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Here are the top stories for Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. Get the weather forecast for today here.

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Take back high-paid administrators’ bonuses? School Board seeks legal advice

Parkland mass shooting victims’ families call out BSO for lawsuit delay

Here’s who is contributing to Boca Raton mayoral candidates’ campaigns

Voters were told Wellington council candidate dropped out. She didn’t — and doesn’t buy official explanation.

Investigators searching a location in Arizona in disappearance of Nancy Guthrie

Man convicted of killing traveling salesman becomes first person executed in Florida this year

‘HOCKEY: Faster Than Ever’: Test your skills at new Florida Panthers-inspired exhibit in South Florida

What’s the most romantic restaurant in South Florida? Nominate the ones you love here

Democracy is under siege in Florida | Editorial

Miss Manners: My condo community is too cliquey

Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl show captured the heart of Hispanic culture and language.

Our culturally egocentric view hinders our realization that “American” applies to all who live in North, Central and South America. This celebration of America was the most authentic in the Super Bowl’s 60-year history.

The blending of ages, vibrations, rich colors and the rhythmic beat captured the spirit of America.

Becoming part of a vibrant community and celebrating love is the good life. Remembering love, old and new, is restorative. Having the famous and the little-known share the same space is democratic.

We recently sat shiva for a dear friend who had asked to be memorialized by the sound of a steel band. The combination of Jewish tradition and Latin music was heavenly.

Few areas in the U.S. have been more enriched by Hispanic culture than South Florida. To witness love and not fear, beauty and not hatred, and dance in harmony to familiar sounds, captured the distinctive character of the place we call home.

Philip Beasley, Plantation

What makes America great

Explain to me how we have a “leader” who sends a racist, disgusting social rant about a former president and first lady.

The silence from him is deafening. But oh my, a Super Bowl halftime show with great energy and people dancing in their seats, tapping their toes and clapping — and there’s a huge uproar, all because it was in Spanish.

I don’t speak Spanish, but I appreciated Bad Bunny’s singing and his enthusiasm.

Un-American? No! We were celebrating the Spanish culture in our country. We are one nation of many, and that is what’s so great about America!

Pat Eland, Delray Beach

Stupidity, or worse

America is the only country that seems to revere the use of one language and one language only: English.

More and more cities are taking away signs in other languages, which shows their pure ignorance about our used-to-be-label, “the melting pot,” or in plainer words, a unifying or bonding of people, instead of the recent buildup of hate.

I’ve heard people comment negatively when they hear people speak Spanish among themselves, as though they were here illegally or it was offensive to them not to know what people were saying. I’m not sure why people feel that way, but as far as I’m concerned, a good definition is pure stupidity, or worse — bigotry!

Linda Gefen, Boca Raton 

Why midterms matter A card with images of Renée Good and Alex Pretti lies among flowers and other mementos at a memorial in Minneapolis on Jan. 27, 2026.

Renaming the Kennedy Center and then shutting it down. Wanting major airports renamed for him. Putting untrained ICE thugs in blue cities and states, resulting in the deaths of two innocent people.

Saying he wanted ICE agents at the Super Bowl  — because it was being held in California.

Making big promises about prescription drugs and health care that he can’t fulfill, while the economy falters.

Condoning racism and insurrection, and calling Bad Bunny “an affront” to America who should not perform at the Super Bowl. Saying he wants to nationalize the 2026 election — which should scare the hell out of all good Americans.

The fact that a follower, in a letter to the editor, used the term “libtards” (Sun Sentinel, Jan. 13) and another accuses the Sun Sentinel of stooping to McCarthyism because letters like mine are published gives proof as to just what Trump’s followers are all about. Wake up, America, before it’s too late, and oust the president and the whole of his party in the midterms.

Seth Wexler, Plantation 

Please submit a letter to the editor by email to letterstotheeditor@sunsentinel.com or fill out the online form below. Letters may be up to 200 words and must be signed with your email address, city of residence and daytime phone number for verification. Letters will be edited for clarity and length.

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DEAR MISS MANNERS: I had lunch with a person I consider to be a Very Good Friend. This is someone I see a few times each month and with whom I have traveled.

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My friend was excited about a new gourmet group they were forming — a rotating dinner party. I told my friend that the idea seemed fun and that I was interested.

The next time we met up, my friend raised the subject of the group once again. I was shocked and upset when I was told, in a roundabout way, that I would not be included.

My friend said, “I am going to be very selective about who I include because there are some people who seem to think ‘the more, the merrier,’ and we just can’t have that. The time you asked me to include your mother at Easter, my table was at its max capacity.”

I was shocked. That request was made 10 years ago and was cheerfully accommodated. I would have stayed home with Mother had I been rebuffed. To have this held as a trespass on my part is very upsetting.

I no longer wish to be considered for this “elite” group. Do I have a choice, other than complaining or abandoning the friendship?

GENTLE READER: You do have a choice, but it’s not a tasty one.

Your Very Rude Friend is expecting that you will promise not to transgress again, after which you will be issued an invitation to the new group. If you understandably do not wish to eat crow as a precursor to more gourmet delicacies, you should abandon hope of entry into the new group, abandon the friendship, or both.

Although she generally agrees that guests are not supposed to ask to bring additional guests, Miss Manners notes that an advance discussion about a mother at an Easter dinner might have been raised in an inoffensive way — and that 10 years is a long time to hold a grudge.

[That question was answered previously in the Asking Eric column. Here’s what he said.]

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I work at a small, family-owned business where a few employees have dietary restrictions, some by choice and some by medical necessity.

I love to cook and bake at home, and since it is just myself and my partner, I often have extra portions. Is it rude to bring food to share at the workplace that doesn’t meet the restrictions of all employees?

For example, I recently made a delicious apple crisp and had a large amount left over the next day. But it was neither gluten-free nor vegan, so I hesitated to bring the extra to work to share — even though the majority of employees would have enjoyed it.

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• Asking Eric: Which does my girlfriend love more: Me or my bank account?

GENTLE READER: It would be rude to provide a meal that did not have some options that all your guests could eat. But that is not the situation you describe.

No one is relying on — or even expecting — apple crisp in the break room. What you propose would not, therefore, be rude. As long as your offerings are clearly labeled, your colleagues can make their own decisions about whether to indulge.

Still, Miss Manners cannot reassure you that such technical adherence to the law will shield you from the righteous fury of the unfed.

Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, gentlereader@missmanners.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

By TY O’NEIL, JOHN SEEWER and HALLIE GOLDEN

RIO RICO, Ariz. (AP) — A person was detained for questioning Tuesday in the kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie, hours after the FBI released surveillance videos of a masked person wearing a handgun holster outside Guthrie’s front door the night she vanished from her Arizona home.

Deputies detained the person during a traffic stop south of Tucson, according to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. It did not immediately provide details about the person or the location. The FBI referred questions to the sheriff’s office.

A Phoenix, Arizona, television station, KNVX-TV, interviewed a delivery man who said he had been detained by police on suspicions of kidnapping Guthrie. He said he was innocent and that police released him after several hours. Local and federal authorities have not confirmed that the person who they had detained was released.

The department and the FBI were conducting a court-authorized search Tuesday night at a location in Rio Rico, about an hour’s drive south of Tucson, the department said in a statement. It was expected to take several hours.

Guthrie disappeared on Feb. 1 and since then the case has gripped the nation. Until Tuesday, it seemed authorities were making little headway in determining what happened to the 84-year-old mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie or finding who was responsible.

Savannah Guthrie and her two siblings have released a series of video statements pleading for the return of their mother and indicating a willingness to pay a ransom. Authorities have described Nancy Guthrie as mentally sound but with limited mobility. She takes several medications and there was concern from the start that she could die without them, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has said repeatedly.

The community of Rio Rico — population 20,000 — is roughly an hour’s drive from Guthrie’s home and about 15 miles (24 kilometers) north of the U.S.-Mexico border.

The videos released earlier Tuesday show a person wearing a ski mask and a backpack. At one point, they tilt their head down and away from a doorbell camera while approaching Guthrie’s front door. The footage also shows the person holding a flashlight in their mouth and trying to cover the camera with a gloved hand and part of a plant ripped from the yard.

The videos — less than a combined minute in length — gave investigators and the public their first glimpse of who was outside Guthrie’s home in the foothills outside Tucson. But the images did not show what happened to her or help determine whether she is still alive.

FBI Director Kash Patel said the “armed individual” appeared to “have tampered with the camera.” It was not entirely clear whether there was a gun in the holster.

The videos were pulled from data on “back-end systems” after investigators spent days trying to find lost, corrupted or inaccessible images, Patel said.

“This will get the phone ringing for lots of potential leads,” said former FBI agent Katherine Schweit. “Even when you have a person who appears to be completely covered, they’re really not. You can see their girth, the shape of their face, potentially their eyes or mouth.”

Tuesday afternoon, authorities were back near Guthrie’s neighborhood, using vehicles to block her driveway. A few miles away, law enforcement was going door-to-door in the area where daughter Annie Guthrie lives, talking with neighbors as well as walking through a drainage area and examining the inside of a culvert with a flashlight.

Investigators have said for more than a week that they believe Nancy Guthrie was taken against her will. She was last seen at home Jan. 31 and reported missing the next day. DNA tests showed blood on her porch was hers, authorities said.

Authorities initially could not pull images from camera

Until now, authorities have released few details, leaving it unclear if ransom notes demanding money with deadlines already passed were authentic, and whether the Guthrie family has had any contact with whoever took Guthrie.

Savannah Guthrie posted the new surveillance images on social media Tuesday, saying the family believes their mother is still alive and offering phone numbers for the FBI and county sheriff. Within minutes, the post had thousands of comments.

Investigators had hoped cameras would turn up evidence right away about how Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her home in an secluded neighborhood.

But the doorbell camera was disconnected early on Feb. 1. While software recorded movement at the home minutes later, Guthrie did not have an active subscription, so Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos had initially said none of the footage could be recovered. Officials continued working to get the footage.

Savannah Guthrie expressed desperation a day ago

Heartbreaking messages by Savannah Guthrie and her family shifted from hopeful to bleak as they made pleas for whoever took Nancy Guthrie. In a video just ahead of a purported ransom deadline Monday, Savannah Guthrie appeared alone and spoke directly to the public.

“We are at an hour of desperation,” she said. “We need your help.”

Much of the nation is closely following the case involving the longtime anchor of NBC’s morning show.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump watched the new surveillance footage and was in “pure disgust,” encouraging anyone with information to call the FBI.

The FBI this week began posting digital billboards about the case in major cities from Texas to California.

Connor Hagan, a spokesperson for the FBI, said Monday that the agency was not aware of ongoing communication between Guthrie’s family and any suspected kidnappers. Authorities also had not identified any suspects, he said.

Videos from Guthrie siblings appealed directly to whoever took their mom

Three days after the search began, Savannah Guthrie and her two siblings sent their first public appeal to whoever took their mother, saying, “We want to hear from you, and we are ready to listen.”

In the recorded video, Guthrie said her family was aware of media reports about a ransom letter, but they first wanted proof their mother was alive.

“Please reach out to us,” they said.

The next day, Savannah Guthrie’s brother again made a plea, saying, “Whoever is out there holding our mother, we want to hear from you. We haven’t heard anything directly.”

Then over the past weekend, the family posted another video — one that was more cryptic and generated even more speculation about Nancy Guthrie’s fate.

“We received your message, and we understand. We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her,” said Savannah Guthrie, flanked by her siblings. “This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.”

___

Golden reported from Seattle and Seewer from Toledo, Ohio. Associated Press reporters Darlene Superville in Washington, Ed White in Detroit, and Mike Balsamo, Eric Tucker and Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington contributed to this report.

Today is Wednesday, Feb. 11, the 42nd day of 2026. There are 323 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Feb. 11, 1975, Margaret Thatcher was elected leader of Britain’s opposition Conservative Party, a prelude to her eventual rise to prime minister in 1979.

Also on this date:

In 1847, American inventor Thomas Alva Edison was born in Milan, Ohio.

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In 1937, a six-week-old sit-down strike against General Motors ended, with the company agreeing to recognize and negotiate with the United Auto Workers union.

In 1945, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Josef Stalin signed the Yalta Agreement, in which Stalin agreed to declare war against Imperial Japan following Nazi Germany’s capitulation.

In 1990, South African anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela was freed after 27 years in prison. (Mandela would be elected president of South Africa four years later.)

Also in 1990, in one of the biggest upsets in boxing history, underdog Buster Douglas knocked out the previously undefeated heavyweight champion Mike Tyson at Japan’s Tokyo Dome.

In 2011, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resigned after days of pro-democracy protests, ending three decades of authoritarian rule.

In 2012, on the eve of the Grammy Awards, superstar singer Whitney Houston was found dead after she drowned in a hotel room bathtub in Beverly Hills, California; she was 48. The official coroner’s report listed heart disease and cocaine as contributing factors in her death.

In 2013, during a routine morning meeting of Vatican cardinals, Pope Benedict XVI announced he would resign as pope effective Feb. 28; it was the first papal resignation in nearly 600 years.

In 2020, the World Health Organization gave the official name of COVID-19 to the disease caused by the coronavirus that had emerged in China and was unleashing a worldwide pandemic.

Today’s birthdays:

• Actor Tina Louise is 92.
• Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is 73.
• Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin is 64.
• Musician Sheryl Crow is 64.
• Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is 62.
• Actor Jennifer Aniston is 57.
• Actor Damian Lewis is 55.
• Surfer Kelly Slater is 54.
• Singer-actor Brandy is 47.
• Singer Kelly Rowland is 45.
• Actor Natalie Dormer is 44.
• Actor Taylor Lautner is 34.
• Singer-songwriter Khalid is 28.

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and ERIC TUCKER

WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Pam Bondi will face questions from lawmakers Wednesday over the Justice Department’s handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein that have exposed sensitive private information about victims despite redaction efforts.

Bondi is confronting a new wave of criticism stemming from the political saga that has dogged her term after the release of millions of additional Epstein disclosures that victims have slammed as sloppy and incomplete.

It will be the first time the attorney general appears before Congress since a tumultuous hearing in October in which she repeatedly deflected questions and countered Democrats’ criticism of her actions with her own political attacks.

Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee are expected to grill Bondi on how the Justice Department decided what should and should not be made public under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which was passed by Congress after the department abruptly announced in July that no more files would be released even though it had raised the hopes of conservative influencers and conspiracy theorists.

Bondi has continuously struggled to move past the backlash over her handling of the Epstein files since distributing binders to a group of social media influencers at the White House last February. The binders included no new revelations about Epstein, leading to even more calls from President Donald Trump’s base for the files to be released.

The hearing comes days after some lawmakers visited a Justice Department office to look through unredacted versions of the files. As part of an arrangement with the Justice Department, lawmakers were given access to the over 3 million released files in a reading room with four computers and were allowed to take handwritten notes.

Democrats have accused the Justice Department of redacting information that should have been made public, including information that could lead to scrutiny of Epstein’s associates. Meanwhile, victims have slammed the department for inconsistent or nonexistent redactions that allowed for the inadvertent release of nude photos and other private information about victims.

The department has defended the latest rollout of more than 3 million pages of documents along with more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images. The Associated Press and other media organizations are still reviewing millions of pages of documents, many of them previously confidential.

An AP review of records shows that while investigators collected ample proof that Epstein sexually abused underage girls, they found scant evidence the well-connected financier led a sex trafficking ring serving powerful men. Videos and photos seized from Epstein’s homes in New York, Florida and the Virgin Islands didn’t depict victims being abused or implicate anyone else in his crimes, a prosecutor wrote in one 2025 memo.

Which Nature’s Bounty probiotics are best?

It’s hard to believe that the way to health just might be through the stomach, but increasing evidence shows that a healthy gut microbiome is crucial to overall wellness. With over 100 trillion bacteria in your stomach, making sure the good bacteria outweigh the bad is critical. A probiotic can help restore your belly’s good bacteria.

Nature’s Bounty has been a trusted name in supplements since 1971. The best Nature’s Bounty probiotics are effective and easy to incorporate into your day. Nature’s Bounty Ultra Strength Probiotic 10 is a great option for maintaining (or restoring) a healthy gut microbiome.

What to know before you buy a Nature’s Bounty probiotic

Probiotics are one of the best ways to support healthy digestion and total wellness. Nature’s Bounty offers a variety of probiotics, and it’s important to consider which one is best for you.

Number of CFUs

The number of colony-forming units is the first great measure of how a probiotic will work. A minimum of 1 billion CFUs per dose of probiotic is necessary to help maintain good gut bacteria. Some doses can reach as high as 10 billion CFUs. Most people don’t need that many CFUs in each dose, but there are times when a higher dose is necessary. For example, doctors recommend higher CFUs to accompany an antibiotic prescription to restore good bacteria.

Nature’s Bounty probiotics offer a range of CFUs to help you achieve your wellness goals.

Safety

Consumers place their trust in supplements, and Nature’s Bounty takes that trust very seriously. They have safety protocols, so you know your probiotic is safe and effective. These include:

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These high standards ensure that you can trust that it’s safe to purchase a Nature’s Bounty probiotic.

Dose

The best dose of a probiotic is one with which you will be consistent. If you struggle to remember to take pills, a once-a-day probiotic will be best for you. Prefer to break up your probiotic over several smaller doses? That’s possible, too. Nature’s Bounty probiotics have dosing options for everyone.

What to look for in a quality Nature’s Bounty probiotic Beneficial bacteria

The results you get will depend on the specific beneficial bacteria that are present in your probiotic. Nature’s Bounty utilizes a variety of live cultures in each probiotic for their specific benefits. These include:

• Bifidobacterium bifidum for immune support
• Lactobacillus rhamnosus as a preventive measure when traveling
• Lactobacillus acidophilus for aid in digestion and to boost immunity
• Bifidobacterium longum to suppress bad bacteria growth

Allergen-free

The last thing you need in your probiotic is allergens that can actually intensify the rumblings and inflammation in your belly. Nature’s Bounty probiotics are free from all major allergens, including:

• Gluten
• Dairy
• Wheat
• Corn
• Soy

Many of their products are also kosher, halal and vegan. Check the label if you follow a strict diet to see which probiotic is best for you.

Live cultures

Beneficial bacteria are living beings that can only aid in health and wellness if they are “live” in your probiotic. Look to the expiration date on every Nature’s Bounty probiotic to guarantee beneficial live cultures.

Enteric coating

Stomach acid can dissolve probiotics and lessen their efficacy. Nature’s Bounty uses an enteric coating to protect the probiotics until they reach the digestive tract. This controlled delivery method means you’ll get more of the probiotic exactly where it can do the most good.

How much you can expect to spend on Nature’s Bounty probiotics

In terms of supplements, Nature’s Bounty probiotics are an affordable way to optimize your health. Expect to spend between $6-$20 on a probiotic.

Nature’s Bounty probiotic FAQ What can probiotics help?

A. Evidence of the effectiveness of probiotics is growing. Taken regularly, probiotics may help with:

• Diarrhea and constipation
• Yeast overgrowth
• Symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn’s disease
• Symptoms of lactose intolerance
• Allergies
• Systemic inflammation

Who needs a probiotic?

A. At a minimum, people treated with antibiotics should take a probiotic during their entire course of treatment. Antibiotics are indiscriminate in the bacteria they kill off, and it’s important to reestablish a healthy gut microbiome.

But probiotics are also a great way to maintain overall health and wellness. If you struggle with constipation or diarrhea or simply feel sluggish and unwell, you might benefit from a daily probiotic.

As always, talk to your doctor about your specific health concerns before starting any kind of supplementation.

What’s the best Nature’s Bounty probiotic to buy? Top Nature’s Bounty probiotic

Nature’s Bounty Ultra Strength Probiotic 10

What you need to know: This probiotic has everything you need for a healthy gut in just one capsule a day.

What you’ll love: This probiotic is great for people who want to take just one supplement per day. It has over 20 billion CFUs, with probiotic strains that have been shown to improve digestion and respiratory health.

What you should consider: This is an all-around excellent probiotic.

Top Nature’s Bounty probiotic for the money

Acidophilus Probiotic by Nature’s Bounty

What you need to know: The most common probiotic is included in this single-strain capsule.

What you’ll love: This affordable probiotic has one of the most common types of beneficial bacteria strains to help balance the gut. It’s vegetarian and free from added colors or flavors.

What you should consider: Make sure to check the expiration date, as the probiotic is only guaranteed until then.

Worth checking out

Nature’s Bounty Controlled Delivery Women’s Probiotic

What you need to know: This targeted probiotic is aimed at helping women with digestive and reproductive help.

What you’ll love: Enteric-coated capsules release over two billion active cultures exactly where they are needed: in the digestive tract. This probiotic includes six different strains.

What you should consider: The level of CFUs and the number of strains caused stomach upset for some.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and ERIC TUCKER

WASHINGTON (AP) — A grand jury in Washington refused Tuesday to indict Democratic lawmakers in connection with a video in which they urged U.S. military members to resist “illegal orders,” according to a person familiar with the matter.

The Justice Department opened an investigation into the video featuring Democratic Sens. Mark Kelly and Elissa Slotkin and four other Democratic lawmakers urging U.S. service members to follow established military protocols and reject orders they believe to be unlawful. All the lawmakers previously served in the military or at intelligence agencies.

Grand jurors in Washington declined to sign off on charges in the latest of a series of rebukes of prosecutors by citizens in the nation’s capital, according to the person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter. It wasn’t immediately clear whether prosecutors had sought indictments against all six lawmakers or what charge or charges prosecutors attempted to bring.

Grand jury rejections are extraordinarily unusual, but have happened repeatedly in recent months in Washington as citizens who have heard the government’s evidence have come away underwhelmed in a number of cases. Prosecutors could try again to secure an indictment.

The FBI in November began contacting the lawmakers to schedule interviews, outreach that came against the backdrop of broader Justice Department efforts to punish political opponents of the president.

Besides Slotkin and Kelly, the other Democrats who appeared in the video include Reps. Jason Crow of Colorado, Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire and Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania.

Slotkin, a former CIA analyst who represents Michigan, said late Tuesday that she hopes this ends the Justice Department’s probe.

“Tonight we can score one for the Constitution, our freedom of speech, and the rule of law,” Slotkin said in a statement. “But today wasn’t just an embarrassing day for the Administration. It was another sad day for our country,” she said.

Kelly, a former Navy pilot who represents Arizona, called the attempt to bring charges an “outrageous abuse of power by Donald Trump and his lackies.”

“Donald Trump wants every American to be too scared to speak out against him,” Kelly said in a post on X. “The most patriotic thing any of us can do is not back down.”

Spokespeople for the U.S. attorney’s office and the Justice Department didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday.

By JIM MORRIS and ROB GILLIES

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — A shooting at a school in British Columbia left seven people dead, while two more were found dead at a nearby home, Canadian authorities said Tuesday. A woman who police believe to be the shooter also was killed.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said more than 25 people are injured, including two who were airlifted to hospital with life-threatening injuries, after the shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.

School shootings are rare in Canada.

The town of Tumbler Ridge in the Canadian Rockies is more than 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) north of Vancouver, near the border with Alberta. The provincial government website lists Tumbler Ridge Secondary School as having 175 students from Grades 7 to 12.

British Columbia Premier David Eby told reporters that police officers reached the school within two minutes.

A video showed students walking out of the school with their hands raised as police vehicles surrounded the building and a helicopter circled overhead.

Police found six people dead, a statement said. A suspect appeared to have died of a “self-inflicted injury.” An eighth person died while being transported to a hospital, and two more were found dead at a home the authorities believe was connected to the attack.

RCMP Superintendent Ken Floyd told reporters that investigators had identified a female suspect but would not release a name, and that the shooter’s motive remained unclear. He added that police are still investigating how the victims are connected to the shooter.

Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka said the whole community is grieving.

“I broke down,” he said, saying it was “devastating” to learn how many had died in the community of 2,700, which he called a “big family.”

“I have lived here for 18 years,” Krakowka said “I probably know every one of the victims.”

The Rev. George Rowe of the Tumbler Ridge Fellowship Baptist Church went to the recreation center where the victims’ families were awaiting more information.

“It was not a pretty sight. Families are still waiting to hear if it’s their child that’s deceased and because of protocol and procedure the investigating team is very careful in releasing names,” Rowe said. “The big thing tonight was my having to walk away and the families still waiting to find out. It is so difficult. Other pastors and counselors are there so they are not alone.”

Rowe once taught at the high school and his three children graduated from there.

“To walk through the corridors of that school will never be the same again,” he said.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a social media post that he was devastated by the shooting in Tumbler Ridge.

“I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed irreversibly today, and in gratitude for the courage and selflessness of the first responders who risked their lives to protect their fellow citizens,” he wrote.

Carney’s office said he is suspending a planned trip to Halifax, Nova Scotia and Munich, Germany. He was set to announce a long-awaited defense industrial strategy in Halifax on Wednesday before heading to Europe for the Munich Security Conference.

Eby, the province’s premier, told reporters he had spoken to Carney after what he called the “unimaginable tragedy.”

“I know it’s causing us all to hug our kids a little bit tighter tonight,” he said. “I’m asking the people of British Columbia to look after the people of Tumbler Ridge tonight.”

Canada’s government has responded to previous mass shootings with gun control measures, including a recently broadened ban on all guns it considers assault weapons.

Tuesday’s shootings were Canada’s deadliest rampage since 2020, when a gunman in Nova Scotia killed 13 people and set fires that left another nine dead.

___

Gillies reported from Toronto.

TUMBLER RIDGE, British Columbia (AP) — A school shooting in British Columbia left eight people dead, including a shooter, and dozens injured, Canadian police said Tuesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said a suspect has been found dead with what is believed to be a self-inflicted injury.

Police earlier said officers are working to determine whether a second suspect is involved.

They are asking residents of the town of Tumbler Ridge, which has a population of about 2,400 people, to stay inside as additional police resources are being deployed to the area from neighboring areas.

The Peace River South School District said Tuesday that there was a the “lockdown and secure and hold” at both the secondary school and the Tumbler Ridge Elementary school.

Larry Neufeld, the member of the legislature for Peace River South, told reporters at the legislature that an “excess” of resources, including RCMP and ambulance support, have been sent to the community.

He said he didn’t want to release any more information over concerns that it might jeopardize the safety of the ongoing operation.

He urged those in the community to stay where they are.

“We do understand that a few folks are out looking for loved ones, and again, please, please go back to your homes and shelter in place and allow the amazing people of the RCMP to make this community, this beautiful community, safe again,” he said.

Tumbler Ridge is more than 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) north of Vancouver, near the border with Alberta. The provincial government website lists Tumbler Ridge Secondary School as having 175 students from Grades 7 to 12.

School shootings are rare in Canada.

Today is Tuesday, Feb. 10, the 41st day of 2026. There are 324 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Feb. 10, 1996, world chess champion Garry Kasparov lost the first game of a match in Philadelphia against an IBM computer dubbed “Deep Blue.” (Kasparov ended up winning the match, 4 games to 2; however, he was defeated by Deep Blue in a rematch the following year.)

Also on this date:

In 1763, the treaty ending the Seven Years’ War was signed in Paris, with France ceding its territory in Canada to Great Britain.

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In 1936, Nazi Germany’s Reichstag passed a law investing the Gestapo secret police with absolute authority, exempt from any legal review.

In 1959, an F4-intensity tornado tore through the St. Louis area, killing 21 people and injuring 345.

In 1962, on the Glienicke Bridge connecting West Berlin and East Germany, the Soviet Union exchanged captured American U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers for Rudolf Abel, a Soviet spy held by the United States.

In 1967, the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, dealing with presidential disability and succession, was adopted as Minnesota and Nevada ratified it.

In 1973, at least 40 workers were killed in an explosion and collapse of a large liquefied natural gas tank that was undergoing routine maintenance in the New York City borough of Staten Island.

In 1981, eight people were killed when a fire set by a busboy broke out at the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel.

In 2009, a U.S. commercial satellite and a defunct Russian satellite accidentally collided in orbit over Siberia, destroying both and creating a large debris field in space.

In 2018, a double-decker bus lost control and crashed in a Hong Kong suburb, killing 19 people and injuring dozens more in the southern Chinese city.

In 2021, severe winter storms caused catastrophic wide-scale power outages in Texas that left millions in the dark and lasted several days. At least 40 people died in Texas in the storm and its aftermath.

Today’s birthdays:

• Opera singer Leontyne Price is 99.
• Actor Robert Wagner is 96.
• Olympic swimming gold medalist Mark Spitz is 76.
• Golf Hall of Famer Greg Norman is 71.
• Basketball Hall of Fame coach John Calipari is 67.
• Filmmaker Alexander Payne is 65.
• TV host-political commentator George Stephanopoulos is 65.
• Actor Laura Dern is 59.
• Writer-producer-director Vince Gilligan (TV: “Breaking Bad”) is 59.
• Football Hall of Famer Ty Law is 52.
• Actor-filmmaker Elizabeth Banks is 52.
• Basketball Hall of Famer Tina Thompson is 51.
• Reggaeton singer Don Omar is 48.
• Actor Uzo Aduba is 45.
• Actor Stephanie Beatriz is 45.
• Actor Emma Roberts is 35.
• Olympic swimming gold medalist Lilly King is 29.
• Actor Chloe Grace Moretz is 29.
• Actor Yara Shahidi is 26.

MIAMI — Observations and other notes of interest from Monday night’s 115-111 loss to the Utah Jazz:

– The upshot of the past week, be it the lack of selling off contacts at Thursday’s NBA trade deadline or Erik Spoelstra’s daily pregame words of hope, has been about living in the moment.

– Playing for the moment.

– The focus on the W.

– Doesn’t matter if you disagree, because that is who they are.

– But if they are that, then why not a commensurate personnel approach?

– Namely a personnel approach that maximizes those chances of victory?

– With this one a fitting example of that argument.

– Just 1:35 into the second half, Kel’e Ware was on the bench with his fourth foul.

– So Nikola Jovic entered in his place, in the midst of another miserable outing.

– There basically wasn’t another option in the power rotation to enter alongside Bam Adebayo.

– Even though there has been an open roster spot the entire season.

– Even though there has been space below the luxury tax to make such a move since last month.

– Even though the Heat are days away from having enough space under the tax to add two players.

– Yes, the focus was books in order for the trading deadline.

– Now, a pathway to depth in cases such as Monday night.

– When one power player is on the bench and another likely should be.

– From there, Ware’s fifth foul just 17 seconds into the fourth quarter.

– And then done for the night with his sixth foul with 10:55 to play.

– In the big picture, no real difference in the race to another play-in.

– But if you are going to say that every game matters.

– If you are going to commit to living in each game moment.

– If the W trumps all.

– Then why not maximize those opportunities?

– So Ware sat with foul trouble.

– Jovic struggled.

– And no Plan D for Erik Spoelstra.

– What a strange night, indeed.

– The Heat doesn’t have much left in the way of room for error.

– But they did have room at the inn.

– And instead choose a vacancy.

– All adding up to a loss.

– With Norman Powell, Pelle Larsson and still Tyler Herro out, the Heat opened with a lineup of Adebayo, Ware, Andrew Wiggins, Davion Mitchell and Simone Fontecchio.

– It was Ware’s first start since Jan. 6

– And the Heat’s 19th starting lineup of the season.

– The Jazz opened with a lineup of Jusuf Nurkić, Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., Isaiah Collier and Ace Bailey.

– With their big lineup, the Heat moved to zone even before the first timeout.

– And played plenty throughout.

– Kasparas Jakucionis and Jaime Jaquez Jr. entered together off the Heat bench.

– Nikola Jovic and Dru Smith then followed together.

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– With Myron Gardner making it 10 deep, with the rare full five-man reserve unit.

– The game completed the 13th of the Heat’s league-high 17 back-to-back sets this season.

– Spoelstra offered little clarity pregame when it came to Herro’s ongoing absence with his rib issue.

– “I don’t have a timeline,” Spoelstra said, “but I can tell you he is making progress and he’s doing what he needs to do behind the scenes. And we’ll just continue to treat him.”

– Of the dual-big lineups with Adebayo and Ware, Spoelstra said it is an ongoing process to find something with stability.

– “Just something that we have to continue to work on,” he said. “It wasn’t productive for us, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t get to it. And I think they’re both in a different place right now for different reasons.”

– He added, “And then moving forward, we’ll just have to see. We’re trying to develop some lineups that work. We want some consistency there. And we want to maximize the rotation as much as possible.”

– Asked pregame of the Jazz’s acquisition last week of Jackson from the Grizzlies, Spoelstra said, “This is what you have to really respect about this league. There’s a bunch of different ways to try to attempt to win. And so they’re going with a massive-sized front line.  And, you respect that. He’s a heck of a talent.”

– He added, “I think that’s a rock-solid move.”

MIAMI — The low point of this Miami Heat season?

Welcome to it, when Erik Spoelstra’s team on Monday night lost to a team that was trying to lose.

Given every opportunity to string together only their second winning streak since early January, the Heat disastrously declined the gift, falling 115-111 to the Utah Jazz at Kaseya Center.

“It’s a game,” Heat forward Andrew Wiggins said, “we’ve got to win, no matter what.”

Faced with the prospect of losing their first-round pick in June’s draft if it is not among the first eight, the Jazz pulled leading big men Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. for the night midway through the third quarter, with Jackson with 22 points at that stage and Markkanen with 17 points and eight rebounds.

“Look, Spoelstra said, “I mean, I know how it looks.”

Utah then played the entirety of the fourth quarter without four of their five starters.

And, still, the Heat could not take what was being given, albeit while paying in the injury absences of Norman Powell, Pelle Larsson and Tyler Herro.

The difference is those absences weren’t by choice, with Powell out with back pain, Larsson forearm discomfort and Herro a rib issue.

So, instead, empty numbers for the Heat, with Wiggins closing with 26 points, Kasparas Jakucionis with 20 and Bam Adebayo closing with 23 points and 1 rebounds.

“We got to find ways to win even against teams that are trying to lose,” a visibly dejected Adebayo said.

Five Degrees of Heat from Monday night’s game:

1. Game flow: The Heat led 32-26 at the end of the opening period, after taking an early 15-point lead. Utah then moved to a 61-52 halftime lead.

The Heat then tied it late in the third period, before Utah went into the fourth up 85-82.

From there, with the Jazz sitting their best, the Heat moved up five in the fourth quarter.

No matter, not when Utah’s Brice Sensabaugh converted a 3-pointer for a 113-111 Utah lead with 41.1 to play.

Misses on both ends followed, leaving the Heat in possession down two and out of timeouts with 8.6 seconds to play.

A wayward Jakucionis 3-point attempt later and it basically was over.

“It means a lot,” Jakucionis said of being given that shot. “I got a pretty open shot.”

Off the mark, on a night the Heat were off their stride.

“We had our opportunities,” Spoelstra said. “There were some good things that happened down the stretch. We just missed some shots.

“The guys that were playing were laying it out there. We just couldn’t make the plays at the end.”

2. Here’s why: So why did the Jazz sit their best for a second consecutive game when carrying a lead into a fourth quarter?

Because if Utah does not wind up with one of the first eight picks in June’s NBA draft, the pick goes to the defending-champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

The protected pick dates to a 2021 Jazz trade that unloaded the contract of Derrick Favors.

This is the third year the debt has rolled over. The pick was Top 10 protected in 2024 and ’25, now down to top-eight protection.

If the pick does not go to the Thunder this season, the transaction instead will be completed solely though a cash transaction.

The Jazz also sat their top players in the fourth quarter on Saturday night in Orlando, in a loss to the Magic.

The Jazz entered Monday with the NBA’s sixth-worst record.

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3. More big: With Larsson and Powell out, and with the Jazz opening big, Spoelstra returned to the Adebayo-Kel’el Ware opening pairing, the first time Ware had started since the Jan. 8 loss in Minnesota.

Whether it was matchup based or the reward of a solid pairing Sunday in Washington remains to be seen.

But it certainly seemed to make sense in this one, with the Jazz opening with a front line of 7-foot Jusuf Nurkic, 7-0 Markkanen and 6-11 Jackson.

The pairing then was limited in the second half, with Ware called for his fourth foul 1:35 into the third quarter, with Wared fouling out with 10:55 to play.

Ware closed with eight points and six rebounds in his 14 minutes.

Spoelstra said Ware’s foul trouble never allowed him to fully explore the Adebayo-Ware possibilities in this one.

“I wasn’t able to get to it,” he said. ” And that’s part of the learning, is learning how to do things with technique and not get the hands in there.”

4. Still going: A game after shooting 6 of 6 on 3-pointers, Jakucionis this time made his first three 3-pointers and opened 4 of 5 from beyond the arc.

With Powell out, Spoelstra played all three of his point guards early, including playing Jakucionis and Dru Smith in tandem.

Smith did not play until mop-up duty on Sunday in Washington.

Jakucionis later returned in the second period to play alongside starting point guard Davion Mitchell.

“He’s been amazing,” Wiggins said of Jakucionis’ recent play, “both sides of the floor, picking up full court, hitting big shots.”

In the end, though, only dejection.

“It’s a bad loss,” Jakucionis said. “It’s frustrating a little — not a little, a lot.”

5. Attack mode: After falling to 2 of 10 for the night in the third quarter, Adebayo seemingly said enough was enough, moving on to score 11 points in the period.

That effort was eased with Jackson and then Markkanen off the court for the Jazz during the bulk of that surge.

Ultimately, it still wasn’t enough.

“We got to look in the mirror, that’s the biggest thing,” Adebayo said. “We don’t look in the mirror enough to see what we can do better.”

By KANIS LEUNG

HONG KONG (AP) — Jimmy Lai, the pro-democracy former Hong Kong media tycoon and a fierce critic of Beijing, was sentenced on Monday to 20 years in prison in the longest punishment given so far under a China-imposed national security law that has virtually silenced the city’s dissent.

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Lai, 78, was convicted in December of conspiring with others to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security, and conspiracy to publish seditious articles. The maximum penalty for his conviction was life imprisonment.

His co-defendants, six former employees of his Apple Daily newspaper and two activists, received prison terms of between 6 years and 3 months, and 10 years on collusion-related charges.

Lai smiled and waved at his supporters when he arrived for the sentence. But before he left the courtroom, he looked serious, as some people in the public gallery cried. When asked about whether they would appeal, his lawyer Robert Pang said no comment.

Lai’s daughter says he will die ‘a martyr’ in prison

The democracy advocate’s arrest and trial have raised concerns about the decline of press freedom in what was once an Asian bastion of media independence. The government insists the case has nothing to do with a free press, saying the defendants used news reporting as a pretext for years to commit acts that harmed China and Hong Kong.

Lai was one of the first prominent figures to be arrested under the security law in 2020. Within a year, some of Apple Daily’s senior journalists also were arrested and the newspaper shut down in June 2021.

Lai’s sentencing could heighten Beijing’s diplomatic tensions with foreign governments, which have criticized Lai’s conviction and sentencing.

FILE – Hong Kong publisher and prominent pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai, right, walks through the Stanley prison in Hong Kong, Friday, July 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte, File)

U.S. President Donald Trump, who is expected to visit China in April, said he felt “so badly” after the verdict and noted he spoke to Chinese leader Xi Jinping about Lai and asked him “to consider his release.” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on X that Lai’s sentencing is an unjust and tragic conclusion to the case, urging authorities to grant Lai humanitarian parole.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government also has called for the release of Lai, who is a British citizen. U.K. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper called the prosecution “politically motivated,” saying the prison term is tantamount to a life sentence.

In a statement, Lai’s son, Sebastien, said the “draconian” prison term was devastating for his family and life-threatening for his father. “It signifies the total destruction of the Hong Kong legal system and the end of justice,” he said.

His sister Claire called the sentence “heartbreakingly cruel” in the same statement. “If this sentence is carried out, he will die a martyr behind bars,” she said.

Hong Kong leader John Lee said Lai’s sentence demonstrated the rule of law, citing his serious crimes.

“It’s bringing great satisfaction to the people,” he said in a statement.

In Beijing, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Lai is a Chinese citizen and called him a major planner and participant in a series of anti-China destabilizing activities in Hong Kong. He urged “relevant countries” to respect the rule of law in Hong Kong.

Judges ruled Lai was the mastermind

Lai founded Apple Daily, a now-defunct newspaper known for its critical reports against the governments in Hong Kong and Beijing. He was arrested in August 2020 under the security law that was used in a yearslong crackdown on many of Hong Kong’s leading activists.

• Police officers stand guard outside the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts ahead of the sentencing of Hong Kong activist publisher Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)
• Former Hong Kong publisher Jimmy Lai’s layers arrive at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts ahead of his sentencing, in Hong Kong, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)
• Retired Chinese cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-Kiun, left, and Jimmy Lai’s wife Teresa Lai arrive at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts ahead of the sentencing for former Hong Kong publisher Jimmy Lai n Hong Kong, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)

Show Caption1 of 3Police officers stand guard outside the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts ahead of the sentencing of Hong Kong activist publisher Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei) Expand

In their ruling, three government-vetted judges wrote that the starting point of Lai’s sentence was increased because they found him to be the mastermind of the conspiracies. But they also reduced his penalty because they accepted that Lai’s age, health condition and solitary confinement would cause his prison life to be more burdensome than that of other inmates.

“Lai was no doubt the mastermind of all three conspiracies charged and therefore he warrants a heavier sentence,” they said “As regards the others, it is difficult to distinguish their relative culpability.”

They took into account that Lai is serving a prison term of five years and nine months in a separate fraud case and ruled that 18 years of Lai’s sentence in the security case should be served consecutively to that prison term.

Urania Chiu, lecturer in law at Oxford Brookes University, said the case is significant for its broad construction of seditious intent and application of the term “collusion with foreign forces” to certain activities by the media. The implication is particularly alarming for journalists and those working in academia, she said.

“Offering and publishing legitimate critiques of the state, which often involves engagement with international platforms and audiences, may now easily be construed as ‘collusion,’” Chiu said.

Lai has been in custody for more than five years. In January, Pang said Lai suffered health issues including heart palpitations, high blood pressure and diabetes. The prosecution said a medical report noted Lai’s general health condition remained stable. The government said his solitary confinement was at Lai’s wish.

Co-defendants get reduced sentences

The former Apple Daily staffers and activists involved in Lai’s case entered guilty pleas, which helped reduce their sentences Monday. They earlier admitted to the prosecution charge that said they conspired with Lai to request foreign forces to impose sanctions or blockades, or engage in other hostile activities against Hong Kong or China.

The convicted journalists are publisher Cheung Kim-hung, associate publisher Chan Pui-man, editor-in-chief Ryan Law, executive editor-in-chief Lam Man-chung, executive editor-in-chief responsible for English news Fung Wai-kong and editorial writer Yeung Ching-kee. They received prison terms ranging between six years and nine months, to 10 years.

The two activists, Andy Li and Chan Tsz-wah, were sentenced to six years and three months, and seven years and three months respectively.

The penalties for Cheung, Chan and Yeung, alongside the two activists, were reduced in part because they served as prosecution witnesses and the judges said their evidence had “significantly” contributed to the conviction of Lai.

Before sunrise, dozens of people stood in line outside the court building to secure a seat in the courtroom. One of them was former Apple Daily employee Tammy Cheung.

“Whatever happens, it’s an end — at least we’ll know the outcome,” Cheung said before the sentence was delivered.

Case considered a blow to Hong Kong media

Lai founded Apple Daily in 1995, two years before the former British colony returned to Chinese rule. Its closure in 2021 shocked the local press scene. Hong Kong ranked 140th out of 180 territories in the press-freedom index compiled by media freedom organization Reporters Without Borders in 2025, far from its 18th place in 2002.

Steve Li, chief superintendent of the police force’s National Security Department, welcomed the heavy sentence on Lai. “Obviously, he has done nothing good for Hong Kong that could serve as a basis for his mitigation,” he told reporters.

The government said it will confiscate assets related to Lai’s crime.

Human Rights Watch’s Asia Director Elaine Pearson said the harsh 20-year-sentence is effectively a death sentence, calling it cruel and unjust.

Associated Press writer Chan Ho-him contributed to this report

By STEVEN SLOAN and EDDIE PELLS

LIVIGNO, Italy (AP) — As the Winter Olympics opened in Milan, Vice President JD Vance hailed the competition as “one of the few things that unites the entire country.”

That unity didn’t last long.

The early days of the Milan Cortina Games have been roiled by the tumultuous political debate in the U.S. American athletes have faced persistent questions about President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement agenda and their comfort in representing a country whose policies are increasingly controversial on the world stage.

FILE – Hunter Hess, of the United States, executes a trick in the halfpipe finals during the World Cup U.S. Grand Prix freestyle skiing event in Copper Mountain, Colo., Dec. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Hugh Carey, File)

“There’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of and I think a lot of people aren’t,” American freestyle skier Hunter Hess said as he spoke of the “mixed emotions” of representing the U.S. “If it aligns with my moral values, I feel like I’m representing it. Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.”

That prompted a fast response from Trump, who said on social media that Hess was a “real loser” who “shouldn’t have tried out for the team.”

“Very hard to root for someone like this,” the president added.

The criticism of an American athlete from a U.S. president was a sharp departure from the unifying, apolitical tones the White House typically strikes during the Olympics, highlighting how the tension over the enforcement of Trump’s immigration policies has now bled into athletic competition. Other leading conservative voices, ranging from podcaster Megyn Kelly to a Republican candidate for governor in Florida, added to the critique of Hess, with some calling for him to be taken off the U.S. team.

By Monday, other top athletes who have previously found themselves in political controversy were rallying to Hess’ defense.

United States’ Chloe Kim speaks during a press conference at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

“In moments like these, it is really important for us to unite and kind of stand up for one another for all that’s going on,” said Chloe Kim, the two-time Olympic gold medalist whose parents are South Korean immigrants and who has faced racism throughout her career for her Asian heritage.

After her silver-medal win in slopestyle, Eileen Gu, who was born in San Francisco and competes for China, said she had been in touch with Hess, who told her she was one of the few people who could relate to what he’s going through.

“As someone who’s been caught in the crossfire before, I feel sorry for the athletes,” said Gu, whose decision to compete for China drew sharp critiques.

The Olympics are never walled off from politics FILE – Extending gloved hands skyward in protest, U.S. athletes Tommie Smith, center, and John Carlos stare downward during the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” after Smith received the gold and Carlos the bronze medal in the 200 meter run at the Summer Olympic Games in Mexico City on Oct. 16, 1968. (AP Photo/File)

The Olympics are never walled off from the political and cultural debates. The raised fists of Tommie Smith and John Carlos during the 1968 Olympics remain one of the most powerful and enduring images of protest and resistance to racial injustice in the U.S. Since then, political commentary from athletes has become more commonplace, aided by social media platforms that allow competitors to share their real-time thoughts on everything from food and nutrition to news of the day.

The comments from athletes in Italy are notable, however, because they’re coming at the biggest global sporting event to occur since federal agents killed two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis last month, reigniting a debate in the U.S. and abroad over Trump’s hard-line immigration measures.

Chris Lillis, another American freestyle skier, said he felt “heartbroken about what’s happening in the United States.”

“As a country, we need to focus on respecting everybody’s rights and making sure that we’re treating our citizens as well as anybody with love and respect,” he said. “I hope that when people look at athletes competing in the Olympics, they realize that that’s the America that we’re trying to represent.”

United States’ Mikaela Shiffrin celebrates on podium after winning an alpine ski, women’s World Cup slalom, in Spindleruv Mlyn, Czech Republic, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

Skiing star Mikaela Shiffrin quoted Nelson Mandela as she acknowledged “a lot of hardship in the world globally, and there’s a lot of heartbreak, there’s a lot of violence.”

“It can be tough to reconcile that when you’re also competing for medals in an Olympic event,” she said. “I’m really hoping to show up and represent my own values, values of inclusivity, values of diversity and kindness and sharing, tenacity, work ethic, showing up with my team every single day.”

For the most part, athletes are largely engaging in political conversation during news conferences when they’re specifically asked to respond to news events. At one such press event, American figure skater Amber Glenn, an outspoken LGBTQ+ rights activist, noted that the queer community is going through a “hard time” under Trump. She later said she would step back from social media after receiving threats on the platform.

Political controversy can put athletes at an uneasy intersection as they weigh whether to use their platforms to take a stance or avoid anything that might upset their fans or sponsors. During last month’s Australian Open tennis tournament, American Amanda Anisimova said questions about U.S. politics were not “relevant.” Another American player, Taylor Fritz, said he felt that “whatever I say here is going to get put in a headline and it’s going to get taken out of context.”

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“So I’d really rather not do something that’s going to cause a big distraction for me in the middle of the tournament,” he said.

Back at the Olympics, U.S. speedskater Casey Dawson, said “we definitely know the whole situation going on in the USA” while noting that “politics don’t apply to us” at the Games.

“We’re here to skate,” said Dawson, who finished eighth in the men’s 5,000 meters on Sunday with Vance and his family in the stands. “We’re here to skate. We’re here to perform.”

The spotlight on the U.S. that comes with global sports will only intensify in the coming years. The U.S., along with Canada and Mexico, will host this year’s World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics will be held in Los Angeles. While there’s little chance that political tensions in the U.S. will ease in that time, some hope that sports will serve as a way for people to process their disagreements and ultimately come together.

“There’s this really magical thing that sport can do,” said Ashleigh Huffman, who was the chief of sports diplomacy at the State Department during the Biden and first Trump administrations. “It can lower the temperature of the room.”

Sloan reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Howard Fendrich and Graham Dunbar in Milan contributed to this report.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier asked an appeals court to uphold a teenager’s right to carry a concealed weapon even after a Broward judge last year declared the ban constitutional, all but handing another victory to gun-rights supporters who have tried to make it easier to buy and carry firearms in the Sunshine State.

Uthmeier’s office is legally responsible for representing the state in appeals, but in this case he is siding against state prosecutors who say the law is still on the books and should be enforced. The Broward State Attorney’s Office asked Uthmeier’s office for permission to defend the law in the Fourth District Court of Appeal, but the office denied the request, drawing criticism from gun-control advocates.

At issue is a 1987 law that blocks anyone between the ages of 18 and 21 from carrying a concealed firearm. The law has survived multiple reviews and reconsiderations of gun rights and gun control legislation.

Last October Broward Circuit Judge Frank Ledee dismissed the case against a teenager arrested for carrying a concealed handgun, a felony punishable by up to five years in prison. “Because the Second Amendment’s plain text applies to the concealed carry of firearms, Florida’s concealed carry ban, as applied to 18-to-20-year-olds, is unconstitutional,” the judge wrote in his ruling.

But months earlier, Judge Lorena Mastrarrigo upheld the same law in a similar case. Defense lawyers in that case appealed the ruling, and Uthmeier decided the state was wrong to prosecute the defendant, asking the appeals court to rule for the defendant.

In a written statement issued Monday, Broward State Attorney Harold Pryor said he disagreed with the attorney general and is seeking permission from the appeals court to file a “friend of the court” brief defending the law.

“Given the impact of gun crimes in the State of Florida — including the Feb. 14, 2018, mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland in our community, which resulted in the tragic murders of 17 children and adults and severe injuries to 17 individuals who survived — we respectfully disagree with the position taken by the Office of the Attorney General,” Pryor said.

Despite the Broward judge’s ruling, the law remains on the books, and Pryor said he will continue advocating for the law. Florida House Rep. Dan Daley criticized the attorney general for putting conservative political preferences above state law.

“While our appointed Attorney General might not be aware, he does not have the authority to abandon a state law simply because he disagrees with it,” Daley said. “I am calling on Governor DeSantis to intervene here. The Governor has previously removed duly elected state attorneys for far less — based solely on statements about enforcement discretion.”

DeSantis has shown no indication that he disagrees with Uthmeier or Ledee on gun rights.

“No single official should be able to decide which laws are worth defending, especially when those laws are designed to protect the public from gun violence,” said Fred Guttenberg, a gun-reform advocate and father of Jaime Guttenberg, who was murdered in the Stoneman Douglas shooting

“As a father who lost my daughter, Jaime, to gun violence, I am deeply disturbed by the Attorney General’s refusal to defend Florida’s concealed carry law for 18-to-21-year-olds. Laws like this exist to protect our communities and save lives,” Guttenberg said.

Rafael Olmeda can be reached at rolmeda@sunsentiinel.com or 954-356-4457. 

By KANIS LEUNG

HONG KONG (AP) — The deadliest fire in Hong Kong in decades last year left thousands of residents without some of their friends, family or the place they called home. More than two months later, the occupants of the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex are not only waiting for answers about what happened, but longing for a new place.

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Authorities are yet to unveil plans for long-term resettlement after surveying the residents’ preferences. The Lunar New Year on Feb. 17, meanwhile, is stirring recent memories of celebrating the festival in what is now a largely burnt complex.

The massive blaze that engulfed seven apartment buildings killed 168 people on Nov. 26, 2025, shattering a close-knit community. Authorities blamed substandard scaffolding netting and foam boards from the buildings maintenance project for rapidly spreading the fire. Although some arrests were made, an independent committee is still investigating the cause.

The Associated Press talked to four families who lived in the complex or lost their loved ones there. Here’s what they said:

No place to call home

When flames devoured towers of the Wang Fuk Court complex, Pearl Chow, 87, fled her apartment with essential documents, like her title deed. Her grandson, Dorz Cheung, 33, rushed from his office to find her safe nearby, but the fire was raging.

That night, Chow went to a friend’s home and didn’t sleep, while Cheung watched the flames for hours, crying while clutching his friend. They both miss old photos lost in their home in Tai Po, a suburban district in the city’s north.

Now they are separated into two temporary housing units on separate floors, each around 100 square feet. Chow was satisfied, but Cheung couldn’t call it home.

“Only permanent residence is called home. That’s the root,” he said.

Chow still regularly returns to Tai Po for church and grocery shopping, despite the hourlong journey. They want to be resettled in Tai Po, where they lived for decades, in a unit about the same size as their old apartment.

“I am an elderly person. When they finish building, I may have gone to my heavenly home,” she said with a laugh.

Data from the 2021 population census showed over one-third of some 4,600 residents in the complex were aged 65 or above.

While the government proposed measures to combat bid-rigging in building maintenance and enhance fire safety in January, Cheung feels their resettlement hasn’t been addressed. He said he lost his sense of security with the authorities after the blaze.

“We can only wait, be tossed around like a ball,” he said.

A temporary refuge

Kit Chan, 74, lived in her 460-square-foot apartment for over 40 years and raised her children with her husband in the complex, where neighbors helped look after each other’s children.

Chan had planned to spend the rest of her life there, but the blaze forced the couple into a studio unit at a youth hostel half the size of their apartment. Weeks ago, they heard some fire victims were asked to move out, and that distressed her.

“It’s like being unable to get by in my final years,” she said.

She hasn’t been asked to leave, but is uncertain how long they can stay.

Chan initially wanted to be resettled in a new home built on the fire site, but the government estimates rebuilding will take about a decade — too long for her to wait. She can compromise on a similar-sized apartment in another district with good transport.

Her husband, Keung Mak, 78, hopes they can return to their old home just to have a look. It has memories like their family and wedding photos. “Many people hope they can at least see how badly it was burned,” Mak said.

Weighing time against place

During past Lunar New Year celebrations, Isaac Tam’s family used to visit neighbors on their floor with gifts. Now, the familiar faces he has known for years are scattered across the city.

The loss of their two apartments in the fire was heartbreaking. His parents cried, and his 92-year-old grandfather grew thinner. But Tam, 23, said at least all his family members were alive.

Last weekend, they were preparing to move into temporary homes, smaller than their old apartments and farther from the city center. They shelled out money to renovate them.

While he said the government’s handling is not as bad as some say, he still worries about his grandfather adjusting to a new district with temporary housing. Back in Tai Po, the grandfather used to have a morning dim sum routine with his friends.

As they await the government’s resettlement plans, they have been weighing apartments in another district that will be ready sooner than units in Tai Po, which he prefers because he grew up there.

Time is their priority, given the grandfather’s age, Tam said.

“I also fear he can’t wait until we secure an apartment of about 400 square feet,” he said, regardless of the district.

Grieving for mother and hanging on to memories

Phyllis Lo’s mother called her after seeing thick smoke outside her door when the blaze started. On the call, knowing she might not survive, her 74-year-old mother asked Lo, 48, and her brother to live well. Lo immediately rushed to her childhood home and called again minutes later. No one answered. The next morning, police told her they found her mother’s body.

After learning that a mix of issues including substandard materials were used in the building maintenance project and failed fire alarms, Lo wondered if the tragedy could have been avoided if each government department had done a better job. While she couldn’t determine who should bear responsibility, she blamed herself for not monitoring the project for her mother more closely.

What bothers her most is the lack of transparency — when she can see her burnt apartment, how authorities will use the $589 million relief fund. She hopes to get updates from the nine-month investigation.

She wants her childhood home rebuilt at the fire site, but considers the proposed timeline of about a decade unreasonably long.

As the Lunar New Year neared, Lo made turnip cakes — a tradition she inherited from her mother. “Maybe she is still everywhere and still seeing us now. I really want to be with her,” she said in tears.

Rebuilding community is challenging

In an emailed reply to The Associated Press’ questions, the government said it attached great importance to the residents’ long-term accommodation arrangements and had already received survey replies from over 95% of the homeowners. It did not give a timeline but said its task force is analyzing their preferences and that the government will announce the plans after finalizing them.

Jack Rozdilsky, professor of disaster and emergency management at York University in Canada, said the city is moving to a disaster recovery phase and noted that concrete plans for continuous mental health and trauma coping aid play a key role in long-term success for any resettlement measure.

Rozdilsky saw the community survey on resettlement as a good sign because a one-size-fits-all proposal will not satisfy the households.

While rebuilding living spaces is complicated, he said, reconstructing a community is much harder. He said understanding what promoted community at the housing complex before the fire and incorporating those features — be it a bus stop or a gathering point in a park — would help.

“Very small things matter,” he said.

A Broward County middle school employee was arrested Saturday, accused of running “illicit basketball tournaments” at the school’s gym and keeping the money from the improper rentals, police said.

Shaune Cannon, 50, a behavioral technician at Forest Glen Middle School in Coral Springs, is facing one count of organized scheme to defraud $20,000 or less and one count of grand theft of more than $10,000, according to a probable cause affidavit.

He is the fourth Broward School District employee to be arrested on similar charges in recent months. Henry Lewis McNabb, a security specialist and former coach at Blanche Ely High School; Brenton Hankerson, a security specialist and girls varsity coach at Coral Springs High School; and Donald Calloway, Coral Springs High School girls’ assistant basketball coach, were all arrested in December.

“This latest arrest in the ongoing investigation by Broward Schools Police further demonstrates the Superintendent’s focus on maintaining integrity across the District and addressing any behavior that compromises the public trust,” district spokesman John Sullivan said in a statement to the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Broward high school basketball coaches arrested, accused of fraud and theft

Bank records showed Cannon received multiple Zelle payments of $1,500 from two basketball organizations for rentals of Forest Glen Middle’s gym in April, May and June 2025, the affidavit said. As a result of the improper rentals, the “total potential losses to the district” totaled $11,545. The presidents of the organizations confirmed to police that they had paid Cannon.

Cannon resigned on Friday, a School District spokesperson confirmed. He was initially hired by the district in 2011 and worked at Ramblewood Middle School as a behavioral technician and campus monitor before joining Forest Glen Middle School in 2023.

He remained in the Broward Main Jail as of Monday night.

As of Monday night, Cannon remained listed as a boy’s basketball coach at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on the school’s roster. The student newspaper, Eagle Eye News, reported in October 2023 that Cannon joined as the school’s head basketball coach. Cannon told the student newspaper he was previously a head coach at Ramblewood Middle and  Everglades High School in Miramar.

The affidavit for Cannon’s arrest does not mention the other coaches.

The cases began on June 3, when the school district’s Special Investigative Unit “received a report of possible fraudulent activities” involving the rental of the gym at Blanche Ely, according to an arrest affidavit in McNabb’s case.

At Coral Springs High, Calloway rented out the gym from April through June 2025 for tournaments through “private agreements” with outside basketball associations, a probable cause affidavit in his case said. He allegedly arranged payments for the rentals through Hankerson, who then paid Calloway.

McNabb is accused of having held additional tournaments at Blanche Ely in the same time frame, according to an arrest report, and similar tournaments at Hollywood Hills High School.

Sun Sentinel staff writer Scott Travis contributed to this report.

General Daily Insight for February 10, 2026

Acts of service are a universal love language at present. As the emotive Moon enters Sagittarius, curiosity opens our minds to fresh ideas. Once Venus dances into Pisces at 5:18 am EST, we can let our conversations wander, with faith they’ll reveal new possibilities. We may gain the ability to forgive past wounds and offer one another emotional safety. We’re ready to listen to our loved ones genuinely, even during disagreements. Choosing our words with love and care moves complicated situations forward.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

Celebrate every step forward, no matter how small. With loving Venus entering your 12th House of Karma, privacy is even more valuable than usual. Other people don’t have to see your progress for it to be meaningful. Your dreams may surface useful clues, so consider writing them down and looking up the symbolism later. If an apology is due, offer it before being pressured — that’s the best way to release the weight of the past. You’re in charge of your peace.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

Keep your eyes peeled for exciting invitations. Venus, planet of connection, is twirling into your sociable 11th house, enhancing group ties and reminding your independent heart to welcome supportive networks. If a friend proposes an in-person meet-up or online project, choose the setting that matches your pace, then share an idea of your own. Your reliability builds trust, so gentle follow-through can bolster a casual pitch into something that nourishes lasting community. Reach out kindly to receive the same positive energy from those around you.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

The morning hum favors brave conversations. Relationship-oriented Venus glides into your 10th House of Status, which helps you quickly frame (or re-frame) ideas with bosses, clients, and other gatekeepers. You may get yanked into last-minute meetings, but if you’re already knowledgeable about your plan, that shouldn’t be too intimidating. You can negotiate tone as well as terms, because grace helps feedback land and keeps doors open for future options or collaborations. Polish your pitch so thoughtful allies rally around you all throughout the day.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

Caring acts can be felt far and wide. With romantic Venus rolling into your 9th House of Education, your nurturing instincts are empowered to care for yourself whilst you investigate new areas of life. If you’re planning time away, do plenty of research beforehand! Look for experiences that teach love by inviting real conversations with people you meet. You can bridge differences with sincere curiosity that doesn’t discount differing points of view. Seek warmth so that it can nourish your wisdom.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

Your generosity may flow down unique channels at the moment. As Venus makes her way into your powerful 8th house, you have a chance to make a difference in the lives of your loved ones. Whenever a conversation about shared expenses arises, speak frankly and invite transparency. Pay attention to everyone’s words (including your own), especially if finances are tight. Your warmth can melt guarded moments without crossing boundaries. If you want your closest connections to grow beyond surface-level smiles, lead with candor.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

Good company is worth its weight in gold at this time. Connected Venus soars into your partner zone, ensuring that cooperation feels natural and fair agreements come easier. Whether you’re reviewing a contract or planning a hang-out, clarify expectations in simple language, then set a time that honors both schedules without overthinking details. Your precise eye fixes friction early by making adjustments that prevent snags and give your bonds room to blossom. When everyone pitches in, cooperation grows into enduring comfort.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

Small tasks should be performed with love. Appealing Venus is parading into your 6th House of Habits, bringing sweetness to routines and smoothing dynamics, which suits a diplomatic style of handling events. You might brighten a tense email by opening with appreciation or encourage happiness by complimenting someone’s outfit. Every-day pleasures count as care, so add a touch of beauty to your workspace and enjoy a nourishing lunch to keep your energy steady. Nourishing your habits can make productivity feel natural again.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

You can access the truth indirectly — in fact, you might have to. Venus begins her journey through your theatrical 5th house today, making this an excellent time to handle sensitive topics with artistic tools. Whether you’re folding origami, sewing a quilt, or working on any other creative pursuit, you put part of yourself into your creations. You don’t have to think about the opinions of others. All that matters is your act of creation and what you get out of it.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

Sagittarius, your spark lights the path ahead. With the emotional Moon in your sign, your energy is likely surging. You may feel ready to launch something exciting. On the other hand, Venus’s entry into your domestic sector could tug you closer to home. Combine these two impulses by looking into home projects, like tidying your kitchen cupboards or even repainting an entire room. Taking initiative is sometimes the only way to transform ideas into reality. Just be sure to pace yourself!

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

The universe presently favors practical, considerate messages. You’ve got the practicality, and Venus has arrived in your chatty 3rd house to gift you with verbal warmth. That way, your ideas can land without sounding stern. You may need to talk over upcoming events or plans several times, especially if they involve your neighbors or siblings. Showing one another respect encourages cooperation in busy moments. In all interactions, keep in mind the golden rule: treat others as you wish to be treated.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

A calm glow settles around your priorities. Esteemed Venus is strolling into your 2nd House of Satisfaction, supporting thoughtful choices that align with your independent values and strengthen confidence through stewardship. Review recurring subscriptions or renegotiate a service politely, because a friendly tone often brings a fair offer while you protect what matters. You can refresh your space with useful touches that make it easier for you to function on a day-to-day basis. Choose mindful spending so security grows without squeezing joy away.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

When kindness meets courage, hearts feel safe. Sweet Venus enters your thoughtful sign, empowering you with justified confidence in your powers of attraction. If you need support, ask for it — contrarily, if you don’t want well-meaning advice or gifts, say so! Be nice about it, of course, but don’t forget that you’re allowed to set boundaries. Letting your soul make authentic decisions is the best way to show up all throughout this transit. Your natural empathy can guide you through any ongoing storms.

By JAIMIE DING, Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A federal judge on Monday blocked a California law from going into effect that would ban federal immigration agents from covering their faces, but they will still be required to wear clear identification showing their agency and badge number.

California became the first state to ban most law enforcement officers from wearing facial coverings under a bill that was signed in September following the summer of high-profile raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Los Angeles.

The Trump administration filed a lawsuit in November challenging the laws, arguing that they would threaten the safety of officers who are facing harassment, doxing, and violence and that they violated the constitution because the state is directly regulating the federal government.

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Judge Christina Snyder said she issued the initial ruling because the mask ban as it was enacted did not also apply to state law enforcement authorities, discriminating against the federal government. The ruling could have national implications as states grapple with how to deal with federal agents enforcing the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

It left open the possibility to future legislation banning federal agents from wearing masks if it applied to all law enforcement agencies, with Snyder writing “the Court finds that federal officers can perform their federal functions without wearing masks.” The ruling will go into effect Feb. 19.

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill in September banning some law enforcement officers from wearing masks, neck gaiters, and other facial coverings. It was slated to go into effect Jan. 1 but was put on hold due to the lawsuit.

In addition to exempting state law enforcement officers, it made exceptions for undercover agents, protective equipment like N95 respirators or tactical gear, and other situations where not wearing a mask would jeopardize an operation. Snyder sided with the federal government, which argued this exemption was discriminatory against federal agents.

Newsom also signed into law a measure requiring law enforcement to wear clear identification showing their agency and badge number while on the job, which was challenged by the federal government but upheld by the judge.

California State Sen. Scott Weiner, who proposed the original bill to ban facial coverings, said Monday he would immediately introduce new legislation to include state police in the law.

“ICE and Border Patrol are covering their faces to maximize their terror campaign and to insulate themselves from accountability,” Weiner said in a news release. “We will ensure our mask ban can be enforced.”

At a Jan. 14 hearing, Snyder repeatedly asked the government’s lawyer, Tiberius Davis, to explain why banning masks would impede the federal law enforcement in carrying out their duties, if officers rarely wore masks prior to 2025.

Davis cited claims by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that there has been a multifold increase in assaults and threats against federal officers. He also brought up an incident in Los Angeles where three women are being accused of livestreaming while following an ICE agent home and posting the address on Instagram.

“There is real deterrence on the officer’s safety and ability to perform their duties,” Davis said.

Cameron Bell, California Department of Justice attorney, challenged his claims, saying there was no concrete evidence that federal agents can’t perform their duties without facial coverings.

Bell referenced declarations from U.S citizens who have been detained by federal agents but thought they were being kidnapped.

“It’s obvious why these laws are in the public interest,” Bell said.

The federal government also argued in legal briefs that allowing California’s legislation could lead other states to be “emboldened to impose similar unconstitutional restraints.”

Davis cited a statement from Newsom in July 2025 during an interview posted online where he discussed the mask ban bill, saying, “It appears that we don’t have the legal authority for federal agents but we do for other law enforcement authorities.”

Los Angeles County supervisors voted in December to enact a local ordinance banning law enforcement from wearing masks that went into effect Jan. 8. However, the sheriff’s department said it would not enforce the ordinance until after the court ruled on the statewide mask ban. The Los Angeles Police Department had also said it wouldn’t enforce the mask ban.