South Florida Local News

Today is Wednesday, Sept. 17, the 260th day of 2025. There are 105 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Sept. 17, 1908, Lt. Thomas E. Selfridge of the U.S. Army Signal Corps became the first person to die in the crash of a powered aircraft, the Wright Flyer, at Fort Myer, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C. The pilot, Orville Wright, was seriously injured but survived.

Also on this date:

In 1787, the Constitution of the United States was completed and signed by a majority of delegates attending the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.

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In 1862, more than 3,600 men were killed in the Civil War Battle of Antietam (an-TEE’-tum) in Maryland.

In 1944, during World War II, Allied paratroopers launched Operation Market Garden, landing behind German lines in the Netherlands.

In 1978, after 12 days of meetings at the U.S. presidential retreat of Camp David, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin (men-AH’-kem BAY’-gihn) signed the Camp David Accords, a framework for a peace treaty.

In 1980, former Nicaraguan President Anastasio Somoza was assassinated in Paraguay.

In 2001, six days after 9/11, stock prices nosedived but stopped short of collapse in an emotional, flag-waving reopening of Wall Street.

In 2011, a demonstration calling itself Occupy Wall Street began in New York, prompting similar protests around the U.S. and the world.

In 2021, a Los Angeles jury convicted New York real estate heir Robert Durst of killing his best friend 20 years earlier. (Durst, who was sentenced to life in prison, died in 2022.)

Today’s Birthdays:

• Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, is 92.
• Mountaineer-explorer Reinhold Messner is 81.
• Basketball Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson is 80.
• Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is 75.
• Actor Cassandra Peterson (“Elvira, Mistress of the Dark”) is 74.
• Director-actor Paul Feig is 63.
• Film director Baz Luhrmann is 63.
• Singer BeBe Winans is 63.
• Actor Kyle Chandler is 60.
• Rapper Doug E. Fresh is 59.
• Author Cheryl Strayed is 57.
• Actor Matthew Settle is 56.
• Designer-TV personality Nate Berkus is 54.
• NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson is 50.
• NHL forward Alexander Ovechkin (oh-VECH’-kin) is 40.
• Actor Danielle Brooks is 36.
• NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes is 30.

An anonymous group of Jewish student activists has broken away from Jewish Voice for Peace to form a new national organization, the Anti-Zionist Jewish Student Front, that pledges to escalate campaigns against Zionism on college campuses.

In a recently released statement, the group framed itself as part of what it termed a global “student intifada” and said it was aligning with the “Popular University,” a loose network of pro-Palestinian activists.

“We work to dismantle Zionism in its entirety by confronting Zionist institutions on campus, to struggle for divestment, and to pursue the criminalization of Zionism as a white supremacist weapon of war,” the statement said.

Jewish Voice for Peace, the country’s largest anti-Zionist Jewish organization, confirmed the separation. The group has grown in prominence in recent years, staging high-profile demonstrations against Israel’s war in Gaza and partnering with progressive advocacy groups. But it has recently shifted its energy toward political lobbying after not achieving its organizing goals.

The Anti-Zionist Jewish Student Front presents itself as more radical, questioning whether existing nonprofit structures are effective for campus activism and rejecting the centrality of messaging like “anti-Zionism is not antisemitism.”

Instead, it says it will focus on direct confrontation with “Zionist institutions on campus” and on pushing for divestment. Its logo features the Yiddish phrase “L’chaim Intifada” surrounded by an Arabic slogan that reads, “Where there is oppression, may there thrive resistance.”

The announcement appeared on Instagram, posted by the account of the Anti-Zionist Jewish Student Front and tagged as a collaboration with five others: campus chapters at George Washington University, Georgetown University and American University; the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network, an activist group formed in 2008; and anti-Zionist activist Anna Rajagopal.

The organization did not respond to an press inquiry. Rajagopal responded to a request for comment to say that she did not represent the groups involved and had “no desire to talk to an employee of the Jewish Telegraph[ic] Agency about any topic, ever.” She did not respond to further questions.

The announcement video cites numerous Jewish concepts, including “tzedek” or justice and “doikayt,” the Yiddish word meaning “hereness” that anti-Zionist Jewish activists have adopted as a watchword.

The video features footage from George Washington University, where pro-Palestinian advocacy has been notably fierce. Just weeks after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, students there projected anti-Israel messages including “Glory to our martyrs” on a university building. The school suspended both JVP and Students for Justice in Palestine in the aftermath.

Both groups have since disaffiliated from the school. The school’s chapter of JVP told the student newspaper last month, after it was suspended for another year, that it would cease to function as a student group.

Now, it is also ceding from the national JVP organization, a move that JVP’s senior manager of campus organizing, Jonah Rubin, confirmed in a statement.

“The decision to amicably separate comes after long and principled discussions between all parties,” Rubin said. “While we share the goal of mobilizing anti-Zionist Jews working towards Palestinian liberation, our analyses of the strategy and tactics best suited to respond to the current moment of genocide in Gaza and rising fascism at home have diverged.”

He added, “Through our discussions it became clear that the best path forward was to pursue our shared goals in separate organizations. We wish these students the best.”

Rubin added that JVP’s more than 100 local chapters will continue to build “a grassroots movement of anti-Zionist Jews dedicated to taking strategic action to combat racism, fascism, genocide, and apartheid.”

The Anti-Zionist Jewish Student Front, too, promises a robust future, animated by a belief in “rejecting Zionism and upholding Palestinians’ right to return, remain, and resist.”

“Students are learning and adapting every day in the fight against the American and Zionist imperialist beast,” the group’s video says. “Our numbers grow, our principles fortify, and our dedication to enacting substantive change has never been stronger.”

For more info, go to JTA.org.

A barricaded man attacked a K-9 and was shot by BSO deputies in a home in Pompano Beach on Tuesday, Sheriff Gregory Tony said.

Someone called the Sheriff’s Office just after 1:30 p.m. to report a “suspicious incident” in the 2300 block of Bay Drive, spokesperson Miranda Grossman said in a statement late Tuesday night. She did not provide further information about what the incident was.

Deputies “made contact with an armed individual” once they responded, and “at some point during the response, a deputy-involved shooting occurred.”

Tony told reporters at the scene late Tuesday that the man barricaded himself inside of a vacant home. For hours, deputies tried to negotiate with him to get him to leave as he made threats toward them.

Deputies sent a drone inside the home, which Tony said allowed them to find the man inside one of the rooms and see that he had a gun. Deputies heard gunshots after he apparently shot at the drone.

A second drone was then sent into the home, and Tony said it appeared the man also shot himself at some point. Eventually they sent in a K-9, and the man attacked the dog. Deputies then entered the home, and the shooting unfolded.

“The dog ended up coming in contact with him, and he started attacking the dog. He struck the dog with the drone,” Tony said.

SWAT deputies shot at the man, killing him, Tony told reporters.

The man’s name was not released late Tuesday. WPLG-Ch. 10 reported that the man had a criminal history and previous felony convictions.

It is at least the 13th shooting involving South Florida law enforcement officers since the start of the year. Most recently, a Broward Sheriff’s Office deputy shot and killed a man in Cooper City last month after the man shot himself during a fight with his mother and “attacked” one of the deputies who approached him.

Earlier in August, a man who was suspected in multiple robberies and a recent shooting that left someone in critical condition died after a shooting with a Hollywood Police officer.

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

By ANDRES JAIME-MENDEZ

FORT LAUDERDALE — Lionel Messi had a goal and an assist as Inter Miami beat Seattle 3-1 on Tuesday night just over two weeks after losing to the Sounders in the Leagues Cup final.

The Sounders beat Inter Miami 3-0 in the Leagues Cup on Aug. 31, but Messi assisted a wide open Jordi Alba with an outside-of-the-foot pass in the 12th minute to give the Herons early command.

Messi nearly doubled the score in the 28th minute when he received a ball over the top and once again tried to execute using the outside of his left foot, but the shot hit off the post.

Alba returned the favor in the 41st minute, assisting a darting Messi who got just enough of a touch to make it 2-0. Ian Fray headed home Rodrigo De Paul’s corner in the opening minutes of the second half to extended the Herons’ lead to 3-0.

Obed Vargas found the back of the net for Seattle’s goal in the 69th minute, as the Mexican international scored on his country’s independence day.

Inter Miami was again without Luis Suárez who served the second game of his three-match MLS ban for spitting on a member of the Sounders’ coaching staff in the Leagues Cup Final.

Messi had a chance to complete a brace in the 76th minute, but was denied by Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei. New Inter Miami signing Mateo Silvetti made his debut after arriving from Messi’s boyhood club, Newell’s Old Boys in Argentina.

MLS action continues for both teams when Inter Miami hosts D.C. United on Saturday, while the Sounders travel to face Austin FC on Sunday.

GAINEVILLE — The SEC suspended Florida running backs coach Jabbar Juluke three games for his role during a pregame altercation prior the Gators’ 20-10 loss at LSU.

The league announced Juluke’s suspension Tuesday night ahead of UF’s visit Saturday to No. 4 Miami.

“Jabbar Juluke’s conduct during the pregame altercation reflects behavior that is unacceptable and not aligned with the standards of the Southeastern Conference,” commissioner Greg Sankey said in a statement. “Coaches are expected to be leaders and to de-escalate tense situations, and that did not happen in this circumstance. This suspension is appropriate, and any future misconduct by Jabbar Juluke will result in more severe disciplinary action.”

Florida and LSU players twice engaged in scuffles before the Sept. 13 game at Tiger Stadium, the second skirmish leading an official to throw a penalty flag though no infractions were assessed.

UF players inched on the Tigers’ side of the midfield, leading to the first scrum and leaving defensive coordinator Ron Roberts fuming while point to LSU players. Former Gators’ defensive lineman Jack Pyburn was among the opposing players involved as campus police calmed the situation.

A bit later, some Florida players set off another showdown after jogging toward the LSU end off the field.

Unclear is the role of Juluke, a native of New Orleans and LSU running backs coach in 2016. Before the Gators’ 16-10 upset that season, Tigers injured star tailback Leonard Fournette and Florida secondary coach Torrian Gray exchanged words to create a pregame stir.

University of Florida running back Ja'Kobi Jackson talks with assistant coach Jabbar Juluke during practice Aug. 2 in The Swamp. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

“I first would like to apologize to both Florida and LSU universities, their teams, staff and fans,” Juluke said in a statement. “I also sincerely apologize to the young athlete and his family. On Saturday, I reacted in a manner I’m not proud of. There’s no excuse for my behavior and I take full responsibility for my actions.

“In this game, emotional situations occur and bad reactions happen. I regret my reaction and commit to using this moment to strengthen my emotional intelligence. I know more is expected of us as coaches, and I commit to living up to that expectation.”

Juluke has consistently produced one of the Gators’ best units. He will now sit out the Miami game, an Oct. 4 visit from Texas and an Oct. 11 trip to Texas A&M.

“I believe growth is in ownership and learning from the good and the bad,” he said. “I intend to use this situation as a teachable moment, not only for myself, but for those I impact.”

UF coach Billy Napier said in a statement that Juluke’s actions “are not up to the standard of our program.”

Juluke has coached with Napier the past eight seasons, including for at Louisiana.

“Coach Juluke is a man of character and has taken full responsibility for his actions,” Napier said. “I believe Coach Juluke will learn from this experience and be better for it.”

Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com.

Here’s a look at how the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills match up in six key areas ahead of Thursday’s Week 3 game at Highmark Stadium (8:15 p.m., Amazon Prime Video):

When the Dolphins run: The operative word being “when.” When they did run against the New England Patriots in Sunday’s 33-27 loss, they found a few things, but the Dolphins again got away from the run game for just 15 attempts, although the game was competitive for the final three quarters. Miami had 61 yards on those rushes, and despite some efficiency, the team ranks dead last in rushing attempts through two weeks while No. 4 in yards per carry.

Running back De’Von Achane leads the backfield as he has also been an active participant in the pass game, leading the team in targets and receptions. It’s uncertain whether Jaylen Wright can make his season debut, but rookie Ollie Gordon II has only received three carries in two games as the primary spell back for Achane. Miami will have to make up for its banged-up right side of the line, and Jonah Savaiinaea can’t be a liability between left tackle Patrick Paul and center Aaron Brewer.

If there’s one area the Bills are vulnerable, it’s run defense. They are second-to-last against the run, but a lot of that came in the opener against the Baltimore Ravens, with running back Derrick Henry and mobile quarterback Lamar Jackson. Buffalo had defensive tackle Ed Oliver and linebacker Matt Milano missing practice early in the week. The Bills hope to get new veteran linebacker Shaq Thompson in the lineup with Terrel Bernard. Edge: Dolphins

When the Bills run: Through two weeks, Buffalo is second in the league in rushing thanks to the combination of running back James Cook, a Miami Central High alum, and mobile quarterback Josh Allen. Cook is averaging 5.2 yards per carry and leads the NFL with three rushing touchdowns. Allen has 89 rushing yards on 20 attempts and two scores.

The Dolphins have allowed 278 rushing yards over the first two games, 25th in the league. Teams have run on them more than any other team, a byproduct largely of the Indianapolis Colts playing with a lead throughout in the opener. Defensive tackle Zach Sieler has not yet made an impact this season up front. As Miami will look to contain Allen, part of run defense will be keeping an eye on him with a spy on designed pass plays, possibly an opportunity for linebacker Willie Gay Jr. to display his athleticism keeping up with Allen. Stopping the run will be the first key for the Dolphins before they can truly apply a pass rush on Allen. Edge: Bills

When the Dolphins pass: Statistically, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was much better in Week 2 — 26 of 32 for 315 yards and two touchdowns — but he still wasn’t fully reading things and missed some opportunities against a Patriots pass defense that was rather suspect Sunday. He threw the late interception over the middle on a fourth-and-9 when he had tight end Julian Hill open with room to run in the flat, and he also was intercepted on the opening drive but had the turnover called back due to penalty.

Tagovailoa hopes to build off some possible momentum brewing again in his connection with star wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Sunday against the Patriots, Hill had his first 100-yard game with Tagovailoa and first reception of at least 30 yards in a full calendar year. Hill and Waddle will look to get going against the Bills’ top-ranked pass defense, which figures to try to take the middle of the field away and force Tagovailoa to throw to the sidelines and dump it off to Achane. The Buffalo secondary features cornerbacks Christian Benford, Taron Johnson and Tre’Davious White and safeties Taylor Rapp and Cole Bishop.

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The Bills knocked Jets quarterback Justin Fields out of the game while making him and backup Tyrod Taylor look pedestrian on Sunday. With Joey Bosa and Gregory Rousseau on the pass rush off the edge, Paul and backup right tackle Larry Borom, in for the injured Austin Jackson will have his hands full. If Miami is playing from behind, the Bills can get their pass rush going on Tagovailoa just days after he took five sacks, including the costly one that sealed the loss to New England. Edge: Bills

When the Bills pass: Allen usually dominates when he plays this division rival. He is 12-2 in his career against the Dolphins, with 3,737 passing yards, 37 touchdown passes and eight interceptions. His threat to scramble creates a challenge for defenders in coverage, along with pass rushers who must also keep contain in case he tucks it and run. Along with that, his elite arm strength allows Allen to chuck it deep with seemingly unlimited range on the field.

Allen has Buffalo as the league’s No. 2 pass offense through two weeks, spreading the ball out between wide receivers Keon Coleman, Joshua Palmer and Khalil Shakir, tight end Dalton Kincaid and Cook out of the backfield. With Storm Duck set to miss another game, cornerbacks Jack Jones and Rasul Douglas will be tasked with holding down the boundaries, with nickel cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. rotating in on his packages. As safety Ifeatu Melifonwu won’t be able to play through a calf injury, a rotation around Minkah Fitzpatrick of Ashtyn Davis and Dante Trader will likely be utilized.

They’re on the back end for the No. 22 pass defense, which has been aided by teams running the ball much on this defense. The pass rush picked up three sacks on New England quarterback Drake Maye last time out, but that unit still needs to apply more consistent pressure to help the secondary. That could come from the interior with Sieler and rookie Kenneth Grant or with Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips, Chop Robinson and Matthew Judon on the edges against left tackle Dion Dawkins and right tackle Spencer Brown. Edge: Bills

Special teams: It was the best of special teams, it was the worst of special teams on back-to-back plays for the Dolphins last Sunday. They scored on Malik Washington’s punt return, and then they allowed Patriots’ Antonio Gibson to return the ensuing kick return for a touchdown.

The Bills have been able to turn games on the Dolphins on special teams before, like the 2023 regular-season finale to win the division. Both teams are using replacements for injured kickers. The Dolphins will have Riley Patterson up from the practice squad again. He has made all five of his kicks for Miami, while veteran Matt Prater has converted all six of his field goal attempts and five extra points this year. Edge: Bills

Intangibles: The Bills have a system of consistency as division champions for five consecutive seasons and perennial AFC contenders. They’re at home, where the Dolphins haven’t won since 2016. Miami travels to Buffalo on a short week, which is always difficult in the NFL, and is only more of a gauntlet when the franchise is on shaky ground with fans pushing for coach Mike McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier to be fired. Edge: Bills

PREDICTION: Bills 33, Dolphins 20

Dolphins Deep Dive: Prediction time — Can Miami stop Bills? | VIDEO

Prosecutors have filed a misdemeanor battery charge against a Lauderhill Police road patrol officer after he allegedly punched a man in the face while working at a traffic crash scene earlier this year.

Officer Jason Reyes, 42, was investigating a crash March 8 in the area of the 4200 block of Rock Island Road in Lauderhill and got into a verbal argument with the driver involved, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Reyes told the driver to stand up, then allegedly intentionally punched him in the face, cutting the man’s lip and forcing him to stumble backward, the affidavit said. The encounter was recorded on body-worn camera.

The police department learned of the alleged incident that same day, and Reyes was put on administrative leave, Lt. Antonio Gonzalez said in a news release Tuesday night. The case was forwarded to the State Attorney’s Office, which formally filed the charge last week.

Reyes was hired in 2021 and has worked in road patrol since, the news release said.

He was awarded Officer of the Year in 2023, a post on the department’s Facebook shows. He rescued people trapped in a burning car after a crash in 2024, according to multiple news reports. WSVN-Ch.7 reported Reyes is an Army veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

He pleaded not guilty on Friday, court records show. He remains on administrative leave as the case is pending in court.

General Daily Insight for September 17, 2025

Any initial sense of can-do energy may find itself facing a roadblock or two today. The Moon begins by entering courageous Leo, strengthening us to put ourselves out there. We may not get far, though, as a quick lunar opposition to Pluto in Aquarius could make everyone extra defensive. If we hold on until Mercury in Virgo opposes icy Saturn in Pisces at 1:47 am EDT, we’ll be able to rethink our approach to the day. Proceed — just do so with caution.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

Even the most productive person can get overwhelmed currently — and that includes you. You may want to go all out and accomplish as much as you can while Mercury tours your productive 6th house. However, that efficient energy might get put on ice when Mercury opposes Saturn in your hidden 12th house, acting like a cosmic thicket across your path. Such barriers are only temporary, but they won’t be easy to overlook. Do your best to avoid biting off more than you can chew.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

The peanut gallery is louder than usual right now. You may want to do exactly as you please while Mercury is in your 5th House of Pleasure, nudging your mind toward your satisfaction. In contrast, Mercury’s disagreement with stoic Saturn in your 11th House of Social Networks will practically force you to consider what other people want. Perhaps you have to follow someone else’s rules before you can consider your own, or maybe you won’t get the reaction you were hoping for. Avoid overbearing expectations.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

Your emotions can only carry you so far. There’s a tough misalignment between your sign’s traditional ruling planet, Mercury, in your 4th House of Feelings and serious Saturn in your 10th House of Career. This demands that you “get real” and face the facts, rather than wading around in your internal emotional ocean. Someone you respect may give you a stern talking to, or remind you that you ought to carry your weight. It probably won’t be fun, but at least consider their advice.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

There’s no ignoring your limitations under the current skies. Mercury is busying itself in your 3rd House of Local Community, supplying you with various things to do and people to see — until its debate with Saturn in your 9th House of Expansion potentially stops you in your tracks. You might start worrying that you’re wasting time with mundane tasks, or you could be enticed to drop everything for something more exciting. Unfortunately, any intriguing opportunities will probably have to wait for later.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

Serious matters are up for inspection. When was the last time you checked in on your essentials? Mercury IS in your grounded 2nd house, but it’s also upsetting taskmaster Saturn in your all-or-nothing 8th house. They’re yanking your thoughts toward something more intense. You may need to hammer out the details of a financial agreement or examine the shadow side of an important relationship. This subject won’t be easily avoided! Remember that being flexible does not mean being weak or a pushover.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

Don’t expect too much from anyone in particular. There is a rough opposition occurring between logical Mercury, currently in your intelligent sign, and stern Saturn in your partnership sector. Someone could create a few problems for you to solve, or maybe they’ll accidentally wind up poking holes in your perfectly crafted plans. Be ready to rethink a few things to find a better solution. Don’t take this too personally, because chances are high that this person is telling you something you need to hear.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

Daydreaming is nice, but it isn’t always viable. You might want to do nothing more than float along while Mercury is in your fantastical 12th house. Regardless, the tension between distractible Mercury and hardworking Saturn in your responsible 6th house could practically drag you onto your feet. It will be almost impossible to avoid rolling up your sleeves and getting to work under this alignment, so you might as well get something out of it. Make a plan of attack, then charge ahead!

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

You can only go along to get along for so long. Running with the herd probably sounds nice while Mercury is galloping through your 11th House of Global Communities. Don’t get carried away — Mercury’s opposition to Saturn in your 5th House of Creativity is reminding you not to lose yourself in the crowd. You might feel the need to step back and wander off in order to do your own thing, and there is nothing wrong with that. Pursue your pleasures as you please.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

Domestic matters might deserve your attention. Mercury is in your professional 10th house, giving you plenty of things to tend to at the office. In contrast, Mercury’s jabs at Saturn (in your homey 4th house) could draw you back homeward. A relative or roommate may need your assistance with some important project, or perhaps the physical structure of your abode requires a bit of extra attention. Firm up your foundations, and then you can return to moving mountains in the outer world.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

Today is full of detours. Mercury is gusting through your boundless 9th house, inspiring you to fly far and wide, but hold on! That Mercury-Saturn squabble in your local 3rd house is urging you to deal with more immediate matters. You may get briefly stuck dealing with loads of red tape, or caught up in chasing a million little chores before you can focus on anything more exciting. Whatever happens, there’s no avoiding Saturn’s demands. Your adventures will probably have to wait for now.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Your eyes could be bigger than your stomach! Reality might feel a little extreme while Mercury is in your transformational 8th house. Plus, its opposition to karmic Saturn in your security-conscious 2nd house may command you to get real about any changes you would like to see in your life. There is no taking the easy way out when Saturn’s involved, so you might have to burn the midnight oil before you see positive progress. Thankfully, Saturn shouldn’t let you waste your time.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

You may feel like a wet blanket — but if a fire breaks out, that’s exactly what everyone will need.. Mercury in your relationship sector may inspire some fascinating social interactions — at least until it gets into a spat with Saturn, currently in your sign. That’ll probably hit the brakes on any pleasure cruises! You may need to be the adult in the room or point out all the realistic reasons why something isn’t viable. Remind yourself that Saturn knows what it’s doing.

By STEVEN GRATTAN

PUERTO NARINO, Colombia (AP) — A flash of pink breaks the muddy surface of the Amazon River as scientists and veterinarians, waist-deep in the warm current, patiently work a mesh net around a pod of river dolphins. They draw it tighter with each pass, and a spray of silver fish glistens under the harsh sun as they leap to escape the net.

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When the team hauls a dolphin into a boat, it thrashes as water streams from its pink-speckled sides and the crew quickly ferries it to the sandy riverbank where adrenaline-charged researchers lift it onto a mat. They have 15 minutes — the limit for how long a dolphin can safely be out of the water — to complete their work.

Fernando Trujillo, a marine biologist leading the effort, kneels beside the animal’s head, shielding its eye with a small cloth so it can’t see what’s happening. He rests his hand gently on the animal and speaks in low tones.

“They’ve never felt the palm of a hand. We try to calm them,” said Trujillo, sporting a pink dolphin bandana. “Taking a dolphin out of the water, it’s a kind of abduction.”

One person counts the dolphin’s breaths. Another wets its skin with a sponge while the others conduct multiple medical tests that will help show how much mercury is coursing through the Amazon’s most graceful predators.

Mercury threat spreads through the Amazon food chain

Trujillo directs the Omacha Foundation, a conservation group focused on aquatic wildlife and river ecosystems, and leads health evaluations of river dolphins. It’s a painstaking operation involving experienced fishermen, veterinarians and locals that takes months of planning and happens a couple of times a year.

“We take blood and tissue samples to assess mercury,¨ Trujillo told The Associated Press from the Colombian riverside town of Puerto Narino. “Basically, we’re using dolphins as sentinels for the river’s health.”

Mercury contamination comes mainly from illegal gold mining — a growing industry across the Amazon Basin — and forest clearing that washes mercury that naturally occurs in soil into waterways.

The miners use mercury to separate gold from sediment, then dump the sludge back into rivers, where it enters fish eaten by people and dolphins. Rising global gold prices have fueled a mining boom, and mercury pollution in remote waterways has increased.

Scientists and veterinarians capture a pink river dolphin in the Amazon River to perform health checks in Puerto Narino, Colombia, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

Mercury can damage the brain, kidneys, lungs and immune system and cause mood swings, memory loss and muscle weakness in people, according to the World Health Organization and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Pregnant women and young children are most at risk, with prenatal exposure linked to developmental delays and reduced cognitive function.

“The maximum any living being should have is 1 milligram per kilogram,” Trujillo said. “Here, we’re seeing 20 to 30 times that amount.”

In previous years, his team found 16 to 18 milligrams per kilogram of mercury in dolphins, which can suffer the same neurological damage, organ damage and other problems as humans. In Colombia’s Orinoco River, levels in some dolphins have reached as high as 42, levels scientists say are among the most extreme ever recorded in the species.

Trujillo said it’s difficult to prove the toxin is directly killing dolphins. Further studies are underway, he added, noting that “any mammal with a huge amount of mercury will die.”

When Trujillo and his team tested their own blood three years ago, his results showed more than 36 times the safe limit — 36.4 milligrams per kilogram — a level he attributes to decades working in mercury-affected areas and a diet heavy in fish. With medical assistance, his levels have dropped to about 7 milligrams.

“Mercury is an invisible enemy until it builds up to a sufficient amount, then it starts to affect the central nervous system,” Trujillo told AP after his team managed to capture and test four pink dolphins. “We’re already seeing evidence of it in Indigenous communities.”

A series of scientific studies and reports — including work by the International Pollutants Elimination Network and academic researchers — have found high mercury exposure among Indigenous peoples across the Amazon, including in Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Suriname and Bolivia. Hair samples showed averages well above WHO’s safe threshold of 1 part per million, with one Colombian community registering more than 22 milligrams per kilogram.

• Scientists and veterinarians capture a pink river dolphin in the Amazon River for health checks in Puerto Narino, Colombia, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
• Scientists and veterinarians capture a pink river dolphin in the Amazon River for health checks in Puerto Narino, Colombia, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
• Scientists and veterinarians examine a pink river dolphin in Puerto Narino, Colombia, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
• Scientists and veterinarians examine a pink river dolphin in Puerto Narino, Colombia, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
• Veterinarian Maria Jimena Valderrama implants a microchip into a pink river dolphin after a health check in Puerto Narino, Colombia, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
• A veterinarian draws a blood sample in a pink river dolphin in the Amazon River during health checks in Puerto Narino, Colombia, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
• Scientists and veterinarians examine blood samples that were drawn from pink river dolphins in the Amazon River to determine mercury levels in Puerto Narino, Colombia, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
• Scientists and veterinarians weigh a pink river dolphin after a health check in Puerto Narino, Colombia, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

Show Caption1 of 8Scientists and veterinarians capture a pink river dolphin in the Amazon River for health checks in Puerto Narino, Colombia, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara) Expand

Dolphin populations in this part of the Amazon have plunged, with Trujillo’s monitoring showing a 52% decline in pink dolphins and a 34% drop in gray river dolphins, a different species, in recent decades. The International Union for Conservation of Nature listed the pink dolphin as endangered in 2018. Trujillo said exact numbers for the Amazon are unknown, but his organization estimates 30,000 to 45,000 across the basin.

Pink river dolphins also face threats from overfishing, accidental entanglement in nets, boat traffic, habitat loss and prolonged drought.

Colombia says it’s tackling illegal mining and mercury pollution. It banned mercury use in mining in 2018, ratified the Minamata Convention aimed at reducing mercury in the environment and submitted an action plan in 2024. Authorities cite joint operations with Brazil and recent enforcement sweeps, but watchdogs say efforts remain uneven and illegal mining persists across much of the country.

Other Amazon nations say they’re stepping up. Brazil has launched raids and moved to restrict satellite internet used by illegal gold-mining camps that use mercury, aiming to disrupt logistics and supply lines. Peru recently seized a record 4 tons of smuggled mercury. Ecuador, Suriname and Guyana have filed action plans to cut mercury use in small-scale gold mining.

A delicate operation to test dolphins safely

The dolphin testing operation relies on José “Mariano” Rangel, a charismatic former fisherman from Venezuela. He leads the charge when it’s time to haul the animals — which can weigh as much as about 353 pounds — into the small boats. It’s a moment that can end with a stinging blow to the jaw as the dolphins thrash to break free.

Scientists and veterinarians free a pink river dolphin after a health check in Puerto Narino, Colombia, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

“The most difficult part of the captures is enclosing the dolphins,” Rangel said.

A portable ultrasound machine scans lungs, heart and other vital organs for disease. The team checks for respiratory problems, internal injuries and signs of reproduction, photograph the animals’ skin and scars, swab blowholes and genital openings for bacterial cultures, and collect tissue for mercury testing. Microchips are implanted so researchers can identify each animal and avoid duplicating tests.

Omacha has recorded antimicrobial resistance — bacteria that can’t be killed by common medicines — and respiratory problems. They have also identified possible emerging diseases, such as papilloma virus, that could pose risks to both dolphins and humans.

After a long morning hauling and testing dolphins, the scientists return to a laboratory in Puerto Narino that’s covered with posters of dolphins and manatees and the bones and skulls of dolphins and other animals. They test some samples, prepare others to send to larger facilities and end their day repairing nets and refilling kits to do it all again at dawn.

For Trujillo, each capture, scan and blood test is part of a larger fight.

“We are one step away from being critically endangered and then extinct,” Trujillo said.

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.

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Divers have recovered artifacts from the Titanic’s sister ship, the Britannic, for the first time since the ocean liner sank in the Aegean Sea more than a century ago after striking a mine during World War I.

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The Culture Ministry in Greece said Monday that an 11-member deep-sea diving team conducted a weeklong operation in May to recover artifacts including the ship’s bell and the port-side navigation light.

The White Star Line’s Britannic, launched in 1914, was designed as a luxury cruise liner, but was requisitioned as a hospital ship during World War I. It was heading toward the island of Lemnos when it struck a mine and sank off the island of Kea, about 45 miles southeast of Athens, on Nov. 21, 1916.

The vessel, the largest hospital ship at the time, sank in less than an hour. Thirty of the more than 1,060 people on board died when the lifeboats they were in were struck by the ship’s still turning propellers.

The wreck lies at a depth of nearly 400 feet, making it accessible only to technical divers. The dive team used closed-circuit rebreather equipment in a recovery operation organized by British historian Simon Mills, founder of the Britannic Foundation, the Culture Ministry said.

• In this undated photo provided by the Greek Culture Ministry on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025, divers illuminate the wreck’s interior of the Britannic, sister ship to the Titanic, for the first time since the ocean liner sank in the Aegean Sea more than a century ago after striking a mine during World War I. (Greek Culture Ministry via AP)
• In this undated photo provided by the Greek Culture Ministry on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025, divers carefully sift to recover objects from the wreck site of the Britannic, sister ship to the Titanic, for the first time since the ocean liner sank in the Aegean Sea more than a century ago after striking a mine during World War I. (Greek Culture Ministry via AP)
• In this undated photo provided by the Greek Culture Ministry on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025, a diver carefully sifts to recover objects from the wreck site of the Britannic, sister ship to the Titanic, for the first time since the ocean liner sank in the Aegean Sea more than a century ago after striking a mine during World War I. (Greek Culture Ministry via AP)

Show Caption1 of 3In this undated photo provided by the Greek Culture Ministry on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025, divers illuminate the wreck’s interior of the Britannic, sister ship to the Titanic, for the first time since the ocean liner sank in the Aegean Sea more than a century ago after striking a mine during World War I. (Greek Culture Ministry via AP) Expand

Conditions on the wreck were particularly tough because of currents and low visibility, the ministry said. Among the items raised to the surface were artifacts reflecting both the ship’s utilitarian role and its luxurious design: the lookout bell, the navigation lamp, silver-plated first-class trays, ceramic tiles from a Turkish bath, a pair of passenger binoculars and a porcelain sink from second-class cabins.

The artifacts are now undergoing conservation in Greek capital Athens and will be included in the permanent collection of a new Museum of Underwater Antiquities under development at the port of Piraeus. The museum will feature a dedicated World War I section, with the items from the Britannic as a centerpiece.

Today is Tuesday, Sept. 16, the 259th day of 2025. There are 106 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Sept. 16, 1982, the massacre of more than 1,300 Palestinian men, women and children at the hands of Israeli-allied Christian Phalange militiamen began in west Beirut’s Sabra and Shatila refugee camps.

Also on this date:

In 1810, Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla called on his parishioners to join him in a rebellion against Spanish rule, marking the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence.

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In 1893, the largest land run in U.S. history occurred as more than 100,000 white settlers rushed to claim over more than 6 million acres of land in what is now northern Oklahoma.

In 1908, General Motors was founded in Flint, Michigan, by William C. Durant.

In 1940, Samuel T. Rayburn of Texas was first elected speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; he would hold the post for a record 17 years, spanning three separate terms.

In 1966, the Metropolitan Opera officially opened its new opera house at New York’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts with the world premiere of Samuel Barber’s “Antony and Cleopatra.”

In 1974, President Gerald R. Ford signed a proclamation announcing a conditional amnesty program for Vietnam war deserters and draft evaders.

In 2007, O.J. Simpson was arrested in the alleged armed robbery of sports memorabilia collectors in Las Vegas. (Simpson was later convicted of kidnapping and armed robbery and sentenced to nine to 33 years in prison; he was released in 2017.)

In 2013, Aaron Alexis, a former U.S. Navy reservist, went on a shooting rampage inside the Washington Navy Yard, killing 12 people before being fatally shot police.

In 2018, at least 17 people were confirmed dead from Hurricane Florence as catastrophic flooding spread across the Carolinas.

Today’s Birthdays:

• Actor George Chakiris is 93.
• Actor Ed Begley Jr. is 76.
• Author-historian-filmmaker Henry Louis Gates Jr. is 75.
• Country singer David Bellamy (The Bellamy Brothers) is 75.
• Actor Mickey Rourke is 73.
• Jazz musician Earl Klugh is 72.
• TV personality Mark McEwen is 71.
• Baseball Hall of Famer Robin Yount is 70.
• Magician David Copperfield is 69.
• Actor Jennifer Tilly is 67.
• Retired MLB All-Star pitcher Orel Hershiser is 67.
• Baseball Hall of Famer Tim Raines is 66.
• Singer Richard Marx is 62.
• Comedian Molly Shannon is 61.
• Singer Marc Anthony is 57.
• News anchor/talk show host Tamron Hall is 55.
• Comedian-actor Amy Poehler is 54.
• Singer-songwriter Musiq Soulchild is 48.
• Rapper Flo Rida is 46.
• Actor Alexis Bledel is 44.
• Actor Madeline Zima is 40.
• Actor Max Minghella is 40.
• Rock singer-musician Nick Jonas (The Jonas Brothers) is 33.
• Actor Chase Stokes is 33.
• Golfer Bryson Dechambeau is 32.

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has approved one of President Donald Trump’s top economic advisers for a seat on the Federal Reserve’s governing board, giving the White House greater influence over the central bank just two days before it is expected to vote in favor of reducing its key interest rate.

The vote to confirm Stephen Miran was largely along party lines, 48-47. He was approved by the Senate Banking Committee last week with all Republicans voting in favor and all Democrats opposed.

Miran’s nomination has sparked concerns about the Fed’s longtime independence from day-to-day politics after he said during a committee hearing earlier this month that he would keep his job as chair of the White House’s Council of Economic Advisers, though would take unpaid leave. Senate Democrats have said such an approach is incompatible with an independent Fed.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said ahead of the vote that Miran “has no independence” and would be “nothing more than Donald Trump’s mouthpiece at the Fed.”

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Miran is completing an unexpired term that ends in January, after Adriana Kugler unexpectedly stepped down from the board Aug. 1. He said if he is appointed to a longer term he would resign from his White House job. Previous presidents have appointed advisers to the Fed, including former chair Ben Bernanke, who served in president George W. Bush’s administration. But Bernanke and others left their White House jobs when joining the board.

Miran said during his Sept. 4 hearing that, if confirmed, “I will act independently, as the Federal Reserve always does, based on my own personal analysis of economic data.”

Last year, Miran criticized what he called the “revolving door” of officials between the White House and the Fed, in a paper he co-wrote with Daniel Katz for the conservative Manhattan Institute. Katz is now chief of staff at the Treasury Department.

Miran’s approval arrives as Trump’s efforts to shape the Fed have been dealt a setback elsewhere. He has sought to fire Fed governor Lisa Cook, who was appointed by former President Joe Biden to a term that ends in 2038. Cook sued to block the firing and won a first round in federal court, after a judge ruled the Trump administration did not have proper cause to remove her.

The administration appealed the ruling, but an appeals court rejected that request late Monday.

Members of the Fed’s board vote on all its interest rate decisions, and also oversee the nation’s financial system.

The jockeying around the Fed is occurring as the economy is entering an uncertain and difficult period. Inflation remains stubbornly above the central bank’s 2% target, though it hasn’t risen as much as many economists feared when Trump first imposed sweeping tariffs on nearly all imports. The Fed typically would raise borrowing costs, or at least keep them elevated, to combat worsening inflation.

At the same time, hiring has weakened considerably and the unemployment rate rose last month to a still-low 4.3%. The central bank often takes the opposite approach when unemployment rises, cutting rates to spur more borrowing, spending and growth.

Economists forecast the Fed will reduce its key rate after its two-day meeting ends Wednesday, to about 4.1% from 4.3%. Trump has demanded much deeper cuts.

Scott Frost must be a fan of suspense because the UCF coach isn’t willing to tip his hand when it comes to who will start at quarterback for the Knights against visiting North Carolina on Saturday.

There is good news, however, as the Knights could have the services of injured quarterback Cam Fancher.

“He’s cleared to practice,” Frost said on Monday. “I don’t know how close he is to 100% yet. We’ll figure that out as the week goes along.”

Fancher opened the season as the starting quarterback but has been out of action since suffering an injury at the start of the second quarter of the season opener against Jacksonville State. He was replaced by Tayven Jackson, who led the Knights to wins over the Gamecocks and North Carolina A&T.

Jackson has completed 64% (29 of 45) of his passes for 471 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also rushed for two scores in the win over the Aggies.

Pro Football Focus has Jackson graded (74.6) as the 10th-best quarterback in the Big 12 behind such players as Cincinnati’s Brendan Sorsby (92.1), TCU’s Josh Hoover (91.2) and Texas Tech’s Behren Morton (86.1).

Fancher, meanwhile, was 5 of 9 for 32 yards while also rushing for 39 yards on 4 carries.

Jackson and Fancher were part of a three-man quarterback competition along with Jacurri Brown throughout spring and fall camps. Brown also saw action in UCF’s win over the Aggies, rushing for 106 yards and two touchdowns in 16 snaps.

Frost has noted that Jackson has made significant progress during his brief time as quarterback, particularly in two key areas.

“The grit and toughness that he’s played with since he got another chance and his preparation last week was a lot better than I’d seen before,” said Frost. “He needs to keep doing those things.”

UCF turns focus to North Carolina with thoughts on ailing coach

What is UCF expecting from UNC’s defense?

North Carolina coach Bill Belichick established a reputation for having one of the toughest defenses in the NFL during his tenure as head coach of the New England Patriots. After three games, the Tar Heels rank 53rd in the nation in scoring defense (19 points per game) and 69th in total defense (337 yards per game).

“They’re big; they’re physical,” Frost said. “They’re multiple and they’ve got really smart guys between [defensive coordinator] Steve [Belichick] and Bill and others running the show, so it’s going to be a challenge for us.”

The Knights are coming off season-highs in scoring (68 points) and total offense (560 yards) against North Carolina A&T. The team ranks in the top 25 in scoring (42.5 ppg.), rushing offense (232 yards) and total offense (491 yards).

“He’s [Bill Belichick] going to try to take away what you do best in every game and it’s going to look a little different in every game,” Frost said. “And because of that, we need to be ready against multiple things and be ready to adjust during the game.”

UCF softball coach Cindy Ball-Malone agrees to contract extension

How does UCF plan to distribute the ball among Jaden Nixon and Myles Montgomery?

UCF is coming off a season-high 356 rushing yards against North Carolina A&T. Still, the majority of those yards were by running back Nixon (156) and quarterback Brown (106) on 11 combined carries.

Montgomery, meanwhile, has the bulk of the carries (29) but has just 114 total yards.

Frost looks forward to giving both Nixon and Montgomery plenty of chances to carry the ball against the Tar Heels.

“Hopefully, we have the ball a lot so we get a lot of chances to give it to them,” Frost said.

What is the status of safety Jayden Williams?

The Knights could have the injured redshirt senior back against the Tar Heels on Saturday, at least according to Frost.

“He’s going to be able to be ready to go. He’s probably going to have a small splint on his thumb, but nothing that will hinder him from playing the way he can play,” said Frost.

Williams started the opener against Jacksonville State and came up with a crucial stop on a fourth-and-inches late in the fourth quarter, but he suffered a small fracture in his thumb that kept him out of the North Carolina A&T game.

The Florida native arrived in the offseason via the transfer portal after spending four seasons at FAU.

Redshirt junior Demari Henderson stepped up in his absence, registering three tackles.

UCF enters the game relatively healthy after a bye week.

“There is nothing really new to report. As far as long-term injuries, we’ve got some, some bruises and nicks like everybody else, but we’re expecting everybody to be ready,” added Frost.

Find me on X, Bluesky or Instagram @osmattmurschel. Email: mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com. Sign up for the Sentinel’s Knights Weekly newsletter for a roundup of all our UCF coverage.

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER

WASHINGTON (AP) — An appeals court ruled Monday that Lisa Cook can remain a Federal Reserve governor, rebuffing President Donald Trump’s efforts to remove her just ahead of a key vote on interest rates.

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The Trump administration is expected to quickly turn to the Supreme Court in a last-ditch bid to unseat Cook. The Fed’s next two-day meeting to consider its next interest rate move begins Tuesday morning. And Cook’s lawsuit seeking to permanently block her firing must still make its way through the courts.

The White House campaign to unseat Cook marks an unprecedented bid to reshape the Fed’s seven-member governing board, which was designed to be largely independent from day-to-day politics. No president has fired a sitting Fed governor in the agency’s 112-year history.

Separately, Senate Republicans on Monday confirmed Stephen Miran, Trump’s nominee to an open spot on the Fed’s board. Barring any last-minute intervention from the Supreme Court, the Fed’s interest rate setting committee will meet Tuesday and Wednesday with all seven governors and the 12 regional bank presidents.

Twelve of those 19 officials will vote on changing the central bank’s short-term rate: All seven governors plus five regional presidents, who vote on a rotating basis.

Chair Jerome Powell signaled in a high-profile speech last month the Fed would likely cut its key rate at this meeting, from about 4.3% to 4.1%. Other borrowing costs, such as mortgage rates and car loans, have already declined in anticipation of the cut and could move lower.

Trump sought to fire Cook Aug. 25, but a federal judge ruled last week that the removal was illegal and reinstated her to the Fed’s board. Trump appointee Bill Pulte has accused Cook of mortgage fraud because she appeared to claim two properties as “primary residences” in July 2021, before she joined the board. Such claims can lead to a lower mortgage rate and smaller down payment than if one of them was declared as a rental property or second home. Cook has denied the charges.

In a 2-1 decision, the appeals court found that Cook’s due process rights were violated because the administration did not give her a formal opportunity to respond to the charges.

The attempt to fire Cook is seen by many legal scholars as a threat to erode the Fed’s longtime political independence. Economists prefer independent central banks because they can do unpopular things like lifting interest rates to combat inflation more easily than elected officials.

Many economists worry that if the Fed falls under the control of the White House, it will keep its key interest rate lower than justified by economic fundamentals to satisfy Trump’s demands for cheaper borrowing. That could accelerate inflation and could also push up longer-term interest rates, such as those on mortgages and car loans. Investors may demand a higher yield to own bonds to offset greater inflation in the future, lifting borrowing costs for the U.S. government and the entire economy.

Separately, Miran chairs the White House’s Council of Economic Advisers and said earlier this month he would take unpaid leave but otherwise keep his job while serving on the Fed’s board. It will be the first time in decades that an executive branch official has served at the Fed.

Miran has been appointed to finish a term that expires in January, but he could remain in the seat if no replacement is chosen.

Cook has denied any wrongdoing and has not been charged with a crime. According to documents obtained by The Associated Press, Cook did specify that her Atlanta condo would be a “vacation home,” according to a loan estimate she obtained in May 2021. And in a form seeking a security clearance, she described it as a “2nd home.” Both documents appear to undercut the administration’s claims of fraud.

Last week, U.S. District Court Judge Jia Cobb ruled that the administration had not satisfied a legal requirement that Fed governors can only be fired “for cause,” which she said was limited to misconduct while in office. Cook did not join the Fed’s board until 2022.

In their emergency appeal, Trump’s lawyers argued that even if the conduct occurred before her time as governor, her alleged action “indisputably calls into question Cook’s trustworthiness and whether she can be a responsible steward of the interest rates and economy.”

Trump has repeatedly attacked Powell and the other members of the Fed’s interest-rate setting committee for not cutting the short-term interest rate they control more quickly. Trump has said he thinks it should be as low as 1.3%, a level that no Fed official and few economists support.

Cook is the first Black woman to serve as a Fed governor. She was a Marshall Scholar and received degrees from Oxford University and Spelman College, and prior to joining the board she taught at Michigan State University and Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

By WILL WEISSERT and STEVE KARNOWSKI

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump claimed Monday that he would have ordered flags lowered to half-staff following the assassination of a Minnesota Democratic state lawmaker this summer had he been asked by the state’s governor. But Trump at the time refused to even call Democratic Gov. Tim Walz to express his condolences, saying it would only “waste time.”

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Trump made the remark during an unrelated Oval Office event as he defended his decision to lower U.S. flags after last week’s slaying of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

After announcing that he was deploying the National Guard to Memphis, Trump was asked Monday why he signed an order lowering flags nationwide after Kirk’s killing during an event in Utah, but didn’t do so after former Democratic state House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot and killed in June.

Trump replied, “Well, if the governor had asked me to do that, I would have done that.”

“But the governor of Minnesota didn’t ask me,” the president said.

He continued, “I wouldn’t have thought of that. But I would have if somebody had asked me,” and added: “Had the governor asked me to do that, I would have done that gladly.”

Walz’s spokesperson did not immediately comment on the president’s remarks.

But Walz tweeted a video call for unity on Monday evening that featured references to Hortman’s assassination and the recent shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic church that killed two students and injured 21 people. The video included feel-good scenes from the recent Minnesota State Fair but didn’t mention Kirk.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks outside the Annunciation Catholic School following a shooting Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

“The world feels crazy right now, but we won’t lose hope. We will get through this, together,” Walz said.

Trump’s assertions omitted the fact that — days after Hortman and her husband were shot dead in their home in the northern Minneapolis suburbs — the president was asked if he’d be calling Walz. Trump suggested that doing so would “waste time.”

Presidents often reach out to governors, mayors and other elected officials at times of tragedy, such as after mass killings or natural disasters, to offer condolences and, if needed, federal assistance. But Trump said then that Walz, the Democratic vice presidential nominee against Trump in last year’s election, was “slick.”

“I think the governor of Minnesota is so whacked out. I’m not calling him. Why would I call him?” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One in June. He then added, “The guy doesn’t have a clue” and “he’s a mess. So, you know, I could be nice and call him but why waste time?”

Teddy Tschann, a spokesperson for Walz, responded at the time with a statement saying, “Governor Walz wishes that President Trump would be a President for all Americans, but this tragedy isn’t about Trump or Walz.”

Trump also said Monday that he planned to attend Kirk’s funeral this weekend in Arizona and added that he’d likely be speaking.

“I guess I’ll say a few words, I don’t know,” he said. “But I guess I will.”

Karnowski reported from Minneapolis.

General Daily Insight for September 16, 2025

The satisfying kind of exhaustion awaits us at today’s end. An awkward quincunx between messenger Mercury in Virgo and sensitive Chiron in Aries could stir up complicated conversations, though the addition of a trine from Venus to Chiron should ensure we all sand the sharpest edges off of our words. Alert Mars in Libra will then oppose careful Chiron at 11:47 am EDT, forcing each of us to get serious about finally moving beyond old aches. Messy emotions can be handled to our benefit.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

Healing sometimes requires action. Wildfire Mars is reaching out from your links zone to oppose Chiron in your own sign, which could result in someone saying or doing something that touches a sore spot for you — whether they mean it or not. Instead of trying to ignore or avoid them, consider embracing the thought and genuinely work through whatever issues are dragging you down. It might be awkward in the moment, but your future self will thank you for making the effort today.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

Something might set you off at any moment. Fiery Mars in your routine 6th house is filling your plate with potential, but the Martian opposition to Chiron in your hidden 12th house may bring up old drama or forgotten wounds. It could be tough to swallow! This might feel like an emotional detour or a bit of an unnecessary problem, but don’t just push it to the side. Take a bite and move forward! You could finish something that’s been holding you back for ages.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

Don’t forget about other people, Gemini. While the presence of Mars is heating up your 5th House of Fun, tempting you to pursue solely your own pleasures, there’s more to life than that. Mars is emboldening Chiron in your 11th House of Community, simultaneously nudging you to include others in your plans. If you only think about yourself, you might wind up stepping on a few toes or rubbing people the wrong way. Think ahead in order to save yourself from future hassles.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

Take everything with a grain of salt, Cancer. You’re possibly feeling some unusual intensity while red-hot Mars works out in your temperamental 4th house. Hold on! Mars is opposing Chiron in your 10th House of Expertise, reminding you that your feelings are not fact. Take a step back from things if you start to feel overwhelmed or too wrapped up in a situation, and remember that nothing is permanent. A difficult moment or two during one day will not be with you forever.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

The world isn’t big enough today! The galaxy is offering tons of ways to occupy your mind with Mars in your verbose 3rd house. Additionally, Mars is egging on Chiron in your risky 9th house, showing you the benefits of moving beyond what you already know. Instead of distracting yourself with the same old things, intentionally bring a sense of newness into your life. That can lift any heaviness from your shoulders as you spread your wings and take flight into the future.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

Feeling taken advantage of is an unfortunate possibility under today’s complicated skies. A tense opposition between Mars and Chiron across your security and intimacy sectors could leave you feeling like you need to bend over backward for other people. Remember that the word ‘no’ is a complete sentence! If you continually let others take advantage of you, eventually, you’ll become part of the problem. Don’t expect everyone to have ulterior motives, but don’t be a doormat, either. Stand strong in your power.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

Your opinion is only part of the puzzle. You’re definitely in the driver’s seat while action planet Mars marches through your 1st House of Self. That said, its opposition to Chiron in your 7th House of Unions will remind you that other people are involved in this situation. Perhaps a friend will set a new boundary, though this could also be about some repairs to a romantic relationship. One thing is certain: there’s nothing to be gained by shutting out your loved ones.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

Your energy levels may feel all but non-existent at the moment. You’re likely in a decidedly chill mood while warrior Mars is in your peaceful 12th house, but watch out for when Mars shoves Chiron in your responsible 6th house! A few outstanding issues might start pounding at your door. Pay attention to your energy levels, because if you push too hard, you could burn out in the process. That won’t be fun or productive! Make an effort to be considerate of your needs.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

Don’t lose sight of yourself. It’s hard to ignore the people around you while Mars is in your 11th House of Associations, pushing you to connect with others near and far. On the other hand, the argument between Mars and sensitive Chiron in your 5th House of Hobbies prompts you to nurture yourself as well. Misplacing your natural needs can happen without warning when everyone else is chattering around you, so make a point of listening to your gut during any gatherings.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

Your emotions may present unpredictable stumbling blocks. You are primed to focus on your ambitions while Mars is lighting a fire in your 10th House of Drive, but the Martian opposition to Chiron in your 4th House of Tenderness could leave you feeling rather delicate in a professional arena. If a peer points out something you missed or a situation where you could have performed better, try to avoid taking their commentary too personally. They could have valuable advice to share!

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Don’t push yourself too far all at once. You may want to explore as much of the world as you can while Mars tours your undaunted 9th house, but its opposition to Chiron in your local 3rd house could leave you feeling a bit daunted by the prospect. It’s okay to play it small for the time being and move at your own pace. You can get back to bigger adventures under gentler skies. You’re allowed to stay home for a while!

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

What’s missing, Pisces? If you feel an unnamable sense of lack, it may be due to the tough opposition between Mars in your 8th House of Shared Resources and Chiron in your 2nd House of Material Security. This cosmic kerfuffle could leave you struggling to meet certain needs. However, this may turn out to be an overreaction or unnecessary anxiety, so do your best to analyze the facts before you get too worried. You may have everything you need; you just couldn’t see it before.

By DUSAN STOJANOVIC

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic is escalating his crackdown on protests that have shaken his populist rule in recent months. What began as a small, student-led campaign against corruption has snowballed into one of the most turbulent protest waves in the Balkan country in a quarter of a century.

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Rights groups and Vucic’s political opponents have warned of increasingly brutal tactics aimed at silencing a movement that has become the biggest challenge yet to his decade-long grip on power.

Last week, tanks rolled through the capital, Belgrade, in preparation for a military parade on Sept. 20. If the parade becomes a flashpoint for unrest, protesters fear the military could remain on the streets.

Vucic’s nationalist background

Vucic has ruled Serbia for more than a decade, reshaping its politics while drawing accusations of corruption and authoritarianism.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic pose for a photo during their meeting at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025. (Alexander Kazakov,Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

He began his political career in the 1990s as a hardline nationalist in the Serbian Radical Party, becoming information minister under the late Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic. He was notorious for his calls to punish independent media and his wartime rhetoric against Serbia’s neighbors which he maintains to this day.

Serbia was defeated in the wars in the Balkans, Milosevic was ousted by a wave of protests in October 2000, and Vucic reinvented himself as a pro-European reformer. He co-founded the Serbian Progressive Party, which promised modernization and EU integration, but he consolidated his power through populism, control of the media, and a tight grip on state institutions.

How the latest unrest started

On Nov. 1, 2024, a canopy collapsed at the railway station in the northern city of Novi Sad, killing at least 16 people. The tragedy, tied to a Chinese-backed renovation project, sparked outrage over alleged state-run corruption and negligence.

University students were the first to protest, blocking traffic every Friday for 15 minutes in memory of the dead.

But the anger over corruption quickly resonated beyond campuses, drawing crowds of ordinary citizens frustrated with rising costs of living and a sense of impunity among ruling-party elites.

Protesters now demand accountability, transparency, and early elections.

Why the protests turned violent

At first, the demonstrations were peaceful marches and sit-ins. But tensions rose when authorities deployed riot police, plainclothes officers and even shady parapolice units, led by soccer hooligans loyal to Vucic, to disperse the gatherings with batons, sticks and flares.

Led by university students, people attend a protest against increasing police brutality in Belgrade, Serbia, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

Protesters reported beatings, arbitrary arrests, and the use of tear gas, stun grenades and sonic devices — tactics that rights groups have condemned as brutal and excessive.

The harsh response from the authorities has fueled defiance. Students have escalated their actions by blocking major intersections, occupying university halls, and staging sit-ins outside state institutions. Each new crackdown has drawn more people into the streets, creating a cycle of confrontation.

And while previous waves of protests petered out over a disputed property development, allegations of stolen elections and two mass shootings, this time the protests have built up over time. Crucially, they spread beyond Belgrade to dozens of cities and small towns across the country.

Vucic’s response

Vucic has repeatedly branded the student protesters as “terrorists” who are working in conjunction with Western powers to remove him from office, without presenting any evidence. Although he has called for a dialogue with the students, he has refused to call early elections and warned of an even harsher response to the protests.

Students flatly rejected the offer of talks before early elections. In response to the student demands, authorities sacked more than 100 teachers, professors and deans and replaced them with Vucic’s loyalists.

While some schools have reopened with new staff, others have remained closed, especially some of the university faculties.

A strategic position between East and West

While under intense domestic pressure, Vucic continued projecting Serbia’s foreign diplomacy as balanced, managing complex relations with both the European Union and his authoritarian allies, most notably Russia.

Serbian army helicopters MI-35 fly over the city ahead of a military parade scheduled for Sept. 20 in the Serbian capital Belgrade, Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

He attended a summit on Sept.1 with leaders from China, Russia, North Korea and Iran, where he said he received their support in dealing with the protests at home. He has also refused to join international sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

However, he has also made no move to block Serbian exports of weapons to Ukraine and earlier this year, he made his first-ever visit to Kyiv, signaling a willingness to engage with Western-aligned nations.

Serbia has been a candidate for EU membership since 2012, but negotiations have made slow progress.

Europe’s muted reaction

Vucic’s tenure is marked by a centralization of power, suppression of dissent, and tight control over the media, drawing scrutiny from human rights organizations.

He has openly advocated the closure of the last remaining independent TV outlets, N1 and Nova, or a purge of reporters and management. He has called them liars for their coverage of the protests, although they mainly broadcast live, with minimal intervention from editors or commentators.

Analysts and opposition groups argue that Europe must increase the pressure on Serbia to prevent its further democratic erosion.

EU officials have warned Vucic that progress toward EU membership depends on meeting certain standards, including reforms in the judiciary, media freedoms and fight against corruption.

A Serbian Army soldier prepares ahead of a military parade scheduled for Sept. 20 in the Serbian capital Belgrade, Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

At a time when Europe is dealing with the repercussions of Russia’s war in Ukraine, the EU has so far shown little willingness to confront Vucic and his government.

The Serbian opposition and some EU lawmakers believe the EU’s reaction has been too timid because officials believe Vucic is the only one who can preserve peace in a region still reeling from a series of wars in the 1990s that left over 100,000 people dead and millions homeless.

High stakes

The anti-graft rallies have become more than just a fight against corruption. They are now a direct challenge to Vucic’s heavy-handed rule, with demonstrators demanding free elections, independent judiciary and accountability for police violence.

With neither side showing signs of backing down, Serbia faces a deepening political crisis and the risk of further unrest and even bloodshed.

Jovana Gec in Belgrade contributed to this report.

Florida State football coach Mike Norvell shared encouraging news Monday morning, and friends and family of Ethan Pritchard were equally relieved. The freshman linebacker, who is recovering from a gunshot wound suffered two weeks ago, opened his eyes Sunday for the first time since undergoing surgery on the night of Aug. 31.

“I went by there this morning and there has been progress,” Norvell said during his scheduled weekly press conference ahead of Saturday game against Kent State. “Yesterday, he opened his eyes. It was something that was emotional for everybody to be honest with you.

“There’s still a long part of his process moving forward, but it puts all things in perspective, the appreciation of a blink. He’s fighting, his family is there, so very supportive.”

Pritchard has been constantly surrounded by family members, most notably his father Ethan Pritchard, who sleeps in Ethan’s room at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital. Other family members have been staying in Tallahassee hotels.

FSU’s Ethan Pritchard of Sanford is critical but stable in ICU after Sunday night shooting

Pritchard, 18, who signed with FSU out of Sanford Seminole High in December and enrolled at the school in January, has been mostly sedated by doctors since his surgery, according to people close to him.

Bert Whigham, Pritchard’s trainer and manager, was in Tallahassee on Monday and was able to accompany Earl Pritchard to visit with Ethan.

“It’s such a blessing. He had his eyes open yesterday and he was able to blink, and even today,” Whigham said. “The doctors wanted him to rest a little more so they had his meds up, but his dad said to him, ‘Hey Ethan, it’s me and Bert. Would you show him you are with us and can you blink for me?’

“His eyes were kinda closed, but he blinked, and he said, ‘Can you do it again for me?’ and he did it again.”

Whigham, who is also a Seminole High grad and runs the Draft Academy Sports Performance Training Center in Winter Park, has worked with Pritchard for a number of years and knows the family well.

“You become family with these kids and their families, and it’s been hard on everyone to have this news,” Whigham said. “To see this for myself … it’s just incredible.”

Pritchard was shot in the back of the head while driving his car, giving his aunt and young cousin a ride after a family gathering in Havana on the night of Aug. 31. Police have said they think it was a case of mistaken identity and four people were arrested Thursday in connection with the shooting.

FDLE: Four arrests made in connection with shooting of FSU linebacker Ethan Pritchard of Sanford

 

Norvell also said on Monday:

“We’re called on this earth to love one another. There’s going to be plenty of differences and plenty of things that we all have, but to be able to — and it’s a challenge to me and a challenge to everybody that’s out there — is to be the example,” Norvell said. “We’re all going to have our faults, have our differences, but to just love one another and to be able to work and be a part of the good that’s out there, because there are too many things that are happening.

“The value of life and the appreciation of what we’re able to do on this earth is special.”

Whigham said the support from FSU and the community has been “amazing.”

“Florida State is doing everything, going above and beyond what I have ever seen a university do for one of its athletes and the family in such an extreme situation,” Whigham said. “Ethan has plenty of support. Every time I’m there he has multiple family members around him.

“Florida State and Tallahassee Memorial Hospital have been great, and Ethan is trending up.”

Pritchard was a standout linebacker for Seminole High and was the No. 7-ranked prospect in the Sentinel’s 2025 Central Florida Super60.

Chris Hays can be found on X.com @OS_ChrisHays.

By NICHOLAS RICCARDI and KONSTANTIN TOROPIN

Vice President JD Vance on Monday jumped onto the conservative movement demanding consequences for those who have cheered Charlie Kirk’s killing, calling on the public to turn in anyone who says distasteful things about the assassination of his friend and political ally.

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“When you see someone celebrating Charlie’s murder, call them out,” Vance urged listeners on the slain activist’s podcast Monday. “And hell, call their employer.”

Vance’s call also included a vow to target some of the biggest funders of liberal causes as conservatives stepped up their targeting of private individuals for their comments about the killing. It marked an escalation in a campaign that some warned invoked some of the darkest chapters of American history.

“The government involvement in this does inch this closer to looking like McCarthyism,” said Adam Goldstein of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, referring to the 1950s campaign to root out communists that led to false allegations and ruined careers. “It was not a shining moment for free expression.”

Campaign broadens to those who quote Kirk critically

Republican-controlled states such as Florida, Oklahoma and Texas have launched investigations of teachers accused of inappropriate statements after last week’s assassination. The U.S. military has invited members of the public to report those who “celebrate or mock” the killing and said some troops have already been removed for their comments.

At the same time, the Trump administration has vowed to target what it contends is a “vast” liberal network that inspired the shooter, even as authorities maintain it appears he acted alone and the investigation is ongoing.

The campaign has broadened to include even those whose statements were critical of Kirk without celebrating his assassination.

The Washington Post fired Karen Attiah, an opinion columnist, for posts on the day of the shooting that lamented how “white America” was not ready to solve gun violence and that quoted Kirk denigrating the intelligence of prominent Black women such as Michelle Obama.

PEN America, a press freedom group, warned in a statement that firings like Attiah’s “risk creating a chilling effect.”

Goldstein worried there were many cases of people targeted for simply quoting Kirk or failing to mourn his passing adequately. “That’s one of the key symptoms of cancel culture,” he said. “Trying to paint everyone with the same brush.”

Conservatives coined the term cancel culture for what they claimed was persecution of those on the right for their views, especially related to the COVID-19 pandemic and Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, leading to campaigns to get regular people fired.

It was a significant cause for President Donald Trum p, who pledged to end it during his campaign last year. But after the Kirk killing, he and his administration have instead leaned into it from the right.

A hero to conservatives, a provocateur to many Democrats

A father of two and a Christian conservative, Kirk was a hero to many Trump Republicans for his fiery warnings about the dangers of Democrats and ability to organize young voters. But Kirk also was a provocateur and supporter of Trump’s attempt to overturn his 2020 election loss who left a long record of partisan quips that enraged many on the left.

“According to Kirk, empathy is a made-up new-age term, so keep the jokes coming. It’s what he would have wanted,” read one post on X that Melvin Villaver Jr., a Clemson University music professor, re-posted the day of the killing, according to a screenshot circulated by college Republicans demanding his firing. Clemson eventually fired one staffer and suspended Villaver and another professor after intense pressure from elected South Carolina Republican officials.

Other targeted posters, such as Army Lt. Col. Christopher Ladnier, simply quoted Kirk on the day of his assassination. This included Kirk calling the Civil Rights Act a “beast” that “has now turned into an anti-white weapon,” his criticism of Martin Luther King Jr. and his statement that some gun deaths are the cost of a robust Second Amendment.

Ladnier, who has been targeted by conservative activists online, said in a Facebook message to The Associated Press that he would respond “when/if” his chain of command takes action.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott approvingly posted a video of a Texas Tech University student who was arrested Friday after a confrontation at a campus vigil for Kirk, writing: “This is what happened to the person who was mocking Charlie Kirk’s assassination at Texas Tech.”

Some people targeted have been victims of mistaken identity.

A school district in rural Elkhorn, Wisconsin, reported receiving more than 800 messages after one conservative influencer mistakenly identified an associate principal at an elementary school as celebrating Kirk’s death.

Top Republicans vow to go after ‘domestic terrorist network’

Authorities say Kirk was shot by 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who grew up in a conservative household in southern Utah but was enmeshed in “leftist ideology,” according to the state’s Republican governor, Spencer Cox.

Cox said investigators may reveal more about what motivated the attack after Robinson’s initial court appearance, scheduled for Tuesday. The governor said the suspect, who allegedly carved memes onto his bullet casings, appeared radicalized by the “dark corners of the internet.”

On Monday, Vance was joined on Kirk’s podcast by Stephen Miller, Trump’s deputy chief of staff, who vowed to crack down on what he called the “vast domestic terrorist network” he blamed for Kirk’s death.

Alluding to free speech concerns, Vance said: “You have the crazies on the far left that say, ’Oh, Stephen Miller and JD Vance, they’re going to go after constitutionally protected speech.’”

But he added: “No no no! We’re going to go after the NGO network that foments, facilitates and engages in violence,” — a reference to non-governmental organizations.

The White House did not immediately return a request seeking clarity on the remarks, including which groups might be targeted.

The idea of a retribution campaign against individuals or groups for expressing a particular viewpoint has alarmed many.

“Just having that ideology, just believing differently than some other American is not illegal,” Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma said on CNN on Sunday.

Instead, he said any groups that have been involved in illegal or violent acts should be targeted.

Killing as a pretext to go after political rivals

On Kirk’s show, Vance talked about the need for unity after the assassination, but then dismissed it as impossible given what he described as the left’s embrace of political violence. Naming two foundations that fund a wide range of liberal causes, Vance said: “There is no unity with the people who fund these articles, who pay the salaries of these terrorist sympathizers.”

Democratic officials have roundly condemned Kirk’s murder. Democrats also have been victims of political violence recently, including the June assassination of the speaker of the Minnesota House and her husband, and the 2022 beating of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband in their San Francisco home.

Caitlin Legacki of Stop Government Censorship, formed to fight the Trump administration’s use of government against its political rivals, said it was one thing for people making abhorrent statements to face consequences.

“When we get concerned is when there appears to be a concerted effort in the government to use this tragedy to punish political opponents,” she said.

Associated Press writers Collin Binkley and Chris Megerian in Washington; Meg Kinnard in Chapin, South Carolina; Juan Lozano in Houston, and Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City contributed to this report.

Twelve more people, including eight South Floridians, were charged for their role in a scheme that sold thousands of fake diplomas to aspiring nurses across the country — nearly three years after federal authorities first announced charges against others.

Then-U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe announced in January 2023 that more than 7,000 people purchased fraudulent nursing diplomas and transcripts from for-profit nursing schools in Florida, including Siena College in Lauderhill, Sacred Heart International Institute in Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach School of Nursing in Palm Beach County.

The aspiring nurses who purchased the fake credentials used them to qualify for national exams, allowing those who passed to be come eligible for licenses and to be employed in nursing jobs despite never having taken the required courses and clinicals. Diplomas on average were sold for $15,000, the scheme garnering a total of about $114 million.

In “Phase I” of the investigation in 2023, 30 people, including at least eight South Florida residents, were charged and convicted by entering a plea or at trial. As of Monday, some of the additional 12 cases have been scheduled for sentencing or trial while one person has been sentenced to 13 months in federal prison, federal prosecutors said in a news release.

Among the South Florida residents whose cases were announced Monday are:

• Carleen Noreus, 51, of Broward County, who was the president of Carleen Home Health School, Inc. in Plantation and vice president of Carleen Home Health School II, Inc. in West Palm Beach. Her trial is set to begin Dec. 1.
• Patrick Buchanan, 40, of Broward County, who was the owner, registered agent and manager of Sigma Institute of Health Careers, Inc. in Lauderhill. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and will be sentenced Nov. 19.
• Gilbert Hyppolite, 73, of Palm Beach County, who was the owner of Techni-Pro Institute LLC in Boca Raton. He is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
• Irene Matthews, 55, of Palm Beach County, who was the registered agent of Agape Academy of Sciences, LLC. in Delray Beach. She is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
• Lemuel Pierre, 56, of Broward County, who was the owner of Med-Life Enterprise, Inc. in Lauderdale Lakes. He is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
• Joel Lubin, 51, of Miami-Dade County, who was the registered agent and administrator of Ideal Professional Institute, Inc. in Miami Gardens. He is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
• Jose Napoleon, 40, of Palm Beach County, who was the director of admissions for Azure College, Inc. in Fort Lauderdale. He is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
• Victor Escalante Zerpa, 68, of Miami-Dade County, who incorporated Academus University Corp. in Coral Gables. He is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
• Stephanie Dorisca, 57, of Broward County, was the Head of Nursing at Techni-Pro Institute LLC. She is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

About 2,400 of the more than 7,000 students who purchased the fake credentials eventually passed their licensing exams — mainly in New York. Nurses certified in New York are allowed to practice in Florida and many other states. Those who purchased the documents were not likely to be criminally charged, federal officials said in 2023 when charges were announced.