South Florida Local News

Today is Friday, Jan. 2, the second day of 2026. There are 363 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Jan. 2, 1981, British serial killer Peter Sutcliffe, aka the “Yorkshire Ripper,” was captured after a series of killings bred fear across northwest England between 1975 and 1980. Subsequently convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the killings of 13 women, he died in 2020 at the age of 74.

Also on this date:

In 1890, President Benjamin Harrison appointed Alice Sanger as the first female White House staffer at a time of a growing movement for women’s rights.

Related Articles

• Federal employees file complaint against Trump administration’s ban on gender-affirming care
• Health subsidies expire, launching millions of Americans into 2026 with steep insurance hikes
• Today In History, January 1: Ellis Island opens
• Trump vilifies Kennedy family hours after Tatiana Schlossberg’s death
• Chief Justice says Constitution remains ‘firm and unshaken’ with major Supreme Court rulings ahead

In 1942, the Philippine capital of Manila was captured by Japanese forces during World War II.

In 1959, the Soviet spacecraft Luna 1 launched, becoming the first spacecraft to escape Earth’s gravity.

In 1971, 66 people were killed in a crush of spectators leaving a soccer match at Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow, Scotland.

In 1974, President Richard Nixon signed legislation requiring states to limit highway speeds to 55 mph as a way of conserving gasoline during an OPEC oil embargo. (The 55 mph limit was effectively phased out in 1987; federal speed limits were abolished in 1995.)

In 2016, a heavily armed group led by brothers Ammon and Ryan Bundy seized the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon, beginning a 41-day standoff to protest the imprisonment of two ranchers convicted of setting fires on public land and to demand the federal government turn over public lands to local control.

In 2023, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest after making a tackle during the first quarter of an NFL game against the Cincinnati Bengals, requiring life-saving treatment on the field. The game was canceled; Hamlin would recover fully and return to play the following season.

In 2024, Harvard University President Claudine Gay resigned amid plagiarism accusations and a backlash over her congressional testimony about antisemitism on campus. She was the Ivy League institution’s first Black president.

Today’s Birthdays:

• Filmmaker Todd Haynes is 65.
• Baseball Hall of Famer Edgar Martínez is 63.
• Actor-singer Tia Carrere is 59.
• Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. is 58.
• Model Christy Turlington is 57.
• Actor Taye Diggs is 55.
• Actor Renée Elise Goldsberry is 55.
• Actor-comedian Dax Shepard is 51.
• Actor Kate Bosworth is 43.
• Musician Trombone Shorty is 40.
• Singer-rapper Bryson Tiller is 33.

Observations and other notes of interest from Thursday night’s 118-112 victory over the Detroit Pistons:

– Put aside the shooting for the moment.

– Because this wasn’t going to be about the shot-making of Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware.

– This was going to be about whether the Heat could hold their own against the Pistons’ incredible bulk.

– Yes, Jalen Duren was lost for the night for the Pistons in the third quarter.

– But by then, the Heat showed they wouldn’t be pushed around by Duren or Isaiah Stewart.

– Who have done plenty of pushing around this season on the Pistons’ pathway to the top of the East.

– So, yes, Adebayo 5 of 14 from the field.

– But also 14 rebounds.

– So, yes, Ware 1 of 6 from the field.

– But also 13 rebounds.

– And yes, Nikola Jovic 1 of 10 from the field.

– But add in another five rebounds.

– So no Detroit dominance on the offensive glass.

– And an impressive, muscle flex of a Heat win.

– With Tyler Herro and Pelle Larsson out, the Heat again opened with a lineup of Kel’el Ware, Bam Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins, Norman Powell and Davion Mitchell. That lineup entered 4-3.

– With the appearance, Adebayo tied Alonzo Mourning for third place on the Heat’s all-time regular-season games list (593) , behind only Dwyane Wade (948) and Udonis Haslem (879).

– Ware extended his career-best run of games with multiple offensive rebounds to 15.

– With Tobias Harris out, the Pistons opened with a big lineup of their own, with  Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren.

– Detroit entered 4-0 with that lineup.

– Jaime Jaquez Jr. again was first off the Heat bench.

– Nikola Jovic followed.

–  With Dru Smith and Kasparas Jakucionis then entering together to make it nine deep.

– Jakucionis’ minutes were ceded to Larsson the previous game.

– Then, late in the second quarter, Simone Fontecchio entered for his first rotation action in four games.

– Immediately draining a 3-pointer against his former team.

– Powell went in stressing that the Heat could not allow the three-game winning streak entering the night impact the team’s process.

– “I think a lot of times around the league, when you start winning, you let things slide because you’re getting Ws,” he said at the morning shootaround. “But in winning, you can still have lessons in ways you can get better. So as long as we continue to focus on how we can continue to improve, that’s the biggest thing, you know, not letting our wins cover up all the mistakes.”

– Heat coach Erik Spoelstra did not necessarily want to hear going in that the previous six games between the teams were decided by single digits.

– “They’ve won the last four. I’m assuming that has everybody’s attention, too,” he said.

– It did.

– Mitchell stressed going in that sharing the ball has to remain the Heat’s way.

– “A lot of teams, you’ve got one player just scoring all the points and all the other guys are kind of just roaming around,” he said. “But us, I don’t feel like we play like that. We share the ball.”

– While always making sure Powell gets his.

– Spoelstra said the goal going in was clear, “They protect the paint, they protect the rim, first in blocks, so you have to make great rim decisions when you get there.”

– Spoelstra pregame again praised the efforts of J.B. Bickerstaff in elevating the Pistons to the top of the East.

Related Articles

• Heat hold on behind Powell’s 36 for signature 118-112 victory over East-leading Pistons
• Heat’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. now with eyes on teammates as well as eyes on the rim
• Kel’el Ware’s 3-point prowess no longer a novelty, with Heat 7-footer now a league leader
• ASK IRA: Do Heat have to prioritize Jakucionis development?
• Current ankle sprain not as serious as previous sprain for Heat’s Larsson; Herro again out vs. Pistons

– “They’ve built this really in steps. They haven’t skipped any steps along the way. I mean, it was just a couple years ago they had a long losing streak, but you could see they’re building some habits,” he said. “Then last year, J.B. knows how to build a culture, knows how to get a team committed to an identity, and then they build those habits every single day.”

– His team having scored 140 in the previous two, Spoelstra reiterated pregame there never was a definitive goal of establishing a record-setting offense in terms of pace and other unique elements.

– “I wasn’t really thinking about trying to break records or anything,” he said. “We were just trying to put together something that makes sense for our team, that brings out the best version in our group and also that would be scalable.”

– Spoelstra also made clear pace can’t be paramount.

– “We want our fan base to be excited about the style of play,” he said. “But we also have to do whatever is necessary to win in this league.”

– And then, as always, the cautionary from Spoelstra, “If it’s in the mud or if it’s not going fluidly, you still have to find a way to overcome and get the win.”

– The game was the Heat’s lone visit of the season.

– The game was the first of 17 for the Heat in January, the most for any month this season and tying for the most games during the month of January in franchise history (also 17 in January 2016, 2012 and 2010).

– The Heat are now 8-3 on New Year’s Day over the franchise’s 37 seasons.

As he exited Kaseya Center on Monday night, Bam Adebayo said there is no better way to end a year than with a win. Apparently, the Miami Heat believe there is no better way to also start the year.

So make it a four-game winning streak, this time with a 118-112 New Year’s victory Thursday night over the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena.

Against the best team in the Eastern Conference, an opponent that had lost only twice previously at home this season, the Heat got off to the races with their running game and opened their 2026 schedule with arguably their most impressive victory of the season.

“This is a good start to 2026,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We’ll take it.”

With Tyler Herro and Pelle Larsson sidelined for the Heat, Norman Powell again took charge of the Heat offense, closing with 36 points, enough to offset the 31 of Detroit’s Cade Cunningham.

Up 22 earlier, the Heat saw the lead trimmed to two in the final minute, before holding on, in more of a grind-out win than the previous outbursts during this winning streak.

“I think this was an important one for us to get because this wasn’t a game where we put 140 on the board,” Spoelstra said.

It was yet another night of across-the-board contributions from Spoelstra’s team. Beyond Powell’s scoring, the Heat got 19 points from Jaime Jaquez Jr. and 17 from Andrew Wiggins. There also were 14 rebounds from Adebayo and 13 from Kel’el Ware, as well as 11 assists from Davion Mitchell.

So another win, finding a way, even if a bit less fluid.

“Guys are making plays,” Wiggins said. “That’s what it comes down to.”

And, so, onward, with Jaquez already a step toward his New Year’s resolution, “to win a lot of games.”

Five Degrees of Heat from Thursday night’s game:

1. Game flow: Aided by a 14-0 run late in the first period, the Heat went into the second quarter up 33-26. After the Pistons regained the lead in the second period, the Heat pushed back for a 63-54 halftime lead.

The Heat then string together a 15-0 run early in the third period and went up 22 in the quarter, before taking a 94-81 lead into the fourth.

The Pistons trimmed their deficit to 98-92 early in the fourth and within 114-109 with 1:06 to play on an Ausar Thompson transition basket, capping a 10-2 Detroit run.

A Javonte Green 3-pointer later would make it a 114-112 game, before Jaquez responded with a jumper for a 116-112 Heat lead with 28.9 seconds left.

“Just trying to, you know, win a game,” Jaquez said of his baseline basket.

A steal by Mitchell followed on the ensuing Pistons inbounds pass, with Powell converting a pair of free throws on the other end to close the scoring.

“We were able to snap back into how we needed to be defensively,” Powell said, “and buckle down and get the stops we needed.”

2. Powell play: Powell was up to 19 points by halftime, matching Cunningham’s first-half output for the Pistons.

Powell scored 11 of the Heat’s final 13 points of the second quarter, following up with 15 points in the third.

He closed 12 of 23 from the field, including 7 of 14 in 3-pointers.

Spoelstra credited Powell with doing plenty on his own against a team committed to halfcourt defense.

“Norm through three quarters was getting so many of his points in random situations, and you need to against a good defense,” Spoelstra said. “You can’t just always run a play call.”

Powell extended his streak of games scoring in double figures to 32, dating to last season with the Los Angeles Clippers, three games off the longest such run of his career.

“I really had to hunt in transition to get some good looks,” Powell said. “I was able to do that throughout the course of the game.”

Related Articles

• Winderman’s view: Heat stand tall with power play of their own vs. Pistons
• Heat’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. now with eyes on teammates as well as eyes on the rim
• Kel’el Ware’s 3-point prowess no longer a novelty, with Heat 7-footer now a league leader
• ASK IRA: Do Heat have to prioritize Jakucionis development?
• Current ankle sprain not as serious as previous sprain for Heat’s Larsson; Herro again out vs. Pistons

3. Big things: With Herro and Larsson out for the Heat, and with Tobias Harris and Caris LeVert out for the Pistons, both teams opened big.

That had Detroit bulk of Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart matched at the outset against the Heat’s length of Ware and Adebayo.

The Heat’s opening unit was rounded out by Powell, Wiggins and Mitchell.

The Pistons size then was downsized when Duren was lost for the night with a sprained right ankle initially sustained in the second period.

The Heat closed with a 47-41 rebounding advantage, including a 14-6 edge on the offensive glass.

“Bam and Kel’el were just terrific and physical on the glass,” Spoelstra said. “We knew we’d have to bring a physical edge.”

Adebayo finished with 15 points, Ware with four.

“Trying to shift the mindset when you’re not necessarily shooting well,” Adebayo said of the collective Heat board work that also included eight from Wiggins.

4. Hail Jaime: A game after going for 11 assists, it was eyes back on the rim for Jaquez, who was up to 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting by halftime.

Jaquez has now scored at least 16 in each of his last four games, one point shy of his fifth 20-point game in the last six.

He finished 9 of 13 from the field, with five rebounds, and that final Heat basket.

5. A Cunningham rerun: In the teams’ previous meeting, a 138-135 Pistons victory on Nov. 29 in Miami, Cunningham closed with 29 points, eight assists, four rebounds and eight turnovers.

This time, in addition to his 31 points, Cunningham had 11 assists, eight rebounds and seven turnovers.

The difference is Cunningham also shot 17 of 18 from the line this time, after going 0 for 1 from the line in the teams’ previous meeting. Until Thursday, Cunningham had never had more than seven free throws against the Heat.

But he also was just 6 of 16 from the field, with Adebayo praising the Heat’s ability to mix and mask coverages.

“That’s the thing,” Adebayo said. “Make it difficult. Switch the coverage up, even if it’s still pick and roll. Blitz him sometimes. Sometimes you send a double. Make him keep thinking throughout the game where it’s unpredictable.”

Here’s the news: Miami Dolphins owner Steve Ross hired ESPN analyst and Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman weeks ago to consult with him in a search for a general manager, according to a team source.

It is a genuine search, too, one that will cover the league and go wherever needed. Interim GM Champ Kelly will be interviewed like any other candidate. But that’s all he is at this point: Any other candidate.

Coach Mike McDaniel? Ross hasn’t made the decision on his future — or at least he hasn’t shared it inside the team, the source said. But the Aikman hiring involves some murky issues involving McDaniel that seem even murkier now.

First, does Aikman tell prospective general managers they inherit McDaniel with the job? If so, does that limit the pool of candidates, considering some don’t know the coach and perhaps others wouldn’t want to work with him (or vice versa)?

Second, Aikman already had been hired by Ross when he uncharacteristically criticized McDaniel’s tactics and time management a few weeks ago in the loss to Pittsburgh.

“I’m flabbergasted by what we’ve witnessed here in this fourth quarter with the Dolphins,’’ Aikman said. “And now they want to call timeouts. It just is about as ridiculous a fourth quarter as I’ve seen in a long time.”

Does it matter? Could it? Aikman, the source said, is simply charged with bringing general manager candidates to Ross and isn’t involved in the coaching question. But one bleeds into the other in some form, doesn’t it?

Underpinning all this is the basic idea of Aikman being involved in a front-office search. Can they get his thoughts on quarterbacks, too? Wouldn’t that be pertinent here?

Aikman meets with the hierarchy of the two teams on his broadcast schedule each week, so there’s no question he has behind-the-scenes access that many don’t. He also goes back with other names – for one, former Dallas Cowboys teammate Alonzo Highsmith, now in the New England Patriots front office.

To understand why Ross wanted Aikman, understand the role former Golden State Warriors General Manager Bob Myers had for Washington Commanders’ owner Josh Harris.

Myers, like Aikman, was a franchise outsider who had won championships and then shifted to television.

Unlike Aikman, who is a respected Hall of Fame quarterback, Myers built a basketball dynasty with his decisions.

So, the question isn’t so much if Aikman knows football or understands winning or has inside access in his role as an TV commentator.

It’s simply whether he can help Ross find a football mind to run a front office. It also suggests Ross has tired of going down more conventional paths previously like former Kansas City general manger Carl Peterson or Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy.

The other issue in play during this search is the structure of the new Dolphins. Since GM Chris Grier was fired in late October, Ross has had three people report as equals to him: McDaniel, Kelly and Brandon Shore, a team vice president dealing primarily with the salary cap.

Teams like Detroit, Chicago and the Los Angeles Rams have a similar three-headed structure. Do the Dolphins continue in this manner? And do they report directly to Ross or through an intermediary like, say, team president Tom Garfinkel?

All these questions are in play inside the Dolphins as they set to finish another disappointing season Sunday in New England. A year ago after the finale, Ross issued a statement that Grier and McDaniel would return.

No such statement will be coming Sunday. Ross felt so pained by firing Grier that he felt the need to have a full search rather than make the easier choice of just giving the job to Kelly.

Aikman will lead that search. He has previously expressed an interest in being a GM, but he told the Dolphins that’s not in play here.

What’s in play is Ross is so desperate to pull this franchise out of its football coma that he’s going an unconventional route. He’s tried other accepted ways. Maybe this one works?

 

 

The Hurricanes now know who they will face off with in next week’s College Football Playoff semifinals: Georgia/Ole Miss.

Miami will face the No. 6 Rebels in the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 8 after Ole Miss beat Georgia 39-34 in the Sugar Bowl on Thursday.

The Hurricanes are 1-2 all-time against Ole Miss, but the two teams have not played since UM beat the Rebels in 1951.

Miami, which is the No. 10 seed, earned its first-ever trip to the semifinals by beating No. 2 Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on Wednesday.

Ole Miss is 13-1 this season. The Rebels picked up key wins over Tulane (twice), Oklahoma and LSU before beating the Bulldogs on Thursday. Ole Miss’ one loss was against Georgia in the regular season, but it avenged that loss in the Sugar Bowl to advance in the playoffs.

The Rebels had a rocky transition from the regular season to the postseason. Former coach Lane Kiffin had a long, public courting with LSU and Florida before leaving to become the Tigers’ coach when Ole Miss refused to allow him to coach Ole Miss in the playoffs. The Rebels named former defensive coordinator Pete Golding the team’s new head coach.

Ole Miss’ key players include quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, running back Kewan Lacy, wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling and defensive end Princewill Umanmielen. Lacy was a first-team All-SEC pick. Chambliss was a second-team selection, as was tight end Dae’Quan Wright.

General Daily Insight for January 02, 2026

Courage threads through our upcoming choices. With healing asteroid Chiron stationing direct at 9:37 AM EST, we’re braced to start applying the lessons we’ve learned. As the emotional Moon faces off with cerebral Mercury, feelings challenge facts, yet plain words help us bridge misunderstandings before they grow heavy. From morning dreams into evening downtime, we can all edit our expectations so small mistakes lose their sting and steadier boundaries feel natural. We might not be able to move mountains, but what we can do still matters.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

Confidence returns as you honor your needs. A personal reset arrives as Chiron begins moving forward in your sign, turning older aches into useful insight about how you lead and begin. Introductions to new peers, even intimidating ones, should go well — as long as you follow your instincts. Treat your body kindly by setting realistic boundaries with new connections, while sharing honestly with those you know are worthy of trust. Simple truth supports your forward motion, as every step compounds into increased progress.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

Quiet moments give your soul a chance to be honest. Your 12th House of Solitude steadies as tender Chiron ends its retrograde there, bolstering you to name an old worry without judging yourself. You might journal before work to make space for your thoughts, because quiet space helps you hear what truly matters. If a memory stings your mind, take a moment to do something that reminds your body it is safe. Drinking soothing tea or listening to favored music are great methods of self-soothing.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

Which friends help you grow right now? Therapeutic Chiron spins direct in your 11th House of Friendship, turning awkward group dynamics into teachable moments and opening space for clear team agreements. You may reach out to someone you once enjoyed working with to see if they’re interested in future collaborations — or, at minimum, keep each other’s names in your networks. Plans may shift underfoot, but you can prevent conflict by sharing updates with everyone involved. Warm words open doors and strengthen community bonds.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

Cancer, your public voice presently carries weight. Vulnerable Chiron is rolling forward in your 10th House of Authority, prompting you to reshape your path by transforming past criticism into practical, compassionate leadership. You might propose a fresh schedule to a supervisor that showcases your strengths and proves you can deliver. If family needs cause drama, set kind boundaries and explain them to any complainers. Such honesty protects your energy while still honoring your care. Kind leadership earns respect and ensures your progress stays sustainable.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

A turning point is in sight! A wider outlook takes root as cautious Chiron looks ahead in your 9th House of Differences, helping you rewrite limiting beliefs with playful curiosity. You might start a brave conversation about culture or faith that brings understanding to multiple factions. Let your natural warmth brighten a tense debate by asking for stories. Aside from being fun, listening shows your willingness to learn and grow in tandem with others. Curiosity might have killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back!

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

Trust grows when you talk about fears. They don’t have to be so intimidating, especially once Chiron moves direct in your 8th House of Depth. This urges careful talks about money, loyalty, and privacy to soothe a nervous mind. There’s no need to guess when you can review bills with a trusted counterpart! Open discussions suit your practical, discerning style. If trust feels shaky, start by keeping your own promises, since consistent action heals more than dramatic pledges. Precise choices keep resources flowing for everyone.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

Libra, partnerships ask for patient listening today. Your 7th House of Bonds gets fresh air as moody Chiron stations direct, inviting balanced talks that give each person time to speak and feel heard. You might reopen a stalled agreement with a client and calmly handle any points of contention. Your natural diplomacy shines when you summarize both sides and offer a compromise that feels respectful to everyone involved. Keep fairness at the center, because mutual care helps connections grow steady and strong together.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

Steady effort calms a busy day. Your 6th House of Health is metaphorically reset by the forward movement of Chiron today, which applies to all areas of life where focus and effort are necessary. You may ask a colleague for clear priorities, because focus honors your intense drive without burning you out. Consider setting a quitting time and sticking to it — don’t bring work home with you. Rest strengthens your soul and protects your focus, allowing you to build results that last.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

Joy and courage are both required for true creativity at the moment. Chiron may not be elegant, but its forward shift in your inspirational 5th house is a great reminder to put yourself out there and try. Turn self-doubt into playful experimentation! You might share a draft, plan a low-pressure date, or try a new hobby, because optimism grows when you make space for fun. Your courage can also encourage a friend or younger person who looks up to you. Just enjoy yourself!

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

Morning brings clarity about family patterns. Chiron stations direct in your 4th House of Home, inviting repair work that honors your roots and strengthens tradition. The squeaky wheel definitely gets the grease today. You might update a chore chart to better fit your schedule (and everyone else’s). If tension rises at home, pause first, breathe, then speak slowly and stay with the facts. A level head is the ideal way to vanquish irritation before it becomes conflict. Firm structure empowers everyone’s goals.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

You can speak your heart today, Aquarius. Your talkative 3rd house is blessed as Chiron, linked to insecurities, begins rolling ahead. When you listen to others, you’ll be better able to communicate with them. You may revise a pitch for a quirky idea that could help the group. Don’t be afraid to suggest something totally out of the box! Explain the why behind your plan, then invite others to improve it as a team. Speak plainly to accelerate teamwork and make real progress.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

Pisces, your values deserve gentle protection. A shift arrives as Chiron offers opportunities for deep growth in your 2nd House of Finances. Your money choices are guided by your self-worth, so pay attention to how you treat yourself. You know you deserve quality, so invest in the things that matter — not drop-shipped impulse purchases. If someone undervalues your time, state your limits and suggest a fair option that ensures both sides feel respected. Self-respect strengthens your actions and brightens the path ahead.

The Miami Dolphins are looking to Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman to consult the franchise on their coming general manager search, according to a league source Thursday evening.

According to breaking national reports Thursday, it’s not a permanent role for Aikman, who currently is a color analyst for ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” after a playing career where he led the Dallas Cowboys to three Super Bowl titles.

The Dolphins fired longtime GM Chris Grier on Oct. 31. They have since had Champ Kelly take on the interim GM role, and he is expected to be among candidates in the search for owner Steve Ross, president and CEO Tom Garfinkel and the rest of the franchise’s brass.

Reports indicate Aikman was chosen in the advisory role because he will bring fresh, outside perspective. His closest tie to the Dolphins would be that he was coached by Jimmy Johnson with the Cowboys in the 1990s, and Johnson later led the Dolphins later in the decade.

While Miami needs to find a permanent solution at GM, the franchise will also be making a decision on the fate of coach Mike McDaniel as the 2025 season comes to a close with Sunday’s game at the New England Patriots. McDaniel enters the finale with a 35-34 record, including playoffs.

Aikman made six Pro Bowls in his playing career in Dallas. He threw for 32,942 passing yards and 165 touchdowns as part of an all-time-great quarterback-running back-wide receiver trio with Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin.

He was the No. 1 pick of the 1989 draft after a college career that spanned stints at Oklahoma and UCLA.

Since his retirement following the 2000 season, Aikman has been in the broadcast booth, first with Fox and then with ESPN since 2022.

The last time Aikman called a Dolphins game was Dec. 15, and he was highly and persistently critical of McDaniel for not operating the offense with urgency as the team trailed by multiple scores in the fourth quarter of a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

This story will be updated.

 

Right before the start of the Miami Dolphins’ season, the team had to deal with a shakeup on the coaching staff.

Outside linebackers coach Ryan Crow was arrested on domestic battery charges, which were later dropped. The Dolphins immediately placed Crow on administrative leave, later parting ways with the assistant coach, and needed someone to step up to lead his former unit.

Sean Ryan, who officially holds the title of senior defensive assistant, stepped up. According to defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, Ryan was the one to ask for the job, which might’ve saved Weaver from being spread thin by instructing outside linebackers on top of his coordinating duties.

“It was a tremendous experience,” said Ryan on a web conference with reporters Thursday, “and what made it great was the guys in the room, to be honest with you. They work incredibly hard. They care about their jobs. They do it really well. They’re attentive. They’re helpful.”

Ryan can be credited, in part, with edge rusher Bradley Chubb’s comeback from missing the 2024 season rehabbing a knee injury to having 8½ sacks going into Sunday’s finale against the New England Patriots. Along with that, 2024 first-round pick Chop Robinson has grown in his second season, and before Jaelan Phillips was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, he too was having a bounce-back year from back-to-back season-ending injuries in 2023 (Achilles) and 2024 (ACL).

The shift wasn’t without challenge, of course, given the suddenness of it all.

“It was on the fly,” Ryan said. “Learned a lot. But the way they show up for work every day, it made it just one of the experiences I’ll always relish in my coaching career, to be honest with you.”

What makes Ryan unique as a defensive assistant is, before joining the Dolphins in 2024, just about all his previous coaching experience was on the offensive side. Between college and the NFL, Ryan had coached quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers.

Related Articles

• Dave Hyde: Can Troy Aikman save the Dolphins? Steve Ross can only hope
• Dolphins bringing in Troy Aikman as consultant for GM search
• Dolphins signing new quarterback ahead of finale with eye on future
• Chris Perkins: Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel is batman. Literally
• Who has the edge? Dolphins at Patriots, in season finale

In the pros, he has been with the New York Giants, Houston Texans, Detroit Lions and Carolina Panthers. With the Giants, he was part of two Super Bowl champs, and in Houston was where he connected with Weaver.

His offensive expertise allows him to help defensive players affect offensive players, especially the quarterback for his pass-rushers.

“I think it’s very helpful,” Ryan said. “You look at it and you know what has affected guys that you’ve coached, whether it be, like especially quarterbacks, a big part of our job is rushing those guys and making them uncomfortable. And I try to show them and talk to them about what the quarterback is dealing with and what he’s thinking and how everything that we do affects him and affects how he plays — not only within one play, but leading to the next play and the next series. I think it was pretty helpful in that way, being able to carry over the experience of having the quarterbacks for as long as I have.”

It was actually precisely the vision Weaver had in mind when he wanted Ryan on his defensive staff, bringing him on board after taking the Dolphins’ defensive coordinator role in 2024.

“(He) was brought in essentially to give me an offensive perspective while we’re calling defenses,” Weaver said. “So I had a guy who can see things through the lens of a quarterback.”

Additionally, Ryan did plenty of work with the outside linebackers last season while Crow was on the staff.

“I felt like I had a relationship with those guys,” Ryan said. “I felt like, for them, they would have some comfort with me being in there, because I had been in there. And I thought it would be a transition that would be good for them. And that was the first thing on my mind.”

Chubb’s season speaks for itself, as he reached an incentive in his contract for surpassing eight sacks on the season last Sunday. He has more money tied into whether the Dolphins finish with a top-20 scoring defense. They enter the final week ranked 21st.

Ryan said Robinson improved in taking on different blocks in the run game and built on his strength of rushing the passer by developing new counters.

As the season comes to a close, he also has veterans Cameron Goode and Quinton Bell, both special teams contributors who can step into a rotation on the edge, and has developed Derrick McLendon on the practice squad. McLendon may get elevated to the active roster for the second straight week and possibly remain active for the game this time.

While Broward County prosecutors elected not to pursue the domestic battery case against Crow, the NFL had its own investigation. The team officially parted ways with him in December.

MIAMI — Oh, the weather outside is frightful …

“Actually, it’s kind of nice,” Florida Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling said.

It’ll be in the 50s for Friday night’s Winter Classic hockey game between the Panthers and New York Rangers at loanDepot Park. The only way for a native South Floridian to sit comfortably in that for three hours is with a blowtorch.

“It’s hockey weather for us,’’ said the Finnish Forsling.

Yes, they didn’t just bring winter’s game to be played in a fun and festive atmosphere Friday night. They brought winter, too, at least as we Nanooks of South Florida define it.

There’s even “snow” in the forecast at the game, though the NHL isn’t saying how they’re pulling that off. But this regular NHL event has become so popular around the league in actual cold-weather cities the league brought it to this battleground of their sport and our subtropics.

The Miami Marlins’ stadium has been transformed with beach chairs and sand symbolizing South Florida in left field and snow and ice depicting the Rangers’ climes in right field. Some entertainers will wear beach clothes. Others, parkas.

There, where the infield typically sits, is a regulation ice rink that passed the most important test of all during the Panthers’ practice Thursday afternoon.

“The ice is fantastic,’’ Panthers coach Paul Maurice said.

Wait until he gets the electric bill.

You’ve heard of the Miracle on Ice? This is the Miracle of Ice. Getting it right is part of the charming challenge of playing the Winter Classic with the stadium’s roof open, so the game is outside.

The concept of this regular game around the league is to re-create the outdoor atmosphere these players and coaches grew up on. This is Maurice’s third Winter Classic and he’s enthralled with the idea.

“Maybe it’s just the fact that they’re going to open the roof, and you’re actually on an outdoor rink — ODR, in Canada,’’ he said. “That’s how these guys started, the ones from the north anyway.

“So, there’s a certain amount of feeling that in these games that’s not in the regular season grind and snarl.”

Playing in the snow some years back with Carolina is a moment frozen in time for him. Of course, some youthful memories of outdoor play are left behind. Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky grew up in Siberia and remembers playing in minus-22 degrees.

“We were literally freezing,’’ he said. “We lost 10-0. The next day it was like (23 degrees) and we won 10-0.”

With consecutive Stanley Cups, all of South Florida is past the point of wondering when they talk about ice if they mean one cube or two.

It’s not past the point wondering what it’s like to sit outside in mid-50s weather as forecast. That’d be a balmy January night in Boston.

Children watch the Florida Panthers work out on Thursday during practice for Friday's NHL Winter Classic outdoor hockey game at loanDepot park in Miami. (AP Photo/Michael Laughlin)

In South Florida, people will dress like they’re robbing a 7-Eleven in Manitoba. Parka. Scarf. Long johns. Winter hat. Fleece-lined boots. Thick mittens.

“It’ll be cool,’’ Panthers veteran Brad Marchand said.

He didn’t mean cool as in cold but as in wonderful. His two previous Winter Classics showed how special the atmosphere could be.

“One of my favorite parts about these games is the walkout,’’ he said. “When you’re walking out to the rink, and you get to take all that in and get to see the scenery. Hopefully, we’ll see the city in the background.”

Once the puck drops, he said, it’s another game for the players. It’s an important game for both teams trying to keep a foothold in their season.

The Panthers showed what’s coming as injured Matthew Tkachuk skated in practice Thursday wearing a non-contact jersey and captain Aleksander Barkov skated lightly before practice.

Their appearance in the season is ahead. Friday is here with this fun and ambitious turning of the subtropics into a Winter Wonderland. You could see at Thursday’s practice how the players enjoy a quirky change to their season.

Now comes Friday’s outdoor game that will really feel outdoors.

Then, when it’s over, let’s hope the heat gets turned back on.

General view around loanDepot park on Thursday before the NHL Winter Classic against the New York Rangers at loanDepot park on Friday in Miami. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

MIAMI GARDENS — The first thing that Oregon quarterback Dante Moore did after winning the Orange Bowl was salute the thousands of fans who made the cross-country trip to South Florida.

If the Ducks’ defense keeps playing like this, those fans might be back in Miami before long.

Matayo Uiagalelei caused a fumble to set up an Oregon touchdown, freshman Brandon Finney Jr. had three takeaways — two interceptions and a fumble recovery — and the fifth-seeded Ducks silenced No. 4 Texas Tech’s offense for a 23-0 win in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Orange Bowl on Thursday.

“They’ve earned this opportunity,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. “I told them go get their pound of flesh today. They did that today.”

Jordon Davison rushed for two scores, Moore threw for 234 yards and Atticus Sappington kicked three field goals for Oregon (13-1), which will play either No. 1 Indiana or No. 9 Alabama in the Peach Bowl — a CFP semifinal — on Jan. 9.

The Peach Bowl winner will be back in Miami Gardens for the national title game on Jan. 19.

“I believe we have the best defense in the country,” Finney said.

Texas Tech probably wouldn’t argue with that.

Texas Tech — which finished at 12-2 — came into the day second nationally in points per game (42.5) and fifth nationally in yards per game (480.3) but got absolutely nothing going. The Red Raiders turned the ball over four times, were stopped on fourth downs three other times and had four three-and-outs.

Tech quarterback Behren Morton — who finished 18 of 32 passing for just 137 yards — was stripped by Uiagalelei early in the third quarter in Red Raider territory. Uiagalelei rumbled deep into the red zone and Davison scored one play later to make it 13-0.

Morton threw a red-zone interception early in the fourth quarter and a fourth-down stop from their own 30 midway through the fourth quarter doomed whatever comeback chances existed for the Red Raiders. Davison plunged in from the 1 with 16 seconds left to cap the scoring.

And once again, a CFP bye meant a team went bye-bye.

It was the sixth quarterfinal under this 12-team tournament format that started last year — there were two others coming later Thursday — and the sixth time that the team coming off an extended break lost to a team that played a first-round game.

In 2024, Boise State (against Penn State), Arizona State (against Texas), Georgia (against Notre Dame) and Oregon (against Ohio State) all went out in the quarterfinals after first-round byes. Miami added to that list Wednesday night, beating Ohio State in a quarterfinal at the Cotton Bowl. In those six games, including Thursday, the team with the bye has held the lead for less than five minutes — combined — of regulation.

Texas Tech thought it could avoid that fate. It could not, and Oregon finished off its first shutout of an AP-ranked opponent since 2012. Oregon was playing a top-10 team for the 113th time — and for the first time, allowed zero points.

Oregon played James Madison in Round 1 this year, winning 51-34, and generally was unhappy afterward with how it played defensively.

There wasn’t anything to not like from that side of the ball on Thursday.

“Last week a lot of people talked about our defense,” Lanning said. “They showed up today.”

 

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.

Related Articles

• Trump vilifies Kennedy family hours after Tatiana Schlossberg’s death
• Chief Justice says Constitution remains ‘firm and unshaken’ with major Supreme Court rulings ahead
• Zohran Mamdani chose a Quran full of symbolism for his mayoral oath
• Disney World worker is injured trying to stop runaway boulder at Indiana Jones show
• Betty Boop and ‘Blondie’ enter the public domain in 2026, accompanied by a trio of detectives

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.

Related Articles

• Trump vilifies Kennedy family hours after Tatiana Schlossberg’s death
• US imposes sanctions on 4 Venezuelan oil firms and 4 more tankers in Maduro crackdown
• Farmers can now learn how much aid they will get from the Trump administration
• US military strikes three more alleged drug boats, killing 3 and possibly leaving survivors
• Trump administration terminates lease for Washington’s 3 public golf courses

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.

Related Articles

• Trump vilifies Kennedy family hours after Tatiana Schlossberg’s death
• Chief Justice says Constitution remains ‘firm and unshaken’ with major Supreme Court rulings ahead
• Disney World worker is injured trying to stop runaway boulder at Indiana Jones show
• Betty Boop and ‘Blondie’ enter the public domain in 2026, accompanied by a trio of detectives
• Capitol riot ‘does not happen’ without Trump, Jack Smith told Congress

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.

Related Articles

• Trump vilifies Kennedy family hours after Tatiana Schlossberg’s death
• Chief Justice says Constitution remains ‘firm and unshaken’ with major Supreme Court rulings ahead
• Farmers can now learn how much aid they will get from the Trump administration
• US military strikes three more alleged drug boats, killing 3 and possibly leaving survivors
• Trump administration terminates lease for Washington’s 3 public golf courses

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.

Related Articles

• Trump vilifies Kennedy family hours after Tatiana Schlossberg’s death
• Chief Justice says Constitution remains ‘firm and unshaken’ with major Supreme Court rulings ahead
• Zohran Mamdani chose a Quran full of symbolism for his mayoral oath
• Betty Boop and ‘Blondie’ enter the public domain in 2026, accompanied by a trio of detectives
• Capitol riot ‘does not happen’ without Trump, Jack Smith told Congress

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