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Tag: NNT

  • SpaceX rocket being tested in Texas explodes, but no injuries reported

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    A SpaceX rocket being tested in Texas exploded Wednesday night, sending a dramatic fireball high into the sky.

    What You Need To Know

    • A SpaceX rocket being tested in Texas has exploded, sending a dramatic fireball high into the sky
    • The company says the Starship “experienced a major anomaly” at about 11 p.m. Wednesday while on the test stand at Starbase, SpaceX’s launch site at the southern tip of Texas

    • The company says in a statement on X that “all personnel are safe and accounted for”

    • SpaceX says there are no hazards to nearby communities

    The company said the Starship “experienced a major anomaly” at about 11 p.m. while on the test stand preparing for the tenth flight test at Starbase, SpaceX’s launch site at the southern tip of Texas.

    “A safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation and all personnel are safe and accounted for,” SpaceX said in a statement on the social platform X.

    It marked the latest in a series of incidents involving Starship rockets. On Jan. 16, one of the massive rockets broke apart in what the company called a “rapid unscheduled disassembly,” sending trails of flaming debris near the Caribbean. Two months later, Space X lost contact with another Starship during a March 6 test flight as the spacecraft broke apart, with wreckage seen streaming over Florida.

    Following the back-to-back explosions, one of the 403-foot (123-meter) Starship rockets, launched from the southern tip of Texas, tumbled out of control and broke apart on March 27. SpaceX had hoped to release a series of mock satellites following liftoff, but that got nixed because the door failed to open all the way. Then the spacecraft began spinning and made an uncontrolled landing in the Indian Ocean.

    At the time, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk called the launch “a big improvement” from the two previous demos and promised a much faster launch pace moving forward, with a Starship soaring every three to four weeks for the next three flights.

    SpaceX said Wednesday night’s explosion posed no hazards to nearby communities. It asked people not to try to approach the site.

    The company said it is working with local officials to respond to the explosion.

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    Associated Press

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  • UH astronomers discover new kind of cosmic explosion

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    While the rock ‘n’ roll world endlessly debates whether it’s better to burn out than to fade away, a team of scientists from the University of Hawaii’s Institute for Astronomy have discovered what it’s like to both burn out in specular fashion and not fade away for a long, long time.

    What You Need To Know

    • The IfA team discovered a previously unrecognized, undefined type of cosmic explosion far rarer and far more energetic than supernovae — an explosion second only to the Big Bang itself. Dubbed ‘extreme nuclear transients,’ these powerful explosions occur when stars at least three times the mass of our sun are shredded by supermassive black holes
    • Millions of times rarer than supernovae (the explosive final phase of a star’s existence), ENTs produce an extreme brightness that can be seen in extremely distant galaxies, providing scientists a new way to study black holes in the early universe
    • Among the ENTs the team studied was Gaia18cdj, which released 25 times more energy than the most powerful supernova on record. In just one year, it radiated energy equal to the lifetime output of 100 suns
    • The team’s findings were published in the journal Science Advances

    Specifically, the team discovered a previously unrecognized, undefined type of cosmic explosion far rarer and far more energetic than supernovae — an explosion second only to the Big Bang itself. Dubbed “extreme nuclear transients,” these unfathomably powerful explosions occur when stars at least three times the mass of our sun are shredded by supermassive black holes.

    “We’ve observed stars getting ripped apart as tidal disruption events for over a decade, but these ENTs are different beasts, reaching brightnesses nearly 10 times greater than what we typically see,” said Jason Hinkle, who led the study as the final piece of his doctoral research at IfA. “Not only are ENTs far brighter than normal tidal disruption events, but they remain luminous for years, far surpassing the energy output of even the brightest known supernova explosions.”

    Millions of times rarer than supernovae (the explosive final phase of a star’s existence), ENTs produce an extreme brightness that can be seen in extremely distant galaxies, providing scientists a new way to study black holes in the early universe. Unlike more common cosmic explosions that fade over several weeks, ENTs glow steadily for years, according to the researchers.

    Among the ENTs the team studied was Gaia18cdj, which released 25 times more energy than the most powerful supernova on record. In just one year, it radiated energy equal to the lifetime output of 100 suns. Most supernovae, in comparison, produce only one sun’s lifetime output over a similar timescale.

    Hinkle said he first spotted the unique flares that mark an ENT while reviewing publicly available data from the Gaia space telescope.

    “Gaia observations don’t tell you what a transient is, just that something changed in how bright it appears to us,” Hinkle said. “But when I saw these smooth, long-lived flares from the centers of distant galaxies, I knew we were looking at something unusual.”

    Hinkle used years of observations from UH’s Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System with telescopes on Haleakala and Mauna Loa, the W. M. Keck Observatory on Maunakea, and other telescopes on and orbiting the Earth to characterize these events. Researchers confirmed these weren’t supernovae or normal black hole activity. Instead, ENTs appear to be caused by a smoother, more drawn-out process, as stars multiple times as massive as our sun are slowly consumed by black holes.

    ENTs provide a valuable new tool for studying massive black holes in distant galaxies,” said Benjamin Shappee, an associate professor at IfA who co-authored the study. “Because they’re so bright, we can see them across vast cosmic distances — and in astronomy, looking far away means looking back in time. By observing these prolonged flares, we gain insights into black hole growth when the universe was half its current age and galaxies were busy places — forming stars and feeding their supermassive black holes 10 times more vigorously than they do today.”

    Astronomers hope to spot more ENTs and, with them, further glimpses into the powerful forces shaping galaxies across cosmic time. It is hoped that future observatories such as the Vera C. Rubin Observatory and NASA’s Roman Space Telescope could uncover many more of these events.

    “These ENTs don’t just mark the dramatic end of a massive star’s life. They illuminate the processes responsible for growing the largest black holes in the universe,” said Hinkle.

    The team’s findings were published in the journal Science Advances.

    Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com.

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    Michael Tsai

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  • It’s the first day of Atlantic hurricane season

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    Today is the first day of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season. Here are some helpful resources to help you and your family prepare.

    How to prepare?

    Even if you are not in a storm’s path, there are ways to prepare in advance that will make it easier for you when the time comes. It’s important to know if you live in an evacuation zone, and if so, to develop an evacuation plan for you and your family.

    You can assemble a hurricane kit, including items like non-perishable food for your family and pets, water, flashlights, a first aid kit and more.

    Also, reviewing your insurance plans if you own a home and to sign up for flood insurance if it is a separate plan.

    Here is a full breakdown of how to prepare you and your family and what you can do today.

    This year’s forecast

    NOAA and Colorado State University are both predicting above normal activity this season.

    This year’s forecast includes several factors, primarily continued ENSO-neutral conditions, warmer than average ocean temperatures, forecasts for weak wind shear and the potential for higher activity from the West African Monsoon, a primary starting point for Atlantic hurricanes.

    More resources

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

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    Meteorologist Reid Lybarger

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  • What to know about Epic Universe, Universal Orlando’s new theme park

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    ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida residents and visitors will be flocking to Orlando beginning Thursday for Universal Orlando’s highly-anticipated grand opening of its fourth park, Epic Universe.

    💫 MORE EPIC UNIVERSE COVERAGE:

    The park will feature five themed worlds: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic, Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk, Dark Universe and Celestial Park.

    If you’re one of the many thrill-seekers about to experience Universal’s latest installment, here’s what to know before heading out.

    • Plan ahead
      There are bound to be large crowds with the park’s opening, as well as long wait times for rides and attractions. Map out everything you want to experience first before heading out, and take advantage of Universal’s Express Pass option.
    • Hydrate!
      The park is opening just before the summer break season gets underway for Florida. Be sure to drink water so that heat exhaustion and dehydration don’t ruin your day.
    • Wear comfortable clothing
      Epic Universe is built on 750 acres of land, so be prepared to do a lot of walking!
    • Establish meeting places
      Cell phone service may be limited due to the number of people at the park, or if you and your group split up on wanting to do different activities, it’s important to have a place where you can all meet back up at afterward.
    • Be courteous
      Many people are looking forward to experience Epic Universe for the first time. Be respectful to other attendees, as well as the Universal Orlando Team Members, to ensure a good time for all. 
       

    Staying Cool at the Park

    Here are a list of items that will help you beat the heat! Spectrum News did not receive any compensation for the mentioning of these items below. We put together the list to give visitors ideas on what they might want to bring to the park during the hot summer months.

     

    “Beyond this gate, find gardens green

    And epic worlds to fill your dreams…”


     

     

    The Five Worlds

    Celestial Park 🌌✨☄️

    Adventurers will begin their journey at Celestial Park. At the entrance of the gate stands The Chronos, a device that is keeping the portals to the other four worlds open. Directly across from the entrance stands Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a resort that’s inside of Epic Universe. It has a dedicated entrance into the park itself and can be seen throughout all areas of Celestial Park. With an interstellar theme and orchestral music heard throughout the area, guests will be able to enjoy a serene environment before they explore the worlds. For those looking to dive into some excitement beforehand, Stardust Racers is a dual-track roller coaster that emulates the movement of a comet zooming through the cosmos. For more of a relaxed atmosphere, guests can ride on Constellation Carousel, or cool off from the Florida heat in Astronomica, an interactive water play area.

    READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Celestial Park

    Highlights of Celestial Park at Universal Orlando’s new Epic Universe theme park include Constellation Carousel, Stardust Racers and Pizza Moon. (Spectrum News)

    SUPER NINTENDO WORLD 🍄⭐🎮

    Another world of Epic Universe includes a widely-known video game franchise. Super Nintendo World is filled with vibrant colors and loads of nostalgia. If you’re a fan of the Super Mario World series, you’ll be able to spot notable landmarks from the games, such as Princess Peach’s Castle and Bowser’s Castle. Guests will be able to roam around the Mushroom Kingdom, interacting with the yellow “?” Blocks while listening to the iconic game audio tracks playing in the background, almost as if they were in a video game themselves.

    Fans of the Mario Kart racing games team up with Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach to face off against Team Bowser in “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge.” With the help of special goggles, guests can collect coins and launch shells as they navigate through different landscapes. Guests can compete either individually or as a team member, interacting with their favorite Super Mario characters on the ride. If you’re looking for a more leisurely ride, you can hop on the back of Yoshi and search for glowing eggs throughout the Mushroom Kingdom aboard “Yoshi’s Adventure.”

    Super Nintendo World also brings the world of Donkey Kong to life with a lush, jungle theme and its own interactive experiences. Guests will be able to join Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong on a quest to protect the golden banana on “Mine Cart Madness.” Riders will board a coaster designed like a mine cart and zip through the track at high speeds with motifs from the video game.

    And staying true to its theme, Super Nintendo World offers opportunities for guests to play interactive games in the form of Power-Up bands, which are available for purchase at various retail spots in Universal Studios Hollywood as well as inside Super Nintendo World at the 1-UP Factory store. Wear a Power-Up band featuring your favorite Super Ninendo character while playing games and collecting digital keys to defeat Bowser Jr. to recover the stolen Golden Mushroom for Princess Peach. And just like in your favorite video games, you can also use your Power-Up band to collect digital coins.

    READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Super Nintendo World

    Highlights of Super Nintendo World at Universal Orlando’s new Epic Universe theme park include Princess Peach’s Castle, themed merchandise and Mine Cart Madness. (Spectrum News)

    Dark Universe 🌕🦇🧛

    Discover a world of myth and mystery as classic Universal Monsters such as Frankenstein’s Monster, Dracula, and the Werewolf come to life in Dark Universe. With gothic designs throughout the area, guests can venture into the village of Darkmoor, where Dr. Victoria Frankenstein’s monstrous experiments roam freely. In “Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment,” guests can venture into Frankenstein Manor, where Dr. Victoria Frankenstein continues her family’s experiments. The ride gets you up close to iconic monsters in the form of animatronics, like The Wolf Man, The Mummy, The Creature from the Black Lagoon, the Brides of Dracula, and more.  As she attempts to control the power of these monsters, Dracula breaks free, enraged and seeking vengeance.

    If you survive the manor, you can learn about the origin of The Wolf Man on “Curse of the Werewolf.” Guests will enter the wagon camp of The Guild of Mystics, where they will be greeted by the guild’s all-knowing seer. She warns that you carry the mark of the werewolf, and after boarding a wagon, the ride then takes guests on a high-speed adventure through a forested track as you try escaping other werewolves lurking around. 

    If you feel that the rides might be too intense for small children, kids can still get in on the monstrous fun with the “Darkmoor Monster Makeup Experience.” Guests will have the opportunity to transform into their favorite Universal Monster with the help of special effects artists. You can also opt for temporary tattoos instead of full makeup. You can book a makeup appointment on Universal Orlando’s website. Prices start at $45 for the “Experiment” ticket, which features face makeup, and $169 for the “Transformation” ticket, which includes face makeup and matching accessories.

    READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Dark Universe

    Highlights of Dark Universe at Universal Orlando’s new Epic Universe theme park include Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment and The Manor Storehouse. (Spectrum News)

    The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic 🧙‍♂️🦉🪄

    This world brings the third installment of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter areas featured in Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. The world at Epic Universe brings themes from the “Fantastic Beasts” films and the British Ministry of Magic from the “Harry Potter” series through a shopping district called Place Cachée in 1920s Paris.

    Guests will be able to use the Métro-Floo to travel from Paris to the British Ministry of Magic for the featured attraction, “Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry.” You can explore the departments within the ministry while the trial of Dolores Umbridge is about to get underway. The trial doesn’t go exactly as planned, however, as Umbridge plots to escape before being brought to justice. Guests will team up with the series’ beloved main characters — Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger — to stop Umbridge aboard an omnidirectional lift while also avoiding Death Eaters and other evil creatures.

    And don’t forget to get your wands ready! Like Universal Orlando’s wizarding worlds in its other theme parks, this world features numerous new interactive wand experiences throughout the area, where guests can cast spells in various locations and witness the magic come to life. You can also use your wands to interact with fantastic beasts and enchanted objects. Cosme Acajor Baguettes Magique offers wands available for purchase, designed by esteemed artisan wandmaker, Cosme Acajor.

    After an action-packed wizardly adventure, guests can unwind and enjoy a live stage show at Le Cirque Arcanus, a circus featured in “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.” Ringmaster Skender steals Newt Scamander’s suitcase — which contains fantastic beasts from around the globe — in an attempt to restore the circus to its former glory. It’s up to circus employee Gwenlyn to rescue the creatures from Skender in a mix of live performances, puppetry and special effects.

    Tip: Le Cirque Arcanus contains a preshow, which is standing room in a circus tent. This can tend to get hot and crowded, especially during the summer months.

    READ MORE: Everything you need to know about The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic

    Highlights of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic at Universal Orlando’s new Epic Universe theme park include Le Cirque Arcanus, Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry, Cosme Acajor Baguettes Magique and K. Rammelle. (Spectrum News)

    How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk 🐲🪓🗡️

    Explore a world filled with Vikings and dragons alike from the “How to Train Your Dragon” movie series. The Isle of Berk features iconic characters such as Hiccup and Toothless, Astrid and Stormfly, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, and more. The world features many family-friendly rides, such as Hiccup’s Wing Gliders. Guests can experience what it’s like to fly on a dragon with the help of a winged contraption created by Hiccup. The ride reaches speeds of up to 45 mph and heights of 50 feet through the air as you soar alongside Hiccup and Toothless.

    There are also opportunities to hang out with Hiccup and Toothless during a meet-and-greet at the Haddock Paddock. Visitors can pet and interact with Toothless, and see him respond in a friendly manner.

    Park goers can also expect to see other Vikings and dragons roaming around Berk.

    At Fyre Drill, guests can join in on some playful competition with Viking twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut on an interactive boat ride. Families can use water cannons aboard their boat to shoot at flame-like targets — and other boats.

    Guests can also do mid-air acrobatics and barrel rolls on Dragon Racer’s Rally. The ride elevates guests in the air up to 67 feet with the help of Viking-crafted, dragon-riding trainers to practice the abilities of a champion dragon racer.

    And Berk isn’t short of live entertainment — The Untrainable Dragon is a heart-warming, family-friendly show that features characters Hiccup, Toothless, Gobber and Astrid as they solve the mystery of The Untrainable Dragon. It’s filled with numerous musical performances, elaborate sets and larger-than-life dragons – including the fan-favorite Toothless who soars over the audience, spanning nearly 27 feet.

    Little Vikings can hone their skills in an interactive play area called Viking Training Camp. The area includes an agility course, musical drums and chimes, an interactive sheep launcher game and multiple towers to climb and explore.

    READ MORE: Everything you need to know about How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk

    Highlights of How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk at Universal Orlando’s new Epic Universe theme park include a meet-and-greet with Hiccup and Toothless, as well as rides such as Dragon Racer’s Rally. (Spectrum News)

    New Epic Universe Hotels 🏨🛎️🌴

    Universal Orlando opened three new hotels adjacent to its Epic Universe park — Universal Helios Grand Hotel, Universal Terra Luna Resort and Universal Stella Nova Resort.

    Universal Helios Grand Hotel, the “crown jewel” of Universal’s hotels, is the newest hotel to open. The 500-room hotel overlooks Epic Universe, and has a Mediterranean-inspired feel. It offers rooms with views of the theme park, as well as a dedicated entrance to the park for ticket holders — which is just steps away.

    The new Universal Helios Grand Hotel, located at Epic Universe in Orlando, Fla. (Spectrum News)


    READ MORE:     New Universal Helios Grand Hotel welcomes its first guests

    Universal Terra Luna Resort and Universal Stella Nova Resort offer space-themed rooms and proximity to Epic Universe as well, at an affordable price point. Both hotels feature a variety of cosmic-themed dining options and numerous amenities.

    _______________

     

    You can plan your vacation, purchase Express Passes, shop for merchandise and get additional information on Universal Orlando’s website.

    Whether you’re attending the park’s grand opening or going on a later date, Epic Universe features interactive experiences that are bound to immerse guests into their own epic adventures.

     

    “You wonder next which path to chart

    The answer lies within your heart.”

     

    Meet the Insiders

    DeJanae Phillips

    DeJanae Phillips is a Digital Producer with Spectrum Bay News 9. A born and raised Tampa native, she joined the company in 2022 and covers Florida attractions. She graduated from the University of Central Florida with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

    Anna Wronka

    Anna Wronka is a Digital Producer with Spectrum Bay News 9. She joined the company in 2022, and currently focuses on coverage of Florida attractions. She has a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University.

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    DeJanae Phillips, Anna Wronka

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  • What to know about Epic Universe, Universal Orlando’s new theme park

    [ad_1]

    ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida residents and visitors will be flocking to Orlando beginning Thursday for Universal Orlando’s highly-anticipated grand opening of its fourth park, Epic Universe.

    💫 MORE EPIC UNIVERSE COVERAGE:

    The park will feature five themed worlds: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic, Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk, Dark Universe and Celestial Park.

    If you’re one of the many thrill-seekers about to experience Universal’s latest installment, here’s what to know before heading out.

    • Plan ahead
      There are bound to be large crowds with the park’s opening, as well as long wait times for rides and attractions. Map out everything you want to experience first before heading out, and take advantage of Universal’s Express Pass option.
    • Hydrate!
      The park is opening just before the summer break season gets underway for Florida. Be sure to drink water so that heat exhaustion and dehydration don’t ruin your day.
    • Wear comfortable clothing
      Epic Universe is built on 750 acres of land, so be prepared to do a lot of walking!
    • Establish meeting places
      Cell phone service may be limited due to the number of people at the park, or if you and your group split up on wanting to do different activities, it’s important to have a place where you can all meet back up at afterward.
    • Be courteous
      Many people are looking forward to experience Epic Universe for the first time. Be respectful to other attendees, as well as the Universal Orlando Team Members, to ensure a good time for all. 
       

    Staying Cool at the Park

    Here are a list of items that will help you beat the heat! Spectrum News did not receive any compensation for the mentioning of these items below. We put together the list to give visitors ideas on what they might want to bring to the park during the hot summer months.

     

    “Beyond this gate, find gardens green

    And epic worlds to fill your dreams…”


     

     

    The Five Worlds

    Celestial Park 🌌✨☄️

    Adventurers will begin their journey at Celestial Park. At the entrance of the gate stands The Chronos, a device that is keeping the portals to the other four worlds open. Directly across from the entrance stands Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a resort that’s inside of Epic Universe. It has a dedicated entrance into the park itself and can be seen throughout all areas of Celestial Park. With an interstellar theme and orchestral music heard throughout the area, guests will be able to enjoy a serene environment before they explore the worlds. For those looking to dive into some excitement beforehand, Stardust Racers is a dual-track roller coaster that emulates the movement of a comet zooming through the cosmos. For more of a relaxed atmosphere, guests can ride on Constellation Carousel, or cool off from the Florida heat in Astronomica, an interactive water play area.

    READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Celestial Park

    Highlights of Celestial Park at Universal Orlando’s new Epic Universe theme park include Constellation Carousel, Stardust Racers and Pizza Moon. (Spectrum News)

    SUPER NINTENDO WORLD 🍄⭐🎮

    Another world of Epic Universe includes a widely-known video game franchise. Super Nintendo World is filled with vibrant colors and loads of nostalgia. If you’re a fan of the Super Mario World series, you’ll be able to spot notable landmarks from the games, such as Princess Peach’s Castle and Bowser’s Castle. Guests will be able to roam around the Mushroom Kingdom, interacting with the yellow “?” Blocks while listening to the iconic game audio tracks playing in the background, almost as if they were in a video game themselves.

    Fans of the Mario Kart racing games team up with Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach to face off against Team Bowser in “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge.” With the help of special goggles, guests can collect coins and launch shells as they navigate through different landscapes. Guests can compete either individually or as a team member, interacting with their favorite Super Mario characters on the ride. If you’re looking for a more leisurely ride, you can hop on the back of Yoshi and search for glowing eggs throughout the Mushroom Kingdom aboard “Yoshi’s Adventure.”

    Super Nintendo World also brings the world of Donkey Kong to life with a lush, jungle theme and its own interactive experiences. Guests will be able to join Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong on a quest to protect the golden banana on “Mine Cart Madness.” Riders will board a coaster designed like a mine cart and zip through the track at high speeds with motifs from the video game.

    And staying true to its theme, Super Nintendo World offers opportunities for guests to play interactive games in the form of Power-Up bands, which are available for purchase at various retail spots in Universal Studios Hollywood as well as inside Super Nintendo World at the 1-UP Factory store. Wear a Power-Up band featuring your favorite Super Ninendo character while playing games and collecting digital keys to defeat Bowser Jr. to recover the stolen Golden Mushroom for Princess Peach. And just like in your favorite video games, you can also use your Power-Up band to collect digital coins.

    READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Super Nintendo World

    Highlights of Super Nintendo World at Universal Orlando’s new Epic Universe theme park include Princess Peach’s Castle, themed merchandise and Mine Cart Madness. (Spectrum News)

    Dark Universe 🌕🦇🧛

    Discover a world of myth and mystery as classic Universal Monsters such as Frankenstein’s Monster, Dracula, and the Werewolf come to life in Dark Universe. With gothic designs throughout the area, guests can venture into the village of Darkmoor, where Dr. Victoria Frankenstein’s monstrous experiments roam freely. In “Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment,” guests can venture into Frankenstein Manor, where Dr. Victoria Frankenstein continues her family’s experiments. The ride gets you up close to iconic monsters in the form of animatronics, like The Wolf Man, The Mummy, The Creature from the Black Lagoon, the Brides of Dracula, and more.  As she attempts to control the power of these monsters, Dracula breaks free, enraged and seeking vengeance.

    If you survive the manor, you can learn about the origin of The Wolf Man on “Curse of the Werewolf.” Guests will enter the wagon camp of The Guild of Mystics, where they will be greeted by the guild’s all-knowing seer. She warns that you carry the mark of the werewolf, and after boarding a wagon, the ride then takes guests on a high-speed adventure through a forested track as you try escaping other werewolves lurking around. 

    If you feel that the rides might be too intense for small children, kids can still get in on the monstrous fun with the “Darkmoor Monster Makeup Experience.” Guests will have the opportunity to transform into their favorite Universal Monster with the help of special effects artists. You can also opt for temporary tattoos instead of full makeup. You can book a makeup appointment on Universal Orlando’s website. Prices start at $45 for the “Experiment” ticket, which features face makeup, and $169 for the “Transformation” ticket, which includes face makeup and matching accessories.

    READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Dark Universe

    Highlights of Dark Universe at Universal Orlando’s new Epic Universe theme park include Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment and The Manor Storehouse. (Spectrum News)

    The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic 🧙‍♂️🦉🪄

    This world brings the third installment of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter areas featured in Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. The world at Epic Universe brings themes from the “Fantastic Beasts” films and the British Ministry of Magic from the “Harry Potter” series through a shopping district called Place Cachée in 1920s Paris.

    Guests will be able to use the Métro-Floo to travel from Paris to the British Ministry of Magic for the featured attraction, “Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry.” You can explore the departments within the ministry while the trial of Dolores Umbridge is about to get underway. The trial doesn’t go exactly as planned, however, as Umbridge plots to escape before being brought to justice. Guests will team up with the series’ beloved main characters — Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger — to stop Umbridge aboard an omnidirectional lift while also avoiding Death Eaters and other evil creatures.

    And don’t forget to get your wands ready! Like Universal Orlando’s wizarding worlds in its other theme parks, this world features numerous new interactive wand experiences throughout the area, where guests can cast spells in various locations and witness the magic come to life. You can also use your wands to interact with fantastic beasts and enchanted objects. Cosme Acajor Baguettes Magique offers wands available for purchase, designed by esteemed artisan wandmaker, Cosme Acajor.

    After an action-packed wizardly adventure, guests can unwind and enjoy a live stage show at Le Cirque Arcanus, a circus featured in “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.” Ringmaster Skender steals Newt Scamander’s suitcase — which contains fantastic beasts from around the globe — in an attempt to restore the circus to its former glory. It’s up to circus employee Gwenlyn to rescue the creatures from Skender in a mix of live performances, puppetry and special effects.

    Tip: Le Cirque Arcanus contains a preshow, which is standing room in a circus tent. This can tend to get hot and crowded, especially during the summer months.

    READ MORE: Everything you need to know about The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic

    Highlights of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic at Universal Orlando’s new Epic Universe theme park include Le Cirque Arcanus, Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry, Cosme Acajor Baguettes Magique and K. Rammelle. (Spectrum News)

    How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk 🐲🪓🗡️

    Explore a world filled with Vikings and dragons alike from the “How to Train Your Dragon” movie series. The Isle of Berk features iconic characters such as Hiccup and Toothless, Astrid and Stormfly, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, and more. The world features many family-friendly rides, such as Hiccup’s Wing Gliders. Guests can experience what it’s like to fly on a dragon with the help of a winged contraption created by Hiccup. The ride reaches speeds of up to 45 mph and heights of 50 feet through the air as you soar alongside Hiccup and Toothless.

    There are also opportunities to hang out with Hiccup and Toothless during a meet-and-greet at the Haddock Paddock. Visitors can pet and interact with Toothless, and see him respond in a friendly manner.

    Park goers can also expect to see other Vikings and dragons roaming around Berk.

    At Fyre Drill, guests can join in on some playful competition with Viking twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut on an interactive boat ride. Families can use water cannons aboard their boat to shoot at flame-like targets — and other boats.

    Guests can also do mid-air acrobatics and barrel rolls on Dragon Racer’s Rally. The ride elevates guests in the air up to 67 feet with the help of Viking-crafted, dragon-riding trainers to practice the abilities of a champion dragon racer.

    And Berk isn’t short of live entertainment — The Untrainable Dragon is a heart-warming, family-friendly show that features characters Hiccup, Toothless, Gobber and Astrid as they solve the mystery of The Untrainable Dragon. It’s filled with numerous musical performances, elaborate sets and larger-than-life dragons – including the fan-favorite Toothless who soars over the audience, spanning nearly 27 feet.

    Little Vikings can hone their skills in an interactive play area called Viking Training Camp. The area includes an agility course, musical drums and chimes, an interactive sheep launcher game and multiple towers to climb and explore.

    READ MORE: Everything you need to know about How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk

    Highlights of How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk at Universal Orlando’s new Epic Universe theme park include a meet-and-greet with Hiccup and Toothless, as well as rides such as Dragon Racer’s Rally. (Spectrum News)

    New Epic Universe Hotels 🏨🛎️🌴

    Universal Orlando opened three new hotels adjacent to its Epic Universe park — Universal Helios Grand Hotel, Universal Terra Luna Resort and Universal Stella Nova Resort.

    Universal Helios Grand Hotel, the “crown jewel” of Universal’s hotels, is the newest hotel to open. The 500-room hotel overlooks Epic Universe, and has a Mediterranean-inspired feel. It offers rooms with views of the theme park, as well as a dedicated entrance to the park for ticket holders — which is just steps away.

    The new Universal Helios Grand Hotel, located at Epic Universe in Orlando, Fla. (Spectrum News)


    READ MORE:     New Universal Helios Grand Hotel welcomes its first guests

    Universal Terra Luna Resort and Universal Stella Nova Resort offer space-themed rooms and proximity to Epic Universe as well, at an affordable price point. Both hotels feature a variety of cosmic-themed dining options and numerous amenities.

    _______________

     

    You can plan your vacation, purchase Express Passes, shop for merchandise and get additional information on Universal Orlando’s website.

    Whether you’re attending the park’s grand opening or going on a later date, Epic Universe features interactive experiences that are bound to immerse guests into their own epic adventures.

     

    “You wonder next which path to chart

    The answer lies within your heart.”

     

    Meet the Insiders

    DeJanae Phillips

    DeJanae Phillips is a Digital Producer with Spectrum Bay News 9. A born and raised Tampa native, she joined the company in 2022 and covers Florida attractions. She graduated from the University of Central Florida with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

    Anna Wronka

    Anna Wronka is a Digital Producer with Spectrum Bay News 9. She joined the company in 2022, and currently focuses on coverage of Florida attractions. She has a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University.

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    DeJanae Phillips, Anna Wronka

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  • CFP shifts to straight seeding model, no automatic byes for top league champs

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    The College Football Playoff will go to a more straightforward way of filling the bracket next season, placing teams strictly on where they are ranked instead of moving pieces around to reward conference champions.

    What You Need To Know

    • Filling the College Football Playoff brack next season will be much more straightforward

    • Teams will be placed where they are ranked rather than rewarding conference champions

    • This was widely expected after last season

    Ten conference commissioners and Notre Dame’s athletic director came to the unanimous agreement they needed Thursday to shift the model that drew complaints last season.

    The new format was widely expected after last season’s jumbled bracket gave byes to Big 12 champion Arizona State and Mountain West champion Boise State, even though those teams were ranked ninth and 12th by the playoff selection committee.

    That system made the rankings and the seedings in the tournament two different things and resulted in some matchups — for instance, the quarterfinal between top-ranked Oregon and eventual national champion Ohio State — that came earlier than they otherwise might have.

    “After evaluating the first year of the 12-team Playoff, the CFP Management Committee felt it was in the best interest of the game to make this adjustment,” said Rich Clark, executive director of the CFP.

    The five highest-ranked champions will still be guaranteed spots in the playoff, meaning it’s possible there could be a repeat of last season, when CFP No. 16 Clemson was seeded 12th in the bracket after winning the Atlantic Coast Conference.

    Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey was among those who pushed for the change in the second year of the agreement, though he remained cautious about it being approved because of the unanimous vote needed.

    Smaller conferences had a chance to use the seeding issue as leverage for the next set of negotiations, which will come after this season and could include an expansion to 14 teams and more guaranteed bids for certain leagues. The SEC and Big Ten will have the biggest say in those decisions.

    As it stands, this will be the third different playoff system for college football in the span of three years. For the 10 years leading into last season’s inaugural 12-team playoff, the CFP was a four-team affair.

    The news was first reported by ESPN, which last year signed a six-year, $7.8 billion deal to televise the expanded playoff.

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    Spectrum News Staff, Associated Press

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  • Jenna Enoch — National News Anchor

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    Email: Jenna.Enoch@charter.com

    Twitter: @JennaEnochNews

    Jenna might be a Boston native, but she’s lived in the Queen City long enough to integrate “y’all” into her vocabulary and develop a deep appreciation for chicken biscuits. Telling stories that have a true impact on people’s everyday lives is what inspires her to come to work and be a voice for the Charlotte community every day.

    Before joining Spectrum News in November of 2018, Jenna worked as an anchor for Charlotte stations WCCB and Fox, and anchored at CBS in West Palm Beach, Florida, Fox in Greenville, South Carolina, and WWAY in Wilmington, North Carolina. Jenna has been nominated for two Emmy awards and, although many stories have touched her heart, one in particular comes to mind. Almost 5 years ago, Jenna had the pleasure of meeting a little boy named Josh who had been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor and was told he had only months to live. With Christmas approaching, Jenna set out on a shopping spree, put a Santa hat on, and was able to surprise him with presents at home. Josh passed away shortly after that Christmas, but Jenna’s still in touch with his mother and thinks about him often.

    In her spare time, you can find Jenna, her husband and their two sons exploring Charlotte’s parks and playing outdoors. Jenna and her husband met in Wilmington and now enjoy bringing their son to visit the place that holds such a special place in their heart.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • DEI rollbacks hit campus support systems for students of color

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    WASHINGTON — Campus mentors. Move-in events. Scholarships. Diversity offices that made them feel welcome on predominantly white campuses.

    What You Need To Know

    • As U.S. colleges are pulling back on diversity, equity and inclusion practices, students of color say they are starting to lose campus mentors, move-in events, scholarships and diversity offices where they always have felt welcome on predominately white campuses

    • The full scope of campus DEI rollbacks is still emerging as colleges respond to the Trump administration’s orders against diversity practices

    • But students at some schools say early cuts are chipping away at the sense of community that has helped open the door to higher education

    • The retreat from DEI has accelerated under President Donald Trump and his threats to cut federal funding

    As U.S. colleges pull back on diversity, equity and inclusion practices, students of color say they are starting to lose all of these things and more.

    The full scope of campus DEI rollbacks is still emerging as colleges respond to the Trump administration’s orders against diversity practices. But students at some schools said early cuts are chipping away at the sense of community that helped open the door to higher education.

    “It feels like we’re going back. I don’t know how else to describe it,” said Breeana-Iris Rosario, a junior at the University of Michigan, which is closing its DEI office and scrapping a campus-wide inclusion plan. “It’s like our voices aren’t being heard.”

    The retreat from DEI has been building for years, driven by Republican-led states that have ordered public colleges to close DEI offices and eliminate programs. But it has accelerated under President Donald Trump and his threats to cut federal funding.

    Trump’s administration escalated the battle when it suggested in a letter to Harvard University that the school should lose its nonprofit status for defying federal orders, including a demand to eliminate DEI “to the satisfaction of the federal government.”

    At Michigan, students have been told the casualties include the LEAD Scholars program, a financial aid award for Black, Latino and Native American students, along with orientation events for new Latino, Arab and Asian American students. The university said Tuesday it has not decided whether to eliminate or restructure the orientation programs.

    Coming from a low-income part of Detroit, Rosario said winning the LEAD scholarship cemented her decision to attend Michigan. She later met some of her best friends at a move-in event for Latino students called Alma. Losing those programs, she fears, could reinforce a sense of isolation among Hispanic students, who make up 6% of the school’s undergraduates.

    “It would be hard to find my community if I didn’t have access to these resources,” she said.

    Colleges respond to federal orders

    A February memo from the Education Department directed schools and colleges to eliminate race from any decision-making around hiring, admissions, housing, financial aid and student life. It warned violators could lose access to federal money.

    Dozens of universities have since come under investigation, all while the Trump administration freezes billions of dollars at Harvard and other colleges accused of defying orders on campus antisemitism and transgender athletes.

    Michigan was among the first to make major DEI rollbacks, and others have followed to avoid federal scrutiny. Others have rebranded DEI offices and scrubbed the term from websites, and others still are standing firm in support of DEI.

    At Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, officials cited the federal orders when they moved to close the campus DEI office last month.

    “It is clear we must be in compliance with them to receive the federal funding that is critical to our present and future,” said Eric Kaler, Case’s president, in a campus message.

    Kaler said the office will be replaced by an Office for Campus Enrichment and Engagement, though it’s unclear what that will entail. The private university receives about $250 million a year in federal research funding, 16% of its total revenue, according to university data.

    Justen Pippens said the DEI office was like a second home on campus. The junior called it a “stress-free zone” where he could get personal and academic guidance. He grew so close with one staff member that he came to know her as Auntie. He said it’s unclear whether those employees will have jobs at the new office.

    Case also is halting its Envision Weekend, an orientation event for underrepresented students. Pippens said it’s a setback for him and other Black students, who make up just 6% of undergraduates at Case.

    “Now,” he said, “we no longer have our central support systems on campus.”

    A victory for DEI opponents

    In Virginia, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin celebrated when the University of Virginia’s governing board voted to end DEI programs in March.

    “DEI is done at the University of Virginia,” Youngkin said in a statement, calling it a shift toward “merit-based opportunity.”

    Tyler English, a senior at UVA, said students have been told scholarships and graduate programs focused on minority students are being scaled back or eliminated. Among other changes, a student group called Men of Color, Honor and Ambition is replacing the word “color” with “character,” he said.

    “For a portion of us, we now question whether our identities and voices are truly valued in this space,” said English, a member of the campus’ Black Student Alliance.

    University spokesperson Brian Coy wouldn’t provide details on DEI rollbacks and said he couldn’t confirm changes to scholarships.

    The government’s anti-DEI campaign is being challenged in court by opponents who say it offers little clarity on exactly which practices are outlawed, leaving schools to weed out anything that could be construed as DEI.

    As a result of the vague directives, “those who are advocating against this work are getting a higher return on their investment than they should,” said Paulette Granberry Russell, president of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education.

    Yet opponents are pressing the White House to go further. Christopher Rufo, a conservative strategist who has fought DEI, said the government should root out DEI using tools that forced desegregation during the Civil Rights Movement.

    “DEI is a violation of the Civil Rights Act,” Rufo said on X. “Any publicly funded institution that continues to practice DEI should face a federal investigation, consent decree, termination of funds, and loss of nonprofit status. If that doesn’t work, send in the 101st Airborne.”

    Some fear diversity setbacks

    In Michigan, the rollbacks are targeting programs that aimed to preserve racial diversity after the state banned affirmative action in 2006, including the LEAD program.

    University of Michigan officials declined to discuss changes, but a campus message from President Santa Ono said the school will find other ways to support students, including an expansion of scholarships for low-income students.

    Rosario and other LEAD scholarship winners received an email saying there would be “no adverse financial impact” to their financial aid, with no further explanation.

    Rosario doesn’t entirely blame the university for the cuts, but she wonders why Michigan moved quickly to make changes while some colleges held firm. The first in her family to attend college, she fears what it means for the next generation of students.

    “They’ve taken away our sense of community,” she said. “It just makes it that much harder for people of color to feel comfortable pursuing higher education.”

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    Spectrum News Staff, Associated Press

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  • Florida’s Tax Day deadline pushed back due to storms

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Today is April 15, which means tax returns are due.

    But for filers in Florida, the deadline has been pushed back to May 1 due to hurricanes Helene and Milton.

    What You Need To Know

    • IRS has pushed the deadline back to May 1 for those directly impacted by hurricanes Helene and Milton
       
    • Taxpayers get the extra time without having to ask for it
    • IRS.gov has a variety of information to help disaster victims navigate common situations in the aftermath of disasters

    IRS.gov has a variety of information to help disaster victims navigate common situations in the aftermath of disasters. The IRS also has a special hotline specifically dedicated to taxpayers with disaster-related tax questions; disaster victims can call the agency’s disaster hotline at 866-562-5227.

    Here is a rundown on tax help available from the IRS.

    More time to file and pay

    The IRS automatically gives taxpayers whose address of record is in a disaster-area locality more time to file returns and pay taxes. Taxpayers get the extra time without having to ask for it.

    • Currently, taxpayers in the entire states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, and parts of Tennessee and Virginia, who received extensions to file their 2023 returns have until May 1, 2025, to file. Tax-year 2023 tax payments are not eligible for this extension. In addition, May 1 is also the deadline for filing 2024 returns and paying any tax due.

    The IRS is offering relief to any area designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The current list of eligible localities is always available on the Tax relief in disaster situations page on IRS.gov.

    This page also provides disaster updates and links to resources, and information is usually available on the IRS Twitter (now X) account as well.

    Disaster payments usually tax-free

    Qualified disaster relief payments are generally excluded from gross income. In general, this means that affected taxpayers can exclude from their gross income amounts received from a government agency for reasonable and necessary personal, family, living or funeral expenses, as well as for the repair or rehabilitation of their home, or for the repair or replacement of its contents. See Publication 525, Taxable and Nontaxable Income, for details.

    What else is different this year?

    The IRS has expanded a program that allows people to file their taxes directly with the agency for free. The federal Direct File program, which permits taxpayers to calculate and submit their returns without using commercial tax preparation software, is now available to taxpayers in 25 states, up from 12 states that were part of last year’s pilot program.

    The program allows people in some states with very simple W-2s to calculate and submit their returns directly to the IRS. Those using the pilot program in 2024 claimed more than $90 million in refunds, the IRS said in October.

    What if I have a tax liability?

    For those that have a tax liability and don’t have the money to cover the tax bill, ignoring the tax filing deadline of May 1st could bring punishing late filing fees and interest.

    The IRS offers a number of options for those that can’t cover tax liabilities, including short and long-term payments plans with interest rates starting at 7% here https://www.irs.gov/payments/payment-plans-installment-agreements.

    On the flip-side of owning taxes, the IRS has just released its unclaimed tax returns from the 2021 tax season.

    The IRS says it is currently holding more than $1-billion-dollars in unclaimed returns nationwide, with $61-million-dollars of it being owed back to around 70-thousand Floridians.  For more information on unclaimed returns, visit here https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/more-than-1-billion-in-2021-tax-refunds-still-unclaimed-taxpayers-should-act-now-to-see-if-they-are-eligible.

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    Jason Lanning

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  • Florida advances to NCAA men’s basketball championship

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    SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Walter Clayton Jr. scored 34 points and Florida beat Southeastern Conference rival Auburn 79-73 in the Final Four on Saturday night, sending the Gators to the national championship game for the first time since their titles in 2006 and 2007.

    The All-America guard for the Gators (35-4) had a driving layup with 2:24 left, on the possession right after Australian big man Alex Condon drew a charge against Johni Broome, the other All-America player in this national semifinal — and who was dealing with an injured right elbow.

    After a record 14 SEC teams made this NCAA Tournament, seven got to the Sweet 16 before the league made up half the Elite Eight and then this Final Four filled with No. 1 seeds.

    The Gators will have the chance Monday night to win the SEC’s first title since Kentucky in 2012, the only one since they won in back-to-back seasons. Florida takes an 11-game winning streak into the title championship game in the Alamodome against either Duke or Houston.

    “We’re just all together, on the court and off the court,” Clayton said.

    Even at the end of the first SEC matchup in a Final Four, Clayton chased a loose rebound and tipped it back inbounds to keep the clock running out on the win. When he started to walk back on the court, teammate Alijah Martin was standing watching him at the end line nodding with a smile to greet him.

    The Tigers (32-6), in their second Final Four with coach Bruce Pearl, were the top overall seed and had an eight-point halftime lead.

    “Auburn had us on our heels in the first half but we came out with a great start and we didn’t look back,” said 39-year-old Florida coach Todd Golden, who joined Pearl’s first staff at Auburn in 2014.

    Clayton became the first player with consecutive 30-point games in the Elite Eight and semifinals since Larry Bird for Indiana State in 1979, according to ESPN Stats. Clayton got over 30 with his three-point play with 1:33 left, scoring on a layup while being fouled and adding the free throw.

    Martin, who played in the Final Four with FAU two years ago, added 17 points for the Gators. Thomas Haugh had 12.

    Florida opened the second half with a 13-3 run, with Clayton capping an 11-0 run with a layup after Rueben Chinyelu’s steal. That put the Gators up 51-49 with 15 1/2 minutes left.

    Chad Baker-Mazara, with his left hand partially wrapped because of a thumb issue, led Auburn with 18 points, including four 3-pointers. Broome finished with 15 points on 6-of-14 shooting and had seven rebounds — he had only three points after halftime.

    Even before the final buzzer sounded, Broome was hunched over and then was surrounded by cameras to capture his reaction. He eventually stood up to shake hands, then walked off the court with his eyes red from crying — pulling up his jersey to wipe his face as cameras continued to follow his exit.

    Broome and Baker-Mazara both were injured in the win over Michigan State last Sunday that sent the Tigers to the Final Four. Broome’s right elbow bent awkwardly during a hard fall in the second half, and in the Final Four he wore some kind of brace on his arm covered by a sleeve.

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    Associated Press

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  • College football players scuffle after flags come out following rivalry wins

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    College football was dominated by flags on Saturday. Not the ones thrown by officials — the ones planted by players in the middle of the field.

    What You Need To Know

    • Michigan, North Carolina State and Florida celebrated road wins by displaying flags on the logos in the middle of their rivals’ stadiums. The results were predictable

    • Michigan scuffled with Ohio State after a group of Wolverines attempted to plant their flag in the middle of Ohio Stadium

    • There was a similar scene in North Carolina after at least one N.C. State player tried to plant a Wolfpack flag on UNC’s home field

    • There was another skirmish in Florida after Gators edge rusher George Gumbs Jr. planted a flag on Florida State’s logo

    Michigan, North Carolina State and Florida celebrated road wins by displaying flags on the logos in the middle of their rivals’ stadiums. Arizona State put its own twist on the day with a trident.

    The results were, well, predictable.

    Michigan scuffled with Ohio State after a group of Wolverines attempted to plant their flag in the middle of Ohio Stadium in Columbus following a 13-10 victory. There was a similar scene in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, after at least one N.C. State player tried to plant a Wolfpack flag on UNC’s field following a 35-30 win. And another skirmish in Tallahassee, Florida, after Gators edge rusher George Gumbs Jr. planted a flag on Florida State’s logo after a 31-11 win.

    “Obviously what happened there at the end of the game is not who we want to be as a program,” Florida coach Billy Napier said. “It’s embarrassing to me and it’s a distraction from a really well-played football game. I want to apologize on behalf of the entire organization just in terms of how we represented the university there. We shouldn’t have done that. We won’t do that moving forward. And there will be consequences for all involved.”

    Arizona State defensive lineman Jacob Rich Kongaika tried to plant a trident in the middle of Arizona’s logo after a 49-7 win over the Wildcats. Kongaika, an Arizona transfer, then held on as Arizona wide receiver Montana Lemonious-Craig tried to take the trident away, and the duo was surrounded by players from each school.

    There was another skirmish after Missouri’s dramatic 28-21 win over visiting Arkansas, but it didn’t look as if there were any props involved.

    Police in Ohio used pepper spray to break up the players, who threw punches and shoves in the melee that overshadowed the Wolverines’ victory. One officer suffered unspecified injuries and was taken to a hospital, a police union official said.

    Ohio State coach Ryan Day said he understood his players’ actions.

    “There are some prideful guys on our team who weren’t going to sit back and let that happen,” Day said.

    Michigan running back Kalel Mullings said he didn’t like how the Buckeyes players involved themselves in the Wolverines’ postgame celebration, calling it “classless.”

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    Associated Press

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  • Who will certify Donald Trump’s presidential win? Kamala Harris.

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    Donald Trump’s presidential win is going to be certified in Congress in January by the candidate he beat, Vice President Kamala Harris. 

    Under the Constitution, the vice president is the head of the Senate, and it’s the role of the Senate president to declare the result of a White House election. 

    That happens on Jan. 6, 2025.

    What You Need To Know

    • Donald Trump’s presidential win is going to be certified in Congress in January by the candidate he beat, Vice President Kamala Harris. 

    • Under the Constitution, the vice president is the head of the Senate, and it’s the role of the Senate president to declare the result of a White House election, which will take place on Jan. 6, 2025

    • Under normal circumstances, the vote-tallying procedure performed by the vice president is a mere formality and it’s the final step in the complicated technical process of electing a new administration


    Under normal circumstances, the vote-tallying procedure performed by the vice president is a mere formality and it’s the final step in the complicated technical process of electing a new administration.

    For example, in 2000, after the grueling 36-day Florida recount battle, Democrat Al Gore conceded the presidency on Dec. 13 to Republican George W. Bush. 

    Gore, too, was the vice president, and he certified Bush’s win.

    “The whole number of the electors appointed to vote for president of the United States is 538,” Gore said from the rostrum, going on to read off his own loss to Congress. “George W. Bush of the state of Texas has received for president of the United States 271 votes. Al Gore of the state of Tennessee has received 266 votes.”

    But this nearly didn’t happen four years ago.

    Trump refused to accept defeat and sparked a violent insurrection at the Capitol, when then-Vice President Mike Pence was to certify Democrat Joe Biden’s win. Trump’s supporters chanted “Hang Mike Pence” as they ransacked Capitol offices. 

    Trump had wanted Pence to “do the right thing” and declare Trump the winner. Trump and his allies spent days in a futile bid trying to convince Pence that the vice president had the power to reject electors from battleground states that voted for Biden, even though the Constitution makes clear the vice president’s role in the joint session is largely ceremonial, much like a master of ceremonies.

    Pence acknowledged that reality in a lengthy statement to Congress. He laid out his conclusion that a vice president cannot claim “unilateral authority” to reject states’ electoral votes. He gaveled in the joint session of Congress on Jan. 7, 2021, to certify for Biden.

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    Spectrum News Staff, Associated Press

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  • Harris and Trump making furious last-day pushes before Election Day

    Harris and Trump making furious last-day pushes before Election Day

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    A presidential campaign that has careened through a felony trial, an incumbent president being pushed off the ticket and multiple assassination attempts comes down to a final push across a handful of states on the eve of Election Day.

    What You Need To Know

    • The presidential campaign comes down to a final push across a handful of states on the eve of Election Day

    • This year’s race has careened through a felony trial, an incumbent president being pushed off the ticket and multiple assassination attempts

    • Kamala Harris will spend all of Monday in Pennsylvania, whose 19 electoral votes offer the largest prize among the states expected to determine the Electoral College outcome

    • Donald Trump makes four stops in three states, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Michigan

    Kamala Harris will spend all of Monday in Pennsylvania, whose 19 electoral votes offer the largest prize among the states expected to determine the Electoral College outcome. The vice president and Democratic nominee will visit working-class areas including Allentown and end with a late-night Philadelphia rally that includes Lady Gaga and Oprah Winfrey.

    Donald Trump plans four rallies in three states, beginning in Raleigh, North Carolina, and stopping twice in Pennsylvania with events in Reading and Pittsburgh. The Republican nominee and former president ends his campaign the way he ended the first two, with a late Monday night event in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

    About 77 million Americans already have voted early, but Harris and Trump are pushing to turn out many millions more supporters Tuesday. Either result on Election Day will yield a historic outcome.

    A Trump victory would make him the first incoming president to have been indicted and convicted of a felony, after his hush-money trial in New York. He will gain the power to end other federal investigations pending against him. Trump would also become the second president in history to win non-consecutive White House terms, after Grover Cleveland in the late 19th century.

    Harris is vying to become the first woman, first Black woman and first person of South Asian descent to reach the Oval Office, four years after she broke the same barriers in national office by becoming President Joe Biden’s second in command.

    The vice president ascended to the top of the Democratic ticket after Biden’s disastrous performance in a June debate set into motion his withdrawing from the race. That was just one of a series of convulsions that have hit this year’s campaign.

    Trump survived by millimeters a would-be assassin’s bullet at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. His Secret Service detail foiled a second attempt in September when a gunman had set up a rifle as Trump golfed at one of his courses in Florida.

    Harris, 60, has played down the historic nature of her candidacy, which materialized only after the 81-year-old president ended his reelection bid after his June debate against the 78-year-old Trump accentuated questions about Biden’s age.

    Instead, Harris has pitched herself as a generational change, emphasized her support for abortion rights after the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision ending the constitutional right to abortion services and regularly noted the former president’s role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Assembling a coalition ranging from progressives such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York to Republican former Vice President Dick Cheney, Harris has called Trump a threat to democracy and late in the campaign even embraced the critique that Trump is accurately described as a “fascist.”

    Heading into Monday, Harris has mostly stopped mentioning Trump. She is promising to solve problems and seek consensus, while sounding an almost exclusively optimistic tone reminiscent of her campaign’s opening days when she embraced “the politics of joy” and the campaign theme “Freedom.”

    “From the very start, our campaign has not been about being against something, it is about being for something,” Harris said Sunday evening at Michigan State University.

    Trump, renewing his “Make America Great Again” and “America First” slogans, has made his hard-line approach to immigration and withering criticisms of Harris and Biden the anchors of his argument for a second administration. He’s hammered Democrats for an inflationary economy, and he’s pledged to lead an economic “golden age,” end international conflicts and seal the U.S. southern border.

    But Trump also has veered often into grievances over being prosecuted after trying to overturn Biden’s victory and repeatedly denigrated the country he wants to lead again as a “failed nation.” As recently as Sunday, he renewed his false claims that U.S. elections are rigged against him, mused about violence against journalists and said he “shouldn’t have left” the White House in 2021 — dark turns that have overshadowed another anchor of his closing argument: “Kamala broke it. I will fix it.”

    The election is likely to be decided across seven states. Trump won Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin in 2016 only to see them flip to Biden in 2020. North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada add the Sun Belt swath of the presidential battleground map.

    Trump won North Carolina twice and lost Nevada twice. He won Arizona and Georgia in 2016 but saw them slip to Democrats in 2020.

    Harris’ team has projected confidence in recent days, pointing to a large gender gap in early voting data and research showing late-deciding voters have broken her way. They also believe in the strength of their campaign infrastructure. This weekend, the Harris campaign had more than 90,000 volunteers helping turn out voters — and knocked on more than 3 million doors across the battleground states. Still, Harris aides have insisted she remains the underdog.

    Trump’s team has projected confidence, as well, arguing that the former president’s populist appeal will attract younger and working-class voters across racial and ethnic lines. The idea is that Trump can amass an atypical Republican coalition, even as other traditional GOP blocs — notably college-educated voters — become more Democratic.

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    Associated Press

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  • Palestinians say Israel struck Gaza clinic during polio campaign. Israel denies

    Palestinians say Israel struck Gaza clinic during polio campaign. Israel denies

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    Palestinian officials say an Israeli drone strike on a clinic in northern Gaza where children were being vaccinated for polio wounded six people, including four children. The Israeli military denied responsibility.

    What You Need To Know

    • Palestinian officials say an Israeli drone strike on a clinic in northern Gaza where children were being vaccinated for polio wounded six people, including four children
    • The Israeli military denied responsibility. The alleged strike occurred Saturday in northern Gaza, which has been encircled by Israeli forces and largely isolated for the past year
    • Israel has been carrying out another offensive there in recent weeks that has killed hundreds of people and displaced tens of thousands
    • It was not possible to resolve the conflicting accounts

    The alleged strike occurred Saturday in northern Gaza, which has been encircled by Israeli forces and largely isolated for the past year. Israel has been carrying out another offensive there in recent weeks that has killed hundreds of people and displaced tens of thousands.

    It was not possible to resolve the conflicting accounts. Israeli forces have repeatedly raided hospitals in Gaza over the course of the war, saying Hamas uses them for militant purposes, allegations denied by Palestinian health officials.

    Dr. Munir al-Boursh, director general of the Gaza Health Ministry, told The Associated Press that a quadcopter struck the Sheikh Radwan clinic in Gaza City early Saturday afternoon, just a few minutes after a United Nations delegation left the facility.

    The World Health Organization and the U.N. children’s agency, known as UNICEF, which are jointly carrying out the polio vaccination campaign, expressed concern over the reported strike.

    “The reports of this attack are even more disturbing as the Sheikh Radwan Clinic is one of the health points where parents can get their children vaccinated,” said Rosalia Bollen, a spokesperson for UNICEF.

    “Today’s attack occurred while the humanitarian pause was still in effect, despite assurances given that the pause would be respected from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.”

    Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesman, said that “contrary to the claims, an initial review determined that the (Israeli military) did not strike in the area at the specified time.”

    A scaled-down campaign to administer a second dose of the polio vaccine began Saturday in parts of northern Gaza. It had been postponed from Oct. 23 due to lack of access, Israeli bombings and mass evacuation orders, and the lack of assurances for humanitarian pauses, a U.N. statement said.

    The administration of the first dose was carried out in September across the Gaza Strip, including areas of northern Gaza that are now completely sealed off. Health officials said the campaign’s first round, and the administration of the second dose across central and southern Gaza, were successful.

    At least 100,000 people have been forced to evacuate from areas of north Gaza toward Gaza City in the past few weeks, but around 15,000 children under the age of 10 remain in northern towns, including Jabaliya, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun, which are inaccessible, according to the U.N.

    The final phase of the polio vaccination campaign had aimed to reach an estimated 119,000 children in the north with a second dose of oral polio vaccine, the agencies said, but “achieving this target is now unlikely due to access constraints.”

    They say 90% of children in every community must be vaccinated to prevent the spread of the disease.

    The campaign was launched after the first polio case was reported in Gaza in 25 years — a 10-month-old boy, now paralyzed in the leg. The World Health Organization said the presence of a paralysis case indicates there could be hundreds more who have been infected but aren’t showing symptoms.

    The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting another 250. Israel’s offensive has killed over 43,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities, who do not say how many were combatants but say more than half were women and children.

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    Associated Press

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  • Federal Reserve is set to cut rates again, facing a hazy post-election outlook

    Federal Reserve is set to cut rates again, facing a hazy post-election outlook

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    No one knows how Tuesday’s presidential election will turn out, but the Federal Reserve’s move two days later is much easier to predict: With inflation continuing to cool, the Fed is set to cut interest rates for a second time this year.

    What You Need To Know

    • No one knows how Tuesday’s presidential election will turn out, but the Federal Reserve’s move two days later is much easier to predict: With inflation continuing to cool, the Fed is set to cut interest rates for a second time this year
    • The Fed’s future actions, though, will become more unsettled once a new president and Congress take office in January, particularly if Donald Trump were to win the White House again
    • Trump’s proposals to impose high tariffs on all imports and launch mass deportations of unauthorized immigrants and his threat to intrude on the Fed’s normally independent rate decisions could send inflation surging, economists have said


    The presidential contest might still be unresolved when the Fed ends its two-day meeting Thursday afternoon, yet that uncertainty would have no effect on its decision to further reduce its benchmark rate. The Fed’s future actions, though, will become more unsettled once a new president and Congress take office in January, particularly if Donald Trump were to win the White House again.

    Trump’s proposals to impose high tariffs on all imports and launch mass deportations of unauthorized immigrants and his threat to intrude on the Fed’s normally independent rate decisions could send inflation surging, economists have said. Higher inflation would, in turn, compel the Fed to slow or stop its rate cuts.

    On Thursday, the Fed’s policymakers, led by Chair Jerome Powell, are on track to cut their benchmark rate by a quarter-point, to about 4.6%, after having implemented a half-point reduction in September. Economists expect another quarter-point rate cut in December and possibly additional such moves next year. Over time, rate cuts tend to lower the costs of borrowing for consumers and businesses.

    The Fed is reducing its rate for a different reason than it usually does: It often cuts rates to boost a sluggish economy and a weak job market by encouraging more borrowing and spending. But the economy is growing briskly, and the unemployment rate is a low 4.1%, the government reported Friday, even with hurricanes and a strike at Boeing having sharply depressed net job growth last month.

    Instead, the central bank is lowering rates as part of what Powell has called “a recalibration” to a lower-inflation environment. When inflation spiked to a four-decade high of 9.1% in June 2022, the Fed proceeded to raise rates 11 times — ultimately sending its key rate to about 5.3%, also the highest in four decades.

    But in September, year-over-year inflation dropped to 2.4%, barely above the Fed’s 2% target and equal to its level in 2018. With inflation having fallen so far, Powell and other Fed officials have said they think high borrowing rates are no longer necessary. High borrowing rates typically restrict growth, particularly in interest-rate-sensitive sectors such as housing and auto sales.

    “The restriction was in place because inflation was elevated,” said Claudia Sahm, chief economist at New Century Advisors and a former Fed economist. “Inflation is no longer elevated. The reason for the restriction is gone.”

    Fed officials have suggested that their rate cuts would be gradual. But nearly all of them have expressed support for some further reductions.

    “For me, the central question is how much and how fast to reduce the target for the (Fed’s key) rate, which I believe is currently set at a restrictive level,” Christopher Waller, an influential member of the Fed’s Board of Directors, said in a speech last month.

    Jonathan Pingle, an economist at Swiss bank UBS, said that Waller’s phrasing reflected “unusual confidence and conviction that rates were headed lower.”

    Next year, the Fed will likely start to wrestle with the question of just how low their benchmark rate should go. Eventually, they may want to set it at a level that neither restricts nor stimulates growth — “neutral” in Fed parlance.

    Powell and other Fed officials acknowledge that they don’t know exactly where the neutral rate is. In September, the Fed’s rate-setting committee estimated that it was 2.9%. Most economists think it’s closer to 3% to 3.5%.

    The Fed chair said the officials have to assess where neutral is by how the economy responds to rate cuts. For now, most officials are confident that at 4.9%, the Fed’s current rate is far above neutral.

    Some economists argue, though, that with the economy looking healthy even with high borrowing rates, the Fed doesn’t need to ease credit much, if at all. The idea is that they may already be close to the level of interest rates that neither slows nor stimulates the economy.

    “If the unemployment rate stays in the low 4’s and the economy is still going to grow at 3%, does it matter that the (Fed’s) rate is 4.75% to 5%?” said Joe LaVorgna, chief economist at SMBC Nikko Securities, asked. “Why are they cutting now?”

    With the Fed’s latest meeting coming right after Election Day, Powell will likely field questions at his news conference Thursday about the outcome of the presidential race and how it might affect the economy and inflation. He can be expected to reiterate that the Fed’s decisions aren’t affected by politics at all.

    During Trump’s presidency, he imposed tariffs on washing machines, solar panels, steel and a range of goods from China, which President Joe Biden maintained. Though studies show that washing machine prices rose as a result, overall inflation did not rise much.

    But Trump is now proposing significantly broader tariffs — essentially, import taxes — that would raise the prices of about 10 times as many goods from overseas.

    Many mainstream economists are alarmed by Trump’s latest proposed tariffs, which they say would almost certainly reignite inflation. A report by the Peterson Institute for International Economics concluded that Trump’s main tariff proposals would make inflation 2 percentage points higher next year than it otherwise would have been.

    The Fed could be more likely to raise rates in response to tariffs this time, according to economists at Pantheon Macroeconomics, “given that Trump is threatening much bigger increases in tariffs.”

    “Accordingly,” they wrote, “we will scale back the reduction in the funds rate in our 2025 forecasts if Trump wins.”

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    Associated Press

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  • Gen Z activists work to get out the youth vote for Kamala Harris

    Gen Z activists work to get out the youth vote for Kamala Harris

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    With young voters among the many constituencies that could turn the vote toward either presidential candidate, Democrats are leaning on some of its highest-profile youth advocates to get out the vote for Vice President Kamala Harris.

    What You Need To Know

    • With the election in its final days, Democrats are leaning on some of its highest-profile youth advocates to get out the vote for Vice President Kamala Harris

    • Four days before Election Day, the only Gen Z member of Congress, Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., is campaigning on college campuses and at concerts in his home state of Florida while reproductive rights advocate Deja Foxx is knocking on doors and generating content for social media in Arizona

    • A GenForward survey conducted by the University of Chicago in October found inflation was the most important issue among voters aged 18 to 26, followed by economic growth, reproductive rights, poverty, immigration and threat to American democracy

    • A Harvard Youth Poll released last week found Democratic candidate Kamala Harris leads GOP candidate Donald Trump among young voters 60% to 32%



    Four days before Election Day, the only Gen Z member of Congress, Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., is campaigning on college campuses and at concerts in his home state of Florida while reproductive rights advocate Deja Foxx is knocking on doors and generating content for social media in Arizona.

    “I always tell people Project 2025 is Florida 2024. Project 2025, we see some of this going on in the South right now,” Frost said during a press call with leading Gen Z activists Friday, including mass-shooting survivor and gun control activist David Hogg.

    Frost said a Florida law that allows people to carry concealed weapons without a permit is the reason two people were killed and another six were injured in Orlando on Halloween night.

    Hogg said Project 2025, which Democrats see as a template for a Trump presidency, would eliminate red flag laws that take guns out of the hands of those who could do harm and get rid of tools used by law enforcement that stop criminals from being able to purchase guns.

    “We need to do everything we can to prevent this Trump presidency,” Frost said, adding that the Biden-Harris administration has “been able to make big gains for young Americans from gun violence and many different issues and want to continue on that path of progress.”

    Frost is currently campaigning at the University of Central Florida, where he said students are waiting to be asked to organize, to volunteer and to vote.

    “It’s not about inviting people to your table but going to theirs,” he said. “We go to places of culture: concerts and different events to reach young people who might not care about politics.

    “At every event that we’ve been at, there’s been a pretty large contingent of students or people who have never been to a political event before,” he said. “When I speak with them about what issues brought them to the table, we hear about a lot of the issues that we hear about today: gun violence, reproductive justice, access to abortion, the climate crisis, the economy.”

    A GenForward survey conducted by the University of Chicago in October found inflation was the most important issue among voters aged 18 to 26, followed by economic growth, reproductive rights, poverty, immigration and threat to American democracy.

    A Harvard Youth Poll released last week found Democratic candidate Kamala Harris leads GOP candidate Donald Trump among young voters 60% to 32%. Harris’ support is strongest among young women, where she has a 30-point lead against Trump.

    Her lead against Trump among young voters shrinks to 9% across the seven key battleground states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

    According to the Harvard poll, Harris is strongest on abortion rights and strengthening the working class, while Trump is perceived as stronger on the Israel-Hamas war.

    There are about 52.6 million people between the ages of 18 and 29 in the United States who make up almost 16% of the population. In 2020, about half of young voters cast ballots.

    According to the University of Florida Election Lab, of the 66.8 million voters who have cast ballots so far this election cycle, 7.6% have been 18- to 25-year-olds.

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    Susan Carpenter

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  • Trump: Liz Cheney might not be such a ‘war hawk’ if she had guns pointed at her

    Trump: Liz Cheney might not be such a ‘war hawk’ if she had guns pointed at her

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    Former President Donald Trump launched another attack on former Rep. Liz Cheney late Thursday, calling the Republican former Wyoming congresswoman a “war hawk” and suggesting she might not be as willing to send troops to fight if she had guns pointed at her.

    What You Need To Know

    • Former President Donald Trump has launched another attack on former Rep. Liz Cheney, calling the Republican former Wyoming congresswoman a “war hawk” and suggesting she might not be as willing to send troops to fight if she had guns pointed at her

    • Cheney has vocally opposed Trump since the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and has endorsed his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris

    • During an event Thursday in Glendale, Arizona, the Republican presidential candidate called Cheney “deranged,” “very dumb” and “a radical war hawk”

    • He then added: “Let’s put her with the rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her. OK, let’s see how she feels about it”

    During an event in Glendale, Arizona, with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, the Republican presidential candidate was asked if it is weird to see Cheney campaign against him. Cheney has vocally opposed Trump since the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and has become a surrogate for his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.

    Trump called Cheney “a deranged person,” then added: “But the reason she couldn’t stand me is that she always wanted to go to war with people. If it were up to her we’d be in 50 different countries.”

    After calling Cheney “a very dumb individual,” he said: “She’s a radical war hawk. Let’s put her with the rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her. OK, let’s see how she feels about it. You know, when the guns are trained on her face.

    “You know they’re all war hawks when they’re sitting in Washington in a nice building saying, oh gee, well let’s send 10,000 troops right into the mouth of the enemy,” Trump said.

    After Harris’ campaign and other Trump critics on social media pounced on the quote, Trump’s campaign responded that he “was talking about how Liz Cheney wants to send America’s sons and daughters to fight in wars despite never being in a war herself.”

    Cheney responded on social media Friday morning, writing: “This is how dictators destroy free nations. They threaten those who speak against them with death. We cannot entrust our country and our freedom to a petty, vindictive, cruel, unstable man who wants to be a tyrant.”

    In an interview with MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Friday, Ian Sams, a spokesperson for the Harris campaign, said Trump is “all-consumed by his grievances, the people who he disagrees with.”

    “And now, he’s going after Liz Cheney with this dangerous, violent rhetoric,” Sams said. “I mean, think about the contrast between these two candidates. You have Donald Trump who is talking about sending a prominent Republican to the firing squad, and you have Vice President Harris talking about sending one to her Cabinet. This is the difference in this race.”

    Note: This article has been updated with Harris campaign spokesperson Iam Sams’ comments.

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    Spectrum News Staff, Associated Press

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  • Harris launches ad taking aim at Puerto Rico ‘garbage’ line

    Harris launches ad taking aim at Puerto Rico ‘garbage’ line

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    Four days after a comedian at Donald Trump’s rally made a joke about Puerto Rico being an “island of garbage” and set off a political firestorm, Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign seized on the racist comments in a digital ad targeting Latino voters.

    What You Need To Know

    • Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign launched a new ad targeting Latino voters after a comedian at Donald Trump’s rally made a joke about Puerto Rico being an “island of garbage”

    • The 30-second Spanish -language spot speaks directly to Puerto Ricans, saying: “We are not trash. We are more than that”
    • After showing Puerto Ricans proudly flying their flag and rallying for Harris, the ad cuts to Trump throwing paper towels to Puerto Ricans at a relief center in 2017, after Hurricane Maria devastated the U.S. territory, and closes with: “On Nov. 5, Trump will learn that some people’s trash is someone else’s treasure”

    • The ad is the latest in the fallout from the Madison Square Garden rally, which also featured crude and sexist remarks from Hinchcliffe and other speakers



    The 30-second, Spanish-language spot speaks directly to Puerto Ricans, saying, “It was supposed to be a joke. It doesn’t matter. We’ve been called worse,” the ad says as it flashes pictures of GOP candidate Donald Trump and his vice-presidential running mate, JD Vance.

    “What we really are is a group of scientists, poets, educators, stars and heroes,” the ad then says as it transitions to a montage of famous Puerto Ricans, including the global superstar Bad Bunny, who endorsed Harris following the comedian’s comment, and Major League Baseball hall-of-famer Roberto Clemente. “We are not trash. We are more than that.”

    After showing Puerto Ricans proudly flying their flag and rallying for Harris, the ad cuts to Trump throwing paper towels to Puerto Ricans at a relief center in 2017, after Hurricane Maria devastated the U.S. territory.

    “Get out,” the ad says about Trump, before cutting to various shots of Harris campaigning with Latinos — a coveted constituency she and Trump have both been targeting in their final days on the campaign trail.

    “On Nov. 5, Trump will learn that some people’s trash is someone else’s treasure,” it says before urging viewers to vote for Harris on or before Election Day.

    The ad is the latest in the fallout from the Madison Square Garden rally, which also featured crude and sexist remarks from Hinchcliffe and other speakers. 

    El Nuevo Día, the island territory’s largest newspaper, endorsed Harris in a scathing front page editorial calling the rally “a repugnant display of hate that evokes memories of the speeches of Nazism and Fascism, which aimed to eliminate minorities.” The paper’s longtime editor and parent company CEO María Luisa Ferré Rangel wrote Trump’s behavior is “erratic and narcissistic” and that the former president “suffers from psychopathic elements that he evidences by lying repeatedly.”

    “Today, the hearts of all of us who love this beautiful Garden of America, and of the world, clench with rage and pain. Puerto Ricans are a noble and peaceful people, who deeply love their island,” she wrote. “On Sunday, continuing a pattern of contempt and misinformation that Donald Trump has maintained for years against the eight million of us American citizens who are Puerto Ricans, comedian Tony Hinchcliffe insulted us during a Republican Party event by referring to Puerto Rico as” a floating island of garbage.

    “Is that what Trump and the Republican Party think about Puerto Ricans? Politics is not a joke and hiding behind a comedian is cowardly,” she added.

    Separately, in an open letter published on Monday, the Catholic archbishop of San Juan told Trump he was “dismayed and appalled” by Hinchcliffe’s remarks and said he wrote the letter demanding a personal apology from the former president after consulting with his fellow bishops in Puerto Rico. 

    “I enjoy a good joke. However, humor has its limits. It should not insult or denigrate the dignity and sacredness of people. Hinchcliffe’s remarks do not only provoke sinister laugher, but hatred,” Archbishop Roberto O. González Nieves wrote. “I call upon you, Mr. Trump, to disavow these comments as reflecting in any way your personal or political viewpoints.”

    Trump’s campaign and many Republicans disavowed the remark, but the candidate himself has yet to do so, claiming in remarks at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Tuesday that his Sunday rally was a “love fest.” At an event in the Philadelphia suburbs later on Tuesday, Trump boasted “no president has done more for Puerto Rico than I have.”

    A slew of Puerto Rican officials and celebrities have denounced Hinchcliffe and many have endorsed Harris in the days since the rally. Jennifer Lopez, one of the most famous Puerto Rican celebrities in the U.S. said she will campaign with Harris in Las Vegas Halloween night. 

    Reggaeton star Nicky Jam, who previously endorsed Trump and appeared with him at a rally, pulled his endorsement on Wednesday.

    “Never in my life did I think that one month later there would be a comedian who would criticize my country and speak poorly of my country,” Nicky Jam, whose real name is Nick Rivera Caminero, said in Spanish in a video posted to his Instagram page. “For that I withdraw my support of Donald Trump. Puerto Rico should be respected.”

    A number of other celebrities of Puerto Rican descent expressed support for Harris in the days after the rally, including music superstars Bad Bunny and Ricky Martin, former Fox News personality Geraldo Rivera and actor John Leguizamo.

    Spectrum News’ Joseph Konig and Justin Tasolides contributed to this report.

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    Susan Carpenter

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  • Dodgers beat Yankees, win 2024 World Series

    Dodgers beat Yankees, win 2024 World Series

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    NEW YORK — The Los Angeles Dodgers won their second World Series championship in five seasons, overcoming a five-run deficit with the help of three Yankees defensive miscues and rallying on sacrifice flies from Gavin Lux and Mookie Betts in the eighth inning to beat New York 7-6 in Game 5 on Wednesday night.

    What You Need To Know

    • Dave Roberts won his second championship in nine seasons as manager as the Dodgers, matching Lasorda and trailing the four of Walter Alston

    • The Dodgers won for the fourth time in 12 Series meetings with the Yankees

    • New York remained without a title since winning its record 27th in 2009

    • The Dodgers earned their eighth championship and seventh since leaving Brooklyn for Los Angeles — their first in a non-shortened season since 1988

    Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning, Alex Verdugo’s RBI single chased Jack Flaherty in the second and Giancarlo Stanton’s third-inning homer against Ryan Brasier built a 5-0 Yankees lead.

    But errors by Judge in center and Anthony Volpe at shortstop, combined with pitcher Gerrit Cole failing to cover first on Betts’ grounder, helped Los Angeles score five unearned runs in the fifth.

    After Stanton’s sixth-inning sacrifice fly put the Yankees back ahead 6-5, the Dodgers loaded the bases against loser Tommy Kahnle in the eighth before the sacrifice flies off Luke Weaver.

    Winner Blake Treinen escaped a two-on, one-out jam in the bottom half by retiring Stanton on a flyout and striking out Anthony Rizzo.

    Walker Buehler, making his first relief appearance since his rookie season in 2018, pitched a perfect ninth for his first major league save.

    “We’re obviously resilient, but there’s so much love in the clubhouse that won this game today,” Betts said. “That’s what it was. It was love, it was grit. I mean, it was just a beautiful thing. I’m just proud of us and I’m happy for us.”

    When Buehler struck out Verdugo to end the game, the Dodgers poured onto the field to celebrate between the mound and first base, capping a season in which they won 98 games and finished with the best regular-season record.

    “There’s just a lot of ways we can win baseball games,” Buehler said. “Obviously the superstars we have on our team and the discipline, it just kind of all adds up.”

    Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers’ record-setting $700 million signing and baseball’s first 50-homer, 50-steal player, went 2 for 19 with no RBIs and had one single after separating his shoulder during a stolen base attempt in Game 2.

    Freddie Freeman hit a two-run single to tie the Series record of 12 RBIs, set by Bobby Richardson over seven games in 1960. With the Dodgers one out from losing Friday’s opener, Freeman hit a game-ending grand slam reminiscent of Kirk Gibson’s homer off Oakland’s Dennis Eckersley in 1988’s Game 1 that sparked Los Angeles to the title.

    The Dodgers earned their eighth championship and seventh since leaving Brooklyn for Los Angeles — their first in a non-shortened season since 1988. They won a neutral-site World Series against Tampa Bay in 2020 after a 60-game regular season and couldn’t have a parade because of the coronavirus pandemic.

    These Dodgers of Ohtani, Freeman & Betts joined the 1955 Duke Snider and Roy Campanella Boys of Summer, the Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale era that spanned the three titles from 1959-65, the Tommy Lasorda-led groups 1981 and ’88 and the Betts and Clayton Kershaw champions of 2020.

    Dave Roberts won his second championship in nine seasons as manager as the Dodgers, matching Lasorda and trailing the four of Walter Alston. The Dodgers won for the fourth time in 12 Series meetings with the Yankees.

    New York remained without a title since winning its record 27th in 2009. The Yankees acquired Juan Soto from San Diego in December knowing he would be eligible for free agency after the 2024 Series. The 26-year-old star went 5 for 16 one RBI in the Series heading into intensely followed bidding on the open market.

    Judge finished 4 for 18 with three RBIs.

    Cole didn’t allow a hit until Kiké Hernández singled leading off the fifth. Judge, who an inning earlier made a leaping catch at the wall to deny Freeman an extra-base hit, dropped Tommy Edman’s fly to center. Shortstop Anthony Volpe then bounced a throw to third on Will Smith’s grounder, allowing the Dodgers to load the bases with no outs.

    Cole struck out Lux and Ohtani, and Betts hit a grounder to Rizzo. Cole didn’t cover first, pointing at Rizzo to run to the bag as Betts outraced the first baseman.

    Freeman followed with a two-run single and Teoscar Hernández hit a tying two-run double. Max Muncy walked before Kiké Hernández grounded into a forceout on Cole’s 48th pitch of the inning.

    “We just take advantage of every mistake they made in that inning,” Teoscar Hernández said. “We put some good at-bats together. We put the ball in play.”

    Stanton’s sixth-inning sacrifice fly off Brusdar Graterol put the Yankees ahead 6-5, but the Dodgers rallied one last time in the eighth.

    Kiké Hernández singled off Tommy Kahnle leading off. Edman followed with an infield hit and Smith walked on four pitches. Lux’s sacrifice fly off Luke Weaver tied the score. Ohtani reached on catcher’s interference and Betts followed with another sacrifice fly to give the Dodgers their first lead.

    Purchased by Guggenheim Baseball Management in 2012, the Dodgers hired Andrew Friedman from Tampa Bay to head their baseball operations two years later. He boosted the front office with a multitude of analytics and performance science staff, and ownership supplied the cash.

    Los Angeles went on an unprecedented $1.25 billion spending spree last offseason on deals with Ohtani, pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and James Paxton, and outfielder Teoscar Hernández. Much of the money was future obligations that raised the Dodgers’ deferred compensation to $915.5 million owed from 2028-44.

    Faced with injuries, the Dodgers acquired Flaherty, Edman and reliever Michael Kopech ahead of the trade deadline, and all became important cogs in the title run. The additions boosted payroll to $266 million, third behind the Mets and the Yankees, plus a projected $43 million luxury tax.

    Up next

    Los Angeles opens its spring schedule on Feb. 20 against the Chicago Cubs at Camelback Ranch, and the Yankees start the next day against Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida.

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    Associated Press

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  • Dodgers beat Yankees, win 2024 World Series

    Dodgers beat Yankees, win 2024 World Series

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    NEW YORK — The Los Angeles Dodgers won their second World Series championship in five seasons, overcoming a five-run deficit with the help of three Yankees defensive miscues and rallying on sacrifice flies from Gavin Lux and Mookie Betts in the eighth inning to beat New York 7-6 in Game 5 on Wednesday night.

    What You Need To Know

    • Dave Roberts won his second championship in nine seasons as manager as the Dodgers, matching Lasorda and trailing the four of Walter Alston

    • The Dodgers won for the fourth time in 12 Series meetings with the Yankees

    • New York remained without a title since winning its record 27th in 2009

    • The Dodgers earned their eighth championship and seventh since leaving Brooklyn for Los Angeles — their first in a non-shortened season since 1988

    Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning, Alex Verdugo’s RBI single chased Jack Flaherty in the second and Giancarlo Stanton’s third-inning homer against Ryan Brasier built a 5-0 Yankees lead.

    But errors by Judge in center and Anthony Volpe at shortstop, combined with pitcher Gerrit Cole failing to cover first on Betts’ grounder, helped Los Angeles score five unearned runs in the fifth.

    After Stanton’s sixth-inning sacrifice fly put the Yankees back ahead 6-5, the Dodgers loaded the bases against loser Tommy Kahnle in the eighth before the sacrifice flies off Luke Weaver.

    Winner Blake Treinen escaped a two-on, one-out jam in the bottom half by retiring Stanton on a flyout and striking out Anthony Rizzo.

    Walker Buehler, making his first relief appearance since his rookie season in 2018, pitched a perfect ninth for his first major league save.

    “We’re obviously resilient, but there’s so much love in the clubhouse that won this game today,” Betts said. “That’s what it was. It was love, it was grit. I mean, it was just a beautiful thing. I’m just proud of us and I’m happy for us.”

    When Buehler struck out Verdugo to end the game, the Dodgers poured onto the field to celebrate between the mound and first base, capping a season in which they won 98 games and finished with the best regular-season record.

    “There’s just a lot of ways we can win baseball games,” Buehler said. “Obviously the superstars we have on our team and the discipline, it just kind of all adds up.”

    Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers’ record-setting $700 million signing and baseball’s first 50-homer, 50-steal player, went 2 for 19 with no RBIs and had one single after separating his shoulder during a stolen base attempt in Game 2.

    Freddie Freeman hit a two-run single to tie the Series record of 12 RBIs, set by Bobby Richardson over seven games in 1960. With the Dodgers one out from losing Friday’s opener, Freeman hit a game-ending grand slam reminiscent of Kirk Gibson’s homer off Oakland’s Dennis Eckersley in 1988’s Game 1 that sparked Los Angeles to the title.

    The Dodgers earned their eighth championship and seventh since leaving Brooklyn for Los Angeles — their first in a non-shortened season since 1988. They won a neutral-site World Series against Tampa Bay in 2020 after a 60-game regular season and couldn’t have a parade because of the coronavirus pandemic.

    These Dodgers of Ohtani, Freeman & Betts joined the 1955 Duke Snider and Roy Campanella Boys of Summer, the Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale era that spanned the three titles from 1959-65, the Tommy Lasorda-led groups 1981 and ’88 and the Betts and Clayton Kershaw champions of 2020.

    Dave Roberts won his second championship in nine seasons as manager as the Dodgers, matching Lasorda and trailing the four of Walter Alston. The Dodgers won for the fourth time in 12 Series meetings with the Yankees.

    New York remained without a title since winning its record 27th in 2009. The Yankees acquired Juan Soto from San Diego in December knowing he would be eligible for free agency after the 2024 Series. The 26-year-old star went 5 for 16 one RBI in the Series heading into intensely followed bidding on the open market.

    Judge finished 4 for 18 with three RBIs.

    Cole didn’t allow a hit until Kiké Hernández singled leading off the fifth. Judge, who an inning earlier made a leaping catch at the wall to deny Freeman an extra-base hit, dropped Tommy Edman’s fly to center. Shortstop Anthony Volpe then bounced a throw to third on Will Smith’s grounder, allowing the Dodgers to load the bases with no outs.

    Cole struck out Lux and Ohtani, and Betts hit a grounder to Rizzo. Cole didn’t cover first, pointing at Rizzo to run to the bag as Betts outraced the first baseman.

    Freeman followed with a two-run single and Teoscar Hernández hit a tying two-run double. Max Muncy walked before Kiké Hernández grounded into a forceout on Cole’s 48th pitch of the inning.

    “We just take advantage of every mistake they made in that inning,” Teoscar Hernández said. “We put some good at-bats together. We put the ball in play.”

    Stanton’s sixth-inning sacrifice fly off Brusdar Graterol put the Yankees ahead 6-5, but the Dodgers rallied one last time in the eighth.

    Kiké Hernández singled off Tommy Kahnle leading off. Edman followed with an infield hit and Smith walked on four pitches. Lux’s sacrifice fly off Luke Weaver tied the score. Ohtani reached on catcher’s interference and Betts followed with another sacrifice fly to give the Dodgers their first lead.

    Purchased by Guggenheim Baseball Management in 2012, the Dodgers hired Andrew Friedman from Tampa Bay to head their baseball operations two years later. He boosted the front office with a multitude of analytics and performance science staff, and ownership supplied the cash.

    Los Angeles went on an unprecedented $1.25 billion spending spree last offseason on deals with Ohtani, pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and James Paxton, and outfielder Teoscar Hernández. Much of the money was future obligations that raised the Dodgers’ deferred compensation to $915.5 million owed from 2028-44.

    Faced with injuries, the Dodgers acquired Flaherty, Edman and reliever Michael Kopech ahead of the trade deadline, and all became important cogs in the title run. The additions boosted payroll to $266 million, third behind the Mets and the Yankees, plus a projected $43 million luxury tax.

    Up next

    Los Angeles opens its spring schedule on Feb. 20 against the Chicago Cubs at Camelback Ranch, and the Yankees start the next day against Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida.

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    Associated Press

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