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By MEG KINNARD

The Heritage Foundation think tank is urging the federal government “to save and restore the American family,” kicking off the midterm election year with a call for conservatives to focus on domestic issues.

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Among its recommendations? A “marriage bootcamp,” designed to prepare cohabitating couples for marriage; a “universal day of rest” that would build upon blue laws that limit alcohol sales in some municipalities; and discouragement of online dating, in part because of research showing that “couples who meet online are also less likely to get married in the first place.”

The full plan, published Thursday and first reported by The Washington Post, marks the foundation’s evolution from its small government roots to a pillar of the populist right. During President Donald Trump’s second term, Heritage has demonstrated its impact with Project 2025, which has been used as a blueprint to overhaul U.S. policy.

“The government’s primary role is to clear the weeds and prevent its policies and programs from poisoning the ground,” wrote the new report’s authors, led by Roger Severino, Heritage’s vice president of economic and domestic policy. “Unfortunately, except for radically redefining the institution, marriage is not currently a federal priority.”

Last year, Heritage President Kevin Roberts roiled conservative corners when — as Democrats accused Republicans of tolerating antisemitism in their party — he defended prominent conservative commentator Tucker Carlson for his friendly podcast interview with far-right activist Nick Fuentes, known for his antisemitic views. The comments sparked outrage and the resignations of Heritage board members, staffers and executives.

An expanded view of government’s role in lives of Americans

The ultimate guidance in the new Heritage report is that U.S. policy “encourage and protect the formation of families, not mere fertility,” recommending against any policies “that undermine marriage and the formation of families, or reward or encourage needless delay in marriage and out-of-wedlock births.”

Tax codes, Heritage writes, “should not penalize marriage and encourage single parenthood,” and education policy “should not coax young Americans to delay marriage while pursuing needless credentials.”

The report also calls on Trump to issue “a series of executive orders requiring every grant, contract, policy, regulation, research project, and enforcement action involving the federal government to do the following: Explicitly measure how it helps or harms marriage and family, block actions that discriminate against family formation, and give preference to actions that support American families.”

Eric Rosswood, author of “Journey to Parenthood: The Ultimate Guide for Same-Sex Couples,” said he concurs with some of Heritage’s arguments, like the threats posed by food insecurity and the lack of affordable childcare. But he disagreed with the report’s recommendation that subsidies go toward married families, or that children are best-suited to being raised by their biological parents.

“I think what’s due to them is a family that’s going to provide for the children and take care of the children, make sure they have a roof over their head that they have meals, they’re getting to school, parents that support their hobbies and motivate them,” said Rosswood, who is raising two children with his husband.

“I don’t think that those are gender-based. I don’t think that that’s tied to biological genetics. I think that’s what a parent does, regardless of who they are.”

Trump has taken cues from Heritage in the past

During his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump distanced himself from Project 2025 — a nearly 900-page guidebook written by many conservatives who worked in or with Trump’s first administration. Still, some of its tenets have become hallmarks of his second term thus far, including the establishment of the Department of Government Efficiency and the dissolution of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

During the 2024 race, it came to light that JD Vance — who by then was Trump’s running mate — had praised Roberts’ vision in the forward of the Heritage chief’s forthcoming book, “Dawn’s Early Light,” calling Heritage “the most influential engine of ideas for Republicans from Ronald Reagan to Donald Trump.”

Now-Vice President Vance, who at times references his personal struggles when describing policies he says would help make parenting easier, has long been clear about making family formation a policy priority, suggesting ideas such as allowing parents to vote on behalf of their children or giving low-interest loans to married couples with children.

What the Heritage report says about IVF

Acknowledging that in vitro fertilization — a medical procedure that helps people facing infertility build their families — has its benefits, the report argues against the practice outside of marriage.

“A babies-at-all-costs mentality would come at too great a cost, and not just financially, but morally and spiritually” and “intentionally denies a right due to every child conceived — to be born and grow in relationship with his or her mother and father bound in marriage,” Heritage writes.

In the first month of his second term, Trump signed an executive order aiming to reduce the costs of IVF, requesting a list of policy recommendations on protecting IVF access and “aggressively reducing out-of-pocket and health plan costs for IVF treatment.” In October, Trump followed that up with new federal guidance he said would allow companies to offer fertility benefits separate from major medical insurance plans. Costs for a common fertility drug would also come down through a deal struck with drugmaker EMD Serono.

IVF became a talking point during the 2024 presidential campaign when Alabama agreed to protect in vitro fertilization providers from legal liability a couple of weeks after the state Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos can be considered children under state law.

Alongside the drug price-related negotiation, Heritage commended Trump for promising “to address the ‘root causes’ of infertility.” The White House did not immediately comment Thursday on the report, or if anyone in the administration had collaborated on it.

Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP

By MICHAEL R. SISAK and LARRY NEUMEISTER

NEW YORK (AP) — Days after Nicolás Maduro’s arraignment on drug trafficking charges, a squabble has erupted over who gets to represent the former Venezuelan president in the high-stakes case.

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Defense attorney Barry Pollack, who sat with Maduro in court, accused lawyer Bruce Fein of trying to join the case without authorization. Fein, an associate deputy U.S. attorney general during Ronald Reagan’s presidency, said he was asked by a judge on Friday to let Maduro settle the dispute.

Fein told Manhattan federal Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein that “individuals credibly situated” within Maduro’s inner circle or family had sought out Fein’s assistance to help him navigate what the lawyer called the “extraordinary, startling, and viperlike circumstances” of his capture and criminal case.

Fein said in a letter to the judge that he’d had no telephone, video or other direct contact with Maduro, who is being held at a federal jail in Brooklyn. But, Fein wrote, Maduro “had expressed a desire” for his “assistance in this matter.”

The dispute first came to light on Thursday when Pollack asked Hellerstein to rescind his approval for Fein to join Maduro’s legal team. Pollack said that Fein was not Maduro’s lawyer and that he had not authorized Fein to file paperwork telling the judge otherwise.

Pollack was the only lawyer representing Maduro on Monday as the deposed South American leader and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty to charges alleging he worked with drug cartels to facilitate the shipment of thousands of tons of cocaine into the U.S. Two days earlier, U.S. special forces seized Maduro and Flores from their home in Caracas.

In a written declaration to Hellerstein, Pollack said he attempted to contact Fein by telephone and email to ask him on what basis he was seeking to enter his appearance on behalf of Maduro and what authorization he had to do so.

“He has not responded,” Pollack said.

Pollack said he spoke to Maduro by phone on Thursday and confirmed that Maduro “does not know Mr. Fein and has not communicated with Mr. Fein, much less retained him, authorized him to enter an appearance, or otherwise hold himself out as representing Mr. Maduro.”

Pollack said Maduro authorized him to ask Hellerstein to modify the court docket so that it no longer showed Fein as representing Maduro.

Fein, in his response Friday, told the judge he doesn’t dispute or question the accuracy of Pollack’s assertions. Instead, he suggested that Hellerstein question Maduro in private to “definitively ascertain President Maduro’s representation wishes,” including whether he wants to be represented by Pollack, Fein or both.

“Maduro was apprehended under extraordinary, startling, and viperlike circumstances, including deprivation of liberty, custodial restrictions on communications, and immediate immersion in a foreign criminal process in a foreign tongue, fraught with the potential for misunderstandings or miscommunications,” Fein wrote.

By MARK SHERMAN

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court agreed Friday to take up an appeal from tech giant Cisco seeking to shut down a lawsuit claiming that the company’s technology was used to persecute members of the Falun Gong spiritual movement in China.

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The justices, who will hear arguments in the spring, will review an appellate ruling that would allow the lawsuit against Cisco to go forward in U.S. courts.

The court acted after the Trump administration weighed in on Cisco’s behalf to urge the justices to hear the case.

An Associated Press investigation last year showed that American tech companies, to a large degree, designed and built China’s surveillance state, encouraged by Republican and Democratic administrations, even as activists warned such tools were being used to quash dissent, persecute religious groups and target minorities.

In 2008, documents leaked to the press showed Cisco saw the “Golden Shield,” China’s internet censorship effort, as a sales opportunity. The company quoted a Chinese official calling the Falun Gong an “evil cult.” A Cisco presentation reviewed by AP from the same year said its products could identify over 90% of Falun Gong material on the web.

Other presentations reviewed by AP show that Cisco represented Falun Gong material as a “threat” and built out a national information system to track Falun Gong believers. In 2011, Falun Gong members sued Cisco, alleging the company tailored technology for Beijing that it knew would be used to track, detain and torture believers.

The issue before the Supreme Court is whether an American company can be held liable under two separate laws for aiding and abetting human rights violations. Cisco argues it isn’t liable under those laws, the 18th-century Alien Tort Statute (ATS) or the Torture Victim Protection Act (TVPA), first enacted in 1991.

In recent years, the Supreme Court and presidential administrations of both parties have been skeptical of lawsuits seeking to use U.S. courts as a venue to seek justice over the acts of foreign governments, especially those that took place abroad. To try to overcome that skepticism, Falun Gong members have argued that a substantial portion of Cisco’s activities involving China took place in the United States.

A decision is expected by early summer.

TALLAHASSEE — A man convicted of killing a traveling salesman during a robbery is set to become Florida’s first execution of 2026 under a death warrant signed Friday by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who signed off on a record 19 executions last year.

Ronald Palmer Heath, 64, is scheduled to die by lethal injection Feb. 10 at Florida State Prison. DeSantis oversaw more executions in a single year in 2025 than any other Florida governor since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. The previous record was set in 2014 with eight executions.

Heath was convicted of first-degree murder, robbery with a death weapon and multiple forgery charges in 1990.

According to court records, Heath and his brother, Kenneth Heath, met traveling salesman Michael Sheridan at a Gainesville bar in May 1989. After hanging out at the bar for some time, the three men agreed to go somewhere else to smoke marijuana.

At some point, the brothers plotted to rob the other man, investigators said. Ronald Heath drove the group to a remote area, where Kenneth Heath pulled a handgun on Sheridan. The man initially refused to give the brothers anything, and Kenneth Heath shot Sheridan in the chest.

As Sheridan emptied his pockets, Ronald Heath began kicking the man and stabbing him with a hunting knife, prosecutors said. Kenneth Heath then shot Sheridan twice in the head.

The brothers dumped Sheridan’s body in a wooded area and returned to the Gainesville bar to take items from his rental car. The brothers made multiple purchases with Sheridan’s credit cards the next day at a Gainesville mall.

Ronald Heath was arrested several weeks later at his Douglas, Georgia, home after investigators connected him to the stolen credit cards. Officers recovered clothing purchased with the stolen cards, as well as Sheridan’s watch, according to court records.

Kenneth Heath was also charged with Sheridan’s murder, but he was sentenced to life in prison as part of a plea agreement.

Attorneys for Ronald Heath are expected to file appeals to the Florida Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court.

A total of 47 people were executed in the U.S. in 2025. Florida led the way with a flurry of death warrants signed by DeSantis. The state’s final execution of 2025 was the Dec. 18 lethal injection of Frank Athen Walls, who was convicted of fatally shooting a man and his girlfriend during a home invasion robbery.

By GEOFF MULVIHILL

A federal judge ruled Friday that President Donald Trump’s administration cannot block federal money for child care subsidies and other programs aimed at supporting needy children and their families from flowing to five Democratic-led states for now.

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The states of California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota and New York argued that a policy announced Tuesday to freeze funds for three grant programs is having an immediate impact on them and creating “operational chaos.” In court filings and a hearing earlier Friday, the states contended that the government did not have a legal reason for holding back the money from those states.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said it was pausing the funding because it had “reason to believe” the states were granting benefits to people in the country illegally, though it did not provide evidence or explain why it was targeting those states and not others.

The programs are the Child Care and Development Fund, which subsidizes child care for children from low-income families; the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, which provides cash assistance and job training; and the Social Services Block Grant, a smaller fund that provides money for a variety of programs.

The five states say they receive a total of more than $10 billion a year from the programs.

The ruling from U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, who was nominated to the bench by former President Joe Biden, is in place until further arguments are made in court.

The government had requested reams of data from the five states, including the names and Social Security numbers of everyone who received benefits from some of the programs since 2022.

The states argue that the effort is unconstitutional and is intended to go after Trump’s political adversaries rather than to stamp out fraud in government programs — something the states say they already do.

Jessica Ranucci, a lawyer in the New York Attorney General’s office, said in the Friday hearing, which was conducted by telephone, that at least four of the states had already had money delayed after requesting it. She said that if the states can’t get child care funds, there will be immediate uncertainty for providers and families who rely on the programs.

A lawyer for the federal government, Kamika Shaw, said it was her understanding that the money had not stopped flowing to states.

General Daily Insight for January 10, 2026

Opportunity costs have today balancing on a knife’s edge — are the gains of our potential actions worth their price? The Sun opposes grandiose Jupiter at 3:42 AM EST, which spurs us to measure ambition against care in a search for the middle ground. Energetic Mars also faces Jupiter, heightening today’s urgency. Gentleness can return this afternoon, once the nurturing Moon mirrors healing Chiron. We’re allowed to sacrifice our own comforts in pursuit of our goals, but we shouldn’t make that choice for other people.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

Take the reins on what matters most. With fiery Mars in your driven 10th house shoving Jupiter in your domestic zone, you’re well-equipped to handle both bold leaps and thoughtful promises. A manager may ask for extra hours while someone you love requests help at home. Aim high professionally, even as your foundational commitments remind you that steadiness and care make success feel worthwhile. Speak clearly about timelines, then commit to a realistic plan. Stay focused to avoid dividing your effort among needless minutiae.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

New ideas are tugging you toward wider horizons. Your 9th House of Travel speaks up as the giving Sun opposes lucky Jupiter, urging you to stretch your mind without venturing onto dangerously shaky ground. You may weigh personal investments against community ones. Don’t worry too much — both options should improve your future. For the time being, focus on setting reasonable goals for growing your mind, then consider sharing them with others. You might get tons of peers interested in learning alongside you!

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

Financial discussions shouldn’t be terrifying. Even if they usually intimidate you, today you’ve got the Sun and Jupiter on your side! Their opposition emboldens your resourceful 8th house and your accountable 2nd house, weighing fairness against generosity. You could be renegotiating a loan with a lender or outlining spending limits with a partner. Any money situation can be navigated, as long as you think it through and ask the questions you need answered. Speak plainly — clarity protects the interests of everyone involved.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

Today will likely have an easy rhythm — as long as you communicate your needs honestly. The radiant Sun in your partnership sector opposing joyous Jupiter in your fine-tuned sign highlights give-and-take, so you look for promises that feel generous and doable. In any close bond, clear expectations reduce friction and invite more warmth. Consider this a cosmic reminder to honor your needs without overshadowing another’s voice. At the end of the day, make an effort to check in with one another.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

Leo, remember that internal progress is still progress, even if no one else can see it just yet. Your productive 6th house and your resolute 12th house are both impacted by the vibrant Sun opposing wise Jupiter. This is an ideal moment to look at any life routines you’d like to update. It also encourages you to look for moments of quiet that stoke your creative fire. Tidy your desk, then focus on a single task until it is complete. Pacing yourself will be crucial.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

Just have fun with it, Virgo! Creativity blossoms as the sparkling Sun opposes Jupiter, lining up your friendship zone and your creativity quadrant. Today’s most crucial task: express yourself! Anything works for this, from a movie night to a crafting class. Whatever your plans may be, they’ll benefit most from having your full attention. You don’t need to be “good” at your activity of choice; you just need to be mindful of how you feel along the way. Let play teach you what truly works.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

Kindness toward yourself changes every conversation. As the empathetic Moon opposes wary Chiron, your sense of self asks for care. When you follow through on that care, you can present yourself with calm, even when you’re feeling rather wobbly. Your boundaries are reasonable, and you’re allowed to stand up for them! Even as Chiron in your 7th House of Pairings calls for concessions, you can lead with fairness and ensure no one (including you!) has to sacrifice too much. Offer yourself grace.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

Say less, but say it with depth. The spitfire Sun opposing auspicious Jupiter revitalizes your 3rd House of Information and your 9th House of Philosophy. This is a superb reminder that the way you talk about things influences your perception of them. Think about the words you use when discussing big topics, like religion or even politics. How might your vocabulary shape your beliefs? The universe is calling you to explore those big ideas in depth. You could also enjoy discussing them with trustworthy peers.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

You can be optimistic without being foolish. Your 2nd House of Finances and your 8th House of Sharing are bolstered by the opposition of Mars and Jupiter. In turn, this boosts your ability to align your purchases with your real priorities. You might skip a flashy gadget to clear a nagging bill — be proud of that! Other people could have requests that strain your budget, but you can negotiate fair terms without losing your generous spirit. A clear budget now protects freedom later.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

Own your path — no one can walk it like you. With the Sun and Jupiter colliding across your sign and your partner-focused 7th house, you may notice different aspects of yourself coming forward in different social bonds. You’re a different person when talking to an authority figure versus talking to your best friend, and that’s normal! That said, it may be time to adjust one of those presentations. You could update a profile or refine a title, because first impressions currently carry real weight.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Listen to the universe to access cosmic inspiration. You’d be wise to sequester yourself away from the world’s noise for at least an hour or two today, since the Sun and Jupiter are activating your solitude sector and your practicality zone. If someone tries to intrude upon your peace, consider offering to support them later so you can continue recharging. Your resting periods are essential to prevent mistakes and spark better solutions for everyone involved. Protect your energy so insight can land.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

Your circle lights up with caring exchanges. Community ties are strengthened by the sparring session between the Sun and Jupiter, since it strikes your friendly 11th house and your playful 5th house. Consider inviting a friend to a hobby event rather than just getting coffee together — unless coffee is your hobby, of course. You could also lead a volunteer effort or coordinate a simple meetup that lets new faces feel welcome. Kindness paired with practical plans helps every promise land beautifully. Share generously!

By ANSELM GIBBS

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) — A shark attacked and killed an American woman along a beach in St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, officials said Friday.

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Police identified the victim as 56-year-old Arlene Lillis of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota.

Authorities said the attack occurred close to shore on western St. Croix on Thursday afternoon.

Police and other emergency crews responded to the beach, where crews worked “swiftly and professionally under very extreme and difficult circumstances” to treat Lillis, said Daryl Jaschen, director of the Virgin Islands’ emergency management agency.

Lillis, who was a frequent visitor to the U.S. territory, was taken to a local hospital for further treatment but died from her injuries, according to Lt. Gov. Tregenza A. Roach.

Police said they were initially told there may have been a second victim, but a perimeter search by authorities did not discover any other victims.

Officials said they have not yet confirmed what type of shark was involved in the attack. They said that while shark sightings are common, attacks in the U.S. Virgin Islands are unusual.

“Encounters that result in a bite are very rare,” said Nicole Angeli of the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources at Friday’s news conference.

She said Thursday’s attack was the second such incident in a decade, and that there are plans to put up more signs and share more information at hotels and beaches on how to be safe around wildlife.

Jaschen, of the emergency management agency, said the investigation into the attack is ongoing, and that he could not immediately say what may have caused the shark to come so close to the shore.

Overall, at least 79 unprovoked shark attacks have been reported in the Caribbean since 1749, including four in the U.S. Virgin Islands, according to the Florida-based International Shark Attack File.

Sun Sentinel Miami Dolphins columnist Chris Perkins and columnist Dave Hyde discuss what new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and an incoming head coach will be able to do with the team’s quarterback options.

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