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Today in History: February 19, Edison issued a patent for the phonograph

Thu, 02/19/2026 - 02:00

Today is Thursday, Feb. 19, the 50th day of 2026. There are 315 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Feb. 19, 1878, inventor Thomas Edison was issued a patent for the phonograph.

Also on this date:

In 1473, astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus was born in Torun, Poland.

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In 1847, the first rescuers reached members of the Donner Party, who had been snowbound in the Sierra Nevada near the California-Nevada border for nearly four months.

In 1942, during World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which paved the way for the internment of 125,000 people of Japanese ancestry, including U.S.-born citizens.

In 1945, Operation Detachment began during World War II as the first wave of U.S. Marines landed at Iwo Jima, where they commenced a successful monthlong battle to seize control of the island from Japanese forces.

In 1976, President Gerald R. Ford, calling the issuing of the 1942 internment order for people of Japanese ancestry “a sad day in American history,” signed a proclamation formally confirming its termination.

In 2003, an Iranian military plane carrying members of the elite Revolutionary Guards crashed in southeastern Iran, killing all 275 people on board.

In 2008, an ailing Fidel Castro resigned the Cuban presidency after nearly a half-century in power; his brother Raúl was later named to succeed him. Fidel Castro died in 2016 at the age of 90.

In 2025, the ocean liner SS United States, which shattered the transatlantic speed record on its maiden voyage in 1952, departed Philadelphia’s Delaware River waterfront under tow for Mobile, Alabama, for prep work before officials sink it off Florida’s Gulf Coast to create the world’s largest artificial reef.

Today’s birthdays:
  • Singer Smokey Robinson is 86.
  • Rock musician Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath) is 78.
  • Author Amy Tan is 74.
  • Actor Jeff Daniels is 71.
  • Actor Ray Winstone is 69.
  • Actor Leslie David Baker is 68.
  • NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is 67.
  • Tennis Hall of Famer Hana Mandlíková is 64.
  • Singer Seal is 63. Actor Benicio Del Toro is 59.
  • Author-cartoonist Jeff Kinney is 55.
  • NBA center Nikola Jokić is 31.
  • Singer-songwriter Chappell Roan is 28.
  • Actor David Mazouz is 25.
  • Actor Millie Bobby Brown is 22.

Endangered Kenyan antelopes rescued after being stranded at Palm Beach airport

Thu, 02/19/2026 - 01:58

When Paul Reillo learned the endangered mountain bongo antelopes that he had cared for since birth were stranded in a cargo plane on an airport tarmac ahead of their journey to a new home in Kenya, he took matters into his own hands.

At 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 7, 2026, a chartered Boeing 767F carrying eight critically endangered mountain bongo antelopes aborted its departure while taxiing at Palm Beach International Airport after the captain detected a mechanical issue. The animals were en route from South Florida to Kenya as part of a decades-long international effort to rescue the species from extinction.

Transporting the animals halfway around the world requires months of preparation and a tightly choreographed schedule. From Palm Beach to a protected sanctuary on Mount Kenya, the journey takes about 30 hours. Any major delay can be catastrophic.

Read more at Miami Herald.

Haitian TPS holders in Florida get green light to renew driver licenses

Thu, 02/19/2026 - 01:39

Haitians in Florida with Temporary Protected Status can continue renewing their driver licenses, Miami-Dade County said, citing updated state guidance.

But the directive only applies until March 15 or when a court makes a decision in the ongoing appeal process filed by the Trump administration following the decision by a federal judge earlier this month to halt the end of the protections. TPS has allowed more than 300,000 Haitians to live and work in the United States on a temporary basis due to ongoing political, security and humanitarian crisis in their homeland.

The Miami-Dade County Tax Collector’s Office said it is assisting eligible residents in accordance with a directive from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Individuals with TPS or a pending application and present an expired Employment Authorization Document will remain eligible for a driver’s license through March 15. Those seeking issuance beyond that date must provide alternative proof of lawful presence, consistent with the advisory.

Read more at Miami Herald.

Morning Update: South Florida’s top stories for Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026

Thu, 02/19/2026 - 01:30

Here are the top stories for Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. Get the weather forecast for today here.

SUBSCRIBE NOW: Get our free Morning Update email. Sign up here.

Deputy tried PIT maneuver in pursuit moments before deadly Tamarac crash, record shows

See the 10 South Florida restaurants that closed: December-January edition

Dolphins Deep Dive: Perkins, Furones talk Tua and answer viewers’ questions Thursday at noon

No means no: Fort Lauderdale again rebuffs offer to buy office tower for City Hall

Weekend things to do: Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Luzia,’ Hannibal Buress, WWE ‘SmackDown,’ Science of Chocolate

Bill advancing in House gives firearm makers protection from liability over defects

‘Professor Uthmeier’: Inside Florida attorney general’s $100k teaching job at UF

‘A Survivor’s Song’: Broward County students create music from Holocaust testimonies

Boca Raton needs both change and experience | Endorsement

Asking Eric: Can I repair the relationship between my feuding daughters?

Iran and the US lean into gunboat diplomacy as nuclear talks hang in balance

Thu, 02/19/2026 - 01:04

By JON GAMBRELL

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran and the United States leaned into gunboat diplomacy Thursday as nuclear talks between the nations hung in the balance, with Tehran holding drills with Russia and the Americans bringing another aircraft carrier closer to the Mideast.

The Iranian drill and the arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier near the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea underscore the tensions between the nations. Iran earlier this week also launched a drill that involved live-fire in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow opening of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil passes.

The movements of additional American warships and airplanes don’t guarantee a U.S. strike on Iran — but it does give President Donald Trump the ability to carry out one should he choose to do so. He’s so far held off on striking Iran after setting red lines over the killing of peaceful protesters and Tehran holding mass executions, while reengaging Tehran in nuclear talks earlier disrupted by the Iran-Israel war in June.

“Should Iran decide not to make a Deal, it may be necessary for the United States to use Diego Garcia, and the Airfield located in Fairford, in order to eradicate a potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous Regime,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social website, seeking to pressure the United Kingdom over its plans to settle the future of the Chagos Islands with Mauritius.

Meanwhile, Iran struggles with unrest at home following its crackdown on protests, with mourners now holding ceremonies honoring their dead 40 days after their killing by security forces. Some of the gatherings have included anti-government cries, despite threats from authorities.

Iran holds drill with Russia

The drill Thursday saw Iranian forces and Russian sailors conduct operations in the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported. The drill will be aimed at “upgrading operational coordination as well as exchange of military experiences,” IRNA added.

China had joined the “Security Belt” drill in previous years, but there was no acknowledgment it participated in this round. In recent days, a vessel that appeared to be a Steregushchiy-class Russian corvette had been seen at a military port in the Iranian city of Bandar Abbas.

Iran also issued a rocket-fire warning to pilots in the region, suggesting they planned to launch anti-ship missiles in the exercise.

Meanwhile, tracking data showed the Ford off the coast of Morocco in the Atlantic Ocean midday Wednesday, meaning the carrier could transit through Gibraltar and potentially station in the eastern Mediterranean with its supporting guided-missile destroyers.

Having the carrier there could allow American forces to have extra aircraft and anti-missile power to potentially protect Israel and Jordan should a conflict break out with Iran. The U.S. similarly placed warships there during the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip to protect against Iranian fire.

Anti-government chants made at mourning ceremonies

Mourning ceremonies for those killed by security forces in the protests last month also have increased. Iranians traditionally mark the death of a loved one 40 days after the loss. Both witnesses and social media videos showed memorials taking place at Tehran’s massive Behesht-e Zahra cemetery. Some memorials included people chanting against Iran’s theocracy while singing nationalistic songs.

The demonstrations began Dec. 28 at Tehran’s historic Grand Bazaar, initially over the collapse of Iran’s currency, the rial, then spread across the country. Tensions exploded on Jan. 8, with demonstrations called for by Iran’s exiled crown prince, Reza Pahlavi.

Iran’s government has offered only one death toll for the violence, with 3,117 people killed. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous rounds of unrest in Iran, puts the death toll at over 7,000 killed, with many more feared dead.

___

Associated Press writer Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.

Governors arrive in Washington eager to push past Trump’s partisan grip

Wed, 02/18/2026 - 22:15

By JOEY CAPPELLETTI and STEVEN SLOAN

WASHINGTON (AP) — In another era, the scene would have been unremarkable. But in President Donald Trump’s Washington, it’s become increasingly rare.

Sitting side by side on stage were Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican, and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat. They traded jokes and compliments instead of insults and accusations, a brief interlude of cordiality in a cacophony of conflict.

Stitt and Moore are the leaders of the National Governors Association, one of a vanishing few bipartisan institutions left in American politics. But it may be hard for the organization, which is holding its annual conference this week, to maintain its reputation as a refuge from polarization.

Trump has broken with custom by declining to invite all governors to the traditional White House meeting and dinner. He has called Stitt, the NGA’s chair, a “RINO,” short for Republican in name only, and continued to feud with Moore, the group’s vice chair, by blaming him for a sewage spill involving a federally regulated pipeline.

The break with tradition reflects Trump’s broader approach to his second term. He has taken a confrontational stance toward some states, withholding federal funds or deploying troops over the objections of local officials.

With the Republican-controlled Congress unwilling to limit Trump’s ambitions, several governors have increasingly cast themselves as a counterweight to the White House.

“Presidents aren’t supposed to do this stuff,” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said about the expansion of executive power in recent administrations. “Congress needs to get their act together. And stop performing for TikTok and actually start doing stuff. That’s the flaw we’re dealing with right now.”

Cox, a Republican, said “it is up to the states to hold the line.”

Moore echoed that sentiment in an interview with The Associated Press.

“People are paying attention to how governors are moving, because I think governors have a unique way to move in this moment that other people just don’t,” he said.

Still, governors struck an optimistic tone in panels and interviews Wednesday. Stitt said the conference is “bigger than one dinner at the White House.” Moore predicted “this is going to be a very productive three days for the governors.”

“Here’s a Republican and Democrat governor from different states that literally agree on probably 80% of the things. And the things we disagree on we can have honest conversations on,” Stitt said while sitting beside Moore.

Tensions over the guest list for White House events underscored the uncertainty surrounding the week. During the back-and-forth, Trump feuded with Stitt and said Moore and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis were not invited because they “are not worthy of being there.”

Whether the bipartisan tone struck Wednesday evening can endure through the week — and beyond — remains an open question.

“We can have disagreements. In business, I always want people around me arguing with me and pushing me because that’s where the best ideas come from,” said Stitt. “We need to all have these exchange of ideas.”

Man who lived rent-free in New Yorker Hotel, then claimed to own it, pleads guilty to fraud charge

Wed, 02/18/2026 - 17:55

By JAKE OFFENHARTZ

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York City man who attempted to claim ownership of the New Yorker Hotel has pleaded guilty to fraud, ending a lengthy legal saga involving an obscure tenant law that allowed the man to live rent-free for years in the storied Manhattan hotel.

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Mickey Barreto entered the plea on Wednesday, admitting that he had forged property records in an effort to take ownership over the hotel. That effort was, at least on paper, partially successful.

In Barreto’s telling, he and his boyfriend paid $200 in 2018 to rent one of the more than 1,000 rooms in the towering, oft-photographed Art Deco hotel. Barreto then requested a lease, claiming his one night stay entitled him to protections under a city housing law that applies to single-room occupants of buildings constructed before 1969.

When the hotel rebuffed him, he took his case to housing court. After the hotel failed to send a lawyer to a key hearing, Barreto was awarded “possession” of the room.

But Manhattan prosecutors said Barreto then went a step further, defrauding the state by uploading a fake deed to a city website that purported to transfer ownership of the entire building to himself.

The property is currently owned by the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity, which was founded in South Korea by a self-proclaimed messiah, the late Rev. Sun Myung Moon. The church did not respond to an e-mailed inquiry.

Barreto then attempted to collect rent from a hotel tenant and demanded the hotel’s bank transfer its accounts to him, according to prosecutors.

He was eventually evicted from the premises in 2024 and charged with multiple counts of felony fraud. He was later found unfit to stand trial and ordered to undergo psychiatric treatment.

As part of the plea, Barreto was sentenced to a six-month prison sentence that he has already served, along with five years of probation, according to a spokesperson for the Manhattan district attorney.

Brian Hutchinson, an attorney for Barreto, didn’t immediately respond to a phone message seeking comment.

Barreto previously told the AP that the judge who granted him “possession” of his room indirectly gave him the entire building because it had never been subdivided.

“I never intended to commit any fraud. I don’t believe I ever committed any fraud,” Barreto said at the time. “And I never made a penny out of this.”

Guide company leading group caught in deadly avalanche warned of snow conditions days before incident

Wed, 02/18/2026 - 17:32

Just days before a deadly avalanche killed eight backcountry skiers near Tahoe, the guiding company leading the trip warned on social media that unstable snowpack could trigger “unpredictable avalanches.”

Blackbird Mountain Guides posted a video Sunday on Instagram cautioning that recent snow conditions around Tahoe were creating atypical layering in the snowpack — a combination that could lead to abnormal avalanche behavior.

The company was leading 15 backcountry skiers on a three-day trek to the Frog Lake Huts when they were caught in a football field-sized avalanche Tuesday near Castle Peak.

Six people survived. Eight were killed. One skier remains missing and is presumed dead as rescue efforts shift to recovery operations amid continued storm conditions and high avalanche danger.

Three of the four guides leading the trip were among those killed.

The Instagram post, published ahead of a major winter storm expected to dump several feet of snow across the Tahoe region, warned that recent dry periods followed by new snow had created a “particularly weak layer” within the snowpack.

In the video, guides on skis dig through layers of snow at Mount Rose on the Nevada side of Tahoe, identifying what they described as a “microcrust” and a layer of “sugary weak facets.” At higher elevations, they said, the crust was “almost nonexistent.”

“This weak layer could lead to some unpredictable avalanches!” text on the screen reads as a guide sifts soft snow through his fingers.

The company explained that the snowpack was forming “atypical layering” for this point in the season.

“Typically, we’d expect small amounts of faceting between big storms, but with a crust and extended dry period for the month of January into February, faceting has been a driving force in the snowpack,” the company wrote.

That layering, the post said, resulted in a “particularly weak layer.”

“As we move into a large storm cycle this week, pay close attention to places where faceting has been particularly strong — avalanches could behave abnormally, and the hazard could last longer than normal,” the company said, urging people to “use extra caution” and monitor alerts from the Sierra Avalanche Center.

The Sierra Avalanche Center had issued an avalanche warning for the central Sierra Nevada — including the Castle Peak area — at 5 a.m. Tuesday, hours before the slide. The warning, initially set to run through early Wednesday, rated avalanche danger in the region as “high,” the second-most-dangerous level below extreme. The center later extended the warning through Wednesday.

Authorities have said severe weather has complicated efforts to determine exactly what triggered the avalanche. Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon said there were “great questions” about the company’s guiding decisions, though she did not elaborate.

Daily Horoscope for February 19, 2026

Wed, 02/18/2026 - 17:00
General Daily Insight for February 19, 2026

Small sparks could lead to brave starts now. With the emotional Moon entering bold Aries at 2:39 pm EST, following our impulses may be easier than usual. Soon after, Luna meets restrictive Saturn, asking for measured steps, simple promises, and patience as we shape plans we can actually keep. Moments later, the Moon’s contact with dreamy Neptune softens edges, encouraging us to listen from the heart. Checking the facts might ultimately be necessary, but our enthusiasm is potentially in the right place!

Aries

March 21 – April 19

Aries, your passion meets sturdy focus today. The instinctive Moon in your 1st House of Identity conjoins disciplined Saturn, asking you to set a pace you can sustain. Although you may feel eager to just start moving, simple structure helps your energy land. Try outlining a plan before you pitch an idea. If inspiration swells later, let heart and practicality share the lead. Be open about your needs so others understand what you’re aiming for. A little foresight now can turn courage into results!

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

Quiet time can help you notice gentle truths today. Your 12th House of Solitude and Spirituality stirs as the intuitive Moon enters, inviting a pause that protects your energy. Although you need to acknowledge your emotions, acting on them immediately isn’t necessarily the best course. You might step outside for fresh air before you answer an upsetting message, or let patience soften a craving before you bite on an impulse purchase. Calm restores your strength, so don’t feel bad about stepping away from the whirlwind.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

What are your friends reflecting back to you? Plans could blur as the impressionable Moon merges with nebulous Neptune in your 11th House of Friendship and Community, bringing welcome compassion but also frustratingly hazy expectations. A chat may meander, or you might have to look for a new time to meet up. Do what you can to accommodate each person’s schedule, but be realistic about your own needs too. Sometimes the show must go on, whether or not it’s totally convenient for everyone involved!

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

Seeing how far you’ve come is possible now. The nourishing Moon enters your 10th House of Career and Status, helping you step into visibility with both confidence and competence. You might briefly share a progress update with the people who count in order to keep their expectations clear and realistic. Choose a visible next step, like setting a date for a presentation, and let your sensitivity guide how you frame the message. Your gentle leadership can build trust and open doors.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

Thinking a few steps ahead could be crucial now. The temperamental Moon joins authoritative Saturn in your 9th House of Travel and Learning, urging you to balance bold opinions with realistic limits. You may sincerely believe that the world should function in a certain way. How do you plan to enforce that, though? A new rule may or may not be the right tool to address the issue currently weighing on you. Remember that some laws cause more problems than they solve.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

Honesty could be necessary to clear knots around shared matters today. As the unconscious Moon encounters structured Saturn in your 8th House of Shared Resources and Intimacy, you may come to realize that you and another person assumed very different things about an arrangement that brings you together. Do you even have the same overall goal? You can at least be candid about what you’re personally looking for in order to reduce defensiveness and keep the process humane. Clearer terms should ultimately benefit both sides.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

Libra, empathy steers your choices with grace. The intuitive Moon in your 7th House of Partnership embraces psychic Neptune, heightening your perception so you sense the subtle needs of the people in your life. However, it’s also possible to mix up what’s yours and what’s theirs, so request feedback to confirm your impressions. You might echo back what you heard and ask a clear question, such as whether a call later would feel supportive. Compassion with boundaries keeps connections steady and sweet.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

Being conscious of your workflow can currently help you get the most out of it. Your 6th House of Work and Wellness activates as the emotional Moon enters, encouraging practical habits that support your intense focus without draining your reserves. You might set a timer to finish an assignment and then take a real stretch so your stamina returns. If a coworker interrupts, state your plan and circle back later. Boundaries protect quality of output and prevent resentment from poisoning relationships.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

A complicated form of pleasure may appeal to you now. Play could turn reflective as the moody Moon unites with idealistic Neptune in your 5th House of Creativity and Romance, blending imagination with tender feelings. You might bring a sketchbook to a café in order to temporarily live out a fantasy of a grand artistic life. However, don’t let this get you too depressed about how your current circumstances fall short of your dreams — no one gets to totally escape boring responsibilities!

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

Comfort and care could be high priorities today. Your 4th House of Home and Family shifts as the nurturing Moon enters, encouraging you to create simple order in your domestic life. You might start a calm conversation about chores and then share a warm meal that brings everyone back to center. If you live alone, set a cozy tone with music and a gentle plan for the evening, because small routines rebuild stability. Nourish your roots, and tomorrow’s work should feel easier!

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Your perspective could carry extra weight today. The instinctive Moon sits with karmic Saturn in your 3rd House of Communication, grounding your thoughts and calling for careful messaging that respects limits. Although your emotions on a contentious subject need to be heard and processed by you, airing them carelessly to others might inflame the drama further. Read a draft of an email aloud, and take a short break to reflect before sending it. Make sure your words carry clarity, not heat.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

Needs and wants might compete for your attention at the moment. Money choices could feel foggy as the temperamental Moon in your 2nd House of Resources unites with elusive Neptune, mixing a craving for comfort with dreams of what feels perfect. Check the amount you can spend today, and pick a small treat inside it, like cooking something special instead of ordering out. The goal isn’t to feel deprived — it’s to balance current desires with bigger priorities. Gentle limits keep you on track.

Air Force One will be repainted as Trump has hinted, US military says

Wed, 02/18/2026 - 16:58

By KONSTANTIN TOROPIN

WASHINGTON (AP) — A red, white and blue color scheme championed by President Donald Trump will become the new look for Air Force One, the U.S. military said Thursday.

The Air Force said a “red, white, gold and dark blue paint scheme” will be used for the updated jet that is slated to serve as Air Force One as well as other, smaller jets that routinely fly other top government officials.

The military released a rendering of the new look that matches an airplane model that has been seen in the Oval Office for meetings with foreign leaders.

A model of Air Force One sits on a table as President Donald Trump meets with Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, April 17, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Boeing is in the process of modifying two of its 747-800 aircraft that are slated to replace the existing fleet of two aging Boeing 747-200 aircraft that the president currently uses and that take on the Air Force One call sign when the president is aboard.

In 2018, Trump directed that those new jets would ditch the iconic Kennedy-era blue-and-white design for a white-and-navy color scheme. Instead, the top half of the plane would have been white, while the bottom, including the belly, would have been dark blue. A streak of dark red would have run from the cockpit to the tail. The coloring was almost identical to the exterior of Trump’s personal plane.

An Air Force review had suggested the darker colors would increase costs and delay delivery of the new jumbo jets, and President Joe Biden reversed the decision in March 2023.

Show Caption1 of 3A plane with a United States flag believed to be Air Force One carrying US President Donald Trump comes in for landing at Zurich Airport, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026.(Claudio Thoma/Keystone via AP) Expand

Trump told reporters last month that “we want power blue, not baby blue,” referring to the current color of the aircraft.

“Everything has its time and place. We’ll be changing the colors,” Trump added.

The Air Force’s statement says a third 747-8i Boeing jet will be painted in the same colors.

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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth formally accepted a luxury Boeing 747 jet from Qatar last May for use as Air Force One despite questions about the ethics and legality of taking the expensive gift from a foreign nation.

Air Force Secretary Troy Meink told lawmakers last June that the security modifications to the jet would cost less than $400 million but provided no details.

Today in History: February 17, Danica Patrick wins Daytona 500 pole

Tue, 02/17/2026 - 02:00

Today is Tuesday, Feb. 17, the 48th day of 2026. There are 317 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Feb. 17, 2013, Danica Patrick won the Daytona 500 pole, becoming the first woman to secure the top spot for any Sprint Cup race.

Also on this date:

In 1801, the U.S. House of Representatives broke an electoral tie between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr, electing Jefferson president; Burr became vice president.

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In 1863, five appointees of the Public Welfare Society of Geneva announced the formation of an “International Committee for the Relief of Wounded Combatants,” which would later be renamed the International Committee of the Red Cross.

In 1864, during the Civil War, the Union ship USS Housatonic was rammed and sank in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, by the Confederate hand-cranked submarine HL Hunley, in the first naval attack of its kind; the Hunley also sank.

In 1897, the National Congress of Mothers, the forerunner of the National Parent Teacher Association, convened its first meeting in Washington with over 2,000 attendees.

In 1964, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Wesberry v. Sanders, ruled that congressional districts within each state must be roughly equal in population.

In 1992, serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer was sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of 15 counts of first-degree murder.

In 1995, Colin Ferguson was convicted of six counts of murder in the December 1993 Long Island Rail Road shootings; he was later sentenced to 315 years in prison.

In 2008, Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia.

In 2014, Jimmy Fallon made his debut as host of NBC’s “Tonight Show,” taking over from Jay Leno.

Today’s Birthdays:
  • Actor Brenda Fricker is 81.
  • Actor Rene Russo is 72.
  • Actor Richard Karn is 70.
  • Olympic swimming gold medalist and television commentator Rowdy Gaines is 67.
  • Actor Lou Diamond Phillips is 64.
  • Basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan is 63.
  • Film director Michael Bay is 61.
  • Hockey Hall of Famer Luc Robitaille is 60.
  • Olympic skiing gold medalist Tommy Moe is 56.
  • Actor Denise Richards is 55.
  • Musician Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day) is 54.
  • Actor Jerry O’Connell is 52.
  • Actor Jason Ritter is 46.
  • Media personality Paris Hilton is 45.
  • Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt is 45.
  • Singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran is 35.
  • Actor Jeremy Allen White is 35.
  • Tennis player Madison Keys is 31.
  • Actor Sasha Pieterse is 30.

Cuban drivers face monthslong wait for gasoline in a government app designed to reduce lines

Mon, 02/16/2026 - 16:46

By ANDREA RODRIGUEZ

HAVANA, Cuba (AP) — Drivers in Cuba are facing the prospects of waiting several months to refuel their cars, as fuel shortages caused by a U.S. oil siege intensify.

To avoid chaos outside gas stations, Cuba’s government last week made it obligatory for drivers to use an app known as Ticket to get refueling appointments.

But drivers in Havana told The Associated Press on Monday that the app is only awarding them appointments several weeks or months from now.

“I have (appointment) number seven thousand and something,” said Jorge Reyes, a 65-year-old who downloaded the app on Monday.

Reyes signed up to refuel at a gas station in Havana that is only awarding 50 appointments per day. “When will I be able to buy gas again?” he said.

Show Caption1 of 4Retiree Jorge Reyes pushes his motorcycle to refuel as it’s his turn in line at a gasoline station in Havana, Cuba, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) Expand Scoring a coveted appointment

The app only allows drivers to sign up for appointments at one gas station at a time. So, on WhatsApp groups some drivers are sharing information on which places might be less crowded or which gas stations have a greater capacity to serve customers, noting that some locations are awarding up to 90 appointments per day.

But that is of little comfort to those who have downloaded the app, only to find out there are up to 10,000 appointments ahead of theirs.

The Cuban government has also stopped selling gasoline in local currency at subsidized rates of about 25 cents per liter, and is now only selling more expensive fuel, priced in U.S. dollars.

A liter of gasoline currently sells for $1.30 at gas stations and can cost up to six dollars in the growing black market for gasoline. Government workers in Cuba are earn less than $20 a month, when their earnings in Cuban pesos are converted to U.S. dollars using market rates.

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When drivers can finally refuel at service stations, they are only allowed to buy 20 liters of gasoline, or about 5.2 gallons.

“This will not last me long,” said Ariel Alonso, a businessman who refueled Monday at the El Riviera gas station.

“I have to leave a reserve of five liters in case anyone gets sick at home,” and has to be taken to the hospital, he said.

The Ticket app is run by XETID, a state owned software firm. Last week, the company’s commercial director Saumel Tejada, told news site Cuba Debate that more than 90,000 drivers had sought refueling appointments using the app.

Ticket has been around for three years, and was previously used by Cubans to secure appointments at notaries and at gas stations where they could pay for fuel in local currency. But now it is almost the only way for drivers to get their cars refueled — without going to the black market.

Vehicles used for the island’s tourism industry are the exception. Those cars have special license plates and are allowed to refuel at 44 service stations around the island, where long lines have formed. As with regular vehicles, tourism cars can only purchase 20 liters of fuel.

Crisis intensifies

Fuels shortages and blackouts have been intensifying in Cuba this month, as the nation struggles to import oil for its power plants and refineries.

In late January, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened any nation that sold oil to Cuba with tariffs, as Washington steps up efforts to pressure the island’s communist government to make economic and political reforms.

Cuba’s president Miguel Díaz-Canel has said that he is willing to negotiate with the U.S. “as equals” and without relinquishing his nations sovereignty. Díaz-Canel has accused the U.S. of staging an “energy blockade.”

Venezuela, one of Cuba’s main oil suppliers, stopped selling crude to the island in January after the U.S. captured then president Nicolás Maduro in a pre-dawn raid and flew him to New York to face drug trafficking charges.

Mexico also cut off oil shipments to Cuba in January, after Trump issued the tariff threat.

Banks on the island have reduced their working hours in a bid to save electricity and earlier this month the Cuban government said that it will not provide fuel to planes that land on the island, prompting three Canadian airlines to cancel flights to Cuba. Other airlines will continue to fly to the island but will make refueling stops in the Dominican Republic.

A book fair and an annual cigar trade fair have also been postponed as officials look for ways to reduce fuel and electricity consumption.

Last week a group of United Nations human rights experts condemned the U.S oil siege, saying that it has “no basis on collective security and constitutes a unilateral act that is incompatible with international law.”

Follow AP’s Latin America coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Trump administration ordered to restore George Washington slavery exhibit it removed in Philadelphia

Mon, 02/16/2026 - 16:31

By HANNAH SCHOENBAUM

An exhibit about nine people enslaved by George Washington must be restored at his former home in Philadelphia after President Donald Trump’s administration took it down last month, a federal judge ruled on Presidents Day, the federal holiday honoring Washington’s legacy.

The city of Philadelphia sued in January after the National Park Service removed the explanatory panels from Independence National Historical Park, the site where George and Martha Washington lived with nine of their slaves in the 1790s, when Philadelphia was briefly the nation’s capital.

The removal came in response to a Trump executive order “restoring truth and sanity to American history” at the nation’s museums, parks and landmarks. It directed the Interior Department to ensure those sites do not display elements that “inappropriately disparage Americans past or living.”

Show Caption1 of 3FILE – People walk past an informational panel at President’s House Site Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File) Expand

U.S. District Judge Cynthia Rufe ruled Monday that all materials must be restored in their original condition while a lawsuit challenging the removal’s legality plays out. She prohibited Trump officials from installing replacements that explain the history differently.

Rufe, an appointee of Republican President George W. Bush, began her written order with a quote from George Orwell’s dystopian novel “1984” and compared the Trump administration to the book’s totalitarian regime called the Ministry of Truth, which revised historical records to align with its own narrative.

“As if the Ministry of Truth in George Orwell’s 1984 now existed, with its motto ‘Ignorance is Strength,’ this Court is now asked to determine whether the federal government has the power it claims — to dissemble and disassemble historical truths when it has some domain over historical facts,” Rufe wrote. “It does not.”

She had warned Justice Department lawyers during a January hearing that they were making “dangerous” and “horrifying” statements when they said Trump officials can choose which parts of U.S. history to display at National Park Service sites.

The Interior Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the ruling, which came while government offices were closed for the federal holiday.

The judge did not provide a timeline for when the exhibit must be restored. Federal officials can appeal the ruling.

The historical site is among several where the administration has quietly removed content about the history of enslaved people, LGBTQ+ people and Native Americans.

Signage that has disappeared from Grand Canyon National Park said settlers pushed Native American tribes “off their land” for the park to be established and “exploited” the landscape for mining and grazing.

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Last week, a rainbow flag was taken down at the Stonewall National Monument, where bar patrons rebelled against a police raid and catalyzed the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. The administration has also removed references to transgender people from its webpage about the monument, despite several trans women of color being key figures in the uprising.

The Philadelphia exhibit, created two decades ago in a partnership between the city and federal officials, included biographical details about each of the nine people enslaved by the Washingtons at the home, including two who escaped.

Among them was Oney Judge, who was born into slavery at the family’s plantation in Mount Vernon, Virginia, and later escaped from their Philadelphia house in 1796. Judge fled north to New Hampshire, a free state, while Washington had her declared a fugitive and published advertisements seeking her return.

Because Judge had escaped from the Philadelphia house, the park service in 2022 supported the site’s inclusion in a national network of Underground Railroad sites where they would teach about abolitionists and escaped slaves. Rufe noted that materials about Judge were among those removed, which she said “conceals crucial information linking the site to the Network to Freedom.”

Only the names of Judge and the other eight enslaved people — Austin, Paris, Hercules, Richmond, Giles, Moll and Joe, who each had a single name, and Christopher Sheels — remained engraved in a cement wall after park service employees took a crowbar to the plaques on Jan. 22.

Hercules also escaped in 1797 after he was brought to Mount Vernon, where the Washingtons had many other slaves. He reached New York City despite being declared a fugitive slave and lived under the name Hercules Posey.

Several local politicians and Black community leaders celebrated the ruling, which came while many were out rallying at the site for its restoration.

State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, a Philadelphia Democrat, said the community prevailed against an attempt by the Trump administration to “whitewash our history.”

“Philadelphians fought back, and I could not be more proud of how we stood together,” he said.

Opening statements held in the trial of a Georgia high school shooting suspect’s father

Mon, 02/16/2026 - 16:20

By JOHN RABY

A man whose teenage son is accused of killing two students and two teachers at a Georgia high school should be held responsible for providing the weapon despite warnings about alleged threats his son made, a prosecutor said Monday.

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The trial of Colin Gray began Monday in one of several cases around the country where prosecutors are trying to hold parents responsible after their children are accused in fatal shootings.

Gray faces 29 counts, including two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of involuntary manslaughter and numerous counts of second-degree cruelty to children related to the September 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder.

“This is not a case about holding parents accountable for what their children do,” Barrow County District Attorney Brad Smith said in his opening statement. “This case is about this defendant and his actions in allowing a child that he has custody over access to a firearm and ammunition after being warned that that child was going to harm others.”

Prosecutors argue that amounts to cruelty to children, and second-degree murder is defined in Georgia law as causing the death of a child by committing the crime of cruelty to children.

Investigators have said Colt Gray, who was 14 at the time, carefully planned the Sept. 4, 2024, shooting at the school northeast of Atlanta that is attended by 1,900 students.

But Brian Hobbs, an attorney for Colin Gray, said the shooting’s planning and timing “were hidden by Colt Gray from his father. That’s the difference between tragedy and criminal liability. You cannot hold someone criminally responsible for failing to predict what was intentionally hidden from them.”

Show Caption1 of 3District Attorney Brad Smith points to the defendant Colin Gray, the father of Apalachee High School shooting suspect Colt Gray, during Smith’s opening statements in the courtroom at the Barrow County courthouse, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, in Winder, Ga. (Jason Getz/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) Expand

With a semiautomatic rifle in his book bag, the barrel sticking out and wrapped in poster board, Colt Gray boarded the school bus, investigators said. He left his second-period class and emerged from a bathroom with the gun and then shot people in a classroom and hallways, they said.

Smith told the jury that Colin Gray’s daughter was in lockdown at her middle school and texted her father that there had been a shooting at the high school. When law enforcement arrived at Gray’s home, he met them in the garage and “without any prompting, he blurts out, ‘I knew it,’” Smith said.

Smith said that in September 2021, Colt Gray used a school computer to search the phrase, “how to kill your dad.” School resource officers were then sent to the home, but it was determined to be a “misunderstanding,” Smith said.

Sixteen months before the shooting, in May 2023, law enforcement acted on a tip from the FBI after a shooting threat was made online concerning an elementary school. The threat was traced to a computer at Gray’s home, Smith said.

Colin Gray was told about the threat and was asked whether his son had access to guns. Gray replied that he and his son “take this school shooting stuff very seriously,” according to Smith. Colt Gray denied that he made the threat and said that his online account had been hacked, Smith said.

That Christmas, Colin Gray gave his son the gun as a gift and continued to buy accessories after that, including “a lot of ammunition,” Smith said.

Colin Gray knew his son was obsessed with school shooters, even having a shrine in his bedroom to Nikolas Cruz, the shooter in the 2018 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, prosecutors have said. A Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent had testified that the teen’s parents had discussed their son’s fascination with school shooters but decided that it was in a joking context and not a serious issue.

Three weeks before the shooting, Gray received a chilling text from his son: “Whenever something happens, just know the blood is on your hands,” according to Smith.

Colin Gray was also aware his son’s mental health had deteriorated and had sought help from a counseling service weeks before the shooting, an investigator testified.

“We have had a very difficult past couple of years and he needs help. Anger, anxiety, quick to be volatile. I don’t know what to do,” Colin Gray wrote about his son.

But Smith said Colin Gray never followed through on concerns about getting his son admitted to an in-patient facility.

The trial is being held in Winder, in Barrow County, where the shooting happened. The defense asked for a change of venue because of pretrial publicity, and prosecutors agreed. The judge kept the trial in Winder but decided to bring in jurors from nearby Hall County to hear the case. Jurors were selected last week.

Raby reported from Charleston, West Virginia.

Injured seabird desperately pecks at hospital door for help

Mon, 02/16/2026 - 15:33

BERLIN (AP) — An injured seabird sought help by pecking at the door of an emergency room at a hospital in Germany until medical staff noticed it and called firefighters to help with its rescue.

The cormorant, a shiny black waterbird, had a triple fishing hook stuck in its beak when it made its presence known at the glass door of the Klinikum Links der Weser hospital in the northern city of Bremen on Sunday.

An injured cormorant stands in front of the door of an emergency room at a hospital in Bremen, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (Feuerwehr Bremen/DPA via AP)

In a joint effort, medical staff and firefighters removed the fishhook and treated the wound, the Bremen firefighter department said in a statement. The bird was later released back into nature on the grounds of the hospital park.

“When an injured cormorant does approach humans, it is usually an animal in extreme distress that has lost its natural shyness,” the statement said.

A cormorant is a large bird with a long neck, wedge-shaped head and a distinctive sharp beak with a hooked tip. A fishhook in the bird’s beak would be extremely dangerous for the animal. Infections, pain and even starvation are possible, the firefighter department said.

A firefighter from the Bremen Fire Department holds an injured cormorant that had pecking at the door of an emergency room at a hospital in Bremen, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (Feuerwehr Bremen/ DPA via AP) Related Articles

Al Pacino, Jamie Lee Curtis and others pay tribute to Robert Duvall, who died at age 95

Mon, 02/16/2026 - 15:11

By The Associated Press

Remembrances poured in Monday in honor of Robert Duvall, the Oscar-winning actor known for roles in “Apocalypse Now,” “Lonesome Dove,” Tender Mercies” and as the intrepid consigliere of the first two “Godfather” movies.

Duvall died Sunday at age 95 at his home in Virginia, according to an announcement from his publicist and a statement posted on his Facebook page by his wife, Luciana Duvall.

Al Pacino

“It was an honor to have worked with Robert Duvall. He was a born actor as they say, his connection with it, his understanding and his phenomenal gift will always be remembered. I will miss him.” — Duvall’s “Godfather” co-star, in a statement to The Associated Press.

Viola Davis

“I’ve always been in awe of your towering portrayals of men who were both quiet and dominating in their humanness. You were a giant … an icon … Apocalypse Now, The Godfather, To Kill a Mockingbird, Tender Mercies, The Apostle, Lonesome Dove … etc … Greatness never dies. It stays … as a gift. Rest well, sir. Your name will be spoken.” — the actor, Duvall’s co-star in “Widows,” on Instagram.

Adam Sandler

“Funny as hell. Strong as hell. One of the greatest actors we ever had. Such a great man to talk to and laugh with. Loved him so much. We all did. So many movies to choose from that were legendary. Watch them when you can. Sending his wife Luciana and all his family and friends our condolences.” — the actor, who starred with Duvall in “Hustle,” on X.

Michael Keaton

“another friend goes down. acted with and became friends. shared a great afternoon on my front porch talking about horses. he was greatness personified as an actor.” — the actor, Duvall’s co-star in “The Paper,” on Instagram.

Robert Patrick

“We talked horses, dogs, Clemson football, dancing the tango and Marlon Brando. At one point he told me to go find the letter Marlon had sent him after they worked together on The Godfather. It was typed and perfectly composed. Bobby was more proud of that letter than his Oscar. Marlon was the actor he looked up to.” — the actor, remembering a recent visit at Duvall’s home in Virginia, on Facebook.

Rob Schneider

“Powerful yet gentle as a bird in his unforgettable turn in “The Lonesome Dove,” Bob had the ability to make you forget instantly the conceit that you were watching a performance and gripped us with the sincerity and emotion of a consigliere as Tom in “The Godfather.” Equally hilarious as the surfer loving Army Officer in “Apocalypse Now,” he never gave a moment for the audience to not believe.” — the actor, on Facebook.

Jamie Lee Curtis

“The greatest consigliere the screen has ever seen. Bravo, Robert Duvall” — the actor, on Instagram

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“We celebrate the legacy of Robert Duvall, a true acting legend whose work shaped generations. Twice honored with SAG-AFTRA Actor Awards, his influence on the craft will endure. Our thoughts are with his wife, Luciana, and all who loved him.” — the union that represents actors and broadcasters, on X.

Mike Huckabee

“One of my best days was spending a full day with Robert Duvall & his lovely wife at his ranch — interviewed him for my then Fox News show. He was gracious, hospitable, & humble. Truly a gentleman & one of the greatest actors of all time. He didn’t ‘play’ a role— he WAS the role.” — the U.S. ambassador to Israel, on X.

Reserve deputy accused of forging a month of timesheets for Broward Sheriff’s Office

Mon, 02/16/2026 - 15:08

New details emerged Monday about last week’s arrest of a Broward Sheriff’s Office reserve deputy who has been charged with official misconduct, forgery, scheme to defraud and grand theft.

Joshua Marc Passman, 44, was fired last week after his arrest. According to a probable cause affidavit outlining the case against him, Passman faked his working hours to be paid for time he wasn’t on the job and to boost his eventual retirement check.

Passman was originally hired by the Sheriff’s Office in 2006 and rose to the rank of sergeant before leaving the agency in 2022 for a private sector job. He remained with BSO as a reserve officer.

According to the affidavit, Passman submitted time sheets for 21 full working days throughout calendar year 2024, resulting in payments of about $3,200. The time sheets all bore the signature of a supervisor who told investigators he never saw the timesheets and never approved of them. The signature on the timesheets did not match the supervisor’s signature, according to the report.

Phone records show Passman was not in South Florida for some of the days he claimed to work, and was not in Broward County on some days he claimed to be attending meetings in Fort Lauderdale.

“A specific benefit of Passman’s continued service with the Broward Sheriff’s Office as a reserve deputy … allows him to fulfill service credit years necessary for vesting and eligibility under the Florida Retirement System,” according to Detective Daniel Sanchez, writing in the probable cause document. “The charges being presented suggest that Passman’s motive behind the actions detailed in this investigation was to accumulate sufficient service time through his misrepresented or inflated documentation to reach a threshold for monetary pension benefits.”

Attempts to reach Passman’s lawyer on Monday, a holiday, were unsuccessful.

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

3 killed, including suspect, in shooting during Rhode Island youth hockey game

Mon, 02/16/2026 - 14:47

By KIMBERLEE KRUESI

PAWTUCKET, R.I. (AP) — Three people, including the suspect, were fatally shot during a Rhode Island youth hockey game Monday, authorities said.

Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves told reporters that three other victims are hospitalized in critical condition.

“It appears that this was a targeted event, that it may be a family dispute,” she said. Goncalves did not provide details about the suspect or the ages of those who were killed, though she said it appeared that both victims were adults.

Show Caption1 of 5A father hugs his son outside of the Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, R.I., after a shooting at the ice rink, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell) Expand

She said investigators are trying to piece together what happened and speak with witnesses of the shooting inside Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, a few miles outside Providence. They are also reviewing video taken from the hockey game. Unverified footage circulating on social media shows players diving for cover and fans fleeing their seats after popping sounds are heard.

Outside the arena, tearful families and high school hockey players still in uniform could be seen hugging before they boarded a bus to leave the area. Roads surrounding the arena were shut down as a heavy police presence remained and helicopters flew overhead.

Monday’s shooting comes nearly two months after Rhode Island was rocked by a separate gun violence tragedy at Brown University, where a gunman killed two students and injured nine others. That shooter went on to also fatally shoot a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor.

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Authorities later found Claudio Neves Valente, 48, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at a New Hampshire storage facility.

“Fortunately, the two incidents are not related, but it is very tragic,” said Pawtucket Mayor Don Grebien. “These are high school kids, they were doing an event, they were playing with fans watching and it turned into this.”

Pawtucket is nestled just north of Providence and right under the Massachusetts state border. A city of just under 80,000, Pawtucket had up until recently been known as the home to Hasbro’s headquarters.

Associated Press writer Becky Bohrer in Juneau, Alaska, contributed to this report.

Dave Hyde: Releasing Hill, Chubb was predictable — now, new Dolphins’ decisions get tougher

Mon, 02/16/2026 - 14:37

Start waving goodbye. Anyone can go. The new season began Monday for the Miami Dolphins’ new regime with the release of Tyreek Hill and Bradley Chubb, two names bigger than the decision to let them go.

Hill gave two great years in his four with the Dolphins, but was on the chopping block with a bloated 2026 price even before his nasty knee injury. He’ll be 32 in March, and his release saves the Dolphins $22.8 million.

Chubb is a pro’s pro and good edge rusher, but he turns 30 this summer, is regularly injured and was due $20.2 million this year. Those aren’t fits for a rebuilding team.

Throw in guard James Daniels, who declined to play with a pectoral injury even as the team thought he could, and receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and the Dolphins actually moved into the positive for salary-cap space. For now.

Now it gets tougher. Defining decisions loom for new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, ones that will set the course of this season and offer a look into his building philosophy.

And, no, this doesn’t have anything to do with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The only decision there remains how to painfully extricate themselves from his contract. The hammer or the drill?

This is about moving on. It’s about how Sullivan will set policy and do business with the players he wants to keep. Or might want to keep. Or would keep at the right price, if that can be found.

You know how the Dolphins did business the past four years. If a player came to a bad mood to practice, he was given a new contract. Tua, Hill and Jalen Ramsey signed record-setting deals when new deals weren’t even necessary. Team owner Steve Ross is still signing checks from that.

It’s easy to toss money at players. But someone has to protect the organization with fair deals, and that’s Sullivan’s job now. Start with running back De’Von Achane, this offense’s best playmaker, who enters the final year of his rookie contract in 2026.

Garden-variety running backs don’t get paid anymore. But two-way threats like Achane do. Look at San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey ($19 million in 2026).

Achane doesn’t have McCaffrey’s receiving numbers. But his total yards compare to Buffalo running back James Cook, who signed four-year, $46 million deal ($29 million guaranteed) before last season.

Is that a year-ago framework for Achane? It would have been a year ago when every Dolphin got paid. Sullivan has yet to show how he work. He could have Achane play out his rookie deal. Or maybe start the season before negotiating? Would the franchise tag be in play?

Sullivan’s philosophy will weave through this rebuild. When Tua moves on, the Dolphins highest-paid players next year become safety Minkah Fitzpatrick ($18.9M) and right tackle Austin Jackson ($15.4M). That doesn’t look right, does it?

Each is average. Jackson has injury problems. Does Sullivan try to trade them, opening more holes on a roster full of holes? Does he re-negotiate their contracts — or try? Or does he just let them play out the year at those numbers? Decisions, decisions.

Then there are the returning leaders, good pros and great players any team wants in center Aaron Brewer and linebacker Jordyn Brooks. Each is in his prime at 28. Each enters the final year of his contract.

They’ll want new deals this winter. They deserve them because of their stellar play and attitude. The question becomes how Sullivan lines up a team with limited money with its across-the-roster needs and timeline to start winning again.

If he sees winning in 2027, sign them. But if it’s 2028 or even 2029? Does that change matters?

Bottom line: You could have made Monday’s decisions to release these four players. It started some predictable housecleaning on a roster that needed to get proper alignment by dollars, age and health to go though a rebuild.

But now the hard work is about to begin. Who to pay? Who not to pay, at least immediately? How to play hardball, if necessary?

It’s been a culture of comfort the past four years as coach Mike McDaniel attempted to buy the loyalty of star players with big contracts. GM Chris Grier and Ross went along for the bad ride.

Now it’s Sullivan’s turn to make some tough decisions. They won’t just show us his style of management. They’ll set the tone for how business is done in this new regime and lay the direction of this team’s latest rebuild.

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill watches as time runs out in the loss to the New England Patriots on Sept. 14, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel) Miami Dolphins outside linebacker Bradley Chubb (2) prepares to play against the New York Jets on Dec. 7, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Trying to tame the Olympic controversy, World Curling sent in the umps. Then it sent them away

Mon, 02/16/2026 - 14:29

By JULIA FRANKEL

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — The curling drama at the Winter Olympics sent the sport’s governing body scrambling to address a growing controversy and curb conflicting accounts of rule-breaking. The backpedaling came less than 24 hours later.

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A day after World Curling ramped up monitoring of the matches, it pulled the plug, saying umpires would retreat and be available on request but not by default.

The move came after a quick meeting between national curling federations and World Curling on Sunday in which curlers expressed dissatisfaction with the increased surveillance. Athletes wanted less monitoring, not more.

Why would Olympic curlers, playing a sport where mere centimeters can make the difference between a winning and losing stone, choose to send the umps away? The answer may have to do with the longstanding spirit of the game, which some athletes are clinging to even as it grows more popular — and professional.

“I think there’s a lot of pride in trying to be a sport that kind of officiates ourselves a little bit, so to speak,” said Nolan Thiessen, CEO of Curling Canada, whose teams have been at the heart of the uproar over the past several days. “I think it was just everybody taking a deep breath and going, OK, let’s just finish this Olympics the way we know our sport is to be played.”

Show Caption1 of 4Switzerland’s Alina Paetz in action during the women’s curling round robin session against Sweden at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair) Expand World Curling rethinks officiating

The saga began Friday, when Sweden’s Oskar Eriksson accused Canadian Marc Kennedy of breaking the rules by touching the rock again after initially releasing it down the sheet of ice. Kennedy’s expletive-laden outburst drew widespread attention, as did the sport, which tends to fall off the radar outside the Olympics.

World Curling decided it needed to double down on game surveillance, even though it was already midway through the Olympic men’s and women’s round-robin competition.

From then on, the federation said, two umpires would step out from behind the courtside table and watch the “hog line” — the point at which curlers must release the granite stone down the sheet of ice — from close proximity. That way, they’d be able to more closely check for illegal double-touches.

In just a day, officials called two double-touch infractions, by Rachel Homan of Canada and Bobby Lammie of Britain, removing their stones from play.

It is rare for stones to be removed from competition so frequently.

By Sunday afternoon, players and coaches were fed up, and World Curling changed its policy after the meeting.

“When the players started complaining, it puts them in a tough position because they want to do their jobs and listen to the players that think that there’s a problem out there,” said Emma Miskew of Canada. “I’m happy with how the discussion went and what the ruling came to.”

Olympic curlers say the double-touch is not a big deal

Several Olympic curlers said that double-touching did not necessarily reveal a nefarious desire to cheat, and that penalizing a quick and accidental graze of the granite could be over the top.

“If you get a hog line violation, it’s not cheating,” Homan said Monday.

Miskew added that it was rare to hear the accusation, at least in women’s curling, while Alina Paetz of Switzerland agreed with Homan that it is a minor infraction.

“If you do it, it’s not allowed, but I think they blew it up a little bit, so it’s a bigger thing than it actually is,” Paetz said. “It’s the Olympics, there’s emotion in it. I don’t think it is actually that big of a deal.”

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

  
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