently verified.

    Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry said overnight that 55 Pakistani soldiers had been killed, including some whose bodies were taken into Afghanistan, and that “several others were captured alive.” It said eight Afghan soldiers were killed and 11 wounded. The ministry said it destroyed 19 Pakistani army posts and two bases and that the fighting ended around midnight, about four hours after it began Thursday.

    Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said two Pakistani soldiers were killed and three wounded.

    Mosharraf Ali Zaidi, a spokesperson for Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, denied that any Pakistani soldiers had been captured. In a post on X, he said at least 133 Afghan fighters were killed and more than 200 wounded. He also said 27 Afghan posts were destroyed and nine fighters captured. He did not specify where the casualties occurred but said additional losses were estimated in strikes on military targets in Kabul, Paktia and Kandahar.

    In Islamabad, two senior security officials said Afghan forces at some border posts had raised white flags, a gesture typically interpreted as a request to halt firing. The officials said Pakistani forces were continuing what they described as a strong retaliatory response to “unprovoked aggression” by the Afghan Taliban and had destroyed several key Taliban posts along the border.

    The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

    Asif also accused the Taliban government of denying Afghans basic human rights, including rights for women that he said are guaranteed under Islam, without providing details or evidence.

    He said Pakistan had tried to maintain stability both directly and through friendly countries. “Today, when attempts were made to target Pakistan with aggression, by the grace of God, our armed forces are giving a decisive response,” he said.

    Authorities in Pakistan said dozens of Afghan refugees who were waiting to return home from the northwestern Torkham border have been taken back to safer places following the eruption of clashes.

    Pakistan launched a sweeping crackdown in Oct. 2023 to expel migrants without documents, urging those in the country to leave of their own accord to avoid arrest and forcible deportation and forcibly expelling others. Iran also began a crackdown on migrants at around the same time.

    Since then, millions have streamed across the border into Afghanistan, including people who were born in Pakistan decades ago and had built lives and created businesses there.

    Last year alone, 2.9 million people returned to Afghanistan, the U.N. refugee agency has said, with nearly 80,000 having returned so far this year.

    Afghan reported from Kabul, Afghanistan. Associated Press writers Riaz Khan and Rasool Dawar in Peshawar, Pakistan, Eduardo Castillo in Beijing and Elena Becatoros in Athens, Greece, also contributed to this story.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Kevin Durant powers for 40 as Rockets earn comeback win at Magic

    [ad_1]

    (Photo credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images)

    Kevin Durant scored 40 points on Thursday night to help the visiting Houston Rockets rally for a 113-108 victory over the Orlando Magic.

    Reed Sheppard added 20 points and made five 3-pointers for Houston, which trailed by 19 points in the third quarter before going on a 21-0 run to help spur the comeback win. Alperen Sengun had 16 points and Jabari Smith Jr. scored 13 for the Rockets, who won their third straight game.

    Desmond Bane led Orlando with 30 points, while Paolo Banchero totaled 19 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. Wendell Carter Jr. scored 16 and Jevon Carter finished with 14 in the loss.

    Holding a 10-point halftime lead, Orlando extended the margin to 15 on Tristan da Silva’s triple at the 5:42 mark of the third. After Banchero’s four straight points extended the lead to 19, Sheppard hit three 3-pointers in the midst of a 21-0 Houston run, giving the Rockets a 78-76 edge.

    Josh Okogie finished the third with a trey to give the visitors an 81-80 lead ahead of the final quarter.

    Bane’s consecutive baskets gave Orlando a five-point cushion with 6:33 left in the fourth, before Durant’s personal 5-0 run knotted the score at 97 apiece.

    After Carter split a pair of free throws to put Orlando ahead by a point with 3:23 remaining, Sengun’s consecutive layups and Sheppard’s fourth triple gave Houston a 106-100 advantage at the 1:53 mark.

    Orlando had a chance to trim its deficit to one possession, but Anthony Black’s turnover was followed by Sheppard’s game-sealing 3-pointer with 22.7 seconds left.

    After Sheppard’s jumper gave Houston a 20-19 lead, the Magic finished the opening quarter on a 10-2 run, with Bane’s 3-pointer giving Orlando a 29-22 edge entering the second.

    The Rockets missed their first four shots from behind the arc, before Dorian Finney-Smith’s triple cut Houston’s deficit to four with 11:01 left in the first half.

    Durant’s floater pulled the Rockets within four again, but Banchero’s three-point play began an 8-0 Magic run to put them ahead 45-33.

    Bane connected on all five of his 3-point attempts in the first half, leading all scorers with 17 points. Durant scored the last eight points of the half for Houston, which trailed 53-43 at the break.

    –Field Level Media

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • A Florida airport shares it wants to ban pajamas. It was a joke, the airport says

    [ad_1]

    Tampa International Airport said on social media Thursday that it wanted to ban people from wearing pajamas at the Florida facility. No, it wasn’t being serious.A post on the airport’s official X account said that after successfully going “Crocs-free,” Tampa International had “seen enough” of pajamas.“The madness stops today. The movement starts now,” reads the post, which had been viewed 5.7 million times by mid-afternoon Eastern time and generated a debate about airport attire in the comments.Beau Zimmer, an airport spokesperson, told The Associated Press the post was part of the airport’s longstanding social media persona — a tongue-in-cheek voice it has cultivated since its early days on Twitter, before the platform rebranded as X. The account has attracted a loyal global following, he said.“Our regular social media followers just eat this stuff up,” Zimmer said. “But obviously this is all in fun, and we encourage our travelers to be comfortable.”U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy reacted to the post with a GIF of actor John Krasinski from the TV show “The Office” looking into the camera and saying, “Yes!”Duffy has been encouraging passengers to dress more formally while flying, part of a civility campaign he launched last November — called “the Golden Age of Travel Starts with You.” The Transportation Department said the campaign was “intended to jumpstart a nationwide conversation around how we can all restore courtesy and class to air travel.”The airport released a statement Thursday clarifying its post was intended as a joke.“Today’s post about ‘banning’ pajamas was another playful nod to day-of-travel fashion debates,” it said. “We encourage our passengers to travel comfortably and appreciate our loyal followers who enjoy the online humor.”Zimmer said the airport’s online personality has been around for at least a decade. In the earlier days of what was then Twitter, a young intern started posting light-hearted jokes, like poking fun at rival sports teams and fans, “and it really took off.”Earlier this month, the day after the Tampa Bay Lightning rallied from a four-goal deficit to beat the Boston Bruins 6-5 in an NHL Stadium Series game in Tampa, the airport shared on X: “Oh, and safe flight home to all the Bruins fans today :)”Last month, alluding to an ongoing joke about passengers mixing up the airport’s code of TPA with TIA, an airport in Albania, the Tampa airport shared a New Year’s resolution “to stress out less.”“Unfortunately,” the post continued, “some of y’all’s resolutions is to continue calling us TIA so we will not be meeting our goal.”One X user responded that Tampa airport should just change its code to “GOAT so people don’t get confused,” referring to the acronym for “greatest of all time.”

    Tampa International Airport said on social media Thursday that it wanted to ban people from wearing pajamas at the Florida facility. No, it wasn’t being serious.

    A post on the airport’s official X account said that after successfully going “Crocs-free,” Tampa International had “seen enough” of pajamas.

    “The madness stops today. The movement starts now,” reads the post, which had been viewed 5.7 million times by mid-afternoon Eastern time and generated a debate about airport attire in the comments.

    Beau Zimmer, an airport spokesperson, told The Associated Press the post was part of the airport’s longstanding social media persona — a tongue-in-cheek voice it has cultivated since its early days on Twitter, before the platform rebranded as X. The account has attracted a loyal global following, he said.

    “Our regular social media followers just eat this stuff up,” Zimmer said. “But obviously this is all in fun, and we encourage our travelers to be comfortable.”

    U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy reacted to the post with a GIF of actor John Krasinski from the TV show “The Office” looking into the camera and saying, “Yes!”

    Duffy has been encouraging passengers to dress more formally while flying, part of a civility campaign he launched last November — called “the Golden Age of Travel Starts with You.” The Transportation Department said the campaign was “intended to jumpstart a nationwide conversation around how we can all restore courtesy and class to air travel.”

    The airport released a statement Thursday clarifying its post was intended as a joke.

    “Today’s post about ‘banning’ pajamas was another playful nod to day-of-travel fashion debates,” it said. “We encourage our passengers to travel comfortably and appreciate our loyal followers who enjoy the online humor.”

    Zimmer said the airport’s online personality has been around for at least a decade. In the earlier days of what was then Twitter, a young intern started posting light-hearted jokes, like poking fun at rival sports teams and fans, “and it really took off.”

    Earlier this month, the day after the Tampa Bay Lightning rallied from a four-goal deficit to beat the Boston Bruins 6-5 in an NHL Stadium Series game in Tampa, the airport shared on X: “Oh, and safe flight home to all the Bruins fans today :)”

    Last month, alluding to an ongoing joke about passengers mixing up the airport’s code of TPA with TIA, an airport in Albania, the Tampa airport shared a New Year’s resolution “to stress out less.”

    “Unfortunately,” the post continued, “some of y’all’s resolutions is to continue calling us TIA so we will not be meeting our goal.”

    One X user responded that Tampa airport should just change its code to “GOAT so people don’t get confused,” referring to the acronym for “greatest of all time.”

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Trump’s immigration agenda sows fear among Central Florida tourism workers

    [ad_1]

    President Donald Trump’s mass immigrant detention and deportation agenda is creating a climate of fear and uncertainty for immigrant workers in Central Florida’s tourism workforce, including workers at the world-renowned Walt Disney World. About one-third of the nation’s hospitality industry workforce — working in hotels, airports, restaurants and theme parks, for example — is made […]

    The post Trump’s immigration agenda sows fear among Central Florida tourism workers appeared first on Orlando Weekly.

    [ad_2]

    McKenna Schueler

    Source link

  • Hayashi Tarō, an “omakase bento” concept from Lewis Lin, is coming to Mills 50

    [ad_1]

    Hayashi Tarō will move into the Royaltea space at 714 N. Mills Ave. in April and offer three different to-go omakase bento boxes.

    The post Hayashi Tarō, an “omakase bento” concept from Lewis Lin, is coming to Mills 50 appeared first on Orlando Weekly.

    [ad_2]

    Faiyaz Kara

    Source link

  • Mexico violence: What happened, FIFA’s response and what it means for the World Cup

    [ad_1]

    On Feb. 22, violence related to the killing of Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación leader Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes broke out across Mexico, leading to retaliation in the country that included torched vehicles, blockaded roads and vandalism.

    Amid the unrest that ensued after shootouts between the Mexican army and the cartel, professional soccer was impacted through postponed matches. In the men’s top flight, Liga MX‘s Querétaro vs. FC Juarez was suspended, as was women’s top-flight rivalry game Chivas vs. América.

    Could FIFA World Cup games follow?

    With the backdrop of the major tournament that will be co-hosted by Mexico this summer, as well as a group of qualifiers in late March, questions have arisen over the safety of fans who are set to soon visit the country’s tournament sites of Monterrey, Mexico City and Guadalajara.

    Since Sunday, signs suggest that order is being restored and soccer is returning. Mexico hosted Iceland in a sold-out friendly at the Estadio Corregidora on Wednesday. In front of a crowd of more than 30,000, and with no immediate reports of issues, the home side claimed a dominant 4-0 victory as they continued preparations for the World Cup.

    Nonetheless, after the recent violent scenes, apprehensions and questions remain.

    What happened in Mexico?

    Approximately two hours southwest of World Cup host city Guadalajara, Mexican forces (with help from U.S. intelligence) took part in a special operation Sunday in Jalisco that killed Oseguera Cervantes, one of the U.S. Department of State’s most wanted fugitives. More than 70 people, primarily members of the Mexican National Guard and criminal suspects, were killed during the clashes between the two groups.

    Mexico’s foreign ministry stated that no foreigners had been injured.

    Responding to the attack of their leader and as a show of force, cartel members burned vehicles, blocked roads and vandalized businesses across the country — with much of it focused in Jalisco — as locals stayed indoors for their safety.

    Some airlines issued travel advisories for airports in Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta, a city that suffered a prison riot after reports of the facility’s gates being taken down by a car. In a warning for citizens visiting or residing in the country, the U.S. embassy announced that Americans in a number of Mexican states should seek shelter.

    By Wednesday, as the turmoil dissipated, the U.S. government said that citizens should “resume standard levels of precaution,” while also noting to monitor local media for updates.

    What did local leaders and FIFA say?

    On the same day as Oseguera Cervantes’ death, those in charge of Mexican soccer postponed four matches within Liga MX, Liga MX Femenil and the men’s second-division Ascenso MX.

    Later on Monday, ESPN sources said that FIFA was requesting details about the security situation in the country. The governing body was reportedly closely following events, particularly in the Jalisco capital of Guadalajara, which will host four World Cup matches and two qualifiers in March.

    Jalisco governor Pablo Lemus brushed aside worries on Tuesday.

    “There’s absolutely no possibility. Not the two playoff matches, or the four World Cup matches,” said the governor about whether FIFA would intend to take games away from Guadalajara after speaking with an organization representative. Lemus later added, “There’s absolutely no intention on FIFA’s part to take any of Mexico’s host sites away.”

    Days after the cartel-related violence, FIFA president Gianni Infantino backed the country.

    “Of course, we are monitoring the situation in Mexico these days, but I want to say from the outset that we have complete confidence in Mexico, in its president, Claudia Sheinbaum, and in the authorities,” Infantino said. “We are convinced that everything will go as smoothly as possible.”

    Sheinbaum believes that there will be no safety issues for the summer.

    “All the guarantees, all the guarantees. There is no [security] risk,” the president said.

    As of Tuesday, an ESPN source stated that there are no updates or further information regarding a possible change of World Cup sites.

    What’s next for Mexico? Are visiting nations worried?

    At time of writing, Wednesday’s international friendly in Querétaro went smoothly with no reported safety problems. Ahead of the 4-0 win over Iceland, Mexico coach Javier Aguirre said that, despite the preceding unrest, the federation ensured that everyone would be safe in the sold-out match.

    “We’re sensitive to the current situation,” Aguirre noted before the win. “The people at the [Mexico Football Federation] have assured me that everyone will be safe.

    “We’re here. We’re very calm, relaxed, training, we talk about sports … that’s the message I can send to the fans as a football coach.”

    It was a good early sign as Mexico attempts to move on, but others, such as a couple of visiting nations next month, are keeping a close eye on what develops after the cartel violence.

    Weeks before a high-profile match in Mexico City’s historic Estadio Azteca (recently renamed Estadio Banorte), Portugal‘s federation announced that it was “closely monitoring the delicate situation currently unfolding” in the country.

    “The Portuguese Football Federation emphasizes that the safety of players, coaching staff and fans is an absolute priority, and this is the main criteria for all assessments and decisions regarding the holding of the match,” it said.

    Jamaica federation president Michael Ricketts was sincere about his own feelings heading into Guadalajara next month for interconfederation playoffs that will determine World Cup qualification.

    “The games are at the end of March, so we still have another month to see what happens; but it is making me very nervous, to be honest,” he said. “We will be listening out for Concacaf and FIFA to give us instructions [on] whether they are playing the games or whether they are immediately looking for other options.”

    At the moment, no matches have been taken away from the country and all signs currently point to Mexico and its three host cities remaining in the picture for the World Cup. But things will undoubtedly be closely monitored going forward.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Bill requiring U.S. citizenship to register to vote passed by Florida House

    [ad_1]

    Voter rights groups and Democrats say the bill will disenfranchise an unknown number of registered voters in Florida.

    The post Bill requiring U.S. citizenship to register to vote passed by Florida House appeared first on Orlando Weekly.

    [ad_2]

    Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix

    Source link

  • Grand jury recommends first-degree murder charges in Osceola County triple shooting, Worrell says

    [ad_1]

    A grand jury has recommended upgrading the charges against the suspect in January’s triple homicide of tourists in Osceola County, according to State Attorney Monique Worrell.Ahmad Bojeh, 29, was arrested after three men were found shot to death in a residential subdivision near Kissimmee.>> Watch the full news conference belowDuring a news conference Thursday, Worrell said Bojeh is now facing three counts of first-degree murder. Bojeh was previously charged with second-degree murder. However, those charges were updated after a grand jury reviewed the case and returned an indictment, according to Worrell.BackgroundDeputies with the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of gunshots around 12:14 a.m. Jan. 17.The OCSO said there were multiple 911 calls reporting several gunshots and more than one person down.Upon arrival, deputies found the three victims at the front of the property. Osceola County Fire Rescue pronounced all three dead.The initial investigation revealed that the bullet casings and unfired cartridges were consistent with .45- and .380-caliber ammunition, according to the arrest affidavit.Witnesses told deputies that the shooter ran into the house next door and was wearing all black.Deputies detained Bojeh at 298 Indian Point Circle.

    KISSIMMEE, Fla. —

    A grand jury has recommended upgrading the charges against the suspect in January’s triple homicide of tourists in Osceola County, according to State Attorney Monique Worrell.

    Ahmad Bojeh, 29, was arrested after three men were found shot to death in a residential subdivision near Kissimmee.

    >> Watch the full news conference below


    During a news conference Thursday, Worrell said Bojeh is now facing three counts of first-degree murder.

    Bojeh was previously charged with second-degree murder. However, those charges were updated after a grand jury reviewed the case and returned an indictment, according to Worrell.

    Background

    Deputies with the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of gunshots around 12:14 a.m. Jan. 17.

    The OCSO said there were multiple 911 calls reporting several gunshots and more than one person down.

    Upon arrival, deputies found the three victims at the front of the property. Osceola County Fire Rescue pronounced all three dead.

    The initial investigation revealed that the bullet casings and unfired cartridges were consistent with .45- and .380-caliber ammunition, according to the arrest affidavit.

    Witnesses told deputies that the shooter ran into the house next door and was wearing all black.

    Deputies detained Bojeh at 298 Indian Point Circle.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Barry Moore op-ed: SAVE America Act crushes radical Democrats’ plot to rig the ballot box

    [ad_1]

    Alabama families understand something that too many in Washington refuse to admit – if we don’t have secure elections, we don’t have a secure Republic.

    This is why the SAVE America Act is so urgently needed, and why it builds on the commonsense principles in the SAVE Act.

    The SAVE Act focused on the straightforward, foundational truth that only American citizens should vote in American elections. It requires proof of citizenship to register and directs states to clean up voter rolls. That’s not controversial here in Alabama, it’s common sense. Voting in U.S. elections is a sacred right. It should only belong to U.S. citizens.

    The SAVE America Act takes that same principle and strengthens it. Under the Biden Administration, millions of illegal aliens crossed our southern border, and many blue states issued driver’s licenses and other government benefits to those illegals. This created loopholes that we cannot afford to have in our electoral system. The SAVE America Act closes those loopholes. It ensures federal agencies are working with states to verify citizenship, strengthens safeguards against improper registration, and restores confidence that our elections are conducted lawfully.

    Democrats in Washington act like asking for proof of citizenship is extreme – it isn’t. We all need identification to board a plane, open a bank account, or even buy certain medications. Requiring proof of citizenship to vote in a federal election is the bare minimum we should expect.

    American citizens deserve to know that their vote won’t be diluted or canceled out by someone who is here illegally. The SAVE America Act affirms that our elections are for Americans alone. It protects the integrity of our ballot box just as the SAVE Act sought to do, with even stronger enforcement and clearer accountability.

    At the end of the day, this legislation has nothing to do with politics. It’s about preserving trust in our system of government. Without trust in our elections, everything else unravels.

    The SAVE America Act protects the voice of every lawful voter and defends the foundation of our constitutional Republic.

    The House has done its job and passed both pieces of legislation to secure our elections, now the Senate must act and pass the SAVE America Act.

    Barry Moore represents Alabama’s 1st Congressional District. Born and raised on a family farm in Coffee County, he is a small business owner and veteran who served in the Alabama National Guard and Reserves. He is also a candidate for U.S. Senate in 2026. 

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Planets on parade: Rare 6 planets line up in the sky

    [ad_1]

    Coming up on the last evening of February, Mother Nature will treat us to another astronomical phenomenon known as “planets on parade.” 

    What You Need To Know

    • Six planets will align on the evening of Feb. 28

    • Planets lining up happens a couples times per year

    • Two of the six planets can only be seen through binoculars or a small telescope


    It’s nicknamed as such because several planets appear to form a fairly straight line in the early evening sky. However, Spectrum News Space Expert Anthony Leone says it’s all about perspective. “In reality (and out in space), they are not lined up. It only appears that way to us.”

    This ‘parade’ is unique because six planets (Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune) will align. He recommends looking west to southwest 30 to 60 minutes after sunset and finding a location with minimal light pollution for optimal viewing. The earlier the better, as Mercury will dip below the horizon not long after sunset. Jupiter will appear as a bright star to the east of the waxing gibbous moon.

    And make sure you bring binoculars or a telescope. “With the naked eye, you can see planets Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn as stars,” Leone says. “The more distant planets like Uranus and Neptune will need binoculars or a telescope to view.”

    Adding, “Free astronomy apps like ‘Sky Guide,’ ‘Planets’ and ‘SkyPortal’ are great at helping people see when and where the planets will rise.” 

     

    How frequently does this event occur?

    “Believe it or not, planet alignments are not too rare, and they happen a couple of times each year. It just depends on how many planets will be in alignment for a parade,” explains Leone. 

    If the weather doesn’t permit you to view this February, there will be another opportunity in August. The next one will be Aug. 12 with Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune all aligning.

    Happy viewing everyone!

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

    [ad_2]

    Meteorologist Scott Dean

    Source link

  • Bill and Hillary Clinton face House showdown over Epstein ties

    [ad_1]

    For some of their conservative critics, this is the scandal that could finally topple them. Their resistance to testifying proved futile. And now, staring down another epic fight, they’re harnessing their considerable political skills to try to turn the tables on their accusers.For Bill and Hillary Clinton, the 1990s are back.The Clintons are slated to testify Thursday and Friday in a House investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, part of a deal with Republicans after it became clear that Congress — with the help of some Democrats — was on track to hold them in contempt if they refused to cooperate. For the battle-hardened couple, it amounts to one more Washington brawl. And like so many of the battles that came before, this one is another mix of questionable judgment, sexual impropriety, money and power.Video above: Justice Department releases more than 3 million items in final batch of Epstein filesDuring his 1992 campaign, Bill Clinton pitched his candidacy as “two for the price of one,” previewing a presidential marriage like none that had come before, with a spouse whose professional credentials rivaled his. In the years since, that partnership helped the Clintons weather repeated scandals, including those so personal that many other relationships would have shattered. When his political career was ending, hers was ascending when she was elected to the U.S. Senate from New York, then served as secretary of state before becoming the Democratic nominee for president in 2016.For those who have long watched the Clintons, this moment is a reminder that the couple — weaned on the politics of the Vietnam War and Watergate — has never been far from the heat of a cultural fight. And with the Epstein case unfolding unpredictably around the world, the Clintons are once again ensnared in the scandal of the moment.“It’s kind of a sad but fitting coda to extraordinary political lives,” said David Maraniss, who has written two biographies of Bill Clinton.There’s no evidence of wrongdoing on the part of either Clinton when it comes to Epstein, a convicted sex offender who committed suicide in 2019 while he was in jail awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.But Epstein had ties to Bill Clinton for years, visiting the White House multiple times in the 1990s, according to visitor logs. After Clinton left office, Epstein was involved in his philanthropy and the former president flew multiple times on his private jet.“Traveling on Epstein’s plane was not worth the years of questioning afterward,” Bill Clinton wrote in his 2024 memoir. “I wish I had never met him.”Bill Clinton’s ties to EpsteinBy last summer, the Republican-controlled House Oversight Committee issued subpoenas for the Clintons. For months, Bill Clinton, 79, and Hillary Clinton, 78, largely ignored the matter in public, but that became harder to sustain in December when the former president was featured prominently in the first batch of Epstein files.Among thousands of documents made public, some photos showed him on a private plane, including one with a woman, whose face is redacted, seated alongside him with her arm around him. Another showed Bill Clinton in a pool with Epstein’s longtime confidant, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, and a person whose face was redacted. Yet another photo portrayed Bill Clinton in a hot tub with a woman whose face was redacted.The oversight panel’s chairman, Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, threatened to hold the Clintons in contempt if they didn’t comply with the subpoenas, a historic move considering a former president has never been compelled to appear before Congress. Between his first and second terms, Donald Trump invoked that precedent to fend off a subpoena from the committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.While there was no context surrounding the photos of Bill Clinton, they underscored how his political promise has always been tempered by personal indiscretions.The 1992 campaign that represented the emerging preeminence of the Baby Boom generation was the same one dogged by rumors of an affair with Gennifer Flowers. A presidency largely defined by economic prosperity was nearly derailed when Clinton was impeached in 1998 for lying under oath and obstructing justice when he denied engaging in a sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky.Each time, many Republicans thought they finally found leverage over the Clintons. But each time, the Clintons found a way out of the vise.Asa Hutchinson, the former Republican congressman from Arkansas who was a House manager during Clinton’s impeachment trial, described the couple as “a smart lawyer and brilliant communicator.”The Clinton playbook: fight back fiercelyAs each crisis surfaced, a pattern emerged: the Clintons fiercely denied the allegations and often dismissed women who came forward with claims. They villainized the GOP and re-centered the public’s attention on more favorable themes like the booming economy of the era.Bill Clinton, who famously told voters “I feel your pain,” always managed to stay connected with the public. Indeed, he enjoyed some of the highest approval numbers of his presidency during his impeachment inquiry and trial, when about 7 in 10 U.S. adults approved of the way he was handling his job.Hillary Clinton similarly dispatched Republicans who sensed an opening in her handling of a 2012 attack on a compound in Libya that killed four Americans. She came out of an 11-hour televised congressional hearing in 2015 appearing poised. Even the Republican chair of the committee probing the attack said he wasn’t sure she revealed anything new about an issue many in his party considered a scandal.That experience has informed how the Clintons are approaching this week’s testimony. Hillary Clinton has been especially vocal in calling for the proceedings to happen in public, rather than in private as Comer currently plans.“We have nothing to hide,” she told the BBC earlier this month.Bill Clinton’s communication operation has taken a sharper tone, recalling the political “war room” popularized during the 1992 campaign to respond to negative storylines.One release accused Comer of “lying in every appearance he’s made this week.” Another mocked GOP Reps. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania and Andy Biggs of Arizona with a “hypocrisy award of the day,” noting how the Oversight Committee members defied subpoenas from the Jan. 6 panel.Meanwhile, the Clintons released a four-page letter to Comer on social media defiantly belittling a process they said was “literally designed to result in our imprisonment.”Much as they tried to refocus attention during the 1990s, the letter hit the White House for dismantling institutions, imposing a harsh immigration crackdown and pardoning those involved in the Capitol riot.Conservative attacks on the ClintonsThe Clintons’ rise to power paralleled the explosion of talk radio as a political force, with Rush Limbaugh using his daily show as a platform to constantly berate the White House. Today, conservative podcasters like Benny Johnson have filled Limbaugh’s space and were gleeful after the House panel moved last month to hold the couple in contempt.“Do you understand Donald Trump made good on his oldest promise arguably which is he told all of us 10 years ago that Hillary Clinton would be going to jail?” Johnson said last month.Still, some dynamics have changed.The lockstep support the Clintons enjoyed among congressional Democrats has eroded as a new generation of lawmakers has taken office — nine Democrats joined with Republicans on the House committee to advance the contempt resolution. Trump, who has faced scrutiny over his own ties to Epstein and may be uncomfortable with the precedent of forcing a former president to testify, has expressed rare concern for the Clintons.He told NBC News that it “bothers me that somebody is going after Bill Clinton.” He has described Hillary Clinton as a “very capable woman.”Even Hutchinson, who helped make the case for Bill Clinton’s impeachment, expressed sympathy for the couple.“It’s frustrating and disappointing that President Clinton and Secretary Clinton are having to go through this fact-finding ordeal,” he said. “That’s difficult for them.”

    WASHINGTON —

    For some of their conservative critics, this is the scandal that could finally topple them. Their resistance to testifying proved futile. And now, staring down another epic fight, they’re harnessing their considerable political skills to try to turn the tables on their accusers.

    For Bill and Hillary Clinton, the 1990s are back.

    The Clintons are slated to testify Thursday and Friday in a House investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, part of a deal with Republicans after it became clear that Congress — with the help of some Democrats — was on track to hold them in contempt if they refused to cooperate. For the battle-hardened couple, it amounts to one more Washington brawl. And like so many of the battles that came before, this one is another mix of questionable judgment, sexual impropriety, money and power.

    Video above: Justice Department releases more than 3 million items in final batch of Epstein files

    During his 1992 campaign, Bill Clinton pitched his candidacy as “two for the price of one,” previewing a presidential marriage like none that had come before, with a spouse whose professional credentials rivaled his. In the years since, that partnership helped the Clintons weather repeated scandals, including those so personal that many other relationships would have shattered. When his political career was ending, hers was ascending when she was elected to the U.S. Senate from New York, then served as secretary of state before becoming the Democratic nominee for president in 2016.

    For those who have long watched the Clintons, this moment is a reminder that the couple — weaned on the politics of the Vietnam War and Watergate — has never been far from the heat of a cultural fight. And with the Epstein case unfolding unpredictably around the world, the Clintons are once again ensnared in the scandal of the moment.

    “It’s kind of a sad but fitting coda to extraordinary political lives,” said David Maraniss, who has written two biographies of Bill Clinton.

    There’s no evidence of wrongdoing on the part of either Clinton when it comes to Epstein, a convicted sex offender who committed suicide in 2019 while he was in jail awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

    But Epstein had ties to Bill Clinton for years, visiting the White House multiple times in the 1990s, according to visitor logs. After Clinton left office, Epstein was involved in his philanthropy and the former president flew multiple times on his private jet.

    “Traveling on Epstein’s plane was not worth the years of questioning afterward,” Bill Clinton wrote in his 2024 memoir. “I wish I had never met him.”

    Bill Clinton’s ties to Epstein

    By last summer, the Republican-controlled House Oversight Committee issued subpoenas for the Clintons. For months, Bill Clinton, 79, and Hillary Clinton, 78, largely ignored the matter in public, but that became harder to sustain in December when the former president was featured prominently in the first batch of Epstein files.

    Among thousands of documents made public, some photos showed him on a private plane, including one with a woman, whose face is redacted, seated alongside him with her arm around him. Another showed Bill Clinton in a pool with Epstein’s longtime confidant, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, and a person whose face was redacted. Yet another photo portrayed Bill Clinton in a hot tub with a woman whose face was redacted.

    The oversight panel’s chairman, Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, threatened to hold the Clintons in contempt if they didn’t comply with the subpoenas, a historic move considering a former president has never been compelled to appear before Congress. Between his first and second terms, Donald Trump invoked that precedent to fend off a subpoena from the committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

    While there was no context surrounding the photos of Bill Clinton, they underscored how his political promise has always been tempered by personal indiscretions.

    The 1992 campaign that represented the emerging preeminence of the Baby Boom generation was the same one dogged by rumors of an affair with Gennifer Flowers. A presidency largely defined by economic prosperity was nearly derailed when Clinton was impeached in 1998 for lying under oath and obstructing justice when he denied engaging in a sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky.

    Each time, many Republicans thought they finally found leverage over the Clintons. But each time, the Clintons found a way out of the vise.

    Asa Hutchinson, the former Republican congressman from Arkansas who was a House manager during Clinton’s impeachment trial, described the couple as “a smart lawyer and brilliant communicator.”

    The Clinton playbook: fight back fiercely

    As each crisis surfaced, a pattern emerged: the Clintons fiercely denied the allegations and often dismissed women who came forward with claims. They villainized the GOP and re-centered the public’s attention on more favorable themes like the booming economy of the era.

    Bill Clinton, who famously told voters “I feel your pain,” always managed to stay connected with the public. Indeed, he enjoyed some of the highest approval numbers of his presidency during his impeachment inquiry and trial, when about 7 in 10 U.S. adults approved of the way he was handling his job.

    Hillary Clinton similarly dispatched Republicans who sensed an opening in her handling of a 2012 attack on a compound in Libya that killed four Americans. She came out of an 11-hour televised congressional hearing in 2015 appearing poised. Even the Republican chair of the committee probing the attack said he wasn’t sure she revealed anything new about an issue many in his party considered a scandal.

    That experience has informed how the Clintons are approaching this week’s testimony. Hillary Clinton has been especially vocal in calling for the proceedings to happen in public, rather than in private as Comer currently plans.

    “We have nothing to hide,” she told the BBC earlier this month.

    Bill Clinton’s communication operation has taken a sharper tone, recalling the political “war room” popularized during the 1992 campaign to respond to negative storylines.

    One release accused Comer of “lying in every appearance he’s made this week.” Another mocked GOP Reps. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania and Andy Biggs of Arizona with a “hypocrisy award of the day,” noting how the Oversight Committee members defied subpoenas from the Jan. 6 panel.

    Meanwhile, the Clintons released a four-page letter to Comer on social media defiantly belittling a process they said was “literally designed to result in our imprisonment.”

    Much as they tried to refocus attention during the 1990s, the letter hit the White House for dismantling institutions, imposing a harsh immigration crackdown and pardoning those involved in the Capitol riot.

    Conservative attacks on the Clintons

    The Clintons’ rise to power paralleled the explosion of talk radio as a political force, with Rush Limbaugh using his daily show as a platform to constantly berate the White House. Today, conservative podcasters like Benny Johnson have filled Limbaugh’s space and were gleeful after the House panel moved last month to hold the couple in contempt.

    “Do you understand Donald Trump made good on his oldest promise arguably which is he told all of us 10 years ago that Hillary Clinton would be going to jail?” Johnson said last month.

    Still, some dynamics have changed.

    The lockstep support the Clintons enjoyed among congressional Democrats has eroded as a new generation of lawmakers has taken office — nine Democrats joined with Republicans on the House committee to advance the contempt resolution. Trump, who has faced scrutiny over his own ties to Epstein and may be uncomfortable with the precedent of forcing a former president to testify, has expressed rare concern for the Clintons.

    He told NBC News that it “bothers me that somebody is going after Bill Clinton.” He has described Hillary Clinton as a “very capable woman.”

    Even Hutchinson, who helped make the case for Bill Clinton’s impeachment, expressed sympathy for the couple.

    “It’s frustrating and disappointing that President Clinton and Secretary Clinton are having to go through this fact-finding ordeal,” he said. “That’s difficult for them.”

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Women’s Top 25 roundup: No. 8 Michigan downs No. 13 Ohio State in OT

    [ad_1]

    (Photo credit: Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

    Olivia Olson scored a career-high 31 points and hit the game-winning jumper as No. 8 Michigan edged No. 13 Ohio State 88-86 in overtime in a Big Ten classic in Columbus, Ohio.

    Olson also had nine rebounds while Syla Swords added 22 points for the Wolverines (23-5, 14-3 Big Ten), who moved ahead of Iowa for second place in the conference behind UCLA.

    Swords’ 3-pointer with 10 seconds left in regulation seemed to decide it, but a foul by Brooke Daniels with no time left saved the Buckeyes. Jaloni Cambridge (22 points) sank three straight free throws to force the extra session.

    Ohio State (23-6, 12-5) then forged an eight-point lead with 1:40 left in overtime before the Wolverines came all the way back. Macy Brown scored eight straight for Michigan, including two triples, to tie it 86-all with 15 seconds remaining and set up Olson’s game-winner.

    No. 11 TCU 83, Cincinnati 70

    Marta Suarez exploded for a career-best 32 points and added nine rebounds and four steals as the Big 12-leading Horned Frogs controlled the host Bearcats.

    With her team trailing 29-23 at half, Suarez went to work, scoring 15 in the third quarter and 11 in the fourth as TCU (26-4, 14-3) outscored Cincinnati 60-41 over that stretch. Donovyn Hunter added 16, Olivia Miles had 15 and Kennedy Basham grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.

    Mya Perry scored 27 points and Caliyah DeVillasee added 20 for Cincinnati (11-18, 6-11).

    No. 14 Maryland 79, Northwestern 57

    Oluchi Okananwa scored 25 points and the Terrapins never trailed in a comfortable Big Ten win over the Wildcats in College Park, Md.

    Maryland (23-6, 11-6) forced 21 turnovers, turning those into 24 points in a game played primarily in the paint. The Terrapins outscored their opponent 54-38 down low.

    Northwestern (8-20, 2-15) had a lone double-digit scorer, Grace Sullivan, who had 23. Maryland countered with Okananwa, Yarden Garzon (11), Addi Mack (10) and Kyndal Walker (10).

    No. 17 West Virginia 74, UCF 62

    A dominant 31-9 third quarter propelled the Mountaineers past the Knights in Orlando, Fla.

    West Virginia (23-6, 13-4) shot 13 of 17 from the field in the third period, including a perfect 3 of 3 from 3-point range, in seizing a 56-36 advantage going into the fourth.

    Gia Cooke led the Mountaineers with 19 points. Jordan Harrison added 16. UCF (10-18, 2-15) was paced by Khyala Ngodu’s 21 points and Kristol Ayson’s 12.

    Kansas 68, No. 20 Texas Tech 59

    S’Mya Nichols notched 19 points by going 15 of 17 at the free-throw line, and the Jayhawks upset the Lady Raiders in Lawrence, Kan.

    The teams were tied with 3:29 to play, before Kansas (18-11, 8-9) outscored Texas Tech 12-3 down the stretch. Reserve Laia Conesa topped things off with the final five points on a 3-pointer and two made free throws.

    Texas Tech (24-6, 11-6) was outscored 24-5 at the charity stripe. Sarengbe Sanogo was the team’s top scorer with 16 points.

    –Field Level Media

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • 4 killed, 6 injured: Florida attorney general investigating deadly incident in Cuba

    [ad_1]

    Cuba’s government has accused a group of armed Cubans living in the U.S. of attempting to infiltrate the island and unleash terrorism, following a deadly shootout near Cayos Falcones.The Cuban Embassy in the United States announced that its personnel engaged a speedboat registered in Florida when the boat entered Cuban territorial waters located a little more than 100 miles southeast of Marathon and east of Havana.Speedboat registered in FloridaThe Cuban Ministry of the Interior announced on social media Wednesday afternoon that on Wednesday morning, a speedboat with a Florida registration number of FL7726SH entered Cuban territorial waters.The speedboat approached one nautical mile northeast of the El Pino channel, in Cayos Falcones, Corralillo municipality, Villa Clara province.According to Cuba’s Ministry of the Interior, when border guard troops approached the boat, the crew opened fire, prompting the soldiers to return fire, resulting in four deaths and six injuries.The Cuban government claims to have seized assault rifles, handguns, explosive devices, and Molotov cocktails from the boat.Public records indicate that the boat’s owner resides in Miami Lakes.Men identifying themselves as FBI agents were seen approaching the home and speaking with residents through a Ring camera, as reported by a sister station in Miami. “In the face of current challenges, Cuba reaffirms its determination to protect its territorial waters, based on the principle that national defense is a fundamental pillar of the Cuban State in safeguarding its sovereignty and ensuring stability in the region,” the Cuban Ministry of the Interior said in a statement. “Investigations by the competent authorities continue in order to fully clarify the events.”Florida leaders and representatives respondRick Scott took to X and said a full investigation into this deeply concerning situation was needed. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier stated on X that he’s directed the Office of Statewide Prosecution to work with the federal, state and law enforcement partners to begin an investigation. “The Cuban government cannot be trusted, and we will do everything in our power to hold these communists accountable,” Uthmeier said.

    Cuba’s government has accused a group of armed Cubans living in the U.S. of attempting to infiltrate the island and unleash terrorism, following a deadly shootout near Cayos Falcones.

    The Cuban Embassy in the United States announced that its personnel engaged a speedboat registered in Florida when the boat entered Cuban territorial waters located a little more than 100 miles southeast of Marathon and east of Havana.

    Speedboat registered in Florida

    The Cuban Ministry of the Interior announced on social media Wednesday afternoon that on Wednesday morning, a speedboat with a Florida registration number of FL7726SH entered Cuban territorial waters.

    The speedboat approached one nautical mile northeast of the El Pino channel, in Cayos Falcones, Corralillo municipality, Villa Clara province.

    According to Cuba’s Ministry of the Interior, when border guard troops approached the boat, the crew opened fire, prompting the soldiers to return fire, resulting in four deaths and six injuries.

    The Cuban government claims to have seized assault rifles, handguns, explosive devices, and Molotov cocktails from the boat.

    Public records indicate that the boat’s owner resides in Miami Lakes.

    Men identifying themselves as FBI agents were seen approaching the home and speaking with residents through a Ring camera, as reported by a sister station in Miami.

    This content is imported from Twitter.
    You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

    “In the face of current challenges, Cuba reaffirms its determination to protect its territorial waters, based on the principle that national defense is a fundamental pillar of the Cuban State in safeguarding its sovereignty and ensuring stability in the region,” the Cuban Ministry of the Interior said in a statement. “Investigations by the competent authorities continue in order to fully clarify the events.”

    Florida leaders and representatives respond

    This content is imported from Twitter.
    You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

    Rick Scott took to X and said a full investigation into this deeply concerning situation was needed.

    This content is imported from Twitter.
    You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

    Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier stated on X that he’s directed the Office of Statewide Prosecution to work with the federal, state and law enforcement partners to begin an investigation.

    “The Cuban government cannot be trusted, and we will do everything in our power to hold these communists accountable,” Uthmeier said.

    This content is imported from Twitter.
    You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Tires slashed on 7 NYPD Strategic Response Group cruisers

    [ad_1]

    By Thomas Tracy
    New York Daily News

    NEW YORK — Seven cop cars used by the NYPD’s controversial Strategic Response Group — the heavily-armed police task force Mayor Mamdani has vowed to disband — were had their tires slashed while parked in Brooklyn, police said Wednesday.

    The vandalism was discovered outside a Strategic Response Group unit’s headquarters on Coney Island Ave. near Caton Ave. in Kensington about 4:30 p.m. Monday, police said.

    | WEBINAR: How school safety technology reaches law enforcement

    Nine tires on seven marked vehicles were slashed or punctured, police said. The damage was found as Monday’s historic blizzard that brought some 20 inches of snow to the city was winding down.

    Cops are scouring the area looking for surveillance footage that could help them identify the vandal.

    During his campaign for mayor, Mamdani promised to disband the Strategic Response Group, which is routinely called in to handle large protests and has been accused of excessive force at rallies.

    After becoming mayor, he renewed his vow to rid the city of these teams.

    “We need to disband the SRG, and I’m currently in conversations with the police commissioner about the ways in which we can do so that are operational,” Mamdani told reporters in late January.

    The squad, which was created by former NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton in 2015 to respond to large-scale emergencies that local precinct cops couldn’t handle.

    The man went on the run after killing a Christian County deputy; when he was located by law enforcement, he opened fire, killing another deputy and igniting the shootout that led to his own death

    February 24, 2026 10:22 AM

    Screenshot 2026-02-25 105226.png

    Trooper Bailey Martin was outside her cruiser when an SUV attempted to make a right turn at high speed; the driver missed the turn and crashed into Martin and her cruiser

    February 25, 2026 11:24 AM

     · 

    Screenshot 2026-02-24 095434.png

    Cops were responding to 911 calls of a large disorderly crowd inside Manhattan’s Washington Square Park when people began throwing snowballs at them

    February 24, 2026 09:59 AM

    Election 2026 House New Jersey

    The lawsuit challenges Gov. Mikie Sherrill ’s Feb. 11 executive order barring federal agents from making arrests in nonpublic areas of state property

    February 24, 2026 03:15 PM

    ©2026 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

    908 devices

    New mission mode provides simpler and more intuitive sampling of hazardous vapors

    February 19, 2026 02:56 PM

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Leiah in downtown Orlando combines tasting menu elegance with gastropub comfort

    [ad_1]

    Leiah in downtown Orlando offers à la carte selections alongside four-, six- and eight-course tasting menus.

    The post Leiah in downtown Orlando combines tasting menu elegance with gastropub comfort appeared first on Orlando Weekly.

    [ad_2]

    Faiyaz Kara

    Source link

  • Bills up in Legislature could make Floridians target of secret surveillance and potential arrest

    [ad_1]

    Floridians could find themselves the target of secretive government surveillance and potential arrest under legislation quietly moving through the 2026 legislative session.

    The post Bills up in Legislature could make Floridians target of secret surveillance and potential arrest appeared first on Orlando Weekly.

    [ad_2]

    Michelle DeMarco, Florida Trident

    Source link

  • Dolly Parton wants to take you to Dollywood, Orlando

    [ad_1]

    A first-of-its-kind specialty flight will take passengers from Orlando to the Dolly Parton-infused amusement park later this year. 

    The post Dolly Parton wants to take you to Dollywood, Orlando appeared first on Orlando Weekly.

    [ad_2]

    Mia Schaeperkoetter and Matthew Moyer

    Source link

  • Trump makes the case for his foreign policy approach at State of the Union

    [ad_1]

    President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address tilted heavily on domestic issues, but he also made the case for his foreign policy efforts to Americans who are increasingly uneasy about his priorities.The president cheered brokering a fragile ceasefire deal in Gaza and his team’s bringing home hostages taken by Hamas militants, capturing autocratic leader Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela and pressing fellow NATO members to increase defense spending among his biggest wins. He also warned Iran anew as he builds up U.S. forces in the region and weighs whether to carry out new military action against Tehran.At a moment when polls show the American public increasingly concerned about the economy, Trump’s assignment Tuesday evening also was to cut through thickening skepticism that he’s staying true to his “America First” philosophy after a year in which his focus was often far from home. It’s a wariness shared by some who once counted themselves among Trump’s closest allies.But Trump attempted to make the case that he’s taking the right approach balancing domestic policy concerns while using America’s military might when needed.”As president, I will make peace wherever I can, but I will never hesitate to confront threats to America wherever we must,” Trump said.Sixty-one percent of U.S. adults said they disapprove of how Trump is handling foreign policy, while 56% say Trump has “gone too far” in using the U.S. military to intervene in other countries, according to surveys from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research conducted earlier this month and in January.Here are a few moments where Trump sought to explain his foreign policy approach 13 months into his second term:Why he is talking about attacking Iran againTrump explained to Americans why he’s pondering military action, just eight months after he claimed that U.S. strikes had “obliterated” three critical Iranian nuclear facilities and left “the bully of the Middle East” with no choice but to make peace.”We wiped it out and they want to start all over again. And they’re at this moment again pursuing their sinister ambitions,” Trump said. “We are in negotiations with them. They want to make a deal, but we haven’t heard those secret words: We will never have a nuclear weapon.”Earlier Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X: “Our fundamental convictions are crystal clear: Iran will under no circumstances ever develop a nuclear weapon.”Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are scheduled to meet again Thursday in Geneva with Iranian officials.But the pathway to a deal seems murky as the authoritarian clerics who rule Iran say they will only discuss the nuclear issue. The U.S. and Israel also want to address Iran’s ballistic missile program and its support for regional armed proxies, including Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis.Trump struggles to end the war in UkraineTuesday also marked the four-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.On the campaign trail, Trump boasted that he would be able to end the war in one day, but he has struggled to fulfill his pledge.He made scant mention of the war in his record-setting 108-minute speech.”The killing and slaughter between Russia and Ukraine, where 25,000 soldiers are dying each and every month,” Trump said, reiterating that he’s working to end the war.Russian and Ukrainian officials are negotiating in U.S.-mediated talks but are at loggerheads over key issues, including Russian demands that Kyiv concede Ukrainian territory still in its control and who will get the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the biggest in Europe.Trump appears eager for a peace deal before the U.S. midterm elections despite the challenges. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the White House has set a June deadline for the war’s end and will likely pressure both sides to meet it.Video below: Catch up on the State of the Union address in 60 secondsAnother victory lap on Maduro and focus on Western HemisphereTrump again celebrated last month’s capture of the Venezuelan leader in an audacious military operation, saying the U.S. “just received from our new friend and partner, Venezuela, more than 80 million barrels of oil.” The Trump administration had previously said it was orchestrating the effort to sell a total of about 30 to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil that had been stranded by a partial blockade imposed by the administration.Trump paid tribute to a helicopter pilot who was wounded in the operation but still managed to carry out the mission and paused to award him the Congressional Medal of Honor.He also introduced a former political prisoner, Enrique Márquez, who was freed by the Venezuelan government last month following the U.S. operation. He was a presidential candidate in the 2024 election and a former member of the National Electoral Council.”This was an absolutely colossal victory for the security of the United States,” Trump boasted.Trump’s action against Maduro, coupled with an increasingly aggressive posture in the Western Hemisphere aimed at eliminating drug trafficking and illegal migration, are a concern for many in the region — although they also have won support from some smaller countries.Trump has likened the strategy to the Monroe Doctrine, with its rejection of outside influences and assertion of U.S. primacy throughout what the administration considers to be “America’s backyard.”U.S. forces, under Trump’s orders, have carried out dozens of military strikes on alleged drug-running vessels in the Caribbean, seized sanctioned oil tankers and tightened the embargo of Cuba as part of what the president is referring to as the “Donroe Doctrine.””We’re also restoring American security and dominance in the Western Hemisphere, acting to secure our national interests and defend our country from violence, drugs, terrorism and foreign interference,” Trump said.Tariff strategy following Supreme Court rulingThe president ahead of the address ridiculed the six justices, including two conservatives he appointed in his first term, who last week struck down his use of a 1977 legal authority he had cited for most of the tariff hikes he imposed over the past year on friends and foes alike.In his speech, he took a more measured tone, calling the decision “an unfortunate ruling from the United States Supreme Court.”Trump on Monday threatened countries around the world to abide by any tariff deals they have already agreed to.Any country that wants to “play games” with the Supreme Court decision, Trump posted on social media, will be met with “a much higher Tariff, and worse, than that which they just recently agreed to.””The good news is almost all countries and corporations want to keep the deal that they already made,” Trump said Tuesday. He added, “The legal power that I, as president, have to make a new deal could be far worse for them and therefore they will continue to work along the same successful path we had negotiated before the Supreme Court’s unfortunate involvement.”___Associated Press writers Regina Garcia Cano in Caracas, Venezuela, and Colin Binkley, Jonathan J. Cooper and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed reporting

    WASHINGTON —

    President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address tilted heavily on domestic issues, but he also made the case for his foreign policy efforts to Americans who are increasingly uneasy about his priorities.

    The president cheered brokering a fragile ceasefire deal in Gaza and his team’s bringing home hostages taken by Hamas militants, capturing autocratic leader Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela and pressing fellow NATO members to increase defense spending among his biggest wins. He also warned Iran anew as he builds up U.S. forces in the region and weighs whether to carry out new military action against Tehran.

    At a moment when polls show the American public increasingly concerned about the economy, Trump’s assignment Tuesday evening also was to cut through thickening skepticism that he’s staying true to his “America First” philosophy after a year in which his focus was often far from home. It’s a wariness shared by some who once counted themselves among Trump’s closest allies.

    But Trump attempted to make the case that he’s taking the right approach balancing domestic policy concerns while using America’s military might when needed.

    “As president, I will make peace wherever I can, but I will never hesitate to confront threats to America wherever we must,” Trump said.

    Sixty-one percent of U.S. adults said they disapprove of how Trump is handling foreign policy, while 56% say Trump has “gone too far” in using the U.S. military to intervene in other countries, according to surveys from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research conducted earlier this month and in January.

    Here are a few moments where Trump sought to explain his foreign policy approach 13 months into his second term:

    Why he is talking about attacking Iran again

    Trump explained to Americans why he’s pondering military action, just eight months after he claimed that U.S. strikes had “obliterated” three critical Iranian nuclear facilities and left “the bully of the Middle East” with no choice but to make peace.

    “We wiped it out and they want to start all over again. And they’re at this moment again pursuing their sinister ambitions,” Trump said. “We are in negotiations with them. They want to make a deal, but we haven’t heard those secret words: We will never have a nuclear weapon.”

    Earlier Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X: “Our fundamental convictions are crystal clear: Iran will under no circumstances ever develop a nuclear weapon.”

    Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are scheduled to meet again Thursday in Geneva with Iranian officials.

    But the pathway to a deal seems murky as the authoritarian clerics who rule Iran say they will only discuss the nuclear issue. The U.S. and Israel also want to address Iran’s ballistic missile program and its support for regional armed proxies, including Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis.

    Trump struggles to end the war in Ukraine

    Tuesday also marked the four-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    On the campaign trail, Trump boasted that he would be able to end the war in one day, but he has struggled to fulfill his pledge.

    He made scant mention of the war in his record-setting 108-minute speech.

    “The killing and slaughter between Russia and Ukraine, where 25,000 soldiers are dying each and every month,” Trump said, reiterating that he’s working to end the war.

    Russian and Ukrainian officials are negotiating in U.S.-mediated talks but are at loggerheads over key issues, including Russian demands that Kyiv concede Ukrainian territory still in its control and who will get the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the biggest in Europe.

    Trump appears eager for a peace deal before the U.S. midterm elections despite the challenges. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the White House has set a June deadline for the war’s end and will likely pressure both sides to meet it.

    Video below: Catch up on the State of the Union address in 60 seconds

    Another victory lap on Maduro and focus on Western Hemisphere

    Trump again celebrated last month’s capture of the Venezuelan leader in an audacious military operation, saying the U.S. “just received from our new friend and partner, Venezuela, more than 80 million barrels of oil.” The Trump administration had previously said it was orchestrating the effort to sell a total of about 30 to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil that had been stranded by a partial blockade imposed by the administration.

    Trump paid tribute to a helicopter pilot who was wounded in the operation but still managed to carry out the mission and paused to award him the Congressional Medal of Honor.

    He also introduced a former political prisoner, Enrique Márquez, who was freed by the Venezuelan government last month following the U.S. operation. He was a presidential candidate in the 2024 election and a former member of the National Electoral Council.

    “This was an absolutely colossal victory for the security of the United States,” Trump boasted.

    Trump’s action against Maduro, coupled with an increasingly aggressive posture in the Western Hemisphere aimed at eliminating drug trafficking and illegal migration, are a concern for many in the region — although they also have won support from some smaller countries.

    Trump has likened the strategy to the Monroe Doctrine, with its rejection of outside influences and assertion of U.S. primacy throughout what the administration considers to be “America’s backyard.”

    U.S. forces, under Trump’s orders, have carried out dozens of military strikes on alleged drug-running vessels in the Caribbean, seized sanctioned oil tankers and tightened the embargo of Cuba as part of what the president is referring to as the “Donroe Doctrine.”

    “We’re also restoring American security and dominance in the Western Hemisphere, acting to secure our national interests and defend our country from violence, drugs, terrorism and foreign interference,” Trump said.

    Tariff strategy following Supreme Court ruling

    The president ahead of the address ridiculed the six justices, including two conservatives he appointed in his first term, who last week struck down his use of a 1977 legal authority he had cited for most of the tariff hikes he imposed over the past year on friends and foes alike.

    In his speech, he took a more measured tone, calling the decision “an unfortunate ruling from the United States Supreme Court.”

    Trump on Monday threatened countries around the world to abide by any tariff deals they have already agreed to.

    Any country that wants to “play games” with the Supreme Court decision, Trump posted on social media, will be met with “a much higher Tariff, and worse, than that which they just recently agreed to.”

    “The good news is almost all countries and corporations want to keep the deal that they already made,” Trump said Tuesday. He added, “The legal power that I, as president, have to make a new deal could be far worse for them and therefore they will continue to work along the same successful path we had negotiated before the Supreme Court’s unfortunate involvement.”

    ___

    Associated Press writers Regina Garcia Cano in Caracas, Venezuela, and Colin Binkley, Jonathan J. Cooper and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed reporting

    [ad_2]

    Source link