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MIAMI GARDENS — The first thing that Oregon quarterback Dante Moore did after winning the Orange Bowl was salute the thousands of fans who made the cross-country trip to South Florida.

If the Ducks’ defense keeps playing like this, those fans might be back in Miami before long.

Matayo Uiagalelei caused a fumble to set up an Oregon touchdown, freshman Brandon Finney Jr. had three takeaways — two interceptions and a fumble recovery — and the fifth-seeded Ducks silenced No. 4 Texas Tech’s offense for a 23-0 win in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Orange Bowl on Thursday.

“They’ve earned this opportunity,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. “I told them go get their pound of flesh today. They did that today.”

Jordon Davison rushed for two scores, Moore threw for 234 yards and Atticus Sappington kicked three field goals for Oregon (13-1), which will play either No. 1 Indiana or No. 9 Alabama in the Peach Bowl — a CFP semifinal — on Jan. 9.

The Peach Bowl winner will be back in Miami Gardens for the national title game on Jan. 19.

“I believe we have the best defense in the country,” Finney said.

Texas Tech probably wouldn’t argue with that.

Texas Tech — which finished at 12-2 — came into the day second nationally in points per game (42.5) and fifth nationally in yards per game (480.3) but got absolutely nothing going. The Red Raiders turned the ball over four times, were stopped on fourth downs three other times and had four three-and-outs.

Tech quarterback Behren Morton — who finished 18 of 32 passing for just 137 yards — was stripped by Uiagalelei early in the third quarter in Red Raider territory. Uiagalelei rumbled deep into the red zone and Davison scored one play later to make it 13-0.

Morton threw a red-zone interception early in the fourth quarter and a fourth-down stop from their own 30 midway through the fourth quarter doomed whatever comeback chances existed for the Red Raiders. Davison plunged in from the 1 with 16 seconds left to cap the scoring.

And once again, a CFP bye meant a team went bye-bye.

It was the sixth quarterfinal under this 12-team tournament format that started last year — there were two others coming later Thursday — and the sixth time that the team coming off an extended break lost to a team that played a first-round game.

In 2024, Boise State (against Penn State), Arizona State (against Texas), Georgia (against Notre Dame) and Oregon (against Ohio State) all went out in the quarterfinals after first-round byes. Miami added to that list Wednesday night, beating Ohio State in a quarterfinal at the Cotton Bowl. In those six games, including Thursday, the team with the bye has held the lead for less than five minutes — combined — of regulation.

Texas Tech thought it could avoid that fate. It could not, and Oregon finished off its first shutout of an AP-ranked opponent since 2012. Oregon was playing a top-10 team for the 113th time — and for the first time, allowed zero points.

Oregon played James Madison in Round 1 this year, winning 51-34, and generally was unhappy afterward with how it played defensively.

There wasn’t anything to not like from that side of the ball on Thursday.

“Last week a lot of people talked about our defense,” Lanning said. “They showed up today.”

 

Today is Thursday, Jan. 1, the first day of 2026. There are 364 days left in the year. This is New Year’s Day.

Today in history:

On Jan. 1, 1892, the Ellis Island Immigration Station in New York formally opened, processing nearly 700 immigrants on its first day; nearly 12 million immigrants would ultimately pass through the station before its closure in 1954.

Also on this date:

In 1804, Haiti declared itself independent from France, becoming the world’s first Black-majority republic.

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In 1808, the federal law prohibiting the importation of enslaved people to the United States took effect.

In 1818, Mary Shelley’s novel “Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus” was first published in London, when Shelley was 20 years old.

In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation during the Civil War, declaring that all enslaved people in rebellious states “are, and henceforward shall be free.”

In 1959, Fulgencio Batista resigned as Cuban president and fled the country, marking victory for Fidel Castro’s rebel troops and the Cuban Revolution.

In 2000, an anxious world held its breath as computers silently switched to the year 2000, but the dreaded “Y2K bug” caused few serious issues.

In 2013, thousands were trampled leaving a New Year’s fireworks display at a stadium in Ivory Coast, leaving at least 64 people dead amid the chaos.

In 2024, an earthquake rocked the west coast of Japan, collapsing homes, killing at least 260 people and forcing the evacuation of more than 3,000 others.

In 2025, a man driving a pickup truck that bore the flag of the Islamic State group slammed into revelers during New Orleans’ raucous New Year’s celebration, killing 15 people. The man was shot dead by police and the attack was subsequently investigated by the FBI as an act of terrorism.

Today’s Birthdays:

• Filmmaker Frederick Wiseman is 96.
• Actor Frank Langella is 88.
• Musician Country Joe McDonald is 84.
• Actor-comedian Don Novello is 83.
• DJ Grandmaster Flash is 68.
• Actor Dedee Pfeiffer is 62.
• Actor Morris Chestnut is 57.
• Olympic gold medalist ice dancer Meryl Davis is 39.
• Rapper Ice Spice is 26.

This is as good as it gets, when you break through, when you change your world — when the night and the dream are coming to you at the same time on a big stage like Miami had Wednesday night in the Cotton Bowl.

All Miami had to do was hold on to their lead by the end. And they held tight. And when safety Jakobe Thomas came down with an interception to seal Miami’s 24-14 win against Ohio State it  brought in the New Year with new stars and a new path in a very old way.

“Coach Johnson!’’ Miami coach Mario Cristobal shouted to Jimmy Johnson on the field afterward, as if linking up with that old dynasty. “Coach Johnson! There you go, brother. There you go. Greentree Practice Field!”

Jimmy had tears in his eyes. Any old Hurricane was allowed after this night. Beating Texas A&M in the opener of the College Football Playoff was dramatic. But beating the Ohio State team that was defending champs, ranked No. 1 most of this season and 9½-point favorites said everything’s on the table for Miami now.

The title? Why not? Did you see this game? The stage gets bigger and the stakes rise as Miami takes on the winner of Thursday’s Georgia-Mississippi game in the CFP semifinal. But Miami will be pressed to play a better game than it did against Ohio State.

Breathtaking. That’s what it was when Miami took control after after a scoreless first quarter. Oh, they’d made an impression in that first quarter everywhere but the scoreboard. They had 110 yards in the first quarter. Ohio State had 9. That said they could hold their own against a proven program.

And then the night changed so fast in ways you didn’t expect. That’s what’s so impressive about this Miami team.

Offense? They went on an imposing 18-play, 83-yard drive that was equal parts muscle-flexing run game and precision-strike passing. The touchdown was a nice wrinkle, a power package where quarterback Carson Beck made as if he’d run the ball before passing Mark Fletcher who went untouched into the end zone.

Defense? Ohio State had minus-3 yards rushing at half. That told of its every-down muscle. But the play that changed game came less than two minutes after Fletcher’s touchdown when Ohio State quarterback Justin Sayin threw down to the line to a receiver and threw to Miami safety Keionte Scott instead.

Seventy-two yards later, Scott had a touchdown, Miami had a 14-0 lead and the Hurricanes had the necessary cushion they’d ride the rest of the way.

Ohio State wasn’t done. It came out swinging with a touchdown to start the second half. It cut the game to 17-14 in the fourth quarter. But you can go down a roster for how Miami responded from there. It was everyone, everywhere.

Defensive ends Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor made sure Miami had four sacks in four straight games. The offensive line helped running back Mark Fletcher carry 19 times for 90 yards. Directing it all was quarterback Carson Beck.

Beck didn’t have a monster game. He completed 19 of 26 passes for 138 yards. That didn’t even match Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith, the best player in the country, who had seven catches and a touchdown with 157 yards.

But by this new era’s standards, Beck’s cool and experience was worth every penny of the $4.5 million he’s getting at Miami. He didn’t make a mistake and matched every necessary moment. There was Beck crashing over two Ohio State defenders for a first down in the fourth quarter after Ohio State pulled within three points.

There he was throwing a dart to Char Mar Brown on third down for another first down later in the fourth quarter. Finally, with two minutes left, there was Beck on third-and-4 at the Ohio State 20, throwing a wide receiver screen to CJ Daniels for the first down.

If the game wasn’t over there, but it was when Brown ran 5 yards for the touchdown with 55 seconds left, followed by Thomas’ interception.

Only it’s not over. Did Miami look like a team that was done? It keeps going now. The fun. The playoff. And the chance to continue the kind of run only they thought possible and that sits before them.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Keionte Scott read the play perfectly.

After Ohio State reached Miami’s red zone for the first time, Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin — the nation’s most accurate passer this season — tried to throw a pass in the left flat. Scott knew what was coming, sprinted between Sayin and the receiver and picked off the pass.

“I shot my shot, and the ball went in my hands,” Scott said.

There was no one in front of him. Scott was untouched for 72 yards down the turf at AT&T Stadium before reaching the end zone, putting Miami ahead by two touchdowns. It set the Hurricanes up for a 24-14 upset victory over the Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals at the Cotton Bowl on Wednesday night.

“I’ve been here since the start,” running back Mark Fletcher Jr. said. “And I just trusted (coach Mario Cristobal’s) plan, trusted the vision. And he told me that we’ll get this program back to national championship status, and we just continue to keep on going one game at a time.”

The Hurricanes will face the winner of Thursday’s Georgia-Ole Miss quarterfinal in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan 8.

Miami and Ohio State traded three-and-outs on their first drives. Carson Beck threw two incompletions on UM’s first drive, and defensive end Akheem Mesidor ended the Buckeyes’ first possession with a 10-yard sack. Miami moved the ball on its second drive, but Mark Fletccher Jr. fumbled on a third-down run, and Ohio State recovered to end the Hurricanes’ drive in the red zone.

Fletcher got his redemption quickly. Miami marched 83 yards, and Fletcher scored the game’s first touchdown on a short pass from Beck.

The Buckeyes looked like they would respond immediately, as Sayin tossed a 59-yard pass to former South Florida star Jeremiah Smith, putting Ohio State in the red zone. But Rueben Bain Jr. sacked Sayin on the next play, and Scott then made his game-changing pick, returning it for a 72-yard score.

“It’s an easy situation where they give up big explosive. It’s an easy situation where you put your head down, they go in and score and changes the game,” defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman said. “And our guys responded. And that’s film study, that’s understanding the situation, seeing what’s going on, understanding what’s going on with that motion and being able to jump a play in that situation. That’s just him coming in, competing, watching film, seeing it in practice and getting that look in the game and taking advantage of it.”

Miami’s defense dominated the Buckeyes for the first half. Ohio State’s best drive of the first half came at the end of the second quarter after OSU forced a punt when UM was in Buckeyes territory. Ohio State moved the ball down the field but had to settle for a field goal attempt at the end of the half. Kicker Jayden Fielding’s 49-yard kick went wide left, and the Hurricanes took a two-touchdown lead into halftime.

The Buckeyes were not about to go gently into the night, though. Ohio State drove 82 yards on its second-half-opening drive, with running back Bo Jackson just getting over the goal line for the Buckeyes’ first points of the night.

Miami responded by keeping Ohio State at arm’s length. UM went 43 yards, and Carter Davis — who missed three field goals in UM’s win over Texas A&M — hit a 49-yard field goal to put Miami back ahead by 10 points.

“Last week was very difficult,” Cristobal said. “You saw those conditions. Those were 30-mile-per-hour gusts, and everybody’s all over the guy. He walked into my office like, “I’m good.” I go, “I know you’re good,” you know? And he was just drilling them in practice like he always has.”

Jeremiah Smith, a former star at Chaminade-Madonna who became one of the best players in the nation after choosing Ohio State over Miami, cut the Hurricanes’ lead to three with a 14-yard touchdown catch over the middle early in the fourth quarter.

The Hurricanes made a crucial fourth-quarter stop and got the ball back with 5:56 left in the fourth quarter. Fletcher broke off key runs to keep the clock moving. Running back Marty Brown added key first downs, as well, as Miami moved the ball down the field.

Brown punctuated the final drive with a touchdown run, giving the Hurricanes an insurmountable 10-point lead. Jakobe Thomas clinched the win with an interception on Ohio State’s final play.

“What a helluva game,” Beck said. “What a helluva opportunity that we were able to pull out a win at the end. I’m just so proud of our team and our guys.”

Five takeaways 1. Hurricanes’ dominant pass rush

Miami spent much of the night in the Ohio State backfield. Mesidor and Bain combined for 3.5 tackles for loss and three sacks in the victory.

Coordinator Corey Hetherman’s defense gave the Buckeyes fits, and Sayin rarely had time to sit in the pocket and target talented wide receivers like Smith and Carnell Tate in the first half.

Ohio State figured out how to handle UM’s pressure in the second half, though. Sayin was sacked twice in the last two quarters.

Miami ended the game with five sacks.

“When you got guys like Rueben Bain and myself and then Ahmad Moten (Sr.) who can rush the passer, it’s really fun,” Mesidor said.

2. Scott is a difference maker

Miami’s defense did well when Scott was hurt, but the first-year Hurricane has been one of the best defensive backs in the nation whenever he has been healthy.

After forcing a turnover and getting two sacks against Texas A&M in the first round, Scott had the play of the game with his 72-yard pick-six. The touchdown gave Miami momentum and a cushion that they needed.

“I could just tell when I first got here, the program was very serious about what they were trying to get done,” Scott said. “You could tell everybody in the room had their eye on one goal. That was something I was super excited to buy into.”

3. The one who got away

Smith said earlier in the week that he was strongly considering becoming a Hurricane the day he signed with Ohio State. Ultimately, he stuck with his long-time commitment to the Buckeyes.

The star receiver had an excellent performance on Wednesday, finishing with seven catches for 157 yards, but it was not enough to carry the Buckeyes to a win.

4. Fletcher gets some early redemption

Fletcher had a heartwarming moment when he comforted freshman Malachi Toney when Toney had a potentially costly fumble against Texas A&M.

Fletcher was the one who fumbled on Wednesday, and his turnover in the red zone may have cost UM points. But Fletcher quickly made up for it, scoring the game’s first touchdown on a 9-yard catch.

“I wouldn’t say deja vu, but it’s football. It happens,” Fletcher said. I couldn’t drop my head. There was no time for that. … It’s all about how you bounce back.”

Fletcher finished the game with 90 rushing yards on 19 carries.

5. Ohio State makes adjustments

The Buckeyes could not do much on offense in the first half, especially on the ground. But Ryan Day and the Ohio State offense figured out how to move the ball in the second half.

After notching minus-3 rushing yards in the first half, the Buckeyes started moving the ball on the ground. Jackson ended the game with 55 yards and a touchdown. Smith came alive in the second half, scoring Ohio State’s second touchdown.

“Just started executing better in the second half. But ultimately, (it) wasn’t good enough,” Sayin said. “Didn’t put up enough points.

No sooner had John F. Kennedy’s granddaughter died of leukemia at age 35, than President Trump got busy dusting off previous social media posts to cast shade at her bereaved family.

Though he didn’t mention the late Tatiana Schlossberg by name or reference her death, Trump harvested screenshots of his supporters’ posts belittling the famous family after his newly handpicked board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts voted to tack the president’s name onto the venue.

The Kennedy family announced Schlossberg’s death on Tuesday from a rare form of leukemia with the simple message, “Our beautiful Tatiana passed away this morning. She will always be in our hearts.”

Tatiana Schlossberg, the daughter of Caroline Kennedy and Edwin Schlossberg, addresses an audience during the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award ceremony, at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, Oct. 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

Schlossberg had written poignantly about her diagnosis and treatment in The New Yorker in November, a powerful account of a year-long journey that paralleled her cousin Robert Kennedy Jr.’s attack on the nation’s public health system as Secretary of Health and Human Services.

As condolences poured in, Trump, reportedly miffed at the raft of performance cancellations in the wake of the board’s Dec. 18 name change, pulled supporters’ social media posts out of mothballs and onto Truth Social. He re-upped such gems as, “The Kennedy Family have LONG neglected the Kennedy Center, btw. They don’t raise money for it. They never show up. And the only Kennedy who has been there recently is a member of Trump’s cabinet,” and, “The Trumps have always been supporters of the arts. The Kennedys are supporters of the Kennedys.”

New signage, The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center For The Performing Arts, is unveiled on the Kennedy Center, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

The Kennedys themselves were especially vocal during the public backlash against the institution’s name change, given that Congress had dedicated it as a living memorial to JFK after the president’s 1963 assassination.

CNN’s Jake Tapper and others led the excoriation charge against Trump’s posts.

“In the early afternoon, ET, the Kennedy family announced that JFK’s granddaughter Tatiana Schlossberg had died from cancer,” the anchor wrote on X. “A few hours later, President Trump re-posted some social media garbage attacking the Kennedy family.”

Barely a month earlier, Trump had blamed movie director Rob Reiner for his own murder.

“On a day when the Kennedy family is grappling with an unimaginable personal loss, Donald Trump chose to use his platform to launch petty, vindictive attacks against them,” Meidas Touch wrote on X. “Yet another stunning display of cruelty and utter lack of basic human decency.”

With News Wire Services

By LINDSAY WHITEHURST

WASHINGTON (AP) — Chief Justice John Roberts said Wednesday that the Constitution remains a sturdy pillar for the country, a message that comes after a tumultuous year in the nation’s judicial system with pivotal Supreme Court decisions on the horizon.

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Roberts said the nation’s founding documents remain “firm and unshaken,” a reference to a century-old quote from President Calvin Coolidge. “True then; true now,” Roberts wrote in his annual letter to the judiciary.

The letter comes after a year in which legal scholars and Democrats raised fears of a possible constitutional crisis as Republican President Donald Trump’s supporters pushed back against rulings that slowed his far-reaching conservative agenda.

Roberts weighed in at one point in March, issuing a rare rebuke after Trump called for the impeachment of a judge who had ruled against him in a case over the deportation of Venezuelan migrants accused of being gang members.

The chief justice’s Wednesday letter was largely focused on the nation’s history, including an early 19th-century case establishing the principle that Congress shouldn’t remove judges over contentious rulings.

He also called on judges to “continue to decide the cases before us according to our oath, doing equal right to the poor and to the rich, and performing all of our duties faithfully and impartially under the Constitution and laws of the United States.”

While the Trump administration faced pushback in the lower courts, it has scored a series of some two dozen wins on the Supreme Court’s emergency docket. The court’s conservative majority has allowed Trump to move ahead for now with banning transgender people from the military, clawing back billions of dollars of congressionally approved federal spending, moving aggressively on immigration and firing the Senate-confirmed leaders of independent federal agencies.

The court also handed Trump a few defeats over the last year, including in his push to deploy the National Guard to U.S. cities.

Other pivotal issues are ahead for the high court in 2026, including arguments over Trump’s push to end birthright citizenship and a ruling on whether he can unilaterally impose tariffs on hundreds of countries.

Roberts’ letter contained few references to those issues. It opened with a history of the seminal 1776 pamphlet “Common Sense,” written by Thomas Paine, a “recent immigrant to Britain’s North American colonies,” and closed with Coolidge’s encouragement to “turn for solace” to the Constitution and Declaration of Independence “amid all the welter of partisan politics.”

By SAFIYAH RIDDLE

NEW YORK (AP) — Incoming Mayor Zohran Mamdani will take his midnight oath of office on a centuries-old Quran, marking the first time a mayor of New York City uses Islam’s holy text to be sworn in and underscoring a series of historic firsts for the city.

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When the 34-year-old Democrat becomes mayor in a long-closed subway station beneath City Hall, he’ll be the first Muslim, first South Asian and first African-born person to hold that position.

These milestones — as well as the historical Quran he will use for the ceremony — reflect the longstanding and vibrant Muslim residents of the nation’s most populous city, according to a scholar who helped Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji, select one of the books.

Most of Mamdani’s predecessors were sworn in on a Bible, although the oath to uphold the federal, state and city constitutions does not require the use of any religious text.

And while he has focused heavily on the issue of affordability during his campaign, Mamdani was outspoken about his Muslim faith. He frequently appeared at mosques across the five boroughs as he built a base of support that included many first-time South Asian and Muslim voters.

A look at the three Qurans Mamdani will use

Mamdani will place his hand on two Qurans during the subway ceremony: his grandfather’s Quran and a pocket-sized version that dates back to the late 18th or early 19th century. It is part of the collection at the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

That copy of the Quran symbolizes the diversity and reach of the city’s Muslims, said Hiba Abid, the library’s curator for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies.

This photo provided by The New York Public Library shows the Schomburg Quran on Dec. 16, 2025 in New York. (Jonathan Blanc/The New York Public Library via AP)

“It’s a small Quran, but it brings together elements of faith and identity in New York City history,” Abid said.

For a subsequent swearing-in ceremony at City Hall on the first day of the year, Mamdani will use both his grandfather’s and grandmother’s Qurans. The campaign hasn’t offered more details on those heirlooms.

One Quran’s long journey to Mamdani’s hand

The manuscript was acquired by Arturo Schomburg, a Black Puerto Rican historian whose collection documented the global contributions of people of African descent. While it is unclear how Schomburg came into possession of the Quran, scholars believe it reflected his interest in the historical relationship between Islam and Black cultures in the United States and across Africa.

Unlike ornate religious manuscripts associated with royalty or elites, the copy of the Quran that Mamdani will use is modest in design. It has a deep red binding with a simple floral medallion and is written in black and red ink. The script is plain and readable, suggesting it was created for everyday use rather than ceremonial display.

Those features indicate the manuscript was intended for ordinary readers, Abid said, a quality she described as central to its meaning.

“The importance of this Quran lies not in luxury, but in accessibility,” she said.

This photo provided by The New York Public Library shows the Schomburg Quran on Dec. 16, 2025 in New York. (Jonathan Blanc/The New York Public Library via AP)

Because the manuscript is undated and unsigned, scholars relied on its binding and script to estimate when it was produced, placing it sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century during the Ottoman period in a region that includes what is now Syria, Lebanon, Israel, the Palestinian territories and Jordan.

Abid said the manuscript’s journey to New York mirrors Mamdani’s own layered background. Mamdani is a South Asian New Yorker who was born in Uganda, while Duwaji is American-Syrian.

Identity and controversy

The meteoric rise of a Muslim democratic socialist also brought a surge of Islamophobic rhetoric, amplified by national attention on the race.

In an emotional speech days before the election, Mamdani said the hostility had only strengthened his resolve to be visible about his faith.

This photo provided by The New York Public Library shows the Schomburg Quran on Dec. 16, 2025 in New York. (Jonathan Blanc/The New York Public Library via AP)

“I will not change who I am, how I eat, or the faith that I’m proud to call my own,” he said. “I will no longer look for myself in the shadows. I will find myself in the light.”

The decision to use a Quran has drawn fresh criticism from some conservatives. U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama wrote on social media, “The enemy is inside the gates,” in response to a news article about Mamdani’s inauguration. The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a civil-rights group, has designated Tuberville as an anti-Muslim extremist based on past statements.

Such backlash is not new. In 2006, Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, faced condemnation from conservatives after he chose to use a Quran for his ceremonial oath.

Following the inauguration, the Quran will go on public display at the New York Public Library. Abid said she hopes attention surrounding the ceremony — whether supportive or critical — will prompt more people to explore the library’s collections documenting Islamic life in New York, ranging from early 20th century Armenian and Arabic music recorded in the city to firsthand accounts of Islamophobia after the Sept. 11 attacks.

“This manuscript was meant to be used by ordinary readers when it was produced,” Abid said. “Today it lives in a public library where anyone can encounter it.”

Associated Press writers Jake Offenhartz in New York and Kim Chandler in Montgomery, Alabama, contributed.

By FATIMA HUSSEIN

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. on Wednesday imposed sanctions on four firms operating in Venezuela’s oil sector and designated four additional oil tankers, which the U.S. accuses of being part of a shadow fleet serving Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s government, as blocked property.

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The action is part of the Trump administration’s monthslong pressure campaign on Maduro. U.S. forces also have seized two oil tankers off Venezuela’s coast, are pursuing another and have conducted a series of deadly strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean.

A set of strikes announced Wednesday increased the death toll from the attacks to at least 110 people since early September. And in a new escalation marking the first known direct operation on Venezuelan soil, the CIA carried out a drone strike last week at a docking area believed to have been used by drug cartels.

The latest sanctions from the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control target ships called Nord Star, Lunar Tide, Rosalind and Della, and their registered ownership companies.

“Today’s sanctions continue President Trump’s pressure campaign on Maduro and his cronies,” State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement. “The Trump Administration is committed to disrupting the network that props up Maduro and his illegitimate regime.”

The sanctions are meant to deny the firms and tankers access to any property or financial assets held in the U.S. People, banks and financial institutions that violate that restriction expose themselves to sanctions or enforcement actions.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the United States “will not allow the illegitimate Maduro regime to profit from exporting oil while it floods the United States with deadly drugs.”

President Donald Trump has announced a “blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers coming in and out of the South American country. He has demanded that Venezuela return assets that it seized from U.S. oil companies years ago and has said Maduro’s government is using oil profits to fund drug trafficking and other crimes.

“The Treasury Department will continue to implement President Trump’s campaign of pressure on Maduro’s regime,” Bessent said.

General Daily Insight for January 01, 2026

Clear thinking returns after a foggy morning. Early on, chatty Mercury squares elusive Neptune, so we may misread signals and make presumptive promises. Patience is vital — as are clear boundaries and double-checking assumptions. At 4:10 PM EST, cerebral Mercury makes its Capricorn ingress, and we regain focus, which helps us prioritize practical steps as we translate ideas into doable tasks. Later, the intuitive Moon sextiles healing Chiron, signifying the strength of simple kindness. We can succeed when we choose thoughtfulness over speed.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

Lead the way with steady, visible steps. Your 10th House of Ambition is highlighted by Mercury’s entry, inviting thoughtful leadership that shows in every aspect of your future plans. If you manage others, plan a brief check-in that clarifies goals, while solo projects benefit from a clean task list and realistic timelines. If you’re job-hunting, be willing to update your portfolio or resume in response to recent wins. You’re ready for big responsibilities, and you know it! Your strength invites collaboration and respect.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

Trust the road that feels sturdy and true. Mercury is waking your 9th House of Research, encouraging you to schedule courses, certifications, or a dream trip (with a grounded budget). If you teach or mentor, outline lessons with clear outcomes. Learners of any age can benefit from keeping track of their milestones. Consider exploring a nearby museum or cooking a new recipe, because sensory experiences anchor ideas you’d once only known in theory. Take your time with foundational knowledge, so your progress stands firm.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

What agreements actually fit your busy mind? Clear commitments replace fuzzy promises as clever Mercury in your collaborative 7th house squares illusory Neptune in your pressure-heavy 10th house. Don’t make guesses — just ask people what they mean. This is vital before Mercury gallops into your vulnerable 8th house later today! If someone shifts plans, don’t let them be vague about the details. Confirm any changes with honest conversations, then write down the important stuff. Keep it simple, and confusion should melt away.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

This afternoon favors clear, kind conversations. Chatty Mercury is trotting into your 7th House of Partnership, motivating you to say what you need without drama and, in turn, hear others with patience. All connections (platonic, romantic, or professional) need gentle ground rules. These might usually go unspoken, but today, you’ll potentially need to state something more clearly. If a loved one seems touchy, suggest an activity they enjoy or a favored treat to share. That should make it easier to talk about whatever’s going on.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

What’s this? Wait, no, over there? The day ahead undoubtedly holds distractions, but routines can create relief as logical Mercury turns your 6th House of Effort into simple systems you can actually maintain. The best time to start practicing a beneficial habit is yesterday, but the second best time is today! This is also an ideal transit for small fixes like cleaning out your inbox or grouping errands together to get as much done as possible. Protect your rhythm, because consistency grows sustainable results.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

When joy meets purpose, creativity gets traction. Mischievous Mercury leaps into your 5th House of Playfulness, encouraging playful experiments that still honor your high standards. Take breaks from work whenever possible to give inspiration room to arrive. When you are working, try to enjoy yourself, because a good mood often unlocks elegant solutions. If criticism pops up, separate useful notes from naysayers’ noise, then refine the next version. Progress grows through thoughtful edits rather than harsh punishments. Let curiosity lead, and quality naturally follows.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

Take care of your private space. Calm returns at home as information-gathering Mercury organizes your 4th House of Family through aligned budgets and clearer plans for moves or repairs. If you share space, suggest a short meeting to confirm chores and hours. Predictable roommate routines keep harmony and help everyone feel respected. Left to your own devices, you may revisit keepsakes or childhood memories in search of inspiration for your ideal living situation. Create comfort first so connection grows more easily.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

What message truly needs to be shared? Your 3rd House of Communication accelerates as cerebral Mercury refines your intellectual capacity. That trademark Scorpio intensity becomes an asset when you channel it into concise points, thoughtful insights, and open-ended questions. Sharing genuine curiosity can guide you to get to know others without provoking defensiveness. Even tough talks can result in good-natured neighborly fixes to any issues (especially everyday environmental ones, like noise limits or parking spots). Speak with precision, and people lean in.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

Budgeting isn’t simple, but it isn’t impossible, either. With smart Mercury stepping into your resourceful 2nd House, your attention is directed toward money choices. Think about your recent purchases — are there any you particularly enjoy or regret? Don’t forget to make sure you’re actually using the subscriptions you pay for! Thoughtful limits create room for meaningful treats later. If someone presses you to split a pricey plan, offer a fair alternative that fits your wallet and your values without guilt. Invest in essentials.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

Build your current path with thoughtful, confident steps. Clever Mercury boosts your identity as it enters your sign, sharpening your voice and shaping first impressions with practical eloquence and calm authority. Use this renewed sense of purpose to set intentions for the year — or just enjoy this boost to your email-writing capacity. If someone questions your plan, look out for any actually useful advice. That way, you’ll be able to craft an improved path going forward. Share your aims, and watch others rally.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Tenderness cloaks today. Gentle creativity takes the lead as the emotional Moon in your loving 5th house sextiles tender Chiron in your busy 3rd house. This is a reminder to appreciate the people around you, even in the midst of the busiest of days. Mercury upholds this quieter mood with its transition into your subtle 12th house. You might pick up a neglected hobby, write letters to loved ones, or watch a nostalgic movie. Lead with kindness, leaving your heart open to affection.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

Crossed signals can’t stop you forever! All you need is patience, particularly when flighty Mercury squares uncertain Neptune. Shortly thereafter, Mercury leaps into your community-focused 11th house, bringing others into the situation. If a supervisor requests updates or a client wants speed, restate the goal and timeline — as many times as necessary. Be prepared to recap information and wait to sign any contracts until another set of eyes verifies the minute details. By clearing up confusion, you’ll strengthen your current and future reputation.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A Walt Disney World worker in Florida was injured while attempting to stop a large runaway prop boulder from rolling into seated spectators at the Indiana Jones live show.

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The worker at the “Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular” at the Disney’s Hollywood Studios park was knocked to the ground by the 400-pound prop boulder after it moved off its track on Tuesday and started rolling toward audience members. Another worker stopped the boulder before it reached the spectators.

Disney on Wednesday wouldn’t disclose the worker’s injuries, citing privacy reasons.

One of the attraction’s scheduled shows was canceled Tuesday after the accident, and Wednesday’s shows were modified to exclude the prop boulder. Disney said it was reviewing why the prop rolled off the track.

“We’re focused on supporting our cast member, who is recovering,” Disney said in a statement. “Safety is at the heart of what we do, and that element of the show will be modified as our safety team completes a review of what happened.”

The show is based on the Indiana Jones films and recreates an early scene in the first film, “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”

GAINESVILLE — Florida re-signed receiver Dallas Wilson to secure one of new coach Jon Sumrall’s top priorities among members of the 2025 Gators.

Wilson announced his decision on New Year’s Eve, two days before the transfer portal opens Friday.

“It’s a revenge season,” he told Florida Victorious, the school’s collective to raise NIL funding. “I’m coming back for everything. Everybody that doubted us or talked about us … we’re coming back. Just know that.”

The 6-foot-3, 213-pound sophomore still has a lot himself to prove after appearing in just four games because of a foot injury Wilson suffered during fall camp that ultimately ended his season.

Wilson, though, showed enough promise in those appearances, along with a record-setting 2025 spring game, that Sumrall made him, tailback Jadan Baugh, receiver Vernell Brown III, linebacker Myles Graham and edge rusher Jadan Woods the program’s five top targets to re-sign.

Wilson’s long-awaited debut highlighted the Gators’ 29-21 upset win against No. 9 Texas Oct. 4 in the Swamp, ending a three-game skid. But Wilson struggled to build on his six catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns — all UF records for a true freshman receiver making his first start.

Wilson caught just six passes for 65 yards and a touchdown before re-injuring his foot during the first half of a 24-20 loss to No. 5 Georgia Nov. 1 in Jacksonville.

By then, Wilson had shown what he can do when healthy.

Florida wide receiver Dallas Wilson (6) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against Texas on a 55-yard pass play during the Gators' 29-21 win against Texas Oct. 4, 2025 in the Swamp. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

During the spring game last April, he set a game-record 10 catches for 195 yards, including touchdowns of 20 and 19 yards.

Wilson and Brown, who led Florida with 40 catches for 512 yards in his first season, give the Gators two of the sport’s most promising young wideouts.

The 20-year-old Wilson from Tampa likes Sumrall’s passion and new offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner’s plan he brings from Georgia Tech.

“He was very electric,” Wilson said of Sumrall. “He brought a lot of energy to the room — something we really hadn’t seen before. It was a different type of juice, and I immediately liked it.

“I feel like he’s the kind of coach who’s going to bring the best out of every player on the field.”

Faulkner’s 2025 offense at Georgia Tech averaged 33.1 points, or 28th nationally, 466.3 yards (12th) and 7.09 yards per play (eighth).

“I talk to him pretty much every day. He’s a great offensive mind and knows how to get his playmakers the ball and put us in position to be successful,” Wilson told Florida Victorious.

Graham, who led Florida with 76 tackles, also re-signed, but Baugh and Woods have yet to decide where they’ll play in 2026.

Baugh, whose 1,170 rushing yards are the most by a UF back since 2012, weighs a $1.3 million offer from UF against a reported $1.5 million from the Longhorns. Woods reportedly could enter the portal but continues to negotiate a new deal.

Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com