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A SpaceX launch from Cape Canaveral lit up the Space Coast for the 50th time this year while also achieving a milestone for the company.

The Falcon 9 rocket carrying up another 22 of the company’s Starlink satellites made a record 17th flight with liftoff at 11:38 p.m. from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40.

Liftoff! pic.twitter.com/5SkARIOQ2y

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 20, 2023

The booster previously launched on the GPS III-3, Turksat 5A, Transporter-2, Intelsat G-33/G-34, Transporter-6, and 11 Starlink missions. It made  another recovery landing on the droneship A Short Fall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean.

SpaceX has flown all but three of the Space Coast launches this year with United Launch Alliance sending up two and Relativity Space the only other one.

Falcon 9’s first stage has landed on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship, completing the first 17th launch and landing of a booster pic.twitter.com/DFCw43FoVw

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 20, 2023

With this mission, SpaceX has flown 37 from Cape Canaveral and another 10 from Kennedy Space Center including all three human spaceflights to orbit from the U.S. this year as well as three powerhouse Falcon Heavy launches.

The launch manifest for the remainder of the year should see the Space Coast beat the record 57 launches it saw in 2022.

That includes several more SpaceX Falcon 9 missions and at least one more Falcon Heavy next month, targeting as early as Oct. 5 to send up NASA’s Psyche probe to the asteroid of the same name.

SpaceX has become the most prolific launch provider since the first Falcon 1 successfully made orbit in 2008. Including this launch, Elon Musk’s company has now managed 265 successful launches across its Falcon 1, 9 and Heavy rockets with the last launch failure coming in 2015. It will also mark it 227th landing and 199th reuse of a rocket booster.

In comparison, ULA has managed 157 launches since it was formed by Boeing and Lockheed Martin in 2006 with its busiest year in 2009 when it had 16 launches. That pace slowed in the last few years with ULA managing only five or six launches from 2019-2021, eight in 2022 and only two so far this year.

After SpaceX and ULA, the next busiest launch provider is Rocket Lab, albeit with smaller rockets. It was on record pace to hit 15 launches in 2023, but suffered an issue during an launch attempt earlier Tuesday from its New Zealand launch facilities resulting in a loss of its customer payload, a satellite for Capella Space.

The Electron rocket completed its first-stage burn and stage separation, but suffered an issue at 2 minutes and 30 seconds into flight.

“Tough day. My deepest apologies to our mission partners Capella Space,” Company CEO Peter Beck posted to social media. “Team is already working on root cause. We’ll find it, fix it and be back on the pad quickly.”

That mission was its ninth launch attempt for the year, which is how many it had in 2022. To date, Rocket Lab has had 37 successful orbital missions across 41 attempts including flights from the U.S. for the first time this year from Virginia.

For now, the next launch is postponed as Rocket Lab works with the Federal Aviation Administration to investigate.

The Space Coast saw a record number of launches from the two facilities with 57 in 2022. Space Launch Delta 45 commander Maj. Gen. Stephen Purdy said in January that there could be between 86 and 92 potential launches in 2023.

Check back for the latest information on upcoming launches from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

By The Numbers:

50 Space Coast launches in 2023 (updated Sept. 19) | 40 from Cape Canaveral, 10 from KSC | 47 from SpaceX (44 Falcon 9s, 3 Falcon Heavy), 2 from United Launch Alliance (1 Delta IV Heavy, 1 Atlas V), 1 from Relativity Space | 3 human spaceflights (Crew-6, Ax-2, Crew-7)

Details on past launches can be found at the end of file.

SEPTEMBER

Sept. 19: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-17 mission, carrying 22 of its Starlink satellites, flying from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 launching at 11:38 p.m. This was a record reuse flight for the first-stage booster flying for a 17th time with a recovery landing on the droneship A Short Fall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean. Read more.

Sept. 26: United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41. Payload is Amazon’s two test Project Kuiper satellites that were set to fly on ULA’s first Vulcan Centaur rocket. They have now switched to one of the nine Atlas rockets Amazon had previously purchased from ULA as Vulcan has been delayed to no earlier than the fourth quarter of 2023. Read more.

OCTOBER

As early as Oct. 10: A SpaceX Falcon Heavy to send NASA’s Psyche probe into space launch from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39-A. The probe was delayed from 2022, and headed for the asteroid Psyche, using a Mars-gravity assist and not arriving until August 2029. Psyche is a nickel-iron core asteroid that orbits the sun beyond Mars anywhere from 235 million to 309 million miles away. Read more.

NOVEMBER

Nov. 15-20: A SpaceX Falcon 9 with the Intuitive Machines IM-1 lunar lander from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-A. This could end up being the first NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) mission to land on the moon, although a backup in December could put it in a similar window as Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander awaiting a flight on the Vulcan Centaur. The IM-1 is a suite of five robotic NASA payloads sent to the moon’s surface as part of a CLPS delivery. Landing would take place weeks after launch.

UPCOMING: TBD IN 2023

TBD, 4th quarter of 2023 (Delayed from May 4): First-ever launch of United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur on Certification-1 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41: Slated to carry commercial company Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander to the moon, and the first two test satellites for Amazon’s Project Kuiper internet constellation. Also flying will be another human remains payload for Celestis Inc.,, this time brining the ashes of more than 150 people to space including “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry and actor James Doohan who played “Scotty” on the TV series. Read more.

TBD, 4th quarter of 2023 (Delayed from summer): Polaris Dawn mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9 topped with the Crew Dragon Resilience from KSC’s Launch Pad 39-A. The private orbital mission will bring billionaire Jared Isaacman to space for a second time after 2021′s Inspiration4 mission. It’s the first of up to three planned Polaris missions, and will feature a tethered spacewalk. Also flying are Scott Poteet, given the title of mission pilot, specialist Sarah Gillis, and specialist and medical officer Anna Menon. Both Gillis and Menon are SpaceX employees. Read more.

TBD (Delayed from July 21): Boeing CST-100 Starliner atop United Launch Alliance Atlas V from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41 on the Crew Flight Test (CFT) carrying NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams on an eight-day mission to the International Space Station. Read more.

TBD, 4th quarter of 2023: SpaceX Falcon Heavy from KSC’s Launch Complex 39-A on USSF-52, the third mission for the Space Force.

TBD, the first half of 2023: United Launch Alliance Atlas V on USSF 51 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41.

TBD, December 2023: SpaceX Falcon 9 with Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft on the NG-20 mission to resupply the International Space Station. This will be the first ISS launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40, which SpaceX has been redeveloping to support future crewed missions in addition to KSC’s Launch Pad 39-A. This is the first of at least three SpaceX flights of Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft as part of a deal after its 10-year run of launches atop Antares rockets ended with the Aug. 1 launch from Wallops Island, Virginia because of issues with Russian- and Ukrainian-made rocket engines and first stage parts that are being redeveloped with Firefly Aerospace for a future Antares rocket not expected until at least 2025.

UPCOMING: TBD IN 2024

No earlier than January 2024: Axiom Space was awarded the right to fly Axiom-3. No crew has been announced, but NASA requires it to be commanded by a former NASA astronaut with experience on the space station such as the Ax-1 and Ax-2 commanders. The commercial flight brings four crew for a short stay on the ISS. This mission is targeting a 14-day stay, and will fly up with one of the SpaceX Crew Dragons. The launch date is dependent on spacecraft traffic to the ISS and in-orbit activity planning and constraints that have to be coordinated with NASA.

January 2024: NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol Cloud Ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite on a SpaceX Falcon 9. PACE will advance the assessment of ocean health by measuring the distribution of phytoplankton, tiny plants and algae that sustain the marine food web.

No earlier than February 2024: SpaceX Crew-8 on Falcon 9 from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-A. It’s the eighth SpaceX operational mission under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Its four crew members are NASA astronauts Commander Matthew Dominick, Pilot Michael Barratt, Mission Specialist Jeanette Epps and  Roscosmos cosmonaut Mission Specialist Alexander Grebenkin.

TBD 1st quarter of 2024: United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur on Sierra Space Dream Chaser test flight from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41. Read more.

TBD, 2nd quarter of 2024: United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur on first of three planned Department of Defense mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41.

No earlier than August 2024: Axiom Space was awarded the right to fly Axiom-4. No crew has been announced, but NASA requires it to be commanded by a former NASA astronaut with experience on the space station such as the Ax-1 and Ax-2 commanders. The commercial flight brings four crew for a short stay on the ISS. This mission is targeting a 14-day stay, and will fly up with one of the SpaceX Crew Dragons. The launch date is dependent on spacecraft traffic to the ISS and in-orbit activity planning and constraints that have to be coordinated with NASA.

TBD, second half of 2024: United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur on second of three planned Department of Defense mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41.

TBD, second half of 2024: United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur on third of three planned Department of Defense mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41.

TBD, no earlier than fall 2024: Boeing Starliner-1 on ULA Atlas V from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Space Launch Complex 41. NASA astronauts Scott Tingle and Mike Fincke will be commander and pilot, respectively. This Starliner previously flew on Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test-2 mission.

November 2024: NASA Artemis II mission to send four crew on 8-day orbital mission to the moon from KSC’s Launch Pad 39-B. Read more.

UPCOMING: TBD IN 2025

No earlier than December 2025: NASA Artemis III mission to send four crew on lunar landing mission to the moon from KSC’s Launch Pad 39-B. Read more.

ALREADY LAUNCHED IN 2023

Jan. 3: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on the Transporter-6 mission carrying 114 payloads for a variety of customers blasted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 9:56 a.m. Read more.

Jan. 9: A SpaceX Falcon 9 lifted off carrying 40 satellites for OneWeb at 11:50 p.m. Monday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40. Read more.

Jan. 15: The fifth-ever flight of SpaceX’s powerhouse Falcon Heavy rocket lifted off at 5:56 p.m. from KSC’s Launch Pad 39-A on a mission for the Space Force dubbed USSF-67. Read more.

Jan. 18: A SpaceX Falcon 9 on the GPS III Space Vehicle 06 mission for the Space Force rose through the pink, orange and blue horizon at 7:24 a.m. from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40. Read more.

Jan. 26: SpaceX Falcon 9 Starlink 5-2 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 launched at 4:32 a.m. sending up 56 Starlink satellites. Read more.

Feb. 2: Falcon 9 on Starlink 5-3 from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-A at 2:43 a.m. 200th successful flight of Falcon 9 on mission to send up 53 Starlink satellites. Read more.

Feb. 6: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Amazonas-6 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 lifted off at 8:32 p.m. Payload is communications satellite for Hispasat known also as the Amazonas Nexus. Read more.

Feb. 12: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 5-4 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Space Launch Complex 40 launched 55 Starlink satellites at 12:10 a.m. This set a then-record turnaround between launches from the same pad for SpaceX coming just five days, three hours, and 38 minutes since the Feb. 6 launch. Read more.

Feb. 17: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Inmarsat’s I-6 F2 satellite launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Space Launch Complex 40 at 10:59 p.m. The second of six planned communication satellite launches, the first of which came in 2021 with the final coming by 2025. Read more.

Feb. 27: SpaceX Falcon 9 Starlink 6-1 launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 6:13 p.m. carrying 21 of the second-generation Starlink satellites. Read more.

March 2: Crew-6 mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9 launching Crew Dragon Endeavour from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39-A at 12:34 a.m. A Feb. 27 attempt was scrubbed with less than three minutes before liftoff. Flying were NASA astronauts mission commander Stephen Bowen and pilot Woody Hoburg, United Arab Emirates astronaut Sultan Alneyadi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, heading to the International Space Station for around a six-month stay. It’s the sixth SpaceX operational mission under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Read more.

March 9: A SpaceX Falcon 9 lifted off carrying 40 satellites for OneWeb launched at 2:13 p.m. from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40. The first-stage booster flew for the 13th time landing at Canaveral’s Landing Zone 1. Read more.

March 14: After arrival of Crew-6 and departure of Crew-5 to make room for a cargo Dragon, SpaceX Falcon 9 launched a cargo Dragon spacecraft on CRS-27, the 27th resupply mission to the International Space Station from KSC’s Launch Complex 39-A at 8:30 p.m. Read more.

March 17: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the SES 18 and 19 mission, a pair of communication satellites set to launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40. Set a record for SpaceX mission turnaround with launch only four hours and 17 minutes after a Starlink launch from California. Read more.

March 22: Relativity Space Terran-1, a 3D-printed rocket awaiting company’s first-ever launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Launch Complex 16 at 11:25 p.m. While first stage successfully separated, the second stage engine did not get it into orbit. Read more.

March 24: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 5-5 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 11:43 a.m. carrying 56 Starlink satellites to orbit. The booster made its 10th flight. Read more.

March 29: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 5-10 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station launched at 4:01 p.m. The booster making its fourth flight landed on Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic. Read more.

April 7: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Intelsat 40e mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 targeting 12:30 a.m., the opening of a 119-minute launch window that runs until 2:29 a.m. Space Launch Delta 45′s weather squadron gives forecasts a 90% chance for good conditions early Friday, and 85% chance in event of 24-hour delay. Read more.

April 19: SpaceX Falcon 9 launch on Starlink 6-2 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station targeting 9:48 a.m. during a launch window that runs from 8:18 a.m.-Noon. The Space Launch Delta 45 weather squadron forecast calls for 90% chance of good conditions and 80% chance in event of a 24-hour delay. The first-stage booster is making its eighth flight and SpaceX will attempt its recovery again on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean. Read more.

April 28: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the SES 03b mPOWER-B mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40. SLD 45′s weather squadron puts launch window from 5:12-6:40 p.m. with a forecast predicting only 20% chance for good conditions, up to 30% chance in event of 24-hour delay. Read more.

April 30: SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch of ViaSat-3 Americas’ communications satellite from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39-A at 8:26 p.m. All three boosters were expended, so no sonic boom landings. Also flying were payloads for Astranis Space Technologies and Gravity Space headed for geostationary orbits. It’s the sixth-ever Falcon Heavy launch. The launch pad endured a lightning strike on April 27, but SpaceX said the rocket was healthy for the attempt. Read more.

May 4: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 5-6 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station with 56 Starlink satellites at 3:31 a.m. The first-stage booster making its eighth flight was recovered once again on the droneship called A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean. Read more.

May 14: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 5-9 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 launnched at 1:03 a.m. Read more.

May 19: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-3 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 2:19 a.m. carrying 22 second-gen Starlink satellites. The first-stage booster made its fifth flight and landing on droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in Atlantic. Read more.

May 21: Axiom 2 mission with four private passengers launched to the International Space Station for an eight-day visit flying on a SpaceX Falcon 9 topped with Crew Dragon Freedom from KSC’s Launch Complex 39-A at 5:37 p.m.  The first-stage booster flew for the first time with a return to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Landing Zone 1. This is only the second crewed mission from the U.S. in 2023 following March’s Crew-6 mission. The second Axiom Space private mission to the International Space Station following 2022′s Axiom 1 mission. Axiom Space’s Director of Human Spaceflight and former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson is the mission commander with aviator John Shoffner as pilot and two mission specialist seats paid for by the Saudi Space Commission, Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali AlQarni. Read more.

May 27: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the ArabSat BADR-8 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 12:30 a.m. The first-stage booster made its 14th flight with a landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic. Read more.

June 4: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-4 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 with 22 second-generation Starlink satellites at 8:20 a.m. The first-stage booster made its third flight and was able to land down range on droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean. The launch came 13 years to the day since the first Falcon 9 launch in 2010. It was the 229th attempt of a Falcon 9 launch with 228 of the 229 successful. Read more.

June 5 (Delayed from June 3, 4): SpaceX Falcon 9 on CRS-28 launched a cargo Dragon spacecraft, the 28th resupply mission to the International Space Station from KSC’s Launch Complex 39-A at at 11:47 a.m. The first-stage booster made its fifth flight and SpaceX recovered it downrange on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. This is the fourth flight of the crew Dragon, which will be bring up nearly 7,000 pounds of supplies, dock to the station 41 hours after launch and remain on the station for three weeks. Read more.

June 12: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 5-11 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 with 53 of the company’s internet satellites at 3:10 a.m.  The first stage booster flew for the ninth time with a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean. Read more.

June 18: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the PSN MSF mission to launch the Satria communications satellite for the Indonesian government and PSN, an Indonesian satellite operator. This satellite will provide broadband internet and communications capability for public use facilities in Indonesia’s rural regions. Liftoff was at 6:21 p.m. with the first-stage booster making its 12th flight and once again landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. Read more.

June 22: United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy on NROL-68 for the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command and the National Reconnaissance Office from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 37B lifted off at 5:18 a.m. This was the second-to-last Delta IV Heavy launch with the final one expected in 2024. Read more.

June 23: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 5-12 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 carrying 56 Starlink satellites at 11:35 a.m. The first-stage booster flew for the ninth time and landed on a droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. Read more.

July 1: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the ESA Euclid space telescope mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 11:12 a.m. The European Space Agency telescope is designed to make a 3D map of the universe by looking at billions of galaxies up to 10 billion light years away across one third of the sky. Read more.

July 9: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-5 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 11:58 p.m. The booster made a record 16th flight and was recovered again downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. Read more.

July 15: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 5-15 mission with 54 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 11:50 p.m. (early Friday scrubbed 40 seconds before launch, and early Saturday option passed over) Booster made a record-tying 16th fligh landing on droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. Read more.

July 23: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-6 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 8:50 p.m. carrying 22 of its v2 mini Starlink satellites. The booster flew for the sixth time and made a recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. Read more.

July 28: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-7 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 12:01 a.m. with 22 Starlink satellites. Booster flew for the 15th time including crewed launches Inspiration4 and Ax-1, and made recovery landing on droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. The launch set a record for turnaround time for the company from a single launch pad coming four days, three hours, and 11 minutes since the July 23 launch. The previous record was set from Feb. 6-12 at five days, three hours, and 38 minutes. Read more.

July 28: SpaceX Falcon Heavy from KSC’s Launch Complex 39-A that launched a telecom satellite for Hughes Network Systems called the Jupiter 3 EchoStar XXIV at 11:04 p.m. The two side boosters were recovered at Landing Zone 1 and Landing Zone 2 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. This was the third Falcon Heavy launch of 2023 and seventh overall. Read more.

Aug. 3: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Intelsat G-37 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 1 a.m. The first-stage booster made its sixth flight with a recovery landing downrange on the droneship Just Read the Instructions. Read more.

Aug. 6: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-8 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 10:41 p.m. with 22 Starlink V2 minis. The first-stage booster made its fourth flight with another recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas downrange in the Atlantic. The turnaround time between the Aug. 3 Intelsat G-37 mission and this mission broke SpaceX’s previous record for time between launches from a single launch pad. Previous record was from July 24-28 with a turnaround of four days, three hours, and 11 minutes. This one came in at three days, 21 hours, 41 minutes. Read more.

Aug. 11: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-9 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 1:17 a.m. Payload is 22 of the V2 mini Starlink satellites. First-stage booster flew for the ninth time with a recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic. Read more.

Aug. 16: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Starlink 6-10 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 with 22 of the V2 mini Starlink satellites. The first-stage booster made its 13th flight and SpaceX was able to recover it again on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas downrange in the Atlantic. Read more.

Aug. 26: SpaceX Crew-7 mission on a Falcon 9 launching the Crew Dragon Endurance from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39-A lifted off at 3:27 a.m. liftoff. It’s the seventh SpaceX operational mission under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Flying are NASA astronaut and mission commander Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA astronaut and pilot Andreas Mogensen, mission specialist JAXA astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and mission specialist Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov. This will be Endurance’s third spaceflight after having been used on the Crew-3 and Crew-5 missions. The launch will use a new first-stage booster. The crew will arrive at 8:50 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 27. with hatch opening about two hours later. It will stay docked about 190 days. Read more.

Aug. 26: SpaceX Falcon 9 Starlink 6-11 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 9:05 p.m. with 22 Starlink satellites. The first stage flew for the third time and landed on the Just Read the Instructions droneship in the Atlantic Ocean.

Aug. 31: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-13 mission carrying 22 of the v2 Starlink minis from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 10:21 p.m. It was SpaceX’s ninth launch of the calendar month matching the record nine launches it had in May. It was the company’s 60th orbital launch of the year. The first-stage booster flew for the seventh time and made a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. Read more.

Sept. 3: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-12 mission carrying 21 of the v2 Starlink minis from Kennedy Space Center’s Space Launch Complex 39-A at 10:47 p.m. It marked the 62nd SpaceX orbital launch in 2023 besting the 61 launches the company performed in 2022. The first-stage booster on the flight made its 10th launch and was able to make its recovery landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean. Read more.

Sept. 8: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-14 mission carrying 22 of its Starlink satellites, flying from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 took off at 11:12 p.m. The first-stage booster made its seventh flight with a recovery landing on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas downrange in the Atlantic. Read more.

Sept. 10 (delayed from Aug. 29): United Launch Alliance Atlas V on the SILENTBARKER/NROL-107 for the National Reconnaissance Office and Space Force from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41 at 8:47 a.m.. Delayed because of Tropical Storm Idalia. This was the second ULA launch of 2023. SILENTBARKER’s classified mission is to improve space domain awareness to support national security and provide intelligence data to U.S. senior policy makers, the Intelligence Community and Department of Defense. It will provide the capability to search, detect and track objects from space-based sensors for timely custody and event detection. Read more.

Sept. 15: SpaceX Falcon 9 on Starlink 6-16 mission, carrying 22 of its Starlink satellites, flying from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 launching at 11:38 p.m. The first-stage booster for the mission made its fifth flight with a landing on the droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic. It marked SpaceX’s 65th orbital launch of the year including missions from Canaveral, KSC and California. Read more.

Follow Orlando Sentinel space coverage at Facebook.com/goforlaunchsentinel.

MIAMI — Jake Burger hit a game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth inning and the Miami Marlins beat the New York Mets 4-3 on Tuesday night after blowing a late lead.

Josh Bell had an early RBI double and Braxton Garrett did not allow an earned run in six stellar innings for the Marlins, who began the day a half-game out of the final NL wild-card spot.

All-Star infielder Luis Arraez, who leads the majors with a .354 batting average, was a late scratch from Miami’s lineup because of a left ankle sprain. Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said Arraez stepped on a baseball during pregame drills.

Miami took a 3-1 lead into the ninth, but closer Tanner Scott (9-5) gave up a two-run double to Brandon Nimmo with two outs. Scott also served up Jeff McNeil’s tiebreaking homer in the ninth inning of Monday night’s 2-1 loss.

Before that, the left-hander hadn’t permitted an earned run in 18 appearances since July 31.

New York reliever Trevor Gott (0-5) hit Nick Fortes with a pitch leading off the bottom of the ninth. Xavier Edwards’ sacrifice bunt advanced Fortes and, after Jorge Soler was intentionally walked, Yuli Gurriel’s groundout advanced pinch-runner Joey Wendle and Soler.

Burger then lined an 0-2 pitch into center field to end it.

McNeil hit a leadoff double in the top of the ninth and went to third on Mark Vientos’ single. Two outs later, Nimmo’s drive to deep right-center scored McNeil and DJ Stewart.

Jon Berti hit a leadoff double in the fifth for Miami and scored on a throwing error by Mets starter Joey Lucchesi to give the Marlins a 2-1 lead. Lucchesi fielded Edwards’ bunt and threw to third — which was uncovered after third baseman Ronny Mauricio also charged the ball.

Garrett Hampson’s RBI single in the sixth made it 3-1.

Garrett also committed a throwing error that led to the Mets’ first run in the third. Pete Alonso scored from second when Garrett fielded Francisco Lindor’s dribbler near the third-base line and made an errant toss past first.

Consecutive two-out doubles from Soler and Bell in the bottom half tied it at 1.

Garrett struck out seven and allowed five hits. The left-hander has completed six innings in five of his last six outings.

Lucchesi’s outing ended after 5 2/3 innings. The left-hander gave up three runs, six hits, struck out five and walked two.

HONORS

The South Florida Chapter of the BBWAA chose Arraez as the Marlins’ 2023 Most Valuable Player and pitcher Eury Pérez as the team’s Rookie of the Year. Arraez was not available to receive the award during a brief pregame ceremony.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: Rookie 3B Brett Baty (left groin strain) missed his sixth straight game. He was available to pinch hit. … RF Starling Marte (right groin strain) moved his rehabilitation to the Mets’ spring training facility in Port St. Lucie. Marte did running drills while with the club for the series opener Monday.

Marlins: OF Bryan De La Cruz returned after a four-game absence because of right ankle discomfort and went 1 for 4.

UP NEXT

Rookie RHP Kodai Senga (11-7, 2.95 ERA) pitches the series finale Wednesday for the Mets. Miami had not announced a starter.

General Daily Insight for September 20, 2023

There is so much to explore! The Moon begins the day in deep-thinking Scorpio with a trine to mystical Neptune, opening our minds, while a lunar sextile to Pluto will encourage us to plumb our own depths. The Moon will bound into boundless Sagittarius at 10:06 am EDT, opening our sails to catch the cosmic wind. One final square between the Moon and stern Saturn may force us to confront some of our limitations, but with a little effort, we can fly far beyond them.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

Your adventurous side is vital, Aries. As Luna enters your 9th House of Expansion, it is singing to your inner intrepid explorer. The universe is waiting for you to come and discover it, but it won’t come knocking on your door — literally or metaphorically. You’ve got to take real steps to uncover what lies beyond the horizon. Start making moves, even small ones, to reach any far-off destination that has always called your name. You can go farther than you realize.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

You have more courage than you realize. The Moon is entering your intense 8th house, bringing potentially difficult situations or interactions your way, but what may appear like a crisis is actually an opportunity for you to prove your own strength. Be willing to stand up for yourself and what you believe in, and you’ll not only impress others, but also yourself in the process. This is no time to be a wallflower and hide away! Be firm in your convictions.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

As the sign of the Twins, you’ll be in your element today. The Moon is moving into your 7th House of Connections, encouraging you to pick a partner for whatever is in front of you, be it a day of professional endeavors or personal pleasures. Even if you can handle certain things on your own, you’ll function much better with someone to bounce ideas off of. Success can be found far sooner, regardless of the details, with a helping hand by your side.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

Sometimes a change of attitude is all you need to make the most of things. You may have to deal with a lot of busy work, due to the Moon arriving in your 6th House of Responsibility. Make an effort to lean into this efficient energy, rather than trying to fight it. That way you’ll have the wind at your back as you make leaps and bounds, instead of inching along as you begrudge the work in front of you. Work smarter, not harder.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

Life’s pleasures are yours, Leo! The Moon is waltzing into your 5th House of Creativity, so regardless of whatever is on your schedule, try to find joy in the process. Whether you’re working away at important projects or hanging out with friends, make a point of injecting as much fun as possible into everything you do. Don’t worry too much about the results — this ingress is really all about the process, so make sure that it’s an enjoyable and exciting one.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

A little nesting is exactly what the doctor ordered. It’s the perfect day to tend to yourself and your emotional needs as the Moon settles down in your 4th House of Comfort. If you’ve been burning the midnight oil lately, it’s definitely time to do the opposite and refill your tanks, because the last thing you want would be burnout. Likewise, if there are any outstanding matters you’ve let slip around the house, now is your perfect chance to wrap them up.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

Get ready to hit the ground running! The energy is turning all the way up as the Moon enters your fast-moving 3rd house, sending you all over town on one errand or another. Even if you’re not physically on the move, you may feel like people keep demanding your attention. There isn’t necessarily anything wrong with that, but try to maintain a level head. Consider writing things down so you don’t forget, since it’s easy for things to slip through the cracks.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

You might be in the mood to throw your money around. This urge to splurge is thanks to the Moon entering your luxury-loving 2nd house, so it’ll be difficult to deny yourself anything at the moment. Some reasonable indulgence is fine, as long as you don’t break the bank in the process! Make a budget for yourself, then you can turn around and do some window shopping. Of course, there are plenty of benefits to letting your money accumulate in your bank account, too.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

Step up to the starting line and get ready to run. The Moon is sprinting into your sign for her monthly visit, bringing you back to center and giving you a moment to catch your breath before you begin life’s next chapter. Take time to contemplate what you would like to achieve over the next lunar cycle, and specifically, what changes you would like to see in your life. You’ll be able to go that much further when you’ve got a strategy in place.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

Although you’re known as one of the hardest working signs of the zodiac, Capricorn, today you’ve got permission to check out and take life easy. The Moon is slipping into your sleepy 12th house, signaling a moment when you can rest and relax before it enters your sign in just a couple days, sending you off on a whole new adventure. For now, however, focus on de-stressing and eliminating any unnecessary baggage so you won’t have to drag it into the future.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Everyone is calling you to come out and play, Aquarius. Your social 11th house is taking center stage as the Moon enters for its monthly visit, opening your soul to connect with people near and far. This is a great time to hang out with your usual crew, but you could also make some different acquaintances who turn out to be worth their weight in gold down the line, so don’t be shy. Put on your friendliest smile and circulate!

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

An important person could be about to play a pivotal role in your life. The Moon is entering your 10th House of Career, which also rules the VIPs and other gate-keeping supervisors in your life. If you’ve been eyeing a higher position or level of authority, look to your superiors and mine them for a bit of wisdom. They plausibly have a perspective and experience that will come in very handy, and they might open a few locked doors in the process.

No, Mack Brown, shame on you.

Shame on you and your hypocritical coaching colleagues for seemingly exploiting and perhaps even inventing a player’s mental health issues to skirt the NCAA’s multiple transfer rules.

Brown, North Carolina’s football coach, had a well-choreographed temper tantrum recently when the NCAA denied the immediate eligibility waiver of Tar Heels transfer receiver Tez Walker. NCAA rules allow players to transfer once without sitting out a year while they are undergraduates, but since Walker has transferred twice before he needed a waiver to play this season.

After Gators beat Vols, can we please stop with the Napier nonsense? | Commentary

After the NCAA turned down Walker’s waiver request, Brown and North Carolina’s administration shamefully went on a PR campaign to sway public opinion against the big, bad NCAA boogeyman. Brown issued a long, fire-and-brimstone statement lambasting the NCAA and stirring up the North Carolina fan base.

“I don’t know that I’ve ever been more disappointed in a person, a group of people, or an institution than I am with the NCAA right now,” Brown fumed in his statement. “It’s clear that the NCAA is about process and it couldn’t care less about the young people [its] supposed to be supporting. Plain and simple, the NCAA has failed Tez and his family and I’ve lost all faith in its ability to lead and govern our sport.

“Just imagine what it is like for Tez to be so excited to come home and have a chance to fulfill his childhood dream of playing for North Carolina in front of all of his family and friends, only to have it taken away despite doing nothing wrong. I can’t begin to understand how this has happened. … Tez should be eligible for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the mental health issues he’s faced during his time in college. … How dare they [NCAA] ever speak about mental health and student-athlete welfare again.”

Brown ended his lengthy diatribe with: “Shame on you, NCAA. SHAME ON YOU!”

Because of Brown’s propagandized pot-stirring, NCAA committee members have endured a vitriolic volcano of vile, profane threats on social media while the national media has predictably piled on the NCAA for being a callous, cruel organization.

Brown, of course, conveniently forgot to include in his statement that he is one of the many college coaches and administrators who lobbied for more “guidelines and guardrails” regarding multiple transfers. In fact, he applauded the NCAA Board of Directors in April after they decided to start cracking down on players who transfer more than once.

Said Brown then: “The other thing they’ve done with the transfer portal, which I think is good, is they’ve said that you can’t transfer twice undergraduate without getting a waiver.”

In other words, Mack Brown likes the NCAA cracking down on multiple transfers as long as they’re not cracking down his multiple transfers.

Don’t get me wrong, I realize it’s easy to criticize the NCAA but can we at least have some intellectual honesty here? The NCAA is not some anonymous, autocratic dictator sitting in an office in Indianapolis making decisions to screw student-athletes. It is made up of committees filled with representatives from member institutions who implement the rules that the majority of them want.

During COVID, the NCAA simply rubber-stamped mental health waivers and allowed players to transfer multiple times with no questions asked. However, in the aftermath of COVID’s transfer free-for-all, more and more college coaches continued to encourage players to transfer multiple times via mental health waivers, and the NCAA started getting absolutely inundated. Consequently, because colleges coaches couldn’t police themselves, they asked the NCAA to crack down.

Certainly, there are many legitimate mental health issues among college athletes, but as the NCAA points out, being immediately eligible to play football isn’t a prerequisite to dealing with those issues. Colleges such as North Carolina can still have these athletes on scholarship, practicing, working out and getting oriented to their new school while addressing their mental health problems.

Said the NCAA in a statement last week: “Citing extenuating factors, such as mental health, does not necessarily support a waiver request but instead may, in some situations, suggest a student-athlete should be primarily focused on addressing those critical issues during the initial transition to a third school.”

Question for Mack Brown: If you didn’t want a more stringent transfer policy then why did you lobby for it in the first place and why did your conference vote for it?

In a statement to ESPN, the NCAA pointed out, “On January 11, the Division I Council — which includes a voting representative from each Division I conference — voted unanimously to significantly tighten the criteria for undergraduate students who transfer for a second time.”

That right, every conference, including the ACC, of which Mack Brown is a member, voted for the NCAA to actually start enforcing a rule that was already on its books. It’s no wonder the NCAA was taken aback by Brown’s hissy fit and issued an almost unprecedented statement a few days ago after its council members started getting threatened by some of the crazy North Carolina fans whom Brown whipped into a frenzy.

University of Georgia President Jere Morehead, the Division I Council chairman, not only released a statement saying the NCAA was “troubled” by Brown’s comments; he called out Brown for being the hypocrite he is.

“[Brown’s] comments directly contradict what we and our fellow Division I members and coaches called for vociferously — including UNC’s own football coach [Mack Brown himself],” Morehead said in the statement. “We are a membership organization, and rather than pursue a public relations campaign that can contribute to a charged environment for our peers who volunteer on committees, we encourage members to use established and agreed upon procedures to voice concerns and propose and adopt rule or policy changes if they are dissatisfied.”

Translation: Shame on you, Mack Brown.

SHAME ON YOU!

Email me at mbianchi@orlandosentinel.com. Hit me up on X (formerly Twitter) @BianchiWrites and listen to my Open Mike radio show every weekday from 6 to 9:30 a.m. on FM 96.9, AM 740 and HD 101.1-2

 

South Florida will experience periods of intense rain, gusty winds and possible flooding for the remainder of the week, forecasters said Tuesday afternoon.

The weather is the result a non-tropical low that is projected to form off the coast of Florida and Georgia, and the effects began Tuesday evening with parts of South Florida under a severe thunderstorm warning.

The system will create forces more akin to a winter nor’easter, forecasters said on Tuesday.

The east coast of Florida will experience strong northeast winds over the coming days, intensifying through Friday.

On Tuesday, the National Weather Service issued a Flood Advisory for parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties. Radar indicated particularly heavy rain in areas that had already been soaked in days prior. Between 1 and 2.5 inches of rain have fallen with an additional 1 to 2 inches possible. Two to 3 inches fell in Palm Beach County.

The dynamic wind and rain produced a rotating funnel cloud near West Palm Beach on Tuesday afternoon, as reported by WPEC-Ch. 12 meteorologist Michael Ehrenberg.

Dramatic video of a rotating funnel cloud near West Palm Beach earlier this afternoon. Thanks to @Vytasweatherguy for capturing this! @CBS12 @natwxdesk pic.twitter.com/teQFJUPgAF

— Michael Ehrenberg (@MichaelCBS12) September 19, 2023

Parts of southern Broward and Miami-Dade counties were under a severe thunderstorm warning Tuesday night until shortly after 8 p.m. as severe storms with winds up to 60 mph rolled east from near Alligator Alley, according to the National Weather Service Miami.

The weather service said a peak gust of 60 mph was recorded at Miami Executive Airport shortly after 8 p.m. More than 8,400 Florida Power & Light customers were without power about 9 p.m. in Miami-Dade County.

After the severe thunderstorm warning expired, forecasters said a strong thunderstorm quickly moving east near Hialeah on Tuesday night could still produce winds of up to 50 mph in the Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, Miramar, Davie and Weston areas, issuing a special weather statement. 

Another strong thunderstorm hanging over Pompano Beach with winds over 40 mph, frequent lightning and heavy rain about 9 p.m. was expected to affect northern parts of Broward with downed tree limbs.

Forecasters said it was an “eventful evening as a powerful cluster of storms moved through the Everglades and impacted western portions of the east coast metro with strong-severe winds.”

9/19 7PM – Heads up! A very strong thunderstorm over the Everglades is heading towards the Miami Metro area. Torrential downpours, severe wind gusts, and very frequent lightning will be possible over the next hour or so. pic.twitter.com/MqrxWvKaCl

— NWS Miami (@NWSMiami) September 19, 2023

Weather for the remainder of the week includes plenty of thunderstorms, an 80% chance of rain most days, and the potential for flooding, particularly in the urbanized areas that have already received rain earlier in the week, said National Weather Service meteorologist Robert Garcia.

“The big thing we’ll need to watch through the week is a chance of heavy rainfall and maybe even flooding, and strong wind gusts from the thunderstorms that could develop,” Garcia said. Flooding could occur Tuesday through Friday, he said.

The NWS forecasts hazardous marine conditions off Palm Beach and Broward counties on Friday, and extending to Miami Dade County waters on Saturday. Those conditions include sustained winds of 20 to 33 knots and seas equal or greater than 7 feet. These are considered hazardous conditions for small craft.

Wind from the offshore low will be combining with remnant swells from Hurricane Lee to affect beach and ocean conditions.

The National Weather Service Miami is predicting a high risk of rip currents in Palm Beach County through Wednesday evening, and a moderate risk in Broward County most of the week through Friday. Saturday will see high rip current risks from Palm Beach County south to Key Biscayne in Miami-Dade County.

The non-tropical low should move north toward Georgia and the Carolinas and “could acquire some subtropical characteristics this weekend if it remains offshore,” according to the latest advisory. It has a 30% chance to develop in the next seven days.

“Regardless of subtropical development, this low could bring gusty winds, heavy rain, and high surf conditions to portions of the coastal Carolinas into the coastal Mid-Atlantic states this weekend,” according to the latest advisory. “Gale-force northerly winds are expected off the southeastern U.S. coast Friday through Saturday,” said the National Hurricane Center.

Sun Sentinel staff writer Angie DiMichele contributed to this report. 

DEDHAM, Mass. (AP) — A man who died at a New England Patriots home game last weekend was punched at least twice in the head during a fight in the stands with a rival fan, a witness said Tuesday.

Police and safety personnel responded to the upper deck at Gillette Stadium shortly before 11 p.m. Sunday and found Dale Mooney, 53, of Newmarket, New Hampshire, “in apparent need of medical attention,” the Norfolk County district attorney’s office said in a statement Monday.

Mooney was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The Massachusetts State Police are investigating what the district attorney termed an “incident” at the stadium.

Witness Joey Kilmartin shot video of what he said was a brutal fight.

In interviews with several local media outlets, Kilmartin said he saw Mooney, a Patriots fan, confront a Miami Dolphins fan who he had been arguing with during most of the game, which the Dolphins won.

“He basically engaged in mutual combat with another fan,” Kilmatin told The Boston Globe. “A lot of people started trying to pull them apart. … It looked like somebody was in the middle of them, and then a man in the Dolphins jersey reached over and he connected with two punches to the victim’s head.

“It wasn’t something crazy or out of the ordinary until, 30 seconds later, the guy wasn’t getting up.”

The results of an autopsy were expected this week, a spokesperson for the district attorney’s office said.

Mooney’s wife, Lisa Mooney, said she feels numb and wants answers about how her husband died.

“I just can’t even believe this is for real,” she told WCVB-TV. “I want to know what happened. What caused this?”

Gillette Stadium officials said they were “heartbroken” by the death of Mooney, who they described as a lifelong Patriots fan and 30-year season ticket member.

“We continue to work with local authorities to assist them with their ongoing investigation,” according to the statement. “We extend our sincerest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to Dale’s family and to all those who are mourning his loss.”

Fan violence at sporting events, especially among rival supporters, is a long-running problem. Among the most infamous was the 2011 Dodger Stadium parking lot beating of Bryan Stow, a paramedic and San Francisco Giants fan.

Two Los Angeles Dodgers fans punched Stow, who fell to the pavement and suffered severe head injuries. He was awarded about $14 million when a jury found the team was negligent. The attackers received prison sentences.

HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. (AP) — Attorneys for a University of North Carolina graduate student accused of killing his academic advisor said in court on Tuesday that a doctor has found their client not competent to proceed with trial.

Defense attorneys for Tailei Qi told Superior Court Judge Allen Baddour they plan to file a motion challenging Qi’s capacity to proceed. Meanwhile, the judge granted a request from prosecutors to get a separate competency evaluation.

Qi is charged with killing Dr. Zijie Yan inside a campus laboratory on Aug. 28. Police were alerted when a 911 caller reported gunfire at Caudill Labs. Qi was not at the building when officers arrived soon after.

Police arrested the Chapel Hill resident without force off campus less than two hours after the shooting. He is being held without bond on charges of first-degree murder and having a gun on educational property.

The attack and hourslong lockdown terrified students and faculty who had just returned to campus for the start of the fall semester.

At the Tuesday hearing, Qi spoke multiple times, including asking for new attorneys, WTVD-TV reported.

Superior Court Judge Allen Baddour advised Qi to remain quiet.

“I don’t want you to say anything else today. What I want you to know is that you have two lawyers beside you who are willing to work for you and with you, and what they need from you is your cooperation and your help,” Baddour said.

The campus of the state’s flagship public university was locked down again last week over reports of an armed and dangerous person. No shots were fired and an arrest was made.

Should you be using a standing desk?

Studies indicate that spending extended periods hunched over your keyboard often results in health issues, particularly back pain. Better posture is one way to minimize symptoms, but it’s hard to do with the average desk-and-chair setup. Instead, many people have shifted to ergonomic workstations — and standing desks are one of the top investments.

While standing desks won’t prevent back pain altogether, they may contribute to fewer symptoms by placing the head, neck and spine in optimal alignment. That’s not all standing desks have to offer, though; many people report improved productivity, better circulation and many more benefits.

What you need to know about standing desks and back pain Can standing desks alleviate back pain?

Some studies indicate that spending more time on your feet when you work, including while using “sit-stand” workstations, can minimize back pain as well as fatigue and muscle weakness for most people. Standing desks, in particular, are said to alleviate back pain because they place the head, neck and spine in a neutral position. Unlike stationary desks, standing desks are height-adjustable, so users can find ideal positions for arms and wrists while they use keyboards and mice.

How should you stand at a standing desk?

Standing desks alone won’t reduce back pain. To maximize benefits, you’ll need to adjust the height to create an ergonomic setup — which begins by standing with good posture.

When you stand in front of the desk, make sure your back is straight without being arched. Shoulders should be relaxed, and knees should be slightly bent. Forearms should rest comfortably on the tabletop, and ideally, elbows should be bent close to 90 degrees.

Next, position your computer monitor so that it is no more than 20-30 degrees below eye level. At this height, you’re less likely to bend your neck downward, which often results in neck and back strain. After that, make sure your keyboard and mouse are within reach so you don’t need to strain or stretch awkwardly to use them.

How do I stop my standing desk from hurting my back?

If you’re using a standing desk and experiencing back pain, there are a few ways to alleviate symptoms.

However, if you still experience back pain after making reasonable adjustments to your standing desk, contact your doctor to determine whether a standing desk is right for you or if you have underlying back pain issues that need to be addressed.

How much are standing desks?

Entry-level standing desks cost $125 to $200, while most mid-range options with better construction cost $250 to $400. High-end standing desks, including electric models, run between $300 and $800.

Top 5 standing desks

[ ApexDesk Elite Series Electric Standing Desk ]

A high-end option, this electric standing desk comes with a dual monitor mount and has a 60-inch tabletop. The tabletop is made with environmentally-friendly bamboo and has cutouts for power cords and wires.

[ Flexispot Electric Height Adjustable Desk  ]

This sleek, minimalist standing desk is extra spacious with its 55-inch by 28-inch maple tabletop. The simple design coordinates well with room decor and office furniture.

[ Safco Products Muv Stand-Up Computer Workstation ]

If you’re short on space, this podium-inspired standing desk has a smaller footprint than most designs. The “stacked” design includes two lower levels for flexible storage and a pull-out keyboard tray.

[ Flash Furniture Mobile Sit-Down, Stand-Up Ergonomic Desk ]

Popular for home use and mixed-use spaces, this mobile standing desk is ideal for working on laptops and tablets. It offers quick and easy adjustments from sitting to standing with pneumatic controls.

[ TechOrbits Standing Desk Converter ]

For those who want to keep their regular desk, this convenient bi-level converter is a formidable compromise. It boasts a durable design with reinforced components, and the top shelf supports up to 33 pounds.

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Built-in backup cameras are a legally required safety feature in recently manufactured cars and trucks. However, drivers of older vehicles aren’t left in the dust. If you want to enjoy the additional peace of mind that comes along with having a better look behind you, you can modernize your ride with an aftermarket camera and monitor. While backup camera systems are more affordable than ever before, there are some things to consider before installing one.

Backup camera pros

Backup camera cons

Best backup cameras

[ Auto-Vox CS-2 Wireless Backup Camera and Monitor ]

This durable camera allows for excellent vision in dark environments. It wirelessly transmits images to the included monitor and can be used in any direction.

[ LeeKooLuu Backup Camera and Monitor ]

This camera and monitor kit can be connected to your reverse lights so that it only turns on when you back up or powered by your car’s power point for constant use. It produces a full HD image with crystal clarity and optional guide lines for easier parking.

[ Haloview MC7108 Wireless RV Backup Camera Kit ]

Designed specifically for RV drivers, this kit’s large 7-inch monitor is great for added visibility while towing a trailer as well. It transmits wirelessly, so there are no long cables to connect and hide.

[ Rohent Backup Camera and Monitor ]

With two power options, a full HD display and full-color night vision at a low price, this kit provides amazing value compared to the competition. Its monitor has two video inputs, letting you add a second camera for additional surveillance.

[ HD eRapta Backup Camera ]

Designed specifically to attach to your license plate easily, this tiny camera is waterproof and captures an HD image. It can be angled up or down to point it where you need it.

[ Inclake Car Backup Camera ]

This camera features 12 LEDs to brightly illuminate dark environments. It includes a mounting bracket for your license plate as well as one that can be used to attach the camera to the bottom or top of your vehicle as well.

Want to shop the best products at the best prices? Check out Daily Deals from BestReviews.

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Derek Walborn writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

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NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — The crash site for a stealth fighter jet that went missing during the weekend after its pilot ejected was located Monday in rural South Carolina after the military asked the public for help finding an aircraft built to elude detection.

The debris field was discovered in Williamsburg County, about two hours northeast of Joint Base Charleston. Residents were being asked to avoid the area while a recovery team worked to secure it.

“We are transferring incident command to the USMC this evening, as they begin the recovery process,” the base posted Monday on the X social media platform.

Authorities had been searching for the jet since the pilot, whose name hasn’t been released, parachuted to safety into a North Charleston neighborhood about 2 p.m. Sunday. He was taken to a hospital, where he was in stable condition, Marines Maj. Melanie Salinas said.

“The mishap is currently under investigation, and we are unable to provide additional details to preserve the integrity of the investigative process,” the Marine Corps said in a news release on Monday evening.

The Marine Corps announced earlier Monday it was pausing aviation operations for two days after the fighter jet’s crash — the third costly accident in recent weeks.

Gen. Eric Smith, the acting commandant of the Marine Corps, ordered the stand-down while authorities searched near two South Carolina lakes for the missing FB-35B Lightning II aircraft.

It’s the third event documented as a “Class-A mishap” over the past six weeks, according to a Marine Corps announcement. Such incidents occur when damages reach $2.5 million or more, a Department of Defense aircraft is destroyed, or someone dies or is permanently disabled.

Commanders will spend the stand-down reinforcing safe flying policies, practices and procedures with their Marines, according to the Monday release.

The announcement gave no details on the two previous incidents. But in August, three U.S. Marines were killed in the crash of a V-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft during a training exercise in Australia, and a Marine Corps pilot was killed when his combat jet crashed near a San Diego base during a training flight.

Cpl. Christian Cortez, a Marine with the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, said the details of what prompted the pilot to eject from the aircraft Sunday were under investigation.

Based on the missing plane’s location and trajectory, the search was initially focused on Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion, said Senior Master Sgt. Heather Stanton at Joint Base Charleston. Both lakes are north of North Charleston.

A South Carolina Law Enforcement Division helicopter joined the search after some bad weather cleared in the area, Stanton said. Military officials appealed in online posts Sunday for any help from the public in locating the aircraft.

The pilot of a second F-35 returned safely to Joint Base Charleston, Salinas said.

The planes and pilots were with the Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 with the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing based in Beaufort, near the South Carolina coast.

By KRUTIKA PATHI and ROB GILLIES (Associated Press)

NEW DELHI (AP) — Canada expelled a top Indian diplomat as it investigates what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called credible allegations its government may have had links to the assassination in Canada of a Sikh activist, an accusation that India rejected as “absurd.”

Trudeau said in Parliament on Monday that Canadian intelligence agencies have been looking into the allegations after Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a strong supporter of an independent Sikh homeland known as Khalistan, was gunned down on June 18 outside a Sikh cultural center in Surrey, British Columbia.

Trudeau told Parliament that he brought up the slaying with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Group of 20 summit last week in New Delhi. He said he told Modi that any Indian government involvement would be unacceptable and that he asked for cooperation in the investigation.

Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said the head of Indian intelligence in Canada has been expelled as a consequence.

“If proven true this would be a great violation of our sovereignty and of the most basic rule of how countries deal with each other,” Joly said. “As a consequence we have expelled a top Indian diplomat.”

India’s foreign ministry dismissed the allegation of government involvement as “absurd and motivated.” The ministry’s statement Tuesday added that Trudeau made similar allegations to Modi at the G20 summit.

“Such unsubstantiated allegations seek to shift the focus from Khalistani terrorists and extremists, who have been provided shelter in Canada and continue to threaten India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the statement noted, referring to a separatist movement India regards as a security threat.

The expulsion comes as relations between Canada and India are tense. Trade talks have been derailed and Canada just canceled a trade mission to India that was planned for the fall.

During a meeting with Trudeau at the G20 summit, Modi expressed “strong concerns” over Canada’s handling of the Punjabi independence movement among overseas Sikhs, according to India’s Ministry of External Affairs.

The statement described the Sikh movement as “promoting secessionism and inciting violence” against Indian diplomats. It called on Canada to work with India on what New Delhi said is a threat to the Canadian Indian diaspora.

Canada has a Sikh population of more than 770,000, or about 2% of its total population.

“Over the past number of weeks Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar,” Trudeau said.

Trudeau said Canada has declared its deep concerns to the Indian government. “Any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty.”

Trudeau said his government has been working closely and coordinating with Canada’s allies on the case.

“In the strongest possible terms I continue to urge the government of India to cooperate with Canada to get to the bottom of this matter,” he said.

Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said Canada’s national security adviser and the head of Canada’s spy service have travelled to India to meet their counterparts and to confront the Indian intelligence agencies with the allegations.

He called it an active homicide investigation led by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Joly said Trudeau also raised the matter with U.S. President Joe Biden and U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

“We are deeply concerned about the allegations referenced by Prime Minister Trudeau,” White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson. “We remain in regular contact with our Canadian partners. It is critical that Canada’s investigation proceed and the perpetrators be brought to justice.”

Opposition New Democrat leader Jagmeet Singh, who is himself Sikh, called it outrageous and shocking. Singh said he grew up hearing stories that challenging India’s record on human rights might prevent you from getting a visa to travel there.

“But to hear the prime minister of Canada corroborate a potential link between a murder of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil by a foreign government is something I could never have imagined,” Singh said.

The Khalistan movement is banned in India, where officials see it and affiliated groups as a national security threat. But the movement still has some support in northern India, as well as beyond, in countries like Canada and the United Kingdom which are home to a sizable Sikh diaspora.

Nijjar was organizing an unofficial referendum in India for an independent Sikh state at the time of this death. Indian authorities announced a cash reward last year for information leading to Nijjar’s arrest, accusing him of involvement in an alleged attack on a Hindu priest in India.

British Columbia Premier David Eby said he’s received a briefing from Canada’s spy agency about the “assassination” of Nijjar and he’s “deeply disturbed” by what he was told.

He said he’s calling on the Canadian government to share all information related to ongoing foreign interference and “transnational organized crime threats.”

The World Sikh Organization of Canada called Nijjar an outspoken supporter of Khalistan who “often led peaceful protests against the violation of human rights actively taking place in India and in support of Khalistan.”

“Nijjar had publicly spoken of the threat to his life for months and said that he was targeted by Indian intelligence agencies,” the statement said.

Nijjar’s New York-based lawyer, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, has said Nijjar was warned by Canadian intelligence officials about being targeted for assassination by “mercenaries” before he was gunned down.

Janice Stein, a political scientist and international relations expert at the University of Toronto, said to kill a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is astounding.

“It’s tragic for Canada because we have issues of foreign interference with the two largest economies in Asia, China and India. And we have two very large diaspora from both countries. This is not what we want,” Stein said.

Indian authorities have cracked down on Sikh separatism over the years, after an armed insurgency in the 1980s for an independent Sikh state called Khalistan took off in Punjab state. A subsequent military operation killed thousands of people, according to official estimates.

___

Gilles reported from Toronto. Associated Press journalist Aamer Madhani contributed to this report from New York.

By JON GAMBRELL, LUJAIN JO and MATTHEW LEE (Associated Press)

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Five Americans detained for years in Iran walked off a plane and into freedom Monday, most arm-in-arm, as part of a politically risky deal that saw President Joe Biden agree to the release of nearly $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets owed by a third country, South Korea.

The successful negotiations for the Americans’ freedom brought Biden profuse thanks from their families but heat from Republican presidential rivals and other opponents for the monetary arrangement with one of America’s top adversaries.

“Today, five innocent Americans who were imprisoned in Iran are finally coming home,” Biden said in a statement released as the plane carrying the group from Tehran landed in Doha, Qatar. A plane carrying the Americans home to the United States was due to land Monday night.

Iran’s hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi, on hand for the United Nations General Assembly in New York, suggested Monday’s exchange could be “a step in the direction of a humanitarian action between us and America.”

“It can definitely help in building trust,” Raisi told journalists.

However, tensions are almost certain to remain high between the U.S. and Iran, which are locked in disputes over Tehran’s nuclear program and other matters. Iran says the program is peaceful, but it now enriches uranium closer than ever to weapons-grade levels.

The prisoner release unfolded amid a major American military buildup in the Persian Gulf, with the possibility of U.S. troops boarding and guarding commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of all oil shipments pass.

After the plane slowed to a stop in Doha, three of the prisoners walked down the stairs. They hugged the U.S. ambassador to Qatar, Timmy Davis, and others.

The three — Siamak Namazi, Emad Sharghi and Morad Tahbaz — then threw their arms over one another’s shoulders and walked off to a building in the airport.

In a statement issued on his behalf, Namazi said: “I would not be free today, if it wasn’t for all of you who didn’t allow the world to forget me.”

“Thank you for being my voice when I could not speak for myself and for making sure I was heard when I mustered the strength to scream from behind the impenetrable walls of Evin Prison,” he said.

The United States did not immediately identify the other two freed Americans, all of whom were released in exchange for five Iranians in U.S. custody and for the deal over the frozen Iranian assets. The Biden administration said the five freed Iranians pose no threat to U.S. national security.

Two of the imprisoned Americans’ family members, Effie Namazi and Vida Tahbaz, who had been under travel bans in Iran, also were on the plane. The women, too, clasped arms and kissed on the tarmac in Qatar.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said two of the Iranian prisoners will stay in the U.S. Meanwhile, Nour News, a website believed to be close to Iran’s security apparatus, said two of the Iranian prisoners were in Doha for the swap.

Nour News identified the two released Iranians in Doha as Mehrdad Ansari, an Iranian sentenced by the U.S. to 63 months in prison in 2021 for obtaining equipment that could be used in missiles, electronic warfare, nuclear weapons and other military gear, and Reza Sarhangpour Kafrani, an Iranian charged in 2021 over allegedly unlawfully exporting laboratory equipment to Iran.

The $5.9 billion in cash released to Iran represents money South Korea owed Iran — but had not yet paid — for oil purchased before the U.S. imposed sanctions on such transactions in 2019.

The U.S. maintains that, once in Qatar, the money will be held in restricted accounts to be used only for humanitarian goods, such as medicine and food. Those transactions are currently allowed under American sanctions targeting the Islamic Republic over its advancing nuclear program.

Iranian government officials have largely concurred, though some hard-liners have insisted, without evidence, that there would be no restrictions on how Tehran spends the money.

The planned exchange comes ahead of the convening of world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly this week in New York, where Raisi will speak.

The deal has already opened Biden to fresh criticism from Republicans and others who say the administration is helping boost the Iranian economy at a time when Iran poses a growing threat to American troops and Mideast allies. That could have implications in his re-election campaign.

Former President Donald Trump, currently the lead Republican challenger in the polls against Biden’s 2024 re-election bid, called it an “absolutely ridiculous” deal on the Truth Social social media site. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell accused Biden of “rewarding and incentivizing Tehran’s bad behavior.”

Biden held what the White House described as an emotional phone call with the families of the freed Americans after their release.

In his statement, Biden urged Americans not to travel to Iran and demanded more information on what happened to Bob Levinson, an American who went missing years ago. The Biden administration also announced fresh sanctions on former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence.

The U.S. government, the prisoners’ families and activists have denounced the charges against the five Americans as baseless.

The Americans included Namazi, who was detained in 2015 and later sentenced to 10 years in prison on spying charges; Emad Sharghi, a venture capitalist sentenced to 10 years; and Morad Tahbaz, a British-American conservationist of Iranian descent who was arrested in 2018 and also received a 10-year sentence.

In a statement, Sharghi’s sister, Neda, said she “can’t wait to hug my brother and never let him go.”

“This is my brother, not an abstract policy,” she added. “We are talking about human lives. There is nothing partisan about saving the lives of innocent Americans and today should be a moment of American unity as we welcome them home.”

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken thanked Qatar, Switzerland, South Korea and Oman for helping make the deal happen. Biden pledged in a statement to keep pressing for “accountability for Iran and other regimes for the cruel practice of wrongful detention.”

Iran and the U.S. have a history of prisoner swaps dating back to the 1979 U.S. Embassy takeover and hostage crisis following the Islamic Revolution. Their most recent major exchange happened in 2016, when Iran came to a deal with world powers to restrict its nuclear program in return for easing sanctions.

The West accuses Iran of using foreign prisoners — including those with dual nationality — as bargaining chips, an allegation Tehran rejects.

Negotiations over a major prisoner swap faltered after then-president Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the nuclear deal in 2018. From the following year on, a series of attacks and ship seizures attributed to Iran have raised tensions.

Iran also supplies Russia with the bomb-carrying drones Moscow uses to target sites in Ukraine in its war on Kyiv, which remains another major dispute between Tehran and Washington.

___

Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Lee from Washington. Associated Press writers Nasser Karimi and Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran; Paul Haven in New York; Ellen Knickmeyer, Eric Tucker and Farnoush Amiri in Washington, and Aamer Madhani and Michelle Phillips in New York contributed.

By DAVID KOENIG (AP Business Writer)

The United Auto Workers and Detroit’s Big Three carmakers resumed talks aimed at ending a strike now in its fourth day, and under the threat that the walkout could soon spread.

Stellantis said it resumed negotiations with the union Monday and described the talks as “constructive.” A spokesman for General Motors said representatives of the company and the United Auto Workers also were continuing to negotiate.

However, UAW President Shawn Fain said on NPR, “We have a long way to go,” and if the companies don’t respond to the union’s demands, “then we will escalate action.”

In a video statement late Monday, Fain said more factories could be targeted if “serious progress” toward an agreement isn’t reached by Friday at noon.

“We’re not messing around,” he said.

So far the strike is limited to about 13,000 workers at three factories — one each at GM, Ford and Stellantis, the successor to Fiat Chrysler.

However, the union’s strategy hinges on its ability to escalate the strike quickly, and the carmakers are warning of potential layoffs as the limited strike reduces the amount of material needed at plants that remain open.

GM said Monday that 2,000 UAW-represented workers at an assembly plant in Kansas City are “expected to be idled as soon as early this week” because of a shortage of supplies from a GM plant near St. Louis, where workers walked off the job Friday.

Workers at the Kansas City plant build the Chevrolet Malibu and Cadillac XT4.

The strike could begin to affect suppliers and their employees too. CIE Newcor told Michigan officials that it expects a one-month closure of four plants in the state to start Oct. 2 and idle nearly 300 workers.

In a sign of concern of the strike’s potential economic and political fallout, the Biden administration stepped up its response.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said she is hoping for a quick resolution, while adding that is too soon to gauge the strike’s impact.

“It’s premature to be making forecasts about what it means for the economy. It would depend on how long the strike lasts and who would be affected by it,” she said on CNBC.

Yellen said labor activism this year — strikes by Hollywood writers and actors, by workers at about 150 Starbucks locations and walkouts that were narrowly averted at United Parcel Service and West Coast ports — has been driven by a strong labor market and high demand for workers.

President Joe Biden is sending two top administration officials to Detroit to meet with both sides. Biden has backed the UAW in brief public comments, saying that the automakers have not fairly shared their record profits with workers.

An administration official said Monday that acting Labor Secretary Julie Su and senior aide Gene Sperling will not serve as mediators — they won’t be at the bargaining table — but are going to Detroit “to help support the negotiations in any way the parties feel is constructive.” The official was not authorized to discuss private discussions and spoke anonymously.

Fain said the Biden administration won’t broker a deal

“This is our battle. Our members are out there manning the picket lines,” he said Monday on MSNBC. “This battle is not about the president, it’s not about the former president” — a reference to reports that former President Donald Trump plans to skip a debate for Republican presidential candidates next week to meet with striking autoworkers in Detroit.

A key feature of the UAW strategy is the threat of escalating the strike if the union is unhappy with the pace of bargaining.

On Monday, Ford workers on a picket line outside a plant in the Detroit suburb of Wayne were joined by members of other unions and the occasional politician.

Tevita Uhatafe, an aircraft-maintenance worker from Arlington, Texas, showed his support and saw what it might look like if UAW members strike against a GM truck plant in his hometown.

“This is a fight that is most likely going to happen in our backyard,” Uhatafe said.

U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., said she walked the picket line because the strike “is showcasing a modern movement for worker justice and worker fairness.”

___

Associated Press writer Mike Householder in Wayne, Michigan, contributed to this report. Koenig reported from Dallas.

MIAMI — Jeff McNeil hit a tiebreaking homer leading off the ninth inning and the New York Mets knocked the Miami Marlins out of playoff position with a 2-1 victory Monday night.

Mark Vientos had an RBI single and José Butto pitched six stingy innings to help the fourth-place Mets play spoiler again with their second consecutive win over a postseason contender. New York also beat the Cincinnati Reds at home on Sunday.

Miami fell a half-game behind the idle Chicago Cubs for the third and final National League wild card. Cincinnati is also a half-game in front of the Marlins after defeating Minnesota on Monday night.

McNeil pulled a slider from closer Tanner Scott (8-5) over the right-field wall for his 10th homer. That snapped a string of seven straight scoreless outings for Scott, who hadn’t allowed an earned run in 18 appearances since July 31.

Phil Bickford (5-5) pitched a perfect eighth for the win, and Adam Ottavino closed for his 11th save.

Luis Arraez had two hits for Miami and increased his season total to 201. He became the fourth Marlins player to reach 200 in a season.

Butto shut down a Miami lineup that scored 36 runs in a three-game sweep of the major league-leading Atlanta Braves last weekend. The right-hander struck out six and scattered four hits while allowing one run.

Jorge Soler nearly gave the Marlins a 3-1 lead with a two-run homer in the sixth. After he finished his trot around the bases, the umpires huddled and ruled Soler’s towering drive down the left-field line sailed foul above the pole. The call stood following a replay review, and Soler ultimately struck out.

Vientos’ run-scoring single off Marlins starter Edward Cabrera in the fifth put New York ahead 1-0. Ronny Mauricio hit a one-out single and stole second. Omar Narváez walked before Vientos hit a line drive to center that scored Mauricio.

Miami tied it in the bottom half when Jesús Sánchez scored from third on Joey Wendle’s double-play grounder. Sánchez drew a leadoff walk and advanced two bases on Garrett Hampson’s single.

Cabrera was lifted after 5 1/3 innings. The right-hander gave up one run, four hits and struck out four.

ROSTER MOVES

The Mets reinstated INF Luis Guillorme from the injured list and optioned INF Jonathan Araúz to Triple-A Syracuse.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: OF Starling Marte (right groin strain) is with the club in Miami. Marte has appeared in two games since July 16.

Marlins: RHP Sandy Alcantara (right forearm flexor strain) said he felt good after throwing his second bullpen. The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner has been sidelined since Sept. 6.

UP NEXT

Mets LHP Joey Lucchesi (3-0, 2.83 ERA) starts the middle game of the series Tuesday night against LHP Braxton Garrett (9-6, 3.67).

By SARA BURNETT (Associated Press)

Donald Trump is facing new blowback from anti-abortion activists for refusing to commit to national abortion restrictions and for calling Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signing of a six-week ban on the procedure a “terrible mistake.”

Speaking Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Trump repeatedly declined to say whether he would support a federal ban on abortion. He said he could “live with” the procedure being banned by individual states or nationwide through federal action, though he said “from a legal standpoint, I think it’s probably better” to be handled at the state level.

Regarding the bill signed by DeSantis, which bans abortions before many women know they are pregnant, Trump said, “I think what he did is a terrible thing and a terrible mistake.”

So far, the former president has dominated the 2024 field while at times spurning the anti-abortion groups that traditionally have huge influence in Republican primaries. But Trump’s direct attack on DeSantis, whom he’s long treated as his chief rival, could give the Florida governor new fodder as he tries to regain momentum in his campaign and solidify his second-place standing.

Speaking to an Iowa radio station on Monday, DeSantis said he was proud to have signed the Florida legislation, which he called “noble and just.”

“I don’t know how you can even make the claim that you’re somehow pro-life if you’re criticizing states for enacting pro-life protections for babies,” DeSantis told Radio Iowa.

He also criticized Trump’s statement that he would work with both sides regarding abortion policy, warning, “I think all pro-lifers should know that he’s preparing to sell you out.”

At a campaign stop in Mason City, Iowa, on Monday, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina mentioned other candidates who oppose a national abortion ban but specifically accused Trump of retreating on the issue.

“Frankly, those pro-life folks that we really want to stand with us are not standing,” he told more than 80 people in a church meeting room. “President Trump said he would negotiate with Democrats and walked back away from where I believe we need to be, which is a 15-week limit on the federal level.”

Following Sunday’s interview, the country’s largest anti-abortion organization, which backs a national ban on abortions at 15 weeks of pregnancy, quickly released a statement saying anything less restrictive “makes no sense.”

“We’re at a moment where we need a human rights advocate, someone who is dedicated to saving the lives of children and serving mothers in need. Every single candidate should be clear on how they plan to do that,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America.

The Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade left the decision of whether and how to restrict abortion to the states, creating a patchwork of laws across the country, with most Republican-led states imposing new restrictions and states led by Democrats passing protections. Twenty-five million women of childbearing age now live in states where abortions are more difficult to get than before the ruling.

Trump has approached abortion from a political stance, saying that the Supreme Court’s decision gave conservatives room to negotiate new restrictions. He has argued Republicans’ push for abortion restrictions hurt the GOP in the 2022 midterm elections and that GOP candidates need to do a better job of explaining the issue.

Banning abortion at six weeks of pregnancy, as Florida enacted earlier this year, is unpopular with the U.S. public, according to an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research conducted in June. The poll found that 73% of all U.S. adults believe abortion should be allowed up to six weeks of pregnancy, which is when cardiac activity in a fetus may be detected and before women often know they’re pregnant. About half of Americans say abortions should be permitted up to 15 weeks.

In that poll, 56% of Republicans said abortion should be allowed in their state up to 6 weeks and 29% supported making the procedure legal up to 15 weeks.

But in Iowa’s first-in-the-nation Republican caucuses, evangelicals and other social conservatives who strongly oppose abortion make up the majority of those who participate and decide the winner. Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds this summer signed an abortion ban similar to Florida’s. Reynolds has not endorsed a candidate.

Trump has called himself the “the most pro-life president in American history” and noted that three of his Supreme Court picks formed part of the conservative majority that overturned Roe.

He has so far declined to go along with some of his rivals, including his onetime vice president, Mike Pence, who is pushing for national bans that would take effect relatively early in a pregnancy.

Interviews with GOP voters and activists over the past several months suggest a split between people satisfied with Trump’s record during his term and others who want Trump to endorse a national abortion ban.

Some Republicans in some key states, including those backing his rivals, expressed displeasure after the interview.

Among them was South Carolina state Rep. John McCravy, who sponsored the most recent, restrictive abortion measure, which bans the practice in his state after around six weeks of pregnancy. South Carolina will be among the early states to choose a nominee. McCravy described himself in an interview as “certainly disappointed.”

“It sounded completely out of step with his staunch support for life while he was president,” he said.

Kristen Waggoner, CEO of the conservative legal organization Alliance Defending Freedom, also took issue.

“Laws protecting the unborn are not a ‘terrible mistake.’ They are the hallmark of a just and moral society,” she wrote on X. “Governors who protect life should be applauded, not attacked.”

Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life Action, called the interview “extremely disappointing” and sent a letter to Trump asking him to clarify his statements. The organization, one of the largest anti-abortion groups in the U.S., said it plans a $5 million door-knocking campaign in 2024 but noted its members were discouraged by Trump’s comments.

“The pro-life vote is up for grabs,” Hawkins stated.

“We need clarity on your vision even as we celebrate your pro-life record.”

___

Burnett reported from Chicago. Associated Press writers Thomas Beaumont in Mason City, Iowa, Jonathan J. Cooper in Phoenix, Meg Kinnard in Columbia, South Carolina, and Michelle L. Price in New York contributed to this report.

Several Jeep owners returned to their cars parked at a Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport parking garage after trips in recent months to find their headlights missing, their hoods unlatched or their front grilles damaged.

Two South Florida men have been arrested in connection with the string of thefts, and the Broward Sheriff’s Office said detectives believe the same men were involved in similar thefts at Miami and Palm Beach International airports in the past few months.

Jonathan Quintero, 22, of Hollywood, and Diogenes Morel Martinez, 25, of Fort Lauderdale, were arrested Saturday after Sheriff’s Office detectives surveilled the Hibiscus Garage that afternoon and saw them in a silver 2015 Nissan Altima “slowly and meticulously” driving on multiple floors and targeting two Jeep Wranglers, a probable cause affidavit said.

They used an electric drill to remove the headlights from one black and one white Jeep Wrangler on Saturday afternoon, taking turns acting as lookouts, police said. Deputies were watching them from feet away, the affidavit said.

Quintero and Morel Martinez drove off from the parking garage, and deputies followed them, the affidavit said. The men left the Nissan in the area of Southwest 18th Avenue and Northwest Fourth Court and carried a red tool bag as they got into another car.

Deputies then followed the men to Sawgrass Mills mall in Sunrise, the affidavit said. The Sheriff’s Office said “they tried to commit a similar crime” at the mall and were taken into custody.

The affidavit said a “prolific amount” of Jeep-part thefts had occurred at the Fort Lauderdale airport recently, totaling 28 criminal complaints. Palm Beach International Airport documented 18 criminal complaints with similar parts being stolen and 14 at Miami International Airport. The affidavit did not give a time frame for the alleged criminal complaints.

A commonality deputies found during the investigation was that the suspects were using a silver Nissan Altima, according to the affidavit. Security cameras in the parking garage recorded suspects who arrived in the Altima canvassing the garage on Aug. 31 shortly before noon. The suspects, later identified as Morel Martinez and Quintero, approached multiple parked Jeeps, making stops in between at the parked Altima before walking or driving to another row of cars on different levels, the affidavit said.

Detectives using law enforcement databases and surveillance footage earlier this month found that the possible driver of the Altima on Aug. 31 was Morel Martinez, who had been arrested by Hollywood Police in April, the affidavit said. Court records show he was arrested on a warrant relating to a still-pending misdemeanor traffic criminal case from 2022.

Deputies contacted the Hollywood Police officer who arrested Morel Martinez in April and showed him the surveillance footage from the parking garage. The officer identified Morel Martinez as the suspect in the video, the affidavit said.

When the two men were arrested Saturday, deputies found a 9 mm handgun in Morel Martinez’s waistband. The affidavit said both admitted to the theft that day and both identified themselves in the August surveillance footage from the parking garage.

The Sheriff’s Office said investigators believe Morel Martinez and Quintero stole headlights and grilles from dozens of Jeeps parked at the three South Florida airports in the past few months. Miami-Dade Police and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office are still investigating the thefts.

Quintero faces two counts of possession of burglary tools with intent to use, six counts of unarmed burglary of an unoccupied conveyance, five counts of grand theft, one count of misdemeanor petit theft and three counts of misdemeanor criminal mischief, court and jail records show.

Morel Martinez faces two counts of possession of burglary tools with intent to use, two counts of armed burglary of a conveyance or structure, five counts of grand theft, four counts of unarmed burglary of an unoccupied conveyance, three counts of misdemeanor criminal mischief and one count of misdemeanor petit theft, court and jail records show.

They were held in the Broward Main Jail as of Monday evening.

UF’s resounding win against No. 11 Tennessee in a sold-out Swamp reasserted the Gators’ dominance against the Vols and showcased one of college football’s best home-field advantages. Transfer quarterback Graham Mertz continued to capitalize on his second chance, Trevor Etienne exhibited star potential and a retooled defense turned in another inspired effort under Austin Armstrong. The effort was far from flawless, but was a major step for an embattled coach and a group of players with something to prove. During the latest Swamp Things, Edgar and Mark recall a memorable night and discuss how the Gators build on it.

• Gator suspensions (:17)
• Billy Napier: ‘It validates your plan’ (4:57)
• Upcoming games / expectations (12:00)
• The Swamp showed up in force (19:55)
• Identifying talent / leadership (28:00)
• Gushing about Graham Mertz (35:20)
• Special teams needs help (38:57)
• Jeremy Foley’s Corner: Volleyball (45:50)

Ease pain naturally with your favorite music and quality headphones

Every music lover knows that music can lift their spirits, invoke happy memories and even soothe a broken heart. Now pain relief can be added to that list. A study last year found that listening to music can relieve physical pain — especially pain that can be classified as chronic. The effect was amplified by being able to choose the music.

If you’d like to give music therapy for pain relief a try, you’ll need quality wireless headphones. These will help you shut out the world and become immersed in therapeutic sound.

Benefits of wireless headphones

In the past, headphones required a wire to connect to any music-emitting device. Even if the sound quality was impressive, the cable often got in the way and limited the wearer’s movement. Thanks to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, this isn’t a concern with wireless models. The result is more flexibility to move about while wearing them, or kick back and relax cord-free.

Types of wireless headphones

There are three types of wireless headphones — in-ear, earbuds and over-the-ear. Often referred to as earphones, in-ear and earbud models are similar in that they are small and lightweight. However, the main difference is that in-ear models fit inside the ear canals while wireless earbuds fit just outside of the ear canals on the conchas. Over-the-ear models have cushioned ear cups that cover the ears during wear.

The term headphones is often used interchangeably for all three models. The one you choose is a matter of preference. There are quality options in all three categories. Each offers a comfortable fit, noise-canceling capabilities and rich, balanced sound.

Features to look for in wireless headphones

Regardless of the type of wireless headphones you buy, there are a few features to consider that will help you make the most of listening to music to ease your pain.

Fit

Comfort is key when wearing headphones, especially to reduce pain. After all, you don’t want to add to your discomfort with a device that rubs, pinches or applies pressure. Look for earbuds and earphones that are contoured and have a compact design. Ideally, earbuds will include several ear tips in different sizes for a customized fit. Over-the-ear headphones should have cushioned ear cups that are simple to adjust.

Audio quality

Sound is just as important as comfort when wearing headphones. Top brands can be expensive but are known for producing outstanding sound with balanced treble and bass. Noise-canceling technology is available in many models and helps filter outside sounds that can interfere with music. Easy-to-use controls are important for adjusting the sound and volume to fit your preferences.

Connectivity 

Because there are no wires to get in the way, wireless headphones work with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. The best models are easy to connect and pair and don’t easily lose connection. By checking customer feedback, you can get an idea if connectivity drops are a concern with any wireless headphones you are considering.

Battery life

When relaxing to music, your wireless headphones should hold a charge for as long as you plan to use them. Well-made models provide hours of listening time once fully charged, with some brands getting as much as 50 hours of playtime.

Best wireless headphones for pain relief music therapy Best over-the-ear wireless headphones

[ Sony Wireless Noise-canceling Headphones ]

These wireless headphones come at a high price but offer high-end sound and unbeatable noise-canceling technology. With thick cushioning in the headband and ear cups, the fit is just right for relaxing to your favorite music.

[ Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Wireless Headphones ]

Soundcore Life Q30 Headphones are affordable compared to other high-end brands but offer similar features including noise canceling technology, transparency mode and nice sound. The padded ear cups provide comfort during wear.

[ AfterShokz Air Bone Conduction Wireless Bluetooth Headphones ]

In between over-the-ear headphones and earbuds are models like the Air Bone design. It offers a minimalist structure that’s extremely lightweight and comfortable. Although they don’t cancel noise, they produce notable sound.

[ Apple AirPods Max Wireless Headphones ]

Just as you’d expect from Apple, AirPods won’t disappoint when it comes to their amazing sound and ability to cancel outside noise for a memorable listening experience. They are also comfortable to wear thanks to the padded ear cups. The price is high, but it’s acceptable for dedicated Apple fans.

[ Bose QuietComfort 45 Bluetooth Wireless Noise-canceling Headphones ]

Bose QuietComfort over-the-ear headphones are industry leaders for their impressive sound and comfortable fit. Proprietary Quiet Mode blocks outside sound so the wearer gets the most out of the pain-minimizing benefits of music.

Best in-ear and earbud wireless headphones

[ Apple AirPods Pro Wireless Earbuds ]

When it comes to earbuds, the AirPods Pro stand out in terms of comfort and sound quality. They combine the best of both worlds with reliable sound-canceling technology that produces an immersive listening experience and a transparency mode that makes it possible to hear outside sounds when necessary.

[ Studio Beats Buds Wireless Noise-canceling Earbuds ]

In addition to Spatial Audio technology that produces smooth, balanced sound, Beats Buds feature active noise-canceling capability and transparency mode like higher-priced competitors. However, they are available at a midrange price.

[ Raycon The Everyday Earbuds ]

With a lightweight, compact build and ear tips in six sizes, the Everyday Earbuds provide a comfortable fit that works for most wearers. They are a midpriced pair that includes a charging case. They get exceptional runtime per charge.

[ Bose Soundsport Wireless Headphones ]

Dependable Bluetooth connectivity, impeccable sound and useful functions are some of the impressive features of Bose Soundsport Headphones. The lightweight slip-on fit makes them comfortable and easy to wear.

[ Sony Noise-canceling Wireless Earbud Headphones ]

These Sony earbud headphones get high marks for having outstanding noise-canceling capabilities and next-level sound. Although pricey, many owners find them to be a worthy investment for enjoying their favorite music.

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Levi’s jeans that won’t go out of style

Levi Strauss makes some of the most popular and iconic jeans around. From classic 501s to slim fit and skinny jeans, there’s no lack of styles to choose from. However, some of these cuts are enduringly popular, while others quickly go out of vogue.

If you’re looking for Levi’s jeans that will be in style for years, you’ll need to pick them carefully. Some cuts have staying power that others don’t. However, it’s also important to consider what you like, regardless of fashion. Choose jeans you’re happy in and you can wear them for decades.

Levi’s jeans styles

Levi Strauss jeans come in a range of cuts and styles. You have plenty to choose from, but it can become overwhelming when you’re not sure what style you want. Traditionally, each style of Levi’s was given a numerical designator, such as the classic 501 cut. Today, some styles are given names such as Wedgie Straight or Mile High Wide Leg. These are some popular Levi’s jean styles:

Men’s vs. women’s jeans

While Levi’s has released some genderless styles, most are separated into men’s jeans and women’s jeans. Anyone can wear jeans from either category, regardless of their gender, but this gives you an idea of how they fit. It’s also worth noting that even the same style of jeans can vary in cut between men’s and women’s varieties. For instance, women’s 501s are slimmer than men’s and are available in a skinny cut as well as an original cut.

Which types of jeans will stay in style?

It’s impossible to say for sure what cuts and fits of jeans will stay in style for years, but you can make an educated guess. By looking at past trends and styles that have remained popular over time, you can see which are classics and which are likely passing trends.

Best Levi Strauss jeans Top Levi Strauss men’s jeans

[ Levi’s Men’s 501 Original Fit Jeans ]

These straight-fit jeans are timeless classics that are unlikely to go out of style. You can buy them in a range of colors, including black, gray and light, medium and dark stonewash blue.

[ Levi’s Men’s 513 Slim Straight Jean ]

Slim fit with a low rise and a straight leg, these are perfect for people who like a slightly closer fit than you’d get with a 501 but not a tight enough fit to be classified as skinny. They come in both stretch and nonstretch fabrics.

[ Levi’s Men’s 511 Slim Fit Jeans ]

A variation on the slim fit look, these jeans have a medium rise and a tapered leg. While this is an on-trend fit, it has a wide enough appeal that it’s unlikely to go out of style any time soon.

[ Levi’s Men’s 505 Regular Fit Jeans ]

With a straight leg and a regular fit, these are perfect jeans for anyone who likes their jeans loose but not baggy. This style has been around since 1965 and is still popular today.

[ Levi’s Men’s 541 Athletic Fit Jeans ]

The athletic fit is relaxed but tapered with a mid-rise. This gives these jeans a tailored look that works with both smart and casual outfits. They’re designed with comfort and style in mind.

Top Levi Strauss women’s jeans

[ Levi’s Women’s 501 Original Fit Jeans ]

This classic straight style is perfect for anyone who wants a slightly slimmer fit than men’s 501s offer. They come in dark, medium and light hues, including some with distressed finishes.

[ Levi’s Women’s Wedgie Icon Fit Jeans ]

These versatile jeans have a slim, but not skinny, cut that tapers in at the ankle. They have a slight stretch to them, making it easier to get that perfect fit around the hips.

[ Levi’s Women’s Straight 505 Jeans ]

Thanks to the slightly relaxed straight cut, these are ideal jeans for everyday wear and look great with a range of outfits. This style has been around for more than 50 years, so you can be sure it will stay fresh for years.

[ Levi’s Women’s 720 High Rise Super Skinny Jeans ]

Although looser styles are fashionable right now, especially with the younger generations, skinny jeans aren’t going anywhere. These high-rise skinnies are so versatile that they’ll probably never go completely out of style.

[ Levi’s Women’s Boyfriend Jeans ]

Mid-rise with a relaxed fit that tapers in at the ankles, this is a cut that’s both currently trendy and has a timeless appeal.

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Lauren Corona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.

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