South Florida Local News

Here are the top stories for Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. Get the weather forecast for today here.

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Florida GOP senator proposes bill to allow Broward hospital districts to partner

Sheriff warns Deerfield Beach on cutting ties, offers to pay for separate study

‘Very cool!’: The story behind Palm Beach Frozen Iguanas baseball and how to get your hands on new gear

Weekend things to do: Chris Stapleton, Ailey II, ‘UpDating,’ Boca Raton Seafood Festival

Seeing green: Fort Lauderdale takes on challenge of planting 276,000 trees by 2040

Dolphins have four finalists for GM search as team moves quickly through interviews

Ticket alert: Fort Lauderdale Orchid Society Show and Sale returns this weekend

From AI to property taxes, here are 10 Florida legislative issues to watch

House takes step toward extending Affordable Care Act subsidies, overpowering GOP leadership

Miss Manners: Is there a proper way to indicate I accept the ghosting?

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Tre Donaldson scored 21 points, and Malik Reneau added 18 as Miami survived a late-game surge to beat Wake Forest 81-77 on Wednesday.

Donaldson shot 7 of 10 from the field, dished out six assists, and went 6 of 6 at the free-throw line, including two free throws with nine seconds left to seal the win for the Hurricanes (13-2, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference). Reneau added six rebounds and made the tying free throw with 45 seconds remaining after Wake Forest briefly took the lead.

Miami led 39-38 at halftime but could never pull away in a second half that featured nine ties and six lead changes. The Hurricanes reclaimed control late behind Donaldson, who scored or assisted on four of Miami’s final five field goals.

Shelton Henderson put Miami ahead for good with a tip-in layup with 26 seconds remaining after Reneau missed a 3-pointer. Wake Forest turned the ball over on its next possession and missed its final four free throws.

Ernest Udeh Jr. finished with 13 rebounds and 10 points for Miami, which shot 23 of 30 from the free-throw line.

Juke Harris scored 28 points to lead Wake Forest (10-6, 1-2), hitting four 3-pointers and making all eight of his free throws. Nate Calmese added 19 points, and Myles Colvin scored 13.

Cooper Schwieger scored the 1,000th point of his career on a mid-range floater with 7:41 left in the first half.

Up Next

Wake Forest travels to No. 18 UNC on Saturday.

Miami hosts Georgia Tech on Saturday.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

The Miami Dolphins’ general manager search that started Monday is already down to four finalists as of Wednesday night.

The Dolphins will have interim GM Champ Kelly, the Los Angeles Chargers’ Chad Alexander, the Green Bay Packers’ Jon-Eric Sullivan and San Francisco 49ers’ Josh Williams move on to in-person interviews this week.

That eliminates four other candidates who were interviewed remotely early this week: the 49ers’ Tariq Ahmad and RJ Gillen, the Philadelphia Eagles Alec Halaby and Los Angeles Rams’ John McKay.

Miami is clearly prioritizing a pair of qualities: executives coming from a scouting background and who are in prominent roles with winning organizations.

Aside from Kelly, who is the internal candidate and stepped up from senior personnel executive when the Dolphins fired ex-GM Chris Grier Oct. 31, the other three are with teams playing for the playoffs, which begin over the weekend.

Kelly was with the Denver Broncos when they built a Super Bowl-winning roster under John Elway in 2015. Between then and now, he has been with the Raiders and Bears.

Williams, director of scouting and football operations for the 49ers, has held his current title for two seasons. From 2022 to 2023, he was a national scout after five years (2017-21) as an area scout.

Sullivan has held the vice president of player personnel role in Green Bay since 2022. From 2018 through 2021, he was co-director of player personnel. Prior to that, he scouted the Southeast and Central Plains regions over eight years as a scout for the Packers.

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Alexander, who just arrived with the Chargers last year as assistant GM, spent the previous five seasons with the New York Jets as their director of player personnel and, before that, spent 20 seasons in Baltimore, mostly in the scouting department. Alexander became a known candidate Tuesday, after the other original list of seven was announced Monday.

The Dolphins’ search team includes owner Steve Ross, his son-in-law Daniel Silman, president and CEO Tom Garfinkel, senior VP of football and business administration Brandon Shore and Hall of Fame quarterbacks Dan Marino and Troy Aikman.

Coach Mike McDaniel, who remains in his role at the helm days after the end of the season, also said at his end-of-season, news conference, he is also involved, possibly to a limited extent.

Whoever lands the job will have a difficult task ahead of him to turn around a franchise that has gone 25 years without a playoff win. Miami is over the league’s projected salary cap next season, while having to find a way out from Tua Tagovailoa’s burdensome contract after the former franchise quarterback was benched late in the year.

This story will be updated.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump abruptly changed his tone Wednesday about his Colombian counterpart, Gustavo Petro, saying they had exchanged a friendly phone call and he’d even invited the leader of the South American country to the White House.

“It was a Great Honor to speak with the President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, who called to explain the situation of drugs and other disagreements that we have had,” Trump posted on his social media site. “I appreciated his call and tone, and look forward to meeting him in the near future.” He said that meeting would take place at the White House.

That came mere days after Trump said in the wake of the U.S. operation to oust Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro over the weekend that “Colombia is very sick too” and accused Petro of ”making cocaine and selling it to the United States.”

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In comments to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump added of Petro, “He’s not going to be doing it very long, let me tell you.” Asked whether U.S. intervention was possible, Trump responded, ”Sounds good to me.”

Trump now suddenly warming to Prieto is especially surprising since Colombia’s president called the U.S. operation in Venezuela an “abhorrent” violation of Latin American sovereignty and suggested it was committed by “enslavers” and constituted a “spectacle of death” comparable to Nazi Germany’s 1937 carpet bombing of Guernica, Spain.

Before Trump’s conciliatory post, tensions had been rising between the U.S. and Colombia for months.

The Trump administration imposed sanctions in October on Petro, his family and a member of his government over accusations of involvement in the global drug trade. Colombia is considered the epicenter of the world’s cocaine trade.

Trump began his monthslong pressure campaign on Maduro by ordering dozens of lethal strikes on alleged drug smuggling boats launched from Venezuela in the Caribbean. He eventually expanded the operations to also target suspected vessels in the eastern Pacific that came from Colombia.

The U.S. in September added Colombia, the top recipient of American assistance in the region, to a list of nations failing to cooperate in the drug war for the first time in almost 30 years. The designation led to a slashing of U.S. assistance to the country.

“He has cocaine mills and cocaine factories,” Trump said of Prieto on Sunday. “He’s not going to be doing it.”

General Daily Insight for January 08, 2026

Sharing is, indeed, caring! That may not feel true as the needy Moon opposes uncompromising Saturn — boundaries probably feel more restrictive than usual. Still, we can (and should) look for a middle ground. Once Luna glides into Libra at 7:05 PM EST, we’re reminded to lean toward fairness by choosing soft language that rebuilds trust. As evening unfolds, the pull between needs and rules softens. Listening first eases tension and helps plans click into place. Choose cooperative words to move stalled conversations forward.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

Your promises deserve fulfillment. Today, as the empathetic Moon enters your 7th House of Connections, you’re nudged to follow through on things you told people you’d do. In particular, any commitments to loved ones likely need your attention. Be willing to talk to them and make sure your ideas are compatible, especially if it’s been a while since you worked on the matter at hand. If someone seems guarded, move patiently and be honest about your motivations. Compassion can inspire others to meet you halfway.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

Morning patience leads to a softer evening. Your 6th House of Reliability receives the nurturing Moon, which is a great boost for simplifying routines to better pace yourself throughout each day. It may not feel like you’re doing a lot, but keep moving forward, step by step. In the future, you’ll be able to look back and see how each small step added up to take you somewhere amazing. Just keep your priorities in order! Choose sustainable actions to strengthen your confidence.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

When emotions seek balance, conversations grow kinder. Creative play brightens, and feelings gently soften as the Moon leaps into your 5th House of Affection. Your curious voice can turn a tense back-and-forth into a kind brainstorm by talking through personal misunderstandings to ensure everyone is actually having a good time. Focus on what feels fun! If someone jokes too sharply, you can move the conversation past it quickly without being rude. When you keep the mood playful, honesty can land without fear.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

Your heart could currently use a gentle pace. This is due to the Moon’s entry into your foundational 4th house, signifying a galactic prioritization of home comforts. This encourages you to protect your downtime and value people who feel like home. You may call a relative to clear the air, or settle down with a simple, warm meal. Even painful memories can’t compete against a cozy couch and a hot beverage of your choice. Nurture your space, trusting this calm to refuel your soul.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

Friendly exchanges can create a lasting sense of ease. Your 3rd House of Messages opens to the instinct-driven Moon, making it easier to tell which words will be received kindly. Your expressive style can brighten a tricky chat with a sibling or co-worker, especially if you praise their effort before negotiating around any issues. If someone talks over you, stay generous yet firm and restate your idea calmly, because centered delivery often wins the room. Exuding warmth invites others to collaborate happily.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

Clarity arrives as you honor small needs. The roots-focused Moon is stepping into your 2nd House of Personal Resources, guiding practical choices about essentials. You may organize a drawer to smooth your morning routine — a few minutes saved each day lowers stress across your whole week! If the reasons behind an expense feel fuzzy, analyze the details and ask for a clear summary, because precise information turns hesitation into a calm, confident decision. Pick simple systems, since simplicity strengthens daily peace.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

Libra, your grace steadies the day’s pace. Identity takes the lead as the Moon flits into your sign, so your tone, pace, and choices are most likely to set the mood for everyone today. Use your natural diplomacy to propose a fair win, like choosing a playlist for the commute that marries the tastes of all passengers. If tension rises, pause, find your breath, and restate what you want in simple words. Clarity invites cooperation. Choose balance first! Fairness strengthens your confidence.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

Trust requires honesty — now and always. The only problem is that you might not even know what your truth is! Thankfully, that’s solvable with the Moon visiting your thoughtful 12th house. You’re prepared to cancel chaotic plans in favor of doing activities that calm your mind and encourage personal reflection. If secrets or fears feel heavy, speak with a trusted confidant, because saying the truth out loud can transform anxiety into calm purpose. Protect your quiet — that’s what will restore your power.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

By evening, optimism finds a helpful outlet. With Luna gracing your sociable 11th house, you’re ready to rally friends or colleagues around a clear purpose that lifts spirits. Your upbeat style can guide any group in a direction that works for everyone — as long as you ensure quiet voices and new faces alike feel welcome. If schedules clash, suggest a two-step approach, like meeting online first and finishing later. Flexibility keeps momentum alive with less strain. Support the group, and watch momentum carry everyone.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

When boundaries feel tight, kindness unlocks progress. The moody Moon is marching into your 10th House of Recognition, spotlighting your public role in whatever shape it takes. It’s also a good reminder that steadiness builds trust. You may refine a proposal that shows reliability and keeps your reputation strong, especially when you frame challenges as chances to improve. If expectations feel heavy, set clear limits. Always remember to pace yourself, since consistency proves real strength. Honest structure helps leaders trust your process.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Fresh air is flowing through your connections! Wider horizons beckon as the emotional Moon lights up your 9th House of Adventure, stirring a desire to broaden your view through meaningful study and conversation. Your perspective can bridge differences by focusing on shared goals that benefit your community, or by suggesting practical steps everyone can appreciate. If someone challenges your ideas, invite them to the discussion table! Mindful debates can nourish open communication. Explore thoughtfully, as curiosity builds bridges that last.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

Relief comes as expectations soften around plans. The temperamental Moon is venturing into your 8th House of Intimacy, inviting honest talks about shared responsibilities that support deeper security and interpersonal trust. You may review a joint bill, update a shared document, or share a sensitive fear so someone understands how to support you. If nerves rise, slow the pace and name a clear boundary. Remind yourself that clear communication can forge uncertainty into cooperation and closeness. Share gently, trusting openness to deepen shared care.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s owners announced Wednesday the paper will be shutting down in a few months, citing financial losses.

Block Communications Inc. announced it will cease publication on May 3. The paper is printed on Thursdays and Sundays and says on its website the average paid circulation is 83,000.

A couple dozen union members returned to work at the Post-Gazette in November after a three-year strike.

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More than five years ago, the newspaper declared it had reached a bargaining impasse with the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh and unilaterally imposed terms and conditions of employment on those workers. The paper was later found to have bargained in bad faith by making offers that were not intended to help reach a deal and by declaring an impasse prematurely.

The announcement that Block was shutting it down came on the same day the U.S. Supreme Court declined the PG Publishing Co. Inc.’s emergency appeal to halt an National Labor Relations Board order that forced it to abide by health care coverage policies in an expired union contract.

Andrew Goldstein, president of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh, said the paper’s journalists have a long history of award-winning work.

“Instead of simply following the law, the owners chose to punish local journalists and the city of Pittsburgh,” Goldstein said. The union said employees were notified in a video on Zoom in which company officials did not speak live.

The Post-Gazette said Block Communications has lost hundreds of millions of dollars over two decades in operating the paper, and the company said it deemed “continued cash losses at this scale no longer sustainable.”

The Block family said in a statement it was “proud of the service the Post-Gazette has provided to Pittsburgh for nearly a century.”

A phone message seeking comment was left Wednesday at Block Communications headquarters in Toledo, Ohio.

The paper traces its roots to 1786, when the Pittsburgh Gazette began as a four-page weekly, and became a leading advocate for the abolition of slavery in the 19th century. It went through a series of mastheads and owners before 1927, when Paul Block obtained the paper and named it the Post-Gazette.

By KATE BRUMBACK, Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) — President Donald Trump is seeking more than $6.2 million in attorney fees and costs from the Fulton County District Attorney’s office after the election interference case brought against him and others was recently dismissed.

Georgia state legislators last year passed a law that says that if a prosecutor is disqualified from a case because of their own improper conduct and the case is then dismissed, anyone charged in that case is entitled to request “all reasonable attorney’s fees and costs incurred” in their defense. The judge overseeing the case then is responsible for reviewing the request and awarding the fees and costs, which are to be paid from the budget of the prosecutor’s office.

Trump is seeking a total of $6,261,613.08 in a motion filed Wednesday.

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Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her office were removed from the case over an “appearance of impropriety” created by a romantic relationship she had with the special prosecutor she chose to lead the case. The prosecutor who took over the case late last year dismissed it in November.

Willis obtained an indictment against Trump and 18 others from a grand jury in August 2023, using the state’s anti-racketeering law to accuse them of participating in a wide-ranging scheme to illegally try to overturn Trump’s narrow 2020 presidential election loss to Democrat Joe Biden in Georgia. The alleged scheme included Trump’s call to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger urging him to help find enough votes to beat Biden. Four people pleaded guilty in the months following the indictment.

“In accordance with Georgia law, President Trump has moved the Court to award reasonable attorney fees and costs incurred in his defense of the politically motivated, and now rightfully dismissed, case brought by disqualified DA Fani Willis,” Steve Sadow, Trump’s lead attorney in Georgia, said in a statement.

A spokesperson for Willis declined to comment on Trump’s filing. But last month, when another person charged in the case made a similar filing, her office filed a motion asking to be heard on the matter of any claims for fees and costs filed in the case.

Willis’ motion raises concerns about the law passed last year that allowed Trump and others to seek to have their expenses paid.

“The statute raises grave separation-of-powers concerns by purporting to impose financial liability on a constitutional officer, twice elected by the citizens of Fulton County, for the lawful exercise of her core duties under the Georgia Constitution,” her motion says.

Her motion also says the law violates due process by “retroactively imposing a novel fee-shifting scheme” that creates a substantial burden for the county’s taxpayers without any recourse.

Her motion contends that the prosecution “was neither arbitrary nor political” and was based on an “exhaustive investigation spanning years.” It notes that a special grand jury that reviewed evidence and testimony recommended charges and a regular grand jury issued the indictment.

Defense attorneys sought Willis’ removal after one of them revealed in January 2024 that Willis had engaged in a romantic relationship with Nathan Wade, the special prosecutor she had hired to lead the case. The defense attorneys said the relationship created a conflict of interest, alleging that Willis personally profited from the case when Wade used his earnings to pay for vacations the pair took.

During an extraordinary hearing the following month, Willis and Wade both testified about the intimate details of their personal relationship. They maintained that their romance didn’t begin until after Wade was hired and said that they split the costs for vacations and other outings.

The trial judge, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee, rebuked Willis, saying in an order in March 2024 that her actions showed a “tremendous lapse in judgment.” But he said he did not find a conflict of interest that would disqualify Willis. He ultimately ruled that Willis could remain on the case if Wade resigned, which the special prosecutor did hours later.

Defense attorneys appealed that ruling, and the Georgia Court of Appeals removed Willis from the case in December, citing an “appearance of impropriety.” The Georgia Supreme Court in September declined to hear Willis’ appeal.

It then fell to the nonpartisan Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council to find a new prosecutor. The agency’s executive director, Pete Skandalakis, ended up taking on the case himself and dismissed it less than two weeks later.

By KEVIN FREKING and LISA MASCARO, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Overpowering Speaker Mike Johnson, a bipartisan coalition in the House voted Wednesday to push forward a measure that would revive an enhanced pandemic-era subsidy that lowered health insurance costs for roughly 22 million people, but that had expired last month.

The tally of 221-205 was a key test before passage of the bill, which is expected Thursday. And it came about because four GOP centrist lawmakers joined with Democrats in signing a so-called discharge petition to force the vote. After last year’s government shutdown failed to resolve the issue, they said doing nothing was not an option as many of their constituents faced soaring health insurance premiums beginning this month.

Rep. Mike Lawler of New York, one of the Republicans who crossed party lines to back the Democratic proposal, portrayed it as a vehicle senators could use to reach a compromise.

“No matter the issue, if the House puts forward relatively strong, bipartisan support, it makes it easier for the senators to get there,” Lawler said.

In the end, nine Republicans joined Democrats to advance the measure.

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• Trump immigration policies and a lower fertility rate slow US growth projection, budget office says

Republicans go around their leaders

If ultimately successful in the House this week, the voting would show there is bipartisan support for a proposed three-year extension of the tax credits that are available for those who buy insurance through the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. The action forcing a vote has been an affront to Johnson and GOP leaders who essentially lost control of their House majority as the renegade lawmakers joined Democrats for the workaround.

But the Senate is under no requirement to take up the bill.

Instead, a small group of members from both parties are working on an alternative plan that could find support in both chambers and become law. One proposal would be to shorten the extension of the subsidy to two years and make changes to the program.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said any plan passing muster in the Senate will need to have income limits to ensure that it’s focused on those who most need the help and that beneficiaries would have to at least pay a nominal amount for their coverage.

That way, he said, “insurance companies can’t game the system and auto-enroll people.” Finally, Thune said there would need to be some expansion of health savings accounts, which allow people to save money and withdraw it tax-free as long as the money is spent on qualified medical expenses.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., speaks during a news conference at the Capitol, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.) Democrats are pressing the issue

It’s unclear the negotiations will yield a bill that the Senate will take up. Democrats are making clear that the higher health insurance costs many Americans are facing will be a political centerpiece of their efforts to retake the majority in the House and Senate in the fall elections.

Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who led his party’s effort to push the health care issue forward, particularly challenged Republicans in competitive congressional districts to join if they really wanted to prevent steep premium increases for their constituents. Before Wednesday’s vote, he called on colleagues to “address the health care crisis in this country and make sure that tens of millions of people have the ability to go see a doctor when they need one.”

Republican Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, Robert Bresnahan and Ryan Mackenzie, all from Pennsylvania, and Lawler signed the Democrats’ petition, pushing it to the magic number of 218 needed to force a House vote. All four represent key swing districts whose races will help determine which party takes charge of the House next year.

Johnson, R-La., had discussed allowing more politically vulnerable GOP lawmakers a chance to vote on bills that would temporarily extend the subsidies while also adding changes such as income caps for beneficiaries. But after days of discussions, the leadership sided with the more conservative wing of the party’s conference, which has assailed the subsidies as propping up a failed program.

Lawmakers turn to discharge petitions to show support for an action and potentially force a vote on the House floor, but they are rarely successful. This session of Congress has proven an exception.

A vote requiring the Department of Justice to release the Jeffrey Epstein files, for instance, occurred after Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., introduced a petition on the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The signature effort was backed by all House Democrats and four Republicans.

By JOSH FUNK, Associated Press

California will lose $160 million for delaying the revocations of 17,000 commercial driver’s licenses for immigrants, federal transportation officials announced Wednesday.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy already withheld $40 million in federal funding because he said California isn’t enforcing English proficiency requirements for truckers.

The state notified these drivers in the fall that they would lose their licenses after a federal audit found problems that included licenses for truckers and bus drivers that remained valid long after an immigrant’s visa expired. Some licenses were also given to citizens of Mexico and Canada who don’t qualify. More than one-quarter of the small sample of California licenses that investigators reviewed were unlawful.

But then last week California said it would delay those revocations until March after immigrant groups sued the state because of concerns that some groups were being unfairly targeted. Duffy said the state was supposed to revoke those licenses by Monday.

Duffy is pressuring California and other states to make sure immigrants who are in the country illegally aren’t granted the licenses.

“Our demands were simple: follow the rules, revoke the unlawfully-issued licenses to dangerous foreign drivers, and fix the system so this never happens again,” Duffy said in a written statement. “(Gov.) Gavin Newsom has failed to do so — putting the needs of illegal immigrants over the safety of the American people.”

Newsom’s office did not immediately respond after the action was announced Wednesday afternoon.

Related Articles

• Trump invites Colombian president to White House days after threatening it with military strike
• Trump seeks $6.2 million in legal fees from Fani Willis’ office over election interference case
• House takes step toward extending Affordable Care Act subsidies, overpowering GOP leadership
• US will exit 66 international organizations as it further retreats from global cooperation
• Trump immigration policies and a lower fertility rate slow US growth projection, budget office says

Enforcement ramped up after fatal crashes

The federal government began cracking down during the summer. The issue became prominent after a truck driver who was not authorized to be in the U.S. made an illegal U-turn and caused a crash in Florida that killed three people in August.

Duffy previously threatened to withhold millions of dollars in federal funding from California, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, New York, Texas, South Dakota, Colorado, and Washington after audits found significant problems under the existing rules, including commercial licenses being valid long after an immigrant truck driver’s work permit expired. He had dropped the threat to withhold nearly $160 million from California after the state said it would revoke the licenses.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Administrator Derek Barrs said California failed to live up to the promise it made in November to revoke all the flawed licenses by Jan. 5. The agency said the state also unilaterally decide to delay until March the cancellations of roughly 4,700 additional unlawful licenses that were discovered after the initial ones were found.

“We will not accept a corrective plan that knowingly leaves thousands of drivers holding noncompliant licenses behind the wheel of 80,000-pound trucks in open defiance of federal safety regulations,” Barrs said.

Industry praises the enforcement

Trucking trade groups have praised the effort to get unqualified drivers who shouldn’t have licenses or can’t speak English off the road. They also applauded the Transportation Department’s moves to go after questionable commercial driver’s license schools.

“For too long, loopholes in this program have allowed unqualified drivers onto our highways, putting professional truckers and the motoring public at risk,” said Todd Spencer, president of the Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association.

The spotlight has been on Sikh truckers because the driver in the Florida crash and the driver in another fatal crash in California in October are both Sikhs. So the Sikh Coalition, a national group defending the civil rights of Sikhs, and the San Francisco-based Asian Law Caucus filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of the California drivers. They said immigrant truck drivers were being unfairly targeted.

Immigrants account for about 20% of all truck drivers, but these non-domiciled licenses immigrants can receive only represent about 5% of all commercial driver’s licenses or about 200,000 drivers. The Transportation Department also proposed new restrictions that would severely limit which noncitizens could get a license, but a court put the new rules on hold.

By MATTHEW LEE and FARNOUSH AMIRI, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration will withdraw from dozens of international organizations, including the U.N.’s population agency and the U.N. treaty that establishes international climate negotiations, as the U.S. further retreats from global cooperation.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order suspending U.S. support for 66 organizations, agencies and commissions following his instructions for his administration to review participation in and funding for all international organizations, including those affiliated with the United Nations, according to a White House statement on social media.

Most of the targets are U.N.-related agencies, commissions and advisory panels that focus on climate, labor and other issues that the Trump administration has categorized as catering to diversity and “woke” initiatives, according to a partial list obtained by The Associated Press.

“The Trump Administration has found these institutions to be redundant in their scope, mismanaged, unnecessary, wasteful, poorly run, captured by the interests of actors advancing their own agendas contrary to our own, or a threat to our nation’s sovereignty, freedoms, and general prosperity,” the State Department said in a statement.

Trump’s decision to withdraw from organizations that foster cooperation among nations to address global challenges comes as his administration has launched military efforts or issued threats that have rattled allies and adversaries alike, including capturing autocratic Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and indicating an intention to take over Greenland.

Related Articles

• Trump invites Colombian president to White House days after threatening it with military strike
• Trump seeks $6.2 million in legal fees from Fani Willis’ office over election interference case
• House takes step toward extending Affordable Care Act subsidies, overpowering GOP leadership
• California loses $160M for delaying revocation of 17,000 commercial driver’s licenses for immigrants
• Trump immigration policies and a lower fertility rate slow US growth projection, budget office says

This is the latest U.S. withdrawal from global agencies

The administration previously suspended support from agencies like the World Health Organization, the U.N. for Palestinian refugees known as UNRWA, the U.N. Human Rights Council and the U.N. cultural agency UNESCO as it has taken a larger, a-la-carte approach to paying its dues to the world body, picking which operations and agencies they believe align with Trump’s agenda and those which no longer serve U.S. interests.

“I think what we’re seeing is the crystallization of the U.S. approach to multilateralism, which is ‘my way or the highway,’” said Daniel Forti, head of U.N. affairs at the International Crisis Group. “It’s a very clear vision of wanting international cooperation on Washington’s own terms.”

It has marked a major shift from how previous administrations — both Republican and Democratic — have dealt with the U.N., and it has forced the world body, already undergoing its own internal reckoning, to respond with a series of staffing and program cuts.

Many independent nongovernmental agencies — some that work with the United Nations — have cited many project closures because of the U.S. administration’s decision last year to slash foreign assistance through the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID.

Despite the massive shift, the U.S. officials, including Trump himself, say they have seen the potential of the U.N. and want to instead focus taxpayer money on expanding American influence in many of the standard-setting U.N. initiatives where there is competition with China, like the International Telecommunications Union, the International Maritime Organization and the International Labor Organization.

The global organizations from which the US is departing

The withdrawal from the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, or UNFCCC, is the latest effort by Trump and his allies to distance the U.S. from international organizations focused on climate and addressing climate change.

UNFCC, the 1992 agreement between 198 countries to financially support climate change activities in developing countries, is the underlying treaty for the landmark Paris climate agreement. Trump — who calls climate change a hoax — withdrew from that agreement soon after reclaiming the White House.

Gina McCarthy, former White House National Climate Adviser, called the move “shortsighted, embarrassing, and a foolish decision.”

“As the only country in the world not a part of the UNFCCC treaty, the Trump administration is throwing away decades of U.S. climate change leadership and global collaboration,” she said in a statement. “This Administration is forfeiting our country’s ability to influence trillions of dollars in investments, policies, and decisions that would have advanced our economy and protected us from costly disasters wreaking havoc on our country.”

Mainstream scientists say climate change is behind increasing instances of deadly and costly extreme weather, including flooding, droughts, wildfires, intense rainfall events and dangerous heat.

The U.S. withdrawal could hinder global efforts to curb greenhouse gases because it “gives other nations the excuse to delay their own actions and commitments,” said Stanford University climate scientist Rob Jackson, who chairs the Global Carbon Project, a group of scientists that tracks countries’ carbon dioxide emissions.

It also will be difficult to achieve meaningful progress on climate change without cooperation from the U.S., one of the world’s largest emitters and economies, experts said.

The U.N.’s population agency, which provides sexual and reproductive health across the world, has long been a lightning rod for Republican opposition and Trump himself cut funding for the agency during his first term in office. He and other GOP officials have accused the agency of participating in “coercive abortion practices” in countries like China.

When President Joe Biden took office in January 2021, he restored funding for the agency. A State Department review conducted the following year found no evidence to support these claims.

Other organizations and agencies that the U.S. will quit include the Carbon Free Energy Compact, the United Nations University, the International Cotton Advisory Committee, the International Tropical Timber Organization, the Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation, the Pan-American Institute for Geography and History, the International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies and the International Lead and Zinc Study Group.

The State Department said additional reviews are ongoing.

Amiri reported from the United Nations. Associated Press writer Tammy Webber reported from Fenton, Michigan.

Correction: This story has been updated to correct Daniel Forti’s title at the International Crisis Group; It is head of U.N. affairs, not senior U.N. analyst.

Today is Wednesday, Jan. 7, the seventh day of 2026. There are 358 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Jan. 7,1955, Marian Anderson became the first African American to sing with the Metropolitan Opera in New York, in Verdi’s “Un Ballo in Maschera.”

Also on this date:

In 1610, astronomer Galileo Galilei observed three of Jupiter’s moons for the first time and a fourth days later.

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In 1979, Vietnamese forces captured the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, overthrowing the communist Khmer Rouge government whose brutal policies are blamed for the deaths of 1.7 million people, including the killing of thousands of Vietnamese villagers in cross-border raids.

In 1999, President Bill Clinton’s Senate impeachment trial began on grounds of perjury to a grand jury and obstruction of justice. The Republican-controlled House voted in October 1998 to start proceedings after months of controversy over Clinton’s relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky, with whom he denied having a sexual relationship. The Senate acquitted Clinton on Feb. 12, falling far short of the 67 votes needed to convict on each charge.

In 2015, masked gunmen stormed the Paris offices of Charlie Hebdo, a French newspaper that had caricatured the Prophet Muhammad, methodically killing 12 people, including the editor, before escaping. (Two suspects were killed two days later.)

In 2022, three white men convicted of murder after Ahmaud Arbery was chased and killed while jogging in a south Georgia community were sentenced to life in prison. The judge denied any chance of parole for the father and son who armed themselves and initiated the deadly pursuit of the 25-year-old Black man in 2020 after spotting him running in their neighborhood in Brunswick.

In 2023, Republican Kevin McCarthy was elected speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives in a historic post-midnight 15th ballot, overcoming holdouts from his own ranks after a chaotic week that tested the new GOP majority’s ability to govern.

Today’s Birthdays:

• Musician Kenny Loggins is 78.
• Actor David Caruso is 70.
• TV journalist Katie Couric is 69.
• Republican Sen. John Thune of South Dakota is 65.
• Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky is 63.
• Actor Nicolas Cage is 62.
• Actor Jeremy Renner is 55.
• Country singer-musician John Rich is 52.
• Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton is 41.
• NFL quarterback Lamar Jackson is 29.
• Actor Marcus Scribner is 26.
• Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s daughter Blue Ivy Carter is 14.

By TIM WILLERT

STILLWATER, Okla. — Parsa Fallah scored 24 points and Kanye Clary added 18 and nine rebounds to help Oklahoma State defeat No. 25 UCF 87-76 on Tuesday night.

Anthony Roy added 15 points, including four 3-pointers, for Oklahoma State (13-2, 1-1 Big 12).

Oklahoma State was 10 of 19 on 3-pointers and 27 for 35 from the free-throw line to help fuel the win.

Riley Kugel scored 15 points and Jamichael Stillwell added 13 for UCF (12-2, 1-1), which won 11 straight and entered the AP Top 25 men’s basketball poll for the first time since 2019.

Poor shooting plagued the Knights, who shot 38 percent for the game, including just 21 percent from beyond the arc.

Oklahoma State built a 31-23 lead without making a field goal for more than seven minutes. A steal and a layup by Jaylen Curry ended the drought with 3:25 left in the first half and extended the advantage to 10 points.

UCF pulled within 36-32 on a pair of free throws by Devan Cambridge before Clary’s 3-pointer with 9 seconds left gave Oklahoma State a 41-32 lead at halftime.

UCF made a run at the Cowboys early in the second half, scoring seven straight to cut the deficit to 51-50. But that was as close as the Knights got.

Back-to-back 3-pointers by UCF’s George Beale Jr. cut Oklahoma State’s lead to 67-64 before the Cowboys took control with a 13-1 run to make it 80-65 late in the half.

Up next

UCF: Hosts Cincinnati on Sunday.

TORONTO — Matthew Knies scored a goal and set up Auston Matthews to push the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 4-1 win against the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers on Tuesday night.

Easton Cowan also scored for the Maple Leafs and Bobby McMann added an empty-net goal.

Former Maple Leafs draft pick Carter Verhaeghe broke Joseph Woll’s shutout bid with 8:22 remaining as Toronto won its sixth straight at Scotiabank Arena. The Panthers have been blanked only once this season.

Knies made it 2-0 early in the second period. Then, less than four minutes later, he set up Matthews with a pass in front for the captain’s team-leading 21st.

Former Maple Leafs captain Mats Sundin was in attendance. He was part of a pregame ceremony to mark Matthews becoming the all-time franchise leader in goals. Sundin had the mark at 420. Matthews now sits at 422.

Matthews has seven goals and 11 points in five games since the three-day Christmas break and was foiled by Florida netminder Sergei Bobrovsky on an early-game power-play breakaway.

Florida outshot the home side 32-23.

This was the Panthers first visit to Toronto since hammering the Maple Leafs 6-1 in Game 7 of their second-round playoff series on May 18. Toronto has won both meetings this season by a combined score of 7-2.

Leafs defenseman Brandon Carlo (foot surgery) returned to the lineup after a 23-game absence.

Panthers forward Brad Marchand did not play in the third period after a hit late in the second. He revealed earlier in the day that he considered signing as a free agent with the Maple Leafs last summer. “It was between Florida and Toronto where I was going to go. I never thought it was going to be possible to re-sign with Florida. I really didn’t.“

Up next

Panthers visit Montreal on Thursday.

MINNEAPOLIS — The transition offense never has been in question. When fed a steady diet of opposing turnovers, the Miami Heat stand as a formidable force.

The halfcourt offense against locked-in, quality opposition able to secure the defensive end?

Something closer to what Erik Spoelstra’s team endured in Tuesday night’s 122-94 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center, the Heat’s most-lopsided loss of the season.

For the second time in four days, the Timberwolves kept the turnovers down and the defense up in pushing past the Heat, including a 10-point decision Saturday night at Kaseya Center.

“The one on Saturday we had a spirit to fight all the way to the end,” Spoelstra said. “That’s what is most disappointing to me as the head coach, the last six minutes. It just felt like we let it go.”

So even with Tyler Herro back in the Heat mix for the first time since Dec. 9, a step back, on a night when the starting lineup outside of Norman Powell largely was held in check.

Powell closed with 21 points, with Herro scoring 17 after missing 13 games with a toe contusion.

“It felt good to be back healthy, be back on the court,” Herro said. “Obviously, I would like to have won the game, but it just felt good to be healthy.”

And while Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware handled their business on the boards, with 11 rebounds apiece, the offensive output was muted, with Adebayo closing 3 of 11 from the field, Ware 3 of 10.

Adebayo said it was more than just the defensive deterrence of Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert.

“Offensively, I’ve been struggling way before that, so I don’t think he has anything to do with that,” Adebayo said. “I feel like for us, we’ve just got to really concentrate on making it. I feel like we got to this weird time in the season where it just feels like shots aren’t falling.”:

Against the 26 points of Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, who shot 5 of 8 on 3-pointers, simply not enough.

Next up for the Heat is the second stop of this four-game trip, on Thursday night against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center.

Five Degrees of Heat from Tuesday night’s game:

1. Game flow: The Heat led 29-27 after the first quarter, with the Timberwolves taking a 61-54 lead into halftime.

The Timberwolves then took off at the start of the third period, with a 10-0 run in a mere 1:54 pushing them to a 73-58 lead.

From there, Minnesota, with a barrage of 3-pointers, carried a 93-77 lead into the fourth, eventually pushing that edge early in the final period into the 20s.

“They just got us into the mud and we couldn’t keep our pace going,” Spoelstra said.

Spoelstra eventually pulled the plug with his primary players with the Heat down 110-82 with 4:40 to play.

2. Off the bench: Sidelined since Dec. 9, having missed 13 games with the toe contusion, Herro returned in reserve, with Spoelstra remaining with his starting lineup of Ware, Adebayo, Powell, Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell.

It was Herro’s first game as a reserve since an April 4, 2024 Heat victory in Indiana. That appearance was the second consecutive game off the bench after returning from nearly two months off with a hyperextended knee. He then moved back into the starting lineup for the close of the regular season and playoffs.

Prior to Tuesday night, those had been Herro’s lone two reserve appearances since being named NBA Sixth Man of the Year for the 2021-22 season.

Of playing Herro off the bench, Spoelstra said. “That’s just a decision. I’m not going to get into any of that right now.”

Herro was similarly reticent when asked about the reserve role.

“It’s cool,” he said. “It’s not really an adjustment, just playing basketball.”

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3. Herro time: Herro entered in place of Wiggins with 5:33 left in the opening period and the Heat up 19-14. He was part of a dual substitution, with Nikola Jovic entering at the same juncture, in place of Ware.

Herro effectively was cast in the sixth-man role of Jaime Jaquez Jr., who missed his second consecutive game with an ankle sprain, with Herro playing on a second unit that also featured Jovic, Pelle Larsson and Dru Smith, with Wiggins cycling back to play with those four.

Herro then converted his first shot in his return, a corner 3-pointer. With that conversion, Herro joined Duncan Robinson as the lone players with at least 1,000 with the Heat.

Herro closed 7 of 15 from the field in his 29 minutes, with nine rebounds, the Heat outscored by 25 during his action.

“I felt good,” Herro said. “Like I said, just being out there was my biggest thing that I wanted to feel, and that’s how I felt. I felt good.

“I’m healthy. So I just want to be available and be healthy.”

4. Still going: While his minutes largely were staggered from Herro’s, Powell continued as the face of the Heat offense, this time with 13 first-half points.

He closed 9 of 17 from the field, including 3 of 6 on 3-pointers.

With the performance, Powell scored in double figures for a 35th consecutive game dating back to last season with the Clippers, tying the longest such streak of his career, set in 2021.

But Powell said what matters most, now that Herro is back, is finding a way to make it work better against the better teams.

“It’s kind of gone sideways a little bit with guys and uncertainty,” he said. “But we got to kind of get out of our own way and go out there and put on a brand of basketball that is about winning, about togetherness, about toughness and about a style of basketball every single night, no matter who’s in the lineup.”

5. Off night: While NBC featured his defensive work, as he also was featured during the national broadcast with a pregame interview, it hardly was a night to remember for Mitchell, who opened 0 for 7 from the field.

Mitchell closed 2 of 11, missing all four of his 3-point attempts, although he did have nine assists, without a turnover.

While Mitchell continued to thrive as playmaker, a shift to the bench certainly is not out of the question as Herro continues his comeback.

MINNEAPOLIS — Observations and other notes of interest from Tuesday night’s 122-94 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves:

– Now the work begins for Erik Spoelstra.

– The rotation work with Tyler Herro back.

– Because much had changed since Herro last played on Dec. 9.

– “He’s a value add. It’s as simple as that,” Spoelstra said pregame. “We need him back, and it’s good to have him healthy and feeling good about his health.”

– And they do.

– Because the halfcourt offense needs a boost.

– With Herro a booster.

– When the Heat aren’t forcing turnovers, the easy points go away.

– With this one an example.

– Against a quality defense.

– As for mapping out minutes going forward with the rest of the rotation with Herro back, Spoelstra said, “Depends on the context, depends on the player, depends on whatever the injury is coming back.”

– In this case, the toe contusion that had Herro out 13 games.

– An injury that now does not appear to be limiting.

– With a return to the starting lineup assuredly looming.

– The question with Herro back and Jaime Jaquez Jr. close (out for a second consecutive game with an ankle sprain) is whether it could be back to the G League for first-round pick Kasparas Jakucionis.

– Said Spoelstra of that possibility, “All of it’s on the table. We’ll just have to see when we get everybody back, what the rotation will look like.”

– So, for now, Herro as a reserve.

– But for how long?

– Because all sorts of body language indicated that Herro expects otherwise.

– And arguably deserves such.

– Even with Herro back, the Heat again opened with a lineup of Norman Powell, Andrew Wiggins, Bam Adebayo, Kel’el Ware and Davion Mitchell.

– The previous time Herro played and did not start was April 4, 2024 in a victory in Indiana. That instance was the second consecutive game off the bench after returning from nearly two months off with a hyperextended knee.

– With all three Heat two-way players now back on the Heat roster, Vlad Goldin and Jahmir Young were inactive.

–  Leaving Myron Gardner as the lone active two-way player.

– Herro entered in the Heat’s first substitution, along with Nikola Jovic.

– Pelle Larsson followed shortly thereafter.

– With Dru Smith making it nine deep for the Heat.

– That shuffled first-round pick Jakucionis out of the mix.

– As well as Simone Fontecchio.

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– Keshad Johnson was back available for the Heat after extended playing time in the G League with the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

– “He’s getting a lot of development here and great mentorship from the vets,” Spoelstra said. “But his continued development on the court is important as well. He played well there and just continues to grow and improve in a lot of different aspects.”

– Powell said going in that the challenge of the Timberwolves was clear, having lost on Saturday to Minnesota in Miami.

– “They do a great job of controlling the paint defensively and offensively, attacking, getting downhill,” he said. “So having the mindset that it’s going to be a physical game, you know, that we’ve got to be ready. They punch first and control the tempo in the paint. And I think that’s one of the biggest adjustments. And whenever we do that, we’re going to be able to get out now and transition and get our offense going.”

– Of which little of that happened.

–  It was back in the time machine for the Heat, back on NBC, which carried the NBA during the Heat’s formative years.

– “I have great memories from the NBC games growing up,” Spoelstra said.

– Adebayo’s first basket moved him past Glen Rice (3,604) for the third-most in franchise history.

– Ware extended his career-best run of games with multiple offensive rebounds to 18.

– Ware and Adebayo entered averaging a combined 20.1 rebounds per game. The franchise record for combined rebounds by two players is 20.2 by Rony Seikaly and Grant Long in 1991-92. They upped that average Tuesday night.

– The Heat have now lost 13 of their past 16 to the Timberwolves.

GAINESVILLE — Coach Todd Golden’s suddenly unranked Gators were desperate for a win.

Avoiding a loss to former coach Mike White’s No. 18 Georgia Bulldogs was critical for a Florida team riding a 13-game winning streak at the O’Connell Center and 0-1 in SEC play.

The Gators found their offensive flow and applied the defensive clamps against the high-scoring Bulldogs during a convincing and pivotal 92-77 win Tuesday night at the O’Connell Center.

“Tonight was a game that we needed,” Golden said.

Florida (10-5, 1-1 SEC) was coming off an SEC-opening loss at Missouri and with more losses than the 2025 national title team.

“Everyone brought the juice from the start,” veteran power forward Alex Condon said. “No one was feeling sorry for themselves. No one was being selfish, just playing really together as a team.”

The Gators faced a new challenge from the Bulldogs, losers of 12 of the past 13 meetings entering Tuesday.

Georgia entered with a nation-leading average of 99.4 points — or 14.9 more per game than a Florida squad struggling mightily with outside shooting and backcourt playmaking.

A reported crowd of 9,563 welcomed White with boos as the Bulldogs arrived as 9.5-point underdogs, but also in the top 25 against an unranked Florida team at home for the first time since 1996.

Yet, the Bulldogs (13-2, 1-1 SEC) tied their season-low in points, including just two by leading scorer Jeremiah Wilkinson on 1-of-9 shooting, and could not contain the Gators’ frontcourt. Veteran forwards Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon each had 21 points and the Gators finished with 56-35 rebounding edge.

“It’s how we’re built and who we are,” Golden said. “We were super physical tonight.”

The Bulldogs were not entirely themselves, either.

Georgia played more than 30 minutes without 6-foot-11, 260-pound sophomore center Somoto Cyril, the Bulldogs’ leading rebounder and shot blocker, to further the Gators’ front-court advantage. Officials ejected Cyril with Florida leading 22-21 with 10:14 remaining in the first half after he elbowed the head of Florida center and fellow Nigerian Rueben Chinyelu after the two players became entangled chasing a rebound.

With Cyril out, the Gators responded with a Condon layup, Chinyelu dunk and Haugh dunk before Wilkinson scored his only points on a falling floater to end an 8-0 UF run.

“That was a big part of the game,” Condon said. “It’s just good Rueben kept his head. The game was upwards from there for us.”

Haugh led the Gators with a brilliant all-around performance, also finishing with 12 rebounds, five assists, four blocked shots and three steals in 39 of 40 minutes.

“He’s turned himself into one of the better players of America,” Golden said. “It’s a testament to work, his belief, his coachability.”

But the Gators’ backcourt and defense came alive during the second half to lift the Gators.

Starting guards Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee ended the first half 0-of-7 shooting and Florida leading just 41-40, with 26 points by Haugh and Condon on 11-of-14 shooting.

A layup by Lee early in the second half were his first points. Fland missed his first five shots but two free throws put him in the scoring column with 17:08 remaining to push Florida’s lead to 51-45. A Chinyelu dunk made it 53-45.

A pair of driving layups by Fland sandwiched a tip-in by Condon soon followed to give the Gators a 59-47 lead, UF’s biggest lead at the time, before a basket by Georgia guard Blue Cain. Cain’s late 3-pointer keyed the Bulldogs’ 88-83 win Feb. 25, 2025, against Florida, the eventual national champions Gators’ last defeat and the Bulldogs’ only win against Florida since 2019 in Gainesville when White was UF’s coach.

Georgia cut the lead to 59-52 on a 3-pointer by Kanon Catchings, but the Bulldogs missed their next seven of eight shots as Florida’s defense tightened its grip.

Florida hit four of their next six field goals. Following a putback by Chinyelu, Lee hit a 3-pointer from the top of the arc to give Florida a 69-54 advantage.

Georgia was just 34.3% from the field during the second half after shooting 48.6% during the game’s first 20 minutes.

UF, which shot 46.7% on the night, led by as many as 21 points when guard Urban Klavzar hit a corner 3-pointer, one of three 3s during an 11-point night off the bench.

Georgia cut the lead to 10 on a pair of free throws by Cain with 2:01 remaining, but could get no closer as White fell to 1-7 against his team for seven seasons before Golden arrived after the 2022 season.

The decision was Golden’s 19th top-25 win in four seasons, one away from catching White for second all-time behind Hall of Famer Billy Donovan.

“This was an opportunity for us to get a big win,” Golden said. “Our guys delivered.”

Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com

UCF is expected to hire former Oklahoma State coach Cooper Bassett as the Knights’ new tight ends coach.

CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz was the first to report the move, which was later confirmed by a team source.

Bassett, 35, takes over coaching the tight ends from Steve Cooper, who is the team’s offensive coordinator. The move most likely frees up Cooper to spend more time with the offense as a whole.

The Oklahoma native joins AJ Blazek (offensive line) and Will Johnson (defensive back) as new coaches joining Scott Frost’s staff heading into Year 2.

Bassett was a four-year letterwinner as a tight end at Oklahoma State from 2009-12. He transitioned into coaching, first as a graduate assistant at Missouri and Maryland, and then as offensive line coach at West Texas A&M (2017-20).

He coached offensive line at Southeast Missouri, Sam Houston State and Utah State, where he was promoted to co-offensive coordinator in 2024. Bassett returned to his alma mater last season, coaching the offensive line for the Cowboys.

Please 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.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A year after twin infernos tore across opposite ends of Los Angeles County, the scars are still visible. Thousands of homes were reduced to rubble, with rebuilding slow, and the death toll showed how a wildfire under extreme weather conditions can turn catastrophic.

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The Palisades and Eaton fires exploded in size within hours of each other on Jan. 7, 2025. These figures show how fast the disaster unfolded and the toll it left behind:

90 miles per hour

The speed of predicted wind gusts in mountain areas, equivalent to 145 kilometers per hour. Red Flag warnings were issued Jan. 6 for severe wildfire danger as Southern California was buffeted by the region’s notorious Santa Ana winds. Grass and brush were tinder dry after months with little or no rain. The National Weather Service warned it could be a life-threatening wind event. Firefighting assets were pre-positioned in areas deemed to be at especially high risk for fires.

4 hours FILE – A lone sunbather sits and watches a large plume of smoke from a wildfire rise over the Pacific Palisades, in Santa Monica, Calif., Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)

How long it took for a small wildfire to explode in size. At 10:30 a.m. reports began coming in about a small blaze on a ridge in LA’s upscale Pacific Palisades neighborhood, in the same area where crews had responded to a fire on New Year’s Day. Before long, a large plume of dark smoke was visible from miles away. Shortly after 11 a.m. on Jan. 7, the revived fire was reported to be about 10 acres (4 hectares), located near Palisades Drive on the coastal neighborhood’s western edge.

Over the next two hours, roads were jammed with motorists trying to flee as flames roared down streets and decimated homes. Officials issued an evacuation order for the Palisades while warning residents of surrounding areas that they should also get ready to leave. Within hours, the blaze had rapidly grown.

FILE – A woman cries as the Palisades Fire advances in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent, File)

As firefighting resources were focused on the Palisades, another blaze was sparked about 30 miles to the east in Altadena, on the other end of Los Angeles County. The Eaton Fire started at 6:17 p.m. and all firefighting aircraft in the county were soon grounded because of high winds. By 8 p.m. it had doubled in size.

59 square miles FILE – The Palisades Fire burns a Christmas tree inside a residence in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope, File)

The amount of land charred by the two infernos, equivalent to 155 square kilometers. That’s roughly the size of the entire city of San Francisco.

31 lives

The number of people who died — 19 in the Eaton Fire and 12 in the Palisades Fire.

31 days

How long the Palisades Fire burned before it was extinguished. Investigators determined the 37-square-mile blaze had actually grown out of the earlier fire that started on Jan. 1.

25 days FILE – Melissa Young, center right, gets a hug from a well-wisher at her fire-ravaged home in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire, Jan. 9, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer, File)

The number of days it took for the Eaton Fire to be extinguished. It burned 22 square miles.

$33.9 billion

The amount of federal disaster aid requested by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The Trump administration and Congress have yet to approve it.

45 years in prison

The maximum sentence faced by a 29-year-old man charged with sparking the Palisades Fire. He has pleaded not guilty. The cause of the Eaton Fire remains under investigation.

16,246 structures FILE – A bus sits among burned out homes, Jan. 9, 2025, in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)

The number of structures destroyed in both blazes, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. In Altadena, 9,413 homes, businesses and other buildings were razed. In Pacific Palisades and neighboring areas including Malibu, 6,833 buildings, mostly homes, were gone.

10 houses

The number of homes rebuilt so far, according to city and county data. Most are in the Altadena area, with one in Pasadena and two in Pacific Palisades. None are finished in Malibu. Hundreds more are under construction across the region.

$970 million

The total charitable commitments to LA fire relief is between at least $860 million to $970 million, according to a study by the Milken Institute. Most was raised in the first month after the fires, and individual donations through GoFundMe brought in $265 million.

This story has been updated to correct the date the two fires erupted to Jan. 7, 2025, not Jan. 6, 2024.

WASHINGTON (AP) — CIA turncoat Aldrich Ames, who betrayed Western intelligence assets to the Soviet Union and Russia in one of the most damaging intelligence breaches in U.S. history, has died in a Maryland prison. He was 84.

A spokesperson for the Bureau of Prisons confirmed Ames died Monday.

Ames admitted being paid $2.5 million by Moscow for U.S. secrets from 1985 until his arrest in 1994. He admitted disclosing the identities of 10 Russian officials and one East European who were spying for the United States or Great Britain. His betrayals are blamed for the executions of Western agents working behind the Iron Curtain and were a major setback to the CIA.

He pleaded guilty without a trial to espionage and tax evasion and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Prosecutors said he deprived the United States of valuable intelligence material for years.

He professed “profound shame and guilt” for “this betrayal of trust, done for the basest motives,” money to pay debts. But he downplayed the damage he caused, telling the court he did not believe he had “noticeably damaged” the United States or “noticeably aided” Moscow.

“These spy wars are a sideshow which have had no real impact on our significant security interests over the years,” he told the court in a matter-of-fact tone.

In a jailhouse interview with The Washington Post the day before he was sentenced, Ames said he was motivated to spy by “financial troubles, immediate and continuing.”

By MICHAEL CASEY

BOSTON (AP) — Pamela Smart, who is serving life in prison for orchestrating the murder of her husband by her teenage student in 1990, is seeking to overturn her conviction over what her lawyers claim were several constitutional violations.

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The petition for habeas corpus relief was filed Monday in New York, where she is being held at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women, and, in New Hampshire, where the murder happened.

“Ms. Smart’s trial unfolded in an environment that no court had previously confronted — wall-to-wall media coverage that blurred the line between allegation and evidence,” Jason Ott, who is part of Smart’s legal team, said in a statement. “This petition challenges whether a fair adversarial process took place.”

The move comes about seven months after New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte rejected a request for a sentence reduction hearing. Ayotte said she reviewed the case and decided it was not deserving of a hearing.

A spokesman for the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision said it would have no comment about the petition.

A spokeman for New Hampshire’s attorney general said it would not comment on pending litigation “other than to note that the State maintains Ms. Smart received a fair trial and that her convictions were lawfully obtained and upheld on appeal.”

In their petition, lawyers for the 57-year-old Smart argue that prosecutors misled the jury by providing them with inaccurate transcripts of surreptitiously recorded conversations of Ms. Smart that included words that were not audible on the recordings. Among the words they claim weren’t audible but in the transcript were the word killed in the sentence “you had your husband killed,” the word busted in the sentence “I’m gonna be busted” and the word murder in the sentence “this would have been the perfect murder.”

“Modern science confirms what common sense has always told us: when people are handed a script, they inevitably hear the words they are shown,” Smart’s attorney, Matthew Zernhelt, said in a statement. “Jurors were not evaluating the recordings independently — they were being directed toward a conclusion, and that direction decided the verdict.”

Lawyers also argued the conviction should be overturned because the verdict was tainted by the media attention and due to faulty instructions to the jury. They argued jurors were told they must find that Smart acted with premeditation, not told they must consider only evidence presented at trial.

They also argued the trial court gave her a mandatory life sentence without parole for being an accomplice to first-degree murder, despite New Hampshire not mandating that sentence for the charge.

Smart was a 22-year-old high school media coordinator when she began an affair with a 15-year-old boy who later fatally shot her husband, Gregory Smart, in Derry. The shooter was freed in 2015 after serving a 25-year sentence. Although Smart denied knowledge of the plot, she was convicted of being an accomplice to first-degree murder and other crimes and sentenced to life without parole.

It took until 2024 for Smart to take full responsibility for her husband’s death. In a video released in June, she said she spent years deflecting blame “almost as if it was a coping mechanism.”

Smart’s trial was a media circus and one of America’s first high-profile cases about a sexual affair between a school employee and a student. The student, William Flynn, testified that Smart told him she needed her husband killed because she feared she would lose everything if they divorced and that she threatened to break up with him if he didn’t kill her husband. Flynn and three other teens cooperated with prosecutors and all have since been released.

Flynn and 17-year-old Patrick Randall entered the Smarts’ Derry condominium and forced Gregory Smart to his knees in the foyer. As Randall held a knife to the man’s throat, Flynn fired a hollow-point bullet into his head. Both pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and were sentenced to 28 years to life. They were granted parole in 2015. Two other teenagers served prison sentences and have been released.

The case inspired Joyce Maynard’s 1992 book “To Die For” and the 1995 film of the same name, starring Nicole Kidman and Joaquin Phoenix.