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  • Melissa strengthens into Category 5 hurricane as Caribbean islands brace for impacts

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    WESH 2’s award-winning First Warning Weather team is monitoring Hurricane Melissa and will continue to provide updates. Melissa has strengthened into a Category 5 storm according to the National Hurricane Center. Rapid intensification is expected to continue over the next few days. The National Hurricane Center expects Melissa to rapidly intensify into a major hurricane by the end of the weekend.Melissa has 160 mph winds and is moving west at about 3 mph as the storm’s center is about 130 miles south-southwest of Kingston, Jamaica.The storm has a minimum central pressure of 917 mb as of the 5 a.m. NHC update.Watches and warnings in effect:Hurricane Warning in effect for JamaicaHurricane Warning in effect for Cuban provinces of Granma, Guantanamo and Holguin, Santiago de Cuba. Hurricane Watch in effect for southeastern and central Bahamas, Turks & Caicos Island. Tropical Storm Warning in effect for Haiti and the Cuban province of Las TunasRainMelissa is expected to bring rainfall of 15 to 30 inches to portions of Jamaica and additional rainfall of 8 to 16 inches for southern Hispaniola through Wednesday.Catastrophic flash flooding and numerous landslides are likely. For eastern Cuba, storm total rainfall of 10 to 15 inches, with local amounts of 20 inches, is expected by Monday into Wednesday resulting in life-threatening and potentially catastrophic flash flooding with numerous landslides. Over the Southeast Bahamas, total rainfall of 4 to 8 inches is expected Tuesday into Wednesday resulting in areas of flash flooding.Hurricane season 2025The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.>> More: 2025 Hurricane Survival GuideThe First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.>> 2025 hurricane season | WESH long-range forecast>> Download Very Local | Stream Central Florida news and weather from WESH 2

    ORLANDO, Fla. —

    WESH 2’s award-winning First Warning Weather team is monitoring Hurricane Melissa and will continue to provide updates.

    Melissa has strengthened into a Category 5 storm according to the National Hurricane Center. Rapid intensification is expected to continue over the next few days.

    The National Hurricane Center expects Melissa to rapidly intensify into a major hurricane by the end of the weekend.

    Melissa has 160 mph winds and is moving west at about 3 mph as the storm’s center is about 130 miles south-southwest of Kingston, Jamaica.

    The storm has a minimum central pressure of 917 mb as of the 5 a.m. NHC update.

    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.

    Watches and warnings in effect:

    • Hurricane Warning in effect for Jamaica
    • Hurricane Warning in effect for Cuban provinces of Granma, Guantanamo and Holguin, Santiago de Cuba.
    • Hurricane Watch in effect for southeastern and central Bahamas, Turks & Caicos Island.
    • Tropical Storm Warning in effect for Haiti and the Cuban province of Las Tunas

    Rain

    Melissa is expected to bring rainfall of 15 to 30 inches to portions of Jamaica and additional rainfall of 8 to 16 inches for southern Hispaniola through Wednesday.

    Catastrophic flash flooding and numerous landslides are likely.

    For eastern Cuba, storm total rainfall of 10 to 15 inches, with local amounts of 20 inches, is expected by Monday into Wednesday resulting in life-threatening and potentially catastrophic flash flooding with numerous landslides.

    Over the Southeast Bahamas, total rainfall of 4 to 8 inches is expected Tuesday into Wednesday resulting in areas of flash flooding.

    Hurricane season 2025

    The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.

    >> More: 2025 Hurricane Survival Guide

    The First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.

    >> 2025 hurricane season | WESH long-range forecast

    >> Download Very Local | Stream Central Florida news and weather from WESH 2

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  • Melissa strengthens into hurricane as Caribbean islands brace for impacts

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    Hurricane Melissa strengthened into a major Category 4 hurricane, unleashing torrential rain and threatening to cause catastrophic flooding in the northern Caribbean, including Haiti and Jamaica, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.The weather agency added Melissa is likely to reach the southern coast of Jamaica as a major hurricane late Monday or Tuesday morning, and urged people on the island to seek shelter immediately.As of 11 p.m. Sunday, Melissa was producing maximum sustained winds of 145 mph, making it a category 4 hurricane. The storm was located 125 miles south of Kingston, Jamaica and inching west at 5 mph. The latest satellite images show a well-defined eye wall.”Conditions (in Jamaica) are going to go down rapidly today,” Jamie Rhome, the center’s deputy director, said on Sunday. “Be ready to ride this out for several days.” Related video above: Tropical Storm Melissa lumbers through the CaribbeanMelissa was centered about 110 miles (180 kilometers) south-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 285 miles (460 kilometers) south-southwest of Guantánamo, Cuba, on Sunday morning. It had maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (220 kph) and was moving west at 5 mph (7 kph), the hurricane center said.Melissa was expected to drop torrential rains of up to 30 inches (760 millimeters) on Jamaica and southern Hispaniola — Haiti and the Dominican Republic — according to the hurricane center. Some areas may see as much as 40 inches (1,010 millimeters) of rain.It also warned that extensive damage to infrastructure, power and communication outages, and the isolation of communities in Jamaica were to be expected.Melissa should be near or over Cuba by late Tuesday, where it could bring up to 12 inches (300 millimeters) of rain, before moving toward the Bahamas later Wednesday.The U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Sunday that the hurricane watch for Cuba could be upgraded to a warning later on Sunday.Airports closed and shelters activatedThe erratic and slow-moving storm has killed at least three people in Haiti and a fourth person in the Dominican Republic, where another person remains missing.Jamaica’s government said the main airport in Montego Bay, Sangster International Airport, will shut down at midday local time on Sunday as the island’s national emergency agency activated its level 3 emergency protocol ahead of Melissa.The biggest airport on the island, Norman Manley International Airport in the capital, Kingston, closed at 9 p.m. on Saturday.”With the slow movement of this system, it doesn’t allow you to recover. It’s going to sit there, pouring water while it’s barely moving and that is a significant challenge that we have to be aware of,” warned Evan Thompson, principal director of the Meteorological Service of Jamaica.”There is nowhere that will escape the wrath of this hurricane,” Richard Thompson, acting director general of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management said.He said all members of the National Response Team are now on full alert.More than 650 shelters were activated in Jamaica. Officials said warehouses across the island were well-stocked and thousands of food packages pre-positioned for quick distribution if needed.Communities cut off by rising watersHaitian authorities said three people had died as a consequence of the hurricane and another five were injured due to a collapsed wall. There were also reports of rising river levels, flooding and a bridge destroyed due to breached riverbanks in Sainte-Suzanne, in the northeast.Many residents are still reluctant to leave their homes, Haitian officials said.The storm damaged nearly 200 homes in the Dominican Republic and knocked out water supply systems, affecting more than half a million customers. It also downed trees and traffic lights, unleashed a couple of small landslides and left more than two dozen communities isolated by floodwaters.The Bahamas Department of Meteorology said Melissa could bring tropical storm or hurricane conditions to islands in the southeastern and central Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands by early next week.Melissa is the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had predicted an above-normal season with 13 to 18 named storms.———Savarese reported from Sao Paulo.

    Hurricane Melissa strengthened into a major Category 4 hurricane, unleashing torrential rain and threatening to cause catastrophic flooding in the northern Caribbean, including Haiti and Jamaica, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

    The weather agency added Melissa is likely to reach the southern coast of Jamaica as a major hurricane late Monday or Tuesday morning, and urged people on the island to seek shelter immediately.

    As of 11 p.m. Sunday, Melissa was producing maximum sustained winds of 145 mph, making it a category 4 hurricane. The storm was located 125 miles south of Kingston, Jamaica and inching west at 5 mph. The latest satellite images show a well-defined eye wall.

    “Conditions (in Jamaica) are going to go down rapidly today,” Jamie Rhome, the center’s deputy director, said on Sunday. “Be ready to ride this out for several days.”

    Related video above: Tropical Storm Melissa lumbers through the Caribbean

    Melissa was centered about 110 miles (180 kilometers) south-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 285 miles (460 kilometers) south-southwest of Guantánamo, Cuba, on Sunday morning. It had maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (220 kph) and was moving west at 5 mph (7 kph), the hurricane center said.

    Melissa was expected to drop torrential rains of up to 30 inches (760 millimeters) on Jamaica and southern Hispaniola — Haiti and the Dominican Republic — according to the hurricane center. Some areas may see as much as 40 inches (1,010 millimeters) of rain.

    It also warned that extensive damage to infrastructure, power and communication outages, and the isolation of communities in Jamaica were to be expected.

    Melissa should be near or over Cuba by late Tuesday, where it could bring up to 12 inches (300 millimeters) of rain, before moving toward the Bahamas later Wednesday.

    The U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Sunday that the hurricane watch for Cuba could be upgraded to a warning later on Sunday.

    Airports closed and shelters activated

    The erratic and slow-moving storm has killed at least three people in Haiti and a fourth person in the Dominican Republic, where another person remains missing.

    Jamaica’s government said the main airport in Montego Bay, Sangster International Airport, will shut down at midday local time on Sunday as the island’s national emergency agency activated its level 3 emergency protocol ahead of Melissa.

    The biggest airport on the island, Norman Manley International Airport in the capital, Kingston, closed at 9 p.m. on Saturday.

    “With the slow movement of this system, it doesn’t allow you to recover. It’s going to sit there, pouring water while it’s barely moving and that is a significant challenge that we have to be aware of,” warned Evan Thompson, principal director of the Meteorological Service of Jamaica.

    “There is nowhere that will escape the wrath of this hurricane,” Richard Thompson, acting director general of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management said.

    He said all members of the National Response Team are now on full alert.

    More than 650 shelters were activated in Jamaica. Officials said warehouses across the island were well-stocked and thousands of food packages pre-positioned for quick distribution if needed.

    Communities cut off by rising waters

    Haitian authorities said three people had died as a consequence of the hurricane and another five were injured due to a collapsed wall. There were also reports of rising river levels, flooding and a bridge destroyed due to breached riverbanks in Sainte-Suzanne, in the northeast.

    Many residents are still reluctant to leave their homes, Haitian officials said.

    The storm damaged nearly 200 homes in the Dominican Republic and knocked out water supply systems, affecting more than half a million customers. It also downed trees and traffic lights, unleashed a couple of small landslides and left more than two dozen communities isolated by floodwaters.

    The Bahamas Department of Meteorology said Melissa could bring tropical storm or hurricane conditions to islands in the southeastern and central Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands by early next week.

    Melissa is the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.

    The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had predicted an above-normal season with 13 to 18 named storms.

    ———

    Savarese reported from Sao Paulo.

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  • Melissa strengthens into hurricane as Caribbean islands brace for impacts

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    Hurricane Melissa strengthened into a major Category 4 hurricane, unleashing torrential rain and threatening to cause catastrophic flooding in the northern Caribbean, including Haiti and Jamaica, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.The weather agency added Melissa is likely to reach the southern coast of Jamaica as a major hurricane late Monday or Tuesday morning, and urged people on the island to seek shelter immediately.As of 11 p.m. Sunday, Melissa was producing maximum sustained winds of 145 mph, making it a category 4 hurricane. The storm was located 125 miles south of Kingston, Jamaica and inching west at 5 mph. The latest satellite images show a well-defined eye wall.”Conditions (in Jamaica) are going to go down rapidly today,” Jamie Rhome, the center’s deputy director, said on Sunday. “Be ready to ride this out for several days.” Related video above: Tropical Storm Melissa lumbers through the CaribbeanMelissa was centered about 110 miles (180 kilometers) south-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 285 miles (460 kilometers) south-southwest of Guantánamo, Cuba, on Sunday morning. It had maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (220 kph) and was moving west at 5 mph (7 kph), the hurricane center said.Melissa was expected to drop torrential rains of up to 30 inches (760 millimeters) on Jamaica and southern Hispaniola — Haiti and the Dominican Republic — according to the hurricane center. Some areas may see as much as 40 inches (1,010 millimeters) of rain.It also warned that extensive damage to infrastructure, power and communication outages, and the isolation of communities in Jamaica were to be expected.Melissa should be near or over Cuba by late Tuesday, where it could bring up to 12 inches (300 millimeters) of rain, before moving toward the Bahamas later Wednesday.The U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Sunday that the hurricane watch for Cuba could be upgraded to a warning later on Sunday.Airports closed and shelters activatedThe erratic and slow-moving storm has killed at least three people in Haiti and a fourth person in the Dominican Republic, where another person remains missing.Jamaica’s government said the main airport in Montego Bay, Sangster International Airport, will shut down at midday local time on Sunday as the island’s national emergency agency activated its level 3 emergency protocol ahead of Melissa.The biggest airport on the island, Norman Manley International Airport in the capital, Kingston, closed at 9 p.m. on Saturday.”With the slow movement of this system, it doesn’t allow you to recover. It’s going to sit there, pouring water while it’s barely moving and that is a significant challenge that we have to be aware of,” warned Evan Thompson, principal director of the Meteorological Service of Jamaica.”There is nowhere that will escape the wrath of this hurricane,” Richard Thompson, acting director general of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management said.He said all members of the National Response Team are now on full alert.More than 650 shelters were activated in Jamaica. Officials said warehouses across the island were well-stocked and thousands of food packages pre-positioned for quick distribution if needed.Communities cut off by rising watersHaitian authorities said three people had died as a consequence of the hurricane and another five were injured due to a collapsed wall. There were also reports of rising river levels, flooding and a bridge destroyed due to breached riverbanks in Sainte-Suzanne, in the northeast.Many residents are still reluctant to leave their homes, Haitian officials said.The storm damaged nearly 200 homes in the Dominican Republic and knocked out water supply systems, affecting more than half a million customers. It also downed trees and traffic lights, unleashed a couple of small landslides and left more than two dozen communities isolated by floodwaters.The Bahamas Department of Meteorology said Melissa could bring tropical storm or hurricane conditions to islands in the southeastern and central Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands by early next week.Melissa is the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had predicted an above-normal season with 13 to 18 named storms.———Savarese reported from Sao Paulo.

    Hurricane Melissa strengthened into a major Category 4 hurricane, unleashing torrential rain and threatening to cause catastrophic flooding in the northern Caribbean, including Haiti and Jamaica, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

    The weather agency added Melissa is likely to reach the southern coast of Jamaica as a major hurricane late Monday or Tuesday morning, and urged people on the island to seek shelter immediately.

    As of 11 p.m. Sunday, Melissa was producing maximum sustained winds of 145 mph, making it a category 4 hurricane. The storm was located 125 miles south of Kingston, Jamaica and inching west at 5 mph. The latest satellite images show a well-defined eye wall.

    “Conditions (in Jamaica) are going to go down rapidly today,” Jamie Rhome, the center’s deputy director, said on Sunday. “Be ready to ride this out for several days.”

    Related video above: Tropical Storm Melissa lumbers through the Caribbean

    Melissa was centered about 110 miles (180 kilometers) south-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 285 miles (460 kilometers) south-southwest of Guantánamo, Cuba, on Sunday morning. It had maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (220 kph) and was moving west at 5 mph (7 kph), the hurricane center said.

    Melissa was expected to drop torrential rains of up to 30 inches (760 millimeters) on Jamaica and southern Hispaniola — Haiti and the Dominican Republic — according to the hurricane center. Some areas may see as much as 40 inches (1,010 millimeters) of rain.

    It also warned that extensive damage to infrastructure, power and communication outages, and the isolation of communities in Jamaica were to be expected.

    Melissa should be near or over Cuba by late Tuesday, where it could bring up to 12 inches (300 millimeters) of rain, before moving toward the Bahamas later Wednesday.

    The U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Sunday that the hurricane watch for Cuba could be upgraded to a warning later on Sunday.

    Airports closed and shelters activated

    The erratic and slow-moving storm has killed at least three people in Haiti and a fourth person in the Dominican Republic, where another person remains missing.

    Jamaica’s government said the main airport in Montego Bay, Sangster International Airport, will shut down at midday local time on Sunday as the island’s national emergency agency activated its level 3 emergency protocol ahead of Melissa.

    The biggest airport on the island, Norman Manley International Airport in the capital, Kingston, closed at 9 p.m. on Saturday.

    “With the slow movement of this system, it doesn’t allow you to recover. It’s going to sit there, pouring water while it’s barely moving and that is a significant challenge that we have to be aware of,” warned Evan Thompson, principal director of the Meteorological Service of Jamaica.

    “There is nowhere that will escape the wrath of this hurricane,” Richard Thompson, acting director general of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management said.

    He said all members of the National Response Team are now on full alert.

    More than 650 shelters were activated in Jamaica. Officials said warehouses across the island were well-stocked and thousands of food packages pre-positioned for quick distribution if needed.

    Communities cut off by rising waters

    Haitian authorities said three people had died as a consequence of the hurricane and another five were injured due to a collapsed wall. There were also reports of rising river levels, flooding and a bridge destroyed due to breached riverbanks in Sainte-Suzanne, in the northeast.

    Many residents are still reluctant to leave their homes, Haitian officials said.

    The storm damaged nearly 200 homes in the Dominican Republic and knocked out water supply systems, affecting more than half a million customers. It also downed trees and traffic lights, unleashed a couple of small landslides and left more than two dozen communities isolated by floodwaters.

    The Bahamas Department of Meteorology said Melissa could bring tropical storm or hurricane conditions to islands in the southeastern and central Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands by early next week.

    Melissa is the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.

    The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had predicted an above-normal season with 13 to 18 named storms.

    ———

    Savarese reported from Sao Paulo.

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  • Column: Trump is in his Louis XIV era, and it’s not a good look

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    To say that President Trump is unfazed by Saturday’s nationwide “No Kings” rally, which vies for bragging rights as perhaps the largest single-day protest in U.S. history, is the sort of understatement too typical when describing his monarchical outrages.

    Leave aside Trump’s grotesque mockery of the protests — his post that night of an AI-generated video depicting himself as a becrowned pilot in a fighter jet, dropping poop bombs on citizens protesting peacefully below. Consider instead two other post-rally actions: On Sunday and Wednesday, “Secretary of War” Pete Hegseth announced first that on Trump’s orders the military had struck a seventh boat off Venezuela and then an eighth vessel in the Pacific, bringing the number of people killed over two months to 34. The administration has provided no evidence to Congress or the American public for Trump’s claims that the unidentified dead were “narco-terrorists,” nor any credible legal rationale for the strikes. Then, on Monday, Trump began demolishing the White House’s East Wing to create the gilded ballroom of his dreams, which, at 90,000 square feet, would be nearly twice the size of the White House residence itself.

    As sickening as the sight was — heavy equipment ripping away at the historic property as high-powered hoses doused the dusty debris — Trump’s $250-million vanity project is small stuff compared to a policy of killing noncombatant civilian citizens of nations with which we are not at war (Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador). Yet together the actions reflect the spectrum of consequences of Trump’s utter sense of impunity as president, from the relatively symbolic to the murderous.

    “In America the law is king,” Thomas Paine wrote in 1776. Not in Trump’s America.

    Among the commentariat, the president’s desecration of the East Wing is getting at least as much criticism as his extralegal killings at sea. Many critics see in the bulldozing of the People’s House a metaphor for Trump’s destructive governance generally — his other teardowns of federal agencies, life-saving foreign aid, healthcare benefits and more. The metaphor is indeed apt.

    But what’s more striking is the sheer sense of impunity that Trump telegraphs, constantly, with the “je suis l’état” flare of a Louis XIV — complete (soon) with Trump’s Versailles. (Separately, Trump’s mimicry of French emperors now includes plans for a sort of Arc de Triomphe near Arlington Cemetery. A reporter asked who it would be for. “Me,” Trump said. Arc de Trump.)

    No law, domestic or international, constrains him, as far as the convicted felon is concerned. Neither does Congress, where Republicans bend the knee. Nor the Supreme Court, with its 6-3 right-wing majority, including three justices Trump chose in his first term.

    The court’s ruling last year in Trump vs. United States gives Trump virtual immunity from criminal prosecution, but U.S. servicemembers don’t have that protection when it comes to the deadly Caribbean Sea attacks or any other orders from the commander in chief that might one day be judged to have been illegal.

    The operation’s commander, Navy Adm. Alvin Holsey, reportedly expressed concerns about the strikes within the administration. Last week he announced his retirement after less than a year as head of the U.S. Southern Command. It could be a coincidence. But I’m hardly alone in counting Holsey as the latest casualty in Trump and Hegseth’s purge of perceived nonloyalists at the Pentagon.

    “When the president decides someone has to die, the military becomes his personal hit squad,” military analyst and former Republican Tom Nichols said Monday on MSNBC. Just like with kings and other autocrats: Off with their heads.

    Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, a rare maverick Republican, noted on Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that in years past, the Coast Guard would board foreign boats suspected of ferrying drugs and, if contraband were found, take it and suspected traffickers into custody, often gleaning information about higher-ups to make a real dent in the drug trade. But, Paul added, about one in four boats typically had no drugs. No matter nowadays — everyone’s a target for deadly force. “So,” Paul said, “all of these people have been blown up without us knowing their name, without any evidence of a crime.” (Paul was the only Republican senator not invited to lunch with Trump on Monday in the paved-over Rose Garden.)

    On Monday, Ecuador said no evidence connects a citizen who survived a recent U.S. strike to any crime. Colombian President Gustavo Petro accused the United States of murdering a fisherman in a September strike, provoking Trump to call Petro a “drug leader” and unilaterally yank U.S. foreign aid. A Venezuelan told the Washington Post that the 11 people killed in the first known U.S. strike were fishermen; national security officials told Congress the individuals were headed back to shore when hit. Meanwhile, the three countries and U.S. news reports contradict Trump’s claims that he’s destroying and seizing fentanyl — a drug that typically comes from Mexico and then is smuggled by land, usually by U.S. citizens.

    Again, no matter to America’s king, who said last week that he’s eyeing land incursions in Venezuela now “because we’ve got the sea very well under control.” Trump’s courtiers say he doesn’t need Congress’ authorization for any use of force. The Constitution suggests otherwise.

    Alas, neither it nor the law limits Trump’s White House makeover. He doesn’t have to submit to Congress because he’s tapping rich individuals and corporations for the cost. Past presidents, mindful that the house is a public treasure, not their palace, voluntarily sought input from various federal and nonprofit groups. After reports about the demolition, which put the lie to Trump’s promise in July that the ballroom “won’t interfere with the current building,” the American Institute of Architects urged its members to ask Congress to “investigate destruction of the White House.”

    Disparate as they are, Trump’s ballroom project and his Caribbean killings were joined last week. At a White House dinner for ballroom donors, Trump joked about the sea strikes: “Nobody wants to go fishing anymore.” The pay-to-play titans laughed. Shame on them.

    Trump acts with impunity because he can; he’s a lame duck. But other Republicans must face the voters. Keep the “No Kings” protests coming — right through the elections this November and next.

    Bluesky: @jackiecalmes
    Threads: @jkcalmes
    X: @jackiekcalmes

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    Jackie Calmes

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  • The Best Microdosing Strains For A Rough Week

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    Is it a Monday of a week you already wish was over? Discover the best microdosing strains for a rough week.

    Life gets messy sometimes. Deadlines pile up, meetings run long, and anxiety seems to lurk around every corner. For many Millennials and Gen Zers, microdosing cannabis has become a go-to strategy for managing stress without the heavy “high” that can derail productivity. But not all strains are created equal. So, what’s the best microdosing strains for a rough week.

    RELATED: The VFW Stands Up For Marijuana

    Microdosing is the art of taking small, controlled amounts of cannabis to achieve subtle benefits—think calm focus, creativity, and mood regulation—without intense intoxication. It’s especially appealing for young professionals and students who want stress relief without feeling “out of it.” According to recent wellness studies, microdosing can improve mood, ease tension, and even boost mental clarity when done responsibly.

    Photo by Pharma Hemp Complex via Unsplash

    Top Strains for Microdosing

    Harlequin

    A CBD-dominant strain, Harlequin is famous for delivering clear-headed relief. It’s ideal for microdosing because its balanced 5:2 ratio of CBD to THC allows you to relax without feeling drowsy or overly stoned. Millennials dealing with tight work schedules and Gen Zers balancing side hustles love its subtle calm.

    ACDC

    Another CBD powerhouse, ACDC is perfect for anyone needing a mental reset midweek. Users report reduced anxiety, enhanced focus, and a sense of grounded calm. Microdosing this strain helps you stay functional while keeping stress at bay.

    Jack Herer

    For those who want a slight mood lift alongside focus, Jack Herer is the classic sativa-leaning option. A microdose delivers gentle energy and creativity without the jittery side effects of coffee or high-THC strains. Ideal for brainstorming sessions or powering through challenging workdays.

    Cannatonic

    Known for its medicinal properties, Cannatonic is CBD-rich with just enough THC to soothe without sedation. This strain is particularly good for those with anxiety or tension headaches during rough weeks. A microdose can bring mental clarity while keeping physical stress in check.

    RELATED: TikTok Is Changing the Cannabis Industry

    Tips for Microdosing Success

    • Start small: Begin with just 2–3 mg of THC and adjust slowly.
    • Track your response: Use a journal or app to note effects and optimal dosage.
    • Pair with routine: Microdosing works best when combined with healthy sleep, hydration, and mindful breaks.
    • Choose the right delivery: Sublingual oils, low-dose edibles, or vaping allow precise dosing.

    Microdosing cannabis is more than a trend—it’s a modern wellness strategy for Millennials and Gen Zers navigating high-pressure lives. Strains like Harlequin, ACDC, Jack Herer, and Cannatonic provide stress relief, focus, and calm without the overwhelming effects of a full high. The key? Start small, track your experience, and let microdosing be your subtle secret weapon for surviving even the roughest week.

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    Terry Hacienda

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  • California ballot design prompts false conspiracy theories that the November election is rigged

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    California Secretary of State Shirley Weber on Monday pushed back against a torrent of misinformation on social media sites claiming that mail-in ballots for the state’s Nov. 4 special election are purposefully designed to disclose how people voted.

    Weber, the state’s top elections official, refuted claims by some Republicans and far-right partisans that holes on ballot envelopes allow election officials to see how Californians voted on Proposition 50, the ballot measure about redistricting that will be decided in a special election in a little over three weeks.

    “The small holes on ballot envelopes are an accessibility feature to allow sight-impaired voters to orient themselves to where they are required to sign the envelope,” Weber said in a statement released Monday.

    Weber said voters can insert ballots in return envelopes in a manner that doesn’t reveal how they voted, or could cast ballots at early voting stations that will open soon or in person on Nov. 4.

    Weber’s decision to “set the record straight” was prompted by conspiracy theories exploding online alleging that mail ballots received by 23 million Californians in recent days are purposefully designed to reveal the votes of people who opposed the measure.

    “If California voters vote ‘NO’ on Gavin Newscum’s redistricting plan, it will show their answer through a hole in the envelope,” Libs of TikTok posted on the social media platform X on Sunday, in a post that has 4.8 million views. “All Democrats do is cheat.”

    GOP Texas Sen. Ted Cruz earlier retweeted a similar post that has been viewed more than 840,000 times, and Republican California gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton, a conservative commentator, called for the November special election to be suspended because of the alleged ballot irregularities.

    The allegation about the ballots, which has been raised by Republicans during prior California elections, stems from the holes in mail ballot envelopes that were created to help visually impaired voters and allow election workers to make sure ballots have been removed from envelopes.

    The special election was called for by Gov. Gavin Newsom and other Democrats in an effort to counter President Trump urging GOP-led states, notably Texas, to redraw their congressional districts before next year’s midterm election to boost GOP ranks in the House and buttress his ability to enact his agenda during his final two years in office.

    California Democrats responded by proposing a rare mid-decade redrawing of California’s 52 congressional boundaries to increase Democratic representation in Congress. Congressional districts are typically drawn once a decade by an independent state commission created by voters in 2010.

    Nearly 600,000 Californians have already returned mail ballots as of Monday evening, according to a ballot tracker created by Political Data, a voter data firm that is led by Democratic strategist Paul Mitchell, who drew the proposed congressional boundaries on the November ballot.

    Republican leaders in California who oppose the ballot measure have expressed concern about the ballot conspiracy theories, fearing the claims may suppress Republicans and others from voting against Proposition 50.

    “Please don’t panic people about something that is easily addressed by turning their ballot around,” Roxanne Hoge, the chair of the Los Angeles County Republican Party, posted on X. “We need every no vote and we need them now.”

    Jessica Millan Patterson, the former chair of the state GOP who is leading one of the two main committees opposing Proposition 50, compared not voting early to sitting on the sidelines of a football game until the third quarter.

    “I understand why voters would be concerned when they see holes in their envelopes … because your vote is your business. It’s the bedrock of our system, being able to [vote by] secret ballot,” she said in an interview. “That being said, the worst thing that you could do if you are unhappy with the way things are here in California is not vote, and so I will continue to promote early voting and voting by mail. It’s always been a core principle for me.”

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    Seema Mehta

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  • Arrest made after 15-year-old killed in Cocoa ambush shooting

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    DAUGHTER’S. WESH TWO NEWS STARTS NOW WITH BREAKING NEWS. WE’RE FOLLOWING SEVERAL BREAKING NEWS STORIES FIRST IN BREVARD COUNTY, WHERE THE SHERIFF SAYS THEY’VE MADE AN ARREST IN THE MURDER OF A 15 YEAR OLD GIRL. BUT THE SEARCH FOR ANOTHER SUSPECT CONTINUES IN JUST THE LAST HOUR, SHERIFF WAYNE IVEY ANNOUNCED THIS MAN, 20 YEAR OLD JOHN TARIK SMITH, WAS ARRESTED FOLLOWING A TRAFFIC STOP IN VOLUSIA COUNTY. HE’S NOW FACING SEVERAL CHARGES, INCLUDING FIRST DEGREE MURDER. THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE JUST POSTED VIDEO OF DETECTIVES WALKING SMITH INTO THE BREVARD COUNTY JAIL. INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE HE HELPED AMBUSH A CAR OUTSIDE A RESTAURANT IN UNINCORPORATED COCOA LAST WEEK. SHOOTING AND KILLING CORREIA DUNNELLON AND WOUNDING TWO YOUNG MEN. NOW, DEPUTIES ARE LOOKING FOR A SECOND SUSPECT RIGHT NOW. AND THIS IS HIS PHOTO HERE. HIS NAME IS XAVIER BUTLER. IF YOU KNOW WHERE HE IS OR YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION, YOU’RE URGED TO CALL THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE OR THE CRI

    Arrest made after 15-year-old killed in Cocoa ambush shooting

    Updated: 6:36 PM EDT Oct 13, 2025

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    An arrest has been made after a 15-year-old girl was killed in an ambush shooting in Cocoa last week, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday.Jonterich Smith, 20, is charged with first-degree premeditated murder and two counts of aggravated battery with a firearm. He is being held without bond.The BCSO is still looking for the second suspect, Xazavier Butler. If found, he will be faced with the same charges as Smith, and held without bond. Ka’Ryah Duncan was one of three people shot while sitting in a parked car outside a restaurant on Clearlake Road. Another car pulled up behind them and fired dozens of shots, leaving all three people wounded, BCSO said. Duncan later died from her injuries. Video shared by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office to Facebook

    BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. —

    An arrest has been made after a 15-year-old girl was killed in an ambush shooting in Cocoa last week, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday.

    Jonterich Smith, 20, is charged with first-degree premeditated murder and two counts of aggravated battery with a firearm. He is being held without bond.

    The BCSO is still looking for the second suspect, Xazavier Butler. If found, he will be faced with the same charges as Smith, and held without bond.

    Ka’Ryah Duncan was one of three people shot while sitting in a parked car outside a restaurant on Clearlake Road.

    Another car pulled up behind them and fired dozens of shots, leaving all three people wounded, BCSO said.

    Duncan later died from her injuries.

    Video shared by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office to Facebook

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  • Palmdale mother charged with murder in toddler’s fentanyl overdose death

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    A 23-year-old Palmdale woman will face a murder charge in the 2023 overdose death of her 2-year-old son, Los Angeles County authorities said Monday.

    Anaie Flores was charged with one count of murder and one county of child abuse causing the death of her son, Angel, in November 2023, according to a criminal complaint.

    Angel died after overdosing on fentanyl left out by her mother, according to Deputy Dist. Atty. Jonathan Hatami, who is prosecuting the case.

    Flores was arrested Thursday by L.A. County sheriff’s deputies and held in lieu of $2-million bail, jail records show.

    It was not immediately clear who was serving as Flores’ attorney. Her arraignment was continued on Monday afternoon, according to Hatami.

    Flores pleaded no contest to grand theft this year and was sentenced to two years of probation in connection with a March burglary, court records show.

    Although it is rare for prosecutors to charge adults with murder in the cases of accidental overdoses involving children in their care, it is not unprecedented. Hatami is pursuing a similar case involving the death of a 17-month-old boy in Lancaster.

    “Fentanyl is sort of like a loaded gun. If you leave a loaded gun in your house and it’s not locked up properly and you have children, and a child gets ahold of that loaded gun and shoots themselves, the parent should be responsible,” Hatami said in an interview with The Times this year. “That’s conscious disregard for the safety of others.”

    At least 11 children younger than 5 have suffered fentanyl-related deaths in California in 2023, according to the state health department.

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    James Queally

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  • Hamas releases all 20 remaining living hostages as part of Gaza ceasefire

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    Hamas released all 20 remaining living hostages held in Gaza on Monday, as part of a ceasefire pausing two years of war that pummeled the territory, killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, and had left scores of captives in militant hands.The hostages, all men, returned to Israel, where they will be reunited with their families and undergo medical checks. The bodies of the remaining 28 dead hostages are also expected to be handed over as part of the deal, although the exact timing remained unclear.Meanwhile, a convoy of Israeli vehicles, Red Cross jeeps and buses left Ofer Prison for the occupied West Bank on Monday afternoon, carrying some of the 250 long-term prisoners set to be released in the exachange. The buses are headed to the center of Beitunia, the nearest Palestinian town, where friends and families await their arrival.In Tel Aviv, families and friends of the hostages who gathered in a square broke into wild cheers as Israeli television channels announced that the first group of hostages was in the hands of the Red Cross. Tens of thousands of Israelis watched the transfers at public screenings across the country.Israel released the first photos of hostages arriving home, including one showing 28-year-old twins Gali and Ziv Berman embracing as they were reunited. Hostages previously released had said the twins from Kfar Aza were held separately.The photos of the first seven hostages released Monday showed them looking pale but less gaunt than some of the hostages freed in January.Earlier, while Palestinians awaited the release of hundreds of prisoners held by Israel, an armored vehicle flying an Israeli flag fired tear gas and rubber bullets at a crowd. As drones buzzed overhead, the group scattered.The tear gas followed the circulation of a flier warning that anyone supporting what it called “terrorist organizations” risked arrest. Israel’s military did not respond to questions about the flier, which The Associated Press obtained on site.While major questions remain about the future of Hamas and Gaza, the exchange of hostages and prisoners raised hopes for ending the deadliest war ever between Israel and the militant group.The ceasefire is also expected to be accompanied by a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza, parts of which are experiencing famine.U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in the region, where he plans to discuss the U.S.-proposed deal and postwar plans with other leaders.The war began when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, in which some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and 251 taken hostage.In Israel’s ensuing offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half the dead were women and children. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, and the U.N. and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.The toll is expected to grow as bodies are pulled from rubble previously made inaccessible by fighting.The war has destroyed large swaths of Gaza and displaced about 90% of its some 2 million residents. It has also triggered other conflicts in the region, sparked worldwide protests and led to allegations of genocide that Israel denies.”Much of Gaza is a wasteland,” U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told the AP on Sunday. Living hostages being released firstThe hostages’ return caps a painful chapter for Israel. Since they were captured in the attack that ignited the war, newscasts have marked their days in captivity and Israelis have worn yellow pins and ribbons in solidarity. Tens of thousands have joined their families in weekly demonstrations calling for their release.As the war dragged on, demonstrators accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of dragging his feet for political purposes, even as he accused Hamas of intransigence. Last week, under heavy international pressure and increasing isolation for Israel, the bitter enemies agreed to the ceasefire.With the hostages’ release, the sense of urgency around the war for many Israelis will be effectively over.It remains unclear when the remains of 28 dead hostages will be returned. An international task force will work to locate deceased hostages who are not returned within 72 hours, said Gal Hirsch, Israel’s coordinator for the hostages and the missing.Meanwhile, buses lined up in Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip on Monday morning in anticipation of the release of prisoners.The exact timing has not been announced for the release of Palestinian prisoners. They include 250 people serving life sentences for convictions in attacks on Israelis, in addition to 1,700 seized from Gaza during the war and held without charge. They will be returned to the West Bank or Gaza or sent into exile.Trump is traveling to Israel and EgyptTrump arrived Monday in Israel, where the White House said he will meet with families of the hostages and speak at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament. Vice President JD Vance said Trump was likely to meet with newly freed hostages.”The war is over,” Trump told to reporters as he departed — even though his ceasefire deal leaves many unanswered questions about the future of Hamas and Gaza.Among the most thorny is Israel’s insistence that a weakened Hamas disarm. Hamas refuses to do that and wants to ensure Israel pulls its troops completely out of Gaza.So far, the Israeli military has withdrawn from much of Gaza City, the southern city of Khan Younis and other areas. Troops remain in most of the southern city of Rafah, towns of Gaza’s far north, and the wide strip along the length of Gaza’s border with Israel.The future governance of Gaza also remains unclear. Under the U.S. plan, an international body will govern the territory, overseeing Palestinian technocrats running day-to-day affairs. Hamas has said Gaza’s government should be worked out among Palestinians.Later Monday, Trump will head to Egypt, where he and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi will lead a summit with leaders from more than 20 countries on the future of Gaza and the broader Middle East.Mahmoud Abbas, leader of the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority, will attend, according to a judge and adviser to Abbas, Mahmoud al-Habbash. The plan envisions an eventual role for the Palestinian Authority — something Netanyahu has long opposed. But it requires the authority, which administers parts of the West Bank, to undergo a sweeping reform program that could take years.The plan also calls for an Arab-led international security force in Gaza, along with Palestinian police trained by Egypt and Jordan. It said Israeli forces would leave areas as those forces deploy. About 200 U.S. troops are now in Israel to monitor the ceasefire.The plan also mentions the possibility of a future Palestinian state, another nonstarter for Netanyahu.___Magdy reported from Cairo and Lidman from Jerusalem. Associated Press writers Josef Federman in Truro, Massachusetts; Bassem Mroue in Beirut; Jalal Bwaitel in Ramallah, West Bank, and Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv, Israel contributed to this report.

    Hamas released all 20 remaining living hostages held in Gaza on Monday, as part of a ceasefire pausing two years of war that pummeled the territory, killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, and had left scores of captives in militant hands.

    Seven of the hostages were released early Monday, while the remaining 13 were freed a few hours later.

    The 20, all men, were being reunited with their families and expected to undergo medical checks.

    The bodies of the remaining 28 dead hostages are also expected to be handed over as part of the deal, although the exact timing remained unclear.

    Families and friends of the hostages who gathered in a square in Tel Aviv broke into wild cheers as Israeli television channels announced that the first group of hostages was in the hands of the Red Cross. Tens of thousands of Israelis watched the transfers at public screenings across the country.

    Israel released the first photos of hostages arriving home, including one showing 28-year-old twins Gali and Ziv Berman embracing as they were reunited. Hostages previously released had said the twins from Kfar Aza were held separately.

    The photos of the first seven hostages released Monday showed them looking pale but less gaunt than some of the hostages freed in January.

    Palestinians, meanwhile, awaited the release of hundreds of prisoners held by Israel. In the West Bank, an armored vehicle flying an Israeli flag fired tear gas and rubber bullets at a crowd waiting near Ofer Prison. As drones buzzed overhead, the group scattered.

    The tear gas followed the circulation of a flier warning that anyone supporting what it called “terrorist organizations” risked arrest. Israel’s military did not respond to questions about the flier, which The Associated Press obtained on site.

    While major questions remain about the future of Hamas and Gaza, the exchange of hostages and prisoners raised hopes for ending the deadliest war ever between Israel and the militant group.

    The ceasefire is also expected to be accompanied by a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza, parts of which are experiencing famine.

    U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in the region, where he plans to discuss the U.S.-proposed deal and postwar plans with other leaders.

    The war began when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, in which some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and 251 taken hostage.

    In Israel’s ensuing offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half the dead were women and children. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, and the U.N. and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.

    The toll is expected to grow as bodies are pulled from rubble previously made inaccessible by fighting.

    The war has destroyed large swaths of Gaza and displaced about 90% of its some 2 million residents. It has also triggered other conflicts in the region, sparked worldwide protests and led to allegations of genocide that Israel denies.

    “Much of Gaza is a wasteland,” U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told the AP on Sunday.

    Living hostages being released first

    The hostages’ return caps a painful chapter for Israel. Since they were captured in the attack that ignited the war, newscasts have marked their days in captivity and Israelis have worn yellow pins and ribbons in solidarity. Tens of thousands have joined their families in weekly demonstrations calling for their release.

    As the war dragged on, demonstrators accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of dragging his feet for political purposes, even as he accused Hamas of intransigence. Last week, under heavy international pressure and increasing isolation for Israel, the bitter enemies agreed to the ceasefire.

    With the hostages’ release, the sense of urgency around the war for many Israelis will be effectively over.

    It remains unclear when the remains of 28 dead hostages will be returned. An international task force will work to locate deceased hostages who are not returned within 72 hours, said Gal Hirsch, Israel’s coordinator for the hostages and the missing.

    Meanwhile, buses lined up in Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip on Monday morning in anticipation of the release of prisoners.

    The exact timing has not been announced for the release of Palestinian prisoners. They include 250 people serving life sentences for convictions in attacks on Israelis, in addition to 1,700 seized from Gaza during the war and held without charge. They will be returned to the West Bank or Gaza or sent into exile.

    Trump is traveling to Israel and Egypt

    Trump arrived Monday in Israel, where the White House said he will meet with families of the hostages and speak at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament. Vice President JD Vance said Trump was likely to meet with newly freed hostages.

    “The war is over,” Trump told to reporters as he departed — even though his ceasefire deal leaves many unanswered questions about the future of Hamas and Gaza.

    Among the most thorny is Israel’s insistence that a weakened Hamas disarm. Hamas refuses to do that and wants to ensure Israel pulls its troops completely out of Gaza.

    So far, the Israeli military has withdrawn from much of Gaza City, the southern city of Khan Younis and other areas. Troops remain in most of the southern city of Rafah, towns of Gaza’s far north, and the wide strip along the length of Gaza’s border with Israel.

    The future governance of Gaza also remains unclear. Under the U.S. plan, an international body will govern the territory, overseeing Palestinian technocrats running day-to-day affairs. Hamas has said Gaza’s government should be worked out among Palestinians.

    Later Monday, Trump will head to Egypt, where he and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi will lead a summit with leaders from more than 20 countries on the future of Gaza and the broader Middle East.

    Mahmoud Abbas, leader of the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority, will attend, according to a judge and adviser to Abbas, Mahmoud al-Habbash. The plan envisions an eventual role for the Palestinian Authority — something Netanyahu has long opposed. But it requires the authority, which administers parts of the West Bank, to undergo a sweeping reform program that could take years.

    The plan also calls for an Arab-led international security force in Gaza, along with Palestinian police trained by Egypt and Jordan. It said Israeli forces would leave areas as those forces deploy. About 200 U.S. troops are now in Israel to monitor the ceasefire.

    The plan also mentions the possibility of a future Palestinian state, another nonstarter for Netanyahu.

    ___

    Magdy reported from Cairo and Lidman from Jerusalem. Associated Press writers Josef Federman in Truro, Massachusetts; Bassem Mroue in Beirut; Jalal Bwaitel in Ramallah, West Bank, and Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv, Israel contributed to this report.

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  • Israel prepares to welcome the last living hostages from Gaza

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    Hamas released seven hostages into the custody of the Red Cross on Monday, the first to be released as part of a breakthrough ceasefire after two years of war between Israel and Hamas in the devastated Gaza Strip.There was no immediate information on their condition. Hamas has said 20 living hostages will be exchanged for over 1,900 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.Video above: Israel prepares to welcome the last living hostages from Gaza as a ceasefire holdsFamilies and friends of hostages broke out into wild cheers as Israeli television channels announced that the hostages were in the hands of the Red Cross. Tens of thousands of Israelis were watching the transfers at public screenings across the country, with a major event being held in Tel Aviv.Palestinians awaited the release of hundreds of prisoners held by Israel. U.S. President Donald Trump was arriving in the region along with other leaders to discuss the U.S.-proposed deal and postwar plans. A surge of humanitarian aid was expected into famine-stricken Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of people have been left homeless.While major questions remain about the future of Hamas and Gaza, the exchange of hostages and prisoners marked a key step toward ending the deadliest war ever between Israel and the militant group.The ceasefire, which began noon Friday (0900 GMT), is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and the Hamas militant group.The war began with Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, that killed some 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage. The war in Gaza has killed over 67,000 Palestinians, local health officials there say.Israelis on Monday prepared to welcome home the last 20 living hostages from devastated Gaza and mourn the return of the dead, in the key exchange of the breakthrough ceasefire after two years of war.Palestinians awaited the release of hundreds of prisoners held by Israel. U.S. President Donald Trump was arriving in the region along with other leaders to discuss the U.S.-proposed deal and postwar plans. A surge of humanitarian aid was expected into famine-stricken Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of people have been left homeless.While major questions remain about the future of Hamas and Gaza, the exchange of hostages and prisoners marked a key step toward ending the deadliest war ever between Israel and the militant group.Living hostages expected firstHamas released a list early Monday morning of the 20 living hostages it will free as part of the ceasefire.Major Israeli TV stations were airing special overnight broadcasts ahead of the hostages’ release as anticipation grew. People began to gather near a large screen in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv before dawn.“It’s very exciting,” said Meir Kaller, who spent a sleepless night there.Video below: President Trump to visit Middle East amid U.S.-mediated ceasefireThe hostages’ return caps a painful chapter for Israel. Since they were captured in the October 2023 Hamas attack that ignited the war, newscasts have marked their days in captivity and Israelis have worn yellow pins and ribbons in solidarity. Tens of thousands have joined their families in weekly demonstrations calling for their release.As the war dragged on, demonstrators accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of dragging his feet for political purposes, even as he accused Hamas of intransigence. Last week, under heavy international pressure and increasing isolation for Israel, the bitter enemies agreed to the ceasefire.With the hostages’ release, the sense of urgency around the war for many Israelis will be effectively over.Israel expects the living hostages to be released together Monday. They will be handed to the International Committee of the Red Cross and then to the Israeli military, which will take them to the Reim military base to be reunited with families.It is unlikely that the remains of up to 28 other hostages will be returned at the same time. An international task force will work to locate deceased hostages who are not returned within 72 hours, said Gal Hirsch, Israel’s coordinator for the hostages and the missing.The timing has not been announced for the release of Palestinian prisoners. They include 250 people serving life sentences for convictions in attacks on Israelis, in addition to 1,700 seized from Gaza during the war and held without charge. They will be returned to the West Bank or Gaza or sent into exile.While Israel considers the prisoners to be terrorists, Palestinians view them as freedom fighters against Israeli occupation. Israel has warned Palestinians in the West Bank against celebrating after people are released, according to a prisoner’s family and a Palestinian official familiar with the plans. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they feared retribution.Red Cross vehicles were seen driving in both Gaza and Israel early Monday.Trump in Israel and EgyptTrump was first visiting Israel, where a White House schedule said he will meet with families of the hostages and speak at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament. Vice President JD Vance said Trump was likely to meet with newly freed hostages.“The war is over,” Trump asserted to reporters as he departed, adding he thought the ceasefire would hold.Trump will continue to Egypt, where President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi’s office said he will co-chair a “peace summit” Monday with regional and international leaders.Mahmoud Abbas, leader of the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority, will attend, a judge and adviser to Abbas, Mahmoud al-Habbash, told The Associated Press. Netanyahu has rejected any role in postwar Gaza for Abbas, though the U.S. plan leaves the possibility open if his Palestinian Authority undergoes reforms. Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007.Other key questions in the ceasefire deal have yet to be resolved, including the future governance of Gaza and who will pay for a billion-dollar reconstruction process. Israel wants to ensure that the weakened Hamas disarms, and Netanyahu has warned Israel could do it “the hard way.” Hamas refuses to disarm and wants to ensure Israel pulls its troops completely out of Gaza.The Israeli military has withdrawn from much of Gaza City, the southern city of Khan Younis and other areas. Troops remain in most of the southern city of Rafah, towns of Gaza’s far north and the wide strip along Gaza’s border with Israel.Under the U.S. plan, an international body will govern Gaza, overseeing Palestinian technocrats running day-to-day affairs. Hamas has said Gaza’s government should be worked out among Palestinians.The plan calls for an Arab-led international security force in Gaza, along with Palestinian police trained by Egypt and Jordan. It said Israeli forces would leave areas as those forces deploy. About 200 U.S. troops are now in Israel to monitor the ceasefire.The plan also mentions the possibility of a future Palestinian state, another nonstarter for Netanyahu.‘Much of Gaza is a wasteland’The United Nations has said Israel so far has approved 190,000 metric tons of aid to enter Gaza, which was besieged after Israel ended the previous ceasefire in March.The Israeli military body in charge of humanitarian aid in Gaza said the amount of aid entering was expected to increase Sunday to around 600 trucks per day, as stipulated in the agreement.“Much of Gaza is a wasteland,” U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told the AP on Sunday. He said the U.N. has a plan for the next two months to restore basic medical and other services, bring in thousands of tons of food and fuel and remove rubble.Two years of warThe war began when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, in which some 1,200 people were killed and 250 taken hostage.Video below: Vigil held for Israeli hostages in Northwest BaltimoreIn Israel’s ensuing offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half the deaths were women and children. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, and the U.N. and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.The toll will grow as bodies are pulled from rubble previously made inaccessible by fighting.The war has destroyed large swaths of Gaza and displaced about 90% of its 2 million residents. It has also triggered other conflicts in the region, sparked worldwide protests and led to allegations of genocide that Israel denies.Federman reported from Truro, Massachusetts. Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue in Beirut, Jalal Bwaitel in Ramallah, West Bank, and Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv contributed to this report.

    CAIRO, Cairo Governorate —

    Hamas released seven hostages into the custody of the Red Cross on Monday, the first to be released as part of a breakthrough ceasefire after two years of war between Israel and Hamas in the devastated Gaza Strip.

    There was no immediate information on their condition. Hamas has said 20 living hostages will be exchanged for over 1,900 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

    Video above: Israel prepares to welcome the last living hostages from Gaza as a ceasefire holds

    Families and friends of hostages broke out into wild cheers as Israeli television channels announced that the hostages were in the hands of the Red Cross. Tens of thousands of Israelis were watching the transfers at public screenings across the country, with a major event being held in Tel Aviv.

    Palestinians awaited the release of hundreds of prisoners held by Israel. U.S. President Donald Trump was arriving in the region along with other leaders to discuss the U.S.-proposed deal and postwar plans. A surge of humanitarian aid was expected into famine-stricken Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of people have been left homeless.

    While major questions remain about the future of Hamas and Gaza, the exchange of hostages and prisoners marked a key step toward ending the deadliest war ever between Israel and the militant group.

    The ceasefire, which began noon Friday (0900 GMT), is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and the Hamas militant group.

    The war began with Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, that killed some 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage. The war in Gaza has killed over 67,000 Palestinians, local health officials there say.

    Israelis on Monday prepared to welcome home the last 20 living hostages from devastated Gaza and mourn the return of the dead, in the key exchange of the breakthrough ceasefire after two years of war.

    Palestinians awaited the release of hundreds of prisoners held by Israel. U.S. President Donald Trump was arriving in the region along with other leaders to discuss the U.S.-proposed deal and postwar plans. A surge of humanitarian aid was expected into famine-stricken Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of people have been left homeless.

    While major questions remain about the future of Hamas and Gaza, the exchange of hostages and prisoners marked a key step toward ending the deadliest war ever between Israel and the militant group.

    Living hostages expected first

    Hamas released a list early Monday morning of the 20 living hostages it will free as part of the ceasefire.

    Major Israeli TV stations were airing special overnight broadcasts ahead of the hostages’ release as anticipation grew. People began to gather near a large screen in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv before dawn.

    “It’s very exciting,” said Meir Kaller, who spent a sleepless night there.

    Video below: President Trump to visit Middle East amid U.S.-mediated ceasefire

    The hostages’ return caps a painful chapter for Israel. Since they were captured in the October 2023 Hamas attack that ignited the war, newscasts have marked their days in captivity and Israelis have worn yellow pins and ribbons in solidarity. Tens of thousands have joined their families in weekly demonstrations calling for their release.

    As the war dragged on, demonstrators accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of dragging his feet for political purposes, even as he accused Hamas of intransigence. Last week, under heavy international pressure and increasing isolation for Israel, the bitter enemies agreed to the ceasefire.

    With the hostages’ release, the sense of urgency around the war for many Israelis will be effectively over.

    Israel expects the living hostages to be released together Monday. They will be handed to the International Committee of the Red Cross and then to the Israeli military, which will take them to the Reim military base to be reunited with families.

    Emilio Morenatti

    People gather prior to the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza, at a plaza known as the hostages square in Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025.

    It is unlikely that the remains of up to 28 other hostages will be returned at the same time. An international task force will work to locate deceased hostages who are not returned within 72 hours, said Gal Hirsch, Israel’s coordinator for the hostages and the missing.

    The timing has not been announced for the release of Palestinian prisoners. They include 250 people serving life sentences for convictions in attacks on Israelis, in addition to 1,700 seized from Gaza during the war and held without charge. They will be returned to the West Bank or Gaza or sent into exile.

    While Israel considers the prisoners to be terrorists, Palestinians view them as freedom fighters against Israeli occupation. Israel has warned Palestinians in the West Bank against celebrating after people are released, according to a prisoner’s family and a Palestinian official familiar with the plans. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they feared retribution.

    Red Cross vehicles were seen driving in both Gaza and Israel early Monday.

    Trump in Israel and Egypt

    Trump was first visiting Israel, where a White House schedule said he will meet with families of the hostages and speak at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament. Vice President JD Vance said Trump was likely to meet with newly freed hostages.

    “The war is over,” Trump asserted to reporters as he departed, adding he thought the ceasefire would hold.

    Trump will continue to Egypt, where President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi’s office said he will co-chair a “peace summit” Monday with regional and international leaders.

    Mahmoud Abbas, leader of the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority, will attend, a judge and adviser to Abbas, Mahmoud al-Habbash, told The Associated Press. Netanyahu has rejected any role in postwar Gaza for Abbas, though the U.S. plan leaves the possibility open if his Palestinian Authority undergoes reforms. Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007.

    Other key questions in the ceasefire deal have yet to be resolved, including the future governance of Gaza and who will pay for a billion-dollar reconstruction process. Israel wants to ensure that the weakened Hamas disarms, and Netanyahu has warned Israel could do it “the hard way.” Hamas refuses to disarm and wants to ensure Israel pulls its troops completely out of Gaza.

    The Israeli military has withdrawn from much of Gaza City, the southern city of Khan Younis and other areas. Troops remain in most of the southern city of Rafah, towns of Gaza’s far north and the wide strip along Gaza’s border with Israel.

    Under the U.S. plan, an international body will govern Gaza, overseeing Palestinian technocrats running day-to-day affairs. Hamas has said Gaza’s government should be worked out among Palestinians.

    The plan calls for an Arab-led international security force in Gaza, along with Palestinian police trained by Egypt and Jordan. It said Israeli forces would leave areas as those forces deploy. About 200 U.S. troops are now in Israel to monitor the ceasefire.

    The plan also mentions the possibility of a future Palestinian state, another nonstarter for Netanyahu.

    ‘Much of Gaza is a wasteland’

    The United Nations has said Israel so far has approved 190,000 metric tons of aid to enter Gaza, which was besieged after Israel ended the previous ceasefire in March.

    The Israeli military body in charge of humanitarian aid in Gaza said the amount of aid entering was expected to increase Sunday to around 600 trucks per day, as stipulated in the agreement.

    “Much of Gaza is a wasteland,” U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told the AP on Sunday. He said the U.N. has a plan for the next two months to restore basic medical and other services, bring in thousands of tons of food and fuel and remove rubble.

    Two years of war

    The war began when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, in which some 1,200 people were killed and 250 taken hostage.

    Video below: Vigil held for Israeli hostages in Northwest Baltimore

    In Israel’s ensuing offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half the deaths were women and children. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, and the U.N. and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.

    The toll will grow as bodies are pulled from rubble previously made inaccessible by fighting.

    The war has destroyed large swaths of Gaza and displaced about 90% of its 2 million residents. It has also triggered other conflicts in the region, sparked worldwide protests and led to allegations of genocide that Israel denies.

    Federman reported from Truro, Massachusetts. Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue in Beirut, Jalal Bwaitel in Ramallah, West Bank, and Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv contributed to this report.

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  • Snowstorm traps hundreds of hikers on Mount Everest

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    Rescuers were helping hundreds of hikers trapped by heavy snow at tourist campsites on a slope of Mount Everest in Tibet, Chinese state media said.About 350 hikers had reached a meeting point in Tingri country and rescuers were in contact with another 200, state broadcaster CCTV said late Sunday. There was no immediate update on rescue efforts on Monday.The hikers were trapped at an elevation of more than 16,000 feet, according to an earlier report from Jimu News, a Chinese online site. Mount Everest is about 29,000 feet tall.A hiker who rushed to descend before snow blocked the way told Jimu News that others still on the mountain told him the snow was 3 feet deep and had crushed tents.Hundreds of rescuers headed up the mountain Sunday to clear paths so that trapped people could come down, the Jimu report said. A video shot by a villager showed a long line of people with horses and oxen moving up a winding path in the snow.The snowstorm struck during a weeklong national holiday in China, when many travel at home and abroad.In another mountainous region in western China, one hiker died of hypothermia and altitude sickness and 137 others were evacuated in the north part of Qinghai province, CCTV said Monday.The search in an area in Menyuan county with an average altitude of more than 13,100 feet was complicated by the terrain, unpredictable weather and continuous snowfall, a CCTV online report said.Mount Everest, known as Mount Qomolangma in Chinese, straddles the border between China and Nepal, where recent heavy rains have left more than 40 people dead.Climbers attempt to scale the world’s tallest peak from base camps in both countries. The base camp for climbers is separate from the tourist camp where hikers were trapped by the snowfall.A strong earthquake killed at least 126 people in the same area in January.The Chinese side of Everest is in Tibet, a remote western region where the government has cracked down harshly on dissent and poured in funds for economic development including roads and tourism.The Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, fled during a failed uprising in 1959 and lives in India, where some Tibetans have set up a government in exile.

    BEIJING —

    Rescuers were helping hundreds of hikers trapped by heavy snow at tourist campsites on a slope of Mount Everest in Tibet, Chinese state media said.

    About 350 hikers had reached a meeting point in Tingri country and rescuers were in contact with another 200, state broadcaster CCTV said late Sunday. There was no immediate update on rescue efforts on Monday.

    The hikers were trapped at an elevation of more than 16,000 feet, according to an earlier report from Jimu News, a Chinese online site. Mount Everest is about 29,000 feet tall.

    A hiker who rushed to descend before snow blocked the way told Jimu News that others still on the mountain told him the snow was 3 feet deep and had crushed tents.

    Hundreds of rescuers headed up the mountain Sunday to clear paths so that trapped people could come down, the Jimu report said. A video shot by a villager showed a long line of people with horses and oxen moving up a winding path in the snow.

    The snowstorm struck during a weeklong national holiday in China, when many travel at home and abroad.

    In another mountainous region in western China, one hiker died of hypothermia and altitude sickness and 137 others were evacuated in the north part of Qinghai province, CCTV said Monday.

    The search in an area in Menyuan county with an average altitude of more than 13,100 feet was complicated by the terrain, unpredictable weather and continuous snowfall, a CCTV online report said.

    Mount Everest, known as Mount Qomolangma in Chinese, straddles the border between China and Nepal, where recent heavy rains have left more than 40 people dead.

    Climbers attempt to scale the world’s tallest peak from base camps in both countries. The base camp for climbers is separate from the tourist camp where hikers were trapped by the snowfall.

    A strong earthquake killed at least 126 people in the same area in January.

    The Chinese side of Everest is in Tibet, a remote western region where the government has cracked down harshly on dissent and poured in funds for economic development including roads and tourism.

    The Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, fled during a failed uprising in 1959 and lives in India, where some Tibetans have set up a government in exile.

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  • Both sides dig in ahead of threatened government shutdown

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    WASHINGTON — Washington is barreling toward a government shutdown Tuesday night, with few signs of an off-ramp as Democrats and Republicans dig in for a fight over government spending.

    Democratic leadership on Capitol Hill is insisting on an extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits as part of a package to fund the government. At least seven Democratic votes are needed in the Senate to pass a seven-week stopgap bill that cleared the House last week.

    But Republican lawmakers and the White House have dismissed the proposal, with senior officials in the Trump administration threatening to use unique legal authorities granted during a government shutdown to conduct yet more mass firings of federal workers.

    Bipartisan congressional leadership met with President Trump at the White House on Monday afternoon in a last-minute effort to avert the crisis. But neither side exited the meeting with expectations of a breakthrough. On the contrary, Republican leaders in the House told the GOP caucus to plan to return to work next week and said they would hold a news conference on Wednesday anticipating the government’s closure.

    “We are not going to support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to gut the healthcare of everyday Americans, period, full stop,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said Monday.

    House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer talk to reporters outside the White House.

    (Alex Brandon / Associated Press)

    Vice President JD Vance said he thought the country was “headed to a shutdown,” labeling Democratic calls for healthcare tax credits an “absurd” demand that amounts to an “excuse for shutting down the people’s government.”

    “You don’t use your policy disagreements as leverage to not pay our troops,” Vance said. “That’s exactly what they’re proposing out there.”

    When the government shuts down, the law requires all nonessential government services to cease, requiring most federal workers to go on furlough or work without pay. Essential services — such as national security functions and air traffic control — are not affected.

    Ahead of the meeting, Trump told reporters he hoped Democrats would agree to “keeping our country open,” before proceeding to criticize their proposals.

    “They’re going to have to do some things, because their ideas are not very good ones,” Trump said. “They’re very bad for our country. So we’ll see how that works out.”

    But Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said he thought his message was beginning to resonate with the president after their meeting Monday afternoon.

    “We have very large differences, on healthcare, and on their ability to undo whatever budget we agree to, through rescissions and through impoundment,” Schumer said. “I think for the first time, the president heard our objections and heard why we needed a bipartisan bill. Their bill has not one iota of Democratic input. That is never how we’ve done this before.”

    “We’ve made to the president some proposals,” Schumer added. “Ultimately, he’s a decision-maker.”

    Schumer faced widespread ridicule from within his party in March after reversing course during the last showdown, choosing then to support the Trump administration’s continuing resolution to fund the government at the height of an aggressive purge of the federal workforce.

    At that point, Schumer feared a shutdown could accelerate the firings. But Schumer is now defiant, despite the renewed threat of layoffs, after the White House Office of Management and Budget circulated a memo last week directing federal agencies to relieve workers on discretionary projects that lose funding after Oct. 1.

    “This is an attempt at intimidation,” Schumer said in response to the memo. “Donald Trump has been firing federal workers since day one — not to govern, but to scare. This is nothing new and has nothing to do with funding the government.”

    Vice President JD Vance talks to reporters as House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune listen.

    Vice President JD Vance talks to reporters as House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune listen.

    (Alex Brandon / Associated Press)

    Still, Schumer began gauging his caucus Monday afternoon on the prospects of a continuing resolution that would in effect delay a shutdown by a week, briefly extending government funding in order to continue negotiations.

    Betting markets had chances of a shutdown soaring above 70% by the end of the day on Monday.

    Speaking to Fox News on Monday, Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said the president’s position was “the reasonable and commonsense thing to do,” calling on Democrats to continue funding to the military and its veterans.

    “All we are asking for is a commonsense, clean funding resolution — a continuing resolution — to keep the government open,” Leavitt said. “This is a bill that keeps the government funded at the exact same levels as today, just adjusted for inflation.”

    “So there is zero good reason for the Democrats to vote against this,” she added. “The president is giving Democrat leadership one last chance to be reasonable.”

    But Jeffries dismissed Leavitt as “divorced from reality” in a podcast interview.

    “In what world will any rational American conclude, after we’ve been lectured throughout the year about this so-called mandate that the Republican Party has in this country, and their complete control of government in Washington, that because Democrats are unwilling to gut the healthcare of the American people as part of the Republican healthcare crisis, that it’s us shutting the government down?” Jeffries said.

    “Nobody’s buying that,” he continued, “outside of the parts of the MAGA base who basically, seemingly, will buy anything that Donald Trump has to peddle.”

    Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said he would call a vote on funding the government Tuesday afternoon.

    “This is purely and simply hostage-taking,” Thune said Monday. Whether it passes or fails, he said, is “up to the Democrats.”

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    Michael Wilner

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  • Humberto expected to bring life-threatening conditions to Florida’s east coast beaches

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    ACCURATE FORECAST IN MINUTES. WELL TROPICAL STORM IMELDA IS CAUSING, AS WE MENTIONED, SOME DANGEROUS CONDITIONS AT OUR BEACHES TODAY. AND WESH 2’S BOB HAZEN IS IN COCOA BEACH WHERE BIG WAVES ARE EXPECTED. THE CONDITIONS HERE IN COCOA BEACH HAVE BEEN KEEPING SOME FOLKS OUT OF THE WATER, BUT FOR OTHERS IT’S LURING THEM IN. NIA, TIA AND HER FAMILY CAME TO COCOA BEACH FROM TAMPA, HOPING TO CATCH WAVES A LOT BIGGER THAN THEY’RE USED TO. IT’S FUN, BUT IT’S DEFINITELY PRETTY CHOPPY. THE STORMS FAR OFFSHORE ARE EXPECTED TO BRING WAVES AS HIGH AS TEN FEET TO SOME PARTS OF OUR COASTLINE. THAT ENTICED A LOT OF SURFERS TO COME OUT FIRST THING IN THE MORNING TO RIDE THE SWELLS, BUT WITH THOSE WAVES ARE POWERFUL RIP CURRENTS. IT’S PRETTY ROUGH TODAY, HONESTLY, WITH THE NORTH WINDS COMING IN, THEY’RE MESSING UP THE FORM OF THE WAVES, SO IT’S NOT THE BEST STORMY, BUMPY CONDITIONS. IT’S A LOT OF FUN THOUGH. SOME FUN DROPS. JONATHAN BROUGHT OUT HIS BOOGIE BOARD FOR THE SAME REASON. HE SAYS AS LONG AS HE’S ON THE BOARD, HE DOESN’T MIND THE RIP. THAT’S GOOD FOR ME. IT GETS ME OUT IN THE WATER QUICKER. BUT OBVIOUSLY IF YOU HAD A KID OR YOU’RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE WATER, DON’T BE OUT HERE TODAY. WE SHOULD SEE SOME OF THE WORST CONDITIONS. STRONG, GUSTY WINDS. OFFICIALS SAY THE RIP CURRENTS CAN BE LIFE THREATENING, SO PEOPLE SHOULD NOT GET INTO THE WATER. BRIAN STAPLETON WAS PLANNING TO GO SURF FISHING, BUT TOLD ME THE CHURNING OCEAN WILL KEEP HIM ON THE SAND. USUALLY WE’LL WALK OUT, CHEST HIGH IN THE WATER, THROW THE BAIT OUT, BUT A DAY LIKE TODAY, PROBABLY NOT A GOOD IDEA. COVERING BREVARD COUNT

    Humberto, Imelda expected to bring big waves, rough surf to Cocoa Beach

    Updated: 1:23 PM EDT Sep 29, 2025

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    Tropical Storm Imelda and Hurricane Humberto continue to churn in the Atlantic.Swells and high surf from both Humberto and Imelda are expected to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions along the east coast of Florida and the Georgia coast through Monday, NHC says.Surfers in Florida are taking to the waves to enjoy the first storm swells of the year, despite warnings from emergency officials to stay off the beach due to high surf and rip current risks.”To me, it’s very good. I have two years without surf, so to me it’s amazing,” one surfer said.County officials are advising people to stay off the beach and out of the water until the rip current risk and high surf conditions subside. The consensus among surfers is that only those with experience should attempt to surf in these conditions.”It was a little too strong for me to go outside,” a young girl said, referring to the main waves breaking outside.She enjoyed the beach safely, accompanied by her experienced surfer dad.”He’s having fun, he did a really cool air, and it’s two to three foot, and it’s really fun to catch the white water,” she said.Another surfer described the conditions as “some chest-high waves and dumping really hard, so fun for me.”The surf is expected to increase on Monday and Tuesday as the storm passes, leaving choppy waters behind.”By Tuesday, of course, it’s going to be good surfers only,” a surfer said.

    CENTRAL FLORIDA, USA —

    Tropical Storm Imelda and Hurricane Humberto continue to churn in the Atlantic.

    Swells and high surf from both Humberto and Imelda are expected to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions along the east coast of Florida and the Georgia coast through Monday, NHC says.

    Surfers in Florida are taking to the waves to enjoy the first storm swells of the year, despite warnings from emergency officials to stay off the beach due to high surf and rip current risks.

    “To me, it’s very good. I have two years without surf, so to me it’s amazing,” one surfer said.

    County officials are advising people to stay off the beach and out of the water until the rip current risk and high surf conditions subside. The consensus among surfers is that only those with experience should attempt to surf in these conditions.

    “It was a little too strong for me to go outside,” a young girl said, referring to the main waves breaking outside.

    She enjoyed the beach safely, accompanied by her experienced surfer dad.

    “He’s having fun, he did a really cool air, and it’s two to three foot, and it’s really fun to catch the white water,” she said.

    Another surfer described the conditions as “some chest-high waves and dumping really hard, so fun for me.”

    The surf is expected to increase on Monday and Tuesday as the storm passes, leaving choppy waters behind.

    “By Tuesday, of course, it’s going to be good surfers only,” a surfer said.

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  • Tropical Storm Imelda continues moving away from US coast; Florida could see some impacts

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    Tropical Storm Imelda continues to move away from the U.S coast on Monday — but the region will still see some impacts from the storm. At 8 a.m. Monday, Imelda was moving north at 8 mph. A faster motion to the east-northeastward moving away from the southeastern U.S. is expected by the middle part of this week. On the forecast track, the center of the system is expected to move across the central and northwestern Bahamas Sunday night and then turn east-northeastward, moving away from the southeastern U.S. by the middle part of this week. Maximum sustained winds: 145 mphMinimum central pressure: 993 mb Watches/warnings A tropical storm warning is in effect for portions of the Northwestern Bahamas, including Eleuthera, the Abacos, Grand Bahama Island and the surrounding keys. Possible impactsWIND Tropical storm conditions in portions of the northwestern Bahamas should continue through today. RAINFALL: Tropical Storm Imelda is expected to produce additional rainfall of 2 to 4 inches across eastern Cuba and 4 to 8 inches across the northwest Bahamas through Tuesday. This rainfall will likely produce flash and urban flooding. Mudslides are also possible in areas of higher terrain across eastern Cuba.Storm total rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches with local maxima of 4 inches are expected through Tuesday across northeast Florida, coastal South Carolina, and coastal sections of southeast North Carolina. This rainfall could result in isolated flash and urban flooding.As Imelda passes near Bermuda, 2 to 4 inches of rainfall is expected from Wednesday into Thursday.STORM SURGEA storm surge will raise water levels by as much as 1to 3 feet above ground level along the immediate coast in areas of onshore winds in the northwestern Bahamas. Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large waves. Minor coastal flooding is possible in areas of onshore winds over the Southeastern U.S. coastline. The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the surge occurs over the next several high tide cycles: Volusia/Brevard County Line, Florida to the South Santee River, South Carolina…1 to 2 ft SURF Swells generated by Tropical Storm Imelda and Hurricane Humberto are affecting the Bahamas and will spread to much of the east coast of the U.S. early this week. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Hurricane season 2025The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. Stay with WESH 2 online and on air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.>> More: 2025 Hurricane Survival GuideThe First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Kellianne Klass, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.>> 2025 hurricane season | WESH long-range forecast

    Tropical Storm Imelda continues to move away from the U.S coast on Monday — but the region will still see some impacts from the storm.

    At 8 a.m. Monday, Imelda was moving north at 8 mph.

    A faster motion to the east-northeastward moving away from the southeastern U.S. is expected by the middle part of this week.

    On the forecast track, the center of the system is expected to move across the central and northwestern Bahamas Sunday night and then turn east-northeastward, moving away from the southeastern U.S. by the middle part of this week.

    • Maximum sustained winds: 145 mph
    • Minimum central pressure: 993 mb

    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.

    Watches/warnings

    A tropical storm warning is in effect for portions of the Northwestern Bahamas, including Eleuthera, the Abacos, Grand Bahama Island and the surrounding keys.

    Possible impacts

    WIND

    Tropical storm conditions in portions of the northwestern Bahamas should continue through today.

    RAINFALL:

    Tropical Storm Imelda is expected to produce additional rainfall of 2 to 4 inches across eastern Cuba and 4 to 8 inches across the northwest Bahamas through Tuesday.

    This rainfall will likely produce flash and urban flooding. Mudslides are also possible in areas of higher terrain across eastern Cuba.

    Storm total rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches with local maxima of 4 inches are expected through Tuesday across northeast Florida, coastal South Carolina, and coastal sections of southeast North Carolina.

    This rainfall could result in isolated flash and urban flooding.

    As Imelda passes near Bermuda, 2 to 4 inches of rainfall is expected from Wednesday into Thursday.

    STORM SURGE

    A storm surge will raise water levels by as much as 1to 3 feet above ground level along the immediate coast in areas of onshore winds in the northwestern Bahamas. Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large waves.

    Minor coastal flooding is possible in areas of onshore winds over the Southeastern U.S. coastline. The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the surge occurs over the next several high tide cycles: Volusia/Brevard County Line, Florida to the South Santee River, South Carolina…1 to 2 ft

    SURF

    Swells generated by Tropical Storm Imelda and Hurricane Humberto are affecting the Bahamas and will spread to much of the east coast of the U.S. early this week. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

    Hurricane season 2025

    The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. Stay with WESH 2 online and on air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.

    >> More: 2025 Hurricane Survival Guide

    The First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Kellianne Klass, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.

    >> 2025 hurricane season | WESH long-range forecast

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  • Beleaguered Northern California jewelry store turns to security gadgets to help snag robbers

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    A Northern California jewelry store that has been robbed twice since 2023 has turned to innovative methods to stop, deter and ultimately capture a series of armed bandits.

    Between 20 and 25 masked suspects stormed into Heller Jewelers in San Ramon on Monday around 1:50 p.m. and began smashing display cases, according to the San Ramon Police Department.

    Surveillance footage obtained by ABC News showed suspects using crowbars to break glass and pilfer an estimated $1 million in loot, while others entered the store with handguns.

    Before the suspects could exit, however, the shop’s security measures activated and the store’s door closed, momentarily trapping the mob.

    San Ramon police told a local news station that the closed door would have required a security guard to open.

    Cellphone footage shows at least one suspect opening fire on the security door. The suspects eventually broke through and fled to awaiting vehicles in the mall’s valet parking section.

    San Ramon police initially chased some of the suspected vehicles but stopped the pursuit “due to the inherent danger to the public.”

    Police helicopters and drones, however, continued tracking a car that went through Contra Costa County and into Alameda County.

    Seven unidentified suspects have been arrested in two locations in Oakland and Dublin. They range in age from 17 to 31, according to San Ramon police, which did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

    A store manager for Heller Jewelry declined to comment on the heists.

    The store has been closed since Monday and plans to reopen Saturday, according to a Facebook post.

    “Heller Jewelers has been a part of the community for nearly 30 years, and we’ve always believed in the strength of the relationship we’ve built with you,” the store noted in a message. “Your support in the days since means more to us than we can express.”

    Heller was previously hit on St. Patrick’s Day in 2023. In that robbery, five men, including one with a firearm, burst into the store and stole more than $1.1 million in merchandise.

    A Rolex watch with a tracking device was among the loot.

    Detectives found and arrested one suspect, which led them to the other four.

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    Andrew J. Campa

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  • Supreme Court to reconsider a 90-year-old precedent protecting independent agency officials

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    WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court said Monday it will decide on reversing a 90-year precedent that has protected independent agencies from direct control by the president.

    The court’s conservative majority has already upheld President Trump’s firing of Democratic appointees at the National Labor Relations Board and Merit Systems Protection Board. And in a separate order on Monday, it upheld Trump’s removal of a Democratic appointee at the Federal Trade Commission.

    Those orders signal the court is likely to rule for the president and that he has the full authority to fire officials at independent agencies, even if Congress said they had fixed terms.

    The only hint of doubt has focused on the Federal Reserve Board. In May, when the court upheld the firing of an NLRB official, it said its decision does not threaten the independence of the Federal Reserve.

    The court described it as “a uniquely structured, quasi-private entity that follows in the distinct historical tradition of the First and Second Banks of the United States.” Trump did not share that view. He threatened to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell during the summer because he had not lowered interest rates.

    And he is now seeking to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, a Biden appointee, based on the allegation she may have committed mortgage fraud when she took out two home loans in 2021.

    Trump’s lawyers sent an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court last week seeking to have Cook removed now.

    Long before Trump’s presidency, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. had argued that the president has the constitutional power to control federal agencies and to hire or fire all officials who exercise significant executive authority.

    But that view stands in conflict with what the court has said for more than a century. Since 1887, when Congress created the Interstate Commerce Commission to regulate railroad rates, lawmakers on Capitol Hill believed they had the authority to create independent boards and commissions.

    Typically, the president would be authorized appoint officials who would serve a fixed term set by law. At times, Congress also required the boards have a mix of both Republican and Democratic appointees.

    The Supreme Court unanimously upheld that understanding in a 1935 case called Humphrey’s Executor. The justices said then these officials made judicial-type decisions, and they should be shielded from direct control by the president.

    That decision was a defeat for President Franklin Roosevelt who tried to fire a Republican appointee on the Federal Trade Commission.

    In recent years, the chief justice and his conservative colleagues have questioned the idea that Congress can shield officials from direct control by the president.

    In Monday’s order, the court said it will hear arguments in December on “whether the statutory removal protections for members of the Federal Trade Commission violate the separation of powers and, if so, whether Humphrey’s Executor v. United States, 295 U. S. 602 (1935), should be overruled.”

    Justice Elena Kagan has repeatedly dissented in these cases and argued that Congress has the power to make the law and structure the government, not the president.

    Joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson, she objected on Monday that the court has continued to fire independent officials at Trump’s request.

    “Our emergency docket should never be used, as it has been this year, to permit what our own precedent bars,” she wrote. “Still more, it should not be used, as it also has been, to transfer government authority from Congress to the President, and thus to reshape the Nation’s separation of powers.”

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    David G. Savage

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  • Suspect in swim mask robbed restaurant at Florida’s Disney Springs

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    THIS STORY. A MAN COVERED FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, WEARING A PAIR OF SWIM GOGGLES IS WANTED FOR ROBBING A RESTAURANT AT DISNEY SPRINGS. WESH TWO MICHELLE MEREDITH IS LIVE AT DISNEY TODAY. AND MICHELLE, JUST WHEN YOU THINK YOU’VE SEEN IT ALL. WELL, YOU KNOW THIS GUY DID NOT HAVE A GUN, NOR DID HE IMPLY HE DID. BUT THE WAY HE WAS DRESSED, NO DOUBT CAUGHT THESE EMPLOYEES BY SURPRISE. WHO OR WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE? WITH A MENACING GOOGLY LOOKING EYES, THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON, LOCH NESS MONSTER COMING OUT OF A SWAMP. NO, HE’S THE SUSPECT IN A ROBBERY THAT HAPPENED AROUND MIDNIGHT MONDAY AT DISNEY SPRINGS. THE RESTAURANT THAT GOT HIT, THE PADDLEFISH, LOOKS LIKE A BIG MISSISSIPPI RIVER STYLE PADDLE BOAT. ACCORDING TO THE ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, THE SUSPECT, COMPLETE WITH SWIMMING GOGGLES, A MASK, CAP, GLOVES, AND WHO LOOKS LIKE HE’S ABOUT TO SPRAY PAINT THE SURVEILLANCE CAMERA, MADE HIS WAY INTO THE MANAGER’S OFFICE WHILE THEY WERE DEPOSITING CASH INTO THE SAFE. PUSHED TWO EMPLOYEES INTO THE CORNER OF THE OFFICE. TOLD THEM TO GO DOWN, PUT THEM ON THEIR KNEES, AND DEMANDED THEY CLOSE THEIR EYES. THE TWO RESTAURANT EMPLOYEES WERE NOT HURT, AND THE REPORT INDICATES THE REST OF THE CREW WAS UPSTAIRS CLEANING. JUST RIDICULOUS. I MEAN, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO FIND THIS DUDE? VISITORS AND LOCALS WE TALKED TO NEAR DISNEY SPRINGS PROCESSED IT ALL WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF ASTONISHMENT. I THINK THIS WORLD IS SICK LATELY. I SAID, THAT’S INSANE. WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TO? THE SUSPECT, WHO WITNESSES SAY WAS COVERED FROM HEAD TO TOE, IS DESCRIBED AS A MAN ABOUT 510 WITH A SLIM BUILD. AND AS AN ADDED TOUCH ON HIS FEET, HE WAS WEARING SOCKS. JUST SOCKS. AND NO SHOES. LI

    Suspect in swim mask robbed restaurant at Florida’s Disney Springs

    Updated: 2:34 AM PDT Sep 17, 2025

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    At first glance, the picture of a robbery suspect might look like the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Or even the Loch Ness Monster.But actually, he’s the suspect in a robbery that happened on Monday around midnight at Disney Springs in Florida. The restaurant, Paddlefish, looks like a big Mississippi River paddleboat. According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect, complete with swim goggles, a mask, cap and gloves, made his way to the manager’s office while employees were depositing cash into the safe, pushed two employees into the corner, instructed them to kneel, and demanded they close their eyes.The two restaurant employees were unharmed, and the report indicates the rest of the crew was upstairs cleaning.Jeanne Rose, who lives near Disney Springs, was in disbelief, saying, “Just ridiculous, I mean how are you going to find this dude.”Her husband, Allan Rose, commented, “I think this world is sick lately.” Dagmar Morales, who is visiting Orlando, added, “I said that’s insane… what is this world coming to.”Witnesses described the suspect as a man about 5’10” with a slim build, covered from head to toe, and notably wearing socks, just socks, with no shoes. If you have any information that can help investigators catch the suspect call Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS.

    LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. —

    At first glance, the picture of a robbery suspect might look like the Creature from the Black Lagoon.

    Or even the Loch Ness Monster.

    But actually, he’s the suspect in a robbery that happened on Monday around midnight at Disney Springs in Florida.

    The restaurant, Paddlefish, looks like a big Mississippi River paddleboat.

    According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect, complete with swim goggles, a mask, cap and gloves, made his way to the manager’s office while employees were depositing cash into the safe, pushed two employees into the corner, instructed them to kneel, and demanded they close their eyes.

    The two restaurant employees were unharmed, and the report indicates the rest of the crew was upstairs cleaning.

    Jeanne Rose, who lives near Disney Springs, was in disbelief, saying, “Just ridiculous, I mean how are you going to find this dude.”

    Her husband, Allan Rose, commented, “I think this world is sick lately.”

    Dagmar Morales, who is visiting Orlando, added, “I said that’s insane… what is this world coming to.”

    Witnesses described the suspect as a man about 5’10” with a slim build, covered from head to toe, and notably wearing socks, just socks, with no shoes.

    If you have any information that can help investigators catch the suspect call Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS.

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  • Suspect left note saying he planned to kill Charlie Kirk, later confessed in texts, prosecutor says

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    Prosecutors brought a murder charge Tuesday against the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk and outlined evidence, including a text message confession to his partner and a note left beforehand saying he had the opportunity to kill one of the nation’s leading conservative voices “and I’m going to take it.”DNA on the trigger of the rifle that killed Kirk also matched that of Tyler Robinson, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said while outlining the evidence and announcing charges that could result in the death penalty if Robinson is convicted.The prosecutor said Robinson, 22, wrote in one text that he spent more than a week planning the attack on Kirk, a prominent force in politics credited with energizing the Republican youth movement and helping Donald Trump win back the White House in 2024.”The murder of Charlie Kirk is an American tragedy,” Gray said.Kirk was gunned down Sept. 10 while speaking with students at Utah Valley University. Prosecutors allege Robinson shot Kirk in the neck with a bolt-action rifle from the roof of a nearby building on the campus in Orem, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City. Robinson appeared briefly Tuesday before a judge by video from jail. He nodded slightly at times but mostly stared straight ahead as the judge read the charges against him and appointed an attorney to represent him. Robinson’s family has declined to comment to The Associated Press since his arrest.Was Charlie Kirk targeted over anti-transgender views?Authorities have not revealed a clear motive in the shooting, but Gray said that Robinson wrote in a text about Kirk to his partner: “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”Robinson also left a note for his partner hidden under a keyboard that said, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it,” according to Gray.The prosecutor declined to answer whether Robinson targeted Kirk for his anti-transgender views. Kirk was shot while taking a question that touched on mass shootings, gun violence and transgender people.”That is for a jury to decide,” Gray said.Robinson was involved in a romantic relationship with his roommate, who investigators say was transgender, which hasn’t been confirmed. Gray said the partner has been cooperating with investigators.Robinson’s partner appeared shocked in the text exchange after the shooting, according to court documents, asking Robinson “why he did it and how long he’d been planning it.”Parents said their son became more politicalWhile authorities say Robinson hasn’t been cooperating with investigators, they say his family and friends have been talking.Robinson’s mother told investigators that their son had turned left politically in the last year and became more supportive of gay and transgender rights after dating someone who is transgender, Gray said.Those decisions prompted several conversations in the household, especially between Robinson and his father. They had different political views and Robinson told his partner in a text that his dad had become a “diehard MAGA” since Trump was elected.Robinson’s mother recognized him when authorities released a picture of the suspect and his parents confronted him, at which time Robinson said he wanted to kill himself, Gray said.The family persuaded him to meet with a family friend who is a retired sheriff’s deputy, who persuaded Robinson to turn himself in, the prosecutor said.Robinson was arrested late Thursday near St. George, the southern Utah community where he grew up, about 240 miles southwest of where the shooting happened.Robinson detailed movements after the shootingIn a text exchange with his partner released by authorities, Robinson wrote: “I had planned to grab my rifle from my drop point shortly after, but most of that side of town got locked down. Its quiet, almost enough to get out, but theres one vehicle lingering.”Then he wrote: “Going to attempt to retrieve it again, hopefully they have moved on. I haven’t seen anything about them finding it.” After that, he sent: “I can get close to it but there is a squad car parked right by it. I think they already swept that spot, but I don’t wanna chance it.”He also was worried about losing his grandfather’s rifle and mentioned several times in the texts that he wished he had picked it up, according to the texts shared in court documents, which did not have timestamps. It was unclear how long after the shooting Robinson was texting.”To be honest I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you,” Robinson wrote in another text to his partner.Prosecutor says Robinson told partner to delete textsRobinson discarded the rifle and clothing and asked his roommate to conceal evidence, Gray said.Robinson was charged with felony discharge of a firearm, punishable by up to life in prison, and obstructing justice, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.He also was charged with witness tampering because he had directed his partner to delete their text messages and told his partner to stay silent if questioned by police, Gray said.Kash Patel says investigators will look at everyoneFBI Director Kash Patel said Tuesday that agents are looking at “anyone and everyone” who was involved in a gaming chatroom on the social media platform Discord with Robinson. The chatroom involved “a lot more” than 20 people, he said during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington.”We are investigating Charlie’s assassination fully and completely and running out every lead related to any allegation of broader violence,” Patel said in response to a question about whether the Kirk shooting was being treated as part of a broader trend of violence against religious groups.The charges filed Tuesday carry two enhancements, including committing several of the crimes in front of or close to children and carrying out violence based on the subject’s political beliefs.Gray declined to say whether Robinson’s partner could face charges or whether anyone else might face charges.Kirk, a dominant figure in conservative politics, became a confidant of President Donald Trump after founding Arizona-based Turning Point USA, one of the nation’s largest political organizations. He brought young, conservative evangelical Christians into politics.In the days since Kirk’s assassination, Americans have found themselves facing questions about rising political violence, the deep divisions that brought the nation here and whether anything can change.Despite calls for greater civility, some who opposed Kirk’s provocative statements about gender, race and politics criticized him after his death. Many Republicans have led the push to punish anyone they believe dishonored him, causing both public and private workers to lose their jobs or face other consequences at work.___Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio.

    PROVO, Utah —

    Prosecutors brought a murder charge Tuesday against the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk and outlined evidence, including a text message confession to his partner and a note left beforehand saying he had the opportunity to kill one of the nation’s leading conservative voices “and I’m going to take it.”

    DNA on the trigger of the rifle that killed Kirk also matched that of Tyler Robinson, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said while outlining the evidence and announcing charges that could result in the death penalty if Robinson is convicted.

    The prosecutor said Robinson, 22, wrote in one text that he spent more than a week planning the attack on Kirk, a prominent force in politics credited with energizing the Republican youth movement and helping Donald Trump win back the White House in 2024.

    “The murder of Charlie Kirk is an American tragedy,” Gray said.

    Kirk was gunned down Sept. 10 while speaking with students at Utah Valley University. Prosecutors allege Robinson shot Kirk in the neck with a bolt-action rifle from the roof of a nearby building on the campus in Orem, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City.

    Robinson appeared briefly Tuesday before a judge by video from jail. He nodded slightly at times but mostly stared straight ahead as the judge read the charges against him and appointed an attorney to represent him. Robinson’s family has declined to comment to The Associated Press since his arrest.

    FBI

    Tyler Robinson, suspect in Charlie Kirk’s assassination

    Was Charlie Kirk targeted over anti-transgender views?

    Authorities have not revealed a clear motive in the shooting, but Gray said that Robinson wrote in a text about Kirk to his partner: “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”

    Robinson also left a note for his partner hidden under a keyboard that said, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it,” according to Gray.

    The prosecutor declined to answer whether Robinson targeted Kirk for his anti-transgender views. Kirk was shot while taking a question that touched on mass shootings, gun violence and transgender people.

    “That is for a jury to decide,” Gray said.

    Robinson was involved in a romantic relationship with his roommate, who investigators say was transgender, which hasn’t been confirmed. Gray said the partner has been cooperating with investigators.

    Robinson’s partner appeared shocked in the text exchange after the shooting, according to court documents, asking Robinson “why he did it and how long he’d been planning it.”

    Parents said their son became more political

    While authorities say Robinson hasn’t been cooperating with investigators, they say his family and friends have been talking.

    Robinson’s mother told investigators that their son had turned left politically in the last year and became more supportive of gay and transgender rights after dating someone who is transgender, Gray said.

    Those decisions prompted several conversations in the household, especially between Robinson and his father. They had different political views and Robinson told his partner in a text that his dad had become a “diehard MAGA” since Trump was elected.

    Robinson’s mother recognized him when authorities released a picture of the suspect and his parents confronted him, at which time Robinson said he wanted to kill himself, Gray said.

    The family persuaded him to meet with a family friend who is a retired sheriff’s deputy, who persuaded Robinson to turn himself in, the prosecutor said.

    Robinson was arrested late Thursday near St. George, the southern Utah community where he grew up, about 240 miles southwest of where the shooting happened.

    Robinson detailed movements after the shooting

    In a text exchange with his partner released by authorities, Robinson wrote: “I had planned to grab my rifle from my drop point shortly after, but most of that side of town got locked down. Its quiet, almost enough to get out, but theres one vehicle lingering.”

    Then he wrote: “Going to attempt to retrieve it again, hopefully they have moved on. I haven’t seen anything about them finding it.” After that, he sent: “I can get close to it but there is a squad car parked right by it. I think they already swept that spot, but I don’t wanna chance it.”

    He also was worried about losing his grandfather’s rifle and mentioned several times in the texts that he wished he had picked it up, according to the texts shared in court documents, which did not have timestamps. It was unclear how long after the shooting Robinson was texting.

    “To be honest I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you,” Robinson wrote in another text to his partner.

    Prosecutor says Robinson told partner to delete texts

    Robinson discarded the rifle and clothing and asked his roommate to conceal evidence, Gray said.

    Robinson was charged with felony discharge of a firearm, punishable by up to life in prison, and obstructing justice, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

    He also was charged with witness tampering because he had directed his partner to delete their text messages and told his partner to stay silent if questioned by police, Gray said.

    Kash Patel says investigators will look at everyone

    FBI Director Kash Patel said Tuesday that agents are looking at “anyone and everyone” who was involved in a gaming chatroom on the social media platform Discord with Robinson. The chatroom involved “a lot more” than 20 people, he said during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington.

    “We are investigating Charlie’s assassination fully and completely and running out every lead related to any allegation of broader violence,” Patel said in response to a question about whether the Kirk shooting was being treated as part of a broader trend of violence against religious groups.

    The charges filed Tuesday carry two enhancements, including committing several of the crimes in front of or close to children and carrying out violence based on the subject’s political beliefs.

    Gray declined to say whether Robinson’s partner could face charges or whether anyone else might face charges.

    Kirk, a dominant figure in conservative politics, became a confidant of President Donald Trump after founding Arizona-based Turning Point USA, one of the nation’s largest political organizations. He brought young, conservative evangelical Christians into politics.

    In the days since Kirk’s assassination, Americans have found themselves facing questions about rising political violence, the deep divisions that brought the nation here and whether anything can change.

    Despite calls for greater civility, some who opposed Kirk’s provocative statements about gender, race and politics criticized him after his death. Many Republicans have led the push to punish anyone they believe dishonored him, causing both public and private workers to lose their jobs or face other consequences at work.

    ___

    Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio.

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  • Suspect left note saying he planned to kill Charlie Kirk, later confessed in texts, prosecutor says

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    Prosecutors brought a murder charge Tuesday against the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk and outlined evidence, including a text message confession to his partner and a note left beforehand saying he had the opportunity to kill one of the nation’s leading conservative voices “and I’m going to take it.”DNA on the trigger of the rifle that killed Kirk also matched that of Tyler Robinson, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said while outlining the evidence and announcing charges that could result in the death penalty if Robinson is convicted.The prosecutor said Robinson, 22, wrote in one text that he spent more than a week planning the attack on Kirk, a prominent force in politics credited with energizing the Republican youth movement and helping Donald Trump win back the White House in 2024.”The murder of Charlie Kirk is an American tragedy,” Gray said.Kirk was gunned down Sept. 10 while speaking with students at Utah Valley University. Prosecutors allege Robinson shot Kirk in the neck with a bolt-action rifle from the roof of a nearby building on the campus in Orem, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City. Robinson appeared briefly Tuesday before a judge by video from jail. He nodded slightly at times but mostly stared straight ahead as the judge read the charges against him and appointed an attorney to represent him. Robinson’s family has declined to comment to The Associated Press since his arrest.Was Charlie Kirk targeted over anti-transgender views?Authorities have not revealed a clear motive in the shooting, but Gray said that Robinson wrote in a text about Kirk to his partner: “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”Robinson also left a note for his partner hidden under a keyboard that said, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it,” according to Gray.The prosecutor declined to answer whether Robinson targeted Kirk for his anti-transgender views. Kirk was shot while taking a question that touched on mass shootings, gun violence and transgender people.”That is for a jury to decide,” Gray said.Robinson was involved in a romantic relationship with his roommate, who investigators say was transgender, which hasn’t been confirmed. Gray said the partner has been cooperating with investigators.Robinson’s partner appeared shocked in the text exchange after the shooting, according to court documents, asking Robinson “why he did it and how long he’d been planning it.”Parents said their son became more politicalWhile authorities say Robinson hasn’t been cooperating with investigators, they say his family and friends have been talking.Robinson’s mother told investigators that their son had turned left politically in the last year and became more supportive of gay and transgender rights after dating someone who is transgender, Gray said.Those decisions prompted several conversations in the household, especially between Robinson and his father. They had different political views and Robinson told his partner in a text that his dad had become a “diehard MAGA” since Trump was elected.Robinson’s mother recognized him when authorities released a picture of the suspect and his parents confronted him, at which time Robinson said he wanted to kill himself, Gray said.The family persuaded him to meet with a family friend who is a retired sheriff’s deputy, who persuaded Robinson to turn himself in, the prosecutor said.Robinson was arrested late Thursday near St. George, the southern Utah community where he grew up, about 240 miles southwest of where the shooting happened.Robinson detailed movements after the shootingIn a text exchange with his partner released by authorities, Robinson wrote: “I had planned to grab my rifle from my drop point shortly after, but most of that side of town got locked down. Its quiet, almost enough to get out, but theres one vehicle lingering.”Then he wrote: “Going to attempt to retrieve it again, hopefully they have moved on. I haven’t seen anything about them finding it.” After that, he sent: “I can get close to it but there is a squad car parked right by it. I think they already swept that spot, but I don’t wanna chance it.”He also was worried about losing his grandfather’s rifle and mentioned several times in the texts that he wished he had picked it up, according to the texts shared in court documents, which did not have timestamps. It was unclear how long after the shooting Robinson was texting.”To be honest I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you,” Robinson wrote in another text to his partner.Prosecutor says Robinson told partner to delete textsRobinson discarded the rifle and clothing and asked his roommate to conceal evidence, Gray said.Robinson was charged with felony discharge of a firearm, punishable by up to life in prison, and obstructing justice, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.He also was charged with witness tampering because he had directed his partner to delete their text messages and told his partner to stay silent if questioned by police, Gray said.Kash Patel says investigators will look at everyoneFBI Director Kash Patel said Tuesday that agents are looking at “anyone and everyone” who was involved in a gaming chatroom on the social media platform Discord with Robinson. The chatroom involved “a lot more” than 20 people, he said during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington.”We are investigating Charlie’s assassination fully and completely and running out every lead related to any allegation of broader violence,” Patel said in response to a question about whether the Kirk shooting was being treated as part of a broader trend of violence against religious groups.The charges filed Tuesday carry two enhancements, including committing several of the crimes in front of or close to children and carrying out violence based on the subject’s political beliefs.Gray declined to say whether Robinson’s partner could face charges or whether anyone else might face charges.Kirk, a dominant figure in conservative politics, became a confidant of President Donald Trump after founding Arizona-based Turning Point USA, one of the nation’s largest political organizations. He brought young, conservative evangelical Christians into politics.In the days since Kirk’s assassination, Americans have found themselves facing questions about rising political violence, the deep divisions that brought the nation here and whether anything can change.Despite calls for greater civility, some who opposed Kirk’s provocative statements about gender, race and politics criticized him after his death. Many Republicans have led the push to punish anyone they believe dishonored him, causing both public and private workers to lose their jobs or face other consequences at work.___Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio.

    PROVO, Utah —

    Prosecutors brought a murder charge Tuesday against the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk and outlined evidence, including a text message confession to his partner and a note left beforehand saying he had the opportunity to kill one of the nation’s leading conservative voices “and I’m going to take it.”

    DNA on the trigger of the rifle that killed Kirk also matched that of Tyler Robinson, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said while outlining the evidence and announcing charges that could result in the death penalty if Robinson is convicted.

    The prosecutor said Robinson, 22, wrote in one text that he spent more than a week planning the attack on Kirk, a prominent force in politics credited with energizing the Republican youth movement and helping Donald Trump win back the White House in 2024.

    “The murder of Charlie Kirk is an American tragedy,” Gray said.

    Kirk was gunned down Sept. 10 while speaking with students at Utah Valley University. Prosecutors allege Robinson shot Kirk in the neck with a bolt-action rifle from the roof of a nearby building on the campus in Orem, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City.

    Robinson appeared briefly Tuesday before a judge by video from jail. He nodded slightly at times but mostly stared straight ahead as the judge read the charges against him and appointed an attorney to represent him. Robinson’s family has declined to comment to The Associated Press since his arrest.

    FBI

    Tyler Robinson, suspect in Charlie Kirk’s assassination

    Was Charlie Kirk targeted over anti-transgender views?

    Authorities have not revealed a clear motive in the shooting, but Gray said that Robinson wrote in a text about Kirk to his partner: “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”

    Robinson also left a note for his partner hidden under a keyboard that said, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it,” according to Gray.

    The prosecutor declined to answer whether Robinson targeted Kirk for his anti-transgender views. Kirk was shot while taking a question that touched on mass shootings, gun violence and transgender people.

    “That is for a jury to decide,” Gray said.

    Robinson was involved in a romantic relationship with his roommate, who investigators say was transgender, which hasn’t been confirmed. Gray said the partner has been cooperating with investigators.

    Robinson’s partner appeared shocked in the text exchange after the shooting, according to court documents, asking Robinson “why he did it and how long he’d been planning it.”

    Parents said their son became more political

    While authorities say Robinson hasn’t been cooperating with investigators, they say his family and friends have been talking.

    Robinson’s mother told investigators that their son had turned left politically in the last year and became more supportive of gay and transgender rights after dating someone who is transgender, Gray said.

    Those decisions prompted several conversations in the household, especially between Robinson and his father. They had different political views and Robinson told his partner in a text that his dad had become a “diehard MAGA” since Trump was elected.

    Robinson’s mother recognized him when authorities released a picture of the suspect and his parents confronted him, at which time Robinson said he wanted to kill himself, Gray said.

    The family persuaded him to meet with a family friend who is a retired sheriff’s deputy, who persuaded Robinson to turn himself in, the prosecutor said.

    Robinson was arrested late Thursday near St. George, the southern Utah community where he grew up, about 240 miles southwest of where the shooting happened.

    Robinson detailed movements after the shooting

    In a text exchange with his partner released by authorities, Robinson wrote: “I had planned to grab my rifle from my drop point shortly after, but most of that side of town got locked down. Its quiet, almost enough to get out, but theres one vehicle lingering.”

    Then he wrote: “Going to attempt to retrieve it again, hopefully they have moved on. I haven’t seen anything about them finding it.” After that, he sent: “I can get close to it but there is a squad car parked right by it. I think they already swept that spot, but I don’t wanna chance it.”

    He also was worried about losing his grandfather’s rifle and mentioned several times in the texts that he wished he had picked it up, according to the texts shared in court documents, which did not have timestamps. It was unclear how long after the shooting Robinson was texting.

    “To be honest I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you,” Robinson wrote in another text to his partner.

    Prosecutor says Robinson told partner to delete texts

    Robinson discarded the rifle and clothing and asked his roommate to conceal evidence, Gray said.

    Robinson was charged with felony discharge of a firearm, punishable by up to life in prison, and obstructing justice, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

    He also was charged with witness tampering because he had directed his partner to delete their text messages and told his partner to stay silent if questioned by police, Gray said.

    Kash Patel says investigators will look at everyone

    FBI Director Kash Patel said Tuesday that agents are looking at “anyone and everyone” who was involved in a gaming chatroom on the social media platform Discord with Robinson. The chatroom involved “a lot more” than 20 people, he said during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington.

    “We are investigating Charlie’s assassination fully and completely and running out every lead related to any allegation of broader violence,” Patel said in response to a question about whether the Kirk shooting was being treated as part of a broader trend of violence against religious groups.

    The charges filed Tuesday carry two enhancements, including committing several of the crimes in front of or close to children and carrying out violence based on the subject’s political beliefs.

    Gray declined to say whether Robinson’s partner could face charges or whether anyone else might face charges.

    Kirk, a dominant figure in conservative politics, became a confidant of President Donald Trump after founding Arizona-based Turning Point USA, one of the nation’s largest political organizations. He brought young, conservative evangelical Christians into politics.

    In the days since Kirk’s assassination, Americans have found themselves facing questions about rising political violence, the deep divisions that brought the nation here and whether anything can change.

    Despite calls for greater civility, some who opposed Kirk’s provocative statements about gender, race and politics criticized him after his death. Many Republicans have led the push to punish anyone they believe dishonored him, causing both public and private workers to lose their jobs or face other consequences at work.

    ___

    Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio.

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  • President Trump deploys the National Guard to Memphis

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    President Trump said this task force will replicate what is happening on the streets of Washington DC. The president said the goal is to essentially put an end to crime in Memphis and mirror the actions taking place in the nation’s capital. The memorandum President Trump signed on Monday did not include details on when troops would be deployed or exactly what his promised surge in law enforcement efforts would actually look like. Tennessee’s governor embraced the deployment while the mayor of Memphis is not thrilled with the plan. Crime that’s going on not only in Memphis in many cities and we’re gonna take care of all of them step by step just like we did in DC. We’ll have folks without training interacting with our citizenry, and there’s *** chance that that will compromise our due process rights. The president also mentioned he’s still looking to send National Guard troops to more Democratic-led cities like Baltimore, New Orleans, and Saint Louis. In Washington, I’m Rachel Herzheimer.

    President Trump deploys the National Guard to Memphis

    President Donald Trump plans to send National Guard troops to Memphis, Tennessee, as part of a federal initiative to combat crime, drawing varied responses from local leaders.

    Updated: 4:56 AM PDT Sep 16, 2025

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    President Donald Trump is sending National Guard troops to Memphis, Tennessee, as part of his efforts to combat crime and illegal immigration.Trump said the task force will replicate what is happening on the streets in Washington, D.C., with the goal of reducing crime in Memphis. “It’s very important because of the crime that’s going on, not only in Memphis, and many cities that we’re going to take care of all of them, Trump said during an Oval Office event with members of his administration, and Tennessee’s governor and two Republican senators. “Step by step, just like we did in DC.” The memorandum President Trump signed on Monday did not specify when the troops would be deployed or detail the nature of the increased law enforcement efforts. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has embraced the deployment, but Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris expressed concerns. “We’ll have folks without training interacting with our citizenry, and there’s a chance that will compromise our due process rights,” Harris said.”I think that the National Guard is a short-term solution, and let’s be honest, these guys, these men and women, have jobs and families just like we do, and they would probably rather not be here as well,” Memphis city council member J. Ford Canale said.The president mentioned that he is still looking to send National Guard troops to more Democratic-led cities, such as New Orleans, Baltimore, and St. Louis.It looked like Chicago was going to be the next city to see troops hit the streets. The administration faced resistance from the Governor of Illinois and other local authorities. On Monday, President Trump insisted Chicago would probably be next to see National Guard troops.Keep watching for the latest from the Washington News Bureau:

    WASHINGTON —

    President Donald Trump is sending National Guard troops to Memphis, Tennessee, as part of his efforts to combat crime and illegal immigration.

    Trump said the task force will replicate what is happening on the streets in Washington, D.C., with the goal of reducing crime in Memphis.

    “It’s very important because of the crime that’s going on, not only in Memphis, and many cities that we’re going to take care of all of them, Trump said during an Oval Office event with members of his administration, and Tennessee’s governor and two Republican senators. “Step by step, just like we did in DC.”

    The memorandum President Trump signed on Monday did not specify when the troops would be deployed or detail the nature of the increased law enforcement efforts.

    Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has embraced the deployment, but Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris expressed concerns. “We’ll have folks without training interacting with our citizenry, and there’s a chance that will compromise our due process rights,” Harris said.

    “I think that the National Guard is a short-term solution, and let’s be honest, these guys, these men and women, have jobs and families just like we do, and they would probably rather not be here as well,” Memphis city council member J. Ford Canale said.

    The president mentioned that he is still looking to send National Guard troops to more Democratic-led cities, such as New Orleans, Baltimore, and St. Louis.

    It looked like Chicago was going to be the next city to see troops hit the streets. The administration faced resistance from the Governor of Illinois and other local authorities.

    On Monday, President Trump insisted Chicago would probably be next to see National Guard troops.

    Keep watching for the latest from the Washington News Bureau:

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