PolitiFact is live fact-checking President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address to Congress Feb. 24. PolitiFact has fact-checked 1,144 of Trump’s statements since 2011. Tonight, we’ll draw on that deep archive to check his speech’s accuracy.
PolitiFact is live fact-checking President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address to Congress Feb. 24. PolitiFact has fact-checked 1,144 of Trump’s statements since 2011. Tonight, we’ll draw on that deep archive to check his speech’s accuracy.
How to watch Trump’s State of the Union address and follow live fact-checks
Most major network and cable news channels will broadcast Trump’s address. The White House’s YouTube channel will also stream the event starting at 9 p.m. EST.
Why does the president give a State of the Union address?
The State of the Union address is an annual speech the president gives to Congress as part of his duties outlined in the U.S. Constitution: “He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.” (Technically, the president’s first-year speech to Congress is not considered a State of the Union address.)
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., invited Trump on Jan. 7 to deliver his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress.
A politician from the opposing party traditionally delivers a speech in response to the State of the Union address; Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger will give the 2026 Democratic rebuttal.
Some Democratic lawmakers have announced they will boycott Trump’s speech and attend alternativeevents near the U.S. Capitol.
What has Trump accomplished in the first year of his second term?
Trump will likely use the speech to highlight his administration’s achievements since he took office. We’re currently tracking 75 of his presidential campaign promises for his second term using our MAGA-Meter.
PolitiFact’s team has already done a lot of work preparing for this address, and we have developed a long list of the things we expect Trump to say.
When we hear an interesting and checkable statement, the first thing we’ll do is check our fact-checking archive to see if we’ve covered it before. If there’s a match, we’ll let you know almost immediately via our live blog and social media.
If it’s something we have not heard before, our reporters get to work running the numbers, speaking with experts and thoughtfully weighing the accuracy of the claim using our Truth-O-Meter rating system.
Great Britain have claimed a second gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics after Huw Nightingale and Charlotte Bankes won the mixed team snowboard cross event.
All of Central Florida is facing what is expected to be a record-cold weekend. Flurries have been spotted in several areas, including Mount Dora and New Smyrna Beach. RadarSevere Weather AlertsThe region is under an extreme cold weather warning through Monday, while low temps in the upper teens and low 20s are expected.That’s why WESH 2’s First Warning Weather team has declared Severe Weather Warning Days for Sunday and Monday.Live updates on Sunday7:30 a.m.: Snow flurries reported by Sarasota police7 a.m.: Downed power lines, large brushfire reported in Lake County6:45 a.m.: Flurries spotted in Indian Shores5:20 a.m.: Gulf-effect snow falling near Tampa5 a.m.: Videos sent to WESH 2 show flurries in several parts of Central Florida 3:15 a.m.: Feels-like temps are in the low and mid-teensSaturday live updates 7:30 p.m.: Snow spotted in Ormond Beach7:30 p.m.: Snowflakes falling in Oviedo6 p.m.: Flurries fall in Gainesville5:50 p.m.: Snow spotted in St. Augustine5 p.m.: Snow flurries spotted in Alachua County4:40 p.m.: Huge temperature drop on the way2:30 p.m.: Snow flurries spotted in Tallahassee12:30 p.m.: NWS says gusty winds north and west are already reaching 20-25+ mphExtreme Cold Warning in effect from 7 p.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. on Sunday. Volusia CountyLake CountySeminole CountyOsceola CountyIndian River CountySt. Lucie CountyMartin CountyOkeechobee CountyFirst Warning Weather Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.RadarSevere Weather AlertsDownload the WESH 2 News app to get the most up-to-date weather alerts. The First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
All of Central Florida is facing what is expected to be a record-cold weekend. Flurries have been spotted in several areas, including Mount Dora and New Smyrna Beach.
The region is under an extreme cold weather warning through Monday, while low temps in the upper teens and low 20s are expected.
That’s why WESH 2’s First Warning Weather team has declared Severe Weather Warning Days for Sunday and Monday.
7 a.m.: Downed power lines, large brushfire reported in Lake County
6:45 a.m.: Flurries spotted in Indian Shores
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5:20 a.m.: Gulf-effect snow falling near Tampa
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Latest “hydrometeor classification” returns showing gulf effect snow coming in along the west coast! I’m out here looking for it! pic.twitter.com/7Og5KRJBKQ
5 a.m.: Videos sent to WESH 2 show flurries in several parts of Central Florida
3:15 a.m.: Feels-like temps are in the low and mid-teens
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Saturday live updates
7:30 p.m.: Snow spotted in Ormond Beach
7:30 p.m.: Snowflakes falling in Oviedo
6 p.m.: Flurries fall in Gainesville
5:50 p.m.: Snow spotted in St. Augustine
5 p.m.: Snow flurries spotted in Alachua County
4:40 p.m.: Huge temperature drop on the way
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2:30 p.m.: Snow flurries spotted in Tallahassee
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2pm EST 1/31/26:
Your eyes aren’t deceiving you, we have flurries/light snow racing through the region this afternoon. Let us know if you’re seeing any flurries or snow where you are!
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12:30 p.m.: NWS says gusty winds north and west are already reaching 20-25+ mph
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12:30pm update: Gusty winds are on the way this afternoon and evening. Observations to our north and west are already reaching 20-25+ mph, especially as clouds start to clear. Be sure to have loose outdoor objects secured and use caution driving in windy conditions. pic.twitter.com/lLUVkPzUke
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Extreme Cold Warning in effect from 7 p.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. on Sunday.
Volusia County
Lake County
Seminole County
Osceola County
Indian River County
St. Lucie County
Martin County
Okeechobee County
First Warning Weather
Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.
Download the WESH 2 News app to get the most up-to-date weather alerts.
Aloka the Peace Dog was reunited with the Walk for Peace monks for the first time since undergoing leg surgery following an injury during the 2,300-mile Walk for Peace in early January. The reunion happened in Charlotte, North Carolina, where Aloka briefly appeared in front of supporters during the group’s lunch stop. He appeared to be in good spirits. The monks say his spirits remain high and he is healing well. “We are happy to share that Aloka is recovering very well from his surgery,” the group wrote on a Facebook post after his surgery.Video below: More about the Walk for Peace and the monks’ stop in North CarolinaA team at the Charleston Veterinary Referral Center in Charleston, South Carolina, performed the surgery and assisted Aloka through the early stages of his recovery.The monks say Aloka received a professional therapy massage and red-light therapy. He will not be walking with the group for now so he can continue healing.Find a map of the monks’ path on sister statin WXII’s website.
Aloka the Peace Dog was reunited with the Walk for Peace monks for the first time since undergoing leg surgery following an injury during the 2,300-mile Walk for Peace in early January.
The reunion happened in Charlotte, North Carolina, where Aloka briefly appeared in front of supporters during the group’s lunch stop. He appeared to be in good spirits.
The monks say his spirits remain high and he is healing well. “We are happy to share that Aloka is recovering very well from his surgery,” the group wrote on a Facebook post after his surgery.
Video below: More about the Walk for Peace and the monks’ stop in North Carolina
A team at the Charleston Veterinary Referral Center in Charleston, South Carolina, performed the surgery and assisted Aloka through the early stages of his recovery.
The monks say Aloka received a professional therapy massage and red-light therapy. He will not be walking with the group for now so he can continue healing.
Javier Zanetti lived out his dreams as a player, lifting 16 trophies in an Inter Milan career that spanned a record 858 appearances, winning 145 caps for Argentina, and earning a reputation as one of the best defensive players of his generation.
Claudio Braga and Stephen Kingsley were on target as resurgent Hearts won 2-0 away to misfiring Falkirk to move six points clear at the top of the William Hill Premiership.
Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry speaks exclusively to Sky Sports to discuss 2027 free agency
Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry has opened up on his plans for free agency in 2027 after admitting situations change “really fast” in the NBA.
The prospect of Curry, a two-time league MVP and 11-time All-Star, playing for any franchise other than The Dubs is a strange one.
After being drafted with the seventh overall pick in 2009, Curry has gone on to revolutionise the game of basketball, helping himself to four championships, one finals MVP and the NBA record for most three-pointers made with 4,058 to add to his overall tally of 25,386 points.
All while wearing No 30 for the Warriors.
4 x NBA champion
2 x NBA MVP
2022 NBA Finals MVP
11 x NBA All-Star
2 x NBA All-Star MVP
11 x All-NBA Team selection
2024 NBA Clutch Player of the Year
2 x NBA Three-Point Content champion
Most three-pointers made in NBA history
Curry signed a one-year extension with the team in 2024, worth a reported £47.5m ($62.6m) and ending growing speculation around his future in the process, keeping him in San Francisco until 2027.
Two years from now, when that deal expires, the greatest shooter of all time will be 39.
After averaging just under 25 points, six assists, and over four rebounds in his 16th season, as well as longevity being more prominent than ever in the league, it is clear to see that his time in the NBA is far from over.
But could the next chapter in his illustrious career lie away from Chase Center? Do not rule it out.
“What I have learned about this league is that things change really fast,” Curry told Sky Sports while discussing Underrated Golf, a programme set up by the point guard to break down barriers to entry and increase diversity in the game of golf.
Underrated Golf is an initiative led by Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry to create a pathway into the sport for young athletes from underrepresented communities.
The programme aims to break down barriers in the game of golf to give prospects a level playing field, in a bid to create a more inclusive and accessible environment for young golfers.
“What you might feel like in two years from now could be totally different. I try to stay in the moment as much as possible; it’s not the glitziest answer but it allows me to enjoy what is happening now.
“I do want to play for only one team, let’s keep that pretty clear. Being at the Warriors has been unbelievable and I feel blessed to have only played for one franchise and to have accomplished what we have.
“So if I could have the best of both worlds and continue to be championship relevant over the next couple of years, that would be great but this league is wild. You kind of just stay in the moment.”
Despite a decision on his future looming as we approach 2027, Curry’s full focus remains on securing more success with the team he holds so dear to his heart in the upcoming 2025/26 season.
The arrival of six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler in February has shown early signs of promise after the Warriors reached the Western Conference semi-finals last time out, only to be denied the opportunity to show their title-winning credentials following a Grade 1 hamstring strain for Curry in game one against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
A 4-1 defeat in the series would follow but heading into 2025/26, the roster has been bolstered by a new two-year deal for Jonathan Kuminga, as well as the arrival of 2024 NBA champion Al Horford,to run alongside long-term teammate Draymond Green in the frontcourt.
Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler (left) Stephen Curry (centre) and forward Draymond Green (right)
With Curry now back to full fitness and fresh depth surrounding him, the intentions from the Warriors have been clear from pre-season.
The Dubs are 3-1 in games Curry has featured in, beating the Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers twice, with attention now turning to the season opener against the Lakers on October 21, live on Sky Sports.
When asked what aspects of the game still motivate a player who has already achieved so much in the sport as we approach a new 82-game season, Curry added: “I talk about championships, and that drive – it allows every part of the journey to matter.
“Even in the off-season, how you prepare for the year, come in and try and build chemistry with your teammates and how you get through the emotional rollercoaster of an 82-game season.
“All of that is built into being at your peak come playoff time in April.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry during the pre-season game against the Los Angeles Clippers
“Individual accolades take care of themselves. When you win, everybody is rewarded. As long as I’m taking care of championship motivation, everything else takes care of itself. Whether you win or not, you just lay it all out there.
“We have a brand new team again. We’ll all try and stay healthy and try and get to the finish line. That’s our goal.”
The Warriors have won seven championships in total across their 78-year history, with Curry leading them to more than half of that total.
If the franchise is to add an eighth banner to the rafters in 2026, their point guard will be the man to lead them there.
His powers at the highest level are showing no signs are waning, with the 37-year-old looking to replicate the successes of the likes of LeBron James and Kevin Durant by “redefining” what it is to be playing at a high level towards the latter stages of their respective careers.
“I feel like I’ve got some good basketball ahead of me. I’m trying to redefine what it is to be playing at a high level at this age,” said Curry when the question of his timeline leading the roster was posed.
“I still love the work that goes into it and playing the game; hopefully, that will carry me. I don’t want to put any limits on it.”
Watch the Golden State Warriors against the Los Angeles Lakers live on Sky Sports + on October 21, tip-off 3am UK time.
The British metalcore titans have never been bigger. Over the past five years, they’ve released their most successful album yet—last year’s POST HUMAN: NeX GEn— and become the most-streamed rock band in the world.
By vocalist Oli Sykes’ own admission, Friday night at the Toyota Center marked BMTH’s biggest Houston show. And the English quintet from pulled out all the stops.
The set exploded out of the gate with “DArkSide,” a slick, soaring opener that blended crushing riffs with anthemic hooks. “Mantra” and “Happy Song” turned the arena into a massive singalong, while “Teardrops” and “AmEN” ignited circle pits so wild they threatened to swallow the floor whole.
Then came the real heaviness: deep cuts from Sempiternal that sent longtime fans into a frenzy — “Shadow Moses” and “Sleepwalking” — and a metal-inspired cover of Oasis’ “Wonderwall.”
Oli’s vocals were a highlight, his voice effortlessly shifting from guttural screams to melodic highs. (Though a few understandable cracks slipped through on songs like “Follow You” and “Dig It.”)
Still, the show wasn’t just about the music. The visual production was a spectacle itself, with pyrotechnics, lasers, half a dozen confetti cannons and a surreal narrative about society’s collapse.
Behind the band, giant screens morphed from a cathedral into a nightmarish, soul-devouring demon whose wings disintegrated as the show wore on. All the while, a digital woman warned of impending extinction. Though it was unclear whether she was on the side of the apocalypse or humanity.
The plot didn’t always make sense, but it didn’t need to. It was a visual feast: chaotic, over-the-top and impossible to look away from.
Given BMTH’s relatively recent rise, a first-time fan could be forgiven for assuming they’ve been selling out arenas for decades. Everything about the performance felt effortless and commanding. Most importantly, it sounded incredible.
“I don’t know why so many people like our shit,” Oli admitted near the end of the show, grinning through the sweat and smoke, “but I’m thankful.”
Before BMTH, Motionless In White delivered a more traditional but no less electrifying metal set.
Blending gothic and industrial with hook-driven choruses, and rocking their signature undead aesthetic, the Pennsylvania natives tapped into a sound that would make longtime fans of Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie (hi!) proud.
Highlights included “Meltdown, “”Thoughts and Prayers,” and “Slaughterhouse.”
Their set was short, just 10 songs, but its intensity hit hard. Selfishly, I wish MIW had played a few tracks from Reincarnate, namely the title track, “Death March” and “Everyone Sells Cocaine.” But with BMTH’s high-octane set still to come, MIW’s brevity gave fans a chance to catch their breath—and grab some water—before diving back into the chaos.
Two bands, two approaches, one unforgettable night that proved metal, in all its forms, is alive and thriving. May the circle pits endure.
Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson is in good form going into the World Athletics Championships
The world’s best athletes will take to the track and field this weekend when the World Athletics Championships get under way in Tokyo from September 13-21.
Many of the stars who shone at Paris 2024 will be there, including Britain’s 800m Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson and USA’s 100m Olympic champion Noah Lyles.
One of the major talking points away from the sport has been the introduction of a mandatory SRY or sex test for athletes who intend to compete in female categories.
All athletes in female category take new ‘sex test’
World Athletics, led by their President Seb Coe, have taken an unambiguous stance for several years when it comes to talking about and defining new rules around the sensitive issues of the protection of female categories, transgender and DSD (Difference of Sexual Development).
They became the first global sporting federation to announce they would introduce a mandatory, once-in-a-lifetime gene test, known as an SRY Test earlier this year.
The test identifies the Y chromosome which causes male characteristics to develop. If an athlete returns a negative result, they are eligible to compete in female categories at world ranking events, including these World Championships.
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World Athletics President Lord Coe says the governing body will do ‘whatever is necessary’ to protect the female category in the sport after it approved the introduction of cheek swabbing to determine if an athlete is biologically female
World Athletics President Lord Coe says the governing body will do ‘whatever is necessary’ to protect the female category in the sport after it approved the introduction of cheek swabbing to determine if an athlete is biologically female
Coe told Sky Sports he expected every athlete required to take an SRY Test will have done so by the time track and field events get under way in Tokyo, including all French athletes.
In France, the process has been complicated by French law where the SRY gene test is illegal in France due to a 1994 law banning DNA testing for non-medical, non-judicial purposes to protect family integrity, so French athletes have had to undertake the SRY test by travelling outside of France.
Coe confirmed that while it is World Athletics’ stated aim to have all athletes tested by the start of the World Championships next month, the results do not have to be known due to the tight time frame.
For athletes whose national federation hasn’t been able to offer an SRY test yet, World Athletics will step in and offer the test at holding camps in Japan used by athletes prior to competing in Tokyo.
“By and large, the process has gone pretty smoothly, but it’s not been without its challenges,” Coe said. “The vast majority have been pretty straightforward and we’ve (World Athletics) made a contribution of about US$100 per test.”
How important are championships for Coe?
Very.
He has transformed the athletics governing body since his election in Beijing in 2015 from the tarnished old IAAF to the new World Athletics.
He’s serving his third and final term as president and while no doubt still pondering his defeat in March’s International Olympic Committee (IOC) presidency election to Kirsty Coventry, his first love has always been track and field, and during his term as president he has tackled controversial issues like banning Russia and bringing in updated rules on gender eligibility.
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Lord Coe accepts defeat to Kirsty Coventry in the IOC Presidential vote and says he welcomes the fact it’s a former Olympic athlete who will take up the role
Lord Coe accepts defeat to Kirsty Coventry in the IOC Presidential vote and says he welcomes the fact it’s a former Olympic athlete who will take up the role
While those issues can be divisive, the progress of time has shown that many, if not most, sporting federations have followed athletics’ lead by watching and then following.
It’s interesting to note that the new IOC President, whom he lost out to, is preparing the IOC to greater understand and perhaps even lead on gender eligibility and protections for female sports stars.
He also wants athletics firmly in the position of the world’s second most popular sport behind football by showing off packed out stadia in Tokyo.
The World Championships take place in the 70,000 capacity Olympic Stadium where during the 2020 Olympics not one fan was able to watch the sport on offer due to a strict Covid-19 lockdown in Japan.
Many of the sessions during the nine days of competition are sell-outs and, according to Coe, no session will have fewer than 50,000 people in attendance.
Tokyo heat, humidity and typhoons
World Athletics deliberately scheduled the start of their marquee championships later than they would normally. Two years ago in Budapest, for example, the schedule ran during August.
High temperatures and humidity can be exceedingly high in Japan during the months of July and August, as many athletes who competed at the Tokyo Olympics four years ago will testify to.
The 2025 World Athletics Championships will be held at the National Stadium in Tokyo from September 13-21
However, heat mitigation measures will again be in place as Japan has experienced temperatures 2.36 Degrees Celsius above average between June and August, with local temperatures in Tokyo this week reaching 33 Degrees Celsius.
World Athletics president Seb Coe is of the belief that climate change is not temporary and is here to stay; at these championships, decisions on whether competition will go ahead will not be in the hands of local organisers, but World Athletics.
Information on drinks, ice baths and cooling techniques has been shared widely with athletes and their federations, while plenty of provision will be in place for spectators.
Tokyo and Japan, in general, is prone to typhoons at this time of year, indeed many British and Northern Irish athletes were confined to their hotel at their training camp for a few days due to a typhoon. If such a weather system hits Tokyo during the championships, it will again be a decision for World Athletics to make as to whether to postpone or cancel events.
Where could GB medals come from?
Great Britain and Northern Ireland haven’t been set a medal target, but a top-eight finish in the medal table is the challenge, with an expectation of several of their world-leading track stars to medal and all relay squads to medal.
So who are the stars? The women’s 800m final has been scheduled for the last session of the last day of the championships, as it’s been viewed as being a hot ticket in town. Two Brits could well end up on the podium, both friends and training partners coached by husband and wife duo Jenny Meadows and Trevor Painter – Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson and Georgia Hunter-Bell.
Hodgkinson was one of the stars of Paris last year, streaking home to become Olympic champion and, although she has suffered hamstring injuries this year, she has come back to racing in time and is running ferociously quickly.
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Keely Hodgkinson says she is in a good place after receiving her MBE and is fully focused on the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo
Keely Hodgkinson says she is in a good place after receiving her MBE and is fully focused on the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo
While perhaps not quite the right time for a tilt at the 800m world record, if Hodgkinson feels it, she’ll go for it.
Elsewhere, medals could come in men’s middle distance, with 1500m runner Josh Kerr defending his world title he won in 2023.
His battles with Norway’s Jacob Ingebrigtsen have already become legendary, with the two not the best of pals. At the Paris Olympics, one of the two should have taken the gold medal, but their attention on one another allowed the USA’s Cole Hocker to shock them both and cross the line first.
George Mills, son of Danny – the former Leeds, Manchester City and England defender – is a serious contender for medals in the men’s 5000m. This season he’s beaten Sir Mo Farah’s long-standing British 5000m record and ran the second fastest 1500m by a Brit, so the 26-year-old is well warmed up.
Katarina Johnson-Thompson is always a threat at major championships, and at Tokyo she will defend the heptathlon world title she won two years ago. She was also crowned world champion in 2019, and took Olympic silver in Paris.
Dina Asher-Smith will make her seventh appearance at a World Championship and, while the competition is fierce in both the 100m and 200m, she is running quickly this season.
“I’m just really happy,” she told Sky Sports. “I think the other week in Zurich is testament to what kind of shape I’m in because, honestly, I knew that I’ve been in good shape for a very long time and I know that I’ve been putting together some great races in the past few months, but to run a 10.90!
!I was picking it out because I know I could have had faster in me that day, but still obviously I’m very happy.”
Could Dina Asher-Smith medal at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo?
Also very quick is Daryll Neita, who finished fourth in the women’s Olympic 100m final in Paris, narrowly missing out on a medal. She did, however, take home an Olympic Silver medal from the 4x100m women’s relay and in Tokyo it is expected that Great Britain and Northern Ireland medal in all five relay disciplines.
Individually, in the men’s sprint events (100m and 200m), Zharnel Hughes should at the very least make finals, as the qualified pilot has run sub-10 seconds in the 100m and sub-20 seconds in the 200m. With age, Hughes seems to get faster, as he broke both British 100m and 200m records in 2023, the same year he took his first ever global medal, a bronze at the last World Athletics Championships.
“Obviously the experience has been taking me into finals and stuff like that,” he said. “I’ve always been one to be reckoned with when it comes to the championships. I’ve always been able to position myself into the finals at every major championship.
“Unfortunately, last year it didn’t get to happen due to injury, but I’m feeling confident and I’m looking forward to getting myself on that podium for sure. I’ll be giving it my very best, I’m filled with determination and I’m quite confident in my ability that I can always catch you at the very end.
“I’m trusting myself and trusting my speed. The work that I’ve put in leading up to this championship has been tremendous. It’s going to be great.”
While the British team is medal heavy on expectation from the track, also keep an eye on pole-vaulter Molly Caudery. She won the 2024 World Indoor title and won the Diamond League meeting in Doha in May.
The Cornishwoman is a huge talent was expected to challenge for the gold at the Olympics last year, but had a shocker and failed to even qualify for the final. The 25-year-old is determined to learn the mental lesson from a year ago.
Kali Uchis The Sincerely, Tour Toyota Center September 2, 2025
Ten years ago, I was in the audience as Kali Uchis performed for the first time at the Austin City Limits Music Festival. Back then, I wrote the following observation:
“[Uchis] is an odd yet satisfying mix of doo-wop, R&B and smooth/dreamy reggae with a hip-hop attitude.”
In the world of algorithms and trends, it is refreshing to see that Uchis has stayed her own course, still writing and singing lovely tracks with the same classical beauty aesthetic and mix of R&B and Latin inspired vibes.
The Toyota Center was packed on Tuesday evening with adoring fans who were also adhering to the aesthetic, many wearing cute, summer dresses adorned with hues of pinks, baby blue, and other pastel colors. Some attached flowers to their outfits as if they were extras strait out of Kali’s “I Wish You Roses” music video. All I know is that I was way underdressed and too old to be there as a 45 year old in cargo shorts and New Balance sneakers.
The night started strong with opening act for the tour, San Diego’s own Chicano Soul band named Thee Sacred Souls. Their sound is also classic, but in the backyard BBQ, driving slow in a lowrider type of way. The band consists of a horn section, drummer, a duo of funky guitar and bass, an electric organ, and the band’s secret weapon: vocalist Josh Lane.
Lane is tall and slender, and looks like a member of the Marley family. But his voice is the epitome of chill, endearing the listener with smooth vocals, a mile wide smile, and dance moves that would make Elvis nervous.
Normally, a band holds their biggest hit for the end of the set, but not this band. They came out of the gate with “Can I Call You Rose?”, which was on my personal Top Ten list of favorite tracks 2022. The track was met with a loud roar of appreciation from the audience, and indeed sounded magical in person as opposed to in my headphones.
Lane then ran into the crowd, dancing and singing across the arena floor and even up and down the aisles. He was definitely being extra and doing “the most”, but in doing so won over the crowd and provided a memory that will not fade away anytime soon. My niece Rose Marie literally jumped up and down with joy as Lane passed by our section, sliding and dancing and smiling the entire time.
After a quick intermission, the baby pink curtain was draped across the stage, and the words “Kali Uchis, The Sincerely” were projected against the backdrop. When the lights dimmed and the show was beginning, the curtains revealed Uchis sitting on a swing above center stage, with fog and spotlights allowing her to shine bright in dreamy setting.
She wore a baby blue gown, hair in an up-do, and carried a glittery gold microphone. Simply put, she is gorgeous, exuding that classic Hollywood glamour energy, with a mix of Latina sensuality and mystique. She is sexy but not overtly sexual, a combination of coquette and baby doll, secure and strong and downright beautiful. Her voice matches her look, a mezzo-soprano with a wide range, frequently hitting falsetto notes to accompany her smooth tonal vocals.
Her set list was divided into six sections and an encore, each section representing a different album from her career. She endeared herself even more to the crowd by praising Houston for being “the loudest audience in Texas by far!”
After the opening set from her “Sincerely” album, she shifted into her album “Orquídeas”, which includes some of my favorite Kali cuts, including “Muñekita” and “Igual Que Un Angel.” Her dancers surrounded around the stage wearing all white, and at one point began to carry Uchis as if she was Cleopatra, elevating her across the stage, all while Kali kept in tune and on beat.
During another section of the set, a large bed was introduced onto the stage. Uchis laid on the bed and the camera displayed her from above as she sang and shimmied center stage. Kali has a habit of dropping low to the floor, sometimes crawling, always cute and still modest. It isn’t quite twerking, but rather living on a different plane, shifting her angles and providing gracious looks.
Uchis took a small break to invite a special guest to the stage, her life partner Don Toliver. The crowd erupted in cheers, welcoming the Houston native to the scene. She then continued her set and finished with songs from “Isolation,” “Sin Miedo” and “Red Moon in Venus.” My favorite songs were performed during this section, including “After The Storm,” “Telepatia” and “See You Again”.
It definitely was marvelous to see Kali Uchis again, and we wish her continued success along her journey.
