South Florida Local News

Today is Thursday, Jan. 1, the first day of 2026. There are 364 days left in the year. This is New Year’s Day.

Today in history:

On Jan. 1, 1892, the Ellis Island Immigration Station in New York formally opened, processing nearly 700 immigrants on its first day; nearly 12 million immigrants would ultimately pass through the station before its closure in 1954.

Also on this date:

In 1804, Haiti declared itself independent from France, becoming the world’s first Black-majority republic.

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In 1808, the federal law prohibiting the importation of enslaved people to the United States took effect.

In 1818, Mary Shelley’s novel “Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus” was first published in London, when Shelley was 20 years old.

In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation during the Civil War, declaring that all enslaved people in rebellious states “are, and henceforward shall be free.”

In 1959, Fulgencio Batista resigned as Cuban president and fled the country, marking victory for Fidel Castro’s rebel troops and the Cuban Revolution.

In 2000, an anxious world held its breath as computers silently switched to the year 2000, but the dreaded “Y2K bug” caused few serious issues.

In 2013, thousands were trampled leaving a New Year’s fireworks display at a stadium in Ivory Coast, leaving at least 64 people dead amid the chaos.

In 2024, an earthquake rocked the west coast of Japan, collapsing homes, killing at least 260 people and forcing the evacuation of more than 3,000 others.

In 2025, a man driving a pickup truck that bore the flag of the Islamic State group slammed into revelers during New Orleans’ raucous New Year’s celebration, killing 15 people. The man was shot dead by police and the attack was subsequently investigated by the FBI as an act of terrorism.

Today’s Birthdays:

• Filmmaker Frederick Wiseman is 96.
• Actor Frank Langella is 88.
• Musician Country Joe McDonald is 84.
• Actor-comedian Don Novello is 83.
• DJ Grandmaster Flash is 68.
• Actor Dedee Pfeiffer is 62.
• Actor Morris Chestnut is 57.
• Olympic gold medalist ice dancer Meryl Davis is 39.
• Rapper Ice Spice is 26.

This is as good as it gets, when you break through, when you change your world — when the night and the dream are coming to you at the same time on a big stage like Miami had Wednesday night in the Cotton Bowl.

All Miami had to do was hold on to their lead by the end. And they held tight. And when safety Jakobe Thomas came down with an interception to seal Miami’s 24-14 win against Ohio State it  brought in the New Year with new stars and a new path in a very old way.

“Coach Johnson!’’ Miami coach Mario Cristobal shouted to Jimmy Johnson on the field afterward, as if linking up with that old dynasty. “Coach Johnson! There you go, brother. There you go. Greentree Practice Field!”

Jimmy had tears in his eyes. Any old Hurricane was allowed after this night. Beating Texas A&M in the opener of the College Football Playoff was dramatic. But beating the Ohio State team that was defending champs, ranked No. 1 most of this season and 9½-point favorites said everything’s on the table for Miami now.

The title? Why not? Did you see this game? The stage gets bigger and the stakes rise as Miami takes on the winner of Thursday’s Georgia-Mississippi game in the CFP semifinal. But Miami will be pressed to play a better game than it did against Ohio State.

Breathtaking. That’s what it was when Miami took control after after a scoreless first quarter. Oh, they’d made an impression in that first quarter everywhere but the scoreboard. They had 110 yards in the first quarter. Ohio State had 9. That said they could hold their own against a proven program.

And then the night changed so fast in ways you didn’t expect. That’s what’s so impressive about this Miami team.

Offense? They went on an imposing 18-play, 83-yard drive that was equal parts muscle-flexing run game and precision-strike passing. The touchdown was a nice wrinkle, a power package where quarterback Carson Beck made as if he’d run the ball before passing Mark Fletcher who went untouched into the end zone.

Defense? Ohio State had minus-3 yards rushing at half. That told of its every-down muscle. But the play that changed game came less than two minutes after Fletcher’s touchdown when Ohio State quarterback Justin Sayin threw down to the line to a receiver and threw to Miami safety Keionte Scott instead.

Seventy-two yards later, Scott had a touchdown, Miami had a 14-0 lead and the Hurricanes had the necessary cushion they’d ride the rest of the way.

Ohio State wasn’t done. It came out swinging with a touchdown to start the second half. It cut the game to 17-14 in the fourth quarter. But you can go down a roster for how Miami responded from there. It was everyone, everywhere.

Defensive ends Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor made sure Miami had four sacks in four straight games. The offensive line helped running back Mark Fletcher carry 19 times for 90 yards. Directing it all was quarterback Carson Beck.

Beck didn’t have a monster game. He completed 19 of 26 passes for 138 yards. That didn’t even match Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith, the best player in the country, who had seven catches and a touchdown with 157 yards.

But by this new era’s standards, Beck’s cool and experience was worth every penny of the $4.5 million he’s getting at Miami. He didn’t make a mistake and matched every necessary moment. There was Beck crashing over two Ohio State defenders for a first down in the fourth quarter after Ohio State pulled within three points.

There he was throwing a dart to Char Mar Brown on third down for another first down later in the fourth quarter. Finally, with two minutes left, there was Beck on third-and-4 at the Ohio State 20, throwing a wide receiver screen to CJ Daniels for the first down.

If the game wasn’t over there, but it was when Brown ran 5 yards for the touchdown with 55 seconds left, followed by Thomas’ interception.

Only it’s not over. Did Miami look like a team that was done? It keeps going now. The fun. The playoff. And the chance to continue the kind of run only they thought possible and that sits before them.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Keionte Scott read the play perfectly.

After Ohio State reached Miami’s red zone for the first time, Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin — the nation’s most accurate passer this season — tried to throw a pass in the left flat. Scott knew what was coming, sprinted between Sayin and the receiver and picked off the pass.

“I shot my shot, and the ball went in my hands,” Scott said.

There was no one in front of him. Scott was untouched for 72 yards down the turf at AT&T Stadium before reaching the end zone, putting Miami ahead by two touchdowns. It set the Hurricanes up for a 24-14 upset victory over the Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals at the Cotton Bowl on Wednesday night.

“I’ve been here since the start,” running back Mark Fletcher Jr. said. “And I just trusted (coach Mario Cristobal’s) plan, trusted the vision. And he told me that we’ll get this program back to national championship status, and we just continue to keep on going one game at a time.”

The Hurricanes will face the winner of Thursday’s Georgia-Ole Miss quarterfinal in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan 8.

Miami and Ohio State traded three-and-outs on their first drives. Carson Beck threw two incompletions on UM’s first drive, and defensive end Akheem Mesidor ended the Buckeyes’ first possession with a 10-yard sack. Miami moved the ball on its second drive, but Mark Fletccher Jr. fumbled on a third-down run, and Ohio State recovered to end the Hurricanes’ drive in the red zone.

Fletcher got his redemption quickly. Miami marched 83 yards, and Fletcher scored the game’s first touchdown on a short pass from Beck.

The Buckeyes looked like they would respond immediately, as Sayin tossed a 59-yard pass to former South Florida star Jeremiah Smith, putting Ohio State in the red zone. But Rueben Bain Jr. sacked Sayin on the next play, and Scott then made his game-changing pick, returning it for a 72-yard score.

“It’s an easy situation where they give up big explosive. It’s an easy situation where you put your head down, they go in and score and changes the game,” defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman said. “And our guys responded. And that’s film study, that’s understanding the situation, seeing what’s going on, understanding what’s going on with that motion and being able to jump a play in that situation. That’s just him coming in, competing, watching film, seeing it in practice and getting that look in the game and taking advantage of it.”

Miami’s defense dominated the Buckeyes for the first half. Ohio State’s best drive of the first half came at the end of the second quarter after OSU forced a punt when UM was in Buckeyes territory. Ohio State moved the ball down the field but had to settle for a field goal attempt at the end of the half. Kicker Jayden Fielding’s 49-yard kick went wide left, and the Hurricanes took a two-touchdown lead into halftime.

The Buckeyes were not about to go gently into the night, though. Ohio State drove 82 yards on its second-half-opening drive, with running back Bo Jackson just getting over the goal line for the Buckeyes’ first points of the night.

Miami responded by keeping Ohio State at arm’s length. UM went 43 yards, and Carter Davis — who missed three field goals in UM’s win over Texas A&M — hit a 49-yard field goal to put Miami back ahead by 10 points.

“Last week was very difficult,” Cristobal said. “You saw those conditions. Those were 30-mile-per-hour gusts, and everybody’s all over the guy. He walked into my office like, “I’m good.” I go, “I know you’re good,” you know? And he was just drilling them in practice like he always has.”

Jeremiah Smith, a former star at Chaminade-Madonna who became one of the best players in the nation after choosing Ohio State over Miami, cut the Hurricanes’ lead to three with a 14-yard touchdown catch over the middle early in the fourth quarter.

The Hurricanes made a crucial fourth-quarter stop and got the ball back with 5:56 left in the fourth quarter. Fletcher broke off key runs to keep the clock moving. Running back Marty Brown added key first downs, as well, as Miami moved the ball down the field.

Brown punctuated the final drive with a touchdown run, giving the Hurricanes an insurmountable 10-point lead. Jakobe Thomas clinched the win with an interception on Ohio State’s final play.

“What a helluva game,” Beck said. “What a helluva opportunity that we were able to pull out a win at the end. I’m just so proud of our team and our guys.”

Five takeaways 1. Hurricanes’ dominant pass rush

Miami spent much of the night in the Ohio State backfield. Mesidor and Bain combined for 3.5 tackles for loss and three sacks in the victory.

Coordinator Corey Hetherman’s defense gave the Buckeyes fits, and Sayin rarely had time to sit in the pocket and target talented wide receivers like Smith and Carnell Tate in the first half.

Ohio State figured out how to handle UM’s pressure in the second half, though. Sayin was sacked twice in the last two quarters.

Miami ended the game with five sacks.

“When you got guys like Rueben Bain and myself and then Ahmad Moten (Sr.) who can rush the passer, it’s really fun,” Mesidor said.

2. Scott is a difference maker

Miami’s defense did well when Scott was hurt, but the first-year Hurricane has been one of the best defensive backs in the nation whenever he has been healthy.

After forcing a turnover and getting two sacks against Texas A&M in the first round, Scott had the play of the game with his 72-yard pick-six. The touchdown gave Miami momentum and a cushion that they needed.

“I could just tell when I first got here, the program was very serious about what they were trying to get done,” Scott said. “You could tell everybody in the room had their eye on one goal. That was something I was super excited to buy into.”

3. The one who got away

Smith said earlier in the week that he was strongly considering becoming a Hurricane the day he signed with Ohio State. Ultimately, he stuck with his long-time commitment to the Buckeyes.

The star receiver had an excellent performance on Wednesday, finishing with seven catches for 157 yards, but it was not enough to carry the Buckeyes to a win.

4. Fletcher gets some early redemption

Fletcher had a heartwarming moment when he comforted freshman Malachi Toney when Toney had a potentially costly fumble against Texas A&M.

Fletcher was the one who fumbled on Wednesday, and his turnover in the red zone may have cost UM points. But Fletcher quickly made up for it, scoring the game’s first touchdown on a 9-yard catch.

“I wouldn’t say deja vu, but it’s football. It happens,” Fletcher said. I couldn’t drop my head. There was no time for that. … It’s all about how you bounce back.”

Fletcher finished the game with 90 rushing yards on 19 carries.

5. Ohio State makes adjustments

The Buckeyes could not do much on offense in the first half, especially on the ground. But Ryan Day and the Ohio State offense figured out how to move the ball in the second half.

After notching minus-3 rushing yards in the first half, the Buckeyes started moving the ball on the ground. Jackson ended the game with 55 yards and a touchdown. Smith came alive in the second half, scoring Ohio State’s second touchdown.

“Just started executing better in the second half. But ultimately, (it) wasn’t good enough,” Sayin said. “Didn’t put up enough points.

No sooner had John F. Kennedy’s granddaughter died of leukemia at age 35, than President Trump got busy dusting off previous social media posts to cast shade at her bereaved family.

Though he didn’t mention the late Tatiana Schlossberg by name or reference her death, Trump harvested screenshots of his supporters’ posts belittling the famous family after his newly handpicked board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts voted to tack the president’s name onto the venue.

The Kennedy family announced Schlossberg’s death on Tuesday from a rare form of leukemia with the simple message, “Our beautiful Tatiana passed away this morning. She will always be in our hearts.”

Tatiana Schlossberg, the daughter of Caroline Kennedy and Edwin Schlossberg, addresses an audience during the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award ceremony, at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, Oct. 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

Schlossberg had written poignantly about her diagnosis and treatment in The New Yorker in November, a powerful account of a year-long journey that paralleled her cousin Robert Kennedy Jr.’s attack on the nation’s public health system as Secretary of Health and Human Services.

As condolences poured in, Trump, reportedly miffed at the raft of performance cancellations in the wake of the board’s Dec. 18 name change, pulled supporters’ social media posts out of mothballs and onto Truth Social. He re-upped such gems as, “The Kennedy Family have LONG neglected the Kennedy Center, btw. They don’t raise money for it. They never show up. And the only Kennedy who has been there recently is a member of Trump’s cabinet,” and, “The Trumps have always been supporters of the arts. The Kennedys are supporters of the Kennedys.”

New signage, The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center For The Performing Arts, is unveiled on the Kennedy Center, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

The Kennedys themselves were especially vocal during the public backlash against the institution’s name change, given that Congress had dedicated it as a living memorial to JFK after the president’s 1963 assassination.

CNN’s Jake Tapper and others led the excoriation charge against Trump’s posts.

“In the early afternoon, ET, the Kennedy family announced that JFK’s granddaughter Tatiana Schlossberg had died from cancer,” the anchor wrote on X. “A few hours later, President Trump re-posted some social media garbage attacking the Kennedy family.”

Barely a month earlier, Trump had blamed movie director Rob Reiner for his own murder.

“On a day when the Kennedy family is grappling with an unimaginable personal loss, Donald Trump chose to use his platform to launch petty, vindictive attacks against them,” Meidas Touch wrote on X. “Yet another stunning display of cruelty and utter lack of basic human decency.”

With News Wire Services

By LINDSAY WHITEHURST

WASHINGTON (AP) — Chief Justice John Roberts said Wednesday that the Constitution remains a sturdy pillar for the country, a message that comes after a tumultuous year in the nation’s judicial system with pivotal Supreme Court decisions on the horizon.

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Roberts said the nation’s founding documents remain “firm and unshaken,” a reference to a century-old quote from President Calvin Coolidge. “True then; true now,” Roberts wrote in his annual letter to the judiciary.

The letter comes after a year in which legal scholars and Democrats raised fears of a possible constitutional crisis as Republican President Donald Trump’s supporters pushed back against rulings that slowed his far-reaching conservative agenda.

Roberts weighed in at one point in March, issuing a rare rebuke after Trump called for the impeachment of a judge who had ruled against him in a case over the deportation of Venezuelan migrants accused of being gang members.

The chief justice’s Wednesday letter was largely focused on the nation’s history, including an early 19th-century case establishing the principle that Congress shouldn’t remove judges over contentious rulings.

He also called on judges to “continue to decide the cases before us according to our oath, doing equal right to the poor and to the rich, and performing all of our duties faithfully and impartially under the Constitution and laws of the United States.”

While the Trump administration faced pushback in the lower courts, it has scored a series of some two dozen wins on the Supreme Court’s emergency docket. The court’s conservative majority has allowed Trump to move ahead for now with banning transgender people from the military, clawing back billions of dollars of congressionally approved federal spending, moving aggressively on immigration and firing the Senate-confirmed leaders of independent federal agencies.

The court also handed Trump a few defeats over the last year, including in his push to deploy the National Guard to U.S. cities.

Other pivotal issues are ahead for the high court in 2026, including arguments over Trump’s push to end birthright citizenship and a ruling on whether he can unilaterally impose tariffs on hundreds of countries.

Roberts’ letter contained few references to those issues. It opened with a history of the seminal 1776 pamphlet “Common Sense,” written by Thomas Paine, a “recent immigrant to Britain’s North American colonies,” and closed with Coolidge’s encouragement to “turn for solace” to the Constitution and Declaration of Independence “amid all the welter of partisan politics.”

By SAFIYAH RIDDLE

NEW YORK (AP) — Incoming Mayor Zohran Mamdani will take his midnight oath of office on a centuries-old Quran, marking the first time a mayor of New York City uses Islam’s holy text to be sworn in and underscoring a series of historic firsts for the city.

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When the 34-year-old Democrat becomes mayor in a long-closed subway station beneath City Hall, he’ll be the first Muslim, first South Asian and first African-born person to hold that position.

These milestones — as well as the historical Quran he will use for the ceremony — reflect the longstanding and vibrant Muslim residents of the nation’s most populous city, according to a scholar who helped Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji, select one of the books.

Most of Mamdani’s predecessors were sworn in on a Bible, although the oath to uphold the federal, state and city constitutions does not require the use of any religious text.

And while he has focused heavily on the issue of affordability during his campaign, Mamdani was outspoken about his Muslim faith. He frequently appeared at mosques across the five boroughs as he built a base of support that included many first-time South Asian and Muslim voters.

A look at the three Qurans Mamdani will use

Mamdani will place his hand on two Qurans during the subway ceremony: his grandfather’s Quran and a pocket-sized version that dates back to the late 18th or early 19th century. It is part of the collection at the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

That copy of the Quran symbolizes the diversity and reach of the city’s Muslims, said Hiba Abid, the library’s curator for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies.

This photo provided by The New York Public Library shows the Schomburg Quran on Dec. 16, 2025 in New York. (Jonathan Blanc/The New York Public Library via AP)

“It’s a small Quran, but it brings together elements of faith and identity in New York City history,” Abid said.

For a subsequent swearing-in ceremony at City Hall on the first day of the year, Mamdani will use both his grandfather’s and grandmother’s Qurans. The campaign hasn’t offered more details on those heirlooms.

One Quran’s long journey to Mamdani’s hand

The manuscript was acquired by Arturo Schomburg, a Black Puerto Rican historian whose collection documented the global contributions of people of African descent. While it is unclear how Schomburg came into possession of the Quran, scholars believe it reflected his interest in the historical relationship between Islam and Black cultures in the United States and across Africa.

Unlike ornate religious manuscripts associated with royalty or elites, the copy of the Quran that Mamdani will use is modest in design. It has a deep red binding with a simple floral medallion and is written in black and red ink. The script is plain and readable, suggesting it was created for everyday use rather than ceremonial display.

Those features indicate the manuscript was intended for ordinary readers, Abid said, a quality she described as central to its meaning.

“The importance of this Quran lies not in luxury, but in accessibility,” she said.

This photo provided by The New York Public Library shows the Schomburg Quran on Dec. 16, 2025 in New York. (Jonathan Blanc/The New York Public Library via AP)

Because the manuscript is undated and unsigned, scholars relied on its binding and script to estimate when it was produced, placing it sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century during the Ottoman period in a region that includes what is now Syria, Lebanon, Israel, the Palestinian territories and Jordan.

Abid said the manuscript’s journey to New York mirrors Mamdani’s own layered background. Mamdani is a South Asian New Yorker who was born in Uganda, while Duwaji is American-Syrian.

Identity and controversy

The meteoric rise of a Muslim democratic socialist also brought a surge of Islamophobic rhetoric, amplified by national attention on the race.

In an emotional speech days before the election, Mamdani said the hostility had only strengthened his resolve to be visible about his faith.

This photo provided by The New York Public Library shows the Schomburg Quran on Dec. 16, 2025 in New York. (Jonathan Blanc/The New York Public Library via AP)

“I will not change who I am, how I eat, or the faith that I’m proud to call my own,” he said. “I will no longer look for myself in the shadows. I will find myself in the light.”

The decision to use a Quran has drawn fresh criticism from some conservatives. U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama wrote on social media, “The enemy is inside the gates,” in response to a news article about Mamdani’s inauguration. The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a civil-rights group, has designated Tuberville as an anti-Muslim extremist based on past statements.

Such backlash is not new. In 2006, Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, faced condemnation from conservatives after he chose to use a Quran for his ceremonial oath.

Following the inauguration, the Quran will go on public display at the New York Public Library. Abid said she hopes attention surrounding the ceremony — whether supportive or critical — will prompt more people to explore the library’s collections documenting Islamic life in New York, ranging from early 20th century Armenian and Arabic music recorded in the city to firsthand accounts of Islamophobia after the Sept. 11 attacks.

“This manuscript was meant to be used by ordinary readers when it was produced,” Abid said. “Today it lives in a public library where anyone can encounter it.”

Associated Press writers Jake Offenhartz in New York and Kim Chandler in Montgomery, Alabama, contributed.

By FATIMA HUSSEIN

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. on Wednesday imposed sanctions on four firms operating in Venezuela’s oil sector and designated four additional oil tankers, which the U.S. accuses of being part of a shadow fleet serving Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s government, as blocked property.

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The action is part of the Trump administration’s monthslong pressure campaign on Maduro. U.S. forces also have seized two oil tankers off Venezuela’s coast, are pursuing another and have conducted a series of deadly strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean.

A set of strikes announced Wednesday increased the death toll from the attacks to at least 110 people since early September. And in a new escalation marking the first known direct operation on Venezuelan soil, the CIA carried out a drone strike last week at a docking area believed to have been used by drug cartels.

The latest sanctions from the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control target ships called Nord Star, Lunar Tide, Rosalind and Della, and their registered ownership companies.

“Today’s sanctions continue President Trump’s pressure campaign on Maduro and his cronies,” State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement. “The Trump Administration is committed to disrupting the network that props up Maduro and his illegitimate regime.”

The sanctions are meant to deny the firms and tankers access to any property or financial assets held in the U.S. People, banks and financial institutions that violate that restriction expose themselves to sanctions or enforcement actions.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the United States “will not allow the illegitimate Maduro regime to profit from exporting oil while it floods the United States with deadly drugs.”

President Donald Trump has announced a “blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers coming in and out of the South American country. He has demanded that Venezuela return assets that it seized from U.S. oil companies years ago and has said Maduro’s government is using oil profits to fund drug trafficking and other crimes.

“The Treasury Department will continue to implement President Trump’s campaign of pressure on Maduro’s regime,” Bessent said.

General Daily Insight for January 01, 2026

Clear thinking returns after a foggy morning. Early on, chatty Mercury squares elusive Neptune, so we may misread signals and make presumptive promises. Patience is vital — as are clear boundaries and double-checking assumptions. At 4:10 PM EST, cerebral Mercury makes its Capricorn ingress, and we regain focus, which helps us prioritize practical steps as we translate ideas into doable tasks. Later, the intuitive Moon sextiles healing Chiron, signifying the strength of simple kindness. We can succeed when we choose thoughtfulness over speed.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

Lead the way with steady, visible steps. Your 10th House of Ambition is highlighted by Mercury’s entry, inviting thoughtful leadership that shows in every aspect of your future plans. If you manage others, plan a brief check-in that clarifies goals, while solo projects benefit from a clean task list and realistic timelines. If you’re job-hunting, be willing to update your portfolio or resume in response to recent wins. You’re ready for big responsibilities, and you know it! Your strength invites collaboration and respect.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

Trust the road that feels sturdy and true. Mercury is waking your 9th House of Research, encouraging you to schedule courses, certifications, or a dream trip (with a grounded budget). If you teach or mentor, outline lessons with clear outcomes. Learners of any age can benefit from keeping track of their milestones. Consider exploring a nearby museum or cooking a new recipe, because sensory experiences anchor ideas you’d once only known in theory. Take your time with foundational knowledge, so your progress stands firm.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

What agreements actually fit your busy mind? Clear commitments replace fuzzy promises as clever Mercury in your collaborative 7th house squares illusory Neptune in your pressure-heavy 10th house. Don’t make guesses — just ask people what they mean. This is vital before Mercury gallops into your vulnerable 8th house later today! If someone shifts plans, don’t let them be vague about the details. Confirm any changes with honest conversations, then write down the important stuff. Keep it simple, and confusion should melt away.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

This afternoon favors clear, kind conversations. Chatty Mercury is trotting into your 7th House of Partnership, motivating you to say what you need without drama and, in turn, hear others with patience. All connections (platonic, romantic, or professional) need gentle ground rules. These might usually go unspoken, but today, you’ll potentially need to state something more clearly. If a loved one seems touchy, suggest an activity they enjoy or a favored treat to share. That should make it easier to talk about whatever’s going on.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

What’s this? Wait, no, over there? The day ahead undoubtedly holds distractions, but routines can create relief as logical Mercury turns your 6th House of Effort into simple systems you can actually maintain. The best time to start practicing a beneficial habit is yesterday, but the second best time is today! This is also an ideal transit for small fixes like cleaning out your inbox or grouping errands together to get as much done as possible. Protect your rhythm, because consistency grows sustainable results.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

When joy meets purpose, creativity gets traction. Mischievous Mercury leaps into your 5th House of Playfulness, encouraging playful experiments that still honor your high standards. Take breaks from work whenever possible to give inspiration room to arrive. When you are working, try to enjoy yourself, because a good mood often unlocks elegant solutions. If criticism pops up, separate useful notes from naysayers’ noise, then refine the next version. Progress grows through thoughtful edits rather than harsh punishments. Let curiosity lead, and quality naturally follows.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

Take care of your private space. Calm returns at home as information-gathering Mercury organizes your 4th House of Family through aligned budgets and clearer plans for moves or repairs. If you share space, suggest a short meeting to confirm chores and hours. Predictable roommate routines keep harmony and help everyone feel respected. Left to your own devices, you may revisit keepsakes or childhood memories in search of inspiration for your ideal living situation. Create comfort first so connection grows more easily.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

What message truly needs to be shared? Your 3rd House of Communication accelerates as cerebral Mercury refines your intellectual capacity. That trademark Scorpio intensity becomes an asset when you channel it into concise points, thoughtful insights, and open-ended questions. Sharing genuine curiosity can guide you to get to know others without provoking defensiveness. Even tough talks can result in good-natured neighborly fixes to any issues (especially everyday environmental ones, like noise limits or parking spots). Speak with precision, and people lean in.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

Budgeting isn’t simple, but it isn’t impossible, either. With smart Mercury stepping into your resourceful 2nd House, your attention is directed toward money choices. Think about your recent purchases — are there any you particularly enjoy or regret? Don’t forget to make sure you’re actually using the subscriptions you pay for! Thoughtful limits create room for meaningful treats later. If someone presses you to split a pricey plan, offer a fair alternative that fits your wallet and your values without guilt. Invest in essentials.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

Build your current path with thoughtful, confident steps. Clever Mercury boosts your identity as it enters your sign, sharpening your voice and shaping first impressions with practical eloquence and calm authority. Use this renewed sense of purpose to set intentions for the year — or just enjoy this boost to your email-writing capacity. If someone questions your plan, look out for any actually useful advice. That way, you’ll be able to craft an improved path going forward. Share your aims, and watch others rally.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Tenderness cloaks today. Gentle creativity takes the lead as the emotional Moon in your loving 5th house sextiles tender Chiron in your busy 3rd house. This is a reminder to appreciate the people around you, even in the midst of the busiest of days. Mercury upholds this quieter mood with its transition into your subtle 12th house. You might pick up a neglected hobby, write letters to loved ones, or watch a nostalgic movie. Lead with kindness, leaving your heart open to affection.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

Crossed signals can’t stop you forever! All you need is patience, particularly when flighty Mercury squares uncertain Neptune. Shortly thereafter, Mercury leaps into your community-focused 11th house, bringing others into the situation. If a supervisor requests updates or a client wants speed, restate the goal and timeline — as many times as necessary. Be prepared to recap information and wait to sign any contracts until another set of eyes verifies the minute details. By clearing up confusion, you’ll strengthen your current and future reputation.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A Walt Disney World worker in Florida was injured while attempting to stop a large runaway prop boulder from rolling into seated spectators at the Indiana Jones live show.

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The worker at the “Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular” at the Disney’s Hollywood Studios park was knocked to the ground by the 400-pound prop boulder after it moved off its track on Tuesday and started rolling toward audience members. Another worker stopped the boulder before it reached the spectators.

Disney on Wednesday wouldn’t disclose the worker’s injuries, citing privacy reasons.

One of the attraction’s scheduled shows was canceled Tuesday after the accident, and Wednesday’s shows were modified to exclude the prop boulder. Disney said it was reviewing why the prop rolled off the track.

“We’re focused on supporting our cast member, who is recovering,” Disney said in a statement. “Safety is at the heart of what we do, and that element of the show will be modified as our safety team completes a review of what happened.”

The show is based on the Indiana Jones films and recreates an early scene in the first film, “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”

GAINESVILLE — Florida re-signed receiver Dallas Wilson to secure one of new coach Jon Sumrall’s top priorities among members of the 2025 Gators.

Wilson announced his decision on New Year’s Eve, two days before the transfer portal opens Friday.

“It’s a revenge season,” he told Florida Victorious, the school’s collective to raise NIL funding. “I’m coming back for everything. Everybody that doubted us or talked about us … we’re coming back. Just know that.”

The 6-foot-3, 213-pound sophomore still has a lot himself to prove after appearing in just four games because of a foot injury Wilson suffered during fall camp that ultimately ended his season.

Wilson, though, showed enough promise in those appearances, along with a record-setting 2025 spring game, that Sumrall made him, tailback Jadan Baugh, receiver Vernell Brown III, linebacker Myles Graham and edge rusher Jadan Woods the program’s five top targets to re-sign.

Wilson’s long-awaited debut highlighted the Gators’ 29-21 upset win against No. 9 Texas Oct. 4 in the Swamp, ending a three-game skid. But Wilson struggled to build on his six catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns — all UF records for a true freshman receiver making his first start.

Wilson caught just six passes for 65 yards and a touchdown before re-injuring his foot during the first half of a 24-20 loss to No. 5 Georgia Nov. 1 in Jacksonville.

By then, Wilson had shown what he can do when healthy.

Florida wide receiver Dallas Wilson (6) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against Texas on a 55-yard pass play during the Gators' 29-21 win against Texas Oct. 4, 2025 in the Swamp. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

During the spring game last April, he set a game-record 10 catches for 195 yards, including touchdowns of 20 and 19 yards.

Wilson and Brown, who led Florida with 40 catches for 512 yards in his first season, give the Gators two of the sport’s most promising young wideouts.

The 20-year-old Wilson from Tampa likes Sumrall’s passion and new offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner’s plan he brings from Georgia Tech.

“He was very electric,” Wilson said of Sumrall. “He brought a lot of energy to the room — something we really hadn’t seen before. It was a different type of juice, and I immediately liked it.

“I feel like he’s the kind of coach who’s going to bring the best out of every player on the field.”

Faulkner’s 2025 offense at Georgia Tech averaged 33.1 points, or 28th nationally, 466.3 yards (12th) and 7.09 yards per play (eighth).

“I talk to him pretty much every day. He’s a great offensive mind and knows how to get his playmakers the ball and put us in position to be successful,” Wilson told Florida Victorious.

Graham, who led Florida with 76 tackles, also re-signed, but Baugh and Woods have yet to decide where they’ll play in 2026.

Baugh, whose 1,170 rushing yards are the most by a UF back since 2012, weighs a $1.3 million offer from UF against a reported $1.5 million from the Longhorns. Woods reportedly could enter the portal but continues to negotiate a new deal.

Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com

 

SUNRISE — Sam Reinhart scored two goals, helping the Florida Panthers beat the Washington Capitals 5-3 on Monday night and giving the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions nine wins in their past 12 games.

The Capitals (20-14-5) have lost four of five.

Florida came back from a third-period deficit to pull out the win, getting goals from Brad Marchand, Aaron Ekblad and Reinhart.

The Capitals led 3-2 early in the third on a goal by Dylan Strome, who also had two assists. But Marchand tied the score by batting in his own rebound past goalie Logan Thompson at 6:16 of the third, and Ekblad put Florida ahead for good about seven minutes later.

Reinhart added an empty-netter to seal matters for Florida.

Tom Wilson got both Washington goals in the opening period, giving the Capitals a 1-0 lead at 3:53 and then tying the score at 2-2 with 43 seconds remaining on a power-play chance.

With the two goals, Wilson has four multigoal games this season — and his second multigoal period, the first of which came Nov. 19 against the Edmonton Oilers.

Between Wilson’s goals, the Panthers tied the score on Anton Lundell’s goal at 4:35 of the first, with Reinhart scoring his 20th of the season for a 2-1 lead at 12:45.

Wilson had a three-point night, getting the primary assist on Strome’s third-period goal. Strome assisted on Wilson’s two goals in the first.

After a scoreless second, the scoring picked up again in the third.

The game was Florida’s first since forward Matthew Tkachuk practiced for the first time this season, following offseason surgery to repair a torn adductor muscle and sports hernia. Tkachuk practiced Sunday, but there is no timetable for his return to game action.

Up next

Panthers: Host Montreal on Tuesday.

MIAMI — Observations and other notes of interest from Monday night’s 147-123 victory over the Denver Nuggets:

– Why can’t the Heat have good things?

– For that matter, why can’t the NBA?

– With Monday night’s game a prime example.

– No Nikola Jokic in the second half for Denver due to a knee injury, after a typical, MVP-level first half.

– And then at the start of the fourth quarter, the Heat’s Pelle Larsson limping back to the locker room with a sprained right ankle.

– Just three games after returning from a significant sprain of his left ankle.

– Obviously no comparison between Jokic and Larsson.

– But, still, disappointment for the Heat.

– Because the Heat bench looked very good for extended stretches in this one.

– From Larsson to Nikola Jovic to Dru Smith to Jaime Jaquez Jr.

– With starter Andrew Wiggins again cycled back into that mix and making the mix work.

– So now another Larsson watch, going out on the same night Bam Adebayo came back.

– And with Tyler Herro looking within a week of a return.

– Adebayo was back from his two-game absence with back pain and back in the starting lineup, joined by Wiggins, Kel’el Ware, Norman Powell and Davion Mitchell.

– Of Adebayo getting the two days off, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said pregame, “You don’t know long-term what it will mean. I just know he needed it right now. He wasn’t ready to play two games ago, for sure, the way he was moving. But it allowed him to spend a lot of time with the rehab and corrective exercises, just getting realigned.”

– Spoelstra added, “I think that’ll get him in a better place, for sure, than where he was. And we’ll find out. He’s done everything he possibly can do to get ready for tonight. I know he wants to be out there.”

– Spoelstra allowed Wiggins to play through a pair of early fouls before Jaquez and Larsson entered as the first Heat substitutes midway through the opening period.

– Jovic and Smith followed.

– With Wiggins then later again inserted with those four substitutes.

– That had rookie Kasparas Jakucionis out of the mix for the first time in eight games.

– And Simone Fontecchio still out of the mix.

– Jovic’s confidence seems all the way back.

– With Jaquez again doing Jaquez things.

– And Smith continuing to demonstrate he belongs.

– Spoelstra followed up his Saturday postgame remarks about Jaquez with pregame comment Monday.

– “I was really talking about his competitive spirit and his voice being really consistent,” Spoelstra said, “We need that type of competitive edge throughout our roster. He’s been a great example of that. And he’s been consistent with his paint attacks all year, and he’s continued to improve with his decision-making.”

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– Spoelstra added, “Teams are sending more defenders when he drives, backing off from him in certain cases. And I think he’s getting better at making those reads.”

– Spoelstra needed little prodding when asked pregame about the Nuggets’ Jokic.

– “I mean, he has the cheat code, for sure,” Spoelstra said. “I think what people don’t talk about enough is his competitive will and drive. He is extremely driven to win. And so that allows him, because of his skill set, to do whatever is necessary.”

– Spoelstra added, “He has an uncanny way of making the appropriate play every single time down. He’s not stat hunting. He’s not feeling like he has to get in a rhythm. If he has to make 18 straight passes, he will. If he has to score 18 straight times, he will. Or if he just has to get you 22 rebounds and seven of them offensive rebounds, he’ll do that.”

– Spoelstra concluded with, “The thing that he’s doing this year is really remarkable. He’s been a three-time MVP, and this is his best year right now. He just continues to get better.”

– Powell extended his streak of games scoring in double figures to 31, four games off the longest such run of his career.

– Ware extended his career-best run of games with multiple offensive rebounds to 14.

– Ware’s seventh point was the 1,000th of his career.

MIAMI — For years, the Miami Heat have been struggling to find a way against the Denver Nuggets.

Entering Monday night’s matchup at Kaseya Center, the Heat had lost 11 consecutive regular-season games to the Nuggets, as well as six consecutive home games to Denver.

And then the Heat found their way, with a 147-123 decision . . . against what was left of the Nuggets.

It was the third-highest-scoring game in franchise history, the seventh time the Heat have reached 140 this season, matching the total over the franchise’s previous 37 seasons. The 84 second-half points set a franchise record.

“We’re getting more consistent to the identity,” coach Erik Spoelstra said.

A game that opened with the Nuggets lacking sidelined Aaron Gordon, Cam Johnson and Christian Braun, then by the start of the third quarter lacked the Nuggets’ entire identity, with center Nikola Jokic sidelined the balance of the night with a hyperextended knee.

For a team that at this juncture a week ago had lost eight of nine, the Heat took the belated holiday gift and extended their winning streak to three on a night Bam Adebayo returned to their lineup.

“It feels good man, especially to get a win like this at home,” said Adebayo, who missed the previous two games with back pain.

Ultimately, it was easy work for the Heat, albeit not costly, with guard Pelle Larsson again sidelined by an ankle sprain, this time limping off early in the fourth quarter.

“It’s a shame that Pelle twisted his ankle,” Spoelstra said. “We’ll see how he feels tomorrow.”

In his return, Adebayo closed with 13 points and 10 rebounds in 21 minutes. Kel’el Ware was the Heat big man who stood tallest, closing with 19 points and nine rebounds.

That, of course, was with Jokic sidelined after 19 minutes of action.

Leading the way offensively for the Heat were guard Norman Powell with 25 points, Nikola Jovic with 22, Jaime Jaquez with 20 and Andrew Wiggins with 19. Jaquez also added 11 assists without a turnover.

“I think we figured it out just the playing style and the approach we have on a nightly basis,” Powell said, “We can’t get bored with the mentality.”

The Heat closed 22 of 46 on 3-pointers.

“It always helps if you make shots,” Spoelstra said.

So 18-15 it is at the turn of the calendar, with the Detroit Pistons up next on the road on New Year’s Day.

“I mean, it’s just the highs and lows,” Powell said of going from being down to now back up. “It’s a long season.”

Five Degrees of Heat from Monday night’s game:

1. Game flow: The Heat went up 14 early and led 41-29 at the close of the opening period. Then, after going up 15, they were left in a 63-63 tie at halftime.

With Jokic out, the Heat then moved to a 17-point lead in the third period, before going into the fourth up 110-99.

The Heat’s 47 points in the third quarter tied for the fourth-highest-scoring quarter in the franchise’s 38 seasons.

From there, the Heat again extended the lead at the start of a period, this time to a 19-point lead within the first two minutes of the fourth.

With 6:25 remaining and the Heat up 120-101, Denver pulled what remained of their starters and called it a night.

“The slower we play, the more average I think we become,” Spoelstra said.

2. Short night: Jokic was his typical sublime self in the first half for the Nuggets . . . and then was gone.

On a final play of the first half, teammate Spencer Jones stepped on the foot of Jokic, who hyperextended his left knee.

That had veteran big man Jonas Valanciunas starting the second half in the middle for Denver.

Based on the statistics, it was a full night’s work for Jokic in his 19:21, closing with 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting, eight assists and five rebounds.

“His stat line at halftime was a stat line for an All-Star for a game,” Spoelstra said.

With Jokic out of the mix, the Heat opened the second half on an 18-6 run.

“Immediately, he knew something was wrong,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said. “We’ll find out more tomorrow. We’ll move on as a team.”

3. Bam back: Adebayo was back and aggressive.

He took an aggressive initial approach, scoring the Heat’s first basket and taking five shots in his initial eight-minute stint, with five rebounds during that first stint.

Adebayo opened defensively against Jokic, but then the assignments were shifted after an early Adebayo foul.

Adebayo already had his double-double secured by the start of the fourth quarter, not needed thereafter.

“I would have played him more, but I didn’t have to,” Spoelstra said. “He felt good after the game. That’s important for us.”

Adebayo is now one game from tying Alonzo Mourning for third on the Heat’s all-time regular-season games list.

“Definitely felt like I took a step in the right direction today,” Adebayo said. “It felt good to be out there. It felt good to see the basketball go in.”

4. Revised rotation: With Adebayo back in the starting lineup, Larsson was shuffled to the bench, after starting the previous two games.

Larsson entered in the Heat’s first substitution along with Jaquez, with Dru Smith and Jovic then following together off the bench for nine deep.

That had Kasparas Jakucionis back in a waiting game, after appearing in the previous seven games, his only seven appearances of the season.

“It was a fantastic unit again, really created some separation,” Spoelstra said of his second unit.

The revised rotation again had Simone Fontecchio out of the rotation mix.

5. More Jovic: Not only did Jovic remain in the rotation, but was cast defensively at center against Jokic in the first period when Adebayo and Ware were on the bench.

During that stint, Jovic beat his teammate on the Serbian national team on a drive for an and-one layup and later converted a 26-foot 3-pointer as Jokic backed off defensively.

“We’re a totally different team when he’s aggressive, assertive.” Powell said of Jovic. “He’s just so versatile.”

Jovic closed 7 of 12 from the field, including 5 of 8 on 3-pointers, with five assists and four rebounds.

“The ball is coming to me and the energy is finding me,” Jovic said. “I know I can play. I never questioned it. But I’ve got to show it every day.”

GAINESVILLE — Alex Condon scored 17 points, Rueben Chinyelu notched his seventh double-double of the season and No. 22 Florida capped its nonconference schedule with a 94-72 victory against Dartmouth on Monday night.

The defending national champion Gators (9-4) built a 32-point lead in the second half and cruised from there despite allowing the Big Green (5-7) to make 12 shots from 3-point range.

“We played really well to start the game. We were up by 26 points at halftime,” UF coach Todd Golden said. “I thought we had a really good first half. We played with great intent and obviously dominated them in the first however many minutes on the glass and played with great purpose. It’s difficult when you win by 22, but you are disappointed when the game ends.”

Florida had five players score in double figures and closed 2025 with a fourth consecutive victory, the last one coming in the program’s first meeting with Dartmouth.

The Gators open SEC play at Missouri on Saturday. The Tigers should provide a much stiffer test than Dartmouth, which was overmatched at every position and doubled up for part of the game on the scoreboard.

Urban Klavzar hit two 3-pointers in the first half and finished with 12 points off the bench for Florida, which also got double-digit outputs from starters Xaivian Lee (12) and Boogie Fland (10). Chinyelu finished with 13 points and 12 rebounds.

Florida center Rueben Chinyelu (9) shoots the ball as he drives past Dartmouth forward Brandon Mitchell-Day (21) during the second half on Monday night in Gainesville. (AP Photo/Chris Watkins)

Micah Handlogten chipped in eight points and 12 rebounds for the home team, but he missed all six free throws.

Cameron McNamee led Dartmouth with 16 points.

The Gators were the preseason pick to win the SEC, but they lost all four marquee matchups in November and December — against Arizona, TCU, Duke and UConn — while showing one major flaw: 3-point shooting.

Coach Todd Golden’s team entered Monday ranked 348th in the nation from behind the arc, hitting a paltry 28%. It’s the worst percentage of any Power Four team and on pace to be the worst single-season mark in school history.

Up next

Dartmouth hosts Division III Elms College on Thursday.

Florida opens SEC play at Missouri on Saturday.

The Miami Hurricanes lost out on a big recruit to their Cotton Bowl opponents.

Five-star defensive end David Jacobs committed to Ohio State, announcing his decision on CBS Sports. He chose the Buckeyes over offers from UM, Florida State, Georgia, Oregon and Texas A&M, among others.

Jacobs is the No. 8 player in the 2027 class and No. 1 edge rusher, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings. He is the No. 1 player overall in the class, according to 247Sports’ own rankings.

Jacobs said he informed Ohio State coach Ryan Day shortly before he made his announcement.

A standout for Blessed Trinity Catholic High in Roswell, Georgia, Jacobs racked up 102 tackles with 24 tackles for loss and 16 sacks. He also forced a pair of fumbles. The latest 247Sports evaluation of Jacobs says he “projects as a future difference-maker for a College Football Playoff contender that can set the edge and get after the quarterback.”

MaxPreps named Jacobs a Sophomore All-American in 2024 and a Freshman All-American in 2023.

Three teenage boys died in a car crash in Pompano Beach on Monday night.

Deputies were called to the 1600 block of North Federal Highway about 7 p.m., the Broward Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

A 15-year-old, 16-year-old and 18-year-old were inside of a white car when it crashed into a light pole and a bus stop, WSVN-Ch.7 and WTVJ-Ch. 6 reported. Two cars were involved.

The driver of the second car involved was not injured, according to Ch. 6.

The Sheriff’s Office had not released additional information by late Monday night.

The road is closed in the area as deputies investigate.

This is a developing story, so check back for updates. Click here to have breaking news alerts sent directly to your inbox.

A Broward County man is facing six felonies, including attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, stemming from what police said was an unprompted attack on two officers after crashing his car into a house in Hallandale Beach.

Antonio Philmore, 36, of West Park, crashed in the 400 block of Northwest Seventh Court on Sunday and attacked the first officer at the scene, identified only as Officer Valchev, immediately after he got out of his patrol car, the police department said in a news release Monday.

Philmore grabbed the officer from behind in a chokehold, causing the officer to start to lose consciousness, spokesperson Grace Mariot said in the news release.

A second officer, identified in a probable cause affidavit as Officer Alexander Rodriguez, arrived and saw Valchez lying in the road with Philmore on his back, the affidavit said, as his face was turning color from struggling to breathe.

Philmore attempted to grab Valchev’s gun holster, according to the Rodriguez. Rodriguez pulled out his gun but did not shoot Philmore because of his hold on Valchev.

Another backup officer, identified in the affidavit only as Officer Tufano, punched Philmore in the face but he continued to resist. Rodriguez intentionally broke Philmore’s left arm at the elbow during the continuing struggle and were eventually able to put handcuffs on the broken arm.

Philmore bit Tufano soon after he was handcuffed, the affidavit said. Rodriguez then shocked Philmore numerous times with a Taser until they could detain him.

Both officers were taken to the hospital and had been released by Monday afternoon. Valchev’s head was injured and required staples while Tufano may have a broken hand, the news release said.

Philmore remained in the hospital as of Monday and will be booked into the Main Jail once released. He is facing one count of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, two counts of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, three counts of resisting arrest with violence and one count of simple assault on a law enforcement officer.

By SARA CLINE and JACK BROOK

NEW ORLEANS, La. (AP) — A National Guard deployment in New Orleans authorized by President Donald Trump will begin Tuesday as part of a heavy security presence for New Year’s celebrations a year after an attack on revelers on Bourbon Street killed 14 people, officials said Monday.

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The deployment in New Orleans follows high-profile National Guard missions the Trump administration launched in other cities this year, including in Washington and Memphis, Tennessee. But the sight of National Guard troops is not unusual in New Orleans, where troops earlier this year also helped bolster security for the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras.

“It’s no different than what we’ve seen in the past,” New Orleans police spokesperson Reese Harper said.

The Guard is not the only federal law enforcement agency in the city. Since the start of the month, federal agents have been carrying out an immigration crackdown that has led to the arrest of at least several hundred people.

Harper stressed that the National Guard will not be engaging in immigration enforcement.

“This is for visibility and just really to keep our citizens safe,” Harper said. “It’s just another tool in the toolbox and another layer of security.”

The Guard is expected be confined to the French Quarter area popular with tourists and won’t be engaging in assisting in immigration enforcement, Harper said. Guardsmen will operate similar to earlier this year when they patrolled the area around Bourbon Street following the vehicle-ramming attack on Jan. 1.

The 350 Guard members will stay through Carnival season, when residents and tourists descend on the Big Easy to partake in costumed celebrations and massive parades before ending with Mardi Gras in mid-February.

Louisiana National Guard spokesperson Lt. Col. Noel Collins said in a written statement that the Guard will support local, state, and federal law enforcement “to enhance capabilities, stabilize the environment, assist in reducing crime, and restoring public trust.”

An opened gate is seen at the Bourbon Street corner in New Orleans on Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, the site of a Jan. 1, 2025, fatal vehicle ramming attack which led the city to bolster its safety measures in the area. (AP Photo/Jack Brook)

In total, more than 800 local, state and federal law enforcement officials will be deployed in New Orleans to close off Bourbon Street to vehicular traffic, patrol the area, conduct bag searches and redirect traffic, city officials said during a news conference Monday.

The extra aid for New Orleans has received the support of some Democrats, with Mayor LaToya Cantrell saying she is “welcoming of those added resources.”

The increased law enforcement presence comes a year after Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove around a police blockade in the early hours of Jan. 1 and raced down Bourbon Street, plowing into people celebrating New Year’s Day. The attacker, a U.S. citizen and Army veteran who had proclaimed his support for the Islamic State militant group on social media, was fatally shot by police after crashing. After an expansive search, law enforcement located multiple bombs in coolers placed around the French Quarter. None of the explosive devices detonated.

In the immediate aftermath of the attack, 100 National Guard members were sent to the city.

In September, Gov. Jeff Landry asked Trump to send 1,000 troops to Louisiana cities, citing concerns about crime. Democrats pushed back, specifically leaders in New Orleans who said a deployment was unwarranted. They argued that the city has actually seen a dramatic decrease in violent crime rates in recent years.

Cline reported from Baton Rouge.

General Daily Insight for December 30, 2025

Limits shape our choices. With chatty Mercury squaring restrictive Saturn at 2:15 AM EST, we can meet delays with enduring strength. That power should last us at least until the Moon cooperates with expansive Jupiter, adding optimism back into the equation. We can make small improvements that add up to major positivity. A steady push from the emotional Moon and fiery Mars helps us continue moving forward, though we’ll likely be moving pretty slowly. Aim for quality over quantity when it comes to productivity.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

It’s time to redraw your mental map. While clever Mercury pokes disciplined Saturn, your 9th House of Growth asks for proof to back up any assertions. What questions do you have about your future, and how have you tried to get them answered? It might be time to look somewhere entirely new. If a mentor or peer questions your plan, treat it like a warning sign — accept the guidance by calmly adjusting your route rather than speeding ahead. Precision should smooth the path ahead.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

A quiet steadiness fills the air. Your 8th House of Legacies hosts mental Mercury as it shoves rules-bound Saturn in your communal 11th house, so be wary of group pressure — particularly around financial investments. Any contracts need firm, specific terms, no matter how much you trust the other people involved. If asking feels pushy, you can find more polite ways to phrase your queries. Just don’t set them aside entirely! When you lay everything out in order, trust can blossom on both sides.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

Every conversation carries extra weight at present. Academic Mercury squares authoritative Saturn, potentially setting your personal relationships at odds with the rules and regulations of everyday life. Your quick mind may want to improvise, yet someone important likely needs something steadier from you. Make an effort to keep any collaborators up to date with your plans for the day (especially if career demands are at play). Honor all commitments, knowing that proving yourself reliable will support your long-term goals. Don’t make promises lightly.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

This morning calls for careful steps. Your 6th House of Health takes center stage as messenger Mercury squares responsible Saturn, with Saturn in your investigative 9th house. You may feel tempted to try and do everything, particularly if a supervisor is relying on you. They could be more understanding of your limits than you’d think — after all, they’re a person too, with needs of their own. Don’t put off asking necessary questions! Consistent effort and growth are more important than speeding through life.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

When you hit a wall, look for a window. Witty Mercury squares structured Saturn, focusing your 5th House of Play and 8th House of Deep Questions. A lot of satisfaction can be found when looking beneath the surface of a recent issue or topic. Other people may not be willing to delve as deep, but you might be able to share a short sample that helps them picture your ideas. The stars are acting as scaffolds, shaping your potential so your soul can relax.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

Your home rules are being underlined by the universe at the moment. Today’s square between curious Mercury and firm Saturn reminds you how important it is to set clear terms and stick to a realistic timeline. While some things can always be improved, other things are potentially perfectly fine the way they are! Be sure to discuss any potential household changes with the others who live there before putting your ideas into action. Negotiation keeps the space peaceful and the plan on track.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

Calm grows when everyone is willing to be fair. Justice guides you as energetic Mercury squares law-minded Saturn, combining your communication zone and your practicality sector. Take your time with any complicated messages that have to be sent today. If a meeting starts tense, you can gracefully step in. Start by acknowledging everyone’s unique needs — including yours. Even if you aren’t interacting with others, your routine may need some adjustments to lessen your stress levels. It’s okay to change things in search of balance!

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

Your money choices may currently need structure. Adept Mercury squares logical Saturn, energizing your 2nd House of Values and your 5th House of Temptations. Window-shopping is particularly dangerous, since impulsive purchases will be extra enticing. Be wary of pressure-inducing sales tactics, and don’t be afraid to walk away. Look for spontaneous fun without breaking the budget — perhaps you can walk through a public park or play games with pals. Choose patience first, then see if you’re still craving that potential purchase tomorrow.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

Today’s feedback can shape your sense of self. Your identity is under a spotlight as wordy Mercury in your sign jabs limit-setting Saturn in your domestic 4th house. Forget the fluff — say what you mean, and mean what you say! You’ll gain credibility when you stick to your stated limits. Relatives or family friends may test your boundaries, but you deserve respect just as much as they do. If words aren’t cutting it, you may need to move forward without including any rude naysayers.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

Rest is the most natural medicine there is. Right now, Mercury and Saturn are sparring, turning your typically peaceful 12th house and your busy 3rd house into their battleground. Chaos could impact your healing journey, but don’t worry — you already have the tools to handle whatever’s going on. Take the time to reflect on your options, paying attention to each step in your ideal solution. Writing down your plans can help you spot any issues before they actually happen. Forethought is your best friend.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Ready to refine your group plans? While your communal 11th house and measured 2nd house handle Mercury and Saturn’s square, you’re likely in charge of something involving multiple people. Joint efforts of all kinds require all participants to know their part — and you’ve got the capacity to inspire everyone involved. Even if Saturn in your 2nd house raises budget worries, being honest about the financial situation should nourish trust and calm the collective mood. Truthful plans invite teamwork and make progress feel practically easy.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

A serious mood sharpens your ambitions. As Mercury in your authoritative 10th house argues with focused Saturn in your sign, a supervisor’s feedback could be the perfect nudge to refine your message. Your compassionate style still resonates, yet authority figures listen faster when you lead with facts, then show how your plan helps people. You know how your ideas will work — you just have to show them the proof. When you state your values (and the value they have), you can potentially move mountains.

By ALEXA ST. JOHN

Climate change worsened by human behavior made 2025 one of the three hottest years on record, scientists said.

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It was also the first time that the three-year temperature average broke through the threshold set in the 2015 Paris Agreement of limiting warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) since preindustrial times. Experts say that keeping the Earth below that limit could save lives and prevent catastrophic environmental destruction around the globe.

The analysis from World Weather Attribution researchers, released Tuesday in Europe, came after a year when people around the world were slammed by the dangerous extremes brought on by a warming planet.

Temperatures remained high despite the presence of a La Nina, the occasional natural cooling of Pacific Ocean waters that influences weather worldwide. Researchers cited the continued burning of fossil fuels — oil, gas and coal — that send planet-warming greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

“If we don’t stop burning fossil fuels very, very, quickly, very soon, it will be very hard to keep that goal” of warming, Friederike Otto, co-founder of World Weather Attribution and an Imperial College London climate scientist, told The Associated Press. “The science is increasingly clear.”

Extremes in 2025

Extreme weather events kill thousands of people and cost billions of dollars in damage annually.

WWA scientists identified 157 extreme weather events as most severe in 2025, meaning they met criteria such as causing more than 100 deaths, affecting more than half an area’s population or having a state of emergency declared. Of those, they closely analyzed 22.

That included dangerous heat waves, which the WWA said were the world’s deadliest extreme weather events in 2025. The researchers said some of the heat waves they studied in 2025 were 10 times more likely than they would have been a decade ago due to climate change.

FILE – Tourists use umbrellas to shelter against the sun outside Hagia Sophia mosque during a hot summer day in Istanbul Aug. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, File)

“The heat waves we have observed this year are quite common events in our climate today, but they would have been almost impossible to occur without human-induced climate change,” Otto said. “It makes a huge difference.”

Meanwhile, prolonged drought contributed to wildfires that scorched Greece and Turkey. Torrential rains and flooding in Mexico killed dozens of people and left many more missing. Super Typhoon Fung-wong slammed the Philippines, forcing more than a million people to evacuate. Monsoon rains battered India with floods and landslides.

FILE – People traverse a flooded street in Poza Rica, Veracruz state, Mexico, Oct. 15, 2025, after torrential rain. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez, File)

The WWA said the increasingly frequent and severe extremes threatened the ability of millions of people across the globe to respond and adapt to those events with enough warning, time and resources, what the scientists call “limits of adaptation.” The report pointed to Hurricane Melissa as an example: The storm intensified so quickly that it made forecasting and planning more difficult, and pummeled Jamaica, Cuba and Haiti so severely that it left the small island nations unable to respond to and handle its extreme losses and damage.

Global climate negotiations sputter out

This year’s United Nations climate talks in Brazil in November ended without any explicit plan to transition away from fossil fuels, and though more money was pledged to help countries adapt to climate change, they will take more time to do it.

Officials, scientists, and analysts have conceded that Earth’s warming will overshoot 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit), though some say reversing that trend remains possible.

Yet different nations are seeing varying levels of progress.

FILE – Debris surrounds damaged homes along the Black River, Jamaica, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025, in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix, File)

China is rapidly deploying renewable energies including solar and wind power — but it is also continuing to invest in coal. Though increasingly frequent extreme weather has spurred calls for climate action across Europe, some nations say that limits economic growth. Meanwhile, in the U.S., the Trump administration has steered the nation away from clean-energy policy in favor of measures that support coal, oil and gas.

“The geopolitical weather is very cloudy this year with a lot of policymakers very clearly making policies for the interest of the fossil fuel industry rather than for the populations of their countries,” Otto said. “And we have a huge amount of mis- and disinformation that people have to deal with.”

FILE – Local residents and volunteers work together to battle an encroaching wildfire in Larouco, northwestern Spain, Aug. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Lalo R. Villar, File)

Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a senior researcher at the Columbia University Climate School who wasn’t involved in the WWA work, said places are seeing disasters they aren’t used to, extreme events are intensifying faster and they are becoming more complex. That requires earlier warnings and new approaches to response and recovery, he said.

“On a global scale, progress is being made,” he added, “but we must do more.”

Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate reporter. Follow her on X: @alexa_stjohn. Reach her at ast.john@ap.org.

Read more of AP’s climate coverage.

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.